Bed and bed linen for a two year old's first bed

[Pidge]

Baby no 2 is due in March, so in the January sales we will be buying dd (2 1/2) a bed. My mum would quite like to get her some bed linen for Christmas, and is looking for ideas as to where to go. So far the stuff I've seen is incredibly gender divided - i.e. all pink fairies for girls, and Thomas the Tank Engine for boys! I'd love something fun and funky for her - any ideas where I can tell my mum to get nice duvet covers etc. I'm not averse to flowers, or even Maisy Mouse style stuff - just not pink fairies!!

Also - what size bed do people end up getting? My dd's room is large, so we don't have any particular space limitation and my dp was thinking we'd just get a standard adult single bed. But can you fit those side bars on those to stop them falling out? Or do we need a kiddie size bed?

Any tips, gratefully received!

We bought a Flexa bed which has optional integral bars and can be used as mid height/high level/bunk etc later on. It is a regular full size one. You can definitely fit a bed guard to a standard bed though so if you have space it woudl be better long term to go for a larger one now.

We currently still use Ikea sized cot bedding on dd's full size bed as the duvet is plenty big enough for her. You may want to miss out that stage and go straight for a proper duvet as it is easier to buy bedding for it and you can always tuck in the excess.

We went straight to a single bed for dd at 18 months and she's been fine (she's nearly 3 now). We used the Tomy bed guard and it was great. Just took it off last night actually!

I ended up getting yellow bed linen from Next as dd's room isn't pink although it does have the obligatory fairy...

I would just go for a big bed with a bed guard on the side. Likewise, we've just taken our bed guard off!!!! age 3.5. John Lewis has nice bedlinen with pink gingham sewn on things - they are nice. Habitat has just plain pink linen look which looks sweet as well.

Here's to a pink Christmas

Just a thought.... is the room big that No.2 will be sleeping in ? because you may want to think about getting a toddler bed for dd and then being able to use it for No2 when he/she needs it, therefore getting more use out of it. Then dd can have a BIG bed later.

I agree, that a big bed will be OK with bed rails.

Next do some nice quilt covers

Pidge

The white company - link from mumsnet page saves you 10% IIRC - does lovely gingham edged bedding - which is really pretty. I've used their bedding for all of the family for ages and everything still looks great even after loads of washing.

I keep the children's bedding quite plain and then put a throw at teh end of the bed that matches their rooms. Looks quite good - also you can bleach the bedding if there are any serious spills!

We put our two straight into single beds with a tomy bed guard. If your DD's room is big then getting teh hideaway beds(with a spare bed underneath) is a good idea for when they are older and having sleepovers etc.

Pidge, IMO kiddie beds are a waste of money. DD went into a normal adult sized single bed with a bedguard when she was 18 months, ds was 16 months and they've both been fine. DD has plae yellow gingam bedding from The White Company.

We've got a hidaway bed for dd as well. The spare bed often come in handy!!!

kiddie bedds are a waste of money. dd2, does however have a extenable bed from ikea, mainly due to teh size of her bedroom tho. if they had a large room then they'd both have full size single beds.

I also recommend a normal single bed - DS has a 3 foot wide one rather than a 2'6'', which means there is room to get in with him to read a story. We also used a bed rail until he was 3 (took it off when we got back from holiday and he didn't notice). He has John Lewis bedlinen, but on a boyish theme. I love the gingham White Company linen.

Thanks folks. Sounds like we should go for a standard single and then fix a rail on it.

We have one of those hideaway beds in our guest room - and it's great. Hadn't thought about sleepovers, but that is a very good point.

Also haven't completely decided if baby 2 will end up in the same room as dd. Dp wants them to have separate rooms, and we do have space (just means giving up our under-used study!).

Lovely bed linen ideas - am going to do some web-browsing at lunch time to see if I can find any of these online.

pidge can i just recommend Boden bedlinen?
I know, i know,it's really dear, but I got DD some in the sale, flowers on one side, spots on the other, it's all cotton and really nice quality and was £25 for duvet and p/case so not bad.
i agree re gender division, i really object to Barbie/Thomas bedlinen, glad it's not just me! (tho in that case why is it so hard to fine neutral stuff???)