Cots, cribs, Moses baskets, poddle pods, Snuzpod...

[sleepybee]

So I'm really confused as to what is really needed for baby to sleep in. Anyone want to share what your plans are?

I have a 2 level house & so far have a carry cot pram & a cot bed. I'm not keen on baskets they just seem too frilly for me. I like the look of the Moba Moses basket & the Snuzpod bedside crib but think it's a bit expensive for only going up to 6 months? Also I don't have a rocker, bouncer chair or a pod thing - are these essential? There's too much choice

we have opted for a travel cot for our room, with a decent mattress.

it lasts for a long time, can be taken anywhere and baby has the comfort of its own bed, once the baby goes to its own room it is useful for the odd night it spends with you and can be used as a play pen when they are older.

our one also came with a bouncer and a changer.

Bouncy chair is very useful, not for sleeping in (mine wouldn't) but for somewhere they can sit and watch what you're doing.

I had a Moses basket first time round, but DD opted to sleep at night only on my chest for the first few months. She napped on me then badly in pram carrycot.

This time I have bought a Sleepyhead. I am intending to use it in my bed for the first few weeks, then in the cot and/or downstairs for naps. We'll see!

trukevoli Have you tried the travel cot for a newborn before for other children? I'd be impressed with putting a newborn down to sleep in a low based cot, it's difficult to do.

sleepybee Your cotbed is perfect from birth in your bedroom. For the perfect setting to make life easiest, take one side off the cot (should be easy, since it is convertible into a bed) and butt the three sided cot up to your side of the bed, same height mattresses. Either stretch a sheet over the gap between bed and cot mattresses, or what I do is tuck a rolled towel down the gap.

This allows for very easy access to baby for night feeds and settling.

In my experience cribs and moses baskets get such little use they are not worth it. But you will need something for baby to sleep in downstairs. Your pram cot will be fine for this.

Bouncy chair brilliant for daytime naps. I would consider a bouncy chair as absolutely essential as a place to get baby to sleep from birth to about 6 months. You need a chair that you can rock with your foot. Not something you need to bend down to rock/bounce.

Fate - I forgot to mention our travel cot has a bassinet that raises it to the same height as a cot bed. And with the thicker mattress in should (in theory) work perfectly.

Check the weight limit on the bassinet for the travel cot. They're not very high and I think the absolute most you'd get out of it is 3 months. DS was 11lbscwhen born and 14lbs by 6 weeks so we never used the bassinet part.

OP another option is a cocoonababy which is a cushion baby sleeps on either in your bed or in the cot. This is my 3rd baby and I just bought one because everyone I know who has had a baby since I had no.2 has one and they all swear by them.

Yes I think the Cocoonababy and the Sleepyhead are the only things that claim to/seem to help babies sleep better. Everything else is a matter of convenience for you.

We tried the "3-sided cot next to bed" arrangement that FATE describes. It was a bit tricky. We had to drill extra holes into the cot so as to be able to adjust the cot base and mattress to match the height of our mattress (the extra holes were possible with our cheapo ikea cot, might not work with other designs). Also had to tie the cot to our bed for safety. In the end DD would only sleep lying on top of me anyway (but that's fairly rare). If you want to co sleep without having the baby in your bed, I agree this could be a much more cost effective route than going for a snuzpod or babybay or any other co sleeper crib but do check the heights match up ok first.

I'm pregnant with my first so my idea may be useless so any mums who want to tell me I am crazy are welcome to comment!

I have a 2 bed flat so no stairs. I have a moses basket for the bedroom but only because the cot we have been gifted doesn't fit into our room very well. I wasn't planning on getting a moses basket (luckily this has been gifted too). I have a seat for the living room just so I have somewhere to put the baby down when I need to do things.

A poddle pod is on my 'want' list. I don't think I really need it but it looks quite comfy and is cheap and I could put the baby next to me on the sofa for naps without having to hold her all the time (I have a shoulder problem so constant holding, I think will be painful for me - well, at least that is my plan!).

Because my flat is small, the pushchair will need to stay in my living room otherwise I will constatntly have to fold it away so I may just put her in that to nap.

I think you have plenty. The cotbed have in your bedroom, will last 5+ years

You have a carrycot part in pram. Use that for baby to sleep in downstairs. Or they can sleep on sheepskin rug/ blanket folded on floor

Baby bouncers/ swings are recommended for baby sleep as they aren't completely flat. And unsafe once baby rolls/ sits as can tip so only last a few months max.

We never had a bouncer/ swing/ pod/ playmat/ baby bath/ monitor/ etc etc and it was fine. So do look at what you have in house first, and remember you can always buy later on if you suddenly think it's needed

I have a moses basket (not frilly) for downstairs and a bednest for our room. Didn't want to be carrying up and down the stairs.
The bednest is expensive (My dad bought it for us) but you can rent one with all the trimmings for 6 months which might be a better option. It arrived yesterday and not built it yet but it does look good quality and very modern rather than frilly (IYSWIM).

I bought a nice bouncer and playmat in sales (£10 each) but wouldn't have bought yet if at full price.