When you bring your newborn home, you can use a Moses basket or bassinet for the first few months before buying a cot, or you can go straight to a cot.

Buying the right cot or bassinet can be tricky. As two of the most important pieces of baby equipment, you want to ensure that they are not only aesthetically pleasing and comfortable for your little one, but that they also match up to current safety standards.

So let’s dive right into how you can pick the right cot and bassinet!

How can I pick the right cot?

Check that your cot or bassinet meets current safety standards.

Inspect a cot to make sure it has certain features. When choosing a cot, you should be checking to see that the slats are no more than 6cm apart. This is so that your baby’s head can’t become trapped between them. Also, make sure there aren’t any cutouts on the headboard or footboard, as you don’t want your child’s head to become trapped in here either.

When choosing a bassinet, again, you should look to see if it meets certain safety standards. A new one is much more likely to be in line with these, but if you want to purchase a second-hand one, make sure it was made recently. Other things to look out for are ensuring the bottom of the bassinet is well supported so it can’t collapse. It should also have a wide base so it can’t flip over. If the bassinet you pick happens to have folding legs, then they should be locked straight when it is being used.

In addition to these, there are some other ways you can prevent cot hazards. For example:

Always ensure your baby is sleeping on a separate surface from you or your partner. It is recommended that your baby sleep in the same room as you for the first six months, but always on a different surface, such as a bassinet or cot, to further prevent sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.

When your baby is able to stand by themselves, lower the cot. Lower the mattress as your baby grows, as they will become more able to stand up as they get closer to the 6–9 month age range. This is so that when they are able to stand, they can’t fall out by pulling themselves over the side or leaning against it. Also, when your child becomes 35 inches (88 cm) tall, move them to another bed.

When purchasing a new mattress, remove and destroy the plastic wrapping material that it comes in. This is to ensure that it doesn’t suffocate your child. Also, a mattress should always be firm, not soft.

Check the height of the cot’s side rail. It should be at least 10 cm above the mattress, even when the mattress is at its highest point.

Check the cot periodically to make sure the hardware is tight. At the same time, check that there are no cracks or splinters in the wood and no rough edges or sharp points in the metal parts.

Don’t use bumper pads or other products that can be attached to cot slats. Although in the past they were claimed to help prevent injuries, there is no evidence for this, and they even have the potential to be very hazardous to young children.

Don’t place soft objects or loose bedding in the crib. These include quilts, sheepskins, pillows, comforters, and stuffed toys. You won’t have to worry about your baby being cold if you dress them in a warm baby sleeping bag or layers of clothing instead.

A mobile or cot gym should be securely attached to the side rails. Also, hang it high so your baby can’t pull it down and remove it once your baby nears the time when they might be able to get hold of it.

Never place a crib next to a window. to make sure they don’t climb out or get too cold.

Do not hang shelves or pictures above your child’s bed. to make sure they don’t fall on your child.

Keep baby monitors out of reach. Baby monitors are usually attached to a cord, which you don’t want anywhere near your baby for obvious reasons.

How do I pick the perfect crib/bassinet?

From Unii’s Newborn Journey, we share how to choose the perfect crib (cot) or bassinet.