Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots, also referred to as bassinets or co-sleepers are designed to allow parents to rest close to their babies at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are only recommended for use up to 6 months of age when your baby is required to be moved into a cot or a moses basket.
Mehack is an MFM home tester, was awed by the feature that this model comes with an integrated bassinet that can be used throughout the house. It also has the ability to rock manually. It was easy to set up, and even came with a travel bag.
Size
Cots and cot beds differ in size in size, with cots smaller than beds for cots. They also can be converted into toddler beds, whereas they are typically used up to three years old. If you're looking for a wooden cot, you'll find two sizes to choose from both large and standard both of which can be converted into a cot/toddler mattress. Selecting the larger one is a good idea when you want your child to sleep in it until the age of approximately three.
MFM mother home test Jasmine was pleased that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than the Moses basket, but not too large for the space of her baby's. It's easy to carry her child in and out for night feeding or soothing, and the quality is top-notch, compared with many she's seen that are flimsy.
Emily, another home tester, is awed by the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora which is a portable, lift-off bassinet. It also is a rock. It also has an option to tilt the reflux upwards and a machine-washable breathable liner. It was also shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. In contrast to International or European cot brands, the Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don't have to buy a new mattress as your baby grows. However, it requires a specific bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the perfect mattress for your cot here.
Height
When selecting a cot for the bed be sure to choose one that can be raised to a height that's comfortable for feeding your the baby. It also needs to be able to be lowered down out of the way so that you can pull your baby up towards you for feedings at night or soothing. This feature is particularly useful in the event of recovering from a C-section. For example the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted 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 to be. Some mums find that it is easier to lift their infants from their standard Moses baskets when the base is situated at the lowest level and others prefer a higher elevation to give them more stability. One of our mom testers said that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It has a collapsible side you can press at the press of the button.
Be aware that a bedside or bassinet device should only be used when your baby can hold his head up without assistance, which is usually about 6 months old. This is due to the danger of suffocation. It is also important to remember that if you opt for a bassinet/bedside sleeper that can be converted into a cot and vice versa, you must begin removing the sides once your child is ready for this to ensure that they don't get out of bed or fall out of the bed.
Design
There are a variety of cribs for beds with a range of styles from simple to luxurious. The more expensive options could include features such as an integrated night light, a soothing centre which plays music and sounds and offers two levels of vibrations to help soothe your baby to sleep, or a swivelling base that allows you to easily reach your child for feedings. You can also find models that can be transformed into an infant bed or a toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to transition to a bigger bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air For instance has won Bronze at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It has a swivelling bottom 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 is perfect for mothers who are recovering from Caesarean births or who have to stay in bed for long periods of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying that it was easy to use and made her baby much easier especially after a c-section.
Chicco Next2me Magic is another alternative. It won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards to be the best Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib. It is machine washable and comes with a liner, reflux incline, and a rocking feature. It's slightly larger than other bedside cribs we 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 praised the bedside crib's functionality. She said it was designed to be used by parents and babies. 'It has an excellent design that is incredibly easy to manoeuvre and it is super-sturdy. She said that the swivelling bassinet base was brilliant since it allowed you to move it from side to side. One of its sides could be lowered to facilitate access for mothers who are recovering from C-sections.
Safety
The bedside cot's primary security feature is that it can easily be raised or lowered so parents can reach their baby to feed, comfort or change his or their diaper. bedside cot newborn is why it's perfect for new mothers who may still recovering from a C section. You should look for an option that allows you to lower the side of the bed by pressing a button. This will allow you to easily lift your child without getting out of the bed. This is essential, especially as your child grows and becomes 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 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 misassembly (6 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC considered the possibility of adding additional requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance the products would need to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets or at a minimum, the maximum height requirements for the rails that are lowered. However the CPSC determined that these requirements would not be efficient or feasible to reduce the number of incidents where infants were entrapped between the bedside sleeper and an adult bed.
The majority of the reported incidents in the NPR included multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted to other types of use, such as play yards and bassinets. Many commenters suggested that CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative provision for multi-use bedside sleepers that would allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets through the use of an attachment that can be connected permanently or disconnected when the product is not being used as an actual bassinet.
The CPSC is examining these and other comments received in response to its NPR on sleepers who are bedside. The Commission will be examining these comments when it decides on the final rule which is expected to be released in November of 2021.