beds?

[sprouthead]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are shopping for a new bed. We cosleep w/ two kiddos (3 months and 3 years) who both nurse during the night- the constant turning all night long leaves my hips and knees quite sore. We've been looking for super-comfy/affordable beds, and this brought me to the question- is there something else that may be better?

It just seems strange to me that as humans we've evolved to a point of needing to spend around $1000 for something to sleep on that won't make us sore in the morning. What did people sleep on before beds? Did they wake up as sore as we do? Will an expensive bed necessarily solve our problems, or are we going to find ourselves needing an even more supportive bed later on?

I ask because I recently discovered barefoot running and learned that more supportive shoes actually cause more injuries.. now I'm wondering if beds might be the same way..

thanks!

[April19]

I could say that it just depends on the things that you are used to with. For example, everytime we go to our in-laws we sleep in a bed without so much comfort. After the first night, we wake up sore but after staying for one week you will get used to it. I know you got my point so think about it. You do not have to spend much because all this manufacturing companies care about is to sell and have a sale.

[noobmom]

Have you considered hammocks? I believe some cultures sleep in them regularly, although it probably wouldn't be safe for co-sleeping.

As for regular beds, no, I don't think you need to spend $1000+ unless you are looking at either king size beds or organic/latex beds. If you figure a bed lasts at least 10 years that's only $100 a year for 2-4 people (depending on how long you co-sleep). Add to that the fact that you spend 1/3 or 1/4 of your time in it--it's really not that much cost spread out. It's just a lot upfront.

[mum4vr]

at least some people used to stuff cotton bags (ticking) with clean dry straw. It is very comfortable (have you ever lain back on a hay stack?) If it gets wet/ dirty to the point you would steam clean a traditional mattress, I suppose you would open the ticking, remove the soiled straw, wash the cover and restuff. (inexpensive and easy compared to steam cleaning and waiting).

ZERO off-gassing. (ok, now I am considering this option myself, LOL)

I've heard that you should avoid baled straw if you want to try this-- it is uncomfortable/ in clumps. idk how you'd find loose straw, since it's usually harvested and baled at once by a combine.

~shrug~

share with us when you decide-- interesting thread-- TY

[Choosingjoy]

We bought a king size sleep number bed- around $1000 when our son- who sleeps with us-was about 5 months old. I have told myhusband over and over that I will be eternally grateful!!! Spendy- yes. But what other bed comes with a twenty year warranty??? At least look into it- if you end up sleeping on the straw mat I will be sincerely happy for you (as well as extremely curious;)!

[homemademom]

I wish I knew. We've had a few mattresses (all natural latex, tempurpedic, a knock-off tempurpedic), all expensive and none of them work for both dh and I and they were all overrated, imo. I might need to look into the sleep number because dh likes a different firmness than I do. I thought they cost a lot more than $1000 though.

[cyclamen]

We (me, bf, and dd 17mo) sleep on a futon and the only time I have wished to have a cushy bed was during my 9th month of pregnancy.  Otherwise, we are totally okay with sleeping straight on the floor too with just a couple blankets beneath us.  In fact, DD cannot fall asleep on a "springy" mattress.  I think you can become accustomed to anything.  Should you?  Does it matter?  I think I really want one of those organic latex mattresses someday... lol.

There are also mattresses stuffed with grain, like buckwheat.  Sounds awesome, actually....

[lifeguard]

Personally I love a soft, comfy mattress with lots of pillows & blankets. That is how I sleep best. And honestly, it occasionally bothers me that I "need" that (usually when I'm miserable on a tent floor) but I sleep so poorly at the best of times that making it as good as I can is so worth it.

I agree with pp that you can get used to pretty much anything with time.

[happysmileylady]

Originally Posted by Choosingjoy 

We bought a king size sleep number bed- around $1000 when our son- who sleeps with us-was about 5 months old. I have told myhusband over and over that I will be eternally grateful!!! Spendy- yes. But what other bed comes with a twenty year warranty??? At least look into it- if you end up sleeping on the straw mat I will be sincerely happy for you (as well as extremely curious;)!

 We have a Sleep Number and I LOVE it. 

[Smithie]

We purchased our cushy Sterns and Foster king mattress from a discount place at a huge reduction off retail. Maybe $500 for a mattress that had retailed for $1400. The guy said that was last year's fabric, but strangely, we did not care. We've had the mattress for 7 years now and coslept on it with 3 kids. I am a Stearns and Foster fan.

BUT, if I though DH would go for it my next bedding purchase would be a tatami floor and a bunch of roll-up Japanese futons. I'd love it if my bed area could be more multipurpose, and I don't believe that cushy mattresses are necessary for comfort or optimal for health.

[greenmulberry]

We have a king size latex mattress from Ikea. It was about 500 dollars and I am very happy with it. You do need to flip them every once in a while.

They also have a natural latex for a little more, but I wanted the cheaper one because it had a full removable cover and was extra firm, as I have allergies I wanted to be able to wash the cover. I have experienced no off gassing what so ever with the cheaper version, which is something I am normally sensitive too even during my pregnancy (when I had super human sense of smell and could smell things like laminate counter tops and such).

[homemademom]

I thought about this thread last night as I was stuck in my little hole on my side of the bed! GRRR! Dh and I are not really big people. When I'm not pg, I weight 135 lbs. Dh weighs 195. But no matter what we do, we end up with a lump right in the middle of the bed with us sagging in our places on each side. I looked at Ikea last night and I think we're going to get one from there.  If I have to replace my mattress every 3 or 4 years, I'd rather spend $300-500 on it than $1500-4000!  

Ugh! Sorry I'm so cranky. Last night was uncomfortable yet again! Doesn't help that I'm big and pg :(

[mamalex23]

Another vote for natural laytex, we sprung for one this past spring when I was pg with ds1. It was the only *new* thing we bought when we moved into our new place. I LOVE it! Cosleeping with our LO makes us all very happy, and me and Dh being  tall people and all three of us being BIG sleepers, the king size is amazing. Before this we slept on futons and really like that too. I could still sleep on one, but the laytex never leaves me waking sore like a futon or straw mattress will (like when you sleep on your side-as in pg and nursing!!!)

It was really spendy by our standards, but it has been paying us back in happy sleep hours every night since then!