Co-sleeping cots are becoming increasingly popular. They allow you to keep your baby close, while following safety guidelines to have your baby in a separate crib or cot. Effectively, you're lying next to your baby, but you're not sharing bed coverings. As the side of the crib can be put down, this means you and your baby can maximise the breastfeeding and soothing benefits that proximity brings, while minimising the increased risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) that's associated with actual bedsharing. This is especially useful if you've had a difficult birth and find getting out of bed to feed painful. Co-sleeping cribs attach to the side of your bed, so you can just reach over as opposed to getting up and walking anywhere. Some also double up as a moses basket, giving you more sleeping options away from the bedside. The Lullaby Trust (formerly known as the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths - FSID) says the safest place for your baby to sleep is on his back, on his own sleep surface, in the same room as you, for at least the first six months.
Here we have chosen our top seven for you to compare. If you have twins, check out the world's first bed designed for twins to sleep together. It's sturdy and spacious, has six different heights, a semi-recline position and can be used as a travel cot, which is probably why it scooped the top spot top in the 2015 Prima Baby awards. Our MFM review says the Chicco Next2Me is brilliant as it allows ease of access for mums who have had a C-section and want to avoid lifting and getting in and out of bed. We've got the full Chicco Next2Me review here. Click here to buy the Chicco Next2Me on Amazon Compare deals from top retailers For a more traditional feel, Geuther prides itself on timeless designs with a modern twist. The wheels on the Geuther make moving it a dream. It’s made from high quality German beech, and the paints and lacquers are baby-friendly. Our reviewer found it great for reassuring her baby at the stirring stage, before her child was really kicking off and crying.
Read the full Guether Aladdin Co-Sleeping Cot review here Click here to buy the Guether Aladdin on Amazon The Snuz Pod has a unique 3-in-1 design; a bedside crib with a zip-down wall, a stand-alone crib for the nursery, and a removable rocking bassinet that can be used around the home, which helps to make the £199.95 price tag (including mattress) good value. Read the full Snuz Pod review here Click here to buy the Snuz Pod on Amazon "Easy to assemble, fully adjustable mattress height, excellent for bonding and makes night-time feeds easier," all great features of the BabyBay Convertible Beside Cot highlighted by the judges in our awards. What's more, our MFM reviewer says this bedside cot is "deceptively robust, compact and so comfortable it makes the transition to a larger cot less intimidating when the time comes." Check out the full review of the Babybay Convertible Bedside Cot here Click here to buy the BabyBay Convertible Beside Cot on Amazon
This innovative bassinet is a little different from other ‘co-sleeping’ products, as it doesn’t actually attach to the bed. Instead, it swivels 360 degrees so that it can partially sit ‘over’ the bed, meaning your baby can be even closer, without actually being in bed with you. As well as giving you easy access to your little one, via a push-down side, the Halo Bassinest also has two vibration modes and a music function, which plays lullabies, white noise and nature sounds. Our reviewer gave the co-sleeper a brilliant 4.5 stars out of 5 for comfort, ease of use and sturdiness, although she also noted that it is very heavy and not very portable. You can buy the Halo Bassinest from Kiddicare or Amazon. The Knuma Huddle is a versatile piece of kit; it can be used as a bedside co-sleeping cot, standalone crib, portable bassinet and then when your child is old enough a child’s desk and bench. Our MFM mum says it's "comfortable, roomy and fits in nicely to our bedroom, Having my son so close, yet in his separate space is fantastic.
I’m a more rested happy mummy for both my newborn and toddler." The mesh sides of the co-sleeping crib means it's breathable and see-through, and the base rocks - literally. Read the full Knuma Huddle review here. You can buy the Knuma Huddle from Kiddicare. Another versatile option, this great value 3-in-1 crib from Danish company BabyDan can be used as a crib, a co-sleeper and as a child's bedroom seat. It has wheels for easily moving around the bedroom or between rooms, and these can be removed for keeping the crib in one spot. The removable side panel turns the cot into a co sleeper crib, while a strap secures the bed next to mum and dad. Buy the BabyDan 3-in-1 Crib from John Lewis or Amazon. We've got more safe sleeping solutions... MadeForMums product reviews are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage.
Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.Top 5 Compared: The Best Crib Mattresses For Your Baby Out and about with your baby Babies grow very quickly. All you need for the first few weeks are enough clothes to make sure your baby will be warm and clean. There's no evidence that using washing powders with enzymes (bio powders) or fabric conditioners will irritate your baby's skin. For the first few months, you'll need a crib, carrycot or Moses basket (a light, portable bassinet). Your baby needs to sleep somewhere that's safe, warm and not too far from you. Baby nests are not suitable for your baby to sleep in when you're not there because of the danger of suffocation. If you are borrowing a crib or a cot, or using one that has been used by another of your children, you should ideally buy a new mattress. If you can't do this, use the cot mattress you have, as long as it's firm (not soft), flat, fits the cot with no gaps, is clean, and waterproof.
Don't use pillows and duvets – they are not safe for babies who are less than a year old because of the risk of suffocation. Duvets can also make your baby too hot. Sheets and layers of blankets tucked in firmly below your baby's shoulder level or a baby sleeping bag are safe for your baby to sleep in. Your baby will spend many hours in a cot, so make sure it's safe. If you're buying a new cot, look for the British Standard mark BS EN 716-1. For more information on safe sleeping, see Reducing the risk of SIDS. You can also visit the Lullaby Trust website, which has lots of information on safe sleeping. Spend some time looking at what's available for getting around with your baby. Think about what will suit you best before you make a choice, and ask other mums what they've found useful. Before buying a pushchair or a pram, check that: Baby carriers – also called slings – are attached with straps and your baby is carried in front of you. Most babies like being carried like this because they're close to you and warm.
The back part of the carrier must be high enough to support your baby's head. Check that buckles and straps are secure. Older babies who can hold up their heads and whose backs are stronger – at about four months – can be carried in carriers that go on your back. See the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website for more advice on using baby carriers and slings safely. Pushchairs, also known as strollers and buggies, are only suitable for young babies if they have fully reclining seats, so your baby can lie flat. Wait until your baby can sit by themselves before using another type of pushchair. Choose a light pushchair if you will be lifting it on to trains or buses. Prams give your baby a lot of space to sit and lie comfortably, but they take up a lot of space and are hard to use on public transport. If you have a car, look for a pram that can be dismantled easily. Consider buying a pram harness at the same time, as you may need it to strap your baby securely into the pram.
A carrycot is a light, portable cot with handles, similar to but smaller than the body of a pram, and often attachable to a wheeled frame. Your baby can sleep in the carrycot for the first few months, and the cot can be attached to the frame to go out. This is a carrycot and transporter (a set of wheels) that can be converted into a pushchair when your baby outgrows the carrycot. Shopping trays that fit under the pushchair or pram can also be very useful when you're out. If you've got a car, you must have a baby car seat. Your baby must always go in their seat, including when you bring them home from the hospital. It's illegal and also very dangerous to carry your baby in your arms in a vehicle. The best way for your baby to travel is in a rear-facing infant car seat on the back seat, or the front passenger seat as long as it is not fitted with an airbag. The car seat is held in place by the adult safety belt. The following advice should help make sure your baby's car seat is as safe as possible: