The family bed

[northwoods]

We've got a 25 month old and a baby on the way. DD shares our bed. We really don't have any place to move her to once the new baby comes, so we plan to keep on sharing the bed. It's a king size, so there's a little wiggle room. When the baby is about 6 months old, we're moving. DD will have her own room, so we can transition her to her own bed at that time.

Any tips for sharing the bed with more than one kid?

Thanks!

[Turquesa]

You might try posting in the forum, Family Bed and Nighttime Parenting.

We side-carred a crib next to my side of the bed, (there are plenty of online tutorials on how to do this). Out toddler slept there and baby was in between us. I know that a newborn and child shouldn't sleep next to each other due to rollover risk, but I didn't want our toddler on the edge of the bed with only a bedrail. The side-carred crib allowed her to sleep next to us and still have a crib rail to protect her.

[Starfish11]

We got these:

http://www.wallbumpi.com/categories/soft-bed-rails

to put in on my side so the baby slept between me and this soft bumper thingy. 

DD slept between DH and me, although she was only an occasional visitor because she loved having her own space by then. 
 

[pickle18]

We 3 sleep in a queen now, though we will probably add a twin now that DS is as big as a 3 year old.

Anyway, we started co-sleeping when DS was 2 months old.  We bought this:

http://www.diapers.com/p/safety-1st-secure-top-bed-rail-beige-344869?site=CA&utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=CS-683&utm_campaign=Google&CAWELAID=1338782955&utm_content=pla&cagpspn=pla&ci_kw=%7Bkeyword%7D

It's really nice, because it covers the gap between mattress and bed rail, and it has little indicator windows that let you check and make sure it's locked on both ends.  Really easy to make the bed, and withstands ALOT (i.e. 30 lb. DS climbing on it from the opposite side and pulling his whole body weight against it! ).  It's mostly mesh, though the little bit of solid fabric at the bottom did not escape my mom paranoia (but was never an issue).

When he was a tiny tot, he usually slept on my chest (resolved breathing issues), but he also would sleep between me and the bed rail (DH is a really oblivious sleeper).  Now that he's bigger, he's in the middle, often forming a giant human H. 

SO...I think if we ever had another, we would get a bigger bed, but use the same set up - just keep DS between DH and I, with the new addition on me/between me and bedrail.

HTH!