Baby cot equipment: how to prepare a cot? What about a cot for a newborn?

January 30 2023

Your family is about to get bigger and you want to know when to prepare a crib for a newborn? You are not sure what sheet for a baby will be the best? You watch baby cots with equipment  and wondering if this is a better option than buying individual items separately? We have a guide for the essentials for you accessories for a baby cot and hints on how to choose them.

A well-equipped cot is a place of comfortable rest for a child. Above all, it should provide the highest level of security. Aesthetics is also important, but it is not the most important parameter. A baby cot with the right equipment is not only a convenience for a baby, but also a psychological comfort for its parents. Below a few practical and proven tips on what the equipment of a newborn and younger infant's cot should consist of, what accessories to pay attention to and where to locate them, and what to avoid.

When to prepare a crib for a newborn?

Due to the fact that it is never certain whether the delivery, even in the event of a planned cesarean section, will take place at the expected date, it is worth having the cot with the necessary accessories ready about 2 weeks in advance. It is much better that it awaits its tenant, and not the other way around. We can not predict all the toddler's needs in advance, but it is obvious that he should have a comfortable and safe place to sleep as soon as he arrives at home.

Jagna Szulc-Kamińska

Midwife, Expert in issuing opinions on utility products at the Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

By knowing when to prepare a crib for a newborn baby, you can plan other necessary activities well in advance. If, for example, renovation works are necessary before furnishing and equipping the space for a child, they should be absolutely completed 2-3 weeks before the planned delivery, so as not to expose the newborn to inhaling vapors of paints, varnishes, etc.

What about a crib for a newborn and infant? How to prepare a crib for a newborn?

What bedding and cover?

These are the basic accessories in a child's cot, so the questions what bedding for a newborn to the criboften appear long before his birth. It is important that she stays made of appropriate raw materials. Among the proposals distinguished for their properties, it is worth mentioning bedding made of cotton with the addition of bamboo fibers and covers made of polyester knitted fabric with the participation of cotton and bamboo, which they have Oeko-Tex Standard class I certificate.

It is a certificate confirming that textile products and textile toys for children under three years of age are completely free from harmful and potentially harmful substances, such as azo dyes, nickel and other heavy metals or chlorinated phenols.

Which mattress should I choose for a child?

Planning equipment of a cot for a newborn, you cannot forget the mattress. Long-term research by the Institute of Mother and Child suggests that an improperly selected mattress not only reduces the comfort of a toddler's rest, but can also contribute to the formation of posture defects. It should be a springy, medium-hard product that provides solid support for the body, especially for an intensely shaped spine. Among the recommended materials from which the mattress can be made, it is worth mentioning:

  • latex, which provides even support for the body, but in some cases may cause allergies,
  • polyurethane (PU) foam, with high density, which does not adapt to the shape of the body - just like in mattresses for adults,
  • highly flexible foam (HR), durable, breathable and high-density, resistant to permanent dents
  • plant mats, e.g. made of flax, coconut fibers, hemp or buckwheat husk, having fungicidal and bactericidal properties. Some of them, for example coconut mats, can cause allergies, so if there are allergies in the family, it is better to refrain from buying.

The mattress filling, as well as the bedding, pillowcase or hygiene cover, should be made of raw materials with the aforementioned Oeko-Tex Standard Class I safety certificate. The most universal mattress sizes are 120 x 60 x 70 cm. It is recommended to buy it in a set with a protector. 

Detailed information on choosing the best mattress for a crib can be found here: How to choose the first cot and mattress for a child?

What sheet for a baby?

The most practical and safe for babies are sheets with an elastic band, because thanks to them the material sticks to the mattress firmly, which reduces the risk of downloading. This is especially important if your toddler is mobile and does not sleep very well.

What to cover?

You can list here sleeping bag, swaddle or swaddle. These covers are an alternative to the classic duvet and blanket. I advantage is that there is no risk of putting them on the face by accident by a child, as can happen with a blanket and quilt.

Jagna Szulc-Kamińska

Midwife, Expert in issuing opinions on utility products at the Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

A sleeping bag or swaddle for a child must be of the right size. Too small will oppress the baby. It is worth buying a size larger model that will last longer. If the sleeping bag has openings for handles, make sure that they are finished with welts that effectively block the baby's hands from slipping inside. In this way, we will avoid the risk that the baby's head will get inside the sleeping bag during sleep. Each cover should be made of a natural fabric with appropriate approvals and adjusted in terms of thickness to the current season.

Baby pillow: needed or not?

According to pediatricians and orthopedists, a child up to the age of one does not need a pillow at all, and it is even inadvisable. Lying on a flat, medium-hard surface, on your back, is a natural position for both a newborn and an older infant. The presence of the pillow makes it difficult to turn the head freely, and the muscles of the back, neck and nape are not yet ready to lift, which can lead to various types of muscle tension that will require rehabilitation in the future. A baby pillow is recommended only when the baby has breathing problems (e.g. has a cold), which forces the head to be placed higher during sleep, but then it is better to raise the entire mattress at an angle instead of using a pillow.

Another argument against the use of pillows in infants is the position of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which issued recommendations on the safe sleep of children and the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They show that in the US every year 3,5 thousand children die in their sleep, of which as much as 25% slept on a pillow.

This does not mean that the presence of the pillow is a direct cause of SIDS, but it is undoubtedly a risk factor that can obstruct your baby's breathing and, in the worst case, result in suffocation. The same goes for blankets or mascots. If you already introduce a pillow, then only after the first year of life, preferably featherless and not too tall.

Rungs in the cot: compliance with the so-called cot norm

Baby cots are subject European standards PN-EN 716-1 and PN-EN 716-2. Each of them has to go through the production process the so-called chain test. It is based on a simulation related to the risk of suffocation of a baby with a nipple chain attached to the crib. It might seem that this could not actually happen, but you also have to take into account that a toddler is exposed to a myriad of dangers, including such dangers. Accordingly, the cot must be free of sharp edges and no protruding parts.

As for the rungs in the cot, the recommended distance between them should not be less than 2,5 cm - so as to avoid wedging the child's hand or leg in this space. On the other hand, this distance must also not exceed 6 cm to prevent the head from getting there. The height of the sides of the cot is also important, as they should be at least 60 cm, and at least 30 cm high with the highest mattress.

Recommended products

Anna Milewska

Senior specialist in the Department of Assessment and Cooperation Development, Institute of Mother and Child

What accessories for a baby cot?

Under password "accessories for a baby cot"A lot of different products are offered, and this often confronts future or new parents with the dilemma of what to choose. Where is the line between what is convenient and necessary and what is unnecessary or even harmful? It is good to equip a toddler bed with practical accessories that will be comfortable for both the child and the parent. Here are examples of functional solutions:

  • it is worth installing next to the cot a practical organizer in which you can store diapers and cosmetics intended for baby care. The organizer should be free of sharp edges - it should be hung or placed at a safe distance from the crib. Placed too close, it restricts the child's free access to light and air;
  • a feeding chair located near the crib;
  • lamp with muffled light;
  • a changing table next to the cot;
  • a cot with an adjustable bottom level, a very practical solution, thanks to which the cot is suitable for both a newborn and a two-three-year-old;
  • removable rungs;
  • partially lowered side;
  • a closed drawer under the cot;
  • rocking cot, if equipped with movement limiters;
  • a cot in the form of a wicker basket - Due to the dimensions and low sides, it can be used by a child no longer than 2-3 months.

What, for safety reasons, it is better to avoid when completing cot equipment?

However, not everything is needed. Below is a a list of the most important elements that, for safety reasons, should be avoided when completing the equipment of a cot for a newborn and an infant:

  • too high casings and rung pads, having straps or ribbons of inappropriate length;
  • plush mascots (similar risk as when using pillows for infants);
  • canopies obstructing proper air circulation (in the worst case, the child may pull the canopy into the crib and wrap it around his neck);
  • too much decorated bedding (for example with sewn-on applications);
  • too loud music boxes, present in a carousel mounted above the cot (may damage the baby's hearing).

Hygiene: what, when and how often to wash?

Answering the question what bedding for a newborn to a cot, the issue of frequent washing cannot be ignored. The optimal frequency of washing bed linen is once every 2 weeks, but if in the meantime there is dirt, then of course you have to do it more often. Any soaking, shedding or leaks require immediate washing. Otherwise, the risk of infection or even contamination increases. It is important not to let the mattress get wet. A useful addition will be a special hygienic cover, which will protect the mattress from stains coming from shedding or a soaked diaper, and also protects it from sweat absorption.

Baby cots with equipment: Yes or no?

Now in the market you can also find baby cots with equipment, offered as a ready-made set, often at an attractive price. Is such a choice a shortcut or rather convenience and time saving? If you enjoy buying things for your child and you have time for it, you will probably want to choose and complete the individual items of equipment yourself.

When deciding on a cot with equipment for various reasons, you usually do not have to worry about matching, for example, the size of the bedding to the size of the mattress. However, it is worth looking at what exactly is included in the kit and whether all components are of good quality.

The location of the cot in the room

The baby cot should be positioned in such a way as not to expose the toddler to possible drafts. So it should not be too close to a window or door. You cannot place it too close to the radiator, so as not to overheat the baby.

The room in which the cot is located must be regularly aired, as free as possible from places where dust could accumulate, and ensure free air circulation.

Jagna Szulc-Kamińska

Midwife, Expert in issuing opinions on utility products at the Institute of Mother and Child

The expert advises:

The optimal location in the room is one that is well lit and facing the door. It is a good idea to move the crib from time to time so that the child can get to know the surroundings better and observe them from different perspectives. Remember that the toddler turns his head towards the light and in the direction of human sounds, so regular changes (e.g. every 2 weeks) in the location of the bed will avoid the risk of asymmetric development of the musculoskeletal system of the neck.

We already know v as for a crib for a newborn it is worth stocking up, and also - what to avoid in it. Maintaining moderation, or even minimalism, is in this case a much better approach than collecting excess items, especially textiles, in the environment of the toddler. Choosing accessories for a baby cot, avoid exaggeration, always having the question "at the back of your head" whether a given item is really needed, and above all - safe.

 

Author

Jagna Szulc-Kamińska

Midwife, Expert in issuing opinions on utility products at the Institute of Mother and Child

EU funding
Please be advised that in order to provide services available on our website, optimize its content and adapt the website to your individual needs, we use information saved using cookies on end users' devices. Cookies can be controlled through the settings of your web browser. By continuing to use our website without changing the browser settings, the user accepts the use of cookies. More information is contained in privacy policy service.
I Accept