Using a Montessori floor bed with an infant is so incredible. Like I mentioned in my previous post, there are big differences between using the floor bed and a traditional crib. The biggest one being freedom of movement. With the freedom to get in and out of bed, it is very important that the nursery {or sleeping space} is safe. Therefore, baby proofing with a Montessori floor bed is really important.
For me, it was important for me to know that the sleeping space is safe so that I could get a good night's sleep. When I know the space is safe for Gus to play in, even at night, then I have felt much more comfortable following his lead and letting him explore.
Before I share what we have done to get to this place, I just want to know that I'm just talking about what has worked for our family. When making your own sleeping space, you need to do what you are most comfortable with. I am not by any means an expert of sleep and I am not giving specific safety advice for your situation. I am only sharing how WE have chosen to secure our sleeping space.
In our nursery, my biggest concern has been outlets and cords at this point. Gus, like many babies, is drawn to power cords. And, I needed to know he wasn't going to be able to chew on, pull on, or otherwise access power cords in his bedroom. But, we still needed to keep a few things plugged in -- a sound machine, our Nest Cam, and a lamp.
We used a combination of boxes to secure the outlets while still allowing things to be plugged in. Both also allow for us to easily open them up if we need to plug something else in -- like the vacuum -- temporarily. The box on the left is a bit smaller but still works for standard plug, but the one of the right is quite large and allowed us to cover up the larger
Our next challenge was making sure the actual cords were covered up. Since the items are higher up on the walls, the cords could be pulled, causing the items to fall. We found these sticky wall cord covers, and they have worked perfectly and were easy to install.
We also make sure the closet doors are closed if Gus is sleeping, and have made sure not to place any unsecured furniture in his room that could fall over if he started pulling up on it. We don't allow small toys {obviously} to be brought into his room or placed on his shelves. At this point, I also make sure the books that I offer him don't include any paper that could be ripped apart and eaten.
As far as sleeping safety goes, we keep a small sheep skin rug next to his bed in order to provide a softer landing spot for when he gets out of bed. It also helps to keep the mattress from sliding away from the wall.
What has worked for you as you have baby proofed for your floor bed?
