Sleeping arrangements for 4 children?

[zephyrcat]

Ok we have a 3 bed plce. DD-5.6 and DS-3 in a week, have their own rooms.

DD2 is 14 m onths and is still in with me and dp in a cot, which she escapes from with te expertise of Houdini!

#4 is due in October so will need to be in the cot in our room.

Do I move DD2 in with DD1 now so she is used to it in plenty of time (I'm thinking yes to that one) and do I put her in a big bed with a stair gate on dd's door?

DD1 is in one of those big jaybe beds which is up by the ceiling with a futon and desk underneath so what do I do about the ladder?

DS' room isn't big enough to share.

hmmm
I'd move her into dds room now, but I'd keep her in a cot for a bit. could you buy a cotbed? that would deal with the ladder, and also negate the need fora stairgate which dd might object to. and with luck you'll be able to keep her in there for another 18 months almost, by which you won't need the stairgate and she'll probably be fine wth the ladder too.

thats def what I'd do

The cot we've got is a cotbed, and it's impossible to keep her in it! This morning I heard movement upstairs and thought ds had got up and was playing in his room... it was dd2, she was out of the cotbed, out of our room and was sitting playing in dd1's room. Thank God she didn't try to negotiate the stairs.

oh goodness! a climber!
wow that is young to be escaping. would a standard cot be any better? (then maybe the baby could go in a moses basket for a bit, dd2 could go in a cot, and when baby is 4 months or so you could try the cotbed again - she'll be a little older so a little bit safer on the loose?
tough one

That's a good point actually. I forgot we had the moses basket so that buys us a few more months!

Are the bed guard things any good? Do they deter them from trying to get out constantly or just stop them falling out when they're asleep?

Just move her into a bed. She will probably climb up and down the ladder for a few days so put cushions down. DD1 went through about 2wks max of climning up and downs ds ladder on his bed. Now she isnt bothered by it as there is nothing interesting up there anyway.
Would also speak to dd1 about not shouting at her if she climbs as dont want to scare her into letting go but how to show her how to get down.