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Original poster

I know nothing about babies. Is this cot set up okay?

67 replies

Smorgasborb · 13/11/2021 07:19

We have a small rental cottage and I recently bought a travel cot for guests who have small children. I know nothing about kids so please forgive my ignorance.

It's a pretty sturdy and well made thing but the 'mattress' can only be described as a vinyl covered hard board that creates the base of the cot with a tiny bit of padding. Think a centimetre of thin foamy padding under the vinyl cover.

Is that enough for a baby? Is it a safety feature? Am I supposed to buy a special mattress? I guessed it would be ready to go but frankly it seems hard as a board. Any guidance? I'd hate for guests to arrive and find it unusable but the ad said 'integrated mattress'. Surely buying another big mattress thing means it's not a 'travel cot'?

Also what other bedding should I provide?

Ta.

OP posts:
Original poster
Smorgasborb · 13/11/2021 07:22

It's this one.

www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/babywise-folding-cot/R2144183.html

OP posts:
Kitkatchunkyplease · 13/11/2021 07:24

That's what people expect when you put that you have a travel cot available. I usually take my own travel mattress with me to add to travel cots but I would not expect a holiday home to provide anything more.

IggyAce · 13/11/2021 07:25

Sounds like a normal travel cot to me. Linen wise I’d provide a couple of sheets & a blanket, not sure if you need cot or cot bed size for a travel cot.

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Camomila · 13/11/2021 07:25

You can buy special foam mattresses for travel cots on Amazon - they are only about £25 for a basic one. We have one on top of the plasticky mattress that came with our travelcot. Just make sure they are the exact same length with no gaps for the baby to wedge itself in.

Then a cot fitted sheet over the top. I would also provide a cellular blanket but most parents will bring their childs blanket/sleeping bag they are used to.

LittleGungHo · 13/11/2021 07:26

Yes that is fine. It's a standard travel cot.

You just need to provide a sheet to go over the board. We are currently staying at a Hilton Hotel in London and they gave us a king size sheet which was a pain to get tight over the board but a double is doable if you have nothing else 😊

Camomila · 13/11/2021 07:30

Having said that - for a holiday cottage just the plasticky mattress is probably safer because it's easier to clean/won't trap dust etc.

Original poster
Smorgasborb · 13/11/2021 07:30

Oh brilliant thanks. Yes I have a little sheet a thicker blanket and a cellular one.

Seems I'm good to go. It just seemed rock hard and I didn't know if I was missing something.

OP posts:
PurBal · 13/11/2021 07:32

Little ones are so small they don’t need a mattress that we would consider really comfy. DS hasn’t had a problem sleeping on the thin mattress (and has done so regularly). There was an extra mattress provided at one place we stayed before getting our own travel cot but to be honest it was grim with stains, I’d happily have put him on a sheet on the wipe clean vinyl. I don’t have an extra mattress for ours, defeats the object of it being convenient. I don’t have the space in the car (3 door) or the house.

modgepodge · 13/11/2021 07:35

Our travel cot was a hand me down and came with a foldaway mattress a couple of inches thick - Like you I was shocked when I found out that the piece of board was what was supposed to be used as standard! Whenever we’ve used a hotel cot it’s been like yours and baby slept fine in it 🤷‍♀️

Lots of places specify you have to bring your own linen for a travel cot (we always would anyway as baby is in a baby sleeping bag), as long as you specify this I think it’s fine. Though if an appropriately sized sheet is provided it’s one less thing to pack.

Kpo58 · 13/11/2021 07:39

TBH, it would have been better to buy a standard size cot travel cot.

I've used the small ones before and my 6 month old had already almost grown out of it. It would have been of no use if I had a 12 month old.

Original poster
Smorgasborb · 13/11/2021 07:44

@Kpo58

TBH, it would have been better to buy a standard size cot travel cot.

I've used the small ones before and my 6 month old had already almost grown out of it. It would have been of no use if I had a 12 month old.

Thanks. Is the one I've got not standard size? I'm hoping it's good for up to 2/3 years.

Says it's Suitable for up to 15 kg and 90 Cm child.

OP posts:
ThePlantsitter · 13/11/2021 07:47

Yeah sounds fine and I wouldn't be buying extra mattresses etc as these things are rigourously tested for safety as they are. So just provide a sheet and tell guests to bring other baby bedding.

Wineandroses3 · 13/11/2021 07:47

You need to buy a cot bed mattress! You can get them anywhere Amazon or try Argos. The baby doesn’t sleep on the hard board the cot bed mattresses are sold separately

Liverbird77 · 13/11/2021 07:51

Just to clarify as well, blankets should not be used in cots, just a tight fitted sheet over whatever mattress there is.
Babies/toddler still in cots with sides up should be sleeping in sleep sacks.

CantStartaFireWithoutaSpark · 13/11/2021 07:52

I have a 9 month old, and I would expect a mattress with that and would be pretty peeved to only have the plastic.

So, maybe you should buy a mattress, they are not expensive, a sheet and maybe a waterproof protector so you don’t need to rebuy a mattress.

cowburp · 13/11/2021 07:54

I'd provide a sheet and tell guests to provide other bedding if they want it. The lullaby trust provides more information if you want to check what you have is safe.

LtGreggs · 13/11/2021 07:55

The base it comes with is all you need - you just put sheets on top of that. I would not buy any additional mattress to use, as it will regularly need cleaning and people won't want to use it due to the cleaning issue. The vinyl stuff is wipe clean.

Surprisingly, babies & toddlers don't really seem to care about mattresses. They would generally be as happy to sleep on the floor (on a sheet or towel or similar) as on a bed. Mine would have 'sleepovers' in each others bedrooms and fall asleep on the (carpeted) floor until mid-primary.

MiloAndEddie · 13/11/2021 07:57

Anywhere I’ve ever stayed has provided a travel cot in that form. I bought my own mattress off Amazon that I used to take with me.
Tbh for a rental I’d prefer you didn’t supply a proper mattress, my DC were sicky so would have been a nightmare to clean up someone else’s mattress

HarrisMcCoo · 13/11/2021 08:00

All sufficient for a baby. No need to buy extras OP.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 13/11/2021 08:01

This is going to be one of those personal preference things but what you have is a perfectly good travel cot with a mattress that is sufficient for short term temporary use, so absolutely fine for a rental cottage.

Be very clear in your listing that it is a fold up travel cot with the integrated food up travel cot mattress and tell people they are welcome to bring the their own extra mattress is they prefer.

Doveyouknow · 13/11/2021 08:03

That's what I would expect if I was told there was a travel cot. I wouldn't buy an extra mattress as it will just get dirty.

makelovenotpetrol · 13/11/2021 08:11

You need to buy a mattress!!!! If you've gone to the trouble to buy this you may as well buy something to make it comfortable. In all honesty if I came to stay and knew there was that but no mattress I would either bring all my own stuff anyway or just have baby in bed with me. You really need to buy something to make it comfortable! A baby can't lie on a hard plank!

girlmom21 · 13/11/2021 08:12

Don't buy a mattress. They're not safety tested and if, god forbid, anything happened to a baby sleeping on it you'd be blamed.

If they needed mattresses they'd be sold with them.

makelovenotpetrol · 13/11/2021 08:12

OR you need to make it clear there's no mattress on it and people will need to bring their own . It's not fair to say you've provided things for baby when there's no mattress as I don't know anyone who would have baby sleep without one!

Dollywilde · 13/11/2021 08:18

If you were buying to keep for family and friends I’d say get a mattress, my MIL bought a travel cot and mattress for us to have at hers and we consider it safe because we know where it’s from and DD is the only kid that sleeps on it.

As you’re talking holiday rental the cot you’ve provided is exactly what I’d expect and tbh, I wouldn’t use a further mattress or linens even if provided because I don’t know where they’re from or how many others have slept on them. We always take our own linen and additional mattress (actually, the one we keep at MIL’s!) when we travel. As a PP says, heaven forbid something happened, you don’t want to provide anything with a question mark over safety. Just put ‘standard travel cot (no linens provided)’ on the listing, I think most parents would know what that set up is and if they don’t, they can always ask you in advance.