bednest, cots, cotbeds, beds?? Help! I'm confused!!

[pinkcactus]

I'm a first time mum and I'd be really grateful for some advice ..

I'm thinking about getting a bednest for the side of the bed for baby's first few months but once the baby outgrows that should I put him/ her into a small cot or a cotbed and then eventually into a big bed?

thanks for any advice you have.

I chose a moses basket then a cotbed. The beauty of a cotbed is that they can stay in it until they climb out, you don't have to move them out because they get too big.

I've had 5 yrs of use out of the cotbed, first for DS now DD is using it as a toddler bed.

I agree with Meglet. I had a moses basket and then a cot bed. Cotbed will last until they are about 5 as it can be used as a toddler bed once they 'outgrow the cot'. Iyswim.

Ooh I'd definitely get a bed nest if I had my time again instead of a moses basket. It would make co-sleeping in the early days sooo much easier and less stressful. In fact I still regret not forking out for one for DC2 (although she would still be in it now at 1!). The only advantages of a Moses basket are that you can move the Moses basket around the house with you while they are asleep and it's obviously cheaper. And I second the cot bed for after that. Ikea ones are really cheap and have survived toddlers trying to trash them really well!

Think about what you can fit into your bedroom, and how long you want the LO to sleep in your room for - you'd be unlikely to fit a cotbed in your own bedroom (well, depends on your home!) and so you'd need something that will fit in your bedroom for as long as you want baby there, that he/she won't outgrow. (Eg most people would want baby in with you for 6 months - a moses basket will only last up till about 3).
When my ds outgrew his cot at around 2 and a half we got a normal sized single bed - I prefer this to a cotbed as we can lie down with him and even sleep with him if he's ill.

whats a bednest? what about one of those cots that can fit to the side of your bed if you want it to? a co sleeping cot?

never used a moses basket as my babies were big and they would have lasted all ofa few weeks, i use the carrycot part of our pram but we always just co slept and then they went straight to a toddler bed or a single bed :)

Ooh, have just googled bednest and I want one! It looks neater than other 3-sided cots I've seen, but does up to 6 months it says. Not cheap though.

Ooh, have just googled bednest and I want one! It looks neater than other 3-sided cots I've seen, but does up to 6 months it says. Not cheap though.

Wow those bed nests look fab. Wish I had had one. DD hated her Moses basket.

the bed nest looks fab but expensive for something that doenst last long! i would just get a cot that can do the same thing, google bedside cots and there are plenty :)

Thanks a lot everyone .. I agree the bednest looks lovely but is expensive for a few months use. Our LO is likely to be long as we are both tall so I'm not sure how long it would last .. we might just squeeze a cotbed into our room but it would be a bit tight so I'm wondering if I should just go for a small cot in the bedroom and then into a full size single bed after 6months.

I had the bednest for ds1.
The advantage was being able to see him through the side at eye level while lying in bed myself really.

The fold down side is nice too.

We used it as a travel cot too, but only cause DH didn't mind doing the lugging about as its pretty heavy.

Not convinved its really worth the price, though I did pay it for my PFB with hindsight because he fitted in it only to 5 months any standard bedside cot would have been better value.

Pinkcactus I think a normal bed at 7 months would be a disaster, unless your baby is made of rubber!
Inspirachion, if you're still around, do you mind me asking - when you pull the side down does it sort of lie on the bed next to you? I'm trying hard to make it out from the pictures.

Pinkcactus I think a normal bed at 7 months would be a disaster, unless your baby is made of rubber!
Inspirachion, if you're still around, do you mind me asking - when you pull the side down does it sort of lie on the bed next to you? I'm trying hard to make it out from the pictures.

lol igginezerscrooge .. I was thinking about putting a single bed up against one wall and then getting a movable side for the other side .. but maybe that's being optimistic (and I also haven't researched if they're widely available!) .. thanks for your thoughts. Maybe a cotbed would be a better idea!

The bednest seems to get good reviews and it seems to come down to if you can afford it it's great but if not there are other products out there which are just as good (or nearly) ..

Thanks Mrs Dobalina for your suggestion of Ikea cotbeds .. my step-daughter works there so I think that's where we'll go to have a look!

Just to add a normal cot (ie not a cotbed) will take you far beyond 6 months - prob beyond 2, after which the bed idea should work better!

Just to add a normal cot (ie not a cotbed) will take you far beyond 6 months - prob beyond 2, after which the bed idea should work better!

Part of our decision against a cot bed was that we were planning to have more DC soon after (22months between 1st 2, then 19months between 2+3 as it turned out) so wanted them out of cot into 'big' bed quite soon - so a cot bed lasting till they were 5 would have been no good to us as we'd have had to buy 3! youngest is now 18months and quite happy in a bottom bunk