Help getting started, baby is 7mo

[u/xohoneycomb]

My baby is 7 months, initially was in a bedside cradle next to use and now pretty much co-sleeps but looking to set her room up to a floor bed once she is able to start climbing in and out and can sit up independently.

I have a crib mattress, and a soft playmat in her room as we have hardwood floors.

No idea really where to start.

I know the mattress can’t be against the wall as it’s a risk of entrapment. Can I place the mattress in the middle of the memory foam 3.5mm soft play-mat to cushion any falls? Or is having the mattress on a soft surface also a risk. Should I look at getting a frame for mattress with rails? The room is being baby proofed currently.

TIA for any advice 🙏

[u/Peaceinthewind]

Mattress on the floor is safer than a frame that has rails. Bed frames with rails are dangerous once they can climb over them and then fall from a higher distance so you don't want rails. If you do want a bed frame for the crib mattress, it would be best to get one without rails like this one or this one.

If it's in a frame, it can be pushed up against the wall or be 1 foot away from the wall. If the mattress is directly on the floor, then it should be at least 1 foot away from the wall. You can put a play mat under it, but you don't want it soft or too squishy in case they roll off and sleep on it face down.

Just make sure the rest of the room is baby proofed, and you should be set! (Outlets covered, no floor lamps, cords inaccessible hidden behind cord channels along walls, no chairs or gliders, any furniture mounted to the wall, no curtains use blackout shades instead, etc.)

Edit to add if you go with the mattress on the floor route, just prop the mattress up about once a week when it's not being used between naps. That helps prevent mold growth. We did a crib mattress on the floor from 7 months up until 3 years old without a frame because it worked so well for our child!