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Original poster

First bed advice needed please

16 replies

spicemonster · 15/03/2009 22:14

I am going to need to buy my DS a bed fairly soon. I see that Ikea do sort of extendable beds but are they rubbish? Or should I just get a full size bed for him? Is there any particular reason to buy a toddler size bed?

I'm not going to have any more kids so it's not like I'd get value from using it for other kids.

Should I get one of those beds with a pull out spare underneath for later when he has sleepovers?

I think you can get clip on sides can't you? I know he's going to fall out otherwise - he's quite often upside down when he wakes up.

Any and all advice (as ever!) very welcome

OP posts:

PottyCock · 15/03/2009 22:15

I will lurk on this thread - how old is your ds spicemonster?

Doozle · 15/03/2009 22:19

We just got the Minnen bed from Ikea and are very happy with it and it was only £60. It's very sturdy etc.

But we were worried a full-size single wouldn't quite fit in DD's room so that's why we went for an extendable bed.

If you're not limited on space, then I'd probably just get an ordinary full-size single.

Dottoressa · 15/03/2009 22:20

Ours went from the cot into a full-sized single with no problems at all. I feared they might fall out, which they have done occasionally - but I don't think that's anything to do with bed size!!

jollydiane · 15/03/2009 22:25

I bought a red racing car bed from Argos, but bouught a separate very good quality mattress.

The bed was low to the floor for the envitable tumble out of bed, the bedding was very easy to buy as it was a single and DS was over the moon - happy son = happy parents.

Original poster

spicemonster · 15/03/2009 22:26

He's just turned two Pottycock so not an imminent issue but we're going away this summer and I'm thinking that it would be a whole lot easier if he were in a bed before we went ...

That's interesting Doozle. Have been a bit at the prices on John Lewis - some of them cost more than my bed did and that can't be right!

OP posts:

Anifrangapani · 15/03/2009 22:27

I read that as first BAD advice.... I was about to let forth as an expert.

Astrophe · 15/03/2009 22:32

WE got a Kritter Junior bed for DD when she was 2, but only because her room was so tiny a full sized bed wouldn't fit. The bed in itself was fine, but a PITA when we ended up lying down next to her to help her settle, and a PITA for DH on the occasions when he got kicked out of our bed by wriggly DD coming in for a midnight snuggle, and had to go and sleep in DD's junior bed!

I'd go for a full sized single bed if I were you. I also think the trundle bed underneath sounds a good idea - for your DC's sleepovers, or for when Granny or whoever comes to stay.

Doozle · 15/03/2009 22:33

Spicemonster, I know, I was shocked at the prices of some children's beds.

If you do end up going the Ikea route, I recommend you get one of their sprung mattresses as their cheaper ones are pretty thin from what I could see.

Their sprung mattresses are about £60 too so still good value.

Portofino · 15/03/2009 22:36

We had a cot bed, and got to the point where we had to take the side off as dd climbed out. She quite often rolled out and slept in the middle of the floor! (Mind you in our old house the central heating pipes went under her floor so it was lovely and warm there).

We moved to belgium when dd was 2, so sold all the baby stuff and bought a toddler bed 2nd hand for £40(and kept the mattress from the cot bed). DD was 5 this week and we only bought her a big bed last month. With the benefit of hindsight, I wouldn't have bothered with the little bed and just bought a normal one.

JulesJules · 15/03/2009 22:43

We also got the minnen beds from Ikea, but with full sized mattresses - we never used them as shorter beds. They are longer than usual (British) single beds, so I got the mattress cover and the fitted bottom sheets from Ikea as well. I think they are attractive, sturdy beds, very good value. The sides stop them rolling out ime.

Lilymaid · 15/03/2009 22:46

We started both DSs on the bottom bed of a set that has one bed folding under the other. To start with we had the legs folded under the bed, so the bed was very low, then when we were confident they were not going to fall out, we raised the bed to normal height.

onadietcokebreak · 15/03/2009 23:05

I would just buy a normal sized one.

If you can afford one that has another pull out bed for guests then great. If not most kids will be ok in a ready bed.

The other thing with toddler bed is the bedding is prob a bit expensive.

I would also get a bed rail. I have a lindam one. My DS is 17mths. He managed two nights in the big bed before I put him back in cot...he was too little!

AllThreeWays · 16/03/2009 04:59

When we transfered our DS to a single bed, we had a trundle for it. At night we just pulled the trundle out a foot or so in case he did fall out.

insertwittynicknameHERE · 16/03/2009 06:59

We just bought DD a normal full sized single bed and put one of those pop up sides you can buy on it. (mothercare do a double pop up side if the bed isn't against a wall)
We put DD in it from 13.5 ish months and she has never fallen out.

Don't forget the stair gates if you need them. We have a two tier landing and needed one at the top tier and one at the top of the lower tier IYSWIM.

insertwittynicknameHERE · 16/03/2009 07:03

We only paid £90 for the bed and mattress and the delivery, but it was from a local bed shop here not a national one IYSWIM.

I went to argos and got a bedding starter pack, it included a duvet, pillow and mattress protector. Then just got pain (no characters) light pink covers for the duvet and mattress and pillow (it was buy one get one free at the time)

All in all I think we spent about £110.00 on everything including the pop up side. Very good value.

You will pay more for 'toddler beds' than a normal single bed and you can use a single for longer.

shootfromthehip · 16/03/2009 07:15

We bought an Ikea bed for DD and it came with a foam 'extendable' mattress which is crap. The bed is nice though. Our DS was a nightmare when we bought him a bed so we went for an Iggle Piggle bed (in an attempt to keep him in it which didn't work- making him share a room with his sister had stopped him getting up so often!) from Amazon which is gorgeous but didn't come with a mattress and cost a fortune. I've struggled to get bedding too so I just use a single quilt folded in half. It's lovely but I wish we had just bought a normal single for him as he's going to be out of it in about 18 mths! (he's 2.2mths)

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