Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots (also called co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to let parents rest with their baby at night without risk of SIDS. However they are only suitable for use up to 6 months of age when your baby will need to be moved into a cot, or a moses basket.

MFM home tester Mehack loved the fact that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that you can use throughout the house, as well as an option to rock manually. It was easy to assemble and it came with a travel bag.

Size

Cots and cot beds differ in size, with cots being smaller than beds for cots. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However cots are generally used for children up to the age of three. If Cots 4 Tots considering a wooden cot, you’ll find two sizes to choose from that are large and standard both of which will convert into a toddler bed or cot mattress. The larger of the two is a good idea when you want your child to sleep in it until they reach +/- three.

Jasmine, an MFM mom who tried the product at home, was pleased that it was slightly larger than the typical Moses’ basket but still not too big for the room of her baby. She says it’s easy to lift her baby in and out for night feeding or calming and that the quality is excellent, compared with many she’s seen that feel flimsy.

Another home tester, Emily, likes how the Maxi-Cosi is a versatile product it’s a drop-off bassinet that can be moved around the home, and it’s a blast too. It also comes with a reflux incline option and a machine-washable breathable liner. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. In contrast to International or European cot brands Lora is a cot that Lora can be fitted with South African cot mattresses so you don’t need to buy an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. However, it requires an exclusive bedding set (60x120cm). Here you can find the perfect mattress for your cot.

Height

When choosing a bedside cot choose one that can be raised to a height that’s comfortable for you when feeding babies. It also needs to be able to be dropped down so that you can lift your baby up towards you during night feedings or soothing. This is especially useful when you’re recovering from a C-section. The Next2me cot and the Tutti Bambini can be adjusted to the maximum height of 58cm, while the Snuzpod 3 can go up to 63cm and the Knuma Hutch to 70cm.

It is also important to consider how low you would like the base of your crib to be. Some mums find that it is easier to lift their babies from standard Moses baskets if the base is at the lowest point, while some prefer a higher elevation to give them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular option with one of our mum testers stating that it is easy to use with a collapsible side that you can push down with the click of the button.

Keep in mind that a bassinet/bedside sleeping device is only suitable until your baby is able to hold their head without assistance generally about 6 months. This is due to the risk of inhaling suffocation. It’s also important to note that if you select a bedside or bassinet which can be converted into a cot and vice versa, you must begin removing the sides once your child is able to do this, so that they don’t climb out or get out of bed.

Design

There are many different styles of bedside cribs, from basic to extravagant. Some of the most luxurious options include features like an integrated light and a soothing center which plays music and sounds and has two levels that help to soothe your baby back to sleep or an adjustable footrest that makes it easier for you to reach your child in order to feed them. Some models can be transformed into an infant bed or cot (or both) when your child is ready to go to their own bed.

The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air for instance, won Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It is a swivelling base that lets you take your baby to the crib and move them to the other side of the crib without getting out of the bed. This makes it perfect for mothers who are recovering from Caesarean or require bed for longer durations of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, stating that it was simple to use and made her baby easier particularly after her c-section.

Another option is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Award in the category of Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. It comes with an easy-to-clean liner, reflux incline and rocking function. It’s a bit bigger than some of the other cribs that we’ve looked at, but it folds flat into its bag for travel, so it is relatively compact when not in use.

Leya, MFM mum home tester also appreciated the bedside crib’s function. She claimed that it was designed to be used by parents and children. It is a fantastic design that is incredibly easy to manoeuvre and it is super-sturdy. Its swivelling base is brilliant as it means you can move the bassinet side to side, and one of its sides can be let down to make access easier especially for mothers who are recovering from C-sections’, she said.

Safety

A large bedside cot’s main security feature is that it can easily be raised or lowered so parents can reach their baby to feed or comfort them, or change his or their nappies. This means that it’s ideal for mothers who are still recovering from a C section. It is recommended to choose a design which allows you to lower the bed’s side with a simple button press. This will allow you to raise your child without getting out of the bed. This is particularly crucial as your baby grows older and more mobile. It is also important to avoid adding anything to the crib that increases the chance of suffocation or injury, including duvets and pillows, which can cause babies to overheat.

The CPSC’s NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product issues, such as gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11 incidents); consumer misassembly or missing components (6 incidents) and other miscellaneous product-related issues (9 incidents).

In its NPR, the CPSC examined the possibility of adding additional requirements for bedside sleepers, such as the requirement that these beds meet the minimum side height requirement for bassinets, or at a minimum, meet the maximum height requirement for the lowered side rail. However the CPSC determined that these requirements are not practical or effective in reducing the number of incidents in which infants were entrapped between a bedside sleeper and an adult bed.

Many of the reported incidents in the NPR included bedside sleepers with multiple uses which can be converted to different modes like bassinets and play yards. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multi-use bedside sleepers that would allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirements for bassinets through the use of a removable attachment that can be permanently connected or disconnected when the item is not being used as the bassinet.

The CPSC is considering these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR regarding bedside sleepers. The Commission will consider these comments when it decides on the final rule which is expected to be published in November of 2021.