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Original poster

Any safe tips for making a cot more cosy?

17 replies

abigboydidit · 09/04/2013 19:59

DD (11 weeks) is bursting out of her Moses basket & keeps waking herself battering her arms off the side. We've managed to cram her cot in our room but, unlike DS who took to it straight away wearing a growbag, she wont settle in it for more than half an hour.

So ar I have tried putting the Moses in the cot for her to get used to it & putting her in the cot for daytime naps (which has the same problem of her waking after 5/10/15/30 mins).I think it's just not cosey enough for her. In her Moses I swaddle her from the chest down in a blanket (keeping her arms out as she likes them at her ears) & then she gets another cellular blanket tucked over her.

Someone suggested putting a pillow either side of her, under her sheet but I didn't like the sound of that as was worried she'd somehow suffocate Blush. I would appreciate any tips or experiences on how to make the transition. Thanks in advance.

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Hamnvik · 09/04/2013 20:01

Can't you try swaddling her in the cot?

SurreyWithAFringeOnTop · 09/04/2013 20:16

We had the same with our DS, he loved the cosiness in the moses basket and hated the freedom of the cot.

He has now moved successfully from the moses basket to the cot, and this is what we did.

We bought a safababy cot divider, as he likes to push himself up so his head reaches the top, and an airwrap cot bumper so he felt enclosed.

He is in a baby sleeping bag and we also put a thin blanket over the top, tucked in tightly at the sides and bottom, to help him feel secure.

All this has worked for us really well and he is now really happy in the cot (at last!).

Runningblue · 09/04/2013 20:20

Are you swaddling her just the same in the cot?
Is the mattress cosier in the moses basket? Could you warm the cot first with a hot water bottle beforehand?
If the baby isnt moving about could you put the moses basket mattress under the sheet for her to lie on?
....

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SingSongMummy · 09/04/2013 20:20

Have a look at Swaddlepod which is a great halfway house between swaddling and gro bag and they find it really reassuring.

Original poster
abigboydidit · 10/04/2013 02:52

Thanks for the replies and links. Shall try the hot water bottle idea tomorrow as that's a really simple thing which sounds like it could make a big difference!

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mummy2benji · 10/04/2013 18:37

A mobile to hang above the cot that plays some soothing lullabies? Dd2 (5mo) likes her musical cow that I have tied to the wardrobe door handle just above her cot. I also love grobags as they are so cosy and make babies feel secure in them.

Original poster
abigboydidit · 10/04/2013 19:36

Am giving it another try tonight. Been letting her nap in there but using same type of bedding as in Moses. Once I crack that, will try grow bag!

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AppleAndBlackberry · 10/04/2013 20:09

I had a rolled up cellular blanket in a kind of n shape around the top of the cot to make it a bit more cozy. We also used bumpers, which I think are ok for SIDS but you would have to check the most recent advice.

AppleAndBlackberry · 10/04/2013 20:10

oh - the cellular blanket was under the fitted sheet so no danger of suffocation

GingerDoodle · 10/04/2013 20:30

I read placing 2 large towels rolled into a V around the baby helps. Personally we have a large caterpillar toy which I wedged between the bars half way up the cot to place her feet against and then tightly tucked a blanket under our DD (she wears a grow bag).

MoelFammau · 10/04/2013 21:01

DD slept on a sheepskin....

Lucylucy57 · 10/04/2013 21:05

I wrapped a really soft fleecy blanket around the mattress of DS's cot. I think it kept him feeling a bit warmer. He slept much better as a result. We have one of those air flow wraps too for the bars.

Original poster
abigboydidit · 10/04/2013 21:19

Thanks everyone. Just back downstairs from putting her back in her Moses so clearly my attempts aren't working! Will try the rolled up towel/blankets tomorrow and have a fleecy blanket which I can put under the sheet. Fingers crossed..

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Fresh01 · 11/04/2013 20:21

Are the cot sheets smooth cotton or flannelette? My DC3 didn't like being put in the cot in winter on smooth (normal) cotton sheets as they were cool when his face touched it. Swapped to flannelette sheets that feel warmer to touch and he settled fine.

Misty9 · 11/04/2013 20:26

As others have said, ds didn't like the coolness of the cot sheet so I got a large piece of fleece (leftover from making nappy liners!) and tucked it into cot, across the middle of the mattress and tucked under. Seemed to help.

Original poster
abigboydidit · 15/04/2013 04:10

Thanks everyone. In the end I changed the sheet to a flannelette one to make things warmer and used my pregnancy banana-shaped pillow underneath the sheet to split the cot in 2 & bring the sides in/higher. Also continued to swaddle her in same way, with blanket over top. Took a lot of fiddling about but that combination has worked Thanks. Now just need to attemp to introduce the grow bag...

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abigboydidit · 18/04/2013 19:16

Have given up & gone back to the Moses! Guess I have to accept she isn't ready even if she's at risk of stunting her growth by being crammed in

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