"The Large Bedside Cot Awards: The Most Stunning, Funniest, And The Most Bizarre Things We've Seen

Choosing a Large bedside crib with changing table Cot

Bedside cots (also known as co sleeper bedside cot-sleepers and bassinets) are designed to allow parents to sleep close to their baby at night without the risk of SIDS. However they are not suitable for use up to 6 months, when your baby is required to be moved into a cot or moses basket.

MFM home tester Mehack loved the fact that this model has a bassinet that can be lifted off to use throughout the house, as well as a manual rocking function. It was also simple to assemble and came in its own travel bag for convenient storage.

Size

Cots and cot beds differ in size in size, with cots smaller than cot beds. Cots can also convert into toddler beds. However they are typically used for children up to the age of three. There are two sizes of wooden bedside cot cots - large and standard that can be transformed into a toddler bed or a cot. If you'd like your child (or children) to be capable of sleeping in the larger cot, it's a good idea to pick the larger one.

Jasmine is an MFM mum who tested the product at home, was pleased the fact that it was a little bigger than the typical Moses basket, but not too large for the room of her baby. She claims that it is easy to lift the baby in and out of the cot for evening feedings or to soothe, and that its quality is far superior to other cots she has seen that are less sturdy.

Emily is another home-based tester, is thrilled by the versatility of the Maxi-Cosi lora which is a lift-off, portable bassinet. It also rocks. It also has a reflux incline and a machine washable breathable liner. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards in the Best Cot or Moses Basket category. The Lora is compatible with a South African cot mattress unlike some international or European brands. This means you don't need to buy a new mattress every time your baby grows. However, it requires a specific bedding set (60x120cm). Here's the ideal mattress for your cot.

Height

When choosing a crib for your bed, choose one that can be adjusted to a suitable height for you. It should also be able to be lower to a level that is not in the way so you can lift up your child towards you to feed them at night or soothe him. This feature is particularly helpful if you are recovering from a C-section. For instance the Next2me and Tutti Bambini cots can be adjusted up to a height of 58cm while the Snuzpod 3 goes up to 63cm and the Knuma Huddle up to 70cm.

Another thing to consider is how low you want the base of your cot to be. Some moms find it is easier to lift their infants from standard Moses baskets if the base is situated at the lowest level, while others prefer a higher elevation to provide them with more stability. The Joie Roomie Glide is a popular option and one of our mum test subjects saying that it has an easy-to-use collapsible side that you can push down with the click of a button.

Be aware that a bedside or bassinet device should only be used when your baby is able to hold his head without assistance, which is usually about 6 months old. This is due to the danger of suffocation. It's also important to know that if you choose a bassinet/bedside sleeper that can be converted into a cot and vice versa, you must remove the sides as soon as your child is ready for this to ensure they don't get out of bed or fall out of the bed.

Design

There are many different styles of bedside cots cribs, from basic to lavish. The more expensive options could include features like a built-in nightlight or a soothing center that plays music and sounds and has two levels of vibrating to help soothe your baby to sleep, or even an adjustable base that allows you to get your baby's food in the right place. There are also models which can be made into the form of a toddler bed or cot bed (or both) which is ideal when your child is ready to move to their own bigger bed.

The Tutti Bambini CoZee Air, for example has won Bronze at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards for the Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib category. It features a swivelling bottom that allows you to pick up your baby and transfer them to the other side of the crib without getting out of bed. This is ideal for mothers who are recovering from Caesareans or who have to stay in bed for prolonged periods of time. MFM mom home tester Jasmine loved this feature, saying that it was simple to use and made reaching her baby easier - especially after her c-section.

Chicco Next2me Magic is another option. It won Gold in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards as the Best Cot, Moses Basket, or Crib. It has a machine-washable liner, reflux incline, and a rocking feature. It's a bit bigger than other bedside baby sleeper cribs we tried, but it folds flat into its travel bag, so it's relatively compact when not in use.

MFM mum home test Leya loved the practicality of this crib for bed, describing how it was designed with babies and parents in mind. It is easy to move and super-sturdy. Its swivelling base is brilliant because it allows you to move the bassinet from side-to-side and one of its sides can be let down to make access easier especially for new mothers who are recovering from C-sections,' she added.

Safety

The most important security feature of a large bedside cot is that it is able to be raised or lowered to enable parents to reach their child when they require to feed them, comfort them, or change their nappies. This is ideal for new mothers recovering from a c-section. Look for a design that lets you lower one side at the press of a button so you can effortlessly lift your baby without having to get out of the bed. This is particularly important as your baby gets older and more mobile. It is also important to be careful not to add anything to the crib that increases the chance of suffocation, or injury, including pillows and duvets. These can cause babies to overheat.

The CPSC's NPR includes 24 incidents that are attributed to product issues like gaps between a bedside sleeper (adult bed) and the bedside sleeper (12 incidents) and enclosed openings with fabric sides (11) and consumer misassembly (6 incidents).

In its NPR the CPSC looked into the possibility of adding more requirements to bedside sleepers. For instance, these products would have to meet the minimum side height requirements for bassinets or at a minimum, the maximum height requirements for the lowered rail. The CPSC found, however that these requirements were not practical or effective in reducing amount of instances where infants are entrapped by the bedside rail and an adult bed.

The majority of the incidents covered in the NPR concerned multi-use bedside sleepers that can be transformed into other types of equipment, like bassinets or play yards. Many commenters suggested that CPSC include in the proposed rule an alternative provision for multi-use bedside beds to allow them to meet the minimum side-height requirements for bassinets by using a removable attachment that can be permanently connected or disconnected when the product is not being used as an actual bassinet.

The CPSC is considering these and other comments that were received in response to its NPR on sleepers who are bedside. The Commission will take into account these comments when deciding on the final rule that is expected to be released in November 2021.