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Cots and beds

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

Original poster

Cot with removable bars?

20 replies

Minispringroll · 17/07/2016 11:29

Hi,

We are expecting our first baby and I've been starting to look for things we might need. One thing I am struggling to find is a cot with removable bars. Is that just not a done thing in the UK? I've found some lovely ones back home that my parents could organise but it would be difficult to transport over, since they'd have to come by car and my mum doesn't particularly enjoy the 12 hour drive. (Not many stores deliver to the UK.)

So, any ideas where I could get one ?

OP posts:
GlitteryFluff · 17/07/2016 11:32

Not sure exactly what you mean.
Here we have cotbeds, so it's a cot then the whole two sides come off to make it into a bed when they're ready for a bed?

GlitteryFluff · 17/07/2016 11:34

Like this

Cot with removable bars?
Cot with removable bars?
AppleMagic · 17/07/2016 11:38

Do you mean a cot where you can take the bars off on one side on one or more sides to make it like a bed for when they are older? They are really common and called cot beds in UK?

Original poster
Minispringroll · 17/07/2016 11:46

I mean beds where you can remove individual bars (usually three), but the rest of the bars stays on.

Cot with removable bars?
OP posts:
Original poster
Minispringroll · 17/07/2016 11:48

They can usually be turned into normal toddler beds later on, but before the child is ready for those, you only take a few of the bars out. It means they don't fall out while they asleep but can climb in and out of the bed independently (so they don't climb over the top and hurt themselves).

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 17/07/2016 11:54

I'm not sure that sounds safe tbh. I would use a cot bed and then use a bed guard if required once the sides have been removed. Or do what we did and have a cot and then a single bed with bed guard when they are ready for a bigger bed

YouMakeMyDreams · 17/07/2016 12:00

With 3 dc I've never felt I had a bit between cot and even toddler bed. If they were old enough to need to get in and out themselves they were old enough to be in a bed of some sort. Dd and ds1 had a toddler bed ds2 just went straight in a single bed.
It seems a bit unnecessary especially a huge expensive drive from another country for one.

Original poster
Minispringroll · 17/07/2016 12:11

It's perfectly safe...(and I actually thought it was standard for cotbeds until I moved here). It feels a lot safer than the bedguards I have seen here. Confused Might just be about what you are used to and have grown up with...
I'm not sure I'd like the idea of a 2-year old in a single bed...with only a bedguard to stop them from falling out. Hmm The bed's 140x70 anyway, so no need to change beds so early on.

My parents wouldn't drive over just for the bed. They are coming over anyway.
Part of me also wants certain things that I know from home. Our child will have both nationalities and hopefully we'll manage to bring it up bilingually. I'd like it to grow up with things from its "other" home country.

OP posts:
MrsJoeyMaynard · 17/07/2016 12:18

I've never seen a cot like the one you describe.

My DC just went straight into a toddler bed with a part-bedguard. The toddler bed was very low, so not far to fall whenever they did fall out.

Artandco · 17/07/2016 12:18

I'm not sure why you would need that?

Either they need a cot with sides, or they don't.

A cot bed is very low to the floor so if they fell out it would be a few cm onto a rug

We just used a matress on floor and no cot here. Then they are on the floor anyway, and can't hurt themselves getting in and out.

YouMakeMyDreams · 17/07/2016 12:18

Well you'll be even more Hmm at me then because ds2 never gad a bed guard at 2 on a single bed either.
The thing about a toddler bed is that it's so low to the floor that they don't fall out so much as kinda roll onto the floor. I've never used a separate bed guard. The toddler bed had small wooden guards on it. Dd never ever fell out at all. Ds1 kinda rolled out still managing to hold onto his covers and stayed asleep. Ds2 has only fallen out of bed once send he was much older by then anyway.
Just seems a bit unnecessary like I said. If they are old enough to need to get in and out of bed they are old enough for a bed. Hmm

BertieBotts · 17/07/2016 12:27

No, I've never heard of that. I think you'd have to import one if you want it. Or you might be able to improvise one, especially if you didn't mind the bars being gone permanently, you could just saw them out and then sand?

I think there are regulations here which determine the maximum distance between cot bars which are supposed to stop babies getting their heads stuck which can cause strangulation, that might be why.

MHarper · 17/07/2016 15:12

I know what you mean, I use to nanny for a family that had one of those. I think it was by a company called bopita. The middle 3 bars were on springs so easy to take out and put back. It was actually quite useful, it meant he could get into bed himself which meant I didn't have to lift a heavy toddler in and out of the cot. He also liked it as it meant he could climb in and out during the day if he needed to get a teddy or something. It seemed perfectly safe, never had any problems with it and we always put the bars back on when he slept overnight.

BertieBotts · 17/07/2016 21:36

Oh i see, I didn't realise they were designed to be taken in and out nightly. How funny!

beenaroundawhile · 17/07/2016 21:48

What on earth is wrong with bed guards?

We did same as pps, took the side off cotbed when DS was ready at about 24m but used a bed guard at one end, leaving the other open to climb in and out as he wanted. About 6m later (shortly before dc2 arrived) we moved DS to a single bed with same bed guard for familiarity. Never had a problem, meant the transition was easy, especially as he was quite little when he learned how to throw himself over the cot rail... That was what prompted the change

HarlettOScara · 17/07/2016 21:51

I remember my eldest niece's cot having the removable bars. However, she was unscrewing them and escaping long before it was safe for her to be toddling around unsupervised.

Believeitornot · 17/07/2016 21:53

Surely they could get their head stuck in the bigger gap?! My dd moves around so much so I could see that happening

We got ds a very low single bed and used a foam bed guard under his sheet which stopped him rolling off.

Original poster
Minispringroll · 18/07/2016 20:16

Thanks all. I'll continue to keep an eye out. We still have some time before the baby arrives and it's meant to be in a bedside cot to begin with anyway.

Thanks Mommym24 That's the kind of thing I was looking for. I'll have another look at Amazon. I was hoping for one made of solid wood, but something like that might be ok as well. Smile DH wants oak everywhere, which is a tad odd. White fits perfectly fine in a pale green bedroom, in my opinion.

I'm not sure why the child's head would get stuck in a gap that's big enough to fit the whole child through...Confused You are meant to take all three bars out at once.

OP posts:
TheStorkHasLanded · 27/10/2018 03:45

Hi Minispringroll, I've stumbled across your forum question. Maybe its a little late but if your still looking for a cot with removable bars - check this link out! There's a range of cots with removable slip rungs available:

thestorkhaslanded.com/collections/cots

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