A cot is usually used in Britain and across Europe for sleeping babies and toddlers until they are about two years of age. A cot bed is larger than a cot; it is suitable for babies from birth but with slight adjustments it can turn into a young child's bed. In addition to the different mattress sizes, there are various features which parents may look for in a cot or cot bed.
What Size is a Baby's Cot?
In the UK, cots are built to take a standard cot mattress which is 60 cm wide and 120 cm long. The cot itself will be a little larger than this. These dimensions can seem huge in the first few months, especially if there is a cot or two in the parents' bedroom. Newborns often sleep in Moses Baskets for the first few months, and if there is a combination of a big basket and an average baby then the basket could last six months.
At What Age Do Babies Move From a Cot to a Bed?
Toddlers must be moved out of a cot when it might no longer be safe for them to be in it, this is when the child might be able to climb out. Children work out different strategies of escape – one child might throw himself over the rails whereas another might climb by any means possible, including pulling objects within reach into the bed. Typically, children are moved from a cot at about two years of age, but sometimes younger.
This statement should be qualified. It is not that the child must be moved from the cot, he can continue to sleep in the cot if one of the side rails can be removed so he can get in and out of bed himself.
How Big is a Toddler and Baby Cot Bed?
Cot beds are big enough for sleeping children up to about the age of five. A cot bed takes a mattress that is 70 cm x 140 cm, which is both longer and wider than a standard cot. The side rails can be removed so the bed resembles an ordinary bed and this transformation might be completed with changes to the head and foot boards.
Is a Traditional Baby's Cot or a Cot Bed the Best Buy?
A cot bed may seem like good value for money because it can first be used as a cot and then as a toddler bed – it will get more use. Inevitably, the child will need a bigger bed and so buying a cot bed simply delays that purchase. Similarly, cot beds and small children's beds are great for saving space in small homes but the children do grow out of them.
In a small home, it may be better to save space by using a small cot when the baby is young because babies seem to take up a lot of space with their paraphernalia. People with two young children or twins may consider cot bunk beds.
Additional key features to think about when choosing a cot or cot bed are:
- adjustable mattress heights to save on bending over when baby is very young,
- drop sides which can also save on bending and reaching,
- built in teething rails.
Deborah Percy - BSc. MA. Managing Director of a heating & plumbing business. Interest in maths, science & research. Mother of 3, including twins.
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