Choosing a Large Bedside Cot
Bedside cots (also called co-sleepers or bassinets) are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their baby at night without the risk of SIDS. However, they are only recommended for use up to 6 months, when your baby will need to move into a cot or a moses basket.
Mehack is an MFM home tester, was awed by the fact that this model has an adjustable bassinet that can be used throughout the home. It also comes with an option to rock manually. It was easy to set up, and came with its own travel bag.
Size
Cots and cot beds differ in terms of size, with cots being smaller than cot beds. They can also be converted into toddler beds, while cot beds are generally only used up to three years older. There are two sizes of wooden cots, large and standard, which can be transformed into a toddler bed or cot. The larger of the two is a good choice when you want your child to sleep in it until the age of approximately three.
MFM mother home test Jasmine liked that this bedside cot was slightly bigger than a Moses basket, but not too large for her baby's room. She says it's easy to lift her baby into and out of the cot for nighttime feeding or soothing and that the quality is great when compared to other cots she's seen that feel flimsy.
Emily who is a home-based tester, is thrilled by the flexibility of the Maxi-Cosi lora that is a lift-off, portable 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 for the best Cot Crib, Crib, or Moses Basket. In contrast to International or European cot brands The Lora can be fitted with South African cot mattresses so you don't have to buy an entirely new mattress each time your baby grows. It will require a specific bedding set (60x120cm). Find the ideal mattress for your cot here.
Height
When you are choosing a cot for your bed choose one that can be raised up to a height that is comfortable for you to feed your baby. It must also be lower out of the way, so you can lift up your child towards you to feed them at night or to soothe him. This feature is especially helpful when you're recovering from an operation such as a C-section. For example the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted to the height of 58cm. the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm, and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.
Another thing to consider is the height you would like to set for the cot's base to be. While some mothers find it easier to lift their children out of the standard Moses baskets at the lowest level, some mothers prefer having a higher base that gives them more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a well-liked option and one of our mum testers stating that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that you can press down at the touch of the button.
Be aware that a bedside or bassinet device should only be used in the event that your baby can hold his head without assistance, which is usually about 6 months old. bedside travel cot is due to the risk of inhaling suffocation. It's also important to know that if you opt for a bassinet/bedside sleeper that can be converted into a crib, you will need to remove the sides as soon as your child is ready for this, so that they don't climb out or get out of the bed.
Design
There are many different styles of cribs for bedside use, ranging from basic to lavish. The more luxurious options may include features like an integrated night light, a soothing centre that plays sounds and music and comes with two levels of vibrations to help soothe your baby back to sleep, or even an adjustable base that allows you to reach your baby for feedings. Some models can be transformed into a toddler bed or cot bed (or both) when your child is ready for their own bed.
The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air, for example was awarded Bronze at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot Moses Basket or Crib category. It has a swivelling bottom that lets you pick up your baby and move them to the opposite side of the crib without getting out of bed. This makes it ideal for new mothers who are recovering from Caesarean or need to stay in the bed for extended durations of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine was awed by this feature, saying it was simple to use and made her baby easier - especially after her c-section.
Another alternative is the Chicco Next2me Magic, which won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket and includes a machine-washable liner, reflux incline and rocking feature. It's bigger than other cribs for bed that we tested, but it folds into its travel bag, making it compact when not in use.
MFM mom home tester Leya loved the practicality of this crib for bed, she explained how it was created with babies and parents in mind. 'It has an excellent design that is incredibly easy to manoeuvre and it is extremely sturdy. She said that the bassinet's swivelling base was a great idea since it allowed you to move it from side to side. One of its sides could be lower to facilitate access for mothers who are recovering from C-sections.
Safety
The main safety aspect of a large bedside cot is that it is able to be moved up or down to allow parents to reach their baby when they need to feed them, comfort them, or change their nappies. This is ideal for mothers who are recovering from the c-section. Look for a design that allows you to lower one side with the push of a button. This way, you can easily lift your baby up without having to get out of bed. This is especially important as your baby grows older and becomes more mobile. Beware of items that could increase the chance of injury or suffocation such as duvets and pillowcases which could cause your baby to overheat.
The NPR of the CPSC NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product issues, such as gaps between the bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents), fabric-sided enclosed openings (11) and consumer disassembly (6 incidents).
In its NPR, the CPSC looked into the possibility of imposing additional requirements for bedside sleepers, like the requirement that they satisfy the minimum side height requirement for bassinets or at least meet the maximum height requirement for the lowered side rail. However, the CPSC concluded that such requirements are not feasible or effective 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 to other types of equipment, like play yards or bassinets. Many commenters suggested that CPSC include in the proposed rule a different provision for multiuse bedside sleepers to enable them to meet the minimum side-height requirement of bassinets by using an attachment that can be permanently connected or disconnected when the product is not being used as an actual bassinet.
The CPSC is examining the comments and other suggestions received in response to the NPR on bedside sleeping. The Commission will take into account these comments when voting on the final rule, which is expected to come out in November 2021.