Choosing wooden bedside cot (also known as co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to let parents rest with their baby at night without risk of SIDS. They are only recommended for up to 6 months, when your baby is old enough to move to the cot.
Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, loved the fact that this model features an adjustable bassinet that can be used throughout the home. It also comes with a manual rocking feature. It was also simple to put together and came with its own travel bag for easy storage.
Size
Cots and cot beds vary in size in size, with cots smaller than cot beds. bedside cot mattress can be converted into toddler beds, whereas they are typically used for up to three years. older. 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 a larger cot, it's a great idea to pick the larger size.
wooden bedside cot , a MFM mum who tested the product at home, said she liked that it was slightly larger than the typical Moses basket, but not too large for the room of her baby. It's easy to lift her baby in and out for night feeding or calming and that the quality is great in comparison to other cots she's seen that are flimsy.
Another home 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 can be moved around the home, and it's rocking too. It also has a reflux incline and a machine washable liner that breathes. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby awards for Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. The Lora is compatible with a South African cot mattress unlike many international or European brands. This means that you don't need to buy a brand new mattress when your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Find the ideal mattress for your cot here.
Height
When selecting a cot for the bed choose one that can be elevated to a level that is comfortable for feeding your baby. It should also be able to be lowered out of the way, so that you can pull your baby towards you to feed them at night or soothe him. This is particularly useful in the event of recovering from a C-section. The Next2me cot and 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.
You should also think about the level you'd like the base of your crib to be. While some moms find it easier to lift their children out of the standard Moses baskets at the smallest height, others prefer a higher base to give them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular choice, with one of our mom testers stating that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that is easy to push down with the click of a button.
Be aware that a bassinet/bedside sleeper is only suitable until your baby can hold their head without assistance typically approximately 6 months. This is because of the danger of inhaling suffocation. It is also important to be aware that if your child is old enough to be able to convert the bedside sleeper into a cot, they must take the sides off as soon as they are ready to do this. This will stop them from falling out or climbing out of the bed.
Design
There are many different styles of bedside crib with a range of styles from simple to extravagant. Some of the more extravagant options include features like an inbuilt light and a soothing center that plays music and sound and comes with two levels that help to soothe your baby back to sleep. Another option is an adjustable footrest that makes it easier for you to reach your child when you need to feed them. You may also find some models that can be transformed into a cot bed or toddler bed (or both), perfect when your child is ready to move to a larger bed.
For example the Tutti Bambini CoZee Air which was awarded Bronze in the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket category, has a swivelling base that lets you pick up your baby and move them from one side of the crib to the other without having to get up. This is perfect for mothers who are recovering from Caesarean sections or those who have to remain in bed for prolonged periods of time. Jasmine, a MFM mum who tested this product at home, said it was easy to operate and made it easier to reach her baby - especially after a C-section.
Chicco Next2me Magic is another alternative. It won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards as the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib. It is machine washable and comes with a liner, reflux incline, and rocking feature. It's slightly larger than other cribs for bed we've tested but it folds flat into its bag for travel, so it's relatively compact when not in use.
MFM mom home tester Leya also liked the functionality of this bedside crib, she explained how it was created with the needs of parents and children in mind. It has a great design that is very simple to operate and is extremely durable. She said that the bassinet's pivoting base was fantastic since it allowed you to move it from side to side. One of its sides could be lower to make access easier, especially for new mums recovering from c-sections.
Safety
The most important security characteristic of a bedside cot is that it can be easily moved up or down to allow parents to reach their child when they require to feed them, soothe them, or change their nappies. This makes it ideal for mothers who are recovering from an C-section. Choose a model that lets you lower one side with the press of a button, so you can easily lift your baby without getting out of the bed. This is important, especially as your baby grows and becomes more mobile. You'll also want to be careful not to add anything to the crib that increases the chance of suffocation, or injury, including duvets and pillows, which can cause babies to overheat.
The CPSC's NPR included 24 incidents that were attributed to product issues that included gaps between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed (12 incidents); fabric-sided enclosed openings (11 incidents) as well as consumer misassembly, or missing parts (6 incidents); and miscellaneous other product-related issues (9 incidents).
In its NPR the CPSC considered the possibility of introducing additional requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance they would need to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets, or at a minimum, the maximum height requirements for the rail that is lowered. However, the CPSC determined that these requirements are not efficient or feasible to reduce the amount of instances in which infants were entrapped between a bedside sleeper and an adult bed.
The majority of the incidents covered in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted into other types of equipment, like bassinets or play yards. A number of commenters suggested that the CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multiuse bedside sleepers to allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirement for bassinets through the use of a removable attachment that can be permanently connected or disconnected when the item is not being used as a 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 published in November of 2021.