Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots, also referred as co-sleepers and bassinets, are designed to let parents sleep close to their infants at night without the risk of SIDS. twin bedside cot are only recommended up to 6 months, when your baby is old enough to be moved to a crib.
MFM home tester Mehack loved the fact that this model has an adjustable bassinet that you can use throughout the house, as well as a manual rocking function. It was also easy to put together and came with its own travel bag for easy storage.
Size
Cots are smaller than cots. Cots can also be transformed into toddler beds. However cots are generally used by children up to the age of three. If you're considering a wooden cot, there are typically two sizes available that are large and standard both of which can be converted into a cot bed/toddler mattress. Selecting the larger one is a good option for children who want to sleep in it until they are +/- three.
MFM mother home tester Jasmine was pleased that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than the Moses basket but not too big for her baby's room. She says that it is easy to lift the baby in and out of the cot during night feeds or for soothing, and that its quality is superior to others she has seen that are less sturdy.
Emily is another home tester, is awed by the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi lora which is a portable, lift-off bassinet. It also rocks. It also comes with an option to tilt the reflux upwards and a machine-washable liner that breathes. It was also nominated for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. Unlike some International or European cot brands Lora is a cot that Lora can be fitted with South African cot mattresses so you don't have to buy another mattress as your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Here is the perfect mattress for your cot.
Height
When you are choosing a cot for your bed choose one that can be raised up to a level that is comfortable for feeding your babies. It should also be able to be lowered away from the way, so you can raise your child towards you to feed them at night or to soothe him. This feature is particularly helpful if you are recovering from a C section. For example the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted up to the height of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm, and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.
Another thing to think about is how low you want the base of your cot. While some mums find it easier to lift their children out of standard Moses baskets when they are at the lowest height, other mums prefer a higher base to give them more stability. One of our testers for mums said that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It comes with an easily collapsible side that which you can use to push of a button.
Be aware that a bassinet/bedside sleeper should not be used until your baby can hold their head up unaided, usually at approximately 6 months. This is because of the possibility of inhaling suffocation. You should also be aware that when your child is old enough to convert an existing bedside or bassinet into a cot, they must remove the sides as soon as they are able to do this. This will stop them from climbing out or falling out of the bed.
Design
There are a variety of cribs that are bedside, ranging from basic to lavish. The most luxurious models could include features such as a built-in nightlight and a calming centre which plays music and sounds and comes with two levels of vibrations to help soothe baby back to sleep, or the swivelling base which allows you to easily get your baby's food in the right place. Some models can be converted into an infant bed or cot (or both) when your child is ready to go to their own bed.
For example, the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air that won Bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket category, has an adjustable base that lets you take your baby and transfer them from one side of the crib to the other without needing to get up. This is ideal for new mothers who are recovering from Caesareans or who require the bed for extended durations of time. Jasmine is an MFM mom who tried this product at home, said it was easy to operate and made it easier for her to reach her baby, especially after a C-section.
Click At this website is another alternative. It was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards to be the best Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib. It has a machine-washable lining, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It's a bit larger than other cribs for bed we've tried, but it folds flat into its bag for travel, so it's quite compact when not in use.
MFM mom home tester Leya loved the practicality of this bedside crib, explaining how it was designed with parents and babies in mind. It is a fantastic design that is extremely simple to operate and is extremely durable. She said that the bassinet's pivoting base was brilliant because it let you move it from side to side. One of its sides could be lowered to facilitate access, especially for new mums recovering from C-sections.
Safety
The main safety characteristic of a bedside cot is that it can be easily raised or lowered to enable parents to reach their child when they require to feed them, soothe them, or change their nappy. This makes it ideal for new mothers recovering from the C-section. You should choose the design that lets you lower the side of the bed by pressing a button. This will allow you to lift your child up without having to get out of bed. This is especially important as your baby grows older and more mobile. You'll also want to not add anything to the crib that increases the risk of suffocation or injury, such as pillows and duvets. These can cause babies to overheat.
The NPR of the CPSC NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product-related issues, such as gaps between a bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11) and consumer disassembly (6 incidents).
In its NPR, the CPSC looked into the possibility of adding additional requirements for sleepers in bed, such as the requirement that they satisfy 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 would not be feasible or effective to reduce the number of incidents in which infants were entrapped between the bedside sleeper 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 bassinets or play yards. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative option for multi-use bedside beds to enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets through the use of a removable attachment that can be connected permanently or disconnected when the product is not being used as a bassinet.
The CPSC is reviewing the comments and other suggestions received in response to the NPR regarding bedside sleeping. The Commission will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule which is expected to be published in November 2021.