Sleeping in cot from newborn

[Moosic]

Hi all,
We Are expecting our first in a couple of months so desperately trying to get everything prepared. We live in a bedroom inside his family home, so although a big bedroom, space is limited. Our bed is in an alcove, even if we pushed it to one side, space isn't wide enough for a Next To Me. There is the option of a Moses Basket at the side of the bed, as they are a little thinner, but is it worth the money for such a short amount of time?
We have his cot on the other side of the room (round a corner, so would use a baby monitor). Should we try just popping him in that first? As a FTM, I'm a little worried I'm not going to sleep well with not seeing him and obviously no idea if he'll settle in a cot

It’s fine to put baby straight into a cot. Just make sure they are warm enough.

For me it would be the 'around the corner' that would be a pain. If you breastfeed, you might be picking the baby up two hourly or more. I also had an urge to check my babies were okay (breathing) just before going to sleep - I think this was a fairly natural, mothering instinct. My husband definitely didn't have it! I'm a rational, not typically emotional person but it's hard to describe how protective you are over a baby.

I had a next to me with DD and she wouldn't settle as a newborn in it as it was so big. Swapped to a moses basket and she slept better but was up lots in the night.
You can pick them up second hand pretty cheap and just get a new mattress.
I wouldn't have wanted DD round the corner from me as a newborn either, apart from having to get up more in the night, I wanted her close.

Put the baby in the cot. I wouldn’t worry about a monitor if in the same room. I wish we hadn’t bothered with a Moses basket (didn’t have a next to me). So many “extras” you can manage without.

I personally think the Moses basket is a good option for those early weeks, I preferred having DC right next to me to begin with. Plus you can pick it up and use it downstairs or whatever room during the day.

We got ours brand new for about £30 from Amazon including mattress, I'm sure you could get a second hand one cheaper. Ask around friends/family, someone might have one.

I do think it depends on your babies size how long it will last as well. My kid only lasted 3 weeks because she was so tall! And was squished quite quickly. I do like moses baskets especially for downstairs. My friends lo lasted like 8 weeks in it. Totally depends.

I must say I don't think I be happy around the corner. First 6 months I was so paranoid and scared of sids I checked on my lo about 50 million times a night 😆 🤣 plus the non sleeping baby I want lo as close as possible, I don't want to be going to far im too tired for that. But if your happy with that go with it.

Nothing wrong with lo in cot if right near you. Which I do appreciate you don't have the space.

Both of mine went straight into a cot and they were fine. The cot was only a foot away from our bed so they could always see me, and I could see them. We used a Moses basket downstairs in the day, but they out grew them within weeks.

Back when my kids were born (they are late teens now), there wasn't this 'six months in with you' thing. Not only did my babies sleep in their own cots from first day home, they were in their own rooms, which were on a different floor! I used a baby monitor. I also breastfed, and to be honest having them further away meant it didn't disturb my husband during overnight feeds.
I'm sure your set up is fine.

All three of mine (4 and under) have slept in a cot from day 1. Our cot does have the option of being a smaller circular cot or a larger oval cot but I'm sure a normal cor would be fine. Some pushchair carrycots have the option to be used over night so that could be an idea for the first few weeks but I'm sure the cot will be fine

A Moses basket or similar, portable thing is useful for the early months as you can have it downstairs with you or in the same room as you wherever you are. In the early days for your pelvic floor it's best not to be going up and down the stairs too much if you can avoid it. For SIDS safety it's better to keep them in the same room as you while they are asleep. And depending how good a nap per they are, with constant up and downs and resettling, it's just easier!

But if money is very tight you could get away without it. You could always wait until the baby is here and dispatch someone to buy one quickly if the cot is a pain. The little swaddle suits with Velcro are good to make them feel cosy in a big cot. My DD1 refused to sleep except on top or beside us anyway so we ended up cosleeping despite a very fancy and expensive bedside crib empty beside us!

I used a sleepyhead pod thing and put it straight in the cot since newborn. I don't have space so cot was perfect for us. Baby is now 6 months and had no issues I just ensured baby is born. I also have no bumpers or anything as I think that's a risk but cot is more than fine

I would have struggled with the baby at any more than arm's length away, to be honest. Sometimes just putting my hand on them got me a vital half hour more sleep! How about a snuzpod on the bed with you - dh might have to be elsewhere for a bit?

Is there no way to reconfigure the room so the cot is nearer? I don't think the cot is particularly the issue just the distance from you in the night.
I am also not a panicky person but particularly relied on that I could see baby as soon as my eyes opened - don't think I shut them properly for the first week!

Personally I'd kick your husband out of bed and (safely) co-sleep with the newborn. If you follow the safe co-sleep guidelines you might actually get some sleep. Must newborns won't like being round a corner from their mum - they want to be with them.
Please don't use as sleepyhead for unsupervised night sleeps (I know you haven't mentioned this, but another poster has).

Both of mine went in the big cot as newborns and were really decent sleepers so round the corner would have been fine as they did x2 4 hour chunks with one (bottle) feed in between. I’d at least give it a go. If baby won’t settle then you can rethink.