Cots
When
to buy a cot
Newborn
babies can sleep in a cot straight away, but most parents prefer to wait until
their baby is around four to six months old before moving them into a cot. While
there ís a lot to be said for getting organised before the baby is born, a cot
is one purchase that you could leave until things have settled down after the
birth.
You
can expect your baby to sleep in a cot until he’s at least 18 months old, and
up to when he’s 3 years old, depending on his size and his adventurous nature
- once a toddler starts to try and climb out of a cot, he’s outgrown it.
Key
points to consider
- The
size of the cot, taking into account your baby’s size, growth and how long
you hope to use it. Also think about the size of the room where the cot is
going and where you plan to put it in the room
- What
sort of mattress to buy. Your chosen cot is unlikely to have a mattress included
in the price, although several cot manufacturers also make mattresses and
may recommend that you buy their brand
- Will
it co-ordinate? Some cot manufacturers also make matching nursery furniture
and you may want to choose a co-ordinating range
- How
soon do you need it? Allow for shop delivery times as your chosen cot may
be out of stock
Remember
that most cots will be delivered flat packed, and will need two people to assemble
them.
Features
to look for
- Drop
sides - one or both of the cot sides drop for you to put down and pick up
your baby more easily One or two handed drop - check whether you need one
or two hands to operate the mechanism that drops the side; go for one handed
designs if you can, because you will invariably have the baby in your other
arm
- Teething
rails - once he can stand, your baby may try out his new teeth on the top
of the cot. Plastic strips along the wooden edge will protect your baby from
getting a mouthful of splinters, and the cot from being damaged
- Mattress
base height - look for adjustable levels, usually two or three, where the
mattress sits in the cot. You start with the mattress at the top for easy
access and then lower it as your baby grows, finishing on the lowest height
when your baby is sitting up or standing
- Castors
- some cots are sold with castors which make it easier to move around for
cleaning. If the cot does have castors ensure they are lockable, otherwise
an energetic baby might make the cot move around
- Play
features - something like wooden playbeads set into the cot ends will make
it attractive to look at and fun for your baby, but these aren’t essential
as you can easily attach toys to the cot
Special
designs
You
can buy cots designed to meet specific needs. These include:
- Bedside
cot - if you plan to keep the baby next to you at night and feed him in bed,
you might want to consider a cot which has an easily removable drop side so
that it can sit right next to your bed and become an extension of it at night,
or have the side back up for daytime sleep when your baby is alone
- Corner
cot - this has a bowed front and is designed to fit into the corner of a room.
Useful if space is at a premium, or if you need to fit two cots into one room.
- Rocking
cot - a cot which has a gentle rocking motion to send a baby to sleep, or
can be locked into static mode
Buying
secondhand
Old
cots may be family heirlooms and lovely to look at, but they are unlikely to
stand up to current rigorous safety standards. Prior to stricter safety standards
being introduced, babies were able to squeeze their heads between cot bars,
with fatal results, and injured themselves on protruding wood or metal parts.
Even cots that are just a few years old may represent a hazard. Never buy a
secondhand mattress, for the sake of hygiene.
What
to look for
- If
it’s a fairly new cot, has it got its manufacturer’s instructions?
-
Is it robust, clean and without any rough edges, protruding corners, nails
or screws?
- Is
the space between the bars no more than 6cm, to avoid heads and limbs getting
stuck?
- Are
the sides high enough? The distance between the top of the mattress and the
top of the cot should be a minimum of 50cm when the cot’s mattress base is
in the lowest position and a minimum of 20cm when the base is in the highest
position
- Are
there any horizontal bars? These are dangerous as they may allow a baby to
climb up and possibly fall out
-
If there’s a drop side has it got a child-proof fastener?
-
Is the paint and finish non-toxic and lead-free?
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