Sidecar cot

[JimJamJarmusch]

Anyone who has attached a full size cot to their bed like a sidecar - what cot are you using? I'm after recommendations. Something narrow/space-saving would be handy, but isn't essential. I don't want a piddly little co-sleeper crib again, I want to attach a proper cot. Does it need to be a drop-side/removable side one, or did you manage with a regular one? How did you attach them? How did you get the height right?

Just looking for some tips and tricks!

Nobody?

This was a few years ago now but we attached the Gulliver cot from Ikea as a sidecar. We took the side off, added extra bolts and bungeed it to the side of our bed, then put yoga blocks (ie. firm and non squishy) along the side to make sure there was no gap between the crib mattress and ours. i think I saw the idea on Ikea hackers but it looks like this: amandamedlin.com/2013/11/diy-co-sleeper-pretty-little-quilt/

We used a basic drop-side one. No particular brand name.

We attached it to the bed using adjustable luggage straps, changed the height of the mattress using specially cut cot-safe mattress foam (you can order this online), and filled the gap between big bed and cot with foam as well. I remember the foam being quite cheap.

While DS was a newborn, we kept the drop-side on, but low down, to separate him from the duvet. I would lift him out and sit up to feed him.

When he got a bit older, we removed the drop-side altogether and I just made sure to tuck the edge of the duvet under my side and cover myself only from the waist up, so I could feed him lying down. To be honest, he slept right beside me from the age of about 4 months, as I could feed him without really waking up, but it was nice to have that extra space of the cot mattress behind him.

Just to clarify, we put the foam under the mattress to raise its height - we didn't use it instead of the mattress.

*And I meant to say cover myself from the waist down!! Argh. I need to proofread my posts!

Thank you! That Ikea Hackers link is fab, and it's good to know about the mattress foam to get everything at an even height. Cheers!

Ikea cot with removable side (I'm not sure that drop side cots are considered safe nowadays?). Jam it between wall and bed. Drilled four new holes at correct height to raise the mattress base to the level of our mattress. I'd personally feel a bit worried using a made to measure cot foam mattress under a regualtion cot mattress as the SIDS guidelines are so clear about using a firm mattress and I would worry this might lead to too soft a surface.

Think about what you will do when baby is crawling. You will probably end up with a baby used to cosleeping and very unimpressed with the bars going up. I found it really difficult not being able to just reach an arm out to reassure baby in my sleep and switched to proper cosleeping on a big mattress on the floor shortly after. I still think the sidecar cot was a great thing though as is was nice to know the baby had it's own safe area when it was tiny.

Oh and just be aware of safe cosleeping guidelines, as there won't be a barrier between you/your bedding and baby. Maybe read the La Leche League book Sweet Sleep. I think the lullaby trust has some cosleeping guidelines now too.

I'm planning on either having duvet just round my legs or just dispensing with it altogether and dressing myself in more layers for bed. Good point about the mattress foam. Drilling extra holes might be a better bet.

My longer term plan (mice and men and all that... is to gradually shift to cot bars on, move away from bed, end of bed, then own room. Part of the reason for side-carring for me is so we can do that in our own time and gradually. With DD, she outgrew her co-sleeper crib, went into own room at 7 months, and promptly started waking up at night after 4 months of sleeping through. I know everything is likely to be different with second baby, but I think a full size cot will give us more flexibility and control over that transition than crib.