The Best Bedside Cots
A bedside crib is a bassinet-style cot that attaches to your own bed which allows your babies to sleep right next to you. This is a great option for parents who want their child to be close enough for a relaxed feedings during the first few months of his life.
The HALO BassiNest Essentia was crowned our top bedside cot in our test, offering a swiveling sleeping surface and sidewalls that drop down without difficulty. This allows you to reach over and soothe them.
Safety
A bedside cot is an ideal solution for parents who want to keep their child close to them without sacrificing safety. This kind of cot attaches to the side of your bed and has one end that can be lifted or lowered down so that you can reach your baby. It can also be used as a night time feeding station or to soothe your baby back to sleep. This is a great option especially for mothers who have had C-sections. Bedside cots are available in a variety of sizes and styles, and some include storage. If you're shopping for a bedside cot, make sure you check out the safety features to make sure it is safe for your child.
The Boori Oasis Oval Cot has elegant design and is simple to put together. Its oval shape is perfect for babies who roll around in their sleep. They won't be confined in a corner as they would with the rectangular cot. This cot can also be easily fitted into standard door frames. This is a fantastic feature for parents who are tight in space.
La Redoute Willox adjustable Cot Bed is another great option. This cot is an excellent all-rounder, with lots of features to simplify parenting and have beautiful design. Its adjustable sides mean that it will grow with your child and convert into a toddler bed when they're ready. It's also light, so it's easy to move around the house.
A quality crib for your bed should have high mesh sides to stop your child from falling out. It should also be attached securely to your bed, with no gaps or areas that are loose. If you're not sure about fitting a bedside cot by yourself you can ask a professional to do it for you.
Sleeping in a co-sleeper is not recommended until your baby is at least six months of age. Official advice from The Lullaby Trust and the NHS is that newborns should not be sleeping in your bed due to the danger of suffocation and overheating. If you are forced to share a bed with your child, a crib placed at the bedside is the ideal option.
Size
A bedside cot, sometimes referred to as the bassinet is a cot that attaches to the sides of your mattress. It is a side that can be raised or lowered to allow you to reach your baby without needing to get out of bed. Celebrity moms like Stacey Solomon Binky Felstead, and Lucy Mecklenburgh love these. They are great for those with limited mobility following a C-section.
Our top pick, the Maxi Cosi Lora, comes with an opening that lets you peek at your child from below the bed. It can also be adjusted to the height of your mattress - though some mothers complained that it was difficult to move up and down. It's also among our lightest options that can fold into a suitcase-sized bag. This makes it ideal for traveling with your baby.
The Slumber 3-in-1 is a great alternative. It can be used as a travel cot or bassinet, and it also doubles as a playpen. This product was awarded the gold award at the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards, in the category of Best Cot, Moses Basket or Crib. It comes with a useful storage shelf below and is extremely light to lift in and out of the car. Some mothers, however, considered it to be too big and wide to fit into small spaces, particularly when it is used as a sleeper on the bed.
Design
The best cribs for bed are stylish, sleek and contemporary. Some come with innovative designs including a peek-aboo flap on the side, to allow you to observe your baby without disturbing them. Other features, such as adjustable height, can be helpful if your partner has trouble getting up and down from their bed. These sleepers can be used as a cot or bassinet and some even have tilt positions for babies with reflux. There are also plenty of options if you're looking for something more traditional.
Some of our top picks are the CoZee Air from Tutti Bambini that won bronze in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Cot Crib, Moses or Basket category and the Next2me Magic was shortlisted in that same category. Both come with adjustable heights, and can be turned into a travel cot to use away from home. They're also extremely light and easy to move from room room.
Other moms love the Lua Bedside Sleeper that comes with an adjustable changing mat and storage space as it also has an adjustable bassinet that folds into a mini-portable cot and a storage bag. Jasmine says it's the perfect size for newborns and is bigger than Moses baskets, which are often flimsy or thin.
The iCandy Cocoon is another great alternative. It can be used as a Moses Basket as a cot, cot, or travel cot. It comes with a pop-up changer, a handy shelf for books and toys, and a mesh, adjustable side that allows you to have the best view of your baby. It's not very light however it's easy to move around and looks great in any bedroom.
Cost
If you're shopping for a bedside sleeper, crib or bassinet, the cost will be a factor. Many of the most sought-after models are expensive but there are plenty of lower-cost alternatives that won't cost a fortune. Some even come with a variety of styles and colors to match your nursery decor.
The most comfortable bedside cots have adjustable sides and can be raised to meet the bed's height. Some also have an incline position that is perfect for babies suffering from reflux. Some models come with a carry-on bag and can be folded up when not in use. This is perfect for mothers who are constantly traveling or having guests coming over.
Bedside cots are usually slightly larger than Moses baskets but smaller than cribs. cot bedside can be moved from one place to another, and some have a side that can be lowered so that you can lift your child towards you to feed them or comfort him. Some models also come with built-in rockers so you can soothe your baby to sleep.
The Clair de Lune is a mid-priced option that was shortlisted in the 2021 Mother&Baby Awards Best Cot, Crib or Moses Basket category. The design is sleek and elegant however, it's a bit wider than some other options, so it may not be the best fit for tight spaces. It's also fairly heavy, at more than 10kg, and needs lots of maneuvering to get it into position. Emily from Clair de Lune also notes that it's not as simple to get in and out of as other sleepers for bed, due to the sides don't move much and you need to bend to scoop your baby up.