Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers and bassinets) are designed to let parents snuggle with their infant at night without fear of SIDS. However, they are only suggested for use until 6 months, when your baby will be required to move into a cot or moses basket.

MFM home tester Mehack loved the fact that this model features an adjustable bassinet that you can use around the house and a manual rocking function. It was easy to assemble and came with its own travel bag.

Size

Cots are smaller than cots. They are smaller than. They also can be converted into toddler beds, while they are typically used up to three years old. There are two sizes of wooden cots, large and standard, which can be transformed into a toddler bed or a cot. If you want your child (or children) to be comfortable sleeping in the larger cot, it's an excellent idea to choose the larger size.

MFM mom home tester Jasmine liked that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than the Moses basket but not too large for the space of her baby's. Jasmine says it's easy to lift the baby into and out of the cot during night feeds or for soothing, and that its quality is better than other cots she has seen that are flimsy.

Another home-based tester, Emily, likes how the Maxi-Cosi is a versatile product It's a bassinet that lifts off that can be moved around the home, and it's rocking too. It also comes with an incline of reflux as well as a machine washable breathable liner. It was also nominated for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. Contrary to some International or European cot brands The Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don't need to buy an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. However, it does require an exclusive bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the perfect mattress for your cot here.

Height

When selecting a cot for the bed be sure to choose one that can be elevated to a height that's comfortable for feeding your the baby. It should also be able to be lower out of the way, so you can raise your baby towards you to feed them at night or comfort him. This feature is particularly useful if you're recovering from C-section. The Next2me cot and Tutti Bambini can be adjusted to the maximum height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 can go up to 63cm and the Knuma Hutch up to 70cm.

You should also think about how low you'd like the base of your crib to be. Some moms find it is easier to lift their children from standard Moses baskets when the base is situated at the lowest level and others prefer a higher height to give them more stability. One of our mom testers mentioned that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It comes with an easy-to-fold side that you can push at the press of one button.

Keep in mind that a bassinet or bedside sleeping device is only suitable when your baby is able to hold his head without assistance, which is usually at around 6 months. This is due to the danger of suffocation. Be aware that when your child is old enough to turn the bedside sleeper into a cot, you must take the sides off when they are able to do this. This will prevent them from falling out or climbing out of bed.

Design

There are a variety of styles of bedside crib that range from basic to extravagant. The more expensive options could include features like an integrated night light or a soothing center which plays music and sounds and has two levels of vibrating to help soothe your baby back to sleep, or even an adjustable base that allows you to reach your baby for feedings. You can also find models that can be converted to a cot bed or toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to move to their own bigger bed.

For example, the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air which was awarded Bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Crib, best bedside cot for newborn Cot or Moses Basket category, has a swivelling base that allows you to pick up your baby and move them from one side of the crib to the other without having to get out of bed. This makes it perfect for new mums who are recovering from Caesarean births or who require a bed for longer durations of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying that it was easy to use and made reaching her baby easier - especially after her c-section.

Chicco Next2me Magic is another option. It won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards as the best bedside cots Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib. It has a machine-washable interior, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It's a bit larger than the other cribs that we've looked at, 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's functionality. She claimed that it was designed for both parents and babies. It is very easy to move and extremely sturdy. She also said that the bassinet's swivelling base was a great idea because it let you move it from side to side. One of its sides could be lowered to make access easier for mothers who are recovering from c-sections.

Safety

The bedside cot's primary security 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 his or her diaper. This is why it's perfect for mothers who are still be recovering from a C-section. It is recommended to choose an option that lets you lower the side of the bed with a simple button press. This will allow you to lift your child up without having to get out of bed. This is especially important as your baby gets older and becomes more mobile. Do not add anything that may increase the chance of injury or suffocation such as pillowcases and duvets that can cause your baby to overheat.

The NPR of the CPSC's NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to problems with the product, such as gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents); fabric-sided enclosed openings (11 incidents); consumer misassembly or missing components (6 incidents) and other miscellaneous product-related issues (9 incidents).

In its NPR, the CPSC considered the possibility of adding additional requirements for sleepers in bed, such as the requirement that these beds satisfy the minimum side height requirement for bassinets or at a minimum, meet the maximum height requirement for the lowered side rail. The CPSC determined, however, that these requirements were not efficient or effective in reducing amount of instances where infants are entrapped by a bedside rail and an adult bed.

A majority of the incidents reported in the NPR involved multiuse bedside sleepers that can be converted to other types of use, such as bassinets and play yards. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC include a different option to the proposed rule for bedside travel cot sleepers with multiple uses that would permit them to meet minimum side height requirements for bassinets by using an attachment that can be removed. The attachment can be permanently fixed or removed when the product is not being used as a bassinet for babies.

The CPSC is currently reviewing these comments and others received in response to the NPR on bedside sleeping. The Commission will consider these comments when deciding on the final rule which is expected to be released in November 2021.