Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to let parents rest with their baby at night without fear of SIDS. They are only recommended up to 6 months old, at which point your baby is ready to be moved to the cot.
Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, loved the feature that this model comes with a bassinet that can be used around the house. It also features the ability to rock manually. 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. They can also be converted into toddler beds, while cot beds are generally only used until three years old. old. There are two sizes of wooden cots, large and standard that can be transformed into a toddler bed or cot. Selecting the larger one is a good idea when you want your child to sleep in it until the age of at least three years old.
MFM mom home tester Jasmine liked that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than a Moses basket, but not too big for her baby's room. She says that it is easy to lift the baby in and out of the cot for night feedings or soothing, and that its quality is far superior to other cots she has seen that are flimsy.
Emily who is a home-based tester, is thrilled by the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi lora which is a portable, lift-off bassinet. It also rocks. It also has an option for inclining the reflux and a machine-washable liner that breathes. It was also shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for the best Cot, 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 a new mattress as your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Here is the perfect mattress for your cot.
Height
When choosing a crib for your bed make sure it can be adjusted to the ideal height for you. It should also be able to be lower to a level that is not in the way so you can raise your baby towards you 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 up to an elevation of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.
Another thing to consider is how low you want the cot's base to be. While some mums find it easier to lift their babies out of traditional Moses baskets at the lowest height, other mums prefer having a higher base that gives them more stability. One of our mum testers said that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It has an easy-to-fold side that you can push at the touch 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 usually about 6 months old. This is due to the possibility of suffocation. Be aware that if your child is old enough to convert the bedside sleeper into a cot, they will have to take the sides off as soon as they are able to do so. This will prevent them from climbing out or falling out of bed.
Design
There are many different styles of bedside crib, ranging from simple to lavish. Some of the more extravagant options include features such as an integrated light or a center of calm that plays music and sound 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 when you need to feed them. Some models can be transformed into the toddler bed or cot (or both) when your child is ready to go to their own bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air for instance, won Bronze at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It is a swivelling base that lets you take your baby to the crib and move them to the opposite side of the crib without getting out of bed. This is great for mothers who are recovering from Caesareans, or those who need to stay in bed for extended periods. MFM mom home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying it was easy to use and made reaching her baby much easier especially after a c-section.
Another option is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which was awarded Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket. It also is equipped with a machine-washable liner, reflux incline, and rocking function. It's a bit larger than the other bedside cribs we tried, but it folds flat into its travel bag, so it is relatively compact when not in use.
MFM mom home test Leya also appreciated the function of this bedside crib, explaining how it was designed with parents and babies in mind. It is easy to move and super-sturdy. The swivelling base of the bassinet is amazing as it means you can move the bassinet from side-to-side, and one of its sides can be lowered down to ease access especially for mothers who are recovering from their C-sections', she said.
Safety
The bedside cot's primary safety feature is that it can be easily adjusted or moved so that parents can reach their baby to feed or comfort them, or change his or their nappies. This is ideal for mothers who are recovering from a c-section. Find a model that allows you to lower one side with the press of a button, so you can effortlessly lift your baby without having to get out of bed. This is crucial, particularly as your child grows and becomes more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the risk of suffocation or injury, such as duvets and pillowcases that can cause your baby to overheat.
The NPR released by the CPSC NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product problems that included gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents) Fabric-side enclosed openings (11 incidents); consumer misassembly or missing components (6 incidents) and other miscellaneous product-related issues (9 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC looked into the possibility of adding more requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance, these products would have to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets or at the very least, the maximum height requirements for the rails that are lowered. The CPSC found, however that these requirements weren't feasible or effective in reducing number of instances in which infants are entrapped by the bedside rail and an adult bed.
Many of the reported incidents in the NPR involved multiuse bedside sleepers that can be converted to other modes such as bassinets and play yards. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC add an alternative option to the proposed rule for bedside sleepers that are multi-use that would allow them to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets by 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 currently reviewing these comments as well as other submissions received in response to the NPR on sleep at night. best bedside cots will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule that is expected to come out in November 2021.