Cribs, Cots and Cot Beds

[Liz1967]

Hi ladies

Please help me settle a disagreement between DP and I ....

As some of you know I have moaned for ages that Daniel's room is nowhere near finished, he is in with us but all we have room for is a swinging crib. Now luckily he is quite small so has lasted the crib way longer than I thought. Last night though he woke up every 2 hours and each time I settled him he was on his side, like he was trying to turn, only the crib isn't wide enough for him to turn onto his tummy.

I told DP this morning through bleary sleep deprived eyes that the reason Daniel (and we) had such a terrible night was that the crib was now too small. All DP did was grunt but I could tell he was choosing not to agree, as it means he has to get his bum in gear and get the room done.

(I wouldn't mind but its not like we didn't know we were having a baby, d'oh - and last week DP tells me he might redecorate his mum's bedroom for her to save her £500 it would cost for a decorator to do it - getting off track here but I saw red when I heard that!! )

Anyway, we bought a cot bed last week, its beautiful and cost us nearly £200 but it will last so its money well spent. We didn't get the mattress that day as its not needed straight away, thought we would buy that next month, spread the cost a bit.

Yesterday I found out DP's mums sister has a brand new cot mattress never used she is happy to give us, apparently it was bought for when her daughter's baby was sleeping there, but she never did, hence its new, still in the wrapper.

The only downer is I am 99% certain its a cot mattress so no good for a cot bed - DP's mum, who bless her is lovely but very tight with money, kept on saying "it doesn't matter, its only a bit too small". Now I think it does matter, its ringing alarm bells in my head, and I worry about heads getting stuck in the gap etc.

Its not as if the mattresses are that dear, not compared to the cots anyway.

So, could you give me the benefit of your opinion as to whether or not you think I am right that Daniel's disturbed night is due to him being too big now for his crib and secondly, am I right to refuse the cot mattress?? DP and his mum think I am being "funny" as its not new.

Thanks

Love
Liz
xx

[jacxxx]

I would ahve alarm bells ringing too hunny. Usually a cot bed matress is 140cm x 70cm and a cot matress is 120cm x 55 so there would be a gap around the edge. It would be quite a bit smaller so I know I wouldn't go for it.

I know Argos do a fairly good mattress for £55 approx as my friend bought one only last week.

I do also think that your lack of sleep is due to Daniel not having enough room becaose its amazing how much they move arond the cot once they are in one. I know Lily travels around the cot everynight.

Good Luck with getting him to decorate - i know what its like to get my DP to do ours and we are trying to sell the house! I would ahve seen red about your MIL too.

Love JAckie x x x

[ann]

just tell them straight the mattress is no good, not because its second hand but because it wont fit
i'd explain that if it was a cot mattress it would be fine,
(mind you Ali has the mamma's and papa's cot bed and only a 400 size cot bed mattress fitted that, there are different size cot bed mattresses, personally when i got Ali's i went for the more expensive sprung mattress only because i expect he will be in it for quite a few years,)

just say to them it would be like putting a single bed mattress on a double or king size bed and not only that if there are gaps around its very dangerous

• Have the internal dimensions of your cot to hand when you go shopping; mattresses must be a snug fit in the cot to avoid the baby getting his head or another part of his body trapped in the gap. The gap between the cot and the edge of the mattress should be no more than 4cm
  
  
• Check that the mattress isn’t too deep: the distance between the top of the mattress and the top of the cot should be a minimum of 50cm when the cot’s mattress base is in the lowest position and a minimum of 20cm when the base is in the highest position

taken from this link

http://www.babyworld.co.uk/shop/howt...mattresses.asp

and yes i agree with you, it does sound like its time he went in a cot, im actually surprised he still fitted in the swinging crib to be honest

love Ann

[Liz1967]

Ann and Jackie

Thank you - I will have "words" when he gets home from work!!!

Love
Liz
xx

[loubylou]

Hi Liz, I think it sounds very much like he is not comfy anymore. Funny we went and ordered a cotbed last week from M&P for Lewis. He is in his crib but sticks his arms out the bars so I want to swap him soon too and he is only 10 wks! lol

As for the matteress, you cant have gaps its too dangerous as if a baby falls face first into the gap cant get out by himself. Also if you have M&P cotbed only their mattress will fit the cot, crafty of them really.

[ann]

Originally Posted by loubylou

Also if you have M&P cotbed only their mattress will fit the cot, crafty of them really.

thats what i found although you can get the 400 size one's off ebay that fit

[debjk]

I bought my cotbed mattress from kiddicare wasnt this one but I know I paid around £30 for it
http://www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/...053#alt_image1



still a lot cheaper than a lot of places

xx

[Mama Mia]

Hi Liz,

I totally agree with YOU. 100%!
DD was also born in the May & because she was small got lot longer than average out of her crib (swinging type like Daniel's). Tbh I was happy having her in our room but by Xmas time she was waking constantly during the night. DH persuaded me that it was time to put her in her own room. I was reluctant to part with her! But as you're experiencing, the sleepless nights were getting out of hand as she could def smell my milk & kept waking up for feeds. We put her in her own room in early Jan. & it took her a few nights to settle but it was soo worth it. At 7 mths+ she finally started sleeping through the night.

Also re. the cot mattress I had similar problem. My Mam got me a moses basket for DS2 from a charity shop. They thought I was just being snob when I politely refused it. I appreciated the thought but felt they should have asked me 1st before just going out & buying it.It came with it's mattress & my Mam & Sister thought it was fine to use that & I was just wasting money buying a new one. But as we know, it has to be new mattress for each new child. My Sister used the basket for her baby in the end so it didn't go to waste. I still get comments about how I didn't want it I would be exactly the same with the mattress being smaller. You just cant take the risk. I know our mattress only cost about £25.

You stick to your guns Liz. Daniel will love his new room!

[mum.of.4]

I would only use the correct fitting mattress especially in width.

I have an unused cot bed mattress in my loft that came with our cot bed, it's been up there a few years now as it was Joe's you're welcome to it but it would cost too much to post I think. Its never been used because I always used Sleepright mattresses from Mothercare, they are sprung and have a zip off cover which is fantastic for cleaning and in the event of accidents is a godsend.

This is a bargain off ebay but it's only for a cot....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mothercare-Sle...QQcmdZViewItem

Mine all slept much better when in their own rooms. Ciaran would wake every 2 hours and when he went in his own room he slept right through.

Good luck.

[Liz1967]

Well finally convinced DP and his mum that the cot mattress won't do in a cot bed, and that the crib is too small.

We had a travel cot that we had never used so put that up in our room last night and Daniel slept like a log, 12 hours solid and no noises. So obviously he was cramped before.

Just need to give DP a big kick up the pants now to finish Daniel's room - poor baby will be lucky to get in there before he is 1!!

Love
Liz
xx