Choosing a large bedside cot (a cool way to improve)
Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers and bassinets) are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their baby at night without the risk of SIDS. They are recommended for up to 6 months, after which your baby will be ready to move to an actual crib.
MFM home tester Mehack loved the fact that this model comes with a lift-off bassinet you can use around the house and an option to rock manually. It was also simple to put together and came in its own travel bag for convenient storage.
Size
Cots and cots differ in terms of size and size, with cots being a bit smaller than cot beds. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However cots are generally used by children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden cots – big and standard, which can be transformed into a toddler bed or a cot. If you’d like your child (or children) to be able to sleep in a bigger cot, it’s a good idea to choose the larger one.
MFM mum home tester Jasmine was pleased that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than the Moses basket but not too big for her baby’s room. She claims that it is easy to get the baby into and out of the cot for evening feedings or to soothe and that the quality is better than other cots she has seen that are flimsy.
Another home-based test subject, Emily, likes how the Maxi-Cosi Lora can be used in a variety of ways It’s a bassinet that lifts off that you can move around the house, and it rocks too. It also has a reflux incline option and a machine-washable breathable liner. And it was shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. Contrary to some International or European cot brands The Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don’t need to buy another mattress as your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the perfect mattress for your cot here.
Height
When choosing a bedside cot, look for one that can be raised to a level that is comfortable for you when feeding baby. It must also be able of being dropped down so that you can lift your baby up towards you during night feedings or for soothing. This feature is particularly useful if you’re recovering from an operation such as a C-section. For instance, the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted up to a height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.
You should also consider the height 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 a higher base to give them more stability. One of our testers for mums stated that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular option. It has a collapsible side which you can use to touch one button.
Be aware that a bassinet/bedside sleeping device should only be used until your baby can hold their head up without assistance generally about 6 months. This is because of the danger of suffocation. Be aware that if your child is old enough to convert a bassinet/bedside sleeping system into a cot, you will need to remove the sides once they are ready to do so. This will prevent them from falling out or climbing out of bed.
Design
There are a variety of bedside rocking crib crib that range from basic to luxurious. Some of the more luxurious options include features such as a built-in light or a center of calm that plays music and sound and has two levels to help soothe your baby back to sleep or a swivelling footrest that allows you to reach your child to feed them. You can also find models that can be transformed into an infant bed or a toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to move to a larger bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air For instance, won Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It is a swivelling base that allows you to pick up your baby and transfer them to the opposite side of the crib without having to get out of bed. This makes it perfect for new mums who are recovering from Caesarean or require the bed for extended periods of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine loved this feature, saying it was simple to use and made reaching her baby much more manageable – especially after her c-section.
Another alternative is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Award in the category of Best cot for bedside, Crib or Moses Basket and comes with an easy-to-clean liner, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It’s a bit bigger than some of the other cribs for bed we’ve tested but it folds flat into its travel bag, so it is relatively compact when not in use.
Leya, MFM mum home tester, also praised the bedside crib with wheels crib’s functionality. She said it was designed to be used by parents and children. It is a fantastic design that is very easy to manoeuvre and it is super-sturdy. The swivelling base of the bassinet is amazing because it allows you to move the bassinet side to side and one of its sides can be let down to facilitate access – particularly for new mums who are recovering from C-sections,’ she added.
Safety
A large bedside cot’s main safety characteristic is that it is able to be raised or lowered so parents can reach their baby to feed or comfort them, or change his or his or her nappies. This makes it perfect for new mothers recovering from a C-section. It is recommended to choose the design that lets you lower the sides of the bed with a simple button press. This allows you to lift your child without having to get out of bed. This is particularly important as your baby gets older and becomes more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the chance of injury or suffocation, like duvets and pillows, which can cause your baby to overheat.
The NPR released by the CPSC NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product issues like gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents); fabric-sided enclosed openings (11 incidents) as well as consumer misassembly, or missing components (6 incidents); and miscellaneous other product-related issues (9 incidents).
In its NPR, the CPSC considered the possibility of additional requirements for bedside sleepers, such as the requirement that they meet the minimum side height requirement for bassinets, or at the very least, meet the maximum height requirement for the side rail. However, the CPSC found that these requirements would not be efficient or feasible to reduce the amount of instances in which infants were trapped between the bedside crib or cot sleeper and the adult bed.
A majority of the incidents reported in the NPR involved multiuse bedside sleepers that could be converted into other types of use, such as bassinets and play yards. Many commenters suggested that 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 for bassinets 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 currently examining these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR on sleepers who are bedside. The Commission will be examining these comments when it votes on the final rule, which is expected to be released in November of 2021.