what to look out for when chossing a new bed?

[mckenzie]

We are going to get DS a new bed this weekend (he seems to have grown out his Little Tykes Car bed already).
What should we be looking out for when choosing the bed and mattress? What makes a good bed do you think?

I would get something plain (eg wooden), that will go with whatever decor you have in his room.
If you're going for a full size single bed then make sure it's not something he will hate when he is bigger!

most important, get him to try them in the shop so that he gets a mattress he is happy with.
I got a mattress from argos and it's horrible to sleep on! Wish I had got a better one from a bed shop

bunk beds for when he has friends over? then he can turn the bottom bed into a den when its not being used

we've opted for the Domino bed from John Lewis as later on we can add to it to make a cabin bed or bunk beds if DS decides that's what he'd like.

I'm pleased to say I found John Lewis to be really helpful and full of advise, the sales guy even persuaded me NOT to buy a more expensive mattress!!

Not convinced about the mattress. I would say don't skimp on the mattress, get as decent a one as you can afford. It won't be that long before he weighs as much as an adult, and cheaper mattresses wear faster and are not a good investment in the long run.

Get a good waterproof mattress protector as soon as possible. John Lewis do a decent 'breathable' one that doesn't feel like a horrid sweaty rubber sheet but is still wipe cleanable.

We were advised that because DS is just coming up to 4 that he wasn't ready for a 'proper' mattress. Apparently they're not suitable for children under 7. He did explain why, to do with support, soft/hard etc but I cant remember exactly. It made sense though when he told us.

just checked the JL website Pretty candles and they have 2 waterproof mattress protector, one is towelling and the other is polyester. Are either of those the one you recommend?

I've just looked at the JL website and can't find the one I got for ds. It was from the same range as the towelling one, with very similar packaging, but was definitely wipe-clean. I didn't get the towelling one because if the child wets in the night and you have to change the sheets then you'd have to change the protector as well because it would also be wet. The one I got was, for that reason, a wipe-clean one. I think it might have been polyurethane? The same stuff, IIRC, as on the 'better' class of washable nappy wraps.