Cotbeds Buying Guide
Cotbeds are the ideal way to lengthen the life of a cot as they transform into a toddler bed when the time comes to upsize. This can be a difficult transition for both child and parent but cotbeds have the advantage of smoothing this process as the child remains within their same bed. If you have already started looking around for a cotbed then you will know there is a huge amount of choice and a wide array of options ” safety features, fixed or drop sides, colours, woods, styles ” making the right choice is not easy.
Initially your baby is going to be spending the majority of his day in his cotbed, sometimes up to 20 hours and so it is an important decision to make. This item of furniture is also going to be on display in your home for 5-6 years so you will want to ensure that you choose a cotbed in a style and colour that ‘fits’ with your home decor.
The purpose of this cotbed buying guide is to help you come to an informed decision on which safety features and options will be most useful and important to you.
Adjustable Base Positions
The base of most cotbeds will have 2 or 3 height settings. These are an important safety factor as your baby becomes more mobile. By the time your baby is able to stand the base setting must be at its lowest position with the sides of the cotbed being at least 500mm higher than the mattress. The highest setting enables easy access to a newborn baby with the 2nd setting is ideal for when a baby is able to push themselves onto their hands and knees.
Fixed or Drop Sides
Either of these options will be fine for most people but some do like to have the ability to drop the side of the cot for access to their baby. Drop-sides can be extremely useful for those parents that have a back condition or are petite and may have difficulty in reaching over and into the cot. If you do opt for a drop-side then look for one with a simple, one handed mechanism with latches that will not be reachable by your child.
Choice of Mattress
There are 3 main options when choosing your mattress - sprung, fibre or foam. Fibre mattresses provide excellent air flow as well as being environmentally friendly, however, it is not unusual for parents nowadays to avoid these in case of allergies or asthma symptoms. The ventilation of mattress materials is a key safety factor as there needs to be a constant flow of air around the babys head. Your mattress will require a ventilation system in the head and mid sections for when your baby is placed in the feet to foot position. Other features offered that are useful are removable and reversible covers and a wipe clean surface. It is of vital importance that the mattress fits snugly into the frame. If the mattress is gently pushed to one side there should be no more than a 4cm gap to the rails.
Teething Rails
During teething a baby is likely going to want to chomp on the edges of their cot. Teething rails are a protective covering on the cot edges to provide extra protection for a baby’s delicate teeth and also for prevention of damage to the cot.
Cotbed Slats Spacing
Babies can be prone to getting themselves stuck in awkward places and for this reason it is important to ensure that the gaps between the slats on a cotbed are small enough to prevent this from happening. The UK recommendation is that the gap between the slats on the side of a cotbed are between 45-65mm, and that in the mattress base they are less than 60mm. For this same reason you should also not choose a cotbed that could have potentially dangerous cut-outs in either the foot or head boards.
Non Toxic Paint and Varnish
All paints and finishes used on cotbeds must be non toxic and have a non lead base.
Choosing the Right Bedding
Please note that you will need to buy cotbed bedding and not bedding designed for cots else it will not fit. The bedding that you choose should not include any trailing ribbons or strings of material as a safety precaution.
Build and Design
- Choose a cotbed that looks to be sturdy
- If there are corner posts they should be no higher than 1.5mm
- Exposed hardware, sharp edges or splintered wood should be avoided
- Screws and bolts should all be present and tightly secured