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Original poster

Are Toddler Beds Worth the Money?

18 replies

dizietsma · 03/09/2007 12:13

We live in a very small flat, with DD's cot her teeny tiny room looks OK, but I'm dreading the graduation to big girl bed which is looming. A toddler bed sounds ideal, but are they really worth the money? How many years of use to you get from them?

OP posts:
McDreamy · 03/09/2007 12:14

I personally didn't go down that road. Put DD straight from a cot into a single bed. We used a bed side for about a year (until she was about 3) and now she sleeps in it with no problems. Just about to start the change with DS and have got him a full size single too.

meowmix · 03/09/2007 12:16

no just go for a low single bed

JARM · 03/09/2007 12:18

we have both my girls in toddler beds and cant see them coming out of them any time soon (3.1yrs and 22mnths)

I am planning on bunk beds anyway, so will need to wait until DD2 is 3-4yrs

Tommy · 03/09/2007 12:27

we have a cot bed which hs been great as DS1 was still in a cot when DS2 was born so we needed cots. DS2 still in bed and he's 4 but tbh, I wouldn't buy a toddler bed if you didn't need another cot as a normal bed will last much longer

Furzella · 03/09/2007 12:28

We got a super-cheap ikea toddler bed that extends to a full size single. DD1 had it from 2 to 4 then dd2 moved in and is now getting too small for the toddler size (she's 3 but incredibly tall) and I think we might buy a proper bed now. It was invaluable though in our last place where we were in a flat and it saved space that could be used for playing/books/toys. If you can buy a cheap one, I'd say go for it.

Also, and slightly off topic, I'm a great believer in keeping them in their cots until they physically refuse to stay there a minute longer, mainly as dd1 turned into a demon sleeper for 6 months after we moved her into a bed! No need to rush it.

McDreamy · 03/09/2007 12:32

Totally agree Furzilla, I put the bed in the same room as the cot for ages and we didn't take the cot down until DD decided she wanted to sleep in the bed. There was no pressure and she eventually transferred really easily.

Bed went into DS's room last week, he's a bit interested but still wants his cot at the moment.

McDreamy · 03/09/2007 12:33

Sorry dizietsma that probably didn't help at all, after re reading your post having a cot and a bed in the same room might not be an option.

Original poster
dizietsma · 03/09/2007 13:00

Toddler bed and cot in the same room? Fat chance! Sounds like a nice way to transition though. Thanks for the advice gals, I'll mull it over.

OP posts:
amidaiwish · 04/09/2007 08:57

i moved DD1 out of her cot at 15months as DD2 was due a few months later and i wasn't going to buy another cot. So i went for a toddler bed as she was so young. Never had any problems, she settled into it straight away.

DD1 was out of the toddler bed by the time she turned 3, she kept getting into the double bed in our spare room (think princess and the pea) so we figured she wanted more space and got her a full size single bed.

We then moved DD2 into the toddler bed (she was 18m) rather than dismantle it - and got rid of the cot instead. She too has been fine in it.

DD1 still "fits" in the toddler bed (she's 3.5) and gets into it now and again.

So, a toddler bed has been well worth it for us and they are so cute! It looks adorable in the nursery. But, they are unneccessary as there's no reason not to go from cot to single bed with a bed guard.

boo64 · 04/09/2007 23:01

Hmm I think once you take account of the fact you need to buy two mattresses rather than one these are not a good buy.

TheQueenOfQuotes · 04/09/2007 23:05

we went straight to single bed (and no guard ) for both dS1 and DS2.........and am seriously considering getting one of these type of thing for when DS3 eventually transfers from cot to bed (unless we win the lottery in the next few years all 3 DS's will be sharing a room

ThursdayNext · 04/09/2007 23:24

For most people, probably not worth the money.

However, we have a pokey second bedroom, and as I'm pregnant with DC2 we just measured it to see if we could squeeze in a toddler bed and a cot, or if the second child would be sleeping in our room until old enough to go in bunk beds! Surprisingly, we could.
Toddler bed only 150cm long, they use a cot bed mattress.
Cot will fit in at right angles, it's 68cm wide.

Standard beds are 200cm long, so if you can fit in a standard single, you may well be able to squeeze in a toddler bed and cot.

The toddler bed would leave you with quite a bit more floor space, which might be useful for storage even if you're not planning on wedging another child in there!

And they are really cute. But I would agree, probably not particularly cost effective.

MrsWeasley · 04/09/2007 23:29

We didnt use a toddler bed but we got smaller bunk-beds(they are slightly more narrow and shorter than the normal single bed size) and they are still going strong with my 12 year old in.

pollywollydoodle · 04/09/2007 23:49

no.
DD went straight from cot to double bed that was in the spare room that she took a fancy to.
am hoping that that is it until she moves on!

drosophila · 05/09/2007 00:29

I htink they can be. I got one for dd. She seems to love it. Only ting I don't like is not being able to hop in beside her for a cuddle. Used to do this with ds all the time.

LyraBelacqua · 05/09/2007 00:42

We've got toddler beds that adjust as the child grows. Both boys are on the smallest setting a the moment, but as they grow bigger the frame extends and the mattress comes with two inserts for the bigger frame sizes. We got them from Ikea.

HappyMummyOfOne · 05/09/2007 15:15

I bought DS the little tikes car one and he went in it from aged 13 months (after catching him climbing out of his cot) to just under four and a half years - we parted with it last month to move to a single bed.

I'm glad we went with the toddler bed as it was lower to the ground so he could get in and out easily and it didnt need a guard.

Pruners · 05/09/2007 15:24

Message withdrawn

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