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Safe and healthy baby bedding

Congratulations! You're expecting your first child, you're probably excited and busy decorating the new bedroom. But what do you buy for baby?

Do you need a Moses basket or just a cot? Should you buy blackout blinds? What sort of monitor is best?

If all of the advice has confused you, look no further than our guide on what to buy your baby for bedtime.

 

Which type of cot is best?

There are so many varieties of cots, so here's a rough guide:

• Cot - Apart from price and personal taste, the other things that are important are whether the cot has one or two sides that can be dropped using just one hand, otherwise it's tricky if you're holding your baby. And look for a cot that has an adjustable base/mattress height as this will save you getting back pain from constantly bending over.
• A Moses basket - Great for carrying baby around, but they don't last long, probably up to six months, depending on how quickly they grow. They don't always come with a stand or mattress, so be wise how you spend your cash. You can buy static stands, but if you're having your baby by your bed and they like to be rocked, look for a rocking stand you can move without any effort.
• A crib - A bit like a Moses basket only with a rocking stand. They're good for saving space, but like Moses baskets they won't last long.
• A cot-bed - Just like a cot but it turns into a child's bed when the baby gets too old for a cot. It might seem like a good way of saving money, but by the time your child becomes big enough for bed you might need to buy a new one.
• Travel cot - This is a more flimsy version of a cot that's good for travelling or even just as a temporary cot if you go to a friend's for the night. It can also come in handy if you go out to somewhere that doesn't have a child-friendly area and can act as a playpen.

   

  
  

If your mum has been saving your cot all these years ready to hand down to you for your children, just make sure it's safe. This means that the gap between the slats must be no more than 6cm and none of them are loose to prevent injury.

Gail Johnson, Education and Professional Development Advisor at the Royal College of Midwives, has this advice on buying a cot: 'Check whether what you're buying meets British safety standards and that if the cot has dropdown sides they're secure. If you want to buy second-hand, that's fine, but check that it's clean and safe and also meets British safety standards and that it hasn't been damaged. Likewise, if you buy a second-hand mattress, check that it fits the cot properly and that there are no gaps that could trap your baby.'

By Louise O'Connell and Anna Penniceard

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