Mattress for cot too big a gap?!

[Snoozybyebye]

We bought a standard cot and mattress from Wayfair a while back (didn't send back or use before returns time due to personal reasons)

The cot is 120cm x 60cm
It has a little indent at each end so probably measures up 121cm in all.
The mattress is a standard cot mattress and measure 118cm.

Both reputable and supposedly made to fit eachother.
But there's a massive gap (well seems it) of 2+ cm at either end. Baby could put an arm down it easily. If mattress is shunted to one end it's scary and could imagine getting head stuck.

I'm freaking out as I can't afford a new cot, the mattress is standard size so a new one will just have the same problem. Baby is getting too big for basket and I'm running out of time to get this sorted.
Please help. (Sorry posting for traffic!)

Wayfair advertise a mattress 120 x 60 cm. Maybe you just ordered the wrong size for your cot? Or do you mean you bought them as a package? If so then contact them and say they’ve sent the wrong mattress to go with the cot.

Roll a muslin or towel and wedge it in the foot end to make it fit tightly at the top end?

Would this not be a SIDs risk?
We bought it over a year ago so well out of warranty.
It's a standard cot mattress but they are allowed to vary by 1-2cm and thus we have this huge gap.
Even if we order another one I assume it might come up small too.

I wouldn't have thought so, you can tuck blankets under the foot end? Check with your hv or lullaby trust though!

Yeah I have messaged the HV but they've never given good advice ime so not sure what will come of that.

As others have said, pack the ends with something that can't be pulled out (or do the packing and then put a fitted sheet over the whole lot

Or get a bit of wood the right size to put at the foot of the cot and screw it in place to keep the mattress pushed against the head end?

Thanks I will float these to HV to see what is best

I had this with an expensive mamas & papas cotbed mattress. It actually measures 132cm yet the cotbed is 140. We stuffed the gap at the bottom and it's always been ok.
We changed it to the bed position recently and it's really noticeable now. Huge gap that we've stuffed with teddies.
Bought just before lockdown so couldn't return it. Every time I change the bed it pisses me off.

Our baby has an O'baby mattress and the fit is great, nice and tight fitting. Made me realise just how badly fitting the M&P mattress is. Quality isn't good though :(

The HV will probably tell you not to use it!
Like most parenting questions, you'll have to trust your own instincts.

I think screwing a piece of wood in would be safest.

Get a bit of foam cut to the size needed (lots of places online) Velcro foam to existing mattress the cover whole lot with a fitted sheet