Can you use a moses basket in place of a cot for the first few months?

[miamix]

(x-posted to the puschairs products forum)

Can you?

We're currently in a 1 bed flat and we've been given a beautiful french style (so not a basket) moses basket which fits nicely in the new baby-adapted layout for the bedroom. We'd have to remove a chest of drawers to fit a cot and although we are planning on building storage in the hallway, we haven't the money to do it immediately.

If it is suitable, would I need to get a specially made mattress for it (I assume it is not a standard size), and where would I be able to order one from?

Thank you!

I would have thought it's fine - DS3 was in a baasket & our bed for at least 6 months, & didn't really use his cot until we moved it into DS2's room when DS3 was 1.
No idea where to get a special mattress though - Sorry!

Yes. We actually had a wicker crib that was big enough to last for about 1 year. We kept it next to our bed and when they needed feeding I just reached out and grabbed them. Most of the time they stayed in with us actually.

Try online for a mattress.

Moses baskets supposedly make babies feel more secure, more snug, etc. as they are smaller than cots.

And seeing DD adrift on the vast expanse of her one when we finally put her in it at 4 months, I'd have to agree

Yes, of course. We used moses basket for about 3 months with dd and plan to with this baby.

I think you can get mattresses from John Lewis and Mothercare. Not sure though as I just bought a new moses basket for this baby.

should be fine for a few months, depends on size of baby and basket. my ds was big and outgrew his in 3 months. also a thought, a friend of ours ds, from birth hated being swaddled and woke himself up as he swung his arms out and hit the sides of basket. they had to get a cot pretty sharpish. what are the dimensions for the matress?

Fab, I should really have googled 'custom baby mattresses' ... I found them. Very reasonable too!

You can order bespoke mattresses from babymattressesonline.co.uk - and it works it out cheaper than some standard ones as well!

I've ordered from babymattressesonline.co.uk - they made me a wonderful silver covered one for our travel cot - soooo much nicer than the one provided - I'm so pleased with it - used it for our now 2y old - and will be able to put it in the basinette on the travel cot when our newborn arrives too. Service was fab it was custom made to my measurements and not too expensive either.

Yes you can use a moses basket in the early weeks.

I had a bebeconfort pram top (from a clearance on ebay) that was brand new for £20 and then bought a moses basket stand for it. Very smart and saved space too! Lasted for a good 5 or 6 months as the pram top was a large one.

We used a moses basket for about 10 weeks - only problem is that your baby may outgrow it quite quickly. We used a stanard mamas and papas one and by 10 weeks my DD had no room at all. I liked the basket but think that we would probably have got more use out of a crib as they tend to be longer.

It depends on the size. If its a good size one it will be ok for at least 6 months (until baby can sit) and depending on size might be ok for longer.

As babies sleep on their backs with arms out, often standard size moses baskets can be too small already by 12 weeks. Same for cribs as they are as narrow as moses baskets - is it wider than a standard crib?

It probably won't last long then, MumNWLondon, thanks for the heads up. We'll be getting the cot prior to baby coming anyway so we'll just play it by ear (eye?!) and if she outgrows it very quickly we'll just have to make room!