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This topic is for discussing cots and beds. We've spent weeks researching and testing newborn beds in real homes with real families.

This topic is for discussing cots and beds. We've spent weeks researching and testing newborn beds in real homes with real families.

Cots and beds

Can I put my newborn baby in a cot?

20 replies

Jasminxo · 05/01/2015 11:39

Hi there,

I'm expecting my daughter in April and my husband and I are looking at furniture this week to put in her nursery.

Our health Visitor advised us not to let our daughter sleep in our room which we both feel a bit uncomfortable about?

I'm a first time mum and I'm looking at buying furniture from Mamas and Papas as I've brought most of her stuff from there and it seems to be good quality so far.

www.mamasandpapas.com/product-ashford-3-piece-set-walnut/raah02600/type-i/

something along the lines of this, or would I need a moses basket?
I want to buy her bed and bedding etc this week and was wondering if a cot is advisable for a newborn has anyone done this before? We would ask our health visitor but my husband and I just don't feel comfortable asking her...

Many thanks :)

OP posts:

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BathshebaDarkstone · 05/01/2015 14:27

Yes a newborn's fine in a cot, make sure her feet are at the foot of the cot so she can't slip down under the blankets.

Jasminxo · 05/01/2015 14:01

We're not smokers :)

thanks for all your advice, it's so comforting to know many of you used a cot as well! I'm always doubting myself with what to use, and what's going to be best for my baby! I'll probably end up using the moses basket as many of you have said it's come in to great use :) and then hopefully use the cot too!

Thank you :)

OP posts:

MaximumVolume · 05/01/2015 13:35

Yep, my DS was straight into a cot. We were given a 2nd hand Moses basket, but the stand was quite rickety (I was concerned about knocking it over in the dark whilst sleep deprived!), so I wanted to get a new stand, then couldn't find the right one and then baby arrived so he went into the cot, across the bottom rather than lengthways.

Bilberry · 05/01/2015 13:22

Are you smokers? That might be a reason you were told not to sleep in the same room? If so, giving up would be better for everyone and you should have been offered advice to do so.

Otherwise, in your room and in the cot is fine. Remember feet to foot; you need to put you baby at the bottom of the cot so it can't slip under the bedding. Grow bags are great.

steppeinginto2015 · 05/01/2015 13:20

we used a moses basket for a few weeks, (was handy right against the bed for night time feeds)

but dcs were all big and we soon just moved cot next to the bed so they had enough space to stretch their arms out. Wasn't as handy as the moses basket though, but more comfy for the baby

Knottyknitter · 05/01/2015 13:10

Didn't really fancy a Moses basket, but we were given dsils one so will use that instead of my initial thought if a cosleeper crib. Will still be in our room at night, then either bring it down or use pram for daytime naps.

After that's outgrown we will move into cot bed in nursery.

eurochick · 05/01/2015 12:09

As others have said the advice is to have the baby in the same room as you for all sleep, including naps, for the first six months. Maybe the HV was advising you not to share a bed? This is not recommended officially although many people do it and there is advice out there on how to do it safely.

We have hired a bednest (sidecar crib) for the first six months.

Mrsgrumble · 05/01/2015 12:03

Definitely keep baby in your room until six months

I have two under a year and half and this is defo recommended. Feet to bottom of cot, arms free. Cellular blankets preferable and layer

We used Moses basket with dc 1 but grew to big by four months.

This time we took the side off ikea cot and made it into a co sleeper

VeloWoman · 05/01/2015 11:59

If you are wanting to breastfeed I would strongly suggest either having the Moses basket next to your bed or hiring a bedside co sleeping cradle from the nct, that way you don't have to get out of bed to feed your baby (which is important since you will be recovering from birth and trying to establish breastfeeding at the same time), having the baby in the same room as you is also safer from a SIDS perspective.

Jasminxo · 05/01/2015 11:58

We have a fairly big room, so there's no issue putting the cot in our room :) Like i said, we do have a moses basket, though, they look so delicate that i'm petrified that I'll put my daughter in there and it will collapse...

we have put a complaint in and we are getting a new HV sometime this week i believe. So hopefully, she's not as intimidating... I mean the HV we've got now, she is nice but i just can't ask her anything because I'm so scared she's just going to laugh at me.

OP posts:

RoundYonPreMadonna · 05/01/2015 11:57

Your health visitor is talking shit. Babies need to be sleeping next to their mothers for at least the first 6 months. Whether in a bed, cot, basket, drawer or box.

Christelle2207 · 05/01/2015 11:56

Very poor advice baby should be with you from birth until 6 months though I and many I know started putting them in their own room from about 3 months. A cot is fine but most people find a basket more practical as you can move it easily aroubd the house depending on where you are. They are small though so you'll probably want something bigger at 3/4 months.

WowserBowser · 05/01/2015 11:54

Ds loved his. We had to move him out of it when he was 3 months as he got too big.

Can the cot fit in your bedroom? I am not a worrier but bloody hell, when ds arrived I did! I wanted to hear him breathing.

Can you ask for another HV?

Micah · 05/01/2015 11:54

Mine both went into a cot, in our room, from birth-6 months. Was fine :). If it suits you go for it.

Current sids advice is to keep baby in your room. Hv is talking bollocks and in fact I'd report her if she's giving such incorrect advice.

Jasminxo · 05/01/2015 11:52

I don't feel comfortable around my HV, so when she says something I don't normally question it; I feel intimidated when she comes round so it could have well been I wasn't really listening to her, which is bad, I know!

My parents-in-law have brought us a moses basket, and that's in our room at the moment... I wanted a cot too, because I'm not too sure about a moses basket?

OP posts:

EmmaGellerGreen · 05/01/2015 11:49

That seems to be very poor advice from your HV and contrary to guidelines.

WowserBowser · 05/01/2015 11:48

Where would you prefer to have your baby?

I had no clue until Ds arrived what we would do with the cot etc.

He ended up in a moses basket. I had it downstairs during the day and then at night it was on a stand next to my side of the bed.

ProfessorPickles · 05/01/2015 11:44

Did your HV give a reason why your baby shouldn't share a room with you?

Is it possible you misheard?

ProbablyMe · 05/01/2015 11:43

Yep. NHS advice is that baby should sleep in the same room, both day and night, until 6 months.www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/getting-baby-to-sleep.aspx

ProbablyMe · 05/01/2015 11:41

I thought the advice was for babies to sleep in the same room for the first 6 months? I'll go and check!!

A cot will be fine though.

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