Baby bed

Coral65 · Jun 14, 2018

Does anyone have any advice for sleeping arrangements for a very lively 8 month old boy - our son and daughter have been getting used to our van lately as a day van but would like to go away overnight but just can’t decide how where to put little Jack, they don’t want him to sleep with them in case he gets used to it but he needs something to keep him safe as he is keen on climbing, any advice would be really welcome, mind you if there is a solution, we might never see our lovely van again

Euge · Jun 14, 2018

Coral65 said:
Does anyone have any advice for sleeping arrangements for a very lively 8 month old boy - our son and daughter have been getting used to our van lately as a day van but would like to go away overnight but just can’t decide how where to put little Jack, they don’t want him to sleep with them in case he gets used to it but he needs something to keep him safe as he is keen on climbing, any advice would be really welcome, mind you if there is a solution, we might never see our lovely van again

View attachment 34270

I got this idea from a guy called Fred who posts on here. It’s basically a shelf which my 7 year old sleeps on. He refuses to sleep in the roof so this works perfectly. I had the brackets made up by a steel fabricator and they’re designed so that the comfort mattress can still be stored on the multi flex, under the additional shelf.
I’ve fitted a couple of eye let brackets so one of the seat head rests locks into the side of it to stop him rolling onto us during the night.
If just me and him go away without his mum, he sleeps with me in the double and the panel makes a great storage area.

Coral65 · Jun 14, 2018

Euge said:
I got this idea from a guy called Fred who posts on here. It’s basically a shelf which my 7 year old sleeps on. He refuses to sleep in the roof so this works perfectly. I had the brackets made up by a steel fabricator and they’re designed so that the comfort mattress can still be stored on the multi flex, under the additional shelf.
I’ve fitted a couple of eye let brackets so one of the seat head rests locks into the side of it to stop him rolling onto us during the night.
If just me and him go away without his mum, he sleeps with me in the double and the panel makes a great storage area.

View attachment 34271

View attachment 34272

Hi thanks for the info, I’ll certainly pass it on to my son and DIL - we have the Ocean so not sure it would work, I think the baby sleeping with his mom is probably the best solution as he is so prone to climbing etc but they’re just worried he won’t settle back in his own room when back at home.

Volkywagen · Jun 14, 2018

I know how they feel. Our son wouldn’t sleep upstairs at first (took him camping at 6 months old first trip) but after persistence he now sleeps upstairs. The topper has to go on to keep the light out and reduce busy camp site/show noise after 7 but it seems to work ok now.
It was painful for a while with him waking up a lot but once he got used to it he was fine. Sleeps right through up there. Persistence!! Now we have the downstairs all to ourselves.

Euge · Jun 14, 2018

Coral65 said:
Hi thanks for the info, I’ll certainly pass it on to my son and DIL - we have the Ocean so not sure it would work, I think the baby sleeping with his mom is probably the best solution as he is so prone to climbing etc but they’re just worried he won’t settle back in his own room when back at home.

No problem. Yes, having an ocean does sort of rule out that idea.
Hope they find a solution that works for them.

Amarillo · Jun 14, 2018

Euge said:
No problem. Yes, having an ocean does sort of rule out that idea.
Hope they find a solution that works for them.

I think there is a baby bed or hammock that sits over the front seats. Someone will know.

Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

calikev · Jun 14, 2018

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/bunk-to-go-across-front-seats.13838/

Coral65 · Jun 14, 2018

paulscryer said:
I know how they feel. Our son wouldn’t sleep upstairs at first (took him camping at 6 months old first trip) but after persistence he now sleeps upstairs. The topper has to go on to keep the light out and reduce busy camp site/show noise after 7 but it seems to work ok now.
It was painful for a while with him waking up a lot but once he got used to it he was fine. Sleeps right through up there. Persistence!! Now we have the downstairs all to ourselves.

View attachment 34285

Sounds good, do you have the hammock fitted in case he falls out?

WelshGas · Jun 14, 2018

Coral65 said:
Does anyone have any advice for sleeping arrangements for a very lively 8 month old boy - our son and daughter have been getting used to our van lately as a day van but would like to go away overnight but just can’t decide how where to put little Jack, they don’t want him to sleep with them in case he gets used to it but he needs something to keep him safe as he is keen on climbing, any advice would be really welcome, mind you if there is a solution, we might never see our lovely van again

View attachment 34270

http://vw-beds.com/products/cab_bunk.html

Fits T5 so should fit T6. Other versions available on eBay as well.

Looby · Jun 14, 2018

Some have used the mattress shelf in the rear, on its low position it would be harder to climb over the seat back between the headrests.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/camping-with-babies.8815/#post-78481

Volkywagen · Jun 14, 2018

Coral65 said:
Sounds good, do you have the hammock fitted in case he falls out?

No, if he’s up top we put the child net up and close the shutter slightly so he can’t fall through. When he wakes up you know straight away.

andyinluton · Jun 15, 2018

I would advise against a hammock across the front, unless its a last resort.

It messes up access to the top bed, gets in the way of everything, the one we had couldn't be removed without getting out the van & taking out through the passenger door just what you don't want to be doing first thing in the morning.

He would be in the perfect position to play with all the knobs & switches on the dashboard.
Also keeping window blinds in place was a nightmare.

Its also quite a big drop off the side as it sits at the same level as the bottom of the windows.

sapto · Jun 15, 2018

ATM we‘re sleeping downstairs (wife, me and 2 months old). It‘s okay and we are using some kind of a „nest“:

He likes it

However hope he soon likes it more to sleep upstairs and us having downstairs again for us

Volkywagen · Jun 15, 2018

sapto said:
ATM we‘re sleeping downstairs (wife, me and 2 months old). It‘s okay and we are using some kind of a „nest“:

He likes it However hope he soon likes it more to sleep upstairs and us having downstairs again for us

at least put the blind up to keep the light out!!! :bananadance2

Mart123blue · Jun 15, 2018

Our son is 4 and we pop him in the boot like we did with the bay. He loves it.

jeff · Jun 15, 2018

We use to swivel both front seats then had a piece of board over the gap made a small matress to fit .

Stuart · Jun 15, 2018

Euge said:
I got this idea from a guy called Fred who posts on here. It’s basically a shelf which my 7 year old sleeps on. He refuses to sleep in the roof so this works perfectly. I had the brackets made up by a steel fabricator and they’re designed so that the comfort mattress can still be stored on the multi flex, under the additional shelf.
I’ve fitted a couple of eye let brackets so one of the seat head rests locks into the side of it to stop him rolling onto us during the night.
If just me and him go away without his mum, he sleeps with me in the double and the panel makes a great storage area.
View attachment 34272

I love how your van seems to be 50:50 campervan / builders van

soulstyledevon · Jun 15, 2018

We have been using a Koodi popup bed since he was 6 months old.
Unfortunately he’s now grown out of it at two and a half. But it worked great until recently.

Euge · Jun 15, 2018

Stuart said:
I love how your van seems to be 50:50 campervan / builders van

As soon as I uploaded that picture I thought the same.
I do think it captures perfectly that old expression “sleeping on the job” though

Matty · Jun 16, 2018

@Euge do you have drawings of the brackets or even just sizes? That looks like it would work perfect for our little girl.

cal-ian · Jun 16, 2018

We had the same dilemma and discovered the travel cot we already had fitted the rear of our ocean a treat. Costs about £25-£30 and is a red kite sleeptight.

The parcel shelf can be left in if needs be but I usually leave it at home now.

Hope that helps

Ian

Euge · Jun 16, 2018

Matty said:
@Euge do you have drawings of the brackets or even just sizes? That looks like it would work perfect for our little girl.

Hi Matty
Leave it with me and I’ll sketch it up along with some more photos, should have it done by Monday.
It’s definitely made life easier for us and the beauty is you can put your child to bed but still make use of the bench and front seats.
Just remember to get everything you need out of the boot beforehand though !