[smo0262]

I'm looking to buy a cot bed, the model that I intend to buy comes with inadjustable base. There are other cot beds with three-level adjustment base out there, I guess they are available for good reasons, should I consider those instead? I'd appreciate your comments.

[Polly]

I assume the cot you're interested in must only have the lowest base setting; otherwise I'm guessing you'll have a problem with your baby being able to climb out when he/she's a bit older. If the base is fixed low in the cot and you have to bend over a lot to pick up the baby you might find yourself hurting your back. If it has a side that can be moved up and down for I guess this would counteract this. The cot/bed I went for doesn't have a side that moves up or down but does have an adjustable base.

[kellyst]

we have an adjustable based cot, used from birth till baby is 18mths now. we have lowered the base 3 times already, last notch now, but it's a huge pain to pat her and put her to sleep when the bed is so low. don't really have a choice i guess, but i think the adjustable thing worked for us, since i didn't have to worry about the bending down until now.

our cot also converts to a toddler bed, not sure when we'll switch, i'm looking forward to it tho, as putting her down is not that much fun now, with the height of the base.

btw, we've tried a cot with adjustable side on vacation, works reasonably well, but i worry about too many parts on the side that might be dangerous to the baby, especially as she starts figuring out how to work the knobs.

[mintycat]

We have an adjustable base (only 2 settings) cot with fixed sides. I also find it a difficult to put her down to bed. When we went to visit my parents in the US, they bought us a bed with adjustable sides and that was so much easier on my back. My DD is now 23 months and I will transition her to a big girl bed in a few weeks. My cot converts to a toddler bed but she will sleep in a single bed with guard rails and the cot will be given to her baby sister who is due in May.

[smo0262]

Thanks Polly, Kelly and Mintycat. Your comments are very helpful, I will go and check out the cots with adjustable base, it does seem to be a very practical feature to have.

[Sumei]

hi there,

just to reiterate, adjustable bases are VERY impt for the welbeing of mummy's back - most of them have about 3 levels of adjustment - you need the first "high" level for the first few months (so you can take baby in and out easily without having to bend down too low, impt when you are recovering postnatally) and then as baby's movements graduallu improve you keep dropping the base down lower.....also anohter impt cot (or cotbed) feature is to have a one of the sides of the cot be able to "drop" quietly (very impt!!) preferably with one hand (as you maybe holding the baby with your other hand)......