Big beds for the kids

Seth Jackson wrote:

We left our kids in cribs till they were almost 3.

I cannot fathom that concept because mine absolutely hated their cribs.
I switched them to toddler beds (the cribs converted) at 19 months.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

Gotta disagree with y'all. The number of nosebleeds we suffered just from
them rolling off the toddler beds, I hate to think how dangerous big beds
would have been at first or at a younger age. We kept ours in cribs til 2y
10m (only transferred them then to save my back); then toddler beds til they
were 4.5 ... by which time C was getting too long. Then we went for full
size beds not twins because we figured the boys will be big as teenagers and
in the meantime we wanted them to have every chance of not falling off every
night. The old carpet had numerous irremediable blood stains around Elliot's
bed in particular. Squirmy sleepers I guess.

Anyhow, the argument for toddler beds is more or less sound depending on
your room size, bedroom count, family size, finances and squirminess of
babies. Guard rails are fine until you need six and then no-frills toddler
beds are actually cheaper (got mine on sale in TRUs and used my 4% TRUs Visa
card rebate to pay for them) *and* they help you defer the cost of those
expensive big beds and mattresses if that's an issue. Plus resale was
pretty good on mine so I think the eighteen months usage cost me about $10
per bed.

So in short, as usual in baby-rearing, no one answer fits all situations.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)

"DeliciousTruffles" wrote in
message ...
erika wrote:

so if you're considering a toddler bed, my suggestion is to skip it.

We originally purchased cribs that converted to toddler beds so we
didn't really spend any extra money, just extra time converting things.

But, yes, I would have to agree with your statement if you were thinking
of purchasing a separate toddler bed in between the crib and the regular
bed.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

Gotta disagree with y'all. The number of nosebleeds we suffered just from
them rolling off the toddler beds, I hate to think how dangerous big beds
would have been at first or at a younger age. We kept ours in cribs til 2y
10m (only transferred them then to save my back); then toddler beds til they
were 4.5 ... by which time C was getting too long. Then we went for full
size beds not twins because we figured the boys will be big as teenagers and
in the meantime we wanted them to have every chance of not falling off every
night. The old carpet had numerous irremediable blood stains around Elliot's
bed in particular. Squirmy sleepers I guess.

Anyhow, the argument for toddler beds is more or less sound depending on
your room size, bedroom count, family size, finances and squirminess of
babies. Guard rails are fine until you need six and then no-frills toddler
beds are actually cheaper (got mine on sale in TRUs and used my 4% TRUs Visa
card rebate to pay for them) *and* they help you defer the cost of those
expensive big beds and mattresses if that's an issue. Plus resale was
pretty good on mine so I think the eighteen months usage cost me about $10
per bed.

So in short, as usual in baby-rearing, no one answer fits all situations.

--Janet
Elliot, Hanna, Connor (10/21/96)
and Holly (4/4/01)

"DeliciousTruffles" wrote in
message ...
erika wrote:

so if you're considering a toddler bed, my suggestion is to skip it.

We originally purchased cribs that converted to toddler beds so we
didn't really spend any extra money, just extra time converting things.

But, yes, I would have to agree with your statement if you were thinking
of purchasing a separate toddler bed in between the crib and the regular
bed.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

multimom4 wrote:
Gotta disagree with y'all. The number of nosebleeds we suffered just from
them rolling off the toddler beds, I hate to think how dangerous big beds
would have been at first or at a younger age.

The beds we got were from Ikea and they have 3 different levels. We set
them up on the lowest level (about the same height as a toddler bed).
When they are a couple of years older we can raise them to about 4' high
so there is a space underneath to play. When they are 6 yo or older, we
can raise them to the top to make a loft bed so there is room underneath
for a desk.

We also bought medium-soft foam mattresses (instead of the coiled ones).
I figure these will see them through the potty training years and if
they end up in not too bad of shape, we can always keep them around for
sleepovers. You can roll them up and they were only CDN$89 each.

Another nice thing about the Ikea beds is that you don't need box spring
mattresses because of the design of the beds. Plus we have the guard
rails from the toddler beds, so in all, the beds are quite low and safe.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

multimom4 wrote:
Gotta disagree with y'all. The number of nosebleeds we suffered just from
them rolling off the toddler beds, I hate to think how dangerous big beds
would have been at first or at a younger age.

The beds we got were from Ikea and they have 3 different levels. We set
them up on the lowest level (about the same height as a toddler bed).
When they are a couple of years older we can raise them to about 4' high
so there is a space underneath to play. When they are 6 yo or older, we
can raise them to the top to make a loft bed so there is room underneath
for a desk.

We also bought medium-soft foam mattresses (instead of the coiled ones).
I figure these will see them through the potty training years and if
they end up in not too bad of shape, we can always keep them around for
sleepovers. You can roll them up and they were only CDN$89 each.

Another nice thing about the Ikea beds is that you don't need box spring
mattresses because of the design of the beds. Plus we have the guard
rails from the toddler beds, so in all, the beds are quite low and safe.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau