Buying a cot

[Wobblealong]

Need to get a wriggle on and buy some nursery furniture.
We are looking at the Hastings range from Marks and Spencer. www.marksandspencer.com/hastings-cot-bed/p/p22189958
The cot bed doesn't appear to have adjustable mattress height, is this likely to be a problem? We are planning on keeping our baby in our room with us for the first 6 months, and have rented a bed nest, so she wouldn't be moved into the cot until she was 6 months old (or maybe a bit before then)...
Thanks.

I would have found lack of an adjustable mattress height or a side that comes down a problem I think, cause it makes it harder to transfer the baby from your arms to the cot without waking them up. Depends on what kind of baby you get really, and to a certain extent you work with what equipment you have available. I'd say if you have your heart set on this range go for it, but if there is another contender with adjustable side or height get that one instead. Ikea do some similar ones at good prices, as do John lewis.

Thank you - it's very hard to be practical when you have no idea of the realities of a small baby!

At what kind of age would I expect to drop the mattress height down in any case?

You want to drop the mattress when they can pull themselves up. My son lasted a few weeks in his cot with the mattress up high before he learned to pull up and stand, and it looked dangerous. He'd previously been in the bed nest too (until about 4/5m - he was way too big for it by that point). My friend's son is still in a cot with the mattress up high, and he's one - so it's clearly an individual baby thing.

I'd have struggled without an adjustable base, mine has three heights so stayed at full height until he could sit, then dropped to the lowest when I thought he could flip out when standing. It's back breaking bending down to get a sleepy baby in or out. I'd look elsewhere for something similar which adjusts

Our cot for DS(5) had 2 heights and I still struggled getting him in while sleeping but I'm only 5'2" my DH had no trouble but he's 6'4" and has a longer reach than me. If you can get an adjustable one it does make life easier.

Good point FTR, I suppose it does depend on how tall you are, I'm 5'2 as well so lowering him in without waking him was difficult!

You drop the height to the low one when they start standing up or look like they might climb over it, so depends on the baby and how active they are. That's why I think the ones with the drop sides are better (I wish I'd got one). Also depends on how deep the high up setting is, ours was about mid way down the cot but my friend had quite a shallow one so she'd have needed to drop hers down sooner.

Also, most babies seem to outgrow Moses baskets at about 4/5 months, and even before that you might find you use the cot a bit during the day, especially if it has a cot mobile on it, because its another space to put the baby in to keep them happy and keeps them interested. You might not use the bed nest every time you want to put the baby down when it's awake, eg sometimes you'll put them on your bed, sometimes the sofa, sometimes a play gym etc, so you might use the cot earlier than you think.

Ah, the trials and tribulations of cot buying! Have fun!

Thanks all - such decisions!!

Looking at the photos, it seems like it might actually have three different height settings even though it's not mentioned in the description. Can you see the two sets of (empty) double screw holes in the second picture? They have exactly the same spacing as the screws holding the mattress base in place. I would call M&S and ask them to confirm (although you will probably get some clueless person, so maybe best to ask whether it is displayed on the shop floor anywhere near you and go and check it out in person?).

I can't imagine they would make this kind of cot without different height settings to be honest - it would just be impractical.

Good luck!

One more thing - it doesn't look like the cot has teething rails (plastic protectors) along the long sides. Once babies can stand up they tend to chew on the rail (scratching the paint off and ingesting some of it). This is one that does have teething rails: www.mamasandpapas.com/product-hayworth-furniture-package-ivory/pkha02700/type-i/

Our baby still chewed the unprotected ends a bit though.

I've just googled and I think you can buy teething rails (on Amazon etc) to put on a cot that doesn't have them built in

Thanks SweetPea. I rang them up and they confirmed it does move height. Thanks for the chewing tip - will definitely get some protectors!

Some of the other Markies cots definitely come with teething rails.

My M&S cot has teething rails so check before you buy more x