How to Choose Your First Baby Cot

Knowing what things to look for when investing in your first baby cot can be difficult. So to help out, Mocka have put together a no-fuss guide on choosing the best cot for any new parent.

Why You Need a Good Baby Cot

Your baby's first cot is an important piece of furniture to purchase, as it will most likely be your baby's bed for 2 to 3 years. It is THE essential piece of nursery furniture that will be used day in and day out. Therefore, you are going to want a cot that is sturdy, safe, practical, stylish and which is sure to last for years to come.

Things To Look For In a Baby Cot

 Safety

Cots sold in Australia should meet all requirements of the safety standard AS/NZS 2172.

This means that:

• The cot is deep enough to be safe for a baby
• The spacing between bars is not greater than 9.5cm (to ensure a baby's head cannot get stuck)
• The cot does not have any footholds that would enable a baby to climb out
• The cot is free of protruding parts and/or sharp edges.

Most cots will state if they comply with the Australian standard. If in doubt, always ask.

Recommended Cot Mattress Size

Most cots will come with an option to buy a mattress that suits the cot or a recommended cot mattress size. Always comply with the recommended cot mattress size for your chosen cot, as this will have been tested to meet the Australian Standards to ensure gaps are not a suffocation risk.

There should NOT be:

• More than a 2cm gap from any cot side when the mattress is centred on the mattress base
• More than a 4cm gap when the mattress is pushed to one side or end.

 Base Height Settings

To ensure a cot is safe and practical, it should have two adjustable base height settings (a higher setting for newborns and a lower setting as a baby learns to sit up).

Obvious Hazards

It is best to get a cot where all components of the cot are permanently fixed or require the use of a tool to take apart. There shouldn't be any footholds in the cot that a baby could use for climbing out nor any sharp edges or protruding parts  that could hit a child's head or snag clothing.

 

Other Possible Features

There are many different cots on the market which have a range of features and a lot come down to personal preference. Here are a list of some of the most common and their uses:

Toddler Conversion

Many cots have the option to take a side off, attach another panel and convert into a small, toddler bed. This conversion enables you to use your cot for even longer and is a great in-between bed before upgrading a child to a -big' kids bed. Tots are generally ready to move onto a bed when they can stand confidently in a cot, shake the sides or start attempting to climb out.

Drop-sides

To drop-side or not to drop-side? That is the question. Drop-sides on cots are traditional, however are becoming much less favourable nowadays having been recognised as a potential safety hazard (the US and UK have banned the use of drop side cots). Many people also state that without the need for fiddly latches a fixed cot is easier to use (especially with a sleeping baby in your arms) and noticeably more solid and sturdy than cots with drop-sides.

Teething Rails

Teething rails are a great additional extra to purchase along with your cot because chances are edges are going to be chewed! To avoid any damage to babies teeth or the cot edges, these thin, plastic rails can be slotted on top of the side rails for chew-worthy durability.

Mocka's Quality and Affordable Cots

Mocka offers two quality and affordable cots - our Mocka Aspiring Cot and the Mocka Amalfi Cot.

Both of our cots comply with the mandatory safety standard AS/NZS 2172, so you can ensure our cots have been tested to the highest safety standards in Australia and New Zealand.

In our cots, we have chosen to eliminate the drop-side and instead have fixed sides for a more sturdy and solid design.

Use our cots from the moment you bring your baby home, with our newborn base height setting. Fully adjustable, you can lower the base down to the second lower setting as your baby grows.

Our Aspiring and Amalfi Cots also offer toddler conversion. So when your tot outgrows the cot but isn't quite ready for a big bed, you can transform your cot into a junior bed for added years of use.

With options to purchase with a cot mattress and teething rails, we have everything you need for a long-lasting and stylish cot - and all at a price your guaranteed to love.

Check out our Aspiring and Amalfi Cots today.