So, we did a thing at the weekend... we finally transitioned Isaac to a floor bed! It's been an idea we have been toying with for a while, but now home from work for the Christmas period and having time on our hands to put in the support if necessary, we took the plunge.
Floor Beds are a quintessential part of the Montessori Method. Children having the freedom of movement and a prepared, accessible environment are key parts of showing respect and supporting their development.
Why now?
Purely because the time felt right! J and I are both home for the Christmas period, neither of us needing to get up for work in the mornings, and we have time during the day to help support Isaac if he needs it. Isaac is in a 'good place' with his sleep at the moment, he's settled in our new home and we're wanting to create a strong sense of order for him - not having to change round spaces too much anymore and instead creating a place that suits his needs both now and will into the future. I can definitely see myself transitioning a second little one a lot earlier than we have with Isaac, if we are ever lucky enough to have one!
When we set up Isaac's nursery in our old house, before he was born, I knew of Montessori but I was very early on in my research. We included features like a low mirror and wall bar in his room, but we'd already bought a cot - as you do when you're expecting!! I'd seen floor beds in 'The Montessori Baby' book by Simone Davis, but didn't think any more of it knowing we'd chosen his bed. He slept in a bedside Snuz Pod until around 5/6 months, before then moving into the cot in his own room.
A year and a quarter down the line and WOW have I learnt so much. I can 100% see why people choose a floor bed from birth, and although, of course, they come with their challenges... I think the pros definitely outweigh them personally! We haven't bought a new bed (although there are so many lovely floor beds to choose from these days), we've just turned Isaac's cot bed into its 'toddler bed' and then lowered the mattress as close to the floor as possible, ensuring that there is still a small enough gap to promote air flow. The toddler bed side rails help Isaac to not roll off the bed at night, but are low enough for him to still independently move over.
Why choose a floor bed?
Freedom of Movement: Being low to the floor, without bars, means that children can get in and out of bed independently. They aren't confined to a small space, and essentially have their whole room to move about in and explore. The more time children have to move freely, the better for their development.
Empowering the Child: Giving your child the choice of being able to get into or out of bed empowers them to make their own decisions. Woken up and ready to start their day? They can choose to climb off their bed and begin playing. Feeling tired during the day? They can choose to crawl onto their bed and show you they are ready for a nap. This helps to show respect through trusting the child and helps promote their independence too!
Ease of Meeting Needs: With the bed being low to the ground and having no barriers around, it's easy to provide comfort to your little one. You can sit with them on the bed or lie with them if they need help to get to sleep. I can totally see how great it would've been to have a floor bed whilst breastfeeding too. Although you can comfort your child in a cot, it's much harder to do so whilst also showing them their bed is a safe space! It requires a lot of uncomfortable back bending that's for sure!
What is the biggest challenge of having a floor bed?
With your little one having free access to be on or off of their floor bed, essentially, the whole room becomes their 'crib'. Therefore, the room has to be safe for them to roam and explore at all times. It also means that your child could be doing this during the night when you are trying to sleep... naturally causing you a bit of anxiety!
How have we made Isaac's room safe?
- His curtains are at windowsill height to prevent him being able to reach, pull or get tangled in them.
- He only has low furniture in the room (except the wardrobe which he can't open). We also remove his dressing stool at night to further reduce his desire to climb!
- We remove all blankets and cushions before we leave Isaac alone in his room.
- We do a floor and surfaces 'sweep' before leaving Isaac's room to double check that nothing's been left in there that could be a potential danger.
- Isaac's baby monitor is set up with a full view of his bed. So far he hasn't yet decided to climb out of bed when he's woken up - perhaps because the situation is new. Our plan is to move the monitor so that it has a view of the whole room, or get a second one for both room halves.
- All sockets have plug caps in them and there are no loose wires.
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