Do I need to buy a cot now??

[lucysnowe]

Hi

I was going to buy a Moses basket now and a cot later - but should I buy a cot now before birth in case the bub grows out of the basket really quickly?

I think if you have the space you might as well buy both. Easier to do it now than when the baby has arrived. You can always put the moses basket in the cot at sleep-time, and use it in other parts of the house during the day.

i would - ds only lasted in his moses basket for 5 weeks (honestly i wouldn't bother with one if we ever have another). he would hit the side of the moses basket with his fists and wakes himself up. He did look extremely small when we moved him into a cotbed though at 5 weeks - he was absoutely fine though.

I used to keep the basket inside the cot, it seemed more stable than the stands you can buy and you will need it anyway.

I think borrowing one is a good idea. Saying that, I borrowed one for my first and ended up have 4, so should have bought one in the first place!

If you have a buggy with a carry-cot then perhaps you don't need one as lo has somewhere to doze which isn't 'bed'.

I do agree, you only use it for the first 3/4 months max, and they are a bit of a pain to store if you don't have much space.

Thanks for replies!

Actually, I was thinking of buying a Jane carry cot/car seat. Maybe I could just get that and a cot? Would a cot bed be ok though or is that too massive for a 6 month old?

lucy we had a moses basket and a cot bed. Glad we did because DD grew too long for her moses basket by 6 weeks when I really wasn't up for cot shopping. She is a freak though lengthwise so unlikely to happen to you.

if space is problem, you could research cots now and choose one but order it online after the baby is born. We got ours from the babys r us bit of toys r us, looked at it in the shop, ordered it online and it came in a week. Mothercare and mamas and papas do pretty quick delivery too. We have a cot bed and DD still looks lost in it but she quite likes her space for throwing herself about in her sleep. Cot or cot bed? God the energy i wasted on that decision. Cots last until they are about 2, cot beds until they are about 5 so depends if/when you are planning to have another one

definitely borrow a moses basket if you can. Though you might want to buy a new mattress for it.

Re the Janecarry cot/car seat - I would check out the which report before you buy - I'm not sure but I have a feeling that this didn't come out to well in their tests - hope I'm wrong

My DD slept in her cot from day 1. She looked tiny. Very cute though.

Not a big fan of Moses baskets, although don't know why

I suppose it depend if the cot will fit in your room though (assuming you want your baby in your room)

Waffling now but my point was that a cotbed will def not be too big for your 6 months old - or indeed a newborn

We didn't bother with a moses basket. We got a pram which came with a carrycot and the baby slept in that until he was big enough for his cot.

I would put the moses basket/carry cot or whatever inside the big cot/cot bed so you don't have to get a stand for the moses basket/carry cot.

Also a cot is useful for a baby who isn't yet sleeping in it because if say you take the basket downstairs, you need to go to the loo upstairs etc etc you can leave the baby (a young baby) in the cot whilst you go to the loo. Also, you can get a cot mobile which the baby might lay under in the day and look at when baby is not yet in cot for nights. Or, if you put the basket in the cot, the mobile can hang over the basket.

We had 2 moses baskets, both given. One upstairs in our romm and one downstairs, in the lounge. This was godsend, int he first few weeks, no traipsing up stairs, after c-section. But within days we put ds in his own cotbed. It did seem a bit of tiny baby in huge bed, but we swaddled hima he loved it.
It your baby likes it. Saves alot of hassles later.
But I would not spend alot of money on any of these things.

A cotbed can last until aged 2 or 3, easily. Infact till older, I am sure.

We borrowed a moses basket and bought a cot. However, DD refused to sleep in either and we've ended up co-sleeping - the cat likes the moses tho, and the cot (it's one that fits up against the bed) is the best bedside table ever

Great advice, thanks. NorthernL - thanks for the headsup on the Jane thing. It does look aces, and I really wanted a flat carry cot, but it does look as if it will be weird to fit as a car seat!

I really would like a Moses basket so I can carry the bub round a bit (to save me going far!). Like the idea of choosing it online - it's the choosing that's taking up all the time so far.... we have space for a cotbed just about.