All About Floor-Beds

Considering using a floor bed?

As an infant sleep consultant, my most common mantra is that one size does not fit all; what works for one family won’t work for another. Floor beds are no different.

Society has this expectation that babies (Smalls, as I call them) should sleep:

Independently
In a cot
Away from you

This has somehow become the gold standard of sleep setups.

But that’s a lot of pressure on you and your Small. And there is NO one size fits all sleep set up!

The ONLY people who your infant’s sleep has got to work for is you, your Small and your family. Your bed…your business!

Should you use a floor bed?

Like most things sleep-related, floor beds aren’t going to work for every single family.

And in all honesty, they might not be the best bed for YOU.

But sometimes I might suggest using a floor bed because there are lots of benefits for everyone.

What is a floor bed?

A floor bed is simply a bed/mattress that sits right on the floor. You can buy a fancy floor bed, but can just as easily move a mattress onto the floor and, voila!

With the latter option, just ensure there is adequate ventilation to the mattress by regularly airing the space, or using a trundle frame to help the air circulate.

Who are floor beds for?

Floor-beds are for everyone! Your child can sleep in one on their own, and you can cosleep in a floor bed with your Smalls/s.

What age can you use a floor bed from?

You can use a floor-bed safely from birth, or whenever you’re ready. You just need to ensure that you’ve made sure it’s a safe sleep space.

What are the benefits of using a floor bed?

🛌They provide lots of connection and closeness. And both are a solid starting place to a settled night’s sleep!

🛌They can sometimes make it easier or help their other parent or caregivers settle them to sleep.

🛌 They can help encourage more independent naps IF you want them.

🛌 They can support and help maximise everybody’s night sleep.

🛌 It does away with the tricky transfer and can help them to settle to sleep more smoothly.

🛌 They can help transition away from co-sleeping/bed-sharing and towards a more independent sleep space. I sometimes suggest using them as a stepping-stone to get your Small into their cot!

🛌It can help prioritise them waking up where they fell asleep. And for some Smalls this can be a game-changer for their sleep!

How can you make a floor bed a safe sleep space?

Sian from www.nomilklikemamas.co.uk shares her tops tips:

Baby should be in the same room as you or caregivers for the first 6 months.
Baby should be placed on a firm mattress.
Remove pillows, duvets, and other furnishings from the bed. If you use this for your own comfort whilst you settle baby, take these with you if you leave the sleep space.
Ensure baby cannot get wedged between the bed and the wall or other surface.
Screw furniture to the wall (shelving etc) to prevent older babies or young children pulling this onto themselves.
To assess any risks, laying in the bed in your baby's perspective can help you identify any risks and hazards (such as wires etc) that you might not noticing when standing.
If you sleep with your baby in the floor bed, follow usual co-sleeping safety guidance: llli.org/the-safe-sleep-seven/

Learn more about Floor beds

If you’d like to delve deeper into the details of floor beds and all the pros and cons for infant sleep, I had an amazing chat with Sian from No Milk like Mamas all about them on my podcast. Check out the episode here, and find lots more sleep support on the podcast.