Cotbeds can be used from birth until your child is around five or six years old meaning that you don’t have to buy a basket, cot or toddler bed. The other main advantage is that they can make the often traumatic transition from cot to junior bed stress-free as you simply have to modify their existing bed rather than moving them to a completely new bed. As with nearly every other baby product you are going to find that there is no shortage of choice, options, or styles, so a little research is going to go a long way to ensure sure that you get the one that is right for you and your baby.
Initially your baby will be spending the majority of his day in his cotbed so it is not a purchase that you can take lightly. A cotbed is also a piece of furniture that is going to be on diplay in your home for a number of years and so it is worth looking for a colour and style that will ‘fit’ with your home decor.

Adjustable Base Position
The ability to adjust the height of the mattress as your baby grows is important. What you should be looking for is a cotbed that at least 2 positions for the mattress height. You will start with the highest setting as this provides the easiest access to your baby. Before long your baby will be able to push themselves up onto their hand and knees and this is when you will need to be able to move the base down to make it safer for your baby. The sides of the cotbed should be at least 500mm higher than the mattress when it is in its lowest position.

Fixed Sides or Dropsides
This is mostly a personal decision but if you should be particularly petite or have a back condition then a dropside cotbed can be beneficial and desirable. If you choose a dropside get one with a one-handed operation that is simple to use with latches that cannot be reached by your child.

Mattress
Ventilation is vital as it is important that there is a constant flow of air around your baby’s head. As you should always be putting your baby to sleep in the ‘feet to foot’ position it means that you will require a ventilation system in both the head and mid section of the mattress. It is also important that you get a mattress that fits snugly into the frame. If you were to push the mattress to the side of the cot then there should not be more than a 4cm gap to the side railings. A top tip when choosing a mattress is to look for one that has removable and reversible covers along with a a surface that can be wiped clean. It is also worth noting that you will need to purchase cot bed bedding and not bedding designed for cots otherwise it will not fit.

Rails for Teething
At the teething stage it will be natural that your baby is going to want to chew on the sides of their cotbed. Teething rails will act to protect a baby’s teeth during this stage as well as to prevent any damage to the cotbed itself.

Slat Spacing
Babies are inquisitive and have no problems getting stuck in gaps and holes so you need to pay attention to the distance between the spaces of the slats. It is the official recommendation in the UK that the gaps between the side railing be between 45-65mm and that the base slat gaps be not more than 60mm wide.

Finish and Build Quality
It is important that you choose a solid cotbed. If you build it yourself ensure that all bolts and screws are present and securely fastened. If corner posts are present they should not be higher than 1.5mm and avoid any cotbed that has sharp edges or where the wood has been splintered. All finishes that have been applied to the cotbed need to be non toxic and non lead based.

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