I tried finding an answer w. the AAP but I’m having no such luck. I’m wondering if the reason montessori floor beds aren’t recommended for a child younger than 1/2 is b/c of the mattress. Because I can’t think of any other reason, aside from them flipping but they’re close to the floor so that shouldn’t be an issue right? We plan on getting the newton mattress which is supposed to be firm so I was going to put Bubs in his room around 7/8 months.
Is a floor bed not recommended for an infant b/c of the mattress?
- Thread starter exaltbass
- Start date
sarahsknight
New member
@exaltbass This is all US-specific, since you mentioned the AAP.
My understanding is that floor beds aren’t manufactured to comply with the safety standards that cribs and toddler beds and PNPs have to meet, so they’re not recommended for kids under age 2. After age 2, though, ANY adult bedding is considered safe, and kids can pretty much sleep wherever. So an untested floor bed would be considered just as safe as any other bed at that point.
It’s not so much that floor beds pose a specific danger which is different from the danger posed by other kinds of adult beds - it’s just that they haven’t been designed or tested to ensure that an infant or small toddler can’t get injured or entrapped in them, or suffocate on them, like a regulated sleep space has. So, if you choose to put a kid under 2 in a floor bed rather than a regulated sleep space, then you’re taking a risk - just like you would with bedsharing, letting them sleep in a swing, putting them in a twin bed, etc.
However, a crib mattress on the floor is perfectly safe (and some parents have to do that if they have a child who is too large for a crib, but too young for a toddler bed). So if you want to eliminate the risks posed by unregulated sleep spaces, then you could just put the crib mattress you have on the floor for now, and then upgrade to a floor bed at age 2.
I’m guessing that since a lot of floor beds are also either DIYed or made by very small companies (like Etsy sellers or local carpenters), that there may be an added level of risk there, as opposed to buying from a larger manufacturer. But I don’t know for sure,
My understanding is that floor beds aren’t manufactured to comply with the safety standards that cribs and toddler beds and PNPs have to meet, so they’re not recommended for kids under age 2. After age 2, though, ANY adult bedding is considered safe, and kids can pretty much sleep wherever. So an untested floor bed would be considered just as safe as any other bed at that point.
It’s not so much that floor beds pose a specific danger which is different from the danger posed by other kinds of adult beds - it’s just that they haven’t been designed or tested to ensure that an infant or small toddler can’t get injured or entrapped in them, or suffocate on them, like a regulated sleep space has. So, if you choose to put a kid under 2 in a floor bed rather than a regulated sleep space, then you’re taking a risk - just like you would with bedsharing, letting them sleep in a swing, putting them in a twin bed, etc.
However, a crib mattress on the floor is perfectly safe (and some parents have to do that if they have a child who is too large for a crib, but too young for a toddler bed). So if you want to eliminate the risks posed by unregulated sleep spaces, then you could just put the crib mattress you have on the floor for now, and then upgrade to a floor bed at age 2.
I’m guessing that since a lot of floor beds are also either DIYed or made by very small companies (like Etsy sellers or local carpenters), that there may be an added level of risk there, as opposed to buying from a larger manufacturer. But I don’t know for sure,
@sarahsknight Makes sense. Thank you!
@exaltbass Anecdotal, and I tried to research this a few months ago and didn't find anything not anecdotal unfortunately...
I didn't do a twin size floor mattress partially because the mattress isn't safe. You could do a toddler size floor mattress and that would be safe, as far as the mattress is concerned, but you can't reasonably bedshare with LO on a toddler mattress (if that's the goal).
I also didn't do a floor mattress because the advice "your baby could fall asleep anywhere in the room, so baby proof the whole room so it's bare like a crib" isn't reasonable for my space/family. The baby's room also needs to be a diaper changing space, storage for kid stuff, play space, etc. The whole room can't really be sleep safe.
My goal was to have a safe cosleeping arrangement where short stints of bedsharing were possible to support breastfeeding. I ended up going with a sidecar crib set up so LO has her own safe sleeping space, but I can also easily move her to me for nighttime feeding, doze while she eats, and move her back, all without leaving my own bed. I get a lot more sleep this way, and it feels pretty safe.
Fwiw I have a full term, otherwise healthy baby. I can afford to take some extra risks because of that.
I hope this helps!
I didn't do a twin size floor mattress partially because the mattress isn't safe. You could do a toddler size floor mattress and that would be safe, as far as the mattress is concerned, but you can't reasonably bedshare with LO on a toddler mattress (if that's the goal).
I also didn't do a floor mattress because the advice "your baby could fall asleep anywhere in the room, so baby proof the whole room so it's bare like a crib" isn't reasonable for my space/family. The baby's room also needs to be a diaper changing space, storage for kid stuff, play space, etc. The whole room can't really be sleep safe.
My goal was to have a safe cosleeping arrangement where short stints of bedsharing were possible to support breastfeeding. I ended up going with a sidecar crib set up so LO has her own safe sleeping space, but I can also easily move her to me for nighttime feeding, doze while she eats, and move her back, all without leaving my own bed. I get a lot more sleep this way, and it feels pretty safe.
Fwiw I have a full term, otherwise healthy baby. I can afford to take some extra risks because of that.
I hope this helps!
@hassahm Thank you! The mattress we picked is supposed to be 2 stage (I think), I think we have the space to make it “bare like a crib” so it may work out ok. I think I’ll have to do some research on anchoring furniture to see how stable that is, like I know it’s stable but wondering if I should forgo it until he gets older. We don’t plan on him going in there until minimum 7mths
@exaltbass I would guess that institutions don't want to show any kind of support of floor beds because it CAN be done safely, but there are so many variables that are dependent on each child's room that it would be hard to cover all the details of how to safety proof a room. If they tried to officially list floor bed recommendations, then the institution would potentially be held liable when a parent followed all the recommendations but their infant still got injured. Cribs are regulated and it's easy enough to just say "use an approved crib with an approved mattress. Don't put anything else in the crib. The end."
@exaltbass If you have wood floors, make sure you get a frame to put under your floor mattress. We had ours directly on the floor, and the wood warped due to condensation from body heat. We have a little house frame now, and it is super cute. I would have gotten it from the beginning, if I had realized that they have a function and not just for looks.
@exaltbass No problem! Glad you can learn from my mistake 
katrina2017
New member
@exaltbass The podcast Evolutionary Parenting Podcast is a research informed show that has multiple episodes on infant sleep and SIDS. You may like to browse through the titles to see if anything pops out at you.
Personally, I’ve been sleeping on a floor bed with my kid since he was 4mo and we’re still sleeping well together at 3.5yo. And now that I’m in the toddler circles, I’m hearing and reading a lot about the difficulties of transitioning from a crib to a bed and thinking of how grateful I am to not have to deal with it. One less thing….
Personally, I’ve been sleeping on a floor bed with my kid since he was 4mo and we’re still sleeping well together at 3.5yo. And now that I’m in the toddler circles, I’m hearing and reading a lot about the difficulties of transitioning from a crib to a bed and thinking of how grateful I am to not have to deal with it. One less thing….
@katrina2017 Thank you! I’ll check them out
continualseeker
New member
@exaltbass If you use a bed or mattress on the floor in violation of AAP guidelines, then place it away from all walls and furniture. Don't create any crevasses that the baby can get into.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188304/Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated-2022?\_ga=2.184256165.2065511800.1657020152-367373263.1656514674%3fautologincheck%3dredirected
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/150/1/e2022057990/188304/Sleep-Related-Infant-Deaths-Updated-2022?\_ga=2.184256165.2065511800.1657020152-367373263.1656514674%3fautologincheck%3dredirected
@continualseeker Thank you!
@exaltbass We just got rid of our crib and put the crib mattress on the floor. He sleeps on it by himself now at 9m adjusted (12.5m actual) and has since he was 6m adjusted. The rest of the nursery is baby proofed. That being said, he rolled off a lot and it would wake him up, so we put pool noodles under the sheet on both sides. That is NOT considered AAP safe sleep but we felt ok about it because it's firm, breathable, and he has good head control. I don't recommend the pool noodles to others, but it worked for us. It takes months for them to learn not to roll off the bed.
ajharmon89
New member
@exaltbass I agree with the other commenter. I wanted to mention though if you like the Newton, we love our Airweave futon. It’s a Japanese company that makes regular mattress sizes in like the same material as Newton. We got a king size futon from them and added an inch of latex on top for comfort. We bedshare on the floor with it and I love it. Thought I’d mention in case you wanted to go bigger than a crib size mattress, my 10 month old sure tosses and turns and takes up a lot of room sometimes!
@ajharmon89 Ouuuu thank you!! I think for now we’ll stick w the newton and when it’s time for a big kid bed we’ll try for the brand you mentioned!
@exaltbass Newton makes a twin now! Depending on the size you want
ajharmon89
New member
@weaksaint Oh nice!