Bedside cosleeping crib

[frikadela01]

So I've been looking at the Graco next to me or the snuzzpod for cosleeping however I've seem this on ebay... am I being blinded by the cheap price? Is it a case of too good to be true? Wary because there's no brand I can look up for reviews


pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=361416140857&alt=web

[MiddleClassProblem]

I'd be careful just because of what happened with the NCT one (is it a bed nest?) and just go for a reputable brand. I had a Snuzpod and adored it.

[FATEdestiny]

Just get a normal cot and remove one side using an allen key.

Very simple, much more practical with a bigger space to cuddle into and cost effective because no need to buy a separate crib.

[frikadela01]

Hmm... I think I'm just going to go with the snuzzpod then. It's on offer on kiddi care at the moment and seems to have fairly decent resale value even if it is over twice the price.

[frikadela01]

I wish I had room for a normal cot. As it stands were going to struggle to get the crib in but I'm determined.

[FATEdestiny]

You could remove a chest of drawers from your bedroom into the nursery to make room. It will be worth it.

[MiddleClassProblem]

Lol do you two know each other? FATE seems to know the layout of your bedroom

[frikadela01]

Me and dp are currently sat in costa debating whether our drawers will fit in the little bedroom. He isn't convinced haha.

[FATEdestiny]

FATE seems to know the layout of your bedroom

It would be rare to find a couples bedroom without a chest of drawers in it.

A cot is about the same size as a chest of drawers. So if a cot fits in the nursery, a chest of drawers probably would too. If a chest of drawers fits in your bedroom, a cot would too.

Hell, I would even remove the wardrobe along with the drawers if I was so desperate for space. Definitely the cot needs to fit in the bedroom, ideally next to the bed.

The process of getting dressed in a morning changes in a way that non-parents don't realise. DH getting ready for work, for example - you'll end up getting annoyed with him making noise as he opens drawers and fishes around in the wardrobe for a shirt while baby is asleep. Certainly no lights on to disturb baby. So moving drawers (and wardrobe) into another room while baby is tiny is not a bad idea even if you have the space for a cot.

[MiddleClassProblem]

Co sleeper was good for my dd because she wouldn't fall asleep if I wasn't touching her for the first 4 months.
A cot next to the bed with the side off is good, just make sure they can't get anything suck between the bed and cot if it gets knocked or something.

I could never fit a cot next to the bed in our room, regardless or any other furniture or moving the bed else where

[MiddleClassProblem]

Also my chest of drawers is no where near as bit as DD's cot. I think this means I need more clothes

[CityMole]

The chest drawers may not be next to her bed though! My bedroom is long and narrow and we would struggle to get a cot in either side of the bed (unless we completely rearrange the placement of the bed etc, which would also require some structural adjustments which we are not going to do just to save a little money on the crib). We're going to go for a snuzpod for as long as he's in our room. I know the Chico ones are supposed to be super too, but I just preferred the look and feel of the snuzpod. Your can always sell on when the baby outgrows it to recoup some of the outlay.
I'd be wary about the eBay one unless you had more details of its manufacture etc so that you could check it out properly! It does look great though for the price. I'm just not sure it's a risk worth taking unless you had a lot more information.

[frikadela01]

Our drawers are a huge long thing so would unlikely fit in the tiny bedroom. However I'm convinced with some manoeuvring we might just fit a cot in. Going to check it out when we get in.
As for getting ready on a morning. We both work shifts so are used to making sure our stuff is all ready in the bathroom for early shifts when the other isn't in.

[BergamotMouse]

We've decided to try turn the idea gulliver cot into a cosleeper by removing side.
Just couldn't justify cost of snuzpod.

But if you do decide to go snuzpod I found a code for the littlegreensheep website for a further 10% off which takes it and mattress down to about £160: LGSOHSO10. Worked a few weeks ago when I tested it.

[frikadela01]

My friend actually suggested just dismantling out bed and putting the mattress on the floor with a cot mattress next to it but I'm not in love with that idea.

[FATEdestiny]

If you are going the cot route, IMO following 4 children in co-sleeper full sized cots, the best option is a drop-side cotbed. As a second-best a drop-side normal cot, but this means you'll get about 2 or 3 years use from it rather than 4 or 5 years for a cotbed.

The drop-side makes the co-sleeper stage more comfortable for you. It allows for several stages of development:

• Newborn: Mattress heights matching and drop-side removed completely. Cot wedged and butted up to your bed. Allows you to cuddle right into the cot (more space to do this with a cotbed than a cot) then extract yourself into your own space.

• Once baby is starting to roll (4 months ish) a rolled up towel (or one of those noddle things they use as a swimming teaching aid) creates a simple barrier to divide the space between your bed and cot, while still being easy for you to lean over. I actually have this in place from newborn, to allow the space to remain divided.

• Once baby is starting to pull up onto all fours and into sitting positions (6 months ish), side back on the cot. However keeping the mattress heights the same and keeping the drop-side permanently dropped means that you wont get a dead-arm when you lean an arm over the side of the cot to reinsert dummy settle the baby. The lowered cot side is invaluable here.

• Once baby is starting to pull to standing (9 months ish) you have to drop the height of the cot mattress. However, by keeping the side of the cot that is next to your bed lowered, you can still reach down into the cot (now at floor level) more easily without getting a dead-arm.

• Once reliably standing, walking, climbing (12 months ish) marks when the drop-side has to be put up into the up position. However by this age, you should (hopefully) not be needed to settle baby so much. My children have been in their room and sleeping through by this time.

[SomebodySedateMe]

Had my antenatal health visitor visit yesterday. Locally my trust are now recommending against the use of any of these bedside cribs or cots due to a couple of horrible incidents.

[CityMole]

Which trust is that Somebody? I know of one tragic incident (with the nct bednest) but I thought that was an isolated event linked only to that model- which is now off the market). On the whole, cosleeping with a bedside crib is supposed to be amongst the safest options. It's certainly being encouraged as such still in Scotland, where I live.

[FATEdestiny]

My friend actually suggested just dismantling out bed and putting the mattress on the floor with a cot mattress next to it but I'm not in love with that idea.

You may think differently in about 18 months time.

[CityMole]

FATE you're tempting me now to completely upend my bedroom to get a cot in for the first six months, damn you. That is some really thorough advice, thank you I'm going to look at how big our preferred cot is and have a think.

[FATEdestiny]

It's certainly being encouraged as such still in Scotland

Its also encouraged in Nottinghamshire. Especially encouraged for breastfeeding Mums.

[SomebodySedateMe]

mole It's North Staffordshire Combined. The health visitor explained why she wasn't able to give me a leaflet about sleep choices, apparently because it still contained information about side sleeping cribs.

She mentioned the NCT incident and said there'd been one in the local area but didn't tell me which brand or crib.

[FATEdestiny]

The NCT Bednest incident, critically, came down to parental mistakes and not following instructions. Baby put to sleep on tummy (significant SIDS risk) and crib angled too steeply (resulting in baby slipping down). Both avoidable mistakes, I feel terrible for the parents involved in this tragic incident. Certainly the bednest is not to blame.

I would imagine, given the huge level of continued media interest in the single Bednest baby death, that any additional cases would be widely reported.

[CityMole]

Yes, it came out during the inquest that the crib had been given to the parents as a second hand gift, and without the instructions manual, and it was this that led to it not being used correctly. So very tragic for all concerned, but absolutely nothing has suggested that, when used correctly, this isn't a safe way to Cosleep. I had believed nct withdrew the bedrest, but it turns out they are still for sale and hire in various places.

[frikadela01]

If I was to use a standard cot with the side down what do I do to bridge the gap? Obviously it'll be minimal but is it a case of layering sheets/blankets across the cot and my bed? This is such a bloody minefield.

[WiIdfire]

I wedge a pool noodle wrapped in towels into the gap. Does the trick.