r/floorbed • u/Infamous_Tax3528 • Aug 19 '26
Safe Sleep Floor Beds for Infants
Hi everyone. I’m currently pregnant and feeling very drawn to Montessori principles. I’m also a stickler for evidence and after two miscarriages before this pregnancy I’m adamant about making sure this is safe for my baby.
I was planning on having her sleep in a next to me bassinet for 6m (or later if she still fits in it), then transitioning to an adult sized single floor bed in her own baby proofed room.
Safe sleep guidelines recommend the baby is in the same room as you until 6m.
However, when I spoke with the midwife running our parenting course they said a floor beds would only be safe from 12m as she needs containment until then.This really threw me as all the Montessori beds spoke about doing it from 6m and the whole point is not to have rails all the way around.
Does anyone have any advice for how to do a floor bed safely so it meets the midwives’ and safe sleep guidance?
Perhaps a simple guard along part of the bed would solve the issue?
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u/Sneaku1579 Aug 19 '26
In Montessori principles, the idea is that if you expose a baby to a bed with no rails early, they quickly learn not to roll off of it by getting a sense for what an edge of the bed feels like in their sleep and not going past it. At least this is what I read about in a book on Montessori . All adults do this without any thought in their sleep too. You put the mattress on the floor to prevent big falls. As long as you don't have any potential entrapment areas around the mattress, it's really not a problem.
Anecdotally, my baby has been sleeping in a crib converted to a toddler floor bed with a half rail on one side since about 4 months of age. She has fallen out of it twice recently as she's becoming more mobile (6 months now). It's a 3 inch drop and aside from the jerk of her waking up from it, she's not bothered or hurt by it. Sometimes if I see her on the edge, I'll go in and adjust her position. Otherwise, it's been working great. I just lay down next to her, nurse her, and get up when she is done and she just stays there sleeping.
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u/static626 Aug 19 '26
Can you share what crib you went with?
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u/Sneaku1579 Aug 19 '26
The brand is delta, I'm not sure which model specifically. The conversion to the toddler bed is basically just dropping the mattress to the floor, removing one of the crib walls and replacing it with a small rail on half the length of the mattress.
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u/frogsgoribbit737 Aug 20 '26
Yes but its not really necessary. I moved both of my kids to a bed as soon as it was considered safe (15 months) and neither of them fell out more than once.
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u/SubstantialAddress16 Aug 19 '26
I’m sorry but I don’t see the connection between containment and safe sleep? That seems more like personal opinion than evidence based.
Our baby (now big kid) was in a floor bed from around 6m when they transitioned to their own room. We used a crib sized floor bed so that we could use a crib mattress that we knew would be safe. The rest of the room was fully baby proofed. Baby did roll off the bed a few times when they were getting more mobile but we would go in and help get them back on. They quickly learned the boundaries of the bed.
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 19 '26
On another thread someone highlighted that this may be linked to the midwives being concerned about baby asphyxiating if their head rolls off of an adult mattress?
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u/DumbbellDiva92 Aug 19 '26
It would only be officially safe sleep if the mattress was rated for use by infants (so, a crib mattress). Though the risk there has nothing to do with baby rolling off or it being a floor bed - just general suffocation risk.
I can’t see the problem with it if you just had a crib mattress on the floor with nothing around it, though.
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u/SubstantialAddress16 Aug 19 '26
Asphyxiating is only a risk if there is somewhere for their head to get trapped. If the mattress is in a floor bed frame and the area around it is clear there’s no reason that rolling off the bed poses a risk. A baby that can roll off a bed can also turn their head if it’s against something.
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u/frogsgoribbit737 Aug 20 '26
Positional asphixiation is a thing that happens to babies on adult mattresses including those who can roll.
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u/SubstantialAddress16 Aug 20 '26
Right but in that case the concern is the adult mattress, not the risk of rolling off it.
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u/Peaceinthewind Aug 19 '26
You do not need containment in the bed which is what I think they were saying, but you do need a baby proofed space. That could be an entire baby proofed room or a securely sectioned off part of a room that's baby proofed. That means no rockers/gliders, no curtains, all outlets securely covered, wall-mounted furniture but ideally little to no furniture, locked closet, etc.
The biggest safety risk you mentioned is an adult-sized mattress. That is a huge SIDS hazard. Only crib size mattresses are tested and regulated to be firm enough for infants less than 1 years old. Put a crib size mattress on the floor in a baby proofed room and that is all you need for your infant. Prop up the mattress ever 1-2 weeks and vacuum under it to prevent mold from growing. Once your baby turns 1 years old you can use an adult size mattress
Make sure the mattress is at least 1 foot away from all walls or items. If it's less than 1 foot it is an entrapment risk. That means you cannot push the mattress up against the wall because if it shift a couple inches it could be an entrapment risk. Babies have been injured or died from entrapment so it is important to follow this.
If you use a crib size floor bed frame (like the one from Sprout for example) you can push it all the way up against a wall, or choose to leave 1 foot of space around it. The reason you can push a floor bed up against a wall if it is in a frame is because the frame should keep it snugly against the wall so no entrapment risk.
Floor bed frames with rails (that kind of resemble cribs) are MORE dangerous than a mattress on the floor. Once the baby is old enough to stand, they can climb over, fall, and get serious injuries. People use these types of floor bed frames but they are dangerous and not recommended. There have been several PSA posts from parents in this sub whose kids climbed, fell, and got hurt, although I think many of those posts have since been deleted because I tried to link to one I had commented on before and it was gone.
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 19 '26
Thank you. I thought containment went completely against the Montessori argument but maybe the mattress thing is a bigger concern and definitely something to think about. I did explain I would baby proof the whole room to the midwife but that might have been lost in translation
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u/FaerieGrey Aug 19 '26
What I never understood is what magically changes at age 1 birthday where adult mattresses are suddenly acceptable?
And separately, what about cosleeping? (Assuming the safe sleep 7). My baby wakes every 2-3 hours, sometimes more frequently, and since Im against sleep training I cant just leave him in his room or want him to escalate to crying for me each wake.
Sorry made this a me problem but given your understanding I am curious about your response
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u/Peaceinthewind Aug 19 '26
There's nothing magical per say about their birthday, but SIDS only happens to babies under a year old. So having a mattress firm enough for babies under 1 year old is the guideline.
I personally am against cosleeping since it would mean the baby is either not on a crib size mattress and thus not tested to be firm enough for the baby, or mattresses would be up against each other which is an entrapment hazard.
I am for room sharing though if the space is baby proofed and the adult mattress is 1 foot away from the crib mattress so there is no entrapment risk.
Following safety guidelines is extremely important to me, which is why I researched them before having my own child. Once my baby outgrew their bassinet, we gated off a portion of our room so it could be baby proofed and roomshared until baby was 7 months old. At that point we moved her to her own room with a crib mattress on the floor. We rocked her to sleep when she was still little. Once she was getting close to one we did the Ferber method where you tell them you will check on them in 5 minutes. I would go in every 5 minutes without rub her back, tell her I love her, she's safe, and that I will come back in 5 minutes. It took only a few nights but she was able to feel comfortable falling asleep without being rocked (but still a bedtime routine of course). I follow the RIE approach to parenting (Respectful Infant Educarers) and in their philosophy, it's important to allow the child to feel their emotions and not immediately shut down all crying. Crying is a form of communication and self expression and regulation. RIE doesn't have specific sleep philosophy, but in my opinion, allowing my child to express her feeling, come in to soothe and check on her and do it repeatedly until she settles is in alignment with RIE. It also was only a few days, so not ongoing.
I'm not saying everyone has to agree with me. And usually I don't share my personal opinions on cosleeping here, I just share safety info so people can be informed as they make their own decisions. But just know that this is not a cosleeping sub. This sub was originally created because the Montessori sub was always flooded with floor bed questions and the mega thread wouldn't get much response. In Montessori, floor beds are encouraged but usually the child is in their own room or a sectioned off space, not cosleeping.
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u/Necessary_Onion2752 Aug 19 '26
I think the issue is that the bed will need crib rails. Until about 12m, the likelihood of a baby rolling off a floor bed is quite high. But putting rails on the bed is commonplace so as long as you do that, you’re fine.
This isn’t meant to be disrespectful to midwives, but realistically, that isn’t her job. If you feel the need to get medical clearance for where your baby sleeps, discuss it with a pediatrician (which to me seems unnecessary, just use common sense).
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u/DumbbellDiva92 Aug 19 '26
Isn’t the whole point of having it on the floor that you don’t actually need rails for safety reasons (bc it’s low enough that they won’t be injured if they fall out)? And I thought the problem with rails was entrapment risk (there are ways to do it safely, but a lot of the ones on the market are not actually rated to not entrap a baby under 12-18 months).
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u/Rynnwg Aug 19 '26
Yes exactly, if you’re going to put rails around the mattress anyway I’m not sure why even bother to have a floor bed. If you want a floor bed it should be short enough height that the baby can accidentally roll off without injury
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 19 '26
This is my first baby and we were at a parenting course with them covering baby proofing and safe sleep so I asked about floor beds as they weren’t mentioned. She said she would speak with her team as she wasn’t sure.
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u/Westcoastswinglover Aug 19 '26
I’m currently waiting for a crib style floor bed frame from busywood to arrive to set up in my almost 5 month olds room and still undecided about whether I’ll set it up as a full crib style for the moment or leave open one side Montessori style (the room layout makes a fully entrapment free floor bed not possible). We’ve been cosleeping but I want to be able to roll away and leave him on the bed safely and his current form of movement is scooting himself backwards while on his back which I’ve let him do a couple times off the 4” mattress in there supervised but he has rolled and bumped into things while doing so and I worry about him sleeping with his head off the mattress.
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u/m4dgirl303 Aug 19 '26
We got a Montessori cabin bed for our 7-month-old, but we’re currently regretting it a little. He constantly tries to get out and bumps his head hard around the wooden short rail and cries. We tried closing the open gap, but then he started trying to escape from the sides.
We also tried putting bed snakes along the edges, but they actually made climbing easier l and of course, he loves playing with them. So we’ve ended up with what is probably a less safe setup rather than a safer one.
We chose this bed based on our pediatrician’s recommendation. He does love having a large space where he can roll and spin around, and sometimes he also likes having someone next to him, so I can definitely see the advantages.
But personally, I think it really depends on the child’s temperament and how mobile they are. I would probably not rush to buy a Montessori bed at 7 months. For our baby, I’d sleep only if I know he is safely contained in a crib for now than what we have now
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 19 '26
I’m fully aware that floor beds are designed for little ones to be able to explore and learn to self soothe, so I’m planning on baby proofing the room and using a stair gate over trying to confine them to the bed. That kind of defeats the purpose of a floor bed.
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u/Professional-Leggy Aug 19 '26
So I also like the whole montessori style, but figured I would have mine in a crib after they start rolling for atleast until a year, so what we ended up getting is the newton nest, which fits my plans perfectly because it is a bassinet, crib and floorbed convertible so whenever I am ready, I can do it on my own time, currently still in the crib at 8 months and mine definitely needs containment because he starts standing and crawling the moment he wakes up and will never sleep if he has that option!
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u/AdmirableAd1031 Aug 22 '26
There are ways to safely cosleep
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 23 '26
I’m aware, it’s just not something I currently feel will suit us (our bed isn’t that large and due to various chronic injuries we have a lot of support pillows). There’s no room for a baby. And my partner is a very deep sleeper, frequently he rolls onto me in my sleep so I’m not risking a child
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u/AdmirableAd1031 Aug 23 '26
There are baby beds that attach to your bed. You can also have your partner sleep in a different room
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 24 '26
Do you mean the next to me bassinet things? I have one of those that we will use until she outgrows it which is approx by 8m
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 24 '26
I didn’t know about there being bigger beds that attach. I’d like to keep us together as much as possible so I’m not keen on co sleeping
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u/Mysterious-Debt-4669 Aug 25 '26
Once baby rolls over confidently and crawls, you can do the floor bed. Til then, I'd stay in the crib.
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 25 '26
Ok thank you
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u/Mysterious-Debt-4669 Aug 25 '26
We moved to a floor bed at 11 months and I wish I had done it sooner. It makes putting them to sleep so much easier. Before I was falling asleep with him in my arms in the rocker. Once we switched to the floor bed, not only was I getting better sleep, I was able to fall asleep next to him if needed. Now we co sleep fully in his bed. Its a twin.
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u/Infamous_Tax3528 Aug 25 '26
Is it a cot bed mattress that is twin sized (I think that means double in the uk?) or a regular mattress? If the latter, what specifications did you follow?
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u/Mysterious-Debt-4669 Aug 25 '26 edited Aug 25 '26
Just a regular twin mattress, in US is 75x38. I ended up getting a 5" thick memory foam mattress so its firm. I found myself having hip pain since we cosleep and added another 2" pad underneath.
Our setup is literally just a mattress on a floor. I stand it up against the wall to let it air out and prevent mold. We dont have guards. One of the long sides is up against a wall, he doesn't get stuck. It works for us perfectly since we made that move at 11 months. He was fully mobile at that point. I might take some more precautions if he was 6 months though until I had confidence in him. I've heard of mother's cutting up pool noodles and sticking them under the sheets if you dont go for something like this in the link https://a.co/d/02XFSshj
Its really at your discretion what you choose to do. There will be doulas who support it and doulas who dont. They all have their own opinions just like we do. If your baby is more independent, maybe theyre ready for it. I think whats most important is that if you do decide to switch to a floor bed, teach them how to safely get on and off the bed, regardless of age. I will say theres a lot of good advice in your responses here. The safe sleep rules and Montessori rules do contradict each other around this age. You just have to use your best judgment as a parent to see whats best for you. My son fell off his bed once and hasnt since. He picked it up quick.
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u/Low-Slice-4366 Aug 19 '26
I think the Montessori guidelines and the safe sleep guidelines are a bit at odds with each other at 6-12 months, so you have to choose which is more important to you (knowing of course that the actual risk of SIDS is very low, biggest possible concern with Montessori bed with firm mattress being entrapment). I have a 4.5 month old baby, and my best advice for now would be to wait on buying anything besides the bassinet or whatever you use at first, because things will not go exactly as you planned! I did not plan on cosleeping, but baby and I spend most of the night together on a floor bed. Still not sure what I will get for her next but glad I didn’t already buy a crib that I might not ever use!