# Are futons ok for kids?



## fiddledebi (Nov 20, 2003)

We have never enjoyed cosleeping with our dd at night (though we do for naps), and she sleeps in a toddler bed (basically her crib with the front rail taken off). We are due in August with babe #2, and want to get dd her own "big girl" bed for her birthday in May. Since she loves to nap with us on our futon, we thought about getting her a twin sized futon.

However, a friend mentioned to me that futons are supposed to be not as good for children's developing spines -- that you need a mattress with springs. I'd never heard this before, and have always found futons MORE comfortable for my back. DD also seems to snuggle better into the futon mattress than a standard one. Does anyone know if there is anything to the idea that a futon isn't good for her back at this age? She'll be three.

Thanks!


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## sohj (Jan 14, 2003)

I think I heard this years ago in mattress ads. I assumed at the time that it was more "spin" from advertising.

Think about it, children in most parts of the world sleep on beds very mudh like futons. We don't hear about horrible bed-induced back problems all over the world.







:

I say don't worry about it.


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## Harper (Jul 10, 2003)

I'm interested in the answer to this too. My dd has been sleeping on a futon on the floor since she was about 16 months. We also do not full time co-sleep, but having a double futon makes it really easy to lie down with her and sleep part of the night if need be. I never heard anything about it being bad for her back.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

That sounds like something made up by mattress manufacturers







Our family bed is a futon and I'm not worried about it. I plan on getting a futon for Savannah's first bed too because I have a non-standard antique bed frame that a futon will fit better than a mattress.

I wouldn't worry. Go for it!

-Angela


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## LovemyBoo (Oct 11, 2004)

My 6 year old slept in a futon from the time he was 2.5 until he was 5. We both loved it b/c it was only 4" or so off the ground, so no rails and he could easily get in and out of it. He did roll off a bunch of times at first but kept right on sleeping on the floor. :LOL

We bought him a new bed when he turned 5, a loft bed so he'd have more space. We took the futon mattress off the futon and put it on the new bed. So he's still not sleeping with a box spring and I don't think it's hurt his spine one bit. The futon has been put aside and we'll likely buy a new mattress for my dd when she's ready for it.

Dh and I have been sleeping in futons for 10 years. I







them and will never go back to a box spring.


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## FoxintheSnow (May 11, 2004)

We sleep on a futon on the floor with our ds. Some futons actually have springs in them, they just cost more. My old roommate Momo was from Japan and she said that she slept on a futon her whole life and that it was the norm there.


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