Do Not Make This Blunder With Your Large Bedside Cot

Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots, also referred as co-sleepers and bassinets, are designed to allow parents to rest close to their children at night without the risk of SIDS. They are only recommended for up to 6 months, after which your baby is old enough to move to the cot.

Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, loved the feature that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that can be used throughout the home. It also has a manual rocking feature. It was also easy to put together and came in its own travel bag for convenient storage.

Size

Cots are smaller than cots. They are smaller than. Cots can also be transformed into toddler beds. However they are typically used by children up to the age of three. If you're opting for a wooden cot, there are typically two sizes available that are large and standard both of which will convert into a cot/toddler beds. Choosing the larger one is a good idea when you want your child to sleep in it until the age of +/- three.

MFM mom home test Jasmine was pleased that this bedside cot was a little bigger than the Moses basket, but not too large for her baby's room. She says it's easy to lift her baby in and out for feeding or soothing, and that the quality is excellent in comparison to other cots she's seen that feel flimsy.

Another home-based tester, Emily, likes how the Maxi-Cosi Lora can be used in a variety of ways It's a bassinet that lifts off that can be moved around the home, and it's a blast too. It also has a reflux incline and a machine washable breathable liner. It was also shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. Unlike some International or European cot brands The Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don't need to purchase an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. It will require a specific bedding set (60x120cm). Here is the perfect mattress for your cot.

Height

When selecting a cot for the bed, look for one that can be elevated to a level that is comfortable for you to feed your baby. It should also be able to be lowered to the ground to allow you to lift your baby up towards you during night feedings 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 up to an elevation of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.

You should also think about the level you would like the bottom of your crib to be. While some moms find it easier to get their babies out of standard Moses baskets at the smallest height, other mums prefer having a higher base that gives them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular option, with one of our mom test subjects saying that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that you can press down at the touch of the button.

Keep in mind that a bassinet/bedside sleeper is only suitable until your baby can hold their head up without assistance generally about 6 months. This is because of the risk of suffocation. Be aware that if your child is old enough to turn a bassinet/bedside sleeping system into a cot, you must remove the sides as soon as they are able to do so. This will stop them from climbing out or falling out of bed.

Design

There are many styles of cribs for bedside use, ranging from basic to extravagant. Some of the most expensive options come with features like a built-in light and a soothing center that plays music and sound and has two levels that help to soothe your baby back to sleep, or a swivelling footrest that allows you to reach your child 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) which is ideal when your child is ready to move to their own bigger bed.

For instance, the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air which was awarded Bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket category, has a swivelling base that allows you to pick up your baby and transfer them from one side of the crib to the other without needing to get out of bed. This is great for new mothers recovering from Caesarean births or who have to stay in bed for prolonged periods of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine loved this feature, saying it was easy to use and made her baby much more manageable particularly after her c-section.

Another option is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which was awarded Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the category of Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. It is equipped with a machine-washable liner, reflux incline, and rocking function. It's bigger than other bedside cribs that we've tested, but it folds down into its bag for travel, making it compact when not in use.

MFM mum home tester Leya also appreciated the function of this bedside crib she explained how it was created with the needs of parents and children in mind. 'It has an excellent design that is very easy to manoeuvre and it is super-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 make access easier, especially for new mums recovering from c-sections.

Safety

A large bedside cot's main safety feature is that it is able to be raised or lowered so parents can reach their baby to feed or comfort him or his or her nappies. This makes it ideal for mothers who are still be recovering from a C-section. Find  bedside cot crib  that lets you lower one side at the press of a button, so you can easily lift your baby without getting out of bed. This is particularly important as your baby gets older and becomes more mobile. Avoid adding anything that could increase the chance of injury or suffocation, like duvets and pillows, which can cause your baby to overheat.

The NPR of the CPSC 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) as well as enclosed openings made of fabric (11) and consumer disassembly (6 incidents).

In its NPR, the CPSC looked into the possibility of imposing additional requirements for bedside sleepers, such as the requirement that they satisfy the minimum side height requirement for bassinets, or at least 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 number of incidents in which infants were entrapped between a bedside sleeper and an adult bed.

A majority of the incidents reported in the NPR included bedside sleepers with multiple uses which can be converted to different modes like bassinets and play yards. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multiuse bedside sleepers to enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets by using an attachment that is removable and can be permanently connected or disconnected 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 voting on the final rule, which is expected to come out in November 2021.