We put DD into a twin bed at 2. One side was against the wall and on the other side we put a pool noodle under the fitted sheet. Worked great. Toddler beds are a marketing ploy imo. I guess if your crib converts you are not spending extra money. But you could go straight to a bed.

Our crib converted to a toddler bed and came with a half rail. Quite honestly that seem to be enough because the front and back on the side of the crib we’re still up. When we moved to a regular twin mattress we did A special under sheet version that was triangular and made of a hard foam.

None. Just put a mattress on the floor for a few months. A toddler bed is a waste of money and only used for a limited time. Or, just go directly to a twin or full or what ever you want with the rails that slide under the mattress.

We are planning to move our child to a toddler bed in the next month or two. She flips around a lot during her sleep so I know a bed rail would benefit to keep her safer. I have a few different styles of toddler beds in my Amazon cart right now, some have built-in half rails, others have just the headboard and footboard with no rails.

What did you find worked best for you if you had an active sleeper? I have seen the bumper and noodle styles that go under a fitted sheet along the length of the bed, and also the soft mesh rails that are attached to the side. Are either of those more beneficial than a standard wooden rail?

Also, dumb Q: did you put two sets of rails on the bed? I just recently saw guidance that toddler beds should not be pushed up against a wall which had been my plan.