Toddler bed or single bed

[MadameJ]

18 month old dd has started climbing out of her cot several times a night so we need to consider moving her. We have a single normal size bed already but I was wondering whether people think a specific toddler bed would be better. Other people's opinions or experiences are greatly welcomed x

DS went into a normal single at about 2.5 yrs. Before that he was in cotbed with the sides off. He was booted out of that due to DD's arrival.

DD is now 3.5 and still in the cotbed with sides off as she still fits it comfortably and will probably fit it until 5yrs (DS is much taller and wouldn't have fitted for so long).

I wouldn't have bought a special toddler bed (was given the cotbed secondhand) as they are used for a relatively short time. However if you are short of space they can be handy.

We had cot beds that turned into toddler beds for our DTs and they are now 2 1/2. They are ready for single beds really but we're trying to get the most out of the toddler beds. I'd go straight for a single if we were doing it all again.

Thanks ladies, her cot turns into a bed but I'm currently expecting dc2 so gonna need the cot for that dc. Think I'm having a wobble because she will look so little in a big girl bed!!

They do look super tiny in the big bed at first! DS loved his new bed tho, and had new duvet covers etc :)

Single bed. Unless you have a small room, toddler beds are a waste of money.

DD's cuddly toys live on the lower half of her bed, the bit she doesn't use.

My DD has been in a bed since 18mos. My only advice is that she rolls off it without a guard so make sure you have means to keep her in it. She rolls off double beds too just a big mover in her sleep. Toddler beds are lower to the ground normally too. We'd have gone for a regular single but her room is tiny so we got a smaller bed from Ikea.

Single bed - no brainer IMO.

Although in all honesty, I was always glad to have mine in a cot for as long as possible: hobbled by sleep-sack, mattress at lowest setting, they can stay in babyprison in a cot until they are @ 3 .

I have been thinking about this and the advantage of a single is that at least you can have an adult sleep in there if necessary, so it makes things a bit more flexible in times of illness, house-guests etc.

I got a small childs bed from IKEA however with ds2 I will go straight to single bed. Toddler beds are good for about 2-3 years esp if stuck for space but then you're faced with the hassle of getting rid of old bed, deciding on/buying new bed...for not much more cash you could get the single bed straight away!

DD went straight into a double bed, but with a single quilt.

Aged 11 she still sleeps with a single quilt in that bed. Far simpler to wrap round herself. Wash and get fun covers for.

That's why we went for a single, BadSkiingMum. We also bought a pull-out trundle that lives under it, so it can become a king size for guests or if she's unwell and we need to co-sleep.

We moved DS1 out of his cot and into a single bed at 17 months, as he was physically trying to topple the cot and nearly succeeding! The single bed is one of those that is almost as low to the ground as a toddler bed so he could climb in/out easily and there was not too far to fall...

We used dream tubes (on phone so can't link but you'll find them by googling) which are basically inflatables that fit into a sheet and stop DC rolling out of bed. Possibly a bit of overkill though as after he turned 2 we stopped using them and he never fell out.

I'd definitely go for a single over toddler bed, it'll certainly last longer. DC2 can always go in it when DC1 is pestering for a fancy bunk or cabin bed!

Single, for all the reasons given above. Ds had a low wooden framed single, rather than a divan which tend to be higher. Fine from 20 months.

If you buy a singlr bed with a wooden 'build it yourself' frame she could just use the mattress off the bed on the fliir then once your and her confidence grows build the frame so its higher up?

An alternative is to put the single duvet across the bottom half of the bed rather than longways, then she coyld just sleep in the bottom half?

Toddler beds are waste of money unless its converted from the cotbed.

We had to go for toddler bed as dd's room is too small to fit a single in, thanks to the built in furniture. It's fine but I struggle to get in it for a cuddle and she won't be in it for long.

If I had the room, I would have gone straight to a single.

Thanks everyone, think we are going to try the ordinary single bed with the dream tunes as she is a major wriggle bum, I am not looking forward to putting her back into it several hundred times tomorrow night!!!
Thanks for all the advice as always xx

Just don't do what we did, and lovingly build a toddler bed, but have a double bed in the same room.

Nanny just spent a few hours creating a double bed sized Thomas the tank engine duvet for his birthday.

would anyone be able to recommend a good low single bed? My son is almost 2 and a big wriggler so we still have the sides up on his cotbed. I often find him with his head at the foot f his cotbed or lying horizontal. Number 2 is on the way in October so i want to get my son in a single beofre then rather than take the sides off his cotbed. There are so many options to choose from, my baby brain can't come.

My only requirements are it needs to be a full size single but low to the floor. I plan on either using dream tubes or using the current cotbed mattress and getting a new one when baby is about 4 months old and moves from moses basket. I can't even decide on that to be honest!!!

We have an IKEA Malm bed for our DS1 (3.6), which he's had since he moved out of his cot at around 18 months. It's low to the floor and full single sized, cheap and cheerful! £99 on the website (without mattress) at the moment, we've got it in an oak effect but can't see that colour online.

We used the dream tubes for a while too and he has never fell out of bed. I used to find he would throw himself around in the cot and wake up in all sorts of odd positions. This seemed to stop immediately when he switched to an ordinary bed. Could be to do with having a pillow and small quilt for the first time?