The 9-month-long pregnancy journey is about to end, and shopping for your baby’s things has finally come. As a new parent, you do everything to give your baby the best things in this world.
Researching and shopping for baby things is exciting but also can be overwhelming. Buying a good quality cot is important because it can make or break your child’s sleeping routine. With all the information circulating online, plus your family and peers’ opinions, you may not know what to buy anymore.
Here is a quick guide on choosing a safe cot for your baby.
1. Adjustable Base Height
Convertible cot beds are a smart choice because you can use them as your child grows. They also help babies in adjusting to sleeping in a larger bed. Get a cot with an adjustable base if possible. Most cots come with two or three mattress setups to fit infants from birth to toddlers.
Drop rail beds are a great alternative for preventing back strain in parents. Using a locking mechanism at the end of the rails, you may lower them rather than stooping down and taking the infant out of the crib. Those with movable safety rails have some benefits. They provide young children with more independence while reducing the risk of falling.
2. Non-Toxic Materials
When teething, babies often bite on anything. Food-grade teething rails are essential to avoid damaging your baby’s teeth and crib. Even more, it prevents infection from being ingested by a baby.
Thankfully, B2C Furniture’s baby cots are made of high-quality, non-toxic materials. With this in mind, it guarantees your child’s safety with a cot painted with water-based or non-toxic paint.
3. Safety
Buy a cot made of solid wood, such as pine wood and beech wood, rather than chipboard. Ensure cots have no sharp edges or protruding parts where your child might hit his head.
To prevent your baby from getting caught or tumbling out, all railing gaps must be no larger than 5 to 9.5 cm. Smaller gaps shouldn’t be wider than 3-5 cm, which is big enough for a child’s leg to become trapped. Meanwhile, smaller than 5–12 mm cots prevent small fingers from getting caught.
4. Space and Size
When picking the cot, some cots can be quite large for a bed intended for an infant baby. Measure the assembled cot’s dimensions to see how well it fits in your nursery. Also, consider if the cot will fit through your doors and hallways.
Your infant will most likely sleep in your room for the first six months. Space can be a real problem if the cot is used in your bedroom for the first few months. A bassinet or moses basket may be needed because not all rooms have space for a full crib. Change tables or feeding chairs may be additional items you want to provide room for.
5. Fit Mattress
Make sure that the mattress fits tightly on all sides. When the mattress is centered, there should be no more than a 20mm gap on either side. Your baby could roll face-first into gaps along the side, which is a suffocation risk. The mattress must be firm. A soft or saggy mattress can cause suffocation.
Bonus Tips
Narrowing down to five tips is challenging, but here are a few bonus tips to consider when buying your baby’s cot.
1. Style
Consider style regardless of where you’re setting up your baby’s cot. You don’t want to put a dated, dull crib in the nursery. Your choice of cot will ultimately depend on your personal preferences.
2. Assembly
Some cots are difficult to put together and require several delicate pieces. Even though you might only need to put the cot together once, it’s something to consider. All cot parts should be firmly fastened or need a tool to disassemble them for safety reasons.
Do You Need a Bassinet?
Bassinets provide your baby with cozier sleep than the cot they have. It is good to have, but not necessary. Bassinets are very convenient since you can easily transfer your baby from different rooms or beside you on your bed.
A bassinet’s disadvantage is that you can only use it for five to six months at most. Babies should be placed in a cot as soon as they can support their weight and lift themselves.
Choose the Right Baby Cot
As a new parent, your choice of a baby cot is important because it quickly impacts the security and comfort of your infant. Conduct thorough research, seek reliable sources, and consider every factor before buying a cot.
References:
https://jarrons.com.my/blogs/news/tips-of-choosing-a-baby-cot
https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/how-to-choose-a-safe-cot-for-your-baby
https://bubzico.com/blogs/news/how-to-buy-a-cot-for-your-nursery-5-simple-tips
https://www.choice.com.au/babies-and-kids/baby-furniture/cots/buying-guides/cots