Moving your baby from their Moses Basket into their cot is a huge milestone. The Moses basket was the first bed they ever slept in. It was their little sanctuary for so long and it was hard to believe that they would ever outgrow it.
Moving your baby from their Moses Basket into their cot is a huge milestone. The Moses basket was the first bed they ever slept in. It was their little sanctuary for so long and it was hard to believe that they would ever outgrow it. When you arrived home from the hospital they were lost in it and now they are filling the entire basket with those long legs.
The most common time to move your baby from their Moses basket to their cot is somewhere between four and six months. In some cases, the baby’s length is the reason a larger space is needed. For other babies, they become more mobile and begin to lift themselves, try to roll over or even sit up unaided. The Moses basket is the first secure environment your baby was introduced to but now they need more space to move and grow.
It is always a good idea to familiarise your baby with the cot from as early as possible. Placing the cot near your baby’s Moses basket for a couple of weeks is effective. Some people like to place the Moses basket in the cot also. You could do this for naps or when your baby is happily cooing as you get ready in the morning for example.
When your baby is ready to sleep in their cot it is important that you first consider it’s safety. Ensuring that it is assembled correctly and is sturdy is the first thing to do. You should then make sure that it is set to it’s highest position. You will use this level until the baby starts to pull themselves up to a sitting or standing position at which point it will be unsafe and the cot should be lowered.
Your baby’s positioning in the cot is very important from a safety perspective. They should sleep down the end of the cot as babies have a tendency to scoot down the bed which can be pose a risk of suffocation when blankets are involved. Many parents choose to put their baby in a baby sleeping bag/Gro Bag to ensure that their baby does not pull the blanket over their face. These sleeping bags also ensure the baby is warm throughout the night.
It can be quite effective to place the cot in the same area of the bedroom that the Moses basket lived. For this reason, the temperature, light and sounds will remain much the same. Your baby may adapt better to an environment that resembles what they are used to. In some cases, babies take some time to accept their new sleeping quarters due to the difference in size and temperature. It is important to ensure that the room is at a comfortable temperature for your baby while they sleep.
There are so many cot mobiles on the market to choose from. They are by no means a necessity but many parents find them useful, especially if there are other children in the house. It might just distract and amuse the baby for the ten minutes needed to wash and dress the other kids in the morning. Some parents find them too distracting though. They notice that the bright colours and shapes make their babies more alert and awake during a time where calm is what is needed.
If you are worried that your baby will not adjust well to the change from Moses Basket to Cot why not try it during nap times and build it from there? You might be surprised at just how well they take the move. Emotionally though? You’re probably going to struggle with this one. They have just graduated from newborn to baby and that is incredibly bittersweet. Wait until they are moving from a cot to a big bed.
Written by Tracey Quinn staff writer at FFHQ who also blogs at www.loveofliving.ie.