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Original poster

Please tell me about new baby sleeping options

26 replies

Brugmansia · 17/10/2012 06:44

We're currently deciding what to get for the baby to sleep in and I'm pretty confused by what seems to be quite a few different options.

From what I've seen so far the main options are Moses basket, bedside cot or crib, co-sleeping or one of those hammock things. Have I missed anything?

I am just looking for different views on advantages and disadvantages on the various things out there. We had been thinking of getting a bedside cot but I'm also intrigued by the hammocks so any thoughts on those in particular would be good.

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xkcdfangirl · 17/10/2012 06:53

We had a bedside cot and it was lovely - all the advantages of bed-sharing without the risks.

We did buy a pair of luggage straps to attach the cot more firmly to our bed as I did worry that it was possible for it to shift enough to create a gap of a baby to get stuck in. Otherwise it was ideal.

We had a moses basket but DS didn't like sleeping in it. Never tried a hammock.

ZuleikaD · 17/10/2012 06:59

The hammock we've got (Amby Nature's Nest) is BRILLIANT. Used it for both DCs and will use it for DC3 in March. Two friends were so impressed by it that they got their own.
Pluses:
It mimicks the rocking motion of being inside and babies settle very quickly.
At night you can just reach out and give it a nudge if they're restless and it will frequently swing them back to sleep
They learn to rock it themselves to go back to sleep
It can be great for reflux because they're sleeping with their heads slightly raised
No flat head
When they outgrow it you can get the jump-jump attachment and they REALLY like jumping. It's good for that phase at about 8m when they can't move themselves around but really badly want to - saves them getting quite so frustrated.

Minuses
If you have a big baby they can outgrow it far quicker than they would a cot (7m and 8m in our cases)
You will still need a cot for them to go into at about 9m or whenever they outgrow it as they will still be too young for a bed.

I really would wholeheartedly recommend it though, and you can get some good secondhand ones on ebay.

mummy2benji · 17/10/2012 07:34

Just to confuse you further, I'm going to say that we used a moses basket for ds until he was big enough to move to a cotbed. The basket was fine and looked cosy, an advantage of it is that it is light and has carry handles - although you shouldn't carry it with baby in it, it is very portable so you can easily pop it in the living room or move it about the house if you want to put baby down but have her near you. It is also the ideal thing for taking to visit relatives, even if you're just going for the afternoon. I've been given a crib this time round and am going to try that this time - I think it will be great for her to sleep in but hope she'll still like the moses basket as that would still be useful for downstairs or visits etc.

PickleSarnie · 17/10/2012 08:37

If you go for a Moses basket, get a cheap one. John Lewis does one for £35 .

My DS1 was in his for 4.5 months but DS2 only lasted 9 weeks before he got wedged in.

zigwig · 17/10/2012 08:51

I've gone for a crib as I felt it would last longer than a Moses basket and from what I read not all babies like the basket. Also it'll take up less space in our room than just using the cot straight away, and I can rock it if needs be. I'm not a fan of the cosleeping idea, I wouldn't feel comfortable with it and I couldn't attach one of those special bedside cots to our bed either. It's just the wrong shape.

MrsJohnDeere · 17/10/2012 08:54

Bog standard cot from day1 here. Moses baskets, cribs etc seem like a pointless waste of money to me, unless space is at a premium.

Zorra · 17/10/2012 09:20

Co-sleeping here (but non drinking/smoking/drugs household, no pets, and a giant king sized bed!) I read Three In A Bed and it really helped my thinking. I do know it's not for everyone though.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 17/10/2012 09:20

Mine both slept in the Moses basket at the side of the bed. This baby will be sleeping in a Graco travel cot with the crib thing on it, just because the Moses basket isn't particularly stable when faced with 2 small children and a strong and very excitable dog, I need to know it won't tip over!
I was considering a rocking cradle, but have already got one of those for downstairs and didn't want to fork out for another, but we dont have a travel cot and they are very useful, so have opted for that.
Besides, both of my babies slept better with the vibrations from their bouncy seat, and the travel cot has vibrating built in.

elizaregina · 17/10/2012 09:47

1st time, moses basket - 1, by bed. carried down stairs ( sans baby in it).

HOrrid having to really sit up and reach over, get baby - feed - you are dropping off but have to again really sit up and put baby back in....

desperatly wanted to keep baby in bed but bed too small and DH too much of a deep sleeper.

THIS TIME - co sleeper - can reach out from bed to get baby - all advantages of co sleeping but baby has own space. Disadvantages - all co sleeping cots seem so expensive even on ebay etc - however they do hold value - i am looking to use mine for three months - then re sell.

ALSO got amazingly lovely mamas and papas moses basket for down stairs.

Advanatages - no lugging any sleeping stuff up and down stairs - and it was £10 FROM a baby sale!!!

It gorg and nothing like I would have been able to afford at full price!

IF she doesnt like it - it was a tenner and i can easily sell it on.

personally - anything that means you can relax in bed without worry and have easy access to baby i wuold highly recomend.

AbbyRue · 17/10/2012 09:49

I got Moses basket off eBay at £10 so bargain but also have a cotbed which will last till DS is 3 or so.

Happy to co sleep too as got a super king bed

Splatt34 · 17/10/2012 10:12

Moses basket on floor at side of bed. had a stand but found it easier to have it on the floor as could turn over & see in rather than sitting up. she grew out of it at about 12 weeks and went into cotbed in her room. by this point she was sleeping through anyway. will do the same this time round

halloweeneyqueeney · 17/10/2012 17:50

my first was in the big cot from the start, at the end of the bed (no space for beside) and we moved our pillows down to that end so it was at our head IYKWIM

our second will be in a bednest

LauraPalmerPlusOne · 17/10/2012 18:01

We're using a cotbed as a co-sleeper. Basically removing one side and attaching to our bed. Then, when we move the baby into his own room we'll add the side again. Then later when he's old enough we'll take the sides off and it will become his first bed.

I originally thought I would get the NCT Nestbed, but this solution does the same thing (+ a whole lot more) and will last a looooooong time.

halloweeneyqueeney · 17/10/2012 18:04

not really the same laura unless you have a fancy cotbed that has a slidey slides, the bednest allows the side to be up easily while you are not in the bed and it easily moves down (with one hand), difficult to do that even with a cotbed that has a slidey side as you'ld have to pull it out from the bed every time? or leave it down all the time even if you are not in the bed

which isn't a major problem, but for the OPs benefit, it's not the same thing

LauraPalmerPlusOne · 17/10/2012 19:04

We've got a fancy cotbed with slide-y sides, so same principal.

BuntyCollocks · 17/10/2012 19:14

We have the miyo baby hammock and LOVE IT. Can't wait for dd to be in it.

LauraPalmerPlusOne · 17/10/2012 19:23

Oops - my message got cut off when I went underground. Was going on to say that our cotbed is being customised to have a soft side that folds down just like the Bednest so the baby sleep on his own as well. (We've got a very skilled designer in the family.)

I'm curious about these hammocks - I've never really looked in to one. And I like that it can transform into a jumper. Are they huge or would it be a good second sleep place for a downstairs room?

LauraPalmerPlusOne · 17/10/2012 19:24

can sleep on his own

halloweeneyqueeney · 17/10/2012 19:27

when I had DC1 lots of people I knew got those baby hammocks, very few used them significantly, none exclusively. They seem to be like baby bouncers in that even if you do get on with them and find them, its for a very short phase

halloweeneyqueeney · 17/10/2012 19:31

find them USEFLUL..

I found my bouncer great, for about 3 weeks, it was a lifesaver for a colicey phase.. but bouncers are cheap and hammocks are expensive, and the people who did find them great for something did only use them for a very short time
(its the amby nature nest that I'm thinking of, they were very "in" around the time I had my first)

also it doesn't sound much, but you pick up your baby countless times and they are a dead weight, and after labour it is hard, and you do need to consider this when looking at baby sleeping options. That is why we wont be using the cotbed by the bed this time, leaning over the side to pick the baby up X amt of times a night was harder than I can explain

LauraPalmerPlusOne · 17/10/2012 19:38

That's exactly why we wanted to go with a co-sleeper set up - one of my friends really struggled with picking up her DD2 after a particularly rough birth.

Thanks for the advice re. jumpers. I didn't realise they've got such a short user span!

greenbananas · 17/10/2012 20:30

I'm planning to co-sleep from the start this time. With DS1, I felt guilty about co-sleeping, like I was somehow failing to get him into a cot or moses basket, but this time I am confident that co-sleeping is safe so I am going for the easy option with lots of cuddles

StateofConfusion · 17/10/2012 20:37

Ds had a moses basket and carrycot on the pram, dd had a crib she never used, she slept in with us --screamed on us, in our bed anywhere we put her and NEVER slept-- ditto her carrycot on the double pram, never used.
Expecting dc3 in 9wks, I have an ambys nature nest, scarred by dds sleep issues and after being recomended it for her and hearing great review after great review I had to get one this time! Also has the carrycot on the bugaboo for downstairs.

Original poster

Brugmansia · 18/10/2012 08:36

Those who like hammocks, how is it for feeding during the night? That's what's putting me off, particularly when contrasted with the advantages of the bednest type set-up. I can imagine stumbling around in the dark half-asleep not managing to pick the baby up as the hammock swings away.

OP posts:

ZuleikaD · 18/10/2012 09:06

A Nature's Nest isn't that swingy - getting the baby out's not really a problem and you can undo the end for easier access. We did use ours exclusively as the baby's sleeping place for the first 9 months but both my (big) babies were starting to grow out of it by then.

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