More Cots, moses baskets, cribs and bedding Buying a Moses basket, crib or carrycot Parents' tips: cots, Moses baskets and bedding Sleep equipment stockists guide Buying a travel cot Buying a baby monitor Mums' picks 2015: best cots, cribs and Moses baskets (photos) Mums' picks 2015: best travel cots (photos) Mums' picks 2015: best baby monitors (photos) Mums' picks 2016: best cots, cribs and Moses baskets (photos) Mums’ picks 2016: best baby monitors (photos) Track your baby’s development Join now to receive free weekly newsletters tracking your baby’s development and yours throughout your pregnancy. Enter your due date or child's birthday Enter your email address Privacy policy & terms Support for your parenting journey. Delivered to your inbox. My Baby This Week Newsletter Keep up with your baby’s development with personalised weekly newsletters. Get the latest parenting news, plus expert advice and real-world wisdom.
Special Offers from Our Partners Receive discounts, deals and parenting information from BabyCentre’s partners. Solid foods and weaning See all baby groups Buying a Moses basket Unless you decide to use a cot, you may choose a Moses basket, crib, carrycot, or hammock for your baby to sleep in for the first few months. Buying a Moses basketMoses baskets provide a secure, lightweight and cosy sleeping environment for your baby. Most baskets are made from palm, although they can also be made from maize or wicker. Wicker baskets tend to be the most long-lasting and the most expensive. You can also buy slightly larger Moses baskets that are made from sturdy, synthetic, washable material. Moses baskets have carrying handles so that you can move them easily from room to room. They usually come with a set of bedding, a fabric-covered hood, and their own foam mattress. Moses baskets can be rested on the floor, or you can buy a separate stand so that it can be placed at a more convenient height next to your bed.
Your baby may feel more secure in a snug Moses basket than a large cot.Very portable, so it's easy to move from room to room. ConsOnly used for the first three months or so, which makes it an expensive purchase if you buy new. Your baby can sleep in a cot from birth. A crib or Moses basket is not necessary if space is tight, or your budget is limited. Safety tip: Check when buying a Moses basket that its handles are sturdy and meet in the middle. Carry the basket with the handles together and with one hand underneath supporting your baby. If you're at all worried, take your baby out of the basket before you move it. Parents' tip: If you want to gradually get your baby used to being in his cot, start by putting your baby to sleep in his Moses basket inside the cot.Buying a carrycotMany travel systems come with a carrycot, as well as a pushchair and its base. If you do decide on a carrycot, you can also use this as your baby's first bed. Handy and cheap if you already have a carrycot as part of your pushchair.
Your baby can be easily moved around without disturbing her. You may need to buy a separate mattress, if you intend to use your carrycot as your baby's main bed. Check with the retailer or manufacturer. A mattress that is suitable for night-time sleeping needs to be firm, not soft, to support your baby while she sleeps.Buying a cribCribs are usually made of wood and can be bought flat-packed. They are smaller than a cot and have the additional feature of a rocking or gliding action. The rocking or gliding action may help your baby to settle to sleep in the first few weeks.Can be used for four months to six months, so it's better value for money than a Moses basket. More expensive than a Moses basket or carrycot.Not portable like a Moses basket or carrycot.You may need to buy a mattress separately.Not all babies like the rocking motion.Buying a hammockA baby hammock looks like a simple sling and hangs from a metal frame. It can be gently rocked to help your baby settle to sleep.
You can buy one complete with sheets, mattress and a mattress cover. Very cosy sleeping environment that may help young babies settle themselves to sleep. Your baby is likely to outgrow it after a few months.Expensive.Some babies have difficulty adjusting to sleeping in a cot when they are used to a hammock. Discover the safest place to put your baby's Moses basket, crib or carrycot in our expert sleep safety video. Receive discounts, deals and parenting information from BabyCentre’s partners. Log in or sign up to post a comment!Skip to main content Buyer's guide to baby mattresses Whether you buy a Moses basket, crib, cot or cotbed, you'll need to think about a mattress. Here's how to buy the right one What is a baby mattress?So you’ve chosen a bed for your baby... now what about a baby mattress? There are many different options to choose from, in terms of style and whether you need something to fit a Moses basket, crib, cot, cotbed, travel cot or a pram/carrycot.
There are even baby mattresses for hanging cradles. Once you know what type of bed you’re buying the mattress for, you can choose from different fabrics and construction. The main baby mattress types are foam, sprung, pocket sprung, natural fibre, or even a combination of any of the above. You may find that the bed you buy already comes with a mattress, but don’t feel obliged to use that one just because it’s included in the price. It’s important that you buy a mattress that you are really happy with, given how many hours your baby will spend on it. Should you buy new or secondhand?It’s best to always buy a new mattress for your baby, and that includes when more baby brothers and sisters come along. Your baby needs a firm, clean and supportive mattress. The danger with a secondhand mattress is that it can have lost its shape and may contain hidden bacteria and dust mites. It will also probably be less comfortable. Sadly, there’s evidence to suggest that SIDS, or cot death, is linked to secondhand mattresses.
FSID’s Sleep simple sleep safe resource states, “Ideally you should buy a new mattress for each new baby. If you are not able to do this, use the one you have, as long as it was made with a completely waterproof cover and has no tears, cracks or holes. Clean and dry it thoroughly.” Make sure that any mattress you buy conforms to both BS 1877 Part 10 1997 for safety and performance and BS 7177 1996 for flammability. Mattresses that meet the relevant BS standards give you the confidence that what you’re buying for your baby is safe. What size do you need?Some retailers refer to ‘standard’ and ‘continental’ size types for baby cot mattresses, but there are a wide variety of dimensions out there so it’s vital that you make sure you buy the correct size. The gap between the mattress and cot sides and ends should not be more than 4cm when the mattress is pushed tightly to one side or there’s a risk that your baby’s limbs could get trapped. There may be a sticker with your cot or basket that recommends the ideal size, whilst some shops list their mattresses by brand of cot or pram.
If you’re not sure, accurately measure the interior length and width of the basket or cot base once it’s assembled. Generally, the depth of the mattress should not exceed 10cm for cots and it will be thinner for Moses baskets. There are plenty of companies out there online who will supply you with a made-to-measure mattress if you can’t find the exact size you are looking for. What type do you want?Whichever type of mattress you choose, it needs to be firm. Imagine if your baby turns over – he can’t easily move himself if his face sinks into a squishy mattress, so he needs a more solid sleep surface than us grown-ups. Squeeze the edges and the centre of the mattress to ensure that support is there. You can choose from the following types, which generally increase in price: Foam – the cheapest option providing a core of foam, often encased in a wipeable, waterpoof cover (look for non-toxic PVC). Choose a high-density foam providing good support and comfort. Some foam mattresses also have ventilation holes.
Sprung – made with sturdy coils offering firm support. Pocket sprung – constructed from individual steel springs sewn into small fabric pockets. Each spring can then individually respond to the contours of your baby’s body. Natural fibre – such as coir, coconut, latex, mohair, lambswool, cashmere or silk, which are recommended for their properties of moisture absorption. PurFlo - a hollow mattress, made by PurFlo, that has good air circulation and is similar price to a pocket sprung mattress. Depending on the type of mattress you opt for, turn it regularly to maintain its shape and/or rotate it head to foot so both ends are used equally. Do you need a cover?All baby mattresses are covered with an outer fabric layer. FSID’s recommends that the outside of the mattress should be waterproof, so most covers have a waterproof side and a fabric side. But not all of these covers will be removable for washing. If it isn’t removable, do remember to frequently wipe clear the PVC surface and vacuum or sponge-clean the bottom cotton cover of the mattress base.
You can also buy a separate spare mattress cover to make it easier to keep your mattress clean and deal with those inevitable nappy explosions. Ideally, choose a mattress with a removable cover that can be washed at 60 degrees as that is the temperature needed to kill the dreaded dust mites. Some mattresses also come with moveable waterproof sleeves (within the cover) to protect the core. Specialist baby mattress manufacturers will allow you to select different types of fabric covers, such as: ‘Intelligent’ or ‘moisture-management’ fabrics (look for labels such as CoolMax® or CoolPlus) that help prevent your child from overheating Anti-fungal fabrics that help protect against allergies (Amicor ®) Organic, fair trade or even scented fabric What you choose will depend on personal preference, how long you plan to use the mattress and your budget. Child booster seat law - 2017 changes This pic is why we should ALWAYS honour our RSVPs Mum gets honest about her 'biggest' maternity leave fear