Bunk beds?

april172010U · July 2015

anyone have experience with bunk beds? I will have a 2 year old and 4 year old when this baby comes. I am thinking of getting bunk beds, but not sure if those ages are too young. What do others do with room sharing? Two twins won't fit in the room:(

adecembermom2015 · July 2015

I'd be a little nervous with a 4 year old on a top bunk. My older sister had a couple of spills from the top bunk, even when she was older.

I had a trundle bed growing up. I know it's a pain to pull out the bottom mattress part every night, but that might be a good way to conserve space until they get a little older.

abbi1995 · July 2015

I had a trundle bed when I was growing up and it honestly wasn't bad i thought it was great it takes a couple seconds to pull out and pop up one side then the other. I would be a bit worried about a four year old on a top bunk I have a nephew who is four and I know sometimes he gets up in the middle of the night and id be so scared he would fall off

CMDD · July 2015

You can get a guard to go over both bunks to make sure kids dont fall out. i fell off the top bunk in my sleep and hit a dresser- had to get stitches right on one eyelid. Actually, now that i'm remembering that I'd suggest waiting. sorry!

LC122 · July 2015

My kids will be about the same ages. We have done a little research. Lots of friends said their kids were about 2-3 & 4-5 when they got bunks.

When we shopped around a little, the bunks we looked at said "not for children under 6".

IKEA has a lower bunk where the bottom mattress is basically on the floor, so the top bunk isn't as high as a normal bunk. They also have canopy-like things that would help deter falling off.

Our kids are still in a toddler bed and crib, so we're holding off for now.

Dolphions · July 2015

I was thinking about doing a full over full with a side high rail. I didn't think that they would still fall over the side

groovylocks · July 2015

magburt said:

I'd be a little nervous with a 4 year old on a top bunk. My older sister had a couple of spills from the top bunk, even when she was older. I had a trundle bed growing up. I know it's a pain to pull out the bottom mattress part every night, but that might be a good way to conserve space until they get a little older.

But was she injured?

Two things to keep in mind. Your sister was likely fine (please correct me if i'm wrong and my apologies) and we were ALL fine when we had weird little kid injuries that suddenly and inexplicably children are no longer allowed to have. And the other thing is that bunk beds were a LOT less safe when we were kids. A LOT. There were no guard rails and the top bunk was much higher. You can get very low bunk beds these days will full guard rails.

groovylocks · July 2015

Dolphions said:

I was thinking about doing a full over full with a side high rail. I didn't think that they would still fall over the side

Here's the thing. If your child doesn't fall out of bed now, they're probably not going to fall out of bed later either.

Some kids are prone to it. My sister fell out of bed, sleepwalked (and locked herself out one night) and bit her own tongue talking pretty much daily. She broke three limbs at once this one time because she didn't look where she was going. She never got the top bunk.

CMDD · July 2015

@groovylocks did you read what I wrote? I am fine. But, I did receive stitches a few centimeters above my eye. I also fell out another time (I was on the bottom this time) and broke my collar bone.

groovylocks · July 2015

"My older sister had a couple of spills from the top bunk, even when she was older. "

That's what i read.

groovylocks · July 2015

CMDD said:

@groovylocks did you read what I wrote? I am fine. But, I did receive stitches a few centimeters above my eye. I also fell out another time (I was on the bottom this time) and broke my collar bone.

I was replying to somebody else's post.... If you read what I wrote, you can see that it wasn't a reply to you. Did the system tag you inadvertently? They DID do some maintenance.

So i guess the answer to your question is no. I didn't.

Elizabella85 · July 2015

My brother had a bunk bed as a kid, he went from crib to bottom bunk around age 2 (they used a temporary rail for the first 6 months or so.) Around 4 or 5 he decided the top bunk was cooler, my parents were fine with it since it also had a rail. He never had any accidents even when climbing up and down the ladder to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I'm sure your kids will be fine at those ages in a bunk bed.

littleSkittle14 · July 2015

My friend has bunk beds for her girls and, even though the two year old doesn't sleep up there, she does climb up sometimes and has fallen off it twice. Two hospital visits with concussions.

This particular child is a daredevil but if they were my kids I would probably get a queen and have them share that or trundle, like PP said!

raq_2020 · July 2015

If there is a rail, then not sure what the problem would be. Kids can be wacky though, I can imagine my rambunctious niece purposely jumping from the top bunk despite the railing lol

adecembermom2015 · July 2015

@groovylocks yes, she was injured and so was my other sister that she landed on. And she was probably 10, not 4. Not sure why this is your battle to fight. I was trying to help the OP.

ETA it had railings on it. I think most do.

chewie5990 · July 2015

My niece has a loft bed with a slide...about as high and a bunk bed. She's been in it since she was 3 and there have been no indecents.They have a safety rail on the bed and she's fine with climbing up the ladder without falling.

yl1m32015 · July 2015

groovylocks said:

magburt said:

I'd be a little nervous with a 4 year old on a top bunk. My older sister had a couple of spills from the top bunk, even when she was older.

I had a trundle bed growing up. I know it's a pain to pull out the bottom mattress part every night, but that might be a good way to conserve space until they get a little older.

But was she injured?

Two things to keep in mind. Your sister was likely fine (please correct me if i'm wrong and my apologies) and we were ALL fine when we had weird little kid injuries that suddenly and inexplicably children are no longer allowed to have. And the other thing is that bunk beds were a LOT less safe when we were kids. A LOT. There were no guard rails and the top bunk was much higher. You can get very low bunk beds these days will full guard rails.

Actually I fell off the top bunk at age 7, and there WAS a guard rail. I somehow fell through underneath the rail and split my head open. Am I alive? Sure. But did it warrant a trip to the ER that id rather avoid? Yep.

FYI, after that my dad built me a stronger/bigger guard rail himself so it wouldn't happen again.

OP, do what you think is best, just make sure your little ones aren't too little to fit through the rail

nik6499 · July 2015

I used to roll out of my bunk bed for fun as a child, I prob had some issues. I think my brothers showed me how to do it. They do make some bunks that are really low to the ground. Ultimately it's your choice and what you think is best for your kiddo.

LandOfNope · July 2015

I've had bunk beds in my four year old's room for a few months now. I don't really feel like he would be safe on the top bunk. He sleeps on the bottom. It's the ladder that worries me...I think he will fall if trying to climb down in the middle of the night. I take it out of his room at bedroom. If I had gotten one of the beds with stairs I would feel much more comfortable with him sleeping on the top bunk.

nik6499 · July 2015

My friend has a bed with stairs and the stairs are drawers, seems pretty cool

Beckah31 · July 2015

My nephew had a low loft with a slide at age 4, but he's not a roller. My sister stashed his toddler bed underneath it for a while- he liked to sit/lay on the toddler bed and read. I think the IKEA low bunk bed is a great suggestion. It's very low, and has great side rails.

Beckah31 · July 2015

Also- have you considered a corner bunk bed with the captain drawers? It would eliminate the need for separate dressers and clear up some floor space.

Beckah31 · July 2015

Not a corner bunk bed. Corner twin beds! Ugh. Fat pregnant thumbs!

celainev · July 2015

I'm never going to get bunk beds. My friend's sister was 25 when she rolled off a top bunk while sleeping and became paralyzed from the waist down. And the bed even had a guard. My future children will stay safe near the floor. It's up to you, of course, and I would have had no problem with bunk beds until this happened to my friend's sister.

celainev · July 2015

I know this sounds funny but my sister and I shared a double bed when we were 3 and 5 until we were 6 and 8!! Haha. It worked. We didn't mind sharing.

yl1m32015 · July 2015

chaelainev said:
I know this sounds funny but my sister and I shared a double bed when we were 3 and 5 until we were 6 and 8!! Haha. It worked. We didn't mind sharing.

For sure! OP could they share a full bed for awhile? They have bunks that are a twin on top and full on bottom. Maybe they could share for awhile until the oldest is big enough for the top bunk. Just another option.

LilLambie · July 2015

I had a bunk bed when I was little (I think 3) and mine didnt have stairs or anything. I had to be lifted up or climb over the back to get up and jump down. I was fine. I think it depends on the kid. I never played on it, i just slept. My brother was banned from my room though because he couldn't be trusted near it. I think that helped because it was a privilege to have it and if I was silly it would be taken away.

groovylocks · July 2015

magburt said:

@groovylocks yes, she was injured and so was my other sister that she landed on. And she was probably 10, not 4. Not sure why this is your battle to fight. I was trying to help the OP. ETA it had railings on it. I think most do.

So.. I'm sorry this is confusing. You called me out for not reading your comment before replying when i wasn't even replying to it. I'm just trying to figure out if i missed something.

There is no "battle to fight". You made a mistake. It happens.

adecembermom2015 · July 2015

groovylocks said:

magburt said:

@groovylocks yes, she was injured and so was my other sister that she landed on. And she was probably 10, not 4. Not sure why this is your battle to fight. I was trying to help the OP.

ETA it had railings on it. I think most do.

I realize that but come on. You thought my comment was about you and it had nothing to do with you and got snarky about it.

There is no "battle to fight", you made a mistake. We're all human.

Not sure what you mean.

groovylocks · July 2015

magburt said:

magburt said:

@groovylocks yes, she was injured and so was my other sister that she landed on. And she was probably 10, not 4. Not sure why this is your battle to fight. I was trying to help the OP. ETA it had railings on it. I think most do.

I realize that but come on. You thought my comment was about you and it had nothing to do with you and got snarky about it.

There is no "battle to fight", you made a mistake. We're all human.
Not sure what you mean.

Sorry this time i made a mistake.

Somebody got upset about .... ugh just read the thread

adecembermom2015 · July 2015

@groovylocks happens to the best of us. No biggie. I was just confused.

groovylocks · July 2015

@magburt No I'm sorry, I was not paying attention.

beccabeeee · July 2015

I agree with previous posters that those ages might be too young for bunkbeds. I don't have any children, this will be my first, but I've definitely had my fair share of bunkbed accidents. I have 5 brothers, and we all lived in 1 room a very long time ago with 2 bunkbeds and a mattress under each bunk. The bunks weren't for me and my younger brother but we still climbed and fell off many times. My friend also had them and she ended use falling off and hitting her head on a dresser, she had to get stitches.
I can totally understand the space issue though. I'd definitely look into the ikea ones, they have ones that are very low to the ground, perfect for those ages. I believe the last time I was there they had what looked like canopy or nets that went over the top one so little one can't climb out? I can't remember for certain but I'd look into that =]

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