Moving a 1 year old into a cotbed??

a cotbed is just a cot with sides that come off once the baby is old enough to climb out of it. there's no point buying one if you already have a cot, just buy a normal bed or a toddler bed once your child is old enough.

Because my son was big born, i had to put him in a cotbed (with sides)almost from birth as a moses basket didnt have enough room. when he was 10 months old he also got to long for the sides on so i took the sides off. i found he slept a bit better. when he was 15months old i put him i proper divan bed and it was the best thing i ever did for him. i used to use the side guards but was told, not to bother as they could climb over them, which means higher to fall. i put a blow up mattress on the floor for a week, but he only fell out a couple of times. so took it away. he doesnt even get out of bed in the morning just calls to say that he's awake for me to go in

Gurgle expert Thirza Ashelford says 'To be honest – why not just get him a normal sized bed once he has out grown his cot? Otherwise you will be buying yet another bed when he grows out of his cot bed!! If you buy a standard single bed you can use a flat sheet to shorten it – tuck the top of the sheet in under the head end and use the foot of the sheet to bring up and place over his blanket or duvet, tuck the sides in and he will not then disappear down to the end. You can always buy removable bed guards, there are plenty on the market from the old fashioned metal ones that slide under the mattress to a new range which look like sausages that slip inside a special cover and lie on top of the mattress. Take a look at the prices and see which seems most economical for you – a cot bed then a standard single or a single and bed guards – if you leave him until he is at least 15 months in his cot he should cope with moving into a bed. If you do decide on a cot bed and you move him at 11 to 12 months I would suggest that you leave the sides on to begin with as he will be quite little to mange a bed without any sides.'

Hi there, my daughter was in a cot bed with the sides on from 7 months, but we bought that instead of a cot. We had to move it down to the bottom level as she would climb out otherwise. We moved her out on her 2nd birthday to a lovley newley decorated room just for her with a full size new single bed which matched the new wardrobe etc we'd bought for her room. We put a gaurd on the side for a few weeks, then found we didn't need it anymore.
My son moved into the cotbed around 6/7 months too. He was always quite content and never had to lower to the bottom setting. about 2 months bfore he was two, we converted it to the toddlers bed. It's so low to the floor, we didn't bother with the gaurd. He falls out on the odd occasion, but it's not far enough to hurt himself.
Unless you need the cot for another wee one coming, I'd leave them in the cot till nearer 2. Round about 2 they know to stay in bed at bedtime, up till then they're probably better off with the cot sides. Also remember when they have nothing to keep them in they're more likley to come through to you too instead of going back to sleep. I don't think ther is any point in buying a cot bed when you have a cot, I'd just wait and go for a toddlers bed or a full size bed nearer 2. Hope this helps.

my lil girl has had a cot bed with the sides on since she was born too going to keep the sides on till i know she wont fall about but currently turns alot (15 months) x

hey mine ave had cotbeds since they were born (with the sides on) my 15 month old still has the sides on. i have a friend with a 14 month old in a toddler bed and she says the baby gets up at 2 in the morning and climbs into their bed also wont fall saleep in bed jst gets out. i wouldnt like it if my l/o got up in the middle of night while i was asleep think if they had an accident and it was hrs befor you noticed. i think leaving the sides on are a good idea for now.

you can leave the sides on as long as you want - although if he's in a cot, I would say leave him in that for now then buy a toddler bed when you are ready - thats the size of a cotbed without the sides :-)

My son is currently 9months and I am browsing in the shops at a cotbed. Obviously now is too young to make the move but I was thinking of when he was around 11-12months. The bed he has at the moment is just a cot, where as if we were to move him into a cot "bed" would that mean taking the sides off already or leaving them on?