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Expert Q&A
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| By Maureen Boyle Executive Director MOST (Mothers of Supertwins), Inc. | ||
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Is there a safe way to have twin toddlers share a twin bed? I have a bunk bed, and my 5-year-old sleeps on top. I'd like to transition the twins from their cribs to the bottom bunk. (We have a small house and not many other options.) I thought of putting their heads at opposite ends of the bed with a foam barrier between them. The guardrails I've seen only protect the middle of the bed, not the ends. Any suggestions?
I think one of the most stressful times for me as the parent of multiples was when my triplets were climbing out of their cribs, and we decided to move them to beds. They were only 18 months at the time, and if I can give you one piece of advice when it comes to keeping your sanity and keeping your children safe it would be to wait as long as possible to move your children from crib to bed if they are not climbing out of the cribs.
Keeping your little ones in their beds once the crib is no longer there can be extremely difficult. Many parents have told me that they were no longer able to get their children to take regular naps once the crib was down. I know that a lot of parents are anxious to get back the floor space in the bedrooms after taking down the cribs, but the peace of mind you have now knowing that your children are in their cribs sleeping and not wandering about the room or the rest of the house is well worth the lack of space.
If it is at all possible, I would wait until they are about 3 years old. If your toddlers are climbing out of their cribs and it is a safety issue to take down the cribs, there are a few alternatives you may want to consider. One thing you may want to consider is a crib tent. I also know of families who have gotten a trundle bed for under the bottom bunk. If you decide to do this, just be sure to slide it back under the bed after the children are up and see if you can get a latch so that they cannot pull it out and push it back in when you are not around. You do not want anyone getting stuck under there.
I know of a lot of families who used their crib mattresses instead of moving directly to beds so that they did not have to worry about a little one falling out of the bed or standing and falling over the safety rails. I would strongly consider this option. Also, if the toddlers will have free open access to the room at any time, I would suggest removing the ladder to the upper bunk when they are around so that they do not climb up and possibly get hurt. I know that there are some wonderful child safety recommendations for using bunk beds with young children, and I would consider reviewing this information before making this move.
As far as having your children share a bed, I believe that no matter how you place them in the bed, they will move to the position that suits them during the night. We co-bedded our triplets for the first several months of their lives. When they were about a year old and the boys were able to climb into each other's cribs, they would do so just so that they could be near each other. When they moved to beds, even though they each had their own beds, they would sleep together. This continued for many years. You may want to start them out at opposite ends of the bed, but I would not be surprised if they end up side by side. Good luck!
Maureen A. Doolan Boyle
Executive Director of MOST (Mothers of Supertwins), Inc.