When should I consider putting a small mattress on the floor for my toddler?
If your child is falling asleep in your bed (the primary adult caregiver’s bed) and needs to have physical contact with you to do so, using a small mattress on the floor next to your bed can be a great first step in sleep training. This may be especially helpful if your child will not stay in a bed in his own room at first. This way, your child can learn to fall asleep without parental touch while still being able to see you. Once successful, sleep training can transition to your child’s room if you wish.
Additionally, some children are very active sleepers and fall out of bed frequently. If this sounds familiar because your little one falls out of bed a lot, you may want to temporarily put a small mattress on the floor for the child to sleep on to prevent injury, or be sure to add safety bed rails. That said, consider consulting your child’s health care provider or a pediatric sleep specialist to determine if there is a medical sleep concern, such as a movement disorder of sleep.
About Dr. Kevin Smith
