Do I need both cot and Moses basket?

[Misslemon01]

Do we need a Moses basket as well as a cot for our baby when they arrive? We were thinking of getting a cot for the bedroom, but not sure if the baby would sleep there during the day as well as night, or in a more portable Moses basket during the day?

[ginandnappies]

We have both. Moses basket stays in living room and it’s just easier.

[snackarella]

We use a Moses basket for the first few months - have a stand upstairs and one downstairs so we can port it to either room.
Cot comes out when Moses basket is too small!

[Misslemon01]

Thanks for this! @snackarella when does the Moses basket get too small? And do we absolutely need a stand? We’re in a small house in central London...

[AlohaMama]

Well you don't need both and many people don't. But it's pretty handy. We didnt have a stand but put it on the floor by our bed at night and then around the house in the day. It will probably last around 4 months or so. Plenty of people sell then second hand and you can get replacement mattresses. Alternatively if you don't want to bother you can always set up a travel cot downstairs. But moses baskets are nice and snug.

[dramallamakarma]

Your baby needs to sleep in your room for the first 6 months (ish) so you’ll need something that fits in there whether it be a Moses/crib/cot.

Is your pram safe for daytime sleeps downstairs?

[RaeCJ82]

I was going to say about your pram. The one we chose for DD had a carrycot that could be used for overnight sleeping. We borrowed a Moses basket for downstairs but she very rarely used it and by about 4 months had outgrown it (but she was 58cm at birth, so pretty long to begin with).

[crazycatlady5]

Best set up for us was normal cot with the side off, and a sleepyhead. Baby slept in sleepyhead for most sleeps until 8 months old x

[snackarella]

@Misslemon01 we only had a stand because we have dogs but I guess you don’t need one.
I think mine lasted about 3 months but I did have a little one!

[Sparrowlegs248]

Neither of mine ever settled in the moses basket. And they were both huge so would have outgrown very quickly.

[demirose87]

I've always used a Moses basket until they outgrew it, then bought the cot.

[Wait4nothing]

We had a Moses basket upstairs and used the pram carrycot downstairs (suitable for overnight sleeping but only used it for that when away from home).
Ours lasted until 3.5-4 months then she was touching both ends.
Only at that stage did we build the cot (initially in our room then moved it to hers at 6 months)
It meant we weren’t trying to get around multiple bits of unused furniture.

[BelafonteRavenclaw]

We had both. Moses basket stayed in the living room and we used it during the day. They slept in their cot at night.

[Migraleve]

I never had a Moses basket. I went for a swinging crib because they are not outgrown so quickly. Daytime babies slept in the bouncer or pram.

[TittyGolightly]

Never had a Moses basket. We co-slept at night and naps were in bouncy chair or pram. Had a hammock for when she was bigger but still in with us and cot from about 9-18 months. She went into a full size single at 18 months.

Your baby should not sleep alone for 6 months. So no naps in the cot upstairs if you aren’t with them.

[dustinclockwatcher]

I my experience the baby will only sleep on you in the day anyway! I had a Moses basket as well as a cot and both DCs spent a total of about 10 minutes in it! I wouldn't bother. Just get a cot for your room. A sleepyhead is good for downstairs. They would sleep in that. And you can just pop that on the sofa. And in the cot upstairs if it's big enough. (They don't fit in Moses baskets)

[Misslemon01]

The sleepyhead looks great, but omg how expensive! (£120 Amazon) I feel like the baby would outgrow that quite quickly too? Maybe a bouncy chair is the solution...

[ChocolateRaisin]

A sleepyhead should last until baby is approx 8 months, so will last a lot longer than a moses basket.

We’ve got a sleepyhead for downstairs and night time, it will go in our Chico next to me crib at night. It is expensive but I think it is worth it for the flexibility and how well babies seem to sleep in them.

[Sparrowlegs248]

My huge ds2 has just outgrown his sleepyhead at 9 months . He's massive. 10lb13 at birth and in 12-18 month clothes. Well worth the money. It's been used daily.

[Misslemon01]

Thanks guys. Would you say a sleepyhead is worth it over a bouncy chair then? I’m really keen to minimise the amount of equipment... unfortunately the pram/pushchair I really like the look of isn’t a detachable seat as well (Babyzen Yoyo+ it’s so compact!)

[ThursdayLastWeek]

My baby didnt sleep any better in a sleepyhead. In fact, I think he was a bit reflux and being stuck on his back made him worse! Just FYI as they’re a lot of money.

Far easier/cheaper to pick up a second hand Moses basket as a first option.

[TittyGolightly]

Cheaper still to just bedshare (safely).

[FATEdestiny]

My vote is for a bouncy chair downstairs, cot upstairs.

[dustinclockwatcher]

If you do a bouncy chair, I highly recommend the baby bjorn one. I didn't get one for DC1, I bought a different brand, and really regretted it. A friend had the baby bjorn one and it was much better than mine. Easy to get baby in and out, properly secure and just the right angle. And easy to bounce.

[AMagdalena]

My DD will only nap on me during the day, so I glad we never got a Moses basket or anything else. She has her cot upstairs and that's about it.

[AMagdalena]

And yes a bouncy chair is a good investment even if you don't want yoyr LO to sleep in one.