Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots, also referred as bassinets or co-sleepers are designed to allow parents to rest close to their babies at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are not recommended for use up to 6 months when your baby will need to move into a cot, or a moses basket.

MFM home tester Mehack loved that this model comes with a bassinet that can be lifted off to use around the house and an option to rock manually. It was simple to put together, and came with its own travel bag.

Size

Cots are smaller than cots. Cots can also be converted into toddler beds. However they are typically used by children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden cots – big and standard that can be converted into a toddler bed or cot. If you want your child (or children) to be able to sleep in a larger cot, it’s an excellent idea to pick the larger one.

Jasmine is an MFM mom who tried the product at home, liked that it was slightly larger than the typical Moses basket, but not too large for the room of her baby. She claims that it is easy to get the baby in and out of the cot for evening feedings or to soothe and that the quality is superior to others she has seen that are less sturdy.

Emily, another home-based tester, is thrilled by the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi Lora that is a lift-off, portable bassinet. It also rocks. It also comes with an incline for reflux and a machine washable liner that breathes. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the best Cot Crib, Crib, or Moses Basket. The Lora is compatible with a South African cot mattress unlike some international or European brands. This means you don’t have to purchase a new mattress every time your baby grows. However, it does require a special bespoke bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the perfect mattress for your cot here.

Height

When you are choosing a crib that is bedside, choose one that can be adjusted to a suitable height for you. It must also be able to be lowered down out of the way to allow you to lift your baby towards you for night feeds or to soothe. This feature is particularly helpful if you are recovering from a C section. The Next2me cot and the Tutti Bambini can be adjusted to an maximum height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 can go up to 63cm and the Knuma Hutch to 70cm.

Another thing to consider is the height you would like to set for the base of your cot to be. Some mums find that it is easier to lift their children from standard Moses baskets when the base is at the lowest level, while some prefer a higher height to give them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular option and one of our mum test subjects saying that it is easy to use with a collapsible side that is easy to push down with the click of the 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 due to the danger of being suffocated. You should also be aware that when your child is old enough to turn a bassinet/bedside sleeping system into a cot you will have to take the sides off once they are able to do so. This will prevent them from climbing out or falling out of the bed.

Design

There are a variety of styles of cribs for bedside use, ranging from simple to lavish. Some of the more extravagant options include features like an inbuilt light, a soothing center which plays music and sounds and has two levels to help soothe your baby back to sleep, or a swivelling footrest that allows you to reach your child in order to feed them. 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 in the Best Cot Moses Basket or Crib category. It is a swivelling base that allows you to take your baby to the crib and move them to the other side of the crib without having to get out of the bed. This is perfect for new mums recovering from Caesareans, or those who need to stay in bed for prolonged periods of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, stating that it was easy to use and made reaching her baby easier especially after a c-section.

Chicco Next2me Magic is another alternative. It was awarded Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards as the best Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib and has a machine-washable interior, reflux incline, and a rocking feature. It’s larger than other cribs we’ve tested, however it folds up into its bag for travel, making it relatively compact when it’s not in use.

Leya, MFM mum home tester also acknowledged the crib’s usefulness. She claimed that it was designed to be used by parents and babies. ‘It has an excellent design that is very simple to operate and is extremely sturdy. Its swivelling base is brilliant because it lets you 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 their c-sections,’ she said.

Safety

The main safety aspect of a large bedside cot is that it can be easily raised or lowered to enable parents to reach their child when they need to feed them, comfort them, or change their nappy. This makes it ideal for new mothers who may still recovering from a C section. You should look for the design that allows you to lower the sides of the bed with a simple button press. This will allow you to easily raise your child without getting out of the bed. This is especially crucial as your baby grows older and more mobile. Do not add anything that may increase the risk of injury or suffocation like duvets and pillows, which can cause your baby to become overheated.

bedside cot reviews 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); 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 additional requirements for bedside sleepers, like the requirement that these beds satisfy the minimum side height requirement for bassinets or at least meet the maximum height requirement for the side rail. The CPSC determined, however, that these requirements weren’t efficient or effective in reducing the amount of instances where infants are trapped by the bedside rail as well as an adult bed.

A majority of the incidents mentioned in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted into other modes, such as play yards or bassinets. Several commenters suggested the CPSC add an alternative option to the proposed rule for multi-use bedside sleepers that would permit them to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets using an attachment that can be removed. Attachments can be permanently attached or disconnected when the product’s not being used as a baby bassinet.

The CPSC is considering these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR on sleepers who are bedside. The Commission will take into consideration these comments when deciding on the final rule which is expected to be published in November of 2021.