Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to allow parents to snuggle with their infant at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are not suitable for use up to 6 months when your baby will need to move into a cot or a moses basket.

bedside crib to cot was impressed that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that you can use in the home and an option to rock manually. It was also simple to put together and came with its own travel bag for convenient storage.

Size

bedside cot sale and cot beds differ in terms of size and size, with cots being a bit smaller than beds for cots. Cots can also be transformed into toddler beds. However, cots are usually only used by children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden cots - big and standard, which can be transformed into a toddler bed or a cot. The larger one is a good idea when you want your child to sleep in it until they are approximately three.

Jasmine, a MFM mum who tested the product at home, said she liked the fact that it was a little bigger than a Moses basket, but not too large for her baby’s room. She says that it is easy to get the baby in and out of the cot during evening feedings or to soothe and that it's quality is superior to others she has seen that are cheap and flimsy.

Emily, another home tester, is awed by the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora that is a lift-off, mobile bassinet. It also is a rock. It also has an incline of reflux as well as a machine washable liner that is breathable. And it was shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. The Lora is a perfect fit for a South African cot mattress unlike some international or European brands. This means you don't need to buy a brand new mattress when your baby grows. It requires a specific bedding set (60x120cm). Here you can find the perfect mattress for your cot.

Height

When you are choosing a crib that is bedside, choose one that can be adjusted to the ideal height for you. It must also be lowered to a level that is not in the way so you can lift up your child towards you to feed them at night or soothe him. This is particularly useful when you are recovering from a C section. For instance, the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted to a height of 58cm while 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 cot's base to be. Some moms find it is easier to lift their children from their standard Moses baskets if the base is at the lowest level and others prefer a higher level to give them greater stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a well-liked option with one of our mom testers stating that it has an easy-to-use collapsible part that you can press down at the touch of one button.

Remember that a bassinet/bedside sleeping device is only suitable in the event that your baby can hold his head up with no assistance, which is typically about 6 months old. This is due to the possibility of suffocation. It is also important to remember that if you choose a bedside sleeper or bassinet that you can be converted into a cot, you will need to start removing the sides when your child is able to do this to ensure that they don't get out of bed or fall out of bed.

Design

There are a variety of bedside crib that range from basic to extravagant. The more expensive options could include features like a built-in nightlight, a soothing centre that plays sounds and music and comes with two levels of vibrating to help soothe your baby back to sleep, or even an adjustable base that allows you to get your baby's food in the right place. There are also models that can be transformed into a cot bed or toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to move to a bigger bed.


For instance, the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air that won Bronze in the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards in the Crib, Best Cot or Moses Basket category, has an adjustable base that allows you to pick up your newborn and transfer them from one side of the crib to the other without needing to get out of bed. This is perfect for new mothers recovering from Caesarean sections or who have to stay in bed for long periods of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine loved this feature, stating that it was simple to use and made reaching her baby easier - especially after her c-section.

Chicco Next2me Magic is another option. It was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards to be the best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib and has a machine-washable lining, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It's a bit larger than some of the other bedside cribs we tested but it folds flat in its bag for travel, so it's quite compact when not in use.

MFM mom home tester Leya also appreciated the function of this crib for bed, explaining how it was designed with parents and babies in mind. It is a fantastic design that is extremely maneuverable and is extremely sturdy. She said that the bassinet's swivelling base was brilliant because it allowed you to 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 bedside cot's primary security characteristic is the fact that it can be easily moved up or down so that parents can reach their child to feed or comfort him or her nappies. This makes it perfect for new mothers recovering from an c-section. You should look for a design which allows you to lower the bed's side with a single button press. This will allow you to raise your child without having to get out of the bed. This is particularly important as your baby gets older and more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the risk of injury or suffocation, such as duvets and pillowcases which could cause your baby to overheat.

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

In its NPR the CPSC examined 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 lowered rail. However, the CPSC concluded that such requirements are not efficient or feasible to reduce the amount of instances in which infants were entrapped between the bedside sleeper and an adult bed.

A majority of the incidents mentioned in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted into other types of equipment, like bassinets or play yards. Many commenters suggested that the CPSC add a second clause to the proposed rule for bedside sleepers with multiple uses that would allow them to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets using a removable attachment. Attachments can be permanently attached or disconnected when the product's not being used as a bassinet for babies.

The CPSC is reviewing these comments and others received in response to the NPR regarding bedside sleeping. The Commission will consider these comments when it votes on the final rule, which is expected to come out in November 2021.