Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers and bassinets) are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their baby at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are not suggested for use until 6 months of age when your baby will need to move into a cot, or a moses basket.
Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, was awed by the feature that this model comes with an integrated bassinet that can be used around the home. It also features the ability to rock manually. It was easy to set up and it came with a travel bag.
Size
Cots are smaller than cots. They are less than. Cots can also be transformed into toddler beds. However, cots are usually only used for children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden cots - large and standard - which can be converted into a toddler bed or a cot. If you'd like your child (or children) to be capable of sleeping in a bigger cot, it's a great option to select the larger size.
MFM mom home tester Jasmine liked that this bedside cot was a little bigger than a Moses basket but not too large for the space of her baby's. It's easy to carry her child into and out of the cot for nighttime feeding or calming and that the quality is great in comparison to other cots she's seen that are flimsy.
Emily is another home tester, is awed by the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi lora which is a lift-off, mobile bassinet. It also is a rock. It also has a reflux incline option and a machine-washable liner that breathes. And it was 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 an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. However, it requires an exclusive 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 up to a level that is comfortable for you to feed your baby. It also needs to be able to be lowered down so that you can lift your baby up towards you for feedings at night or soothing. This feature is especially 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 standard Moses baskets if the base is situated at the lowest level, while some prefer a higher elevation to give them greater stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a well-liked option, with one of our mum testers stating that it comes with a simple collapsible side that is easy to use at the push of a button.
Be aware that a bedside or bassinet device is only suitable in the event that your baby can hold his head without assistance, which is typically at around 6 months. This is due to the danger of suffocation. It's also important to note that if you opt for a bedside sleeper or bassinet that you can be converted into a crib it is necessary 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 fall out of bed.
wooden bedside cot
There are a variety of cribs for bedside use, ranging from basic to extravagant. Some of the more luxurious options include features such as an inbuilt light and a soothing center that plays music and sounds and comes with two levels to help ease your baby back to sleep. Another option is the swivelling footrest, which makes it easier for you to reach your child in order to feed them. You may also find some models that can be transformed into the form of a toddler bed or cot bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to move to their own bigger bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air, for example has won Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards in the Best Cot Moses Basket or Crib category. It features 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 sections or who have to remain in bed for prolonged periods of time. rocking bedside crib is an MFM mom who tried this product at home, stated that it was easy to use and made it easier to reach her baby, especially after the C-section.
Another alternative is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which was awarded Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the category of Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. It includes a machine-washable liner, reflux incline and rocking feature. It's larger than other bedside cribs that we've tested, however it folds into its travel bag to make it a small size when not in use.
Leya, MFM mum home tester Also, she appreciated the bedside crib's function. She said it was designed for parents and babies. It has a great design that is very maneuverable and is extremely durable. Its swivelling base is fantastic because it allows you to move the bassinet from side to side, and one of its sides can be opened down to facilitate access especially for mothers who are recovering from C-sections,' she added.
Safety
The bedside cot's primary security characteristic is that it can easily be moved up or down so that parents can reach their baby to feed or comfort him or his or her nappies. This makes it ideal for mothers who are recovering from the C-section. Choose a model that lets you lower one side at the press of a button so you can easily lift your baby up without getting out of bed. This is particularly crucial as your baby grows older and becomes more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the risk of suffocation or injury, such as duvets and pillowcases, which can cause your baby to overheat.
The NPR released by the CPSC NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product problems like gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents); fabric-sided enclosed openings (11 incidents); consumer misassembly or missing components (6 incidents) and other miscellaneous product-related issues (9 incidents).
In its NPR in its NPR, the CPSC examined the possibility of adding additional requirements for bedside sleepers, like the requirement that these products 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 concluded that such requirements are not feasible or effective to reduce the amount of instances in which infants were entrapped between a bedside sleeper and an adult bed.
A majority of the incidents reported in the NPR involved multiuse bedside sleepers that could be converted into other modes such as bassinets and play yards. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative provision for multi-use bedside sleepers that would enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets by using an attachment that can be connected permanently or removed when the product is not being used as an actual bassinet.
The CPSC is examining these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR regarding bedside sleepers. The Commission will take into account these comments when it votes on the final rule that is expected to be published in November 2021.