How to set up a side car sleeping arrangment for a 16 month old?

**purplecat** · 27-07-2011 18:21

Hi I am just wondering if anyone has any suggetions on how to set up one of those side car cot set ups next to the bed for a 16 month old to sleep in? Do you just get a cot, remove one side, put something under the mattress to make it level with the main mattress or is there more to it than that? How do you stop it moving away from the main mattress? and plug up the gaps?

where do you put your glass of water and the alarm clock if the cot is where the bedside table normally is?????

I saw some side car beds online but theyare for up to 5 months old only.

OUr little darling has never been a great sleeper, but is still waking between 1 and 3 times per night and seems really scared when she does. She now stands up in her cot too so will never just wriggle around and re settle herself, which she has done in the past. A quick feed normally works, but I am finding now that I am back at work I am just so flippin exhausted all the time - 1 wakeup I can manage, more than that and I am toast. We have worked out by bringing her into our bed that all she wants is for someone to hold her hand. Naaw. Trouble is, I just cant sleep with her in the bed. She kicks and wriggles and ends up on my head. I could def. sleep with her next to the bed in a side car though. I cant see her growing out of this need anytime soon - in fact as soon as she can work out how to climb out of the cot or goes in to her own bed I am pretty sure she will be coming in to our bed every night!!! The side car option just seems the best compromise. It will make those night feeds easier too; she def. still seems to need one if she wakes anytime after 4am (and sleeping to 4am is an awesome night in our house!!).

Any ideas on the practicalities of how to do it? and whether it worked for you?

Thanks

**minties** · 27-07-2011 18:35

Click here for some ideas of what others have done.

Instead of securing the bed and cot together we pushed the cot against the wall and the bed right up to it. Our bed is heavy enough that it doesn't move. You could get a bit of foam cut at clark rubber to fill the gap. I've also heard of ppl filling a smaller gap with a pool noodle but i don't know how safe that is. Since there is no bedside table I just have a bottle of water in the top corner of the bed, DH has an alarm clock on the other side but I don't need one.

This worked well for us for quite a while. Now DD is on a mattress next our bed and comes in to us when she needs. She is a night cuddler and hand holder too

**naebie** · 27-07-2011 18:38

We did exactly what you are saying, took off one side, and leveled it with our mattress with pillows and filled the gap between the two beds with a wooden board topped with pillows so DD wouldn't fall through. We placed it a bit further down the bed so I could still have my bedside table going. To feed I'd just wiggle down the bed a little more.

**purplecat** · 27-07-2011 18:49

Excellent, thanks! Also, what about day sleeps? Did you buy a new cot for your bedroom, or sleep bubby in a portcot in own room for day sleeps and move big cot into main bedroom ?

**naebie** · 27-07-2011 18:55

DD slept in her sidecar cot for day sleeps, because by that age she could get up and down from our bed, and I usually fed her to sleep.

**Bubbles10** · 27-07-2011 20:32

I think i have gone the povo version. We took one side of the cot off and this side is up against the bed. I still have a bedside table, and the head of the cot butts up against it.

The cot height is below the bed height and we haven't changed this. Didn't fill the gap with anything either, the cot mattress is up against the bed mattress and doesn't move. The gap is minimal on the other side and hasn't been an issue. DD was 12 months when we set it up like this, with a younger bub i'd probably be a bit more pedantic.

My DD hated the cot before we took the side off. I think it was just too closed in for her.

Having our set up has allowed us to get her used to falling asleep in the cot, with either DH or i lying on the bed next to her. Much more comfortable for us! I can reach in and settle her before she gets too worked up. Also, she is able to crawl in to us when she needs a cuddle or a feed.

Most nights DD now doesn't feed at all, and more recently she will stay in her cot all night. I think this has come about because we have made it an ok place for her to sleep.

If she sleeps during the day, she will either sleep in the cot (if she feeds to sleep on the couch and i transfer her) or in our bed (if i feed to sleep there and then sneak out). Either way, she will either call out when she wakes or just crawl to the edge of the bed and slide off backwards.

**Laksa** · 27-07-2011 21:00

Heheh, you co-sleeper you!

Mine just slept with me but I would have jammed the cot between the wall and one side of the bed. Day sleeps were same place as night, with a barricade of pillows lol

**bada** · 27-07-2011 21:23

We've got an Ikea Gulliver cot which converts to a toddler bed by removig one side and next time around intend to use it as a side car in this way http://www.freewebs.com/sidecarcrib/

**purplecat** · 28-07-2011 09:22

Haha laksa don't tease!!!! James McKenna would be proud yeh? I am not anti co sleeping, just anti having her IN our bed, as I just can't sleep. One of my little idiosyncrasies is that I don't like to be touched by anyone when I am sleeping!!!!

before sleep? Fine. When I wake up? Cuddle me stupid. Just don't touch me while I am asleep... It wakes me up and makes me grumpy!!!!!! So I thought if she was next to me in her own space where I can still hold her hand, reassure her, say shh and feed easily that could work. I just can't imagine this situation improving anytime soon, in fact if anything I expect it will get worse as she gets more vocal, more determined and starts having nightmares. Even DD1 who was an incredible sleeper started coming in every night from 18months (she was in a big bed so could get out), but as she could talk and was very co operative I just put a mattress on the floor and told her to sleep there when she woke up, but don't wake mummy up, and she just did it!!! Freak.

I like the idea of the ikea cot, it looks really simple an compact and is a shed load cheaper than buying another one like we already have.

I really think this is going to work... I will be able to sleep if she is next to me but not touching me, and she will be happy and reassured I am SURE!! won't have room to swing a cat in our bedroom but hey small price to pay....

**purplecat** · 29-07-2011 19:05

well we've been off to ikea to get a gulliver cot today (thanks for the tip caritas!!!). Havent set it up yet though. DH has been sleeping on her floor the last 3 nights holding her hand from 2am to the 5am (feed), as it seems she just wants someone near and holding her hand. I have had the flu so needed a few nights solid sleep to recover.

Just wondering when people bring bubs into the side car cot - ie from the beginning of the night - 7pm in her case? from first wake up? etc. I'd rather put her to bed in her own cot, mainly so we can use our bedroom up til our bedtime; then I was thinking bring her in when we go to bed, give a quick feed and settle her there. Or alternatively just bring her in if she wakes up before her feed at 4-5am. (We have confirmed she need this feed still, as DH says up to this time she is happy to hold his hand and go back to sleep, but after 4am she starts getting cross and pushing him away!!! so thats when he's been bringing her in to me for a feed). What do others do?

Not sure how this is going to work on weekdays when i need to get up at 6 to get ready for work and she normally sleeps to 645.. Hmmmm.