thread: Safest way to elevate cot for reflux bub

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Perth, WA
    171

    Safest way to elevate cot for reflux bub

    Hi All

    Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.

    My DS2 (3 months) has reflux and until now has been sleeping in a hammock at night and in the Ergo in the day. He's reaching a point of being too long for the hammock so I'm thinking of moving him to the cot soon.

    What is the best way of elevating the cot? We've got a Boori cot so I'm not sure if the lift wedges that are available are not wide enough which would mean leaving a space at the sides of the mattress IYKWIM.

    If you elevate the mattres with a phone book or something, how do you make sure bub doesn't fall sidesways?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Middle Victoria
    8,924

    you can put 2 matching phone books under the legs of the cot.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Dec 2010
    The zoo
    735

    We have just had our second reflux bub (joy!) and we actually have had both boys sleeping sideways in the cot (just for ease of picking them up and putting them down) and put some wooden blocks under the two back feet of the cot. We've never had a prob with them falling, as they aren't really on enough of an angle. It definitely helps.

  4. #4
    BellyBelly Member

    Mar 2008
    Kurri Kurri
    1,715

    We used bricks under the legs of the cot. The phone books didn't lift it high enough

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Oct 2010
    Brisbane
    711

    You could possibly get foam cut to size at Clark Rubber I imagine

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Melbourne
    2,008

    I did the books under the wheels of the cot, but found myself stressing about it not being 100% stable. So we ended just folding a towel and putting it under the mattress to prop it up. You have to be a bit creative with your folding, but we managed to get a good incline.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    Melbourne
    3,737

    We used a pillow under the mattress it was softer and more stable than elevating the cot itself.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Jul 2009
    2,251

    We got a piece of foam from Clark Rubber but it was so exspensive and DD silent reflux was so severe that I held her upright most of the time for sleeps. I say go with the blocks under the cot legs, short sheet the cot or buy a sleep positioner if you're worried about bub moving about.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Sep 2005
    In the middle of nowhere
    9,362

    We used phonebooks under the mattress itself because I didn't feel like the cot was stable with the legs blocked. We never had a problem with her falling.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Mar 2009
    N.S.W
    1,197

    we put a pillow under the mattress.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    ★ nor here nor there ★
    4,134

    We use a brick, that is wrapped with a piece of carpet under each leg at one end and it is quite firm in place and so that the whole cot is on an angle, as we have a breathing monitor so elevating just the mattress alone won't work. There are little roll preventers you can buy, which would help them not slide down

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Perth, WA
    171

    Thanks for all the advice.

    One question about putting the bricks under the legs of the cot. Did you find it difficult to raise and lower the side rail? With our Boori cot you have to push the side rail inwards and then it releases to lower it. Just a little concerned that the cot might become unstable on the bricks when I push in IYKWIM?

    Otherwise I think we'll try putting a pillow or something under the mattress.

    I think I'll try some side positioners too as bub likes to sleep on his side when we co-sleep. Thanks for the ideas!

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Jan 2011
    Perth, WA
    1,245

    I put folded towels under the mattress, it didn't feel as secure with bricks under the legs.

  14. #14

    Jul 2009
    Australia
    5,102

    We did the pillow trick as well and it worked a treat.

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    ★ nor here nor there ★
    4,134

    Thanks for all the advice.

    One question about putting the bricks under the legs of the cot. Did you find it difficult to raise and lower the side rail? With our Boori cot you have to push the side rail inwards and then it releases to lower it. Just a little concerned that the cot might become unstable on the bricks when I push in IYKWIM?

    Otherwise I think we'll try putting a pillow or something under the mattress.

    I think I'll try some side positioners too as bub likes to sleep on his side when we co-sleep. Thanks for the ideas!
    Mine requires me to press two buttons on the side, lift the rail a bit and then it drops and it is fine, we have a thick carpet (not a loop pile) that we wrap around the bricks so the legs settle into it really well. But test it out and if you aren't comfortable or it moves try one of the other suggestions We have a Mali Euro cot, solid timber and really heavy so it doesn't move