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Anyone used a Next to Me crib for longer than 6 months?

21 replies

trrk · 16/11/2022 10:10

Did anyone use a Next to Me crib for longer than 6 months? At what point would I have to stop using it, when DD can sit up?

I am wondering what to do after DD turns 6 months as her big cot will not fit in our bedroom (could possibly remove all the chest of drawers but there’s nowhere else to put them either). She will have to stay in our room as the spare room in our flat (currently used by DH as an office) is too damp for anyone to sleep in.

We also have a Maxi Cosi travel cot but the mattress is thin and on the floor which doesn’t seem ideal. It has a bassinet setting too but I assume we can’t use that after 6 months either if she might climb out of it.

Had hoped to be in our own place by 6 months but had a chain fall through for our first purchase and waiting for sellers to find a property on our second so moving to more suitable rental accommodation isn’t really an option either.

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Kingfisher5 · 16/11/2022 10:16

We used for one until about 10 months. My daughters could both sit up from 4/5 months but weren't crawling until around 11 months. We moved them into their own rooms at 6 months but would bring them in to our room during the night if they woke and they'd just sleep the rest of the night in the Next to Me.

Merrow · 16/11/2022 10:18

We didn't because DS outgrew it well before 6 months - probably depends on the centile of your baby how long it lasts. Is your big cot a cot bed? You can get smaller ones - likely some going free / cheap on Facebook or IKEA has a reasonably priced one. I think they'd be fine in the travel cot though.

FlounderingFruitcake · 16/11/2022 10:25

I wouldn’t feel comfortable with any child over 6 months sleeping in a bassinet tbh, maybe at a push if you’re right there cosleeping but definitely not if you’re in another using a monitor for part of the night. Is LO actually bothered by the travel cot mattress? My DD slept in one for a couple of months when we moved and was perfectly happy with it! Also have you looked to see if you can fit a traditional cot/crib which are typically 60x120 rather than a 70x140 cot bed? Ikea Gulliver is a good low cost option if you think this can work.

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trrk · 16/11/2022 10:48

Thanks all for the advice! Our cot is a cot bed which takes the 60 x 120 mattress but the sleigh style design still makes it fairly bulky. It’s currently setup in the living room but she can’t sleep overnight in it as we wouldn’t be able to do anything after she goes to bed. We’ve used the travel cot for a weekend away in the bassinet setting as she is currently 4 months and she slept quite well so we may be able to use the travel cot. I prefer to have her off the floor though in winter (maybe this doesn’t matter?). She is 95% percentile for length (but much less for weight so not very heavy) but still fits fine in the Next to Me so far.

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mydudero · 16/11/2022 11:09

I've just had a look back through photos and worked out that DD was in her next to me until 7.5 months. She went into her big cot for day naps in her own room a few weeks before that, before we moved her in there at night as well. She was definitely sitting by that point but we didn't feel she was ready to be in her own room beforehand, and her cotbed wouldn't have fit in our room.

I was a very light sleeper when she was in with us and would wake at any little sound. I know the advice is against keeping them in a crib when they can sit but it worked for us for a while, though all babies are different.

We also spent a fair amount of time away and I had the same concerns re the travel cot. I bought an extra travel cot size mattress from Amazon which wasn't very expensive, so would put all the bedding on that one and lay it over the one that comes with the travel cot. She's always slept well for us in it.

DappledThings · 16/11/2022 11:11

We used a Snuzpod till 8 months. No idea if size is different to a Next 2 Me but similar design.

MotherOfDragon20 · 16/11/2022 11:33

Definitely too old for a next to me at 6 months. If the travel cot fits just use that on the lowest setting. If your worried about the mattress you could buy something like this….

Mother Nurture Premium Foam Foldable Travel Cot Mattress, White, 95 x 65 x 2.5cm amzn.eu/d/ivHaQU5

we have this exact one for travelling as I thought the mattress felt quite hard and uncomfortable. This travel mattress is great and really makes a difference.

TrudyProud · 16/11/2022 12:33

We moved DD from the next to me to her room and big girl cot this weekend at 7 months exactly. Though the next to me was more snug than ideal we kept using it as it fit in our room and I wasn't ready to move her but on her 7month birthday she pulled herself to standing in the crib and we decided it wasn't worth the risk of her doing it at night and falling out.

If you can't move rooms and DC is outgrowing her crib could you set her cot up in the living room? With a long term solution of sorting out the damp, moving DC to the spare room and getting DH to work from your bedroom? Good luck

couldyoubeeit · 16/11/2022 12:38

We caught our baby trying to climb out of the next-to-me on the monitor. She was about 6 months. That's when we knew we obviously had to move her to a proper cot and she stayed in a big travel cot in the mean time whilst we got it all set up 😂

Imogensmumma · 16/11/2022 13:24

trrk · 16/11/2022 10:48

Thanks all for the advice! Our cot is a cot bed which takes the 60 x 120 mattress but the sleigh style design still makes it fairly bulky. It’s currently setup in the living room but she can’t sleep overnight in it as we wouldn’t be able to do anything after she goes to bed. We’ve used the travel cot for a weekend away in the bassinet setting as she is currently 4 months and she slept quite well so we may be able to use the travel cot. I prefer to have her off the floor though in winter (maybe this doesn’t matter?). She is 95% percentile for length (but much less for weight so not very heavy) but still fits fine in the Next to Me so far.

Could you move your bed into the living area as a temporary measure , make it a bed /day bed … not the best option but an option until you move

PaprikaPlease · 16/11/2022 13:29

Nine months and we had a big baby. We were in a one bedroom flat at the time. Though when we moved out and gave baby own room and cot then immediately slept through the night for first time so not ideal to leave it so late for us!

pbdr · 16/11/2022 13:34

We got a Chicco Next2Me forever at 6 months - it's an extended cosleeper that allegedly can be used up to age 4 (although I leave the side up overnight since my baby started crawling). It's smaller than a full sized cotbed and because it sits against the side of the bed it can squeeze into a smaller space. They are expensive though, £360 if I remember rightly.

Ocampa · 16/11/2022 13:36

Mine stayed in it till 7 months, then she almost fell out.

kikisparks · 16/11/2022 13:38

Think we had her in it until 8 months, once she was pulling to stand and crawling she needed to be in her big cot bed.

Caspianberg · 16/11/2022 13:39

Mine pulled himself up on the Side of the next to me at 5 months. He would have fell out if we weren’t next to him watching. Moved cot in that night.

I would say over 5-6 months it’s just not safe due to them sitting, pulling themselves up etc.
5 months was pulling himself up, 6-8months crawling and walking around furniture, 8.5 months running about!

MrNook · 16/11/2022 13:40

I upgraded to the next to me forever which can be used until 4

ChillysWaterBottle · 16/11/2022 13:40

We did for 7 months but I would get nervous once baby is sitting up. Plus even if baby isn't sitting/pulling up at the moment they suddenly start doing things they weren't yesterday. I agree with PP who suggested buying an extra mattress for the travel cot - we had the same problem with out travel cot (flimsy 'mattress') and had to buy an extra mattress to make it sleepable in.

RedHerring24 · 16/11/2022 15:06

We used ours until DD was about 7months.
The only reason she stayed in our room was because she could only roll from back to front then get stuck face down so I had to spend the majority of the night turning her over.
She was too big for it by 7months so we had to move her into her own room and she slept so well I couldnt believe it.

A travel cot would be fine to use in the short term. Ours had a rock hard mattress so we got another one from Argos which was cheap and comfortable.
Failing that how about Facebook marketplace, Ebay etc for a cheap, or free, small cot?
You may have to move some of your furniture out in the short term to fit it in.

KarenOLantern · 16/11/2022 21:10

Mine was in her Snuzpod until about 8.5 months, as she could sit up but not crawl, and showed no signs of trying to climb out or anything.

Then we moved house and she was in a travel cot for about 6 months after that. The mattress felt really thin but I don't think babies care as much about these things as adults do as she slept absolutely fine in it.

Bobbins2022 · 16/11/2022 21:17

I know someone who is still using it for their 1 year old, for similar reasons!

We moved DD out at 7 months. She's nearly 9 months now and even though she can sit up, she still can't get herself into a sitting position or pull herself up, so I reckon you're OK until that point.

Fleur405 · 16/11/2022 21:23

My 8.5 month old is in her next to me right now. But this morning she had a pretty good go at pulling herself up to stand so all the cot stuff has just been washed and she’s going to have to go in there as of tomorrow. She only just started crawling so thought we had a bit longer!

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