Bed Rail for Toddler in Twin Bed?

Updated on October 11, 2011
H.1. asks from Des Moines, IA
16 answers

Soon we will be moving my 17 month old son to a twin size bed and have done some looking. I know little about bed rails for safety so that he doesn't roll out of bed while sleeping, but to where he can still climb in and out of his own bed. Any recommendations or guidelines? Do they work for any kind of bed? Do we just go pick out whatever bed frame, mattress set-up that we want for him and the rails work? How do I go about this, what have you used? Thanks!

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

All three of my kids started with a mattress on the floor, you may want to try that and go from there :)

3 moms found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Onestepahead sells many kinds of bed rails. My DD's bed has a half rail, and I lay her so her head and torso is on that side, but she can still get in/out by herself.

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M.G.

answers from Chicago on

We started our twins on just the mattress on the floor, then added the foundation after we were confident they wouldn't fall out. For us it was easier and cheaper.

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J.✰.

answers from San Antonio on

Most rails I've seen go between the mattress and box-spring. I also think that the rail is about two feet shorter than the length of a twin bed, so your son can crawl into bed thru that one or two foot section.

Are you sure you don't want to get him a toddler bed? Is he going from crib to big bed? I just ask b/c my 3.5 yr old still is in a toddler bed. I was always scared he'd fall out of bed and it's a much shorter drop from the toddler bed than from a big twin bed. So are you going to put up one bedrail and push the bed against the wall? If you want a quick easy simple 'bumper'.... roll up a towel or buy a pool noodle and stick it under the fitted sheet. I use that on the other length of the bed that isn't against the wall. I also put a second toddler mattress on the floor so in case he falls, it's a soft fall.

Hope I made some sense.

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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Yes, they generally work with any bed (except a toddler bed--that would be a safety issue). The only thing you might have to watch is if it's a sleigh bed type bed where the sides curve down from the headboard, kwim? Even then you'd probably just have to shift them a little more to the foot board.
I think we got ours at Target or KMart...

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B.G.

answers from Champaign on

We also simply put the twin mattress on the floor. After a couple of month, I think, we set up the bed. It worked for us!

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R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Start with his mattress on the floor, at 17 months he's still susceptible to falling or slipping while crawling in and out of bed, their reflexes aren't always as fast then as when they're older and they can fall easier. I went with a toddler bed due to space issues (we're living with relatives and space is at a premium) and because it's lower to the ground and I never have worried about falls. He's 2.5 and should be able to stay in it another year, and it holds 50 lbs safely (he's not even 30 yet) so we're good. Some say it's an unnecessary cost, but since it uses the same crib mattress and bedding it wasn't a big expense for the use we're getting out of it.

Rails can be ordered at amazon.com, I believe I've seen them at Target, too.

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L.A.

answers from Austin on

You could always start him off with just the top mattress on the floor in the corner.

But yes, It will work great. Place the bed in the corner with the bed rail on the open side.. Yes, he may get out of bed, but as long as he stays in his room, just leave him alone.

As our daughter got older, she fell out of her bed maybe twice.. She never woke up, just slept on the floor with the blanket.

For fun sometimes when we had trouble getting her to go to sleep, we let her sleep in her sleeping bag on the floor, or she would make a giant "nest of pillows and blankets on her floor. or she would want to sleep in her "Pappason chair".. Funny kid. It was good to be able to offer some choices to get her to go the " f " to sleep. Hee, hee.

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J.F.

answers from Denver on

17 months and moving already?? He is climbing out?? My 24 month old is still in her crib and I hope she stays for awhile longer :)
My 3.5 year old did move at 2.5ish, but she was also almost totally potty trained so we wanted her to have access to the toilet.
We got her this-
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
It is extra long, so really there was just an opening at the foot at the bed. We only got one, since her bed was pushed up against a wall.
All the other ideas sound good too... but I was never worried about her falling out. This rail is sturdy!

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C.P.

answers from Columbia on

I'm in agreement with most of the momma's here...don't waste your money on the rail. Put the mattress on the floor. It doesn't take long for little one to get the "geography" of the bed and stay in. Then you can set the mattress up on the foundation...a little higher. Finally, when you're confident that he'll stay on the bed, you can put the frame together and put the mattress on.

I've done this with two little ones now.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

we also did the mattress on the floor.

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

All three of my kids started with a mattress on the floor, you may want to try that and go from there :)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

We did the mattress on the floor, too, starting at 14 months. It stayed their until one day she asked for a "real bed" and we raised it up. I actually don't remember her ever "falling out of bed" even when it was on the floor.

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

We have a platform bed so couldn't use most bedrails which require a box spring. One that we found that works without a box spring is the dex products universal bed rail. Very sturdy. At 17 months though I might just do the mattress on the floor since there are still gaps at the head and foot of the bed where he can fall out...

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Try the kids' catalogue One Step Ahead at onestepahead.com. They sell very sturdy bed rails.A mattress on the floor is fine too, but if you travel you can take the bed rail with you and use it on other beds where you may not be able to pull the mattress off and put it on the floor.

Get a good, tight fit so there is not a gap between the rail and the mattress; kids can get caught in that gap. The ones that One Step Ahead sells, or used to sell, have a mesh side that lets the child see out, and allows air to move around. And always check www.cpsc.gov for recall information on all child equipment like this!!

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

Bed rails for use with small children are very inexpensive. They have "arms that go between the mattress and foundation to hold them in place. You can find them at Target, K-mart, Walmart and stores that sell baby clothes and equipment. Yes, you use whatever bed frame, mattress set up that you want.

Both of my grandchildren used a rail and it worked just fine. No falling out of bed. The toddler bed we got for my granddaughter didn't come with a rail and so we bought one at Target.

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