Newborn Bedside Cot
A newborn bedside cot is a compact sleeper that allows new babies to share a room as their parents, without the risk of sleeping together (which the AAP recommends against due to suffocation and SIDS). It makes it easier to take care of your baby and give them a bottle in the middle of the night.
This sleeper comes with an extremely firm mattress that can support babies backs, which reduces the risk of SIDS. It can be swiveled over your adult bed so that you can lift your baby to cuddle them at sunrise or during late night nursing.
Budget
A bedside cot bed cot, sometimes referred to as a co-sleeper, the bassinet-style baby cot that is attached or clipped to your bed. This lets you reach your baby quickly and safely for a late-night feed or cuddles. They are a great option for mums or new parents recovering from a c-section as they offer the baby with easy access and do not require you to get up.
There are a variety of designs available, from basic models with only a drop-down side, to more sophisticated models that can be adjusted in multiple ways with incline and height options. The majority of them can be converted to an independent crib once your baby gets older and is sleeping longer in the night.
Maxi-Cosi Lora is among our favorites. It was nominated in the best bedside cot for newborn Cot category for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards. MFM home tester Emily said she was impressed by how chic and modern the design is as well as the feature that you can use it as a regular bassinet, or connect it to a bed to ensure that you can sleep side-by-side. She also liked its plush mattress that has passed our tests for firmness and it also has an option to manually tilt it for those who suffer from reflux.
She didn't like that it had a non mesh panel on the bottom and thought it was too bulky to move around from room to room. It also felt a little heavy to carry up and down the stairs when folded away into its travel bag.
Size
A bedside crib vs cot cot is essentially the bassinet style cot that can be fixed to the side of your bed. It lets you easily reach your baby for mid-night feeding, nappies and comforting. It's also great for mothers recovering from a C-section.
The NHS and Lullaby Trust recommend that you keep your baby separated from you for the first 6 months to decrease the chance of SIDS. The crib at the bedside, with its low sides is a great way to accomplish this. It allows you to be able to easily access your baby during the night.
It is crucial that your baby is sleeping on a firm and not a soft mattress. Newborns don't have the motor control needed to turn and a mattress that is soft could increase the risk of suffocation. This mattress is made from skin-friendly and breathe-able materials. It is comfortable for your baby, but sufficient to be secure.
Mum Jasmin was happy that the crib didn't take up the entire space in her room and found it to be the perfect size for a newborn. She also said that the mattress was of high-quality and not like other mattresses that seem thin and flimsy. She also appreciates that it has a storage area underneath for bedding and clothes which many bassinets don't.
Mehack is an MFM mother who has tested the product at home, is thrilled that you can remove the side wall to allow easier access to your baby. She also likes the fact that legs fold into the bed so it does not look bulky or take up too much floor space. She's also impressed by the ease of being able to move around the house whenever you need to, for convenience during middle-of-the-night feedings and check-ins.
The CoZee Air crib is a favorite among parents. It won a Gold Award in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards. It is designed with four pulleys built-in to raise or lower the crib and includes a large storage basket for your baby's blankets, toys and other essentials. It's also simple to put together and lightweight, which is useful to travel with your baby.
Safety
It is important to think about safety when choosing the crib for your newborn. The Lullaby Trust, as well as the NHS, recommend that babies don't sleep in their parents' beds due to the risk of suffocation as well as sudden infant death syndrome. Bassinets that are placed in bed let parents keep their infant close, facilitating night-time feedings and monitoring without the need to get out of bed.
This close proximity can also support breastfeeding mothers, as it allows them to be attentive to the baby's needs while they sleep. This can help maintain the supply of milk and encourage breastfeeding. Some foldable bedside crib cots come with adjustable height options that can make it easier for mother and child to access the bassinet to feed or take care of other needs at night.
A majority of bassinets come with a mattress that is designed to reduce the risk of suffocation and conforms to industry standards. This is crucial because a newborn's bones are brittle and aren't fully developed. They need to be supported to prevent damage. The mattress should be covered with a fitted sheet in order to decrease the risk that dust mites or other allergens, will choke a child. It should be kept clean and free of allergens.
Some bedside cots can be tilted, which is beneficial for babies with reflux or digestive issues, however it should be done with great caution and at a gentle angle. It is also essential to avoid putting pillows, duvets or padded crib bumpers to the bassinet, as they could pose a suffocation risk for your baby and should only be used when the cot is on flat surfaces.
It's also worth thinking about an adjustable bassinet with a secure attachment system that can be easily fixed to your existing bed without the necessity of tools. This is especially useful for parents who struggle to lift their child into and out of the cot, or concerned about the possibility of rolling over in the night. If your bassinet does have secured attachments it's an excellent idea to periodically make sure it's secure and that there aren't any gaps or loose parts that could pose a hazard.
Comfort
If you're a soon-to-be parent, your baby's safety is among your top concerns. There's a new sleep solution that allows you to keep your baby close to you in the evening, without the risk of bed-sharing. The newborn bedside cot is an essentially a bassinet-style crib that fixes to the side of your bed, allowing you to safely lift them out towards you to feed them at night and soothe. It is also a great choice for mothers who are recovering from a C-section since it will not require you to stand or to bend over.
A modern cot for infants should have a sturdy flat mattress to in promoting safe sleeping habits and lower the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The bedding should be kept simple with just the cot sheet and a blanket that is tightly tucked into the bottom. Avoid bumpers, toys or pillows as these could fall on your baby and cause risk of suffocation. If your baby is used to being swaddled you can use a swaddle or a baby sleep bag for the first few weeks, however this should be removed as soon as you can once they've gained the strength to pull themselves out of the wrap.
Some cribs for bedside use an adjustable or drop-down side that allows for the baby to be easily accessible for comforting and feeding in the middle of the night. This is a good feature for parents who want to maintain a strong bond with their child, but still adhere to NHS safe sleep advice. If you plan to co-sleep with your child, it is important to know that this practice could increase the chance of SIDS. This is particularly the case if a parent falls on their child when they are asleep.
A breathable fabric is another important safety feature, as it's designed to keep your baby cool and comfortable throughout the night. This is particularly crucial if you intend to sleep with your newborn because the risk of overheating is higher during sleep. The SnuzPod4 features a unique breathable side panel, which helps increase airflow, keeping your baby warm.