Adrienne:

I put my 3 kids in regular twin beds on a regular bed frame at approximately 24 months of age. Go get 2 rails that slip on each edge of the bed and the little guy into the big boy bed. The rails can stay on as long as he feels he needs them. My kids were around 4 when they asked for the rails to be removed.

Mommabear

We did what you're proposing about a month ago with our 19 month old ds. We used a double bed with mattress and box springs so I don't have any fears of the bed slipping sideways and him getting caught between the wall and mattress. I was more afraid of ds finding a way to slip out side the rails on the bed since he has a habit of moving around in his sleep. If you're worried about it, you could always pull the bed away from the walls about a foot or so.

BTW, our transition went really well. DS loves his bed. He brings all our quests into his room to show them his bed. The only downside is that sometimes he decides to wake up an hour early in the morning and come get us out of our bed.

My daughter has been on a double matress on the floor in the corner of her room since she was 2 months old and rolled off our bed one day. She never would sleep in her crib and she would have only been in the crib for awhile since she learnd how to crawl over the edge early and I was afraid of her falling down so far. It's worked out great she rolls around in her sleep like crazy and I've never found her sleeping on the floor. She'll be 2 this Sunday and I was thinking about getting her a matress and box spring with a bedframe and pushing it into the corner with a side rail on one side. I don't think the bed will move at all because I was going to get her one that has four legs and I know from ours you can't move that thing without lifting it up so there is no chance of her falling down the side by the wall.

This morning I read in my local paper of a five month old who suffocated when she rolled off the bed between the wall and the mattress. Of course your child is older than this little baby was, but this might serve as a reminder for parents of younger children who are considering letting their babies sleep in a big bed. Make sure the bed is pulled far away from the wall.

That's also the reason for 2 rails. One on each side.

Mommabear

I agree with Momma Bear. Why someone would put a 5 mo old on a big bead is beyond me. Let's just say there are no other options......if I HAD to do it...I would lay with the baby...or better yet, sit in a chair and allow the baby to sleep on me. I understand that there are times when we're away from home, and there aren't always safe places to put a baby. That is why we have play pens that are small enough to be carried anywhere.

As for skipping the toddler bed, it would be a decision that is totally up to you, it is your child. We didn't have toddler beads when I was growing up. Heck.....you should see my old car seat!! That thing looks like a death trap!! My mom says it was a big deal to own one then. They used to put a port a crib in the back seat of the car and go. She said if you hit the beaks too fast....then the baby just rolled until they hit the bumper pads!!

I guess we have come a long way!!!!

This little baby was staying in a shelter with her mother. She had recently learned to roll over. If the bed had been pulled FAR away from the wall on each side of the bed, this could have been avoided. It was a tragic accident. The OP asked "Could he somehow slip down one of the wall sides of the bed and if so, could this be unsafe?" While her child is older, I still think it might be unsafe if the bed is against the wall on either side. The rails that I have seen do not cover the whole length of the bed.

Just put another frame on the other side to make sure that she won't fell out of bed. Look for a toddler bed where there are two frames on both sides but leaves a space near the feet so that it will be easy for them to go down. Safe toddler beds depends on the design.