Floor Bed

The Benefits, Tips to Transition & Safety Concerns

I am a big fan of floor beds and they can be a great option for babes that have always bed sharing or wiggly toddlers who are ready to transition from their crib but you’re worried about them falling out of their ‘big bed’ and hurting themselves. 

The Benefits:

• Floor beds make it easier for parents to lay beside their child until they are asleep and then perform a stealthy ninja roll away without waking their little one.

• Helps to support the transition from bed sharing to independent sleeping.

• Because they are low/on the ground, it’s easy for younger children to get in and out of and they may love to practice independently getting into their floor bed.

Tips for a smooth Transition:

• For toddlers – Create a special ‘nook’ in their room by moving the floor bed into the corner. You can even decorate this space with a canopy, wall stickers, stuffies, new bedding, etc. Make it fun and cozy for them and bedtime will be a lot easier! 

• For younger children – It’s safest to keep the floor bed away from the walls to remove any risk of entrapment/suffocation. Additionally, ensure there are no loose blankets or toys in the bed with them.

Baby-proof it! 

When using a floor bed, it’s very important to ensure the bedroom is thoroughly baby proofed. However, you still want to approach the bedroom as an extension of their bed. 

Do the following to keep their sleep space safe for them:

• Secure furniture to the walls, cover electrical outlets, remove small choking hazards, remove curtains or any cords.

• Remove any choking or other potentially dangerous toys/items from the room.

• Consider safety outside their room (you might need to install a baby gate in hallway and/or at stairs). 

• Put the mattress on slats to avoid mould (or lift the mattress onto its side daily).

There is no guarantee that a floor bed will make your child sleep better, however, many children love them which increases the likelihood of them engaging with their bedtime routine and therefore want to get into bed when it’s time to sleep… woohoo!