Having a c-section - did people use a moses basket for baby or straight into cot?

[dontevenblink]

I'm due to have a c-section with my 4th dc (it'll be my 2nd section) at the beginning of September and I'm having trouble deciding what to put the baby in to sleep from a newborn. We did have a bassinet for dc3 a bit like this www.babycity.co.nz/milano-standard-bassinet-spots.html which is what most people have here in NZ, but sold it afterwards as weren't planning on any more dc

I'm now trying to decide whether I should spend out to get another bassinet (but we are on a tight budget) or whether I should just put the baby straight into the cot. The only thing I'm struggling with about the cot is that although it has a bassinet height setting the sides of the cot do not drop, they are fixed, so I am worried about having to lift the baby in and out of the cot in the night, as I will breastfeed. I know getting in and out of bed every time the baby woke up would have been a bit painful, so am wondering if it will be too hard this time.

I did think about taking the side of the cot off and putting it against the bed, but then I realised I wouldn't be able to get in and out of the bed...

So what did other people who have had a C-section do? Did anyone go straight to cot? I would love a bedside cot but they do not seem to sell anything like that here in NZ, it just seems to be the option between a bassinet or possibly a moses (but they are really expensive here) or going straight into the cot...

Any advice gratefully received :)

I have had 3 sections.With the first two I used a moses basket on a stand at my bedside but with twins straight to cot.
I simply lowered the side and put it up against my bed and put a piece of board under my mattress and the cot mattress so it didn't slip .I crawled out the end of the bed . Most of the time they ended up asleep on me so DH moved to the spare room. Then I wedge the cot between the bed and the wall and got our his side.
Good luck.

I have an arms reach co-sleeper (cot sized) I used it for 2 years with my first and just had a CS with my second and it was invaluable. I told my dsis to get one too and she ended up with a CS too and loved it so I would just take the side of the cot off for now and put it back on once the baby starts to roll as this would effectively function the same (make sure it can't pull away from the side of the bed though the arms reach has a strap but you could easily imitate this). I worried about getting out of bed too when the co-sleeper was in place but in fact it was easy. No need to buy anything new.

I put my twins in the cot, with the side off and pushed to the side of the bed. I got out of the bed at the end or at the other side.

I also put them in a travel cot with bassinet. Travel cots tend to be lower than normal cots, and with the bassinet thing inside it, it was easy to pick up the babies.

Good luck!

Straight into a cot.

I found I could get DD out of her Moses basket but couldn't face putting her back in so we ended up cosleeping. I think next time I would pull the cot right up against our bed and take the side off as lucy suggests.

www.amby.co.uk/

I used an Amby hammock- total life saver- could have it right next to the bed and so easy to lift in and out, could pull it right onto the bed and then carefully lower it.

Plus Ds2 slept so well in it, he was totally breast feed but dropped his night feeds much quicker than Ds1, I'm sure it was partly different characters but the hammock was clearly very soothing as well.

we've now got a super king size bed. I think this time I will go for more co sleeping rather than Moses and use that for back up.

I mostly woke dh to fetch them both previous times until it was easier for me to get in And out of bed.

Can you borrow or get a second hand moses basket and just get a new matress. They are handy as you can easily move them to downstairs for daytime in the first few weeks.

Thanks for all the suggestions :) I like the idea of taking the side of the cot off and moving it against the bed as I co-slept with dc1 and dc3 for a bit and I know I would find it much easier with the breastfeeding and C-section. My main worry was having to crawl to the end of the bed to get out - those of you that did that did you find it painful to do that or was it ok?

It is pretty impossible unfortunately to get smaller co-sleepers/bednests here in NZ, unless you want to spend a small fortune - it is at times like this I miss the choice of being in the UK! Moses baskets are really expensive here, although I do keep checking on the NZ equivalent of ebay to see if there is one second hand. The bassinets are quite high which I found a bit annoying last time as I still ended up having to half get out the bed to get dc3 out... And no bassinet on my travel cot unfortunately 'QTPie* but we do have a good changing table :)

Oh and having something for downstairs isn't a problem fruitpastille as our house is all on one level (pretty normal here) and our bedroom is very close to the lounge. I do love moses baskets though, just can't justify the cost!

Very interested to hear how people found getting out of the end of the bed when they had a cot against the bed :)

I used a normal cot but put the short end up against my bed, so level with my head and put Ds in it lying across the way. So I just had to sit up (shuffle up) and lean to the side to pick him up. He fit that way round until he was about ten weeks old I think.

I just co-slept. I had the bed against the wall though so still had to get out the end of it. It was fine. I had easy recoveries both times though and no problems moving round.

Thanks for all help so far! Might keep an eye out for a cheap second hand moses basket and if I can't find one I'll go for the cot against the bed idea and see how I get on :)

Boot DH out of the marital bed until you are comfortable lifting DC4 in and out of a cot at bassinet height? Or better still - put the cot on his side of the bed so he has to take the baby to you for every feed.

I think that moses baskets are usually v low down. If your cot has a nice high level that would be preferable I think.

We have a superking size bed and we got a sort of bumper with a mattress called a 'Sleepyhead' which is sold at John Lewis and Amazon. It's worked very well so far, mostly in our bed but also on the sofa. It can also travel quite easily so trips to grandparents where naps might be needed are sorted. It will also fit into the cotbed so will be a familiar environment to ease that transition.. She hopes

Although you may want to take my advice with a pinch of salt as DD is only 5 days...

Could you use a pram/carrycot beside your bed for the first few weeks? If you have one already it might be an option. I used a Moses basket because the buggy I got didn't have a carrycot included but I had decided I'd get one or the other and use for sleep until DD went into a cot.