Toddler Bed Mattress and Rails

When our daughter was 2, we just put the crib mattress on the floor, and used the regular bedrails so she wouldnt roll off. So later we would buy her a regular twin bed, rather than investing in a toddler bed.

I am not sure about bed rails, but our crib mattress fits our toddler bed just fine. Ours is a plastic fire engine, and there are already sides around the bed as part of the engine, so we don't need any rails. My guess is that bed rails fit adult-length beds, but perhaps someone else knows more.

If you've borrowed the bed, perhaps you can ask the previous users what mattress they used. Maybe it is not a standard toddler bed somehow.

Toddler beds usually have built in side rails near the "head board" and the regular crib mattress usually fits a bit snug but not too snug. the rails do not drop down on a toddler bed. I had to lift the mattress to put the sheets on the bed but it went back fairly easily with gentle pushing - didn't just flop into place. If you purchased a side rail it is meant for a regular size matress on a twin or double bed and usually the side will drop down but they go about 1/2 to 3/4 the length of a full size bed.

I tried using bed rails on a toddler bed, they don't fit, they're made for twin or full size beds. It's odd that the crib mattress doesn't fit the toddler bed. I only had that problem with our crib that we bought second hand and was almost an antique. The crib was longer than the mattress. Very confusing, sorry not to be more help.

We've just ordered a rail for our convertible crib from One Step Ahead. (www.onestepahead.com) The catalogue says it's 33'' so I'm hoping it'll fit. You might give it a try. Hope that helps.

You can use pool noodles ($1 a piece at places like walmart) underneath the fitted sheet for a rail. They are not nearly as high as a bed rail but they did the job in preventing my son from rolling off the bed. Plus you could cut them to size for the toddler bed.