Choosing a Large Bedside Crib Bedside Cot

Bedside cots, also referred as co-sleepers and bassinets, are designed to let parents sleep close to their children at night without the danger of SIDS. They are recommended for up to 6 months old, at which point your baby will be ready to transition to an actual crib.

MFM home tester Mehack loved that this model comes with an adjustable bassinet that you can use throughout the house, as well as an option to rock manually. It was easy to set up, and came with its own travel bag.

Size

Cots and cots differ in size, with cots being smaller than cot beds. They can also be converted into toddler beds, whereas they are typically used up to three years older. If you're considering a wooden cot, there are typically two sizes available both large and standard both of which convert into a cot/toddler beds. The larger of the two is a good choice for children who want to sleep in it until they are at least three years old.

Jasmine, an MFM mum who tested the product at home, said she liked the fact that it was a little bigger than the typical Moses basket, but not too large for her baby’s room. She says that it is easy to lift the baby into and out of the cot for night feeds or for soothing and that it's quality is superior to others she has seen that are flimsy.

Emily who is a home tester, loves the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora - it is a portable, lift-off 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 in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. In contrast to International or European cot brands Lora is a cot that Lora can be fitted with South African cot mattresses so you don't need to purchase a new mattress as your baby grows. However, it does require an exclusive bedding set (60x120cm). You can find the right mattress for your cot here.

Height

When selecting a bedside crib pick one that can be adjusted to a suitable height for you. It should also be able to be lowered down out of the way so that you can lift your baby towards you for [empty] feedings at night or to soothe. This feature is especially helpful if you're recovering from C-section. For example the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted to an elevation of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm and the Knuma huddle up to 70cm.

Another thing to think about is how low you want the base of your cot. Some mums find that 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 level to give them greater stability. The Joie Roomie Glidze when not in use.

MFM mom home tester Leya also liked the functionality of this bedside crib, describing how it was designed with parents and babies in mind. 'It has an excellent design that is very simple to operate and is extremely durable. She said that the bassinet's swivelling base was brilliant because it let you 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 main safety aspect of a large bedside cot for bedside is that it can be easily adjusted or moved 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. You should look for an option that lets you lower the sides of the bed with a simple button press. This will allow you to easily lift your child up without having to get out of bed. This is particularly important as your baby bedside co sleeper gets older and more mobile. You'll also want to avoid adding anything to the crib that increases the chance of suffocation or injury, like duvets and pillows, which can cause babies 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) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11 incidents) as well as consumer misassembly, or missing components (6 incidents) and other miscellaneous product-related issues (9 incidents).

In its NPR in its NPR, the CPSC looked into the possibility of additional requirements for bedside sleepers, such as the requirement that these products meet the minimum side height requirement for bassinets or at the very least, meet the maximum height requirement for the lowered side rail. The CPSC determined, however, that these requirements were not practical or effective in reducing number of incidents where infants are trapped between a bedside rail and an adult bed.

Many of the incidents reported in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside cot 6 months plus sleepers which can be converted to different types of furniture, like bassinets or play yards. Many commenters suggested that CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative option for multi-use bedside beds to allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets through the use of an attachment that is removable and can be permanently connected or disconnected when the item is not being used as an actual bassinet.

The CPSC is reviewing these comments and others received in response to the NPR on sleep at night. The Commission will consider these comments when voting on the final rule, which is expected to be released in November 2021.