Crib vs cot

afm_2

Hello Everyone,

I'm sorry if this is the wrong place to post this but I don't know where else to post it.

I am about to become an auntie and I am buying the quilt+bumper for the baby. I was looking around for bedding sets and found that some are cot's bedding sets and others are crib's. I've searched on google and some say that there's no difference but I am not convinced because crib's sets seem to be cheaper? Does anyone know if a crib set would fit a cot?

Also, does anyone know of any bedding sets that are good value for money? I see sets in so many price ranges that I don't know what to do. I am in a tight budget but wouldn't like to buy something that is not of good enough quality.

I would really appreciate if you could help.
Thank you!

fluffnutter

Cribs are typically a fair bit smaller than cots, so you're right to be wary. What will fit a crib will be too small for a cot, particularly the bumper.

The best thing is to find out what cot/crib/cotbed the parents are buying, then you can buy the right size. It's sometimes easiest to buy from the same place, that way you'll know your bedding is compatible size-wise. For example my cot is from John Lewis, and they do bedlinen that specifically fits the mattress size. If this is too difficult don't worry too much, just find out whether it's a cot, cotbed or crib and buy accordingly.

AFAIK, quilts aren't recommended for small babies (use blankets instead) and there's also some dispute over whether cot bumpers provide any benefit. Whilst there's no evidence in this country that they contribute to problems, The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths does deem them unnecessary (link here.)

In terms of where to buy, then there's much to suit any budget. If you're going for blankets, get 100% cotton (not polyester ones). You can find great value stuff at kiddicare.com, Mothercare, John Lewis and most of the big supermarkets will do perfectly nice ranges too.

caevans

Hi personally I wouldn't have a bumper or quilt until toddler age though I know others do. I would be concerned about baby rolling over and being smothered. Did the parents specifically ask for the bumper? If so, then great that's their choice. If, however you are just wanting to get a nice useful present, then grobags are great and very safe :-)

carolineb23

Fluffernutter is correct, a crib is much smaller than a cot. Just to confuse matters even more there are also cot beds which are cots but convert to toddler beds. These are larger again . I wouldn't use a bumper as nice as they look as there are questions over the safety of them. Quilts are not recommended under 12 months. To be honest, after the first three months or so we started using baby sleeping bags which are great. Before that we used cellular blankets folded over and tucked under the Moses basket mattress.

afm_2

fluffnutter wrote: »

The best thing is to find out what cot/crib/cotbed the parents are buying, then you can buy the right size. It's sometimes easiest to buy from the same place, that way you'll know your bedding is compatible size-wise. For example my cot is from John Lewis, and they do bedlinen that specifically fits the mattress size. If this is too difficult don't worry too much, just find out whether it's a cot, cotbed or crib and buy accordingly.

AFAIK, quilts aren't recommended for small babies (use blankets instead) and there's also some dispute over whether cot bumpers provide any benefit. Whilst there's no evidence in this country that they contribute to problems, The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths does deem them unnecessary (link here.)

In terms of where to buy, then there's much to suit any budget. If you're going for blankets, get 100% cotton (not polyester ones). You can find great value stuff at kiddicare.com, Mothercare, John Lewis and most of the big supermarkets will do perfectly nice ranges too.

Thank for such a quick response!
The problem is that they don't have the bed yet I am visiting them (abroad) soon and won't visit again until the baby is born.

Would this one, for instance, be OK (in terms of safety)? https://www.tesco.com/direct/f-f-bright-bear-bedding-bale/211-8523.prd
Also, do you know if it should be 100% cotton or is this material ok?

I find this one good value for money (cheapest I've seen and it's not 100% polyester as many) but I am afraid the quality is no good . Does anyone have one of these?

If anyone has any suggestions of something that they know to be good and a max of £30 please let me know.

Thank you!

fluffnutter

If I were you, afm, I'd get a pretty cot blanket and a baby sleepbag. Even if the baby's going in a crib first, it won't sleep in there for ever (it will outgrow it) so eventually it will end up in a cot.

TBH, I would steer clear of bumpers and quilts. Here's some links to the kind of thing I mean...

http://www.mothercare.com/b/44397031?ie=UTF8&title=blankets&pf_rd_r=17CRCX62JK44JJ9J2RWF&pf_rd_m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=42764041&pf_rd_p=468460953&pf_rd_s=global-top-7

http://www.mothercare.com/b/44409031?ie=UTF8&title=baby%20sleeping%20bags&pf_rd_r=0JRAR9NFQ6628GN0BY2M&pf_rd_m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=44397031&pf_rd_p=468460953&pf_rd_s=global-top-7

afm_2

caevans wrote: »

Hi personally I wouldn't have a bumper or quilt until toddler age though I know others do. I would be concerned about baby rolling over and being smothered. Did the parents specifically ask for the bumper? If so, then great that's their choice. If, however you are just wanting to get a nice useful present, then grobags are great and very safe :-)

Yes, they asked for bumper and quilt I'll let them know about these safety problems as I don't think they know!

fluffnutter

afm wrote: »

Thank for such a quick response!
The problem is that they don't have the bed yet I am visiting them (abroad) soon and won't visit again until the baby is born.

Would this one, for instance, be OK (in terms of safety)? https://www.tesco.com/direct/f-f-bright-bear-bedding-bale/211-8523.prd
Also, do you know if it should be 100% cotton or is this material ok?

I find this one good value for money (cheapest I've seen and it's not 100% polyester as many) but I am afraid the quality is no good . Does anyone have one of these?

If anyone has any suggestions of something that they know to be good and a max of £30 please let me know.

Thank you!

It's very pretty but it's not something I'd buy. However, it's up to each parent what bedding they choose. Have you been asked to buy a bumper/quilt set, or did they just suggest 'bedding'. Alternatively perhaps you've decided yourself to get some bedding, rather than, say, clothes.

My post crossed with yours, but above this I've posted what I would do in terms of buying bedding for someone else. It's entirely up to you of course. In terms of size, the stuff you've linked to will probably fit any cot so I wouldn't worry about whether it's the right size.

LEJC

I'm probably going to throw the cat amongst the birds by saying...that a set is nice with a bumper and quilt etc...and it all looks really pretty when set up on a cot...but in reality all my children had whilst very young were a sheet and a blanket covering them...which invariably got kicked off in the night anyway...

The quilts can be hot for babies...and the bumpers can become entangled in the child if they are a wriggly sleeper...

Personally I would say that the most useful present would be a good quality sheet set and waffle blanket....perhaps not as visually pretty as the bumper set...but safer and more practical

afm_2

fluffnutter wrote: »

If I were you, afm, I'd get a pretty cot blanket and a baby sleepbag. Even if the baby's going in a crib first, it won't sleep in there for ever (it will outgrow it) so eventually it will end up in a cot.

TBH, I would steer clear of bumpers and quilts. Here's some links to the kind of thing I mean...

Thanks! I'll have to tell them that and see what they decide to do.

lizzywig

Something else to mention is you're supposed to lay the baby with their feet touching the bottom of the crib or cot. So if you were to buy a quilt then it would cover the baby which you obviously don't want. Have a look on the SIDs website for further info. However perhaps they want to use it when baby is older?

We had a crib for when she was very little and she's now almost 6 months and just moved into her cotbed. We bought a quilt and bumper set for the cotbed which we don't plan on using until she's at least 1. We initally didn't use a bumper in the crib but DD was whacking her head against the bars every night and so we had to put one in when she was about 3 months.

If you/they really want to get a set then I wouldn't advise the one in the link, it looks far too big and although the bumper would probably be ok, I can't quite see how a quilt would work when the babies feet are at the bottom of the bed. We started off with celular blankets but when DD started throwing the covers off and turning over all the time we bought a baby sleeping bag for her and it's worked wonders. In fact I wonder if they have heard of them? Perhaps that might make a nice present. I had no plans on buying them but now have 6 (they come in different sizes and thicknesses) and swear by them, each to their own though.