Raising children is hard but the safety and comfort of your child come first. After spending all those teething spans to sleepless nights, parenting requires a lot of sacrifices. The need for understanding your child is an essential part of parenting. Ensuring your child gets enough sleep and is safe while he/she sleeps is important too.
As a parent, you must be aware of the sleeping pattern of children. children move a lot in their sleep, because of this sleeping habit parents don’t sleep and remain conscious throughout the night fearing that their kids might fall off the bed. Bed rails can be the perfect solution to this problem, preventing the kids from falling out of the bed and providing a feeling of comfort and security to the parents. Some people might think that buying bed rails for kids is an added expense but it has become a pure necessity. It helps the parents, by keeping their minds at ease that their child is sleeping safe and sound. Parents often transfer their kids to bed when the kid is old enough to climb out of the crib. Most of the parents decide to move their kids to bed when they reach the age of 2. And at that point, buying a bed rail is a necessity to avoid your child from falling and rolling out of bed which may cause serious injuries.
Factors to Consider while Buying Bed Rails:
Parents want the best for their children. Therefore, while buying bed rails, your main aim should be to ensure maximum security and comfort for your child. Here are some of the things that you must consider before buying a bed rail for your kid’s bed. Some of the factors that you should consider while buying bed rails for your kids are:
Size and Type of the Bed Rails:
The size and type of the bed on which you are going to put bed rail will determine what kind of bed rail you need to buy. A vast collection of bed rails is present in the market when it comes to buying one, but what type of bed rail you need depends completely on you. Your bed’s design and place, as well as the sleeping habit of your child, will determine what type of bed rail you have to use. If you place your bed in the middle of the room then you will need a double-sided bed rail such as the summer infant bed rail. So, before buying you need to decide what type and size of bed rail suit your child the most.
There are primarily two types of bed rails;
- Convertibles or Adjustable
- Fixed
Convertible Bed Rails:
The convertible or adjustable bed rails, have a gap between the bars using which you can adjust their size and length according to the bed they’re getting attached with. These bed rails are usually smaller in size and act as the perfect alternative for a cradle. However, you should place them carefully so, your child is not able to stick his/her head in between the bars. You can easily fold these bed rails whenever you want.
Fixed Bed Rails:
You have to install the fixed bed rails under your mattress. You can extend these bed rails to any length you want depending on the type of bed you’re attaching them to. These bed rails are available in single as well as dual-sided options. But you cannot fold these bed rails down.
The Material of the Bed:
While buying bed rails, it is important that you should have the complete information of the bed on which you are going to attach the bed rails. There are many types of bed materials that vary from metal, plastic, and wood, etc. Most of the toddler beds are wooden, and if you are looking for matching with a wooden bed then getting a bed rail that you can easily fix onto wood is a good idea. So, before buying any bed rail for kids check that can you fix it easily on your kid’s bed or not?
Another thing that you must keep in mind before buying any bedside rail is the type of mattress you are using on your kid’s bed. The type of mattress you are using on your kid’s bed will greatly affect the working of the rail. Therefore, before buying a bed rail check that is compatible with your child’s mattress or not? This will help you in choosing the right bed rail for your kid’s bed.
Recommended: Read about when to start and stop using bed red rails for your kids?
Height of the Bed:
Another important thing to consider before buying a bed rail for your kids is the height of the bed. The height of the bed on which you are going to install bed rails will determine what type of bed rails you will need. Problems occur when the height of the bed is low and the installed bed rails cannot fold. Therefore, it is always wise that before buying a bed rail you should compare it with the height of your kid’s bed.
Manufacturing Material of the Bed Rail:
One of the most important things to consider before choosing any bed rail is the material used in its making. Bed rails are all about ensuring your child’s safety, so whichever bed rail you choose should meet the ASTM’s standards for child safety. If you are spending money on your child, make sure that the product you are purchasing is worth buying in every means. Before buying you should consider the manufacturing material of the product. As it will have a large impact on both, the effectiveness and sturdiness of the bed rails. It is also important to choose a bed rail that has a smooth and good finish so that cleaning it can be easy. While sleeping it is a common risk that the kids might hurt themselves by getting in contact with the attached rail. To avoid this problem, the design of some bed rails has an additional padded cushion that provides extra security to the kids. Another thing that you must consider before buying a bed rail is that the edges of the bed rails should not be sharp or pointed as it can easily injure the child.
Security:
The main reason for buying a bed rail is to provide additional security to your child that would prevent him/her from falling off the bed. Nowadays, many bed rails use safety traps or box springs for keeping the rails in place. These safety straps help in making the bed rails firm by securing their bottom underneath the mattress.
Comfort while sleeping:
Other than providing a sense of safety and security to your child, you should check whether the product you are going to buy will provide comfort to your kid? This is particularly important because your kid’s peaceful and happy nights of sleep depend on it. So, before you decide to buy any bed rail, make sure that the model you are buying is practical, and it allows easy access and exit to your kid. Keep in mind that comfort should not be only for the child, but also for the parents. Choose a product that you can fold easily when not in use.
Conclusion:
Making the right decision in buying the product is very important. After all, bed rails are the items on which your child’s safety directly depends therefore you should not take them lightly. As it will directly affect the comfort and security of your kid. So, choosing the right bed rail will make the right space for your little angel to sleep in. We know that the struggle for choosing the right set of bed rails for your kids is real. And you can only achieve it if you have the right amount of information about the product. In a nutshell, after considering all the factors, the product should be practical, reliable, functional, and secure.