Choosing a Large Bedside Cot

Bedside cots (also known as co-sleepers and bassinets) are designed to let parents sleep close to their baby at night without the risk of SIDS. They are only recommended for up to 6 months, when your baby is ready to transition to the cot.

Mehack Mehack, an MFM home tester, was awed by the feature that this model comes with a bassinet that can be used throughout the home. It also comes with the ability to rock manually. It was also easy to put together and came with its own travel bag for easy storage.

Size

Cots are smaller than cots. They are less than. 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, large and standard that can be converted into a toddler bed or a cot. If you want your child (or children) to be able to sleep in the larger cot, it's an excellent idea to pick the larger one.

Jasmine, an MFM mother who tested the product at home, said she liked the fact that it was a little bigger than the typical Moses' basket but still not too large for the room of her baby. She says 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 flimsy.

Emily, another home tester, loves the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi lora that is a lift-off, portable bassinet. It also rocks. It also comes with a reflux incline 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. Contrary to some International or European cot brands Lora is a cot that Lora can fit South African cot mattresses so you don't have to buy another mattress as your baby grows. It does require a special bedding set (60x120cm). Find the ideal mattress for your cot here.

Height

When choosing a crib for your bed make sure it can be adjusted to a suitable height for you. It must also be able to be lowered to the ground so that you can pull your baby up towards you during night feedings or soothing. This is especially useful if you're recovering from 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 consider the height you'd like the base of your crib to be. While some moms find it easier to lift their children out of standard Moses baskets at the smallest height, others prefer an elevated base to give them more stability. One of our mom testers mentioned that the Joie Roomie Glide was a popular choice. It has an easy-to-fold side that which you can use to touch the button.

Keep in mind that a bassinet/bedside baby bed sleeping device should not be used until your baby can hold their head up without assistance typically around 6 months. This is because of the possibility of inhaling suffocation. Be aware that if your child is old enough to convert a bassinet/bedside sleeping system into a cot you must remove the sides when they are able to do this. This will stop them from climbing out or falling out of bed.

Design

There are a variety of styles of bedside crib with a range of styles from simple to luxurious. The most luxurious models could include features such as a built-in night light and a calming centre that plays sounds and music and offers two levels of vibration to help soothe your baby to sleep, or even a swivelling base that makes it easier to reach your child for feedings. There are also models which can be made into a cot bed or toddler bed (or both) ideal for when your child is ready to transition to their own bigger bed.

The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air for instance was awarded Bronze at the 2021 Mother and 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 having to get out of bed. This is perfect for new mums recovering from Caesarean births or who have to stay in bed for long periods of time. MFM mum home tester Jasmine loved this feature, saying it was easy to use and made reaching her baby much more manageable particularly after her c-section.

Another option is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which has won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket and comes with an easy-to-clean liner, reflux incline, Bedside Cots and rocking function. It's bigger than other cribs we've tested, but it folds up into its travel bag, Bedside Cots making it a small size when not in use.

MFM mom home tester Leya loved the practicality of this newborn bedside cot crib, describing how it was designed with parents and babies in mind. It is easy to move and super-sturdy. Its swivelling base is fantastic because it lets you move the bassinet from side to side, and one of its sides can be lowered down to make access easier especially for mothers who are recovering from C-sections,' she added.

Safety

A large bedside cot sale cot's main security characteristic is that it can be easily adjusted or moved so that parents can reach their baby to feed, comfort or change his or their nappies. This is ideal for new mothers recovering from the c-section. Find a model that lets you lower one side at the press of a button, so you can effortlessly lift your baby without getting out of the bed. This is particularly important as your baby gets older and more mobile. You should also not add anything to the cot that increases the chance of suffocation or injury, like pillows and duvets, which can cause babies to overheat.

The CPSC's NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product-related issues like gaps between a bedside cot bed sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside baby bed sleeper (12 incidents) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11) and consumer assembly errors (6 incidents).

In its NPR the CPSC examined the possibility of adding additional requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance they would need to meet the minimum height requirements for bassinets, or at the very least, the maximum height requirements for the rail that is lowered. However the CPSC determined that these requirements are not feasible or effective to reduce the amount of instances in which infants were trapped between the bedside sleeper and the adult bed.

A majority of the incidents mentioned in the NPR focused on multi-use bedside sleepers which can be converted to other modes, such as bassinets or play yards. Many commenters suggested that CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multi-use bedside beds to enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement for bassinets through the use of an attachment that can be connected permanently or disconnected when the product is not being used as a bassinet.

The CPSC is considering these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR regarding bedside sleepers. The Commission will consider these comments when voting on the final rule which is expected to come out in November 2021.