Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots, also known as co-sleepers and bassinets, are designed to let parents sleep close to their infants at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are not suitable for use up to 6 months of age when your baby will be required to move into a cot or a moses basket.
Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, was impressed by the feature that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that can be used all around the home. It also has a manual rocking feature. It was simple to put together and it came with a travel bag.
Size
Cots and cot beds vary in size and size, with cots being a bit smaller than cot beds. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However, cots are usually only used for children up to the age of three. If you're considering a wooden cot, you'll find two sizes to choose from - standard and large - both of which convert into a cot/toddler bed. If you'd like your child (or children) to be comfortable sleeping in a bigger cot, it's a good option to select the larger one.
Jasmine, an MFM mum who tested the product at home, was pleased that it was a bit bigger than the typical Moses' basket but still not too big for the baby's room. Jasmine says it's easy to get the baby into and out of the cot during evening feedings or to soothe, and that its quality is superior to others she has seen that are cheap and flimsy.
Emily who is a home tester, loves the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi Lora - it is a portable, lift-off bassinet. It also rocks. It also has a reflux incline and a machine washable liner that breathes. It was also nominated for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. The Lora is a perfect fit for a South African cot mattress unlike many international or European brands. This means that you don't need to buy a new mattress every time your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Find the ideal mattress for your cot here.
Height
When selecting a bedside crib pick one that can be adjusted to the ideal height for you. It must also be lower out of the way, so you can lift up your baby to feed them at night or soothe him. This feature is especially useful in the event of 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.
It is also important to consider the level you would like the bottom of your crib to be. travel cot bedside crib find it is easier to lift their children from their standard Moses baskets when the base is situated at the lowest level, while others prefer a higher elevation to provide them with more stability. One of our testers for mums mentioned that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It is a collapsible side which you can use to touch one button.
Keep in mind that a bassinet or 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 because of the possibility of inhaling suffocation. It's also important to know that if you opt for a bassinet/bedside sleeper that can be converted into a crib and vice versa, you must start removing the sides when your child is ready for this to ensure that they don't get out of bed or fall out of the bed.
Design
There are a variety of bedside crib with a range of styles from simple to luxurious. The more luxurious options may include features like a built-in night light or a soothing center that plays music and sounds and comes with two levels of vibration to help soothe baby back to sleep, or the swivelling base which allows you to easily get your baby's food in the right place. You can also find models that can be converted to a cot bed or toddler bed (or both) which is ideal when your child is ready to transition to their own bigger bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air For instance has won Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It is a swivelling base that lets you take your baby to the crib and transfer them to the other side of the crib without having to get out of the bed. This makes it ideal for new mums who are recovering from Caesarean or require the bed for extended periods of time. travel cot bedside crib was awed by this feature, saying it was easy to use and made reaching her baby much more manageable especially after a c-section.
Chicco Next2me Magic is another alternative. It was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib. It is machine washable and comes with a liner, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It's bigger than the other cribs we've tested, but it folds up into its travel bag to make it relatively compact when it's not in use.
MFM mum home tester Leya also appreciated the function of this crib for bed, describing how it was designed with the needs of parents and children in mind. 'It has an excellent design that is incredibly simple to operate and is super-sturdy. She said that the bassinet's swivelling base was a great idea since 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
The most important safety characteristic of a bedside cot is that it is able to be adjusted or moved to allow parents to reach their baby when they need to feed them, comfort them, or change their nappy. This makes it ideal for mothers who still be recovering from a C-section. Find a model that lets you lower one side with the push of a button so you can easily lift your baby up without having to get out of bed. This is crucial, particularly as your baby grows and becomes more mobile. It is also important to avoid adding anything to the crib that could increase the chance of suffocation, or injury, including pillows and duvets. These could cause babies 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) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11) and consumer disassembly (6 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC considered the possibility of introducing additional requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance, these products would have to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets, or at least the maximum height requirements for the lowered rail. The CPSC found, however that these requirements were not efficient or effective in reducing the number of instances in which infants are trapped between a bedside rail and an adult bed.
A majority of the incidents mentioned in the NPR included multi-use bedside beds which can be converted into other types of equipment, like play yards or bassinets. Several commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative provision for multiuse bedside sleepers to enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement for bassinets through the use of an attachment that can be connected permanently or disconnected when the product is not being used as the bassinet.
The CPSC is examining these comments as well as other submissions received in response to the NPR on sleep at night. The Commission will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule which is expected to be released in November 2021.