Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots, also known as bassinets and co-sleepers, are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their children at night without the danger of SIDS. However they are only recommended for use up to 6 months when your baby will be required to be moved into a cot, or a moses basket.
Mehack is an MFM home tester, loved the feature that this model comes with an integrated bassinet that can be used throughout the home. bedside crib to cot features a manual rocking feature. It was also simple to put together and came in its own travel bag for easy storage.
Size
Cots are smaller than cots. They are less than. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However cots are generally used for 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 a cot. The larger of the two is a good choice if you want your child to sleep in it until they are at least three years old.
Jasmine, an MFM mother who tested the product at home, liked that it was a bit bigger than the typical Moses basket, but not too big for her baby’s room. She says it's easy to get her baby in and out for night feeding or soothing, and that the quality is great in comparison to other cots she's seen that feel flimsy.
Another home-based test subject, Emily, likes how versatile the Maxi-Cosi Lora is It's a bassinet that lifts off that can be moved around the home, and it's a blast too. It also comes with 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. Unlike some International or European cot brands Lora is a cot that Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don't need to buy an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Here is the perfect mattress for your cot.
Height
When selecting a bedside crib pick one that can be adjusted to a comfortable height for you. It should also be able to be lower out of the way, so you can lift up your child towards you to feed them at night or comfort him. This feature is especially useful when you are 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.
It is also important to consider how low you'd like the base of your crib to be. Some mums find that it is easier to lift their babies from their standard Moses baskets when the base is situated at the lowest level, while others prefer a higher elevation to give them more stability. One of our testers for mums mentioned that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It has an easy-to-fold side that which you can use to push of one button.
Keep in mind that a bedside or bassinet should not be used until your baby is able to hold their head up unaided typically approximately 6 months. This is due to the danger of being suffocated. It is also important to be aware that if your child is old enough to be able to convert the bedside sleeper into a cot, they must take the sides off once they are ready to do this. This will stop them from falling out or climbing out of the bed.
Design
There are many different styles of bedside crib with a range of styles from simple to extravagant. Some of the most extravagant options include features like a built-in light or a center of calm which plays music and sounds and has two levels to help ease your baby back to sleep or the swivelling footrest, which makes it easier for you to reach your child to feed them. Some models can be transformed into a toddler bed or cot bed (or both) when your child is ready for their own bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air for instance, won Bronze at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot Moses Basket or Crib category. It has a swivelling bottom that lets you pick up your baby and transfer them to the opposite side of the crib without having to get out of the bed. This is ideal for mothers who are recovering from Caesareans or who need to stay in bed for longer periods of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying it was simple to use and made reaching her baby easier particularly after her c-section.
Another alternative is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which has won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket and includes a machine-washable liner, reflux incline, and rocking function. It's slightly larger than some of the other bedside cribs we tried, but it folds flat into its travel bag, so it's quite 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 babies. It is lightweight and easy to move. Its swivelling base is fantastic as it means you can move the bassinet from side to side and one of its sides can be let down to facilitate access especially for new mothers who are recovering from C-sections,' she added.
Safety
A bedside cot that is large and spacious's most important security feature is that it is able to be adjusted or moved so that parents can reach their child to feed, comfort or change his or her nappy. This is ideal for new mothers recovering from the C-section. It is recommended to choose an option that allows you to lower the bed's side with a single button press. This will allow you to lift your child without getting out of the bed. This is important, especially as your child grows and becomes more mobile. You should also not add anything to the crib that could increase the risk of suffocation or injury, like pillows and duvets, which can cause babies to overheat.
The NPR released by the CPSC NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product problems, such as gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11 incidents) and consumer misassembly or missing parts (6 incidents) and miscellaneous other product-related issues (9 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC looked into the possibility of introducing 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 rail that is lowered. However, the CPSC concluded that such requirements would not be feasible or effective to reduce the number of incidents where infants were trapped between a bedside sleeper and an adult bed.
A majority of the incidents mentioned in the NPR focused on multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted to other types of equipment, like bassinets or play yards. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multi-use bedside beds to allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirement for bassinets using an attachment that can be connected permanently or disconnected when the product is not being used as the bassinet.
The CPSC is considering these and other comments received in response to its NPR on bedside sleepers. The Commission will take into consideration these comments when it decides on the final rule, which is expected to be released in November of 2021.