Co-sleeping: Guardrail recommendations?

**Melody7** · May 22nd, 2008, 10:19 PM

Well, our DS is really becoming mobile (7mths) and I think we're going to need guardrails on our bed soon. He's fine at night (a boobie-magnet - but you never know!), however during the day, if I didn't hear him when he wakes, there is the possibility that he could crawl off the bed and fall on the floor.

Here's the dilemma, our bed is not an ensemble. The mattress is recessed about 5cm into a base frame. We liked the idea of the mesh guardrails that fold over, however that may not work with our bed.

Has anyone got any suggestions re brands/guardrail creations etc? We can't put our mattress on the floor, and fortunately our bed is quite low to the ground, but I still think we need something to keep him safe.

In the meantime, we're teaching him when he gets to the side to "Stop. Turn Around and Slide Down" (sounds like a fire drill!

)

**Liz** · May 22nd, 2008, 11:14 PM

You'll probably find at the crawling age, they'll find the part of the bed without the rail to fall off. LOL. My DS did fall off the bed a couple of times.. but it was when he woke up before me and decided to crawl away! It's funny, he knew not to crawl off the edge, but he'd fall off when he sat up, coz he couldn't judge placing his bum on the bed when he was near the edge. LOL.

Perhaps lay out some pillows or some kind of cushioning on the floor to break his fall?

It was a concern of mine too, but it rarely came to fruition.

Re the rails - DS's mattress is set into the base of the bed too, altho not by 5cm I don't think, but we have the rails that go under the mattress, and they still manage to work.

**sunshine_sieben** · May 26th, 2008, 10:01 AM

Hi, I have a bed like yours and I've got one of those folding mesh rails from Big W. I think it's "Safety First". But I'm not sure. It works well. But that's maybe because our mattress (latex) is quite "squashable" IYKWIM. So it kinda gets "dents" on the sides where the 2 poles of the guardrail are.
Could you maybe go to a shop and ask about their return policy in case it doesn't work?
And yes, pp is right, unless you have guardrails on both sides, it will never bo 100% safe. When DD started crawling I made the transition to the cot. At least for day & early evening sleeps. That's after she crawled off the bed and got a black eye :-(
But the guardrail gave me peace of mind at night, too.
Another thing I did as early as possible (when she could stand) was to teach her to climb down from beds & couches feet first. It only took her 3 or 4 goes and then she got it.

Sasa

**Melody7** · May 26th, 2008, 04:28 PM

Thanks Girls.

I've found with some of the rail brands that, because they are designed to go an child's bed, they have "stoppers" at the end of the pieces that go under the mattress - designed to grip the other side of the mattress. Have you found any brands that don't have these?