Heide said: April 6th 2011 9:59 PM
We are travelling to KL with our 2 daughters aged 5 & 2. Miss 2 sleeps in a normal single bed but with a bed rail. The hotel we are staying at cannot provide a bed rail for her (we will need on on each side) and we are having trouble hiring a set. Do you have any suggestions? We looked a DreamTubes but they do not allow the child to be tucked in. Thanks
Donna @ Little Gulliver said: April 8th 2011 4:43 PM
Hello Heide,
Thanks for your email, I’ve been happy to have a look and make some suggestions.
Dream Tubes
You’re right, the Dream Tubes seem like the best, certainly easiest, option. We have them on the radar for Little Gulliver, as we’re expanding our ‘Resting’ category. I hadn’t considered the tucking issue though. I must say outright that I haven’t used them, but I agree, certainly from the way they look there is no option to tuck under the tubes once installed. Its a shame as it seems like an otherwise perfect solution.
I would say though, generally, that the tucking wouldn’t bother our little ones. I would only worry about it for especially cold nights and would look at a sleeping bag or sleep suit to be safe. At least you should be OK there for your KL trip though (weather wise) and hotel rooms are generally nicely temperature controlled anyway. Just a sheet and blanket (even tucked in at the bottom) should be enough. And you could adjust with warmer or cooler pyjamas to suit.
I’ve also read a number of reviews on the Dream Tubes and people certainly seem to like them. The only negative I’ve heard about is the cost. For anyone who hasn’t seen them, they are inflatable ‘tubes’ you zip into a bed cover. This ‘You Tube’ video shows how to install them…
Magic Bumpers
These are foam bed rails. I’m uncertain if they can be purchased in Australia (but wonder whether a Clark Rubber or similar could cut out a couple to size)? They fit under the fitted sheet and mattress cover, so you may have the same problem as with the Dream Tubes, hard to tuck in. They would also take up more packing space, whereas the Dream Tubes fold up to the size of a beach towel. Take a look at the link and have a think. More on Magic Bumpers here.
Mattress only
Then, I wondered whether there would be room in your accommodation to do a little rearranging at bed time…could you potentially put the mattress on the floor? She may not like it though if her sister is in the ‘big girl bed’ and fiddling with the mattress could get a little annoying and too much work for a holiday!
Compact Travel Bed
Another thought is to consider a travel bed. They are either on or low to the ground, so worth a look. (Something like the Regalo could also be handy at home, when the inevitable sleep overs start)! I did a post about this you might like to check Little Gulliver Blog post – Compact Travel Bed.
Other thoughts
I’ve also wondered about the Toddler Coddler ‘Bedbugz’, but its looks like it may work the same as the Dream Tubes. I would also say they’d be harder to find in Australia then the Dream Tubes, as they don’t seem to have a local distributor?
Then there’s the Regalo Hide Away Bed Rail, but even if you liked them they may be too large for travel and awkward to install at your destination.
Hiring
Yes, I see what you mean about the hiring problem. It seems like you can get everything except for a bed rail! Here’s an article about baby equipment hire in kuala lumpur. It does suggest one hire/retail baby shop which you may not have looked at. Another thought could be to check if you can buy an appropriate bed rail to meet you there and maybe donate it (if it’s too big to bring home) before you leave? I’ve heard of people doing that before with strollers.
And finally
We have our 2yo in a bed too. We haven’t needed the rails though as its a little junior bed, so low to the ground. We’re travelling shortly for the first time since he’s been out of the cot, so it’s been good to get me thinking about what we’ll do. With your daughter though, as she’s in a normal single bed now, she may be already used to the height of the bed off the ground. Maybe you could try her without rails and have an assortment of pillows and blankets on the ground around her just in case?
I hope this post has been of some help, I’d love to hear how you go. Enjoy the rest of your planning and let us know if we can help again!
Regards,
Donna.