Bed guards are a barrier used to stop a child or adult from falling out of bed. Basically they are placed along any open side of the bed, including the bottom and top if necessary, creating a 'side' against which a person can roll without harming themselves. In addition, an adult may use one to help them get up from a horizontal to a sitting position.
They are most frequently used when transitioning a young child from a cot, with sides, to a normal bed. They are also very useful when a baby is co-sleeping in their parents bed to stop both the child falling out of bed and, if you choose a bed guard that sits under the sheets, a parent rolling onto a child during the night.
Toddler Guard Rail
There are a variety of bed guards available to buy from both traditional bricks and mortar high street shops and directly off the internet. Traditional shops such as Mothercare and John Lewis stock a wide variety of guards, including their own label guards, but the most comprehensive range can be found online from marketplace retailers such as Amazon and eBay.
They sell for anything from 10GDP to 50GDP each and come in a variety of styles, colours and finishes. The full range include 3 specific types of rails -
1) The traditional bed guard sits on the outside of the bed. It is fixed to the base using extendable arms which are clamped to the bed base. It then rises up the side of the bed very much like a cot side. Traditional guards come in a variety of colours and finishes including solid wood. Some are portable and some can be folded down using a hinge at the base of the guard. All these guards require assembly and are not suitable for all types of beds.
2) One of two recent additions to the bed guard family is the foam bed guard. This is a firm foam wedge which sits directly onto the mattress and is held in place with the bed sheets which sit over it. This guard requires no assembly and is suitable for all beds. It is relatively affordable compared with other guards and, as it is very lightweight, is perfect for use out of the home.
3) Another new addition is 'Dream Tubes'. This guard involves a special sheet and 2 inflatable tubes with are pushed into channels along either side of the sheet thereby creating a barrier along either side of the child. Due to the special sheet this is a relatively expensive option but it is simple to assemble and portable. It can only be used on a specific size of bed.
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