Newborn Bedside Cot

A newborn bedside cot is a small sleeper that allows newborns to share the same room as their parents without the dangers of co-sleeping (which the AAP cautions against due SIDS and suffocation). It also makes nursing sessions and baby care simpler.

This sleeper features a firm mattress that can help babies' backs and minimize the chance of SIDS. It can be swiveled over your adult bed to lift your baby for sunrise cuddles or midnight nursing.

Budget

A bedside cot, also referred to as a co-sleeper, an infant cot with a bassinet design that is attached or clipped to your existing bed. This allows you to reach your baby comfortably and safely for a late-night feed, comforting, or cuddles. These are ideal for mothers and new parents recovering from a c-section as they allow the baby to be easily accessible without having to get up from bed.

There are a variety of styles that are available, from the simple ones with the drop-down side, to more sophisticated models with multiple adjustment options, including an incline or a height. Most convert to an independent crib for napping during the daytime or when your baby is a few months old and sleeps longer at night.

Maxi-Cosi Lora is among our favorites. It was shortlisted in the best bedside cot for newborn Cot category for the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards. MFM home tester Emily expressed her delight at how stylish and modern the design as well as the fact that you can use it as a regular bassinet or clip it to your existing bed to ensure that you can sleep side-by-side. She also admired the soft mattress, which was able to pass our test of firmness, and the fact that it features a manual rocking bedside crib feature that can be set to a slight incline for those suffering from reflux.

But she wasn't thrilled with the feature of a non-mesh panel on the lower end, and thought it was a bit bulky to move from room room often. When folded into a travel bag she found it to be quite heavy to carry up the stairs.

Size

A bedside cot is basically a bassinet-style cot that fixes to the side of the bed. It lets you easily reach your newborn for middle-of-the-night feeding nappies, comforting and feeding. It's perfect for mothers recovering from the c-section.

The NHS and Lullaby Trust recommend that you keep your baby away from you in the first 6 months to decrease the chance of SIDS. The crib at the bedside with its low sides, is a great method to do this. It lets you access your baby easily at night.

It is essential that your baby sleeps on a firm bed as it is more secure than a soft one. Newborns don't have the motor control needed to turn and a mattress that is soft can increase the risk of drowning. The breathable fabric and skin-friendly materials make this mattress comfortable for your baby but also firm enough for safety.

Mum home test Jasmin was pleased with the fact that the crib doesn't take up too much space in her bedroom, and she found the size perfect for a newborn. The mattress she rated as also good quality, unlike those that feel cheap and thin. She also likes that it has a storage compartment underneath for clothes and blankets which she claims many other bassinets lack.

Mehack Mehack, an MFM mum who tested the product at home, loves that you can remove the wall on the side to allow for easier access to your baby. She also loves that legs fold under the bed so that it doesn't look bulky or take up a lot of floor space. She's also impressed with how it was simple to move around the house when she needed to for checks and feedings in the middle of the night.

A winner of the Gold award in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards, the CoZee Air is a popular choice amongst parents. It features a smart design with four pulleys that are built-in to raise or lower the crib. It includes a large storage basket for toys, blankets and other essentials. It's also easy to assemble and light that is great for travelling with your baby.

Safety

When selecting a newborn bedside cot it's important to keep safety in your mind. Official safe sleep advice from both the Lullaby Trust and NHS recommends that babies should not sleep in their parents' beds due to the dangers of overheating, suffocation and a higher chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Bedside bassinets allow parents to keep their infant close, facilitating feeding at night and monitoring without having to get up from their beds.

This close proximity can aid breastfeeding mothers since it lets them attend to the needs of their infant while still sleeping. This can help to maintain the supply of milk and also encourage breastfeeding. Some cots for bedside use adjustable height options that can make it easier for the mother and child to reach the bassinet to feed or take care of other needs throughout the night.

Many bassinets have a firm mattress that is designed to decrease the risk of suffocation, and meets industry standards. This is important because a newborn's bones are brittle and not fully developed and need to be supported to prevent injury. The mattress should be covered with a fitted sheet in order to reduce the risk that dust mites or other allergens, can suffocate a child. It should also be kept clean and free of allergens.

Some bedside cots have the capability of being tilted. This can be useful for babies with reflux or digestive issues, but this should always be done with extreme caution and at a gentle angle. It's also important to avoid adding pillows, duvets or padded crib bumpers to the bassinet as they can create an obstructing risk to your baby and should only be used when the cot is set on an even surface.

You should also consider a bassinet that has an attachment system that is secure. It can be connected to your bed without the need for tools. This feature is especially beneficial for parents who have difficulty lift their child into and out of the crib or are concerned about their child accidentally falling asleep. If your bassinet has an attachment that is secure it is a great idea for you to check it regularly. Check to ensure there aren't any gaps and that the system is securely attached.

Comfort

If you're expecting your first child, the safety of your infant is undoubtedly one of your main concerns. There's a new sleep solution that lets you keep your baby close at night without the risk of sharing a bed. The infant bedside crib with wheels cot essentially a bassinet-style cot which is fixed to the bed's side and allows you to take them away for feeding at night and calming. It's also a great option for mothers recovering from a C-section since it removes the need to stand up or bend over.

A modern newborn bedside cot should have a firm, flat mattress to help promote safe sleeping practices and decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Bedding should be easy with just a cot sheet and a blanket tightly tucked at the bottom. Avoid bumpers, toys or pillows because they can fall on your baby and pose a suffocation hazard. If your baby has been used to being swaddled for a few weeks, you can use either a swaddle, or a baby sleep bag. However, this should be removed after they have the strength to remove them.

Some bedside cribs feature an adjustable or drop-down side that gives you an easy access to your baby for comforting and feeding during the middle of the night. This is a wonderful feature for parents looking to keep a strong bond with their child, while adhering to NHS safe sleep advice. However, if you're planning to co-sleep in the same bed as your baby, it's important to understand that this practice has been associated with an increased risk of SIDS particularly when a parent accidentally is able to roll onto their infant during sleep.

A breathable fabric will keep your baby cool and cool throughout the night. This is particularly crucial if you intend to sleep with your baby, as the risk of overheating is higher during sleep. The SnuzPod4 features a unique mesh side panel that is breathable that helps improve the flow of air and keep your baby comfortable in their mattress.