How to dress the cot

[ItsWasntMe]

I'm expecting my first baby and I am so confused at all the bedding bales with why is and isn't considered safe.

By the sounds of it the bales and sets they sell in Mothercare etc are not needed as they come with bumpers and quilts that shouldn't be used for a newborn, is this correct?

All the advice I've read is to just use a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and cellular blankets if a bit chilly.

Would you put baby underneath the flat sheet and tuck under the mattress?

I'm planning on using a sleeping bag or swaddling too

Mattress and protector then flat sheet. Then baby. Then blanket or sleeping bag. Most bags have a minimum weight of roughly 7lb 7 so not always suitable for newborns.

That's what we have

In summer dd had thinner tog bags, then just PJs or just nappy dependent on temp

So we used a flat fitted sheet, and a cellular blanket. Then always tucked a muslin under the baby's head in case of night time sickness/posseting (you just remove the muslin, rather than changing the whole bedding)

Cellular blankets are ace as the baby can breathe through them even if it happens to cover their face (try putting a duvet over the nose and mouth, then try it with a cellular blanket - you'll notice the difference)

With our fist we bought a couple of ridiculously expensive bedding sets, our second just got plain white cotton things from asda. Both worked equally well. I'd save your money and just buy fitted cotton sheets, cellular blankets (you can get some bright colourful ones if white is too nothing)

The only people who "feeds a cot" are shops in their shop window.

No one in the real world does this.

Well, apart from when getting nursery ready before having baby, so you can take a photo of your picture-perfect nursery.

You just need:

• fitted sheet
• cot sheet will double as a swaddle
• cellular blanket for just in case it's a freezing night
• 2 0-6 months sleeping bags.

"feeds a cot"

autocorrect

"dresses a cot"

Fitted sheets and sleeping bags are safe and useful.

I used blankets in the Moses basket and carrycot downstairs during the day when the babies were sleeping. Not in the cot or overnight.

We had a cot quilt because it looked nice in the cot, I didn't use it for the babies to sleep under. I used it as a playmat for DC as it was a better size than the specific playmats. I also used it to keep myself warm on the many nights DC were refusing to sleep!

The sets you get in Mothercare come with a coverlet which is fine to use. You buy the quilt when lo is a year old.
The advice is bumpers are not safe. However I used one in the crib and the cot and lo was fine. I always made sure it was securely tied so he couldn't untie it, and he never pulled it over his face at all.
In the crib I had a cellular blanket and the coverlet from the set, and added a 2nd cellular blanket when it was really cold. In the cot I had the coverlet and blanket that came in the set. Lo was always lovely and warm. He slept in a shirt sleeve vest and long sleeved babygrow at first. Then as the weather got warmer he had just a babygrow. Then in the summer he had short pyjamas. When it was really hot he slept in just a vest with a flat sheet over him.
I never used sleeping bags as lo liked stretching out, and I'm not keen on them and don't personally see the need for them (just my opinion, I know a lot of people like using them).
I believe the recommended thing is to cover them up to under arms, then tuck blankets under the sheet. That's what I always did.

Sorry I haven't been back!! Really grateful for all of your recommendations, my Mothercare online basket is full!!!

Oooh, hang on with getting your mother are stuff - I think their sale starts in 2 or 3 days!!!

Sleeping bags have loads of room at the feet end so that babies can stretch their legs out, and starfish as much as they want.

If your baby is on the smaller side you might find that you can't use sleeping bags until they're at the minimum weight.

Sleeping bags are brilliant but far more ££ in mother are than most other places. TK Maxx often have Gro brand bags or Arden & Anais. We love our IKEA ones and sainsburys numbers also. We the d to have three on the go as they get sicked on, chewed etc.

Thanks for the heads up blumkin I'll wait a couple of days!

I was thinking 2 1tog bags and maybe 1 or 2 heavier ones for cold nights. There will always be sheets and blankets if I need one when they're in the wash. I just didn't want to go overboard too!

I always managed with 2 sleeping bags in each weight for DD1, but she wasn't a sicky baby.
We had airwrap cot bumpers. They're mesh so breathable, and collapse if the baby tries to climb on them.

Blumkin (try putting a duvet over the nose and mouth, then try it with a cellular blanket - you'll notice the difference)

Of your baby?! Please don't do this!

I used the sleeping bags with DD - they weren't really around when I had DS 15 years ago. I found that her top half used to get chilly though - she slept much better if she had an extra top on. Her arm and hands got very cold otherwise.

3 sleeping bags per baby - one in the wash, one on and one spare but I had very sicky reflux babies.

I agree with having 3 grow bags incase of sickness or nappy leaks overnight

Mothercare sale starts today. Preview has been last couple of days. (Get on the mailing list!)

Do not use fancy bumpers get a mesh one!

We stuck one we got given on the wall as decoration. You can also use them under the cot to hide under cot storage. Just use sticky velcro.

DD hated sleeping bags and had a duvet by 10 months. Each child is different.

bloodymaria I assume the idea is to try it yourself, not with your baby!

No bumpers - they aren't safe.

Dressed ours before he was born, then undressed it when he started to actually use it! Which wasn't until he was three months old and I started putting him down for naps in there in the afternoon.

He has a sheet, sleeps in his grow bag and we tuck a blanket round him to keep him still.

I did mattress protector then fitted sheet and then dressed Bub according to weather. When newborn she was swaddled but now she is older we use sleeping bags as she rolls around a lot in her sleep and doesn't keep blankets on