# Air Mattress safe for 8 month old?



## jrose_lee (Oct 2, 2005)

Hello!
We've just moved to a different country and we are waiting for our mattress to be sent. It's going to take another 3 weeks. Our 8 month old ds and I have been sleeping on a twin together on the floor, but it just isn't working out anymore. there isn't enough space and he is trying to roll all over. Neither of us are getting any sleep and we're sooo grouchy. He keeps rolling off the bed, rolling on me etc etc all night.

We have a Queen size air mattress available for use, but I've hesitated to put ds on it. Can an 8 month old safely sleep on an air mattress. What if you put some things next to it so it couldn't be moved away from the wall (since it's so light). Also, what about the bumps on it...you know how there are sort of little hills and valleys on the tops of it? Are those safe? We thought about laying some blankets on top of it to make it more even.

Any thoughts?

TIA!


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## mrsfru (Jul 12, 2005)

Personally, I would not put an 8 mos old on an air mattress no matter what. I'd sleep on a pile of blankets and comforters on the floor before I'd put him on an air mattress. (And we are pretty hard core co-sleepers and both of our tiny preemies slept in the bed w/us). 8 mos is safer than 4-5 mos, but it isn't worth it. An air mattress is vinyl--it outgasses--plus it doesn't "breathe", so if baby's face goes down in it and he doesn't wake easily, he's in trouble. And I don't think that you sleeping next to him in this case really would reduce that risk.

Can you get him to sleep on the twin and then *you* go sleep on the air mattress nearby?

hths

mrsfru


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## MeepyCat (Oct 11, 2006)

I wouldn't put a baby on an air mattress. I just don't think they stay firm enough to be a safe sleeping surface for a baby. Also, I think it would be easy for a kid trying to roll on an air mattress to wind up accidentally sliding off. Given the height, this is unlikely to lead to injury, but it can be upsetting and it's not conducive to sleep.


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## jrose_lee (Oct 2, 2005)

Yes, I suppose I should listen to my gut on this. I hadn't put us on it yet because I wasn't sure it was safe enough. We'll have to try to figure something else out. Thanks!


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## lifeguard (May 12, 2008)

Could you make him a bed out of a folded up blanket beside the twin on the floor & put the twin mattress on the floor too? Then you'd be within arms reach & you'd both be more comfy.


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## ashleyhaugh (Jun 23, 2005)

we slept on an air mattress during a move when ds was 9ish months old, and he refused to sleep on it. that was the only time hes slept in the pack n play, and if we hadnt had one, i would have put on blankets on the floor. i think it was a variety of reasons, one being that he ended up rolling into his dad or me, and he didnt like that


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