Montessori floor beds are not for all families, and it's possible to raise your children in the Montessori style while using a different kind of sleeping arrangement. But for some families, the floor bed is the ideal choice.
The Montessori method is based largely on the concepts of independence, choice, and freedom of movement. Using a floor bed mattress has many benefits. First of all, it allows a pre-crawling infant to observe his environment visually. At this young age, babies take in their world through what they can see, and crib slats can block a lot of that out.
Older babies may wake up after napping and begin to scoot or crawl throughout the nursery to occupy themselves and satisfy their curiosity. They might even do this in the middle of the night, especially when first learning to walk.
Montessori thought supports this kind of freedom because the baby can choose to explore what captures his interests, whether working on learning to crawl or beginning to sort and stack a set of blocks.
There is no right or wrong answer, but rather each family must decide if a Montessori style floor mattress is a good fit. Many parents like to start with the traditional bassinet or crib and move a baby to their bed when they are older.
A three-month-old might do best in a bedside bassinet, while a nine-month-old may sleep better in their room on a floor mattress. Some parents find that a floor bed helps their little ones sleep, while others find the opposite true.
Baby Nursery FAQs
If your child is under two years old, your floor bed should be a firm crib mattress per AAP recommendations. A regular twin or full-size mattress is too soft and can cause suffocation risks. The floor bed should be just a flat fitted sheet and away from the walls so your baby can't become trapped.
There is no specific age for transitioning your child to a floor bed, but most Montessorians recommend doing so between 5 and 10 months of age when they have started to sit up and move around on their own.
For babies under the age of 1, Montessori beds are a no go since they fall outside of the safe sleep practices outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics and are aimed at reducing the risk of SIDS.
A three-month-old might do best in a bedside bassinet, while a nine-month-old may sleep better in their room on a floor mattress. Some parents find that a floor bed helps their little ones sleep, while others find the opposite true.
Most mattress types are built to sit on a slatted platform or box spring, not the ground. Mattress companies warn against sleeping on the floor as the ground is home to dust, bugs, and mould, all of which void warranties.
The Right Time for a Floor Bed
At around the age of 2 or 3, when most kids can reach the top of the crib rail with their leg, it's time to make the move to a big kid bed. Dr. Casares advises that you can start thinking about sleeping on the floor.
She says that switching your child to a floor bed will reduce the risk of injury due to falling out of the crib and will also make it less likely that your child will be hurt in some other way, like rolling, while sleeping on the floor.
However, Dr. Casares stresses that every child is unique. For older toddlers who are ready for the next step in sleeping arrangements but haven't shown a strong desire to leave the crib, a floor bed could also function as a transition to an elevated bed, she says.
Safe Use of a Floor Bed
Dr. Casares cautions against using floor beds for children if the bedroom is not adequately childproofed and the bed itself is not installed properly. The following precautions are ones she suggests for your own safety.
- If your child is prone to rolling during the night, you should keep the mattress away from the walls and the furniture, preferably in the middle of the room.
- Put away little objects that can be swallowed, cover electrical outlets, and strap down furniture.
- Toys that can cause choking or other injuries should be taken out of the room.
- Think about the child's safety beyond the bedroom, such as placing gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.
In addition, Casares says it may be helpful to have your child get used to sleeping on the floor bed by having him or her take naps there during the day, when adjusting to the new surroundings will be less of a challenge.
The same can be said for toddlers, who can be encouraged to "remain in bed for gradually longer periods without calling out for a parent" by being showered with praise and compliments.
The Advantages Of Sleeping On The Floor
Uzodike claims there are numerous upsides to providing your kid with a floor bed.
They help kids develop fundamental motor skills and self-awareness.
Babies, she says, "make little movements from birth and can spin approximately 360 degrees."
"If you watch closely, you may see that they retreat from the edge of the bed rather than fall off.
By sleeping on the floor, one gains a more profound awareness of their own spatial body."
In addition, she explains, a child sleeping on the floor has an unrestricted view of their surroundings.
It's a great way to help kids learn to go to sleep without assistance.
"Proponents of floor beds note that they provide children more access to books and quiet toys as they prepare to sleep and when they first rise in the morning or from naps, giving them more independence," explains Whitney Casares, M.D., MPH, FAAP, author of The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting Without Losing Yourself.
A child's self-esteem and confidence can benefit greatly from them.
Uzodike says this is because they have the freedom to wake up whenever they like. They don't view their bed as a prison from which they can't escape, therefore sleeping is something they look forwards to, which contributes to a more positive overall experience. "They come here to rest, and when they're ready, they can get up and go about their day."
Bonding can occur naturally because of this.
The parent can sit or lie in bed with the baby if necessary, which is an added bonus, according to Uzodike. To avoid disturbing their sleep even more, "maybe read to them or milk them or maybe just soothe them without having to lift them out of bed or change location."
They are cheap and straightforward to assemble.
A floor bed can be as basic or luxurious as its creator desires.
Which Is Better, a Crib or a Floor Bed?
There are some advantages to both cribs and floor beds that parents and kids can enjoy. Many parents seek the safety and security of a crib for their children, while children relish the freedom of a floor bed. However, which is preferable for children, cribs or floor beds?
It's up to you to decide whether a crib or a floor bed is better for your child. If you want your baby to be contained in an unsafe environment, a crib is the way to go. The floor bed is a good option if you want your child to have more freedom of movement.
This might be an important debate in the nursery for any parents-to-be or new parents who are concerned with doing the best for their child. Don't lose any sleep over it; the following information will help you choose the right baby bed for your needs.
Crib Use: The Pros and Cons
It's only natural to want to provide a safe and comfortable space for infants. Because infants are so susceptible to both deliberate and accidental harm, parents naturally want to do everything they can to shield their children from harm.
Baskets, boxes, and other containers have been utilised by parents as a safe haven for their children to sleep and play since ancient times. This is precisely what a crib was created for.
The Positives of Using a Crib
The vast majority of adults in Western societies slept in cribs when they were little. The most common choice of sleeping arrangement for infants and toddlers has always been a crib for the first few years of life. Many individuals do not realise that alternate paths are available to them.
Parents worry most about protecting their children from the moment they are born. An ideal solution to this problem, a crib provides numerous advantages for both the infant and his parents.
Infants should only sleep in a crib.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests putting infants to bed in a crib, bassinet, or portable crib that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and has a solid surface for them to sleep on (CPSC).
An early crib's warm environment was a welcome relief for parents. However, crib design was lacking until the 1970s. There was an insufficiency in the height of the sides. Slats were too far spaced. The list goes on and on about how the mattress was excessively soft. There had been too many infant deaths due to improper crib construction and use, so specialists made a decision to change the standards.
The standard safety crib has four sturdy walls to keep a sleeping infant in place. In order to limit the number of injuries and fatalities caused by falls, strangulations, and asphyxia, strict safety regulations have been in place for modern cribs since 1974.
All newly constructed cribs are currently required to conform to these standards:
- In order to avoid a baby's head from becoming trapped, the space between the crib's slats should not exceed 2 38 inches. The slats should be made of something strong.
- The crib mattress has to be a regular size and well-supported in order to fit in the crib without wiggle room. A youngster cannot get trapped between the bed's mattress and frame if this is in place.
- To prevent children from falling out, the distance between the top of the rail and the mattress support on the lowest level should be at least 26 inches.
- The interior of the crib must be free of any hardware.
- Safe and reliable drop latches are a necessity.
- The wood used to construct a crib shouldn't have any rough or sharp edges.
- Detailed assembly instructions and warning labels are required to be included with each crib sold.
- Cribs that can have their sides folded down are illegal to produce or sell as of 2010.
If a crib is more than 10 years old, it should not be used unless it can be updated to meet today's stringent safety requirements. If you are expected to utilise a crib that is a family heirloom or antique, you should take extra care to ensure that it is up to code. The mattress may not fit securely, and there may not be enough clearance between the mattress and the top rail, on an older crib since the spaces between the slats are larger.
A baby is safe in a crib because it holds them in one place.
All-around crib rails prevent infants and toddlers from climbing out and wandering the house or room. This is especially true for children under the age of two. They are "trapped" in the crib until someone arrives to collect them, whether it's for a nap or bedtime.
Peace of mind can be restored to parents with this level of confinement. You can rest assured that your child won't hurt themselves by doing things like pushing heavy furniture over on them or messing with electrical outlets.
Without a safe sleeping space, your baby could be up at three in the morning, wandering about the house.
If you need to get anything done nearby without the "help" of your crawling or toddling child, their crib can serve as a safe containment area. Some children of that age, for instance, may feel more secure staying in their crib rather than playing in the living room because of the noise made by the vacuum cleaner. Additionally, they won't drag out toys or interfere in your way while you try to clean the floor.
Convertible Cribs are available.
Once a child outgrew their crib, it would be put into storage, usually in the attic or basement. No longer the case. Many modern cribs may be easily transformed into larger beds whenever the time comes.
Parents might cut costs by opting for a convertible cot. When the time comes that your kid no longer fits in the crib, you won't have to acquire any new pieces of baby furniture. You won't have to alter the nursery's colour scheme or theme to incorporate new furniture because it is a perfect fit for the existing pieces.
Infants Eventually Become Self-Reliant Sleepers
You may give your newborn a sense of security by providing him with his very own crib. Bed-sharing, or co-sleeping, between parents and their infants is generally prohibited for obvious safety reasons, so make sure your child gets his own bed.
The easiest technique to teach a child to fall asleep without help is to establish a pattern for going to bed or taking naps that results in the youngster being sleepy but awake. Your infant or toddler may fall asleep more easily in the crib if it is a part of a regular routine and there is nowhere for them to go.
The Height of Cribs Can Be Modified
These days, most cribs allow you to alter the mattress's height to suit your child's development and mobility. The crib can be adjusted to a higher position to make it less of a struggle to pick up and care for a newborn.
The crib mattress may be adjusted to three different heights to prevent a child from rolling, standing, or climbing out as he or she becomes more mobile. Regardless of how the mattress is arranged in the crib, an adult may find it more convenient to work at chest height.
Consequences of Crib Use
Putting your youngster to sleep in a crib has few disadvantages. That's why variations on the crib concept date back hundreds of years. The single main drawback has an upside as well.
A baby is safe in a crib because it holds them in one place.
We know this is beneficial for the infant, but it doesn't mean it's always convenient for mum and dad.
Younger infants who haven't started crawling won't mind, but newborns who are able to crawl and pull themselves up may become restless in a crib. They may start crying and fussing as soon as they open their eyes, hoping to be taken up.
If you follow the advice and don't give your baby any crib toys, books, or stuffed animals, then when they wake up, they'll be bored and frustrated. Infants who are sitting up or crawling around on their own are at a stage where they like to keep active by discovering their surroundings.
A youngster may become restless in a crib if there are no toys in it for them to play with, so parents should consider putting some in there.
Holding Hands Is More Difficult
There isn't much of a choice when a fussy baby needs calming in the middle of the night; mum or dad has to go into the nursery and do what they can. A simple pat or lullaby can work wonders.
Tired parents may choose to sit by the crib and comfort the baby by sticking a hand through the slats for long periods of time. As long as it's only for a short period of time and the baby goes back to sleep, it shouldn't be a problem. However, it might be difficult and tiring to sit or lie down on the floor by the crib for the rest of the night if a baby continues to need comforting and someone needs to stay for a while.
Discussion of the Benefits and Drawbacks of Sleeping on the Floor
While cribs are the norm in the West, certain societies have a long history of putting everyone (including babies) on the floor. This practise predates the modern era and contemporary parenting philosophies. For whatever reason, infants in these societies often sleep on the floor.
The Montessori approach, pioneered by an Italian physician named Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, is largely responsible for the widespread adoption of floor beds across Western Europe and the United States today. In accordance with this theory, a child's natural curiosity, energy, and desire to take charge of his or her own education make movement, exploration, and free choice the most effective means of instruction.
Extrapolating that concept into the home, compact beds for children have been created that are low to the floor and without rails. When a baby wakes up in this kind of setting, he or she isn't confined to a crib until an adult comes to check on them.
A floor bed is any type of sleeping arrangement that does not feature a raised platform, such as a crib.
Examples of these might be:
- In the case of infants and toddlers, a floor-based crib mattress is the safest option.
- A 5 to 6 inch height box structure for a standard crib mattress.
- Mattresses the size of a twin placed on the floor are acceptable for children over the age of two.
- Sides that aren't very high
Utilizing a Floor Bed and Its Advantages
There are a number of benefits to giving your child a floor bed as opposed to a traditional bed, however this may vary depending on your perspective and approach to parenting.
It's possible that you'll be the only parent on the street that allows their child that much independence. If it works for your household, though, you shouldn't feel obligated to explain it.
Infants Have the Freedom to Discover Their World
Infants, toddlers, and even older kids who can't yet walk benefit greatly from having a floor bed in their room or nursery since it allows them to explore their surroundings at their own pace and explore the world around them. The tiniest of infants will wriggle and turn their heads to check out their environment.
Independent sleep is promoted by using floor beds.
Your infant should eventually be able to calm himself if he wakes up during a nap or at night. Babies learn more about their sleep schedules and needs when they are given the opportunity to explore their environments and play if they aren't tired.
A baby can amuse himself in the morning or after a nap without needing to wake his parents up. It's fine if he explores the room, looks at books and toys, and then decides he still needs his nap. If he so chooses, he can just climb back onto his bed on the floor and continue sleeping.
Conclusion
Not all families are suited to the Montessori floor bed, but it is still feasible to raise children in the method. A floor bed may be the best option for small spaces. Some families swear by a floor bed for their young children's slumber, others have found the opposite to be true. A floor bed can also function as a transition to an elevated bed for older toddlers, she says. It's a great way to help kids learn to go to sleep without assistance.
Many parents seek the safety and security of a crib for their children, while children relish the freedom of a floor bed. Which is better for your child? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends putting infants to bed in a crib that has been approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and has a solid surface for them to sleep on (CPSC). The standard safety crib has four sturdy walls to keep a sleeping infant in place. If a crib is more than 10 years old, it should not be used unless it can be updated to meet today's stringent safety requirements.
Modern cribs may be easily transformed into larger beds when a child outgrows their crib - and convertible cot's are available. Bed-sharing, or co-sleeping, between parents and their infants is generally prohibited. Most cribs allow you to alter the mattress's height to suit your child's development. Infants who are able to crawl and pull themselves up may become restless in a crib. Some societies have a long history of putting everyone (including babies) on the floor.
The Montessori approach is largely responsible for the widespread adoption of floor beds. When a baby wakes up, they aren't confined to a crib until an adult comes to check on them. A floor bed is a type of sleeping arrangement that does not feature a raised platform, such as a crib. Infants, toddlers and older kids benefit greatly from having a floor bed in their room or nursery since it allows them to explore their surroundings at their own pace and explore the world around them.
Content Summary
- Not all families are suited to the Montessori floor bed, but it is still feasible to raise children in the Montessori method even if you do not use this method of bedtime.
- On the other hand, a floor bed may be the best option for small spaces.
- The principles of autonomy, freedom of will, and physical independence are central to the Montessori approach.
- One might reap numerous advantages by sleeping on a mattress placed directly on the floor.
- For starters, it facilitates visual exploration for a pre-crawling infant.
- Babies at this age learn about their world through sight, and the crib slats can obscure much of what they would otherwise see.
- After a nap, older infants may get restless and start scooting or crawling around the nursery to explore their new environment.
- When they are just starting out, they may even do this in the middle of the night.
- According to the Montessori philosophy, this kind of independence is encouraged since it allows the baby to pursue his own interests, whether those interests lie in learning to crawl or in the rudimentary stages of block sorting and stacking.
- Each household must decide for themselves if a floor mattress in the Montessori tradition is a good fit.
- When it comes to sleeping arrangements for their infants, many parents choose for the tried-and-true bassinet or crib first, with the eventual goal of transitioning their child into their own bed.
- Your three-month-old may fare better in a bassinet by your bed, while your nine-month-old might prefer a floor mattress in their own room.
- While some families swear by the benefits of a floor bed for their young children's slumber, others have found the opposite to be true.
- The Right Time for a Floor Bed At around the age of 2 or 3, when most kids can reach the top of the crib rail with their leg, it's time to make the move to a big kid bed.
- Dr. Casares advises that you can start thinking about sleeping on the floor.
- She says that switching your child to a floor bed will reduce the risk of injury due to falling out of the crib and will also make it less likely that your child will be hurt in some other way, like rolling, while sleeping on the floor.
- However, Dr. Casares stresses that every child is unique.
- For older toddlers who are ready for the next step in sleeping arrangements but haven't shown a strong desire to leave the crib, a floor bed could also function as a transition to an elevated bed, she says.
- Safe Use of a Floor Bed Dr. Casares cautions against using floor beds for children if the bedroom is not adequately childproofed and the bed itself is not installed properly.
- The following precautions are ones she suggests for your own safety.
- If your child is prone to rolling during the night, you should keep the mattress away from the walls and the furniture, preferably in the middle of the room.
- Put away little objects that can be swallowed, cover electrical outlets, and strap down furniture.
- Toys that can cause choking or other injuries should be taken out of the room.
- Think about the child's safety beyond the bedroom, such as placing gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.
- In addition, Casares says it may be helpful to have your child get used to sleeping on the floor bed by having him or her take naps there during the day, when adjusting to the new surroundings will be less of a challenge.
- The same can be said for toddlers, who can be encouraged to "remain in bed for gradually longer periods without calling out for a parent" by being showered with praise and compliments.
- The Advantages Of Sleeping On The Floor Uzodike claims there are numerous upsides to providing your kid with a floor bed.
- They help kids develop fundamental motor skills and self-awareness.
- Babies, she says, "make little movements from birth and can spin approximately 360 degrees." "
