Newborn Bedside Cot
A newborn bedside crib is a tiny sleeper that lets babies sleep in the same room as their parents, without the dangers of co-sleeping. (The AAP warns against this because of the risk of SIDS and suffocation.) It helps you take care of your infant and feed them during the night.
This mattress is a firm mattress that is designed to help babies' backs and decrease the chance of SIDS. It can be swiveled on your adult bed to lift your baby to cuddle them at sunrise or during nighttime nursing.
Budget
A bedside cot, also known as a co-sleeper, the bassinet-style baby cot that is attached or clipped to your bed. This allows you to reach your baby easily and safely for a nighttime feed, comforting, or cuddles. These are perfect for mothers and new parents recovering from a csection as they allow easy access to the baby without needing to get out of the bed.
There are a variety of designs available, from the simple ones with the drop-down side, to more sophisticated ones that offer numerous adjustment options, like incline or height. Most can be converted into a standalone crib when your baby grows older and has a longer sleep time in the night.
Maxi-Cosi Lora is one our favorites. It was nominated in the Best Cot category for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards. MFM home tester Emily commented on how stylish and contemporary the design is and she was impressed by the feature that you can use it as a regular bassinet or clip it onto your bed to sleep side-by-side in a safe and secure manner. She also liked its plush mattress, which was able to pass our tests of firmness and also that it comes with an option to manually tilt it for those who suffer from reflux.
However, she wasn't a fan of the fact that it had a non-mesh panel on the lower end, and felt it was a bit bulky to move from room to room frequently. It also felt a little heavy to carry up and down the stairs, especially when folded into a travel bag.
Size
A bedside cot is basically an upholstered bassinet that is fixed to the side of your bed. It allows you to reach your newborn for middle-of-the-night feeding nappies, comforting and feeding. It's great for mothers recovering from the c-section.
The NHS and Lullaby Trust recommend that you keep your baby separate from you during the first six months, to decrease the chance of SIDS. The crib that is placed beside your bed, with its low sides is a great method to achieve this. It allows you to be able to easily access your baby during the night.
It is essential that your baby is sleeping on a firm, not a soft mattress. A mattress that is soft can increase the risk of suffocation among newborns, as they lack the motor control needed to turn. The soft, breathable fabric and skin-friendly materials make this mattress a comfortable one for your baby but also sufficient to ensure safety.
Mum home test Jasmin loved that the crib does not take up a lot of space in her bedroom, and she found it to be the perfect size for a newborn. She also noted that the mattress was of high-quality, unlike others which seem thin and flimsy. She also appreciates that it has storage space underneath for clothes and bedding which other bassinets don't have.
MFM mom home tester Mehack is a huge fan of the side wall that is removable that lets you lower it to make it easier access to your baby. She also likes that legs fold under the bed so that it doesn't look heavy or take up a lot of floor space. She is also impressed by how it was easy to move around her house when she needed to for feeds and check-ins in the middle of the night.
The CoZee Air crib is a favorite among parents. It won the Gold Award at the 2021 Mother and Baby Awards. It features a smart design with four pulleys that are built-in to raise or lower the crib and comes with a large storage bin for toys, blankets and other necessities. It is also lightweight and easy to put together, making it ideal to travel with your baby.
Safety
When selecting a newborn bedside cot, you must keep safety in your thoughts. The official safety sleep guidelines of both the Lullaby Trust and NHS recommends that babies should not sleep in parent's beds due to the risk of suffocation, heat exhaustion and a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Bedside bassinets enable parents to keep their infants close to them, facilitating nighttime feedings as well as monitoring without needing to get up.
This close proximity can also aid breastfeeding mothers since it allows them to be attentive to the needs of their infant while they sleep. This can help maintain milk supply and encourage breastfeeding. Some bedside cots come with adjustable height features that make it easier for mother and child to access the bassinet to feed or take care of other needs at night.
A lot of bassinets have mattresses that are firm, which is designed to minimize the risk of suffocation and is in line with the standards of the industry. This is essential because baby's bones are fragile and aren't fully developed. amazon bedside cot require support to prevent damage. The mattress should be encased with a fitted sheet to decrease the chance of suffocation due to dust mites and other allergens. It should also be kept clean and free from irritants.
Some cribs for bedside use can be tilted. This is useful for babies with reflux or digestive issues. However, this should only be done gently and with caution. It is also essential to avoid putting pillows, duvets, or padded crib bumpers to the bassinet, as these can pose a suffocation risk for your baby and should only be used when the cot is set on a flat surface.
It's also worth considering an infant bassinet that has a secure attachment system that can be easily attached to your bed without the necessity of tools. This is especially useful for parents who struggle to get their child in and out of the cot or concerned about the possibility of rolling over during sleep. If your bassinet does have an attachment system that is secure it's a good idea to regularly check that it's securely attached and that there aren't any gaps or loose components that could cause danger.
Comfort
If you are a soon-to-be parent, your baby's safety is one of your main concerns. There's a great sleep solution that lets you keep your baby close to you throughout the night without taking on any of the risks associated with sharing a bed. The newborn bedside cot is essentially a bassinet-style cot that is attached to the bed's side that allows you to lift them out towards you for night feeding and soothing. It is also a great choice for mums recovering from a c-section, because it eliminates the need to bend too much or even get out of the bed.
Modern bedside cots for newborns should include a firm, flat mattress to encourage safe sleeping habits and lower the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Bedding should be easy with a cot sheet and a blanket that is tightly tucked at the bottom. Avoid bumpers, toys or pillows because they could fall on your baby and create a danger of suffocation. If your baby is familiar with being swaddled, you can use a swaddle or baby sleep bag for the first few weeks, however this should be removed as soon as possible once they've gained the strength to pull themselves out of the wrap.
Some cribs for bedside use an open or removable side to make it easy for your baby for feedings in the middle of the night and comforting. This is a great feature for parents who wish to maintain a close bond with their child while adhering to NHS sleep guidelines. If you're planning to co-sleep in the same bed as your child it's important to know that this practice has been associated with an increased risk of SIDS, particularly if a parent unintentionally is able to roll onto their infant while they sleep.
A breathable fabric is another essential safety feature, as it's designed to keep your baby cool and comfortable throughout the night. This is particularly important if you plan to sleep with your baby as the risk of overheating in the night increases. The SnuzPod4 has a unique breathable side panel that aids in improving airflow, keeping your baby cool.