Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots, also referred to as co-sleepers and bassinets, are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their infants at night, without the risk of SIDS. They are recommended for up to 6 months old, at which point your baby will be ready to be moved to a bed.
MFM home tester Mehack was impressed that this model has a lift-off bassinet you can use in the home and the ability to rock manually. It was also easy to assemble and came in its own travel bag for easy storage.
Size
Cots and cot beds vary in size and size, with cots being a bit smaller than cot beds. They can also be converted into toddler beds, while cot beds are generally only used for up to three years. older. There are two sizes of wooden cots - large and standard - which can be transformed into a toddler bed or a cot. If you wish for your child (or children) to be capable of sleeping in a bigger cot, it's an excellent idea to pick the larger size.
Jasmine, an MFM mum who tested the product at home, liked the fact that it was a little bigger than a Moses basket, but not too large for the room of her baby. She claims that it is easy to lift the baby in and out of the cot for night feeds or for soothing and that the quality is superior to others she has seen that are cheap and flimsy.
Emily who is a home tester, is awed by the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora that is a lift-off, portable bassinet. It also is a rock. url has an incline of reflux as well as a machine washable liner that breathes. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. The Lora is compatible with a South African cot mattress unlike some international or European brands. This means you don't need to buy a new mattress every time your baby grows. However, it will require an exclusive bedding set (60x120cm). Here's the ideal mattress for your cot.
Height
When selecting a cot for the bed choose one that can be raised to a level that is comfortable for feeding your babies. It also needs to be able to be dropped down so that you can lift your baby closer to you for night feeds or for soothing. This feature is particularly helpful when you are recovering from a C Section. For instance, the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted to an elevation of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm, and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.
It is also important to consider the height you would like the base of your crib to be. While some mums find it easier to lift their babies out of standard Moses baskets when they are at the lowest height, other mums prefer an elevated base to give them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular choice with one of our mom testers stating that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that is easy to push down with the click of one button.
Remember that a bassinet/bedside sleeping device should only be used when your baby is able to hold his head up with no assistance, which is usually at around 6 months. This is because of the possibility of being suffocated. Be aware that if your child is old enough to convert an existing bedside or bassinet into a cot, they will need to take the sides off once they are ready to do so. This will prevent them from getting out or falling out of bed.
Design
There are many different styles of cribs for bedside use, ranging from simple to luxurious. Some of the most luxurious options include features such as an integrated light and a soothing center which plays music and sounds and has two levels to help ease your baby back to sleep or a swivelling footrest that makes it easier for you to reach your child in order to feed them. There are also models which can be made into an infant bed or a toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to transition to a bigger 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 a swivelling base that allows you to take your baby and transfer them from one side of the crib to the other without needing to get up. This is perfect for new mothers recovering from Caesarean births or who have to remain in bed for prolonged periods of time. Jasmine, a MFM mother who tested the product at home, said it was easy to operate and made it easier to reach her baby, especially after the 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 has a machine-washable liner, reflux incline, and a rocking feature. It's slightly larger than other cribs that we've tried, but it folds flat into its bag for travel, so it's relatively compact when not in use.
Leya, MFM mum home tester, also appreciated the bedside crib 's function. She claimed that it was designed for parents and children. It is very easy to move and extremely sturdy. The swivelling base of the bassinet is amazing 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 new mothers who are recovering from C-sections', she said.
Safety
The main safety feature of a large bedside cot is that it can be easily moved up or down to allow parents to reach their baby when they need to feed, comfort them, or change their nappy. This is why it's perfect for mothers who still recovering from a C section. Find a model that lets you lower one side at the press of a button so you can easily lift your baby without needing to get out of bed. This is especially crucial as your baby grows older and becomes more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the chance of injury or suffocation such as duvets and pillowcases that can cause your baby to become overheated.
The CPSC's NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to issues with the product like gaps between a bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents) as well as enclosed openings made of fabric (11) and consumer assembly errors (6 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC looked into 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 lowered rail. However the CPSC concluded that such requirements would not be 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 mentioned in the NPR included multi-use bedside beds that can be transformed into other types of equipment, like play yards or bassinets. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC add a second option to the proposed rule for bedside sleepers with multiple uses which would permit them to meet minimum side height requirements for bassinets using a removable attachment. The attachment can be permanently fixed or disconnected when the product's not being used as a bassinet for babies.
The CPSC is reviewing the comments and other suggestions received in response to the NPR on bedside sleeping. The Commission will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule which is expected to be released in November 2021.