Baby sleeping items- I'm so confused and possible overcomplicating things...

[Xarocas]

Hi there,
I'm a new mum with a baby girl due in April. :)

I'm not sure if I'm over complicating things but I'm really confused with what I should be buying for baby to sleep in... this is where I'm at:

1. First 6 months baby stays in our room- so I need a crib? I was thinking of one of those co-sleepers as it will be easier to breastfeed and soothe baby during the night but these seem quite expensive to use for only 6 months?
   

1. A cot for the bedroom - so here I 'm not sure if I should get a cot/bed or just a cot? Also- could I get something that is a cosleeper and then a cot?
   

1. Where does the baby sleep during the day downstairs? I'm imagining it will be easier if baby is close to me rather than in its room sleeping, so what should this be? My house isn't huge...
   

So- expert mums and dads, can you please share your recommendations?

I want to avoid buying three different sleeping things... should I just give up on the co sleeper? I also saw a second hand stoke bed that I really like but not sure how that would fit with the above?

... ideas are welcome! :)

[arosepetal]

Hi there, congratulations! So for the first 6 months I had mine in a co-sleeper next to my bed, after this time I bought a cotbed and put her in her own room. During naps downstairs she either slept on me or in her pram which came into the lounge with me. This time round I am going to buy a Moses basket for naps downstairs as will not have the pram to use. Hope this helps!

[ODog]

Here's my experience with DS and probably my plan with my new baby due in May.

Had a Moses basket that I planned to move upstairs and downstairs during night/day. Barely used as DS would only sleep in our bed during the night and on my chest/in sling during the day.

Had a cot in his room which he started using from 6ish months (when he would finally, occasionally, sleep not attached to me or in bed with me for short periods). This was used intermittently until he was just over a year.

At this point he refused to go in it at all so we bought a toddler bed and that's what he uses most of the time now, although we usually end up co-sleeping for part of the night.

I have another baby due in May and I will probably do the same so the Moses basket and cot will get re-used and when new baby is ready for a toddler bed I will buy DS a proper single bed. I have considered buying a co-sleeper cot but I found it fine having DS in the bed as I could snooze whilst laying down and BF. I might rent one (think about £70 to rent). Haven't decided yet really.

[ODog]

Just to add we always said we wouldn't co-sleep with DS but needs must and actually it works well for us. I would go with the flow. Don't spend too much now (maybe a cheap Moses basket), wait till your baby arrives and see what they are like in the first week or two, you can always pop to mothercare when baby is here if you decide you really need something.

[bonzo77]

I've had 3. None would sleep in a Moses basket! Over the years we've had a Moses basket, a crib, a cosleeper, a standard cot, a cot bed and a travel cot!

If you have a huge bedroom, you can take one side off a cot bed and use it as a cosleeper. Then down stairs use the basinette from your pram, or the push chair laid flat. Assuming your baby will be put down! Mine often slept on the floor on a folded blanket. Alternatively a travel cot has more longevity than a Moses basket and can double up as a playpen later.

If you don't have a huge bedroom then a cosleeper is a godsend: we've got the chicco one.

[JassyRadlett]

For DS2 we have a Chicco Next2Me crib - it's great as it dismantles easily to travel with as well. We had a Moses basket for DS1, I much prefer this. Much more space so it will last longer - maybe not the full 6 months but DS2 is very big. Check out eBay and FB selling sites, there is a good market in cribs (so you'll be able to sell on afterwards).

DS1 had a cotbed, at (very tall) 4 he's still in it as a bed. DS2 will get it when he outgrows the crib and DS1 is going into a cabin bed for the storage (and joy of having a ladder).

For downstairs - what pram are you getting? DS2 sleeps downstairs in his pram carrycot quite often, though we have DS1's Moses basket as well.

[jessplussomeonenew]

We got the snuzpod to use as a cosleeper. They're quite pricey but they have good second hand value once you're done. The mattress that is sold to go with it is a bit hard so you may want to consider something a bit softer. Helpfully you can take the bed bit off the support and use that as a bed for downstairs naps, though I admit we used the bassinet from the pram a lot more. After that we got a cotbed to put at the foot of our bed (it takes up a lot of room though!) until we moved DS out into his own room at about 14 months.

[SunnyDays1987]

I had a Moses basket that he slept in for about 5 weeks and then he went in a cot. He slept either in his carry cot or Moses basket downstairs in the very early days but then he wouldn't sleep any where except on me during the day for a good while after that. Eventually he moved to sleeping on the sofa and then our bed and finally in to his cot for his naps!

I'd just get something really basic for the first few weeks and then decide where you want to go from there. I had loads of ideas of what I would definitely be doing when I was pregnant and needless to say most of it never happened!!

Good luck :)

[Xarocas]

I love the idea of using the pram downstairs - rather than carrying things from the bedroom to the living room every day!

Would you say the co-sleeper is really worthwhile or a normal crib/moses basket will be equally good? A friend of mine has offered her crib for us to use, which is an amazon rocking crib, but I'm really wanting a co-sleeper... should I test out the crib first you think or go with my gut feel and get the cosleeper?

[Jw35]

I had 2 Moses baskets on stands. One downstairs and one upstairs. Sometimes I carried up the whole basket. Then I had a cot in her bedroom. She went into the cot at 3 months when he outgrew the basket. If your bf though you might be better off with a crib co sleeper for the first year then a cot in their room

[cornishglos]

As you can see, different things work for different people. I never thought about it for my two though. Moses basket as it can easily be carried up/ down stairs in the early days. Was outgrown at about 3 months when we had a cot in our room. Moved the cot into their own room to use until about 18 months, then into a bed.
The moses basket started in our room on a stand right up against the bed, and gradually moved away so we disturbed each other less.

[Bethieboo25]

My daughter is 17 so don't know how qualified I am to advise lol...

When she was first born I used the carrycot part of her pram (as the pram came with a stand so didn't think there was much point in buying a separate moses basket and like u I didn't have a lot of room so had to be resourceful)

I bought a cotbed cot and done what was suggested above and took the side off (it was a mamas and papas that was designed to be a cosleeper) done that for about 3 months and then just had the cot in my room. At 1 yr I moved the cot into her own room and started having her in their during he day for naps and at night... didn't want to do the cosleeping bit for too long as I didn't want the curse of cosleeping for the next 10 years and she was happy enough...

You should defo see if your pram (if you have bought it) comes with a stand or if you can buy one (silver cross used to do them and they also rocked !!
Saves buying a moses basket, crib, cot, cotbed etc...

To be honest u will find what works for u, I have friend who put their babies into their own room from birth as it suits them and works for them. Using a baby monitor.
Don't worry about it too much it will come to u, I used to freak about stuff like that and to be honest it will just come natural... u will be fine.

Oh and congratulations, Good luck when buba arrives x

[LibrariesgaveusP0wer]

By a co sleeper do you mean one of those three sided things? If so, get a normal ikea cot, take a side off and cable tie it to the bed. If you search for threads you can find out more details (like making sure there isn't a gap).

[Xarocas]

I never thought of that- such a
Good idea! Will look into it as it sounds a more reasonable option! Thank you all for your recommendations- it has helped immensly!:)

[minipie]

I would really recommend a Sleepyhead. I had one for DD2 and it was great. For the first couple of months she slept in the Sleepyhead in my bed. Then in Sleepyhead in her cot. Then just in cot.

Lots of benefits:

• it provides a safe place for co sleeping ie you/dh won't roll on the baby
  
• you can prop the baby partly on their side which really helps with sleep if they have wind issues or a cold
  
• you can easily take the sleepyhead with you if you go to friends or relatives and put it in a travel cot, so the baby has their familiar sleeping place
  
• you can put it in the cot so that when it comes to transfer the baby to sleeping in the cot they are already used to it
  
• you can also have it downstairs for naps in the day if you want
  

Moses basket, co sleeper crib, pram bassinet all have some of the above benefits but not all I think.

[tittysprinkles]

We took the side off an ikea Gulliver cot then raised it slightly by drilling a few extra holes in. Wedged it up to the bed then pushed the whole lot up against the wall. We had a bit of foam cut to fill the gap between the cot mattress and the edge of the cot so the whole surface is level and flush with our bed.

When DD is a bit older we'll put the side back on the cot and she can go in her own room.

Daytime naps were either in the Moses basket or now in a pushchair.

[tittysprinkles]

And when DD was very small and a bit refluxy I would plonk the Moses basket on top of the cot with the head end propped up with some pillows.

[superbfairywren]

If you have the room just put a normal cot in your room for the first 6months. I found I didn't get on with having DD entirely next to me as I just couldn't sleep so I moved the crib to the other side of the room anyway. We swapped for fullsize cot at about 4months in and that worked until 6months when she moved o her own room in it. She slept in the carrycot from pram downstairs for first5/6months too. We borrowed a Moses basket stand from a friend and that fitted so there was always somewhere to put her down when she was little. Now she sleeps in a travel cot in the living room for naps and we have it to take on holiday too. I think it helps that she is used to the travel cot so when we go away she has a familiar bed.

[wonkylegs]

I'm due April / May
We still have our stuff from having DS so will have a wicker cot (heirloom) which we bought a new mattress for next to our bed for 6mths although we co-slept some of the time with DS. We then have a drop sided cot bed for baby's room - it worked well for DS and he stayed in the toddler bed until he was 5 so it's had good use. He was only in it as a cot until he was 1, we turned it into a bed then because he learnt to climb over the edge.

[wonkylegs]

In the day DS tended to sleep in the pram or on me in a sling.