Portable cots are designed for use by families that travel or are away from home over night and a regular cot is not available for the baby. These portable cots have the ability to be easily folded up for storage and transport and are generally not designed for constant use like a regular cot. Unlike cots designed for everyday use, portable cots are not made to the same standard as regular cots which is one of the reasons that they should not be used in place of a regular cot. This does not mean that all potable cots are dangerous it just means that the standard does not address safety issues about these cots and the consumer need to be very selective when purchasing the right portable cot for their situation.
To help consumers to select the right portable cot it is necessary to consider the features that make up portable cots and decide which features you need for your specific circumstance. They have the following features which need to be considered.
The ease at which a portable cot can be erected and folded up is one of the most important features of these types of cots. When families are travelling long distances they do not want to be trying to build or put together complicated cots at the end of a long day. Many have fold and unfold mechanisms which can be easy to use once you have practised a few times.
The size of the portable cot is also something that should be considered especially if you are relatively small in stature. Some of the portable cots on the market have bags that incorporate wheels to make them easy to move around and load on transport such as trains, buses and aeroplanes.
The versatility of the portable cot is also important as many of the cots on the market include great extra features such as storage bags, playpens and changing stations. This provides you with a few more luxuries that you may not have considered packing.
Portable cots need also to be comfortable both for the baby to sleep in and also comfortable for the parent to use. Many of the portable cots have very comfortable inflatable mattresses or soft thinner mattresses which can be folded up with the cot. Having a portable cot that folds up small and packs away easily is great but you need to make sure that your baby will find the cot comfortable and will sleep soundly and stay asleep when in the portable cot.
Cot furniture or baby cots are one of the most important and sometimes most expensive purchase for the nursery. When choosing the right cot furniture for your nursery there are a few things to consider to make this choice easier and may even make the purchase cheaper.
The first thing that need to be considered when buying cot furniture is are you going to buy a piece of furniture that has one or several uses. Many manufacturers have developed cot furniture that changes as the child grows up. These cots have features such as converting from a cot to a child’s bed and then to a sofa or double bed. These cots may cost more initially when purchased but actually save money as subsequent furniture such as a bed and other children’s furniture does not need to be purchased.
The next thing that needs to be considered after you have chosen the type of cot furniture for the nursery is the type of material and the finish of the cot. There is loads of different finishes and colours of cot furniture which makes the job of mixing and matching with other furniture a lot easier. Cot furniture is available in a large range of wood finishes such as oak, pine and maple and each of these wood types can be stained to different finishes. For those people who like a bit of colour cot furniture is also available painted in a large range of colours to match any colour scheme chosen for the nursery.
The next thing to consider is the amount of money you are going to spend on the cot furniture. Cots that are available new from retailers have all passed the Australian Standard for safety so even the cots that are at the cheaper end of the market have passed the required standard. Much of the difference in prices from the cheaper to the more expensive range of cot furniture is related to the higher grade of workmanship as well as the addition of more features or options.
The last thing to consider when deciding on cot furniture is what extra features or options you wish to have included with the cot. Features such as easy operation, storage space for baby stuff and options such as a baby changing table are some of the extras that are available with different brands of cot furniture.
Choosing the right cot for your baby is an important decision as there are many factors to consider before making a purchase. There are thousands of cot designs on the market so it is important that when deciding on which one is right for your baby you choose a cot that meets all the relevant safety standards and provides your baby with a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
Many of the top brands of baby cots, such as Stokke and Boori, use wood as the main material in their cot construction. There are many advantages to using wood for construction of baby cots, cribs and beds which is why it is so widely used. Wooden cots have many advantages over cots constructed of other materials such as durability, wood is easy to work with, lasts a long time, wood is timeless in terms of design, can have a finish to suit most decor and it is easy to keep clean and maintain.
Wooden cots are very popular as many of the companies that produce these cots use quality wood which increases the durability of the cot. Different types of wood used in baby cots includes pine, ash, maple and oak. Many wooden cots are designed and constructed so well that you will get many happy years use out of the furniture.
Another reason that wood is used in the construction of baby cots is that wood is easy to work with which makes it easy and cost effective for use in baby furniture. Wood used in the construction of baby cots can easily be cut to size and shaped into various designs and finishes. Some companies choose to use hard wood varieties to guarantee longevity of the cot.
The use of wood for cot design and construction provides the consumer with a piece of furniture that is timeless in terms of design trends in furniture. Unlike other finishes, colours and designs of furniture the polished wood finish does not go out of fashion. The other advantage of wood when used in children’s furniture such as cots is that there are many finishes of wood to choose from so furniture can be matched to the decor or other furniture quite easily.
Wooden cot designs are also easy to care for and maintain. After a while when baby furniture starts to look a little tired after continual use it is possible to give the wooden cot a new lease on life by simply sanding back the wood and either staining or painting the cot.
Travel or portable cots are designed for use by babies on occasions when the family is away from home. These travel cots have the ability to be folded up for easy storage and transport and are not designed to be used every day as a permanent cot for the baby. Unlike cots designed for everyday use, travel cots are not required to meet a standard in relation to safety. This does not mean that all travel cots are dangerous it just means that the standard does not address safety issues about these cots and the consumer needs to be more vigilant when purchasing a travel cot.
When buying a travel cot it is important to consider and check the following things to ensure that you purchase a travel cot that is safe, comfortable for the baby and is suitable for your needs. There are hundreds of different types of travel cots on the market so it is important to consider the following before purchasing your own travel cot.
Travel cots are designed in such a way that they have a mechanism which is designed to lock into place once the cot is assembled. It is important that this locking mechanism has a safety to stop the cot mechanism from disengaging and collapsing while the child is in the travel cot.
The unpacked cot should be fairly sturdy in construction and withstand applied pressure without buckling. The base of the cot should not sag or be able to be pushed down to the floor when the cot is set up. It is important that the base does not sag as this may cause the baby to roll onto their stomach which should be avoided. Most brands of travel cots have a weight limit of 15kg which means that large children over this weight should not be placed in a travel cot.
Once the cot is set up it is important that there are no gaps between the walls of the travel cot and the mattress. This is important for the baby’s safety as gaps around the edges of the mattress can trap hands, feet or even the baby’s head.
The mattress provided should be the only mattress that is used in the travel cot. The mattresses that are included with the travel cot are thinner than the mattresses provided with regular cots so these mattresses cannot be interchanged from a regular cot to a travel cot.
The construction of the travel cot should also be considered before deciding to purchase one. The edges of the cot should be smooth with no sharp protrusions and there should be nothing that can come loose and cause a choking hazard. In addition to this the travel cot should only be used and set up how described in the enclosed set up instructions to ensure the baby’s comfort and safety.
The purchase of a baby cot and bedding is part of the many essential things that need to be provided for a new baby. Many parents use a cot for their babies and young children as a confined safe place for them to sleep which is away from dangers and risks, other children and pets. There are many different designs of baby cots on the market and it is important that when choosing the right one for your baby the focus is on safety rather than the aesthetics of the cot.
When purchasing and using a baby cot there are few things that need to be considered so that you will select a cot that is safe and suitable for you and your babies needs. Considerations include ensuring the cot meets the Australian Standard, the design is suitable with no sharp edges or places that the baby can hurt itself, the mattress is well fitted with no gaps at the sides, minor maintenance such as tightening nuts and bolts can be performed and checked and the cot has all the extra features that you and the baby require.
In Australia and New Zealand all cots that are available on the market must pass a Standard which dictates various safety requirements that the cot has to pass. When purchasing a new or second hand bed for your baby this information should be available at the point of purchase. Baby cots that do not meet the standard are prohibited from sale in Australia. This includes new and second hand cots.
The design and the safety features need also to be considered when deciding what you require. Things to look for on the cot are child proof catches, no sharp edges or corners, no areas that the baby can stick their arms or legs and the cot is made of sturdy construction. These features are also covered by the Australian cot Standard but many manufactures have designed cots that exceed this standard to ensure that they are safe to use.
A well fitting mattress is an essential for your babies cot. The mattress should be firm and well fitting with no gaps along the sides or the ends. Gaps between the mattress and the side of the cot can potentially be dangerous if the child gets caught or a leg or arm gets caught between the mattress and the side of the cot.
Apart from the safety requirements it is also a good idea to select a cot that has extra features that will make life easier for you and happier for the baby. Things such as easy one handed operation for those times when you are on your own and holding the baby in the other hand. Baby cots come with many extra features which can make life a bit easier for mum or dad.
