We co-slept with Florence from when she was three weeks old. I spent those first weeks up and down every twenty minutes trying to get her settled in the moses basket but realised the only time she ever relaxed and actually went to sleep was when I gave in and sat down on the bed. In she came then and in she stayed until her brother was nearly here!

Having had my baby in bed with me the first time around I knew it was what I was going to do with baby number two as well. However, at 2 years old not only was our bed too small for all of us but Florence would need proper sleep in a proper bed of her own without a crying baby waking her up every twenty minutes (if he would be anything like she was anyway)! So off shopping we went for children’s beds.

The transition from our big bed to her new tiny toddler bed was rather smooth, she was obviously just ready and because we decorated it with Peppa Pig bedding and a princess canopy she couldn’t wait to get in it! I was very proud of her going off into her big girl’s bed and at nearly four she still loves sleeping in there. She has masses of cuddly toys to cuddle up to (I’m told her Daddy was the same) and she always comes in with us in the morning for a cuddle still!

Florence’s Princess Peppa Pig bed which she still loves!

Florence’s room is tiny but we somehow managed to make it work with her bed AND the cot! We decided to keep the cot up because, well, you never know and Jimmy might have been a better sleeper!

The cot which is great for storage but has seen barely any sleep from babies!

As it turned out he wasn’t so he has barely been in the cot either but we use it for lots of other things like storage underneath and changing the baby on top of it! I try to tell myself that anyway!

Jimmy is 19 months old now and even though we haven’t another baby coming along (just yet) I kind of think it’s about time we started to think about getting him a little bed just like his sister. He frequently climbs into hers which is a good sign and it would be kind of nice to have my bed back again sometimes… Florence is adamant that she’d like bunk beds which would be ideal for the size of their room and finally give them space to play on the floor with!

I know she would want to be in the top bunk and keep her princess canopy and ideally some storage would be helpful… We do want to move but right now space is of the premium and we have lots stored under that cot! I’ve been looking on line and found some great looking bunk beds which would fit perfectly!

The Berlin Bunk Bed Pine Children’s Bed is £349 from Carpetright which wouldn’t break the bank and I like that it’s plain so we could princessify it up top and make it perfect for Jimmy downstairs!

The same bed also comes in white which might make it look smaller in the room. I’m always looking for space maximising even if it’s only in the aesthetics!

Another option could be the Hi/Lo Sleeper, £599, also from Carpetright. This would be my choice as there are the drawers plus space behind them for toy boxes! Could this be our perfect bed?

I DO really like Carpetright’s Ispace Midsleeper children’s bed, £799. I know it doesn’t have a second bed but the bed Florence currently uses could possibly tuck underneath it (it’s a small toddler bed) and then we’d have the desk and drawers too! 

Lots of options and a little bit of time to decide. In another 6 months or so I’ll let you know exactly what the new sleeping arrangements are but after doing this little bit of research I’m pretty sure it will be bunking up for my two!

In association with Carpetright.