4month old - cot questions

[Imeg]

My 4 month old is getting very wriggly in the crib and I think it might soon be time to move him out of it into his cot. I have a second hand cot which only has two base positions and the highest one still looks quite low. The side lowers but only a bit. I am a bit concerned about this as I normally put him down asleep (which I know I need to work on) and my back tends to play up if I put too much strain on it. Do you think it would be ok to put two mattresses in it to bring the baby higher, at least until he can sit up?

I personally wouldn't. I was extremely worried about SIDS (still am, even though they're 2 and 5yo!). I wouldn't be able to sleep worrying about what could go wrong: my biggest worry with that would be somehow the cot sheet coming loose and presenting a suffocation/strangulation hazard.

If there is no other solution to the cot side issue, I'd be inclined to buy a new/'new' second-hand cot.

FWIW, we had a Mamas and Papas one that that had 3 positions for the cot side. It was great.

Could you get a step?

No to the extra mattresses (and please do buy a new mattress for the second hand cot that fits it correctly).

Little's idea of a step is a great one - it will double up as his toddler step in a year or so. We have this one from IKEA, it's wide and very stable and sturdy.

Half a mo' ... won't the step make the OP taller, thus making putting the baby down more tricky as she will be taller/lowering him further?

I was thinking that it would enable her to hinge from the hip rather than curve the spine iyswim

I can't quite picture it rooty, but I'm probably missing something. If it works, it's a great idea

I might be wrong! suppose it depends on the back problem. OP will come back and tell us I daresay, but I think bending over the bar at chest height sounds worse than at waist height. But it may be that the answer is a cot with a dropped side.

I knew it was important to get a new mattress so I've got that (the person I got it from is actually a health visitor so didn't even pass on her mattress) and it's written on the base what size to get. I've just had another look as I hadn't really looked at it for a while and it doesn't look quite as low as I remember it (especially as I've recently spent a night with him in the travel cot - that really was awkward) so I'll see how I go but otherwise I might try the step, thanks. There isn't anything specifically wrong with my back as far as I know but I got a lot of lower back pain after my Caesarean, even with the postop painkillers, probably because of awkward feeding positions plus avoiding putting pressure on the abdomen. So since then I've tried to be really careful but looking after a baby does seem a bit like a recipe for a bad back!!

It's worth seeing a women's health physio to nip in the bud OP - I daresay the last thing you want to do with a little baby, but she will be able to show you how to protect your back when doing these things, and how to build strength back up. 4 months post CS is too long. Your GP can refer, or in some places you can self refer

I had a elcs with dd2 and did postnatal pilates - I would highly recommend this to get your strength back in your abdomen and back

I had the same issue with transferring over to the cot so I just persevered with self settling.

Personally I probably would be ok with two mattresses though - what's the logic behind the risk?

Thanks for the suggestions - both pilates and a physio sound like a good idea, though possibly easier said than done when living in the middle of nowhere without any family nearby to help with childcare! Though presumably the physio would be ok with the baby coming.

What is the problem with two mattresses?

Cold and mrs: I said why two matrresses would worry me in my first post. I wouldn't do it for my children, but it is, of course, up to the OP.

I don't see how having two mattresses stacked would affect the cot sheet though? The fitted sheet would be on the top mattress. Presumably the bottom one would just be bare. I honestly can't see how that set-up would increase the risk of SIDS but maybe I'm missing something?

Of course I respect everyone's right to make their own decision, I just can't see the logic.

I just wanted to know if there was a known risk as I've put my new mattress on top of the one it came with from a friend to make it the correct hight (bed nest). Don't want to put DS at risk if there is.

I don't know if there is a known risk specific to the OPs question re 2 mattresses. It's just that I personally wouldn't deviate in any way from recommendations (so, one well-fitting mattress + one fitted cot sheet). Especially when we're sleeping and I'm not 'on' iyswim.

It might be worth checking with your HV?

I suppose two mattresses might be a bit overly squishy? If they seemed to be then could you put something rigid between them? Plank of wood sort of thing?