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How to Choose Your First Baby Cot

21st Oct 2020

How to Choose Your First Baby Cot

When investing in your first baby cot, knowing what things to look for can be a challenge.

At Mocka we are all about helping out, so have compiled a no-fuss guide with all the information any new parent needs to choose the best cot for them and their baby.

Why You Need a Good Baby Cot

Your baby’s first cot is bound to be your baby’s bed for 2 to 3 years and 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

1. Safety

Cots sold in New Zealand should meet the requirements of safety standard AS/NZS 2172.

Which 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.

2. Recommended Cot Mattress Size

Large gaps around a cot mattress can be seen as a suffocation risk. Therefore, most cots will come with an option to buy a mattress that suits the cot or a recommended cot mattress size.

It is best to always comply with the recommended cot mattress size for your chosen cot, as this will have been tested to meet the AS/NZS standard and have the correct sizing to ensure it is safe for bubs.

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.

 

3. Base Height Settings

For a safe and practical cot, it should have two adjustable base height settings. A higher setting for newborns and a lower setting as a baby learns to sit up.

 

4. Obvious Hazards

Ensure the cot you want to purchase doesn’t have any footholds in the cot that a baby could use for climbing out or any sharp edges or protruding parts that could hit a child's head or snag clothing - this is obviously a big no-no.

It is also best if a cot has permanently fixed components or which require the use of a tool to take apart.

Aspiring Cot - Natural - Mocka NZ

 

5. Other Possible Cot Features

With so many different cots on the market with a range of different features, it is hard to know which one is best. A lot comes down to personal preference and how you wish to use the cot. Here are a list of some of the most common and their uses:

Toddler Conversion

Many cots have the option to convert to a small junior bed. This is normally  achieved by removing a side of the cot and attaching another panel with a more open design.

Conversion cots are great value, as they allow you use your cot for even longer making them a good long-term investment.

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

Traditionally, cots have had a drop-side that can be dropped down when putting the baby in the cot and then raise back up and latched when in use.

However, drop-side cots 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 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

When teething comes around, chances are cot rails are going to be chewed!

Which is why teething rails are a great additional extra to purchase along with your cot.

These thin, plastic rails are slotted on top of the cot sides for chew-worthy durability and to avoid any damage to baby teeth or cot edges.

 

Mocka’s Quality and Affordable Cots

Our Mocka Aspiring Cot and the Mocka Amalfi Cot are two quality and affordable cots.

Our Aspiring Cot was named Best Cot Brand in the OHBaby! Awards for 2016.

Safety is paramount for us when it comes to our cots and both fully comply with the mandatory safety standard AS/NZS 2172. So you can be assured bubs in in goods hands.

When it comes to our Aspiring and Amalfi Cot, we have chosen to eliminate the drop-side and instead have fixed sides for a more sturdy and solid design.

Fully adjustable with two cot base settings, you can use our cots from the moment you bring your baby home with our newborn setting. As baby grows, lowering the base down is easy-peasy.

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.

Amalfi Cot - Ideal first baby cot - Mocka NZ

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