25 Shocking Facts About Best Bedside Cot Uk

How to Choose the Best Bedside Cot uk

Official guidelines for safe sleep from both NHS and Lullaby Trust recommends that newborns sleep in their own cot or Moses basket. A crib that is placed near the bed can be an efficient and space-saving option for parents who live in a room together.

Mumsnetters love the co-sleeper because it's big and has plenty of space for babies to grow and play. It's also bigger than the Moses Basket. It's also easy to put together and comes with a travel bag.

What is a bedside cot?

A bedside cot (also called a side sleeper, bassinet or co-sleeper) is a safe method for your baby to sleep close to you overnight during their first few months. These cribs can be attached to your bed, allowing you to lift your child towards you to feed them at night or even comfort them. They're also a great choice for breastfeeding mothers or mums recovering from a caesarean.

They're often slightly smaller than a standard cot or cotbed, yet provide plenty of space for your baby to lay down. You can choose from a wide range of styles and features, depending on what you like best. A lot of cribs with a bedside feature an adjustable or drop down side, which makes it easier to reach your baby for evening feeds. They are also available in different sizes to fit the dimensions of your bed.

Some cribs for bedside use an riser that permits you to add a slight slope to the sleeping space that can aid in reflux and an easy zip-off side for cleaning. Some have manual rocking features that can provide a relaxing distraction for your infant. You'll need a mattress that is comfortable to be used with your crib. It should be at least 30cm deep to allow your baby plenty of headroom.

A bedside cot is an investment, but you can be certain that your newborn bedside cot will get a comfortable and safe sleep. With stars like Kate Hudson, Serena Williams and Gigi Hadid all awed by the SNOO wooden bedside cot crib, it's definitely worth considering this fashionable alternative to a moses basket.

Safety

Official guidelines for safe sleep from the Lullaby Trust and NHS advises that babies born today should be placed in the same bed as you for their first six months but not in your bed to reduce the risk of suffocation, and to lower the chance of sudden infant death syndrome. A crib for bed allows you to keep your infant close to you so that you can soothe them to sleep and night feed them without leaving your bed. It's also a great option when you are unable to move following an operation or recovering from C-section.

Our top choice for a bedside cot, the Silver Cross Slumber Carbon 3-in-1 travel cot bedside crib is compact and folds down in seconds to fit into its own travel bag so it's perfect for holidays and nights away from home. It's the lightest option for a bedside cot and has a soft, comfortable foam mattress with mesh panels that let air flow. It also has an option for incline. Plus, it won Gold at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards for Best Moses basket or Cot Crib.

Another fantastic bedside cot is the Chicco Next2me Magic bedside crib which was awarded Bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards. It features a built-in change mat and storage solution and weighs only 10kg. It is light at 10kg, and has an adjustable side that slides down to make it easy to access.

Style

A crib for your bed is a blessing for many moms, particularly those recovering from C-sections. You can easily reach your baby without getting out of your bed. This allows you to provide comfort and food to your infant at night. They are an excellent choice for breastfeeding mothers as close proximity can boost the amount of milk they produce.

Bassinets aren't just practical, but also fashionable. This is the reason they are so popular. They are larger than Moses Baskets, and some have extra features like a gentle reflux incline. The baskets are designed to fit under your bed, they can usually be moved around your home as the baby grows older, and some can be carried to the go which makes them ideal for new parents travelling.

It is important to choose a bedside cot that has easy-to-use drop-sides. These allow you to lower your baby into the bassinet without needing to lift them into your arms, which can be difficult for moms who have limited mobility. Chicco Next2Me Magic is one such model that has been highly praised and was shortlisted by Mumsnetters in the category of the Best Cot or Crib Moses Basket for our 2021 Mother&Baby Awards.

Some models also have a translucent side, allowing you to be able to always view your baby. This is especially useful in the case of 3am feeds that are bleary-eyed when a quick glance can make all the difference. One such option is the Sleepiest BassiNest, which is simple to lower, as noted by our MFM home tester Emily.

Budget

If you're not quite ready to make the leap to a larger cot, the bedside crib could be a great option. This bassinet-style cot attaches to the side of your bed to allow you to easily reach your baby for night feeds and comfort them without disturbing your own sleep. It's an excellent choice for those who are unable to move following the C-section. Celebrity moms such as Binky Felstead and Stacey Solomon have also chosen this model.

Our Parents Testers loved the new model of this well-loved crib from Chicco which was awarded the 2021 Mother&Baby Award for Best Cot Crib, Crib or Moses Basket. It's large and breathable, and comes with six height settings to accommodate growing babies, plus a gentle reflux setting for incline. It can be used as a crib for travel and comes with a storage case that is convenient for storage.

A bedside crib can be difficult to move around your home, but our Parent Testers found the Shnuggle Air near the crib to be simple to move. It's among the lightest alternatives and is small enough to fit into its own bag for travel cot bedside crib, so you can take it along with you on your trip.

The SnuzPod bedside cot is another highly rated product that's simple to fold and assemble, with many features for a restful night's sleep. It comes with a lift-off bassinet that fits more beds than any other cot and its breathable fabric can help your baby regulate their temperature. It also features a soft rocking function, as well as an incline setting for reflux, and is light enough to be used as a travel cot while you're on the move. It's more expensive than other cribs for bed, but Parent Testers believe it's worth the extra cost.