Newborn straight into cot?

Hi all
Just wondering if any of you can share your experiences putting newborns straight into a cot from day one. I know that cots are perfectly fine for newborns, but most people around me are suggesting I get a bassinet or cradle for the early months - but I really can't justify spending the money when things are tight and bubs will go into a cot at 2-3 months anyway? I am planning on having the cot set up in our room for a short while then once we have our sleeping / feeding routines settled move bubs and cot into their own room.

Any thoughts would be great. A pretty cradle or bassinet would be nice and much more compact for our room, but I really cant afford it right now. Plus, I figure if bubs settles in a cot from day one, we won't have to worry about any transition issues later down the track.

Lolly

with my first i used to have him sleep in the pram next to the bed...maybe just have the cot next to your bad and it should be fine,you think it would be better circulation in a cot anywayi moved my son out around 5 or so months coz dh said i had to

Good luck and congrats on up coming bubs

Hi :)

I know plenty of people who put bubs straight into a cot. They don't move around much when they're new borns- just wrap them up in a blaket and pop them in on top of the sheet, or use a sleeping bag for them. No need for sheets and blankets at that age.

You are right, it will be easier without having to swap them over. i think some people just think a tiny baby looks too little to be in such a big bed, but I think it's fine, especially if you are low on funds (and storage space- a bassinette takes up a lot of room once they are not using it any more!)

We went straight into a cot with Sam - even being a tiny premie bub when he first came home. The only problems we had were that in the first house (we moved recently) we could only cool our bedroom and it was a stinking hot summer... The cot wouldn't fit in our room, but he slept in a little rocking chair that could lay right back when it was too hot to be in his room. He also slept in this when we were away from home.

I'd say that if the cot's going to fit in your room, then go for it, it hasn't been an issue at all for us.

BW

I have heard sometimes they dont sleep as well as they are in a big open space (dont know if thats bollox or not) but I know that some shops sell snuggle beds that you put into the cot. I have seen them at babies galore.

All 4 of mine have gone straight to a cot.. never an issue. I have swaddled them all, short sheeted the cot, and tucked them in tightly with just the top sheet in summer and a light cotton blanket in winter..

in winter, i've had a small heater on very low occasionally.. just to knock the chill off the air IYKWIM. But i'd do that in a cot or a bassinet.

Thanks ladies
Keep the replies coming, its very very helpful and validating to know that a bassinet really isn't necessary.

BW - the heating the room thing too was another reason - bubs will arrive smack at the start of winter and we live in a very cold part of Adelaide (basically its freezing!) and have not got central or ducted heating. We use a heater in our room to take the chill off, and I don't want to have heaters running in two separate rooms.

I was just planning on dressing bub warm or using a sleeping bag, swaddling and using one blanket over the top. Because I feel the cold so much I'm really worried about bub being cold - I don't know how to overcome that worry but I'm sure I'll figure it out :redface:

DD went straight into her cot in her own bedroom from her first night home.... never had a problem.
I decided to buy a bassinette for DS as we had moved house & his bedroom was much further from ours than DD's was in the previous house. He used it for a week while my mum was staying here in DS's bedroom then I put him into his cot as I couldnt sleep with all the noises he made while sleeping LOL So from about 1 week old (maybe 2 weeks at the latest) he was in the cot in his own room & I've never had a prob with that either :)

I'd say the cot in your room sounds great for what you're after :)

We're a bit the same Lolly..can't really afford a bassinett, so we're hoping to be able to squeeze the cot into our room for a couple of months. Our house gets freezing cold in winter anyway, and our power bill is large enough without adding the expense of another heater running in a bedroom. DF is convinced it will be fine...I'm just a bit of a worry wart and feel the cold a lot, so I too am worried about bubs either being cold, or being a bit too warm just because I'm cold...lol.

I saw those little snuggler bed things in our baby store yesterday, I think they were advertised as "portable bassinets"...looked like one of those oval shaped dog beds with sides! I don't know if I'd feel comfortable using it, I'd be worried about the sides restricting air flow? I guess they are safe though, they wouldn't sell them if they were dangerous...I can't remember how much they were, I may just be pulling numbers out of the air, but it may have been around $90/100?

Our little guy went straight into his cot when home from hospy - we never had any problems. I had issues sleeping when listening to him moving around through the baby monitor - i would probably not have coped too well with him in our room!
We ended up turning our ducted heating down in the middle of the night because it got too hot in his room!

For DS1, done "on the cheap", I used a laundry basket (plastic type thing) with a couple of towels in the bottom... stuck on the floor near my bed.

For DS2 I was lucky enough to borrow a girlfriend's heirloom bassinete, but he only fit in it for about 3 weeks... he was a big boy!.

I think people suggest cradles/bassinettes because they're easier to fit into your bedroom than a full-size cot but if you can fit one in then go for it!

Lollybaby
DD was in her cot, in her own room from day one.
No problems at all. I had the Angelcare moniter plugged in and felt very safe when that was in use.

Didn't hurt her, she's been sleeping in her room since :)

good luck with your decision

if you really want to get a bassinet, get your local classifieds or ebay and have a look....as most babies can only use them for a couple months you can get one brand new for a fraction of the price of a new one.

I just want to say that the Snuggle Beds are NOT approved by SIDS. I just wanted to let you all know this incase you aren't aware. Baby shops sell alot of products that really aren't very safe unfortunately but each to their own I guess.

Lollybaby Back to your OP Your baby will be fine in his/her cot when you come home. It is recommended that you pop baby into the cot from birth. You just need to short sheet it when you make it :)
My baby was put in his cot in his own room from the day we brought him home from hospital. He was premmie and very noisey when he slept with lots of grunting and groaning lol. Premmie bubs are apparently noisier when they sleep :rolleyes:

DS went straight into his cot in his own room when we came home. His room is right next to ours and the cot wouldn't fit in our bedroom. We haven't had a problem. He sleeps well and we just wrap him snuggly and add a blanket as well since it has been so cold here lately.