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Original poster

Mid-sleeper/ cabin beds - are they any good and will a 2.5 year old be okay in one?

56 replies

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 20:46

That's it basically. I've looked at lots (Thuka, Flexa, Stompa) - with and without storage. It has to have a straight ladder as the bedroom is so small and there isn't room for anything other than a bed. However, am a bit worried - they all seem to have quite high rails, but even so, my ds is only 2.5 years old (and lacking in sense ) - any thoughts/experience on the safety of them? I also wonder what age they grow out of wanting a mid-sleeper. I've seen a lovely one in Aspace, but it has a 2ft6 mattress, rather than 3ft, but I wonder if he will have ceased wanting a cabin bed by the time it becomes a squash anyway. Any thoughts and recommendations would be hugely appreciated.

OP posts:

Northerner · 06/07/2006 20:48

I'd say 2.5 is too young. I am just considering one for my 4 year old ds.

GeorginaA · 06/07/2006 20:48

We did for ds1 - but in fairness it was a bit high and was a long way down when he did fall out . Would say get one if you're desperate for the space, but DEFINTELY get a bed guard.

Also be prepared for the fact that he might not be able to climb in and out while he's small. Ds1 needed a little step to enable him to get a leg up for the first 6 months or so until he grew a bit

Eeek · 06/07/2006 20:51

They are lovely aren't they. Most of them are recommended for 5 years and above. I'd say 2.5 is a bit young - we keep finding ds on the floor, or half in, half out of bed - hard if he's 5 feet up!

Original poster

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 20:51

GeorginaA - the ones I've looked at all have ladders with about two or three rungs to get up to the top (but much lower than a top bunk) - are you talking about the same thing? I was hoping the safety rails would stop any falls...

OP posts:

sugarfree · 06/07/2006 20:53

Ellaroo my 5'7" Ds still loves his midsleeper at 12.
Dh said "That'll do him til he brings girls back" at which point I fainted dead away and didn't hear what else he said.

Ds2 has just gone into a high sleeper at 6.

SoupDragon · 06/07/2006 20:56

Both DSs have these and have had them since a little over 2.5. For both, we used a futon mattress at first because htis is thinner than a standard mattress and therefore the rails are higher. In fact we used a double, folded down and underneath the mattress at the sides if that makes sense.

They're no 5 and 7 and only DS2 has ever fallen out (so far) and that was when he tried to climb out the wrong end. When on holiday with normal beds, without fail they both fall out several times.

GeorginaA · 06/07/2006 21:01

Ellaroo - yes - mid-sleepers. We found the rail wasn't high enough to prevent a fall. This is ds1's bed: Madrid single bed - not even as high as the mid-sleepers with a ladder.

essbee · 06/07/2006 21:08

Message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 06/07/2006 21:17

DSs have ones like this and the rails are high enough. DS2 in particular sleeps all over the place.

Original poster

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 21:24

That's similar to the ones I've been looking at Soupdragon. Do the visible breaks in the legs mean that it could be a normal height single bed if it didn't work out being that high to start with?

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 06/07/2006 21:25

I think that particular one probably does. DSs have one length legs.

Original poster

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 21:26

Thank you Essbee by the way - however, unfortunately the room is so small that a slide will never be an option .

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 06/07/2006 21:26

Yes - it's the Thuka "maxi system"

Original poster

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 21:39

Thank you Soupdragon - I'd been looking at Thuka but hadn't found that particular website which lays out the prices really clearly.

OP posts:

tassis · 06/07/2006 21:44

ds slept in a top bunk on holiday before his 3rd b'day and loved it

essbee · 06/07/2006 21:50

Message withdrawn

Gavin · 06/07/2006 21:51

We've just got dd one from LX Direct for £179.99 - with pink and lilac tower and tent and a slide - no mattress ! Same as is in Argos I think !

DD is 5.5 and has wanted one for years - but I have been too scared till now !

Original poster

Ellaroo · 06/07/2006 22:08

Gavin - I think I would be scared too if the size of ds's room hadn't pushed me to desperate measures. If we had the room I would get a normal bed.

I feel like my head is rather swimming with beds...for this reason I have spent the entire evening making a 15-page powerpoint presentation for dh on the merits of different cabin beds in an attempt to try and consolidate my thoughts and inspire him into thinking it through with me...(although more likely he will question why he is married to someone who spends her time doing something like that). I think I may have over-researched the project!

OP posts:

lunavix · 06/07/2006 22:11

my ds (2.2) has the madrid same as georgina. Hasn't fallen out yet in nearly a week (touch wood) we've put a bed guard on it though as he's still very diddy - however had to borrow an old tomy one as the new ones don't fit on beds with sides.

It's lovely, storage is lovely. It's not hugely high, bought the same as a normal divan bed tbh.

MaryBS · 07/07/2006 04:29

My 2 have ones with sloping ladders and proper steps. We tried the others out, and the ones with the ladders flat against the side are much harder to climb, and often the stops are more like wooden rungs, which can be sore on little feet. DD (6) is a bit active in bed, but she has never fallen out, the barriers have stopped her. She regularly falls out of bed on holiday, but her midisleeper has always kept her safe. We got one from Argos.

hub2dee · 07/07/2006 07:55

Will you do an html export of your ppt show Ellaroo ? I'd love to see it, LOL ! Have you done a professional background too ? With transition effects ?

Original poster

Ellaroo · 07/07/2006 12:28

Hub2dee - no, I have not done any transitions or fancy backgrounds. More a photo of one bed per slide with it's price, pros & cons listed in bullet points. I have of course started the presentation with arguments for and against mid-sleepers to get his mind focused (just to give him the option of saying 'none of them' at the end). Have no idea how to export it (???!!!), however, dh refused to look at it last night, but grudgingly said he will spend a maximum of five mintues viewing it tonight. Grrr!

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 07/07/2006 12:32

Apart from anything else, a 2'6" bed is fine - I slept in one till I was 21 as my bedroom was tiny too and it was what we were given at university.

hub2dee · 07/07/2006 13:04

It's used as an aid to keeping birth rates low at uni Mrs B.

Ellaroo, I think your dh is being distinctly unfair wrt viewing your meisterpiece. Just strap him down with duck tape and offer him no choice. Then leave it on auto-repeat.

PrettyCandles · 07/07/2006 13:16

Flexa Flexa Flexa!

The straight ladder has flat rungs with anti-slip grooves and the safety rail is very sturdy. Ds loves his, and has often had his friends up there with no accidents. Dd has been climbing up since she was about 2.5y. We do enforce a No Standing rule.

You can start them off quite low, though ds went straight into the middle-height one, which meant that he could walk around underneath his bed without having to bend his neck until he was about 4.

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