Outgrown the Moses Basket- what next? Cot or Nursery?

Question

In the UK we are advised (Health Professionals and SIDS advice) to keep our babies in our bedrooms for the first 6 months. My baby is 6 weeks old and will outgrow her moses basket within the next 2 weeks. I can fit the cot in my room (at a squeeze!).
But, I was wondering what other new parents do at this stage, as not everyone can fit a cot in their bedroom. Have parents started to use the Nursery this early? How do they feel about it? Is there any alternatives I haven't thought of?
Any advice appreciated, thanks

Answer 1

With both my boys I put them in the nursery for their afternoon sleep at first. Then when they got used to that, I started putting them in at night as well. I set up their main cot in the nursery and had a travel cot in my room for the nights when they were ill or extremely restless. This seemed to work really well for both of mine. They were both about 8 weeks when I did this.

Answer 2

Space is definitely an issue. I had the cot between my bed and the wall with the side lowered permanently so I had access. This early on the low side is not a problem and I found it so much easier feeding at night if the cot was in the room. It's hard enough without having to get up and wander round the house. If your room really is too small to squash things in then maybe you could look at those little teddy things that you put in the cot. They have a battery and make mummy's tummy type sounds. One of my friend's says it works great with her little boy. I'm not sure of the reasoning behind SIDS advice to stay in same room as you wouldn't be likely to wake if anything happened. It may be the sounds of the parents in which case teddy could help. I don't know where she got it though, sorry. I'm sure your baby will be fine. Some people like to have baby in the bed with them which is another option. I've worked in outback Australia where this was the norm with all the Aboriginal mums and they seemed to do just fine.

Answer 3

our baby had outgrown moses basket by 5 or 6 weeks. We put him in the cot in his own room at this time with a baby monitor next to baby so i could even hear him breathing! After a few weeks of this we stopped using monitor because it buzzed annoyingly but if you have a better one than mine then that's a compromise. Now i just leave both bedroom doors ajar so i can hear him and have him in a gro-bag so i know the covers can't go over his head. Personally- iwouldn't worry about putting him in his own room with either of these methods. Chances are - you'll be outside his door at regular intervals checking he's still breathing but i think that's just part of being a new mum! I think if your baby is in your room there's more chance you'll get him out and into your bed than if you use baby's own room from early on. Obviously though it's a personal choice and good luck in what you decide.

Answer 4

My little girl is 5 and 1/2 mths and we've squeezed the cot into our room. I just feel more comfortable that way. I plan to move her into the nursery towards easter. I know many people do leave babies in the nursery from a young age, but I didn't want that.

Squeeze it in if you can, you'll be able to relax more.

PS you must have a tall baby, mine was ok in moses basket until 4 mths

Answer 5

Next Moses Basket

Answer 6

health proffesionals reccommend a lot of things that unfortunately aren't always practical. You have to do what suits you at the end of the day. I have an 18 month old who is still in my room as i don't have a big enough flat for her own nursery. On the other hand my friends babies have slept in their own room since the first day they came home from hospital. All of them are fit, healthy and happy kids. Put her in her own room and if it makes you feel better buy one of those mats that go under the sheets that monitors the babies breathing.

Answer 7

My son out grew his basket and then went straight into a cot,in my room,but that's only because we had a one bedroom flat and had to share.I think your little girl will be OK in her own room at this age,and if you are at all worried ,you can buy a special monitor ,that can bleep if the baby stops breathing for over 20 seconds.And you could also get a regular baby monitor for extra assurance.I wouldn't recommend Letting her sleep in your bed ,like I did with my son.Apart from the fact that they don't recommend that you do,It took me ages to get him out of that habit.
Maybe you should just squeeze the cot into your bedroom,,as its only for a few weeks isn't it.

Answer 8

If you are worried or concerned use a travel cot until she is a bit older - I tried putting my second daughter into her nursery at 3 months and I couldn't sleep as I kept checking on her even though I had a monitor - when she stays at my mums she has a travel cot (my mums bedroom is quite small) and my daughter is 18 months and she is comfortable in there

Answer 9

Do what is right for you!

My son came out of his moses basket at 8 weeks and was sleeping thorugh the night, we would have put him in his own room at that point - if we had one! But we didn't move and he didn't get into his own room until he was 10 months old and that I think caused problems coswe would wake him when we went through to bed!

My view (and I am in the UK with the same advice) is if your baby is sleeping through the night then they are ready for their own rooms!

Answer 10

The NHS is full of good advice, totally impractical but good advice. As soon as our son outgrew the moses basket at 8 weeks old he went to his cot in the nursery, took him about 2 weeks to get used to it, you may need to sleep in there to start with.