Cot or Not to Cot??

[EllyBoo72]

We put DS into a bassinet on wheels, and had him in the family room thru the day, and our bedroom at night til he was 4 months old!!! I wanted to keep him in the bedroom next to me for as long as i could. Then once he turned 4 months i had to move him into the cot in his bedroom. I missed him!
I do think they feel more secure in the bassinet, as it is a similar size to the hospital crib.

[Jennifer13]

We are still using the cradle for Lucy that she's been in since she came home from the hospital. As it's a decent size (Boori) I think she'll be in it for a couple more months at least. The rocking action is really good, even though I don't use it that much now. It's much easier to get her in and out of the cradle than it would be in a cot. And since it's on wheels there is the option of putting it in our room (we haven't done that, but you could if you wanted to).

Like you, we've borrowed this from friends. I just couldn't justify spending hundreds of dollars on one when they're only in it for six months! I'm hoping they'll let us keep it for #2 as well since they've finished.

[BellyBelly]

Looking back, one thing I wish - that I didn't spend all that money on a cot and upgraded to a king sized bed instead!!! My daughter would never go in the cot and we loved co-sleeping anyway, then the second came along it was hilarious. Second is mostly in his bed now at 3, but our 5 year old is the one still sneaking in, and I just wish we had more room! I love co-sleeping, its the best, love the snuggles, but could have done without some aches and pains along the way!!!

[fionas]

DD was in the same room as me for the first two months - for day and night sleeps. So for day sleeps she was in her pram bassinette with me in the living room (or the bathroom if I was having a shower) and at night she was in a cradle next to the bed. Until she started getting her legs through the sides so then I used the pram bassinette on the floor.

So really, I could have done without the cradle but I liked the option of rocking her to sleep if she was having trouble. Having the pram bassinette was FANTASTIC especially because I had a dodgy back so really couldn't walk/bend very much and it meant I could wheel her around rather than having to carry her and walk to and from the bedroom. Plus, I reckon she got used to sleeping amidst noise. She has even fallen asleep on the floor at mothers group surrounded by crying and squealing babies.

At about 6 months (and after I'd prevaricated for MONTHS about what cot to get!), we transferred her to that but still in our room. I reckon it took her a couple of days to get used to it but no big dramas really. One of the bonuses of putting them in a cot quite late is that they look tiny again - it was like having a newborn again.

I've seen some bassinette sized things on a European site that have only one side I think and you wheel it next to the bed. So for night-time wakings all you have to do is reach in and get baby out. That would have been perfect for me because I was a bit too nervous to actually have her in bed with me when she was so tiny. DP did, mind you, and I did occasionally when I got my confidence up! Of course, now I wish I'd done it more often and I look for any excuse to put her in with me!

[ShootingStar]

We put DS in a cradle that is in our family. He was only in it for 6 weeks so glad i didnt buy one myself, wouldve been a waste of money. He slept in it in our room for the first night.. then we were awake all night with his grunting and moaning in his sleep that we put him outside or door the next night. After a few nights we decided to put him in the cradle in his room and will be doing that from word go with Keira too.

[Kitt3n]

My little girl was in a baby bouncer/cradle for the first 5 weeks in our room, then off to her own cot in her room after that. I think its more of a matter of what suits YOU, your budget, the borrowings/ hand-me-downs. I dont think it really "matters" - years ago friends of my mother were very poor and when an unexpected bub came along they really had nothing for it - so for the first few weeks of its little life it slept in a padded draw! (pulled out of the tall boy of course ). Just goes to show its all just perception, not what we really need.

co sleeping is nice, till your child is still doing it at age 7 and seems to be able to sleep in the shape of a nazi swastika - its amazing to wake up with an elbow in the face and a foot in the tummy

[meow]

We plan on co-sleeping but we have a cot as well next to our bed (for day sleeps/first evening sleep etc). Decided not to bother with a cradle/bassinet etc. Probably should have gone the king sized bed

[~Belinda~]

I used a bassinette next to our bed when we first brought Madeleine home from hospital. Then after a few weeks she didn't like the bassinette anymore and we tried to put her down in her cot. She doesn't like that either. She has been co-sleeping with us since then and she's now 9 weeks old. Through the day, she'll only sleep in her bouncer.

Whatever works I say! She sleeps from 9pm-6am with us so that works wonders, no more night feeding. She loves sleeping with Mummy, I love her beside me. We initially got worried that she'll never go into her own cot/bed but there are people that say it's hard to put them in their own bed after co-sleeping and some say it was easy. I guess it depends on the child so we'll see. But for now, it works and she is very happy so that's all that matters.

Good luck!