You've decided it's time to move your toddler baby from their crib to a bed. For whatever the reason for the change, whether it's a new baby on the way, or the baby has outgrown the crib or a myriad of other reasons, it is now time to decide will it be a toddler bed or a regular bed. Some people feel that the toddler bed is the only way to go, while others feel a regular size bed is the best choice. What do you do? You know your situation and you know the space you have and most of all you know your child better than anyone else, so stop listening to everyone tell you what you should do. I have detailed the advantages and disadvantages of both to help you make an educated decision that is right for you. I hope this helps.
Advantages of a Toddler Bed:
Toddler Guard Rail
A toddler bed has the advantage of using the same crib mattress that your child has been using, which may make the transition easier. This bed is usually lower to the ground making it easier to get in and out of. Some have built in guardrails to prevent them from falling out. Railings are good as they not only protect your child from falling, but they give the child a sense of security of being enclosed and feeling safe as they were in the crib. And if by chance they did fall they don't have as far to fall. These beds are great if you are short on space and you have to keep the crib for another baby, or if you just want more space for a play area. Parents also like the fact that you don't have to go and buy new bedding since the crib mattress is the same size in most cases, thereby saving some money. Many beds are even made to match specific themes, and may come in different shapes making a new bed more fun, just make sure that the bed you buy is the same size as your crib mattress. There are many choices out there for cute toddler beds, but they can be expensive and are not a necessity.
Disadvantages of a Toddler Bed:
The biggest disadvantage is the bed is designed for a child between the ages of one and a half to possibly three and a half years old so its usefulness is short lived. It also creates an extra step in transitioning when the child grows out of the toddler bed and into a twin bed, which is why most parents skip this step. As mentioned above as an advantage, this bed is usually lower to the ground making it easier to get in and out of, which can be a disadvantage because it is easier to get in and out and they will do just that when they should be staying in bed. If buying both a toddler bed and mattress you will need to be careful as some companies' design them in an odd size and you can only buy sheets and bedding from that company, making it a bit costlier. A standard crib sheet is 52 x 27. If your child is in the high percentile in height it's time of usefulness is even shorter.
Advantages of Regular Beds:
Many parents grew up with a twin bed or larger and used it until they moved out or went on to college. So they prefer twin beds because there is a long term advantage, rather than having the expense of buying another bed later on. By transitioning from a crib to a regular bed you eliminate the extra step of moving the child from the toddler bed to the regular bed. By going straight to a regular bed you only have to deal with any emotional attachment the child has with the bed once. Many people feel it is a waste of money to invest in a toddler bed and therefore go straight for the regular bed. The regular bed may also slow the child down in getting in and out of the bed since it is higher off the floor.
Disadvantages of Regular Beds:
For safety reasons, and for your child's feeling of security, you will want to place the bed against a wall. Some people will do this out of necessity for space, but for those who have the space and like the looks of a bed centered in the room this may be considered a disadvantage. There is the expense of buying guard rails and the need to make sure the bed can accommodate bed rails to help prevent the child from falling out of bed easily. These beds are a bit higher off the floor and the child may have farther to fall, in which case you may want to place pillows on the floor to help soften the blow if they do fall. Some parents start off with the mattress on the floor so they don't have to worry about their child falling out at night.
As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages to both the toddler bed and the regular bed. Every family has different space issues, sleep issues, preferences and budgets to deal with so there is never one solution that is right for everyone. But there is a right bed out there for you.
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