Can I ask about cots? sleeping arrangements etc

[owltrousers]

Hello!

Trying to plan ahead a bit as this will be our first baby. My parents have offered to buy us our travel system and my DH's parents have offered to buy any cots/moses baskets/cribs we might want.

My initial thought was to have a bedside crib with a drop down side like a Snuzpod and then a 'proper' cot for later on but DH thinks its a bit of a waste to have an expensive Snuzpod when really we can make do with a hand me down moses basket for 6 months. I personally like the idea of almost-co-sleeping and being able to reach to the baby for night feeds etc.

Is there such thing as a cot that sees them all the way through? What did you use/ get on with best?

Sorry for the complete noob question, trying to feel my way through!

Lots of cots or cotbeds can drop one side off and be attached to the bed, there's an Ikea one that a lot of parents I know use. There's various ways to attach them, google Ikea cosleeping hack. We bought a beautiful cotbed but turned out it doesn't work with one side on, so we had to use a stupid set up of it in toddler bed mode pushed up against ours that has never really worked in the two years it's been there!

I will say that for many people, the Moses basket doesn't last for 6 months.

We bought a crib because it was bigger than a Moses basket. We didn't think the Moses basket would last, but the crib offered more space.

Still had to move DD out of our room at 12 weeks because she outgrew the crib and we couldn't fit a full cot in our room.

Don't know if the proper bedside cribs are bigger than a traditional crib, but I always said that if I had another baby I'd definitely get one as I loved the idea of the extra closeness (and convenience). I regret not getting one with DD, as we're not going to have another and I would have liked that experience.

A moses basket is unlikely to last you 6 months, 2 to 3 months is more likely!

We have the John Lewis Rachel cot bed which converts to a toddler bed later, we bought the frame 2nd hand off ebay for about 15 pounds and got a new mattress. We have one side off and have it next to our bed. If you have the space, it works really well. I don't know if other convertible cot beds will also be OK to take the side off. When DD was tiny we put a sleepyhead on the cot bed.

I was planning on buying Chicco next to me but as time went in and thought about I realised I don't really need that as a- it's not that cheap b - baby will only sleep in it for first 6 months or so... so decided to go for a cot that will last just a little longer.. lots of cots have drop side and we've gone for John Lewis Eric cot.. it was £79 plus mattress cost was £102 in sale at mothercare.. we went for best quality mattress for new baby.

Hope this is of help and congratulations on your baby x

I just took the side off my normal sized cot (many cots have this function so that it can be turned into a bed when they outgrow the cot.)

And then I put that up against my bed, wedged between the wall and my bed. Luckily, it was exactly the same height as my bed so it was just as if we were co sleeping but with more space.

I had a Moses basket for downstairs, a Chicco Next to Me for my bedroom, and a cot set up in dd's room.... and she's co-slept with me since the beginning 😂 We did use the Moses basket for daytime naps until she was about 4 months though, and she will occasionally tolerate the Next to Me, as long as I'm right next to her.
It depends on space, wether you're breastfeeding or not and how long you want baby in with you. Possibility of buying a full size cot with the ability to take off a side for the beginning is a good idea. Could use a sleepyhead inside so it doesn't feel like such a huge space for baby initially.

Moses basket only lasted 2 months here.

Chicco next to me looking likely to make it to about 8 months. It has been a lifesaver in the early months, particularly when bf.

Next to me is now in his own room whilst we decide what next. (obviously some kind of cot!)

A Moses basket is only likely to last about 4 months so if you want to keep baby in your room until 6 months as is recommended, you'll need to think about what you do for those last 2 or so months.

We went for a crib in our room for the first 6 months and then a cot in her room which she moved into just after 6 months. We did find that she wouldn't sleep anywhere for the first few weeks though, and resorted to using the pram carrycot which helped a bit.

I have friends who use co sleepers and love them. I thought that there might be an easier transition from a crib to a cot rather than from a co sleeper to a cot, and it has worked well for us.

Thank you everyone! Lots to think about.

It hadn't occurred to me that you could take off the side of a big cot in that way, I think this is definitely worth considering, although space might be an issue for us.

With the next-to-your-bed options, I always worry that the baby will somehow roll off or fall on the floor, I'm guessing this just doesn't happen or else it wouldn't be so popular.

The issue with Moses baskets is that some babies are too big for them for a long period of time. My son was touching both ends by 4 weeks.

The baby can't roll off or fall if you have something with a dropped side up against or attached to the bed?

I'm getting a second hand Next2Me from a friend, so I know it's been well looked after. A new mattress for it is only £20. She said it was invaluable her. Yes you might only get six months out of it, but that's a lot of long nights so I'm up for anything which makes it a bit easier. Co-sleeper cots are quite expensive new.

You can hire Bednest cosleepers. We did. There have been some utter tragedies with them (which I wasn't aware of when I hired one) but these have been associated with unsafe use - having the unit at far too steep an angle, or leaving the side half folded (which you can't do now anyway, they modified them). Ds slept well in his, then moved straight into a cot bed. I wouldn't hesitate to hire another.

We got nearly nine months out of the Next to Me. The big problem was when he started pulling himself up on it as the sides are quite low. The Moses basket only lasted about a month before he decided he didn't like it for some reason. Ended up using the pram downstairs for daytime sleeps.

I'd say see how you go first. We have a cot for when dd is bigger and a Moses basket. We found v early on that she didn't sleep too well in her Moses basket and I found it awkward taking her out and putting her back in throughout the night for feeding. A few weeks after she was born I decided to get a chicco next to me and she sleeps so much better as the mattress is a lot more comfortable. I guess it will depend on your baby though.

You need to look at length of Moses baskets. Some are smaller then others

Dd 12w is still in hers in our room - with a bit of room and she is long legged

Many grow out 6/8w if buy smaller Moses basket

Guidelines state 6mths so some do have a 4/8w period of where to go. You could put mattress on floor so no basket for legs /arms to hit - what usually wakes up baby

Or use a travel cot if space

Or if no room and many people don't have huge bedrooms then if in own bedroom 4mths ish then I recommend using an angel

I expected to use a Moses basket and after a week it never got used again, firstly because I birthed a giant and he barely fit and secondly we got a co-sleeper crib which was a complete godsend and meant I could feed lying down for the first six months. Still have it and have lent out to friends who've all said the same, but know I could sell it on as they keep their value. HTH!

DS1 we inherited a beautiful family heirloom Moses basket.

It was a flipping nightmare, too small and DS was bashing limbs off the side and waking up after 4 months he moved to his big cot.

Next time we're buying a co-sleeping cot and the Moses basket will be kept downstairs

We gave up on the Moses basket we were given after about two weeks - and ds was under 6lbs when he was born! Bought a snuzpod and he was in that until he moved into a cot bed in his own room when he was 8 months old. Can't recommend the snuzpod enough!

I have my eye on the Chico next 2 me.
PG with DC2 and I still recall how clingy DC1 was for the first months and how hard postpartum recovery was for me and despite having a Moses basket (which felt really flimsy despite being a mothercare one) we ended up co sleeping for about 6 months as after night feeds the movement of lifting him into it would unsettle and wake him. Not to mention I found it exhausting for some reason lack of sleep.
This time I think it will make a huge difference to just be able to lay baby down next to me but without the stiff body back in the morning from not moving all night in fear of squishing them.

And IRDC if it's a bit expensive I'm hoping the sleep I get from it will be more than worth it.

We haven't had any trouble with rolling off the cot bed and onto as our mattress is about an inch higher. She's 7.5 months and sort of mobile but not very fast. We have a video camera on her when we're out the room so would spot her moving, she wakes up slowly and cries for us rather than moving anyway. She'd have to crawl the entire width of our double bed to get to the edge, at the point at which she can do it quickly well put the side back on but she's several months off that yet.

With DS we had a bednest. He started rolling lots quite early and with it at exactly the same height as our mattress did get out. We just put the side up when we weren't there. The bednest folds flat so you can travel with it, but long DS grew out of it by 5 months. I know the next 2 me is lots bigger, not sure about the snuzpod - so if either you or your partner are tall you might want to go for a bigger option.

I have the next to me for my LO, 8weeks old, and I can't praise it enough.

We have a chicco next to me and it'seems brilliant, she's very settled in it and I can reach out and touch her when she stirs. Also great for post c-section and being able to just move her across. It can also be used as a travel cot and is very light so we like that idea.
We also have a moses basket for downstairs and she slept in this in the next to me for the first couple of weeks as she looked really tiny in the next to me! However, she'said nearly too big for it already at 10 weeks old, whereas she'll be in the next to me for a good few months yet.
She has a cot in her bedroom to move into eventually.
It seems a lot, but we plan on having more children and then can sell them on.
Happy planning!

Op you could either get a cot with drop down side and put the sleepyhead in it for baby to feel more secure for the first while, or do as another poster suggested and hire a bednest for £89.

We did the latter and it was amazing. The company was a delight to deal with and as it doubles as a travel cot, DS could sleep "in his own bed" no matter where we were. We moved him at seven months.

There was a tragedy with the older model but a) modifications have made it impossible for this to happen again and b) unfortunately the parents made a series of mistakes which led to the tragedy- not the fault of the bednest!

We bought a snuzpod, and to be fair it was a waste of money, dd only slept in it for about three months and then we ended up cosleeping properly as I couldn't move her over anymore. If you could borrow one then go for it as it is better than a Moses basket imo but given my time again I wouldn't spend £200+ on it. You can take the side off a normal sized cot so I would just do that if I were you if you have the space by your bed. The snuzpod is good for compact spaces.