Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to let parents snuggle with their infant at night without the risk of SIDS. They are recommended for up to 6 months, when your baby is old enough to transition to the bed.
MFM home tester Mehack loved that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that you can use around the house and a manual rocking function. It was simple to put together, and it came with a travel bag.
Size
Cots are smaller than cots. They are smaller than. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However, cots are usually only used by children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden cots - large and standard that can be transformed into a toddler bed or cot. Choosing the larger of the two is a good option if you want your child to sleep in it until they are at least three years old.
MFM mother home test Jasmine loved that the bedside cot was slightly larger than the Moses basket but not too large for her baby's room. She says it's easy to lift her baby into and out of the cot for nighttime feeding or soothing and that the quality is great when compared to other cots she's seen that feel flimsy.
Emily who is a home tester, loves the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora that is a lift-off, portable bassinet. It also is a rock. It also has a reflux incline and a machine washable liner that breathes. And it was shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. The Lora is compatible with a South African cot mattress unlike some international or European brands. This means that you don't need to buy a brand new mattress when your baby grows. However, it requires a specific bedding set (60x120cm). Here's the perfect mattress for your cot.
Height
When you are choosing a cot for your bed be sure to choose one that can be elevated to a level that is comfortable for you when feeding babies. It also needs to be able to be dropped to the ground so that you can lift your baby up towards you for feedings at night or for soothing. This feature is especially helpful when you're recovering from a C-section. The Next2me Cot and Tutti Bambini can be adjusted to an maximum height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 can go up to 63cm, and the Knuma Hutch to 70cm.
It is also important to consider the level you'd like the base of your crib to be. While some moms find it easier to get their babies out of the standard Moses baskets at the smallest height, others prefer having a higher base that gives them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular option with one of our mum testers saying that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that you can use at the push of a button.
Remember that a bassinet/bedside sleeping device is only suitable in the event that your baby can hold his head without assistance, which is typically about 6 months old. This is due to the danger of being suffocated. You should also be aware that when your child is old enough to convert an existing bedside or bassinet into a cot, you must remove the sides once they are able to do so. This will stop them from getting out or falling out of the bed.
Design
There are a variety of bedside cribs, from basic to lavish. Some of the more extravagant options include features like an integrated light, a soothing center that plays music and sounds and comes with two levels to help soothe your baby back to sleep or an adjustable footrest that makes it easier for you to reach your child to feed them. There are also models that can be converted to a cot bed or toddler bed (or both) ideal for when your child is ready to move to a larger bed.
For example the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air which was awarded Bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Crib, Best Cot or Moses Basket category, has an adjustable base that allows you to take your baby and transfer them from one side of the crib to the other without needing to get out of bed. This makes it ideal for new mothers who are recovering from Caesarean or require the bed for extended durations of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying it was easy to use and made reaching her baby much easier especially after a c-section.
Chicco Next2me Magic is another alternative. It was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards as the best Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib and has a machine-washable lining, reflux incline, and a rocking feature. cot for bedside than the other cribs we've tested, however it folds down into its travel bag to make it compact when not in use.
Leya, MFM mum home tester also acknowledged the crib's usefulness. She claimed that it was designed for both parents and babies. It is lightweight and easy to move. Its swivelling base is brilliant because it lets you move the bassinet side to side and one of its sides can be let down to ease access especially for new mothers who are recovering from their c-sections,' she said.
Safety
The most important security aspect of a large bedside cot is that it can be easily raised or lowered to enable parents to reach their child when they require to feed them, comfort them, or change their nappy. This makes it perfect for new mothers recovering from a c-section. Find a model that lets you lower one side at the push of a button. This way, you can effortlessly lift your baby without getting out of bed. This is essential, especially when your baby grows and becomes more mobile. You'll also want to avoid adding anything to the crib that could increase the risk of suffocation or injury, such as pillows and duvets, which can cause babies to overheat.
The NPR of the CPSC NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product issues like gaps between a bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents), fabric-sided enclosed openings (11) and consumer assembly errors (6 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC looked into the possibility of adding more 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. The CPSC determined, however, that these requirements weren't practical or effective in reducing the number of incidents where infants are trapped between the bedside rail and an adult bed.
Many of the reported incidents in the NPR included multi-use bedside sleepers that can be converted to other modes such as play yards and bassinets. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule a different 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 disconnected when the product is not being used as a bassinet.
The CPSC is considering these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR on bedside sleepers. The Commission will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule, which is expected to be issued in November of 2021.