Looking for a very specific cot

[Serenissima123]

We're expecting our first baby, and our flat is quite small. I'm trying to find a cot that starts small but can be extended to a bed for maybe a 5 year old. The only one I can find is Alma Bloom Mini+ with the extension kit, which looks great, but it's so expensive! Are there any affordable, compact cots that extend as the baby grows? I can see plenty of cots which convert into child beds, but they start off big and you just remove the sides. I'm looking for one that starts off small and can be lengthened later.

Might be cheaper or get a space saving cot and then a bed later. If you are planning on having two children then you would want to reuse the cot for the second.

There is no way my five year old would fit into a toddler

The Stokke Sleepi crib does this sort of thing but it's very much not cheap - however, I did get one on eBay for a lot less than the actual price. And it's really pretty!

They are pretty expensive as you would need to get a new bigger mattress each time as well.

Tbh I would recommend the IKEA cot bed with drawers under. The drawers provide storage, and it’s 70 x140 mattress so should last until 4/5 depending on child.
We had a small side crib first, but Ds has been able to climb out off it from 5/6 months as could crawl over! So he’s been in cot bed since. Now 1 year and it’s a perfect size, any smaller and whilst they are at moving everywhere whilst asleep stage it would be too small.

My advice is don't invest into any expensive crib/cot systems until your baby is here. Many parents end up co-sleeping with their babies, even those that previously swore they never would. See how things go and you'll know better what you need. We had a Chicco next to me crib which was little more than an expensive side table.

We had the Stokke Sleepi in our tiny flat. It was fab. Not cheap but very practical.

@Frezia

My advice is don't invest into any expensive crib/cot systems until your baby is here. Many parents end up co-sleeping with their babies, even those that previously swore they never would. See how things go and you'll know better what you need. We had a Chicco next to me crib which was little more than an expensive side table.

I agree with this, our lovely cot bed has had hardly any use and DD is in with me. Definitely not what I planned but it’s the only way I get any sleep at all!

We have a Leander which we're about to sell as DD is 5 and wants a "proper big bed". It's been great, it's seen us through two kids. It starts as a cot then converts to a toddler bed. (If you're in London and might be interested in it, let me know!)

By the time you factor in mattresses etc, I'd also recommend just buying a separate smaller crib and bigger cot/bed.

We used a moses basket for DS1 for all of two months, then the cot bed. We bought him a toddler bed second hand when he was 2 when DS2 was born. DS2 had a next to me then went into the cot bed. We never took the sides off the cot bed for either of them. We then got big bed for DS1 and put DS2 in the toddler bed. We sold everything on once it was no longer needed. The toddler bed frame we bought off a friend for £25 and got a new mattress for the cot bed. It worked out much cheaper than buying brand new.

We've also got the Stokke Sleepi - DS is 2.5 and we've just bought the largest extension kit, he loves it. It is expensive overall, but as you buy it bit by bit it helps to spread the cost.

Just buy a cheap cot from IKEA and put a decent mattress in it, then upgrade to a toddler bed when you need to. The cot will work for a while. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just functional and safe. I can’t imagine it’ll cost more than paying out for a specialist expanding cot.

You have no idea what your baby will do. You might end up cosleeping, you might end up using a floor bed, you might move the straight from a cot to a single bed with a bed guard.

This sounds like one of those things that you think you need, spend a load of money on and then regret it in 12 months time because it doesn’t get used or wasn’t necessary.

@FizzingWhizzbee123

Just buy a cheap cot from IKEA and put a decent mattress in it, then upgrade to a toddler bed when you need to. The cot will work for a while. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just functional and safe. I can’t imagine it’ll cost more than paying out for a specialist expanding cot.

You have no idea what your baby will do. You might end up cosleeping, you might end up using a floor bed, you might move the straight from a cot to a single bed with a bed guard.

This sounds like one of those things that you think you need, spend a load of money on and then regret it in 12 months time because it doesn’t get used or wasn’t necessary.

Yes upon reflection I think you're all right. Especially as we want more children so we might be reusing the cot by the time the first is a toddler. Thanks for your honesty, everyone!