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Original poster

Co sleeping, bed rails and other safety tips?

12 replies

gardeninggirl · 01/10/2007 20:46

Hi, does anyone have any experience of bed rails to stop baby falling out when co sleeping?
All the ones I see on the internet are for small beds, but I want one I can attach to our king size bed.
I would be greatful for any other tips from other co sleeping mums too. I'm desperate as have a gorgeous 10 week old son, but he does not seem to think night (or day) is for sleeping unless on or by his mum - am so sleep deprived, I can't think straight. Never expected to be co sleeping, but it is the only way I am managing to get any rest at the moment.
Thank you

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liath · 01/10/2007 20:49

I never bothered with rails TBH, co-slept until 5 months. However DH had decamped to the spare room so had a king-size bed to ourselves & I had ds in the middle. Likewise, it was the only way I could get any sleep - he was allegic to sleeping apart from me!

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 20:53

oh i used a bedrail for co-sleeping. thought it was my very own brainwave

um... they should all work on a kingsize bed. (have had a few diff ones, long story)

some are not for slatted beds, but other than that you should be fine.

the wooden ones do have a little turn up bit which would go up at the other side of a single mattress (iyswim) but i never felt it through the king size mattress when it was on there.

cant think of any other safety tips, other than the usual; no smoking esp indoors, no cosleeping when pissed, look out for their temperature and regulate accordingly..

oh yeah - speaking of which, theyll prob only need something v light to wear (a bodysuit thing mostly my lot were in) and to check if they are too hot, put your finger on the back of the neck, if its clammy, they are too warm.

phdlife · 01/10/2007 20:53

this is a good question, gardeninggirl - I want a bed guard to stop ds falling out too as we have just started co-sleeping (he's cranky with teething and it's just easiest to have him in with me). But a couple sites I've seen says that bed-guards aren't suitable until lo is 18m!

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 20:54

dp was terrified of rolling on him if he was in the middle, hence the use of bedrail to keep him safely between me and the rail.

NappiesLaGore · 01/10/2007 20:55

phd, they are just covering their backs for litigation. besides, they mean 18m in a bed of their own with just the guard to keep them in, not on an adult bed.

puffylovett · 01/10/2007 20:55

bump cos in same situ with 7 mth old

donttouchthefruit · 01/10/2007 20:55

we never bothered with rails either, just pushed our pillows apart and DD slept in the middle, on and off until she was 2 and went in to her big bed!! It was the only way I could get any sleep and now looking back (she's 4.5) I'm so glad we did it, very special times!

Susianna · 01/10/2007 20:56

Hi, I've been using a bed rail for a few weeks now as Ds1 is on the inside by the wall and I'm generally in the middle to stop Ds1 swiping ds2 in his sleep!
It's just a plain wooden one from Mothercare (ebay actually )which you can attach with screws to the side of the bed, but as we have an antique bed I don't bother, I just shoved it down between the mattress (very springy mattress) and the 'wall' of the bed side.
It isn't any good for climbing on (as Ds1 will tell you!) but it stays in place well as a guard.

MrsBadger · 01/10/2007 20:57

this kind fit on any bed

I always have dd between me and the edge of the bed - more likely dh would clonk her with an elbow iif she were in the middle.

phdlife · 02/10/2007 10:47

okay, thanks, shall look out for one now. have been using a roll of towels as a bolster down the side, but now ds is rolling think that's a bad idea...

gingerninja · 02/10/2007 14:12

We used a bedrail and it was fabby until DD started to crawl down the bed in her sleep so she's back in the middle. Much easier for those early months tho. as it means you can all sleep together and mum and dad be next to each other

Original poster

gardeninggirl · 02/10/2007 20:29

Thanks very much for all the fab and speedy replies!
Sorry to post-and-run yesterday, but DH offered to babysit to let me have a few hours kip so jumped at the chance!
It is such a relief to know others are also co sleeping, not that I actively had planned NOT to, but I had never thought about it really, just innocently expected DS to sleep in cot! You can tell he is my first.
Anyhow have ordered the wooden one from mothercare, as it is pretty cheep and I plan to copy Susianna and shove it down the side of our bed (which is slatted, so not sure the Tomy one will fit). Did get a bit confused about the Tomy one cos on Amazon some people have posted reviews saying when it arrived it did not fit their bed, so a bit wary about that one. As to the rest, as Mrs B says I would have him in the middle but also not sure DH would'nt clonk him by mistake, and also DH has been known to have the odd beer, so think he is better by me.
Thanks again and happy sleeping to you all! I wish!!

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