Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots (also called co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to let parents sleep close to their baby at night without risk of SIDS. They are only recommended for up to 6 months, after which your baby is old enough to transition to the bed.
MFM home tester Mehack loved that this model has a lift-off bassinet you can use around the house and an option to rock manually. It was also easy to put together and came in its own travel bag for convenient storage.
Size
Cots and cot beds differ in terms of size, with cots being smaller than beds for cots. They can also be converted into toddler beds, whereas cot beds are generally only used until three years old. older. If you’re opting for a wooden cot, there are usually two sizes available both large and standard both of which will convert into a cot bed/toddler mattress. If you want your child (or children) to be able to sleep in a bigger cot, it’s an excellent option to select the larger one.
bedside crib that turns into cot loved that the bedside cot was slightly larger than the Moses basket, but not too large for the space of her baby’s. She claims that it is easy to get the baby into and out of the cot for evening feedings or to soothe and that the quality is far superior to other cots she has seen that are less sturdy.
Another home tester, Emily, likes how the Maxi-Cosi Lora can be used in a variety of ways It’s a bassinet that lifts off that can be moved around the home, and it’s a blast too. It also comes with a reflux incline and a machine washable liner that breathes. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. Contrary to some International or European cot brands The Lora can be fitted with South African cot mattresses so you don’t need to purchase an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. However, it will require a specific bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the perfect mattress for your cot here.
Height
When selecting a cot for the bed, look for one that can be raised to a height that is comfortable for you when feeding babies. It must also be lower away from the way, so you can lift up your child towards you to feed them at night or to soothe him. This is particularly useful in the event of recovering from a C Section. The Next2me cot and the Tutti Bambini can be adjusted to an maximum height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 can go up to 63cm, and the Knuma Hutch can be adjusted to 70cm.
Another thing to consider is how low you want the cot’s base to be. Some mums find that it is easier to lift their babies from standard Moses baskets if the base is situated at the lowest level, while others prefer a higher level to provide them with more stability. One of our mom testers said that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It has an easy-to-fold side that which you can use to press of one button.
Be aware that a bedside or bassinet should only be used until your baby is able to hold their head without assistance generally about 6 months. This is because of the danger of inhaling suffocation. It’s also important to note that if you select a bedside sleeper or bassinet that you can be converted into a crib, you will need to remove the sides as soon as your child is able to do this to ensure that they don’t get out of bed or get out of the bed.
Design
There are a variety of bedside cribs, from simple to luxurious. The more expensive options could include features such as a built-in night light, a soothing centre which plays music and sounds and comes with two levels of vibration to help soothe your baby back to sleep, or even the swivelling base which makes it easier to reach your baby for feedings. Certain models can be converted into a toddler bed or cot bed (or both) when your child is ready for their own bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air for instance was awarded Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It features a swivelling bottom that lets you pick up your baby and transfer them to the opposite side of the crib without getting out of the bed. This makes it ideal for new mums who are recovering from Caesarean births or who need to stay in the bed for extended durations of time. Jasmine is an MFM mum who tested this product at home, said it was easy to operate and made it easier to reach her baby, especially after the C-section.
Another alternative is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which has won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Award in the category of the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket and includes an easy-to-clean liner, reflux incline, and rocking function. It’s bigger than the other cribs for bed that we’ve tested, however it folds into its bag for travel, making it compact when not in use.
MFM mom home test Leya also appreciated the function of this bedside crib, explaining how it was designed with babies and parents in mind. It is very easy to move and extremely sturdy. She said that the swivelling bassinet base was fantastic because it allowed you to move it from side to side. bedside crib travel cot of its sides could be lower to facilitate access for mothers who are recovering from C-sections.
Safety
A bedside cot that is large and spacious’s most important security feature is that it can easily be raised or lowered so parents can reach their child to feed or comfort him or his or her nappies. This makes it ideal for new mothers recovering from a c-section. Find a model that lets you lower one side with the press of a button. This way, you can easily lift your baby without needing to get out of bed. This is especially crucial as your baby grows older and more mobile. Avoid adding anything that could increase the risk of injury or suffocation such as pillowcases and duvets, which can cause your baby to overheat.
The CPSC’s NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product-related issues like gaps between a bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents) as well as enclosed openings made of fabric (11) and consumer misassembly (6 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC looked into the possibility of introducing additional requirements to bedside sleepers. For example the products would need to meet the minimum height requirements for bassinets or at least the maximum height requirements for the rails that are lowered. The CPSC found, however that these requirements were not efficient or effective in reducing the number of instances in which infants are trapped between a bedside rail and an adult bed.
Many of the incidents reported in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside sleepers that can be transformed into other types of equipment, like play yards or bassinets. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC add an alternative clause to the proposed rule for multi-use bedside sleepers which would permit them to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets by using a removable attachment. Attachments can be permanently fixed or removed when the item is not being used as a baby bassinet.
The CPSC is currently examining these and other comments received in response to its NPR on sleepers who are bedside. The Commission will consider these comments when voting on the final rule, which is expected to come out in November 2021.
