How to you safely manage sleep in a wooden cot with slats?

[MarahCarey]

Am about to switch my 5.5 month old over from a Chicco next to me cot into a cot bed- probably the IKEA one which I've seen recommended on here.

I'm aware that cot bumpers are not advised due to risk of SIDS and I certainly wouldn't choose them since my baby currently buries his head in the mesh at the side of the cot. But how do you manage safely with a cot made from wooden slats? Ie without the baby bashing their head or getting arms stuck, banging their nose, or something? He wriggles a lot in his sleep and often ends up at a right angle with his face pressed into the side. He's big for his age and I'm worried he might hurt himself in a wooden cot but I don't think there are any alternatives and anyway millions of babies must manage ok!

Any advice please? 🙏

DD soon learnt that banging her head off the side hurt so stopped. I think it sounded worse to my mum ears than it actually hurt though. She used to like holding my hand through the bars to go to sleep so that was a cute bonus.

They can't really damage themselves by banging their heads. When limbs get stuck they call you and you sort it.

Although my 14 month old can't stop herself from climbing out (even with her sleeping bag on!) So yeah that's an issue....

My son learnt not to do those things.

He's learnt to pull himself up, and when I go into his room in the morning I see a little, smiling head popping up at the end. Its so cute.

Hes also learnt to bang his dummy off the side of the cot repeatedly at night. Thats less cute.

Hello,

My son was a nightmare with his legs and arms getting stuck between the cot, so we brought a mesh cot bumper. Works perfect and even if he was to lay next to it he can still breath.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BreathableBaby-Mesh-Liner-Twinkle-Sided/dp/B01B1695RU/ref=mpssa114?adgrpid=57313899070&dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIktWosTS7QIVB--tCh038gCLEAAYASAAEgIgADDBwE&hvadid=259095857691&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1006812&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13826527233290640235&hvtargid=kwd-308387722460&hydadcr=29873_1793729&keywords=mesh+cot+bumper&qid=1608122806&sr=8-4&tag=hydrukspg-21
Hope this helps :)

Oh thank you @HollowayL31 that looks good, and presumably not a SIDS risk.

I also had the airwrap mesh cot bumper stuff and still do at 17 months. It stops her dummy falling out of the cot in the night. www.johnlewis.com/airwrap-two-sided-baby-cot-bumper-white/p2155862

They learn to stop bumping into the sides! DD used to sleep vertically across her cot when she went into, even when she was too long really, so I think they like sleeping in awkward positions! Please don't get a cot bumper - it's not just about SIDS. They are also dangerous if they tie on as baby can choke on the ties and they can use them to climb which can be a fall hazard

Mine never learned. We used a sleepyhead but if you don't fancy that, a baby sleeping bag does a good job of preventing legs getting stuck.

Please don't use anything that ties to the cot! Although the fabric may be breathable they can get tangled in the tie bits, it's not worth the risk imo

The mesh bumpers are velcro rather than ties. Or the ones I have anyway.

We also have the air wrap mesh cot bumper as DD was the same in her next2me.
There's no ties for her to become tangled in should it get loose, but in the 6 months we've had them, they've never once come loose, even with her putting her arms up and over the bumper to throw her dummy out (and then complain about lack of said dummy...)

My SIL recommended them to us as she'd used them for her twins who had them for 2 years

Mesh bumpers are still not safe, I know that children have sadly died with thee being used. A clear cot is the only safe cot.

Don’t use anything on the cot. No harm will come from banging the sides. Anything tied to the cot is a disaster waiting to happen. The air mesh/wrap is not safe and not recommended.

They just learn not to. And if they do get a limb stuck, they cry and you go and move it.

I have the IKEA wooden slat bed and my little wriggly baby was absolutely fine. She to this day has never gotten anything caught or stuck in the slats. She was in a baby sleeping bag until a few months back which helps protect her legs but it really wasn't ever an issue.

Seriously, it's fine. I hear random bangs all the time but DS never seems bothered by it. He never cries. And I don't think he's ever got stuck but if he did he'd let me know. The worst thing is him chucking him dummy over the side so you have to crawl under the cot hunting for it at 4am. We call it the dummy graveyard.

You really don't need cot bumpers. I have no idea why they're still on sale in this country

If you Google are mesh cot bumpers safe there are loads of links explaining why they aren't safe - to me it's not worth the risk

I tried that mesh stuff it was a waster of time they just squashed it down

They can't seriously damage themselves from bashing the cot. We hear bangs too when my son rolls over but no marks or bruises ever.

A cot is safest when clear. That means all kinds of bumpers.

I used individual velcro bumpers and spaced them out so there were just 4 on each side of the cot. DS was in a sleeping bag and didn't seem to be able to get his feet stuck, but he did bang his head off the end of the cot a few times which surprisingly didn't seem to bother him at all!

Don’t put anything in the cot, your baby won’t hurt themselves on the bars!!!

They wont hurt themselves onbthe cot bars no matter how much they roll, twist and wriggle. I promise this isn't actually a problem as you will see when you make the change to the cot. A sleeping bag also solves any trapped feet.

The worst thing is him chucking him dummy over the side so you have to crawl under the cot hunting for it at 4am. We call it the dummy graveyard.

Are you me? I genuinely thought we were the only people who affectionately referred to it by that name. 🤣

My eldest 2 were in a standard cot and I don’t remember ever legs etc getting stuck, ds2 used to drop his dummy though but I left a spare for him

Youngest 2 were in cot beds so much more space to move etc - same no suck limbs. I’m sure I used a cot bumper with one of them poss my eldest then advice was an empty cot so the rest just had sleeping bag or blanket nothing else. I’m sure they maybe did bump a head or a nose but unless they are properly going for it I can’t imagine it was hard or painful perhaps kept them away from bars naturally after that.

I did buy lovely patterned sheets so their cots looked nice as can be a bit bare looking but safer non the less.

Don’t use anything! The bars are usually hollow. My son never ever hurt himself and used to bang his head constantly on the bars. It didn’t bother him one bit.

I don't know anyone who has a baby that have hurt themselves on cor slats. There is evidence of babies who have died because of bumpers. You simply do not need them.