Transition from Bassinet to Cot

At what age did you move your little one from bassinet to cot? My dd has almost outgrown her bassinet which is in our room at 9 weeks old and I feel it’s to early for the cot in her own room. Does anyone have any advice for the transition from bassinet to cot? TIA

Disclaimer: All information provided should be used in conjunction with safety guidelines such as those from SIDS and Kidsafe. The hints and tips listed are from website users not that of the website owner and a doctor should be consulted before relying on the information found here. Go to Sids and Kids for more information on safe sleeping. Refer to Kidsafe for information on household safety and on car restraints. Take this information into consideration in conjunction with the following practical advice from parents.)

•  We just moved ours straight from a co sleeper bassinet straight to a cot in our room and had no sleep change issues.    Sara

•  Day sleeps first then put him in cot one night & he slept like “normal”.    Trezna

•  We had trouble with our second transitioning from bassinet to cot. We started by doing day sleeps only, a radio can sometimes help for background and have the room dark. When talking to mums over the years some have mentioned they place the bassinet in the cot, but this would only work of yours can separate from the stand.   Yvonne

•  My lo went so easily from bassinet to cot I was convinced it was going to be a disaster he didn’t even notice.    Emma

•  Bassinet in the cot.    Rachael

•  Don’t stress… I stressed so much the first transition and it went fine, she just switched no problem. Same from the crib-toddler bed no fuss at all.    Emma

•  Started with moving bassinet into cot for day sleeps for a few weeks then straight in cot for another few weeks and then moved bassinet into cot for night sleeps for 3 nights then just into cot. Didn’t have any issues and I think could have just gone straight into the cot no problems. She was 12 weeks when we did.    Jo

•  Is your bassinet removable?? Ie does it come off the frame? I just lifted my bassinet into the cot for the first few nights for them to get used to the surrounds then eventually introduced the day sleeps in the cot remember the positioning needs to be right down the end of the cot!! I put those wedges either side of them so they felt secure or they just got used to being in it from there no probs! Good luck!!    Andrea

•  Started with just day sleeps. Ds found the space a bit hard to cope with and so I also put his sleeper in the cot at first to make him feel a bit cosy.    Nikki

•  Sit the bassinet in the cot for a few days and nights to get him used to the look of it and then start with nights and get them down pat first then do naps GL.    Teressa

•  I just put my boys into the cot n got rid of bassinet it never worried them, But if you’re worried just do it nap by nap if u get me till his in there full time,    Chantelle

•  I put my little man into the cot when he was 6 weeks old.. It was easier for us with him in the cot, I could see him easier during the night.. But there was no drama just took the bassinette apart and put him in the cot and he didn’t even notice.. Well if he did there was no fuss about it.   Natalie

•  Just put him/her in it and see what happens. I think sometimes we are expecting dramas and go to all these lengths to “make things easier” when in reality, it may not be required and may actually just be setting you up for having a fussy child in the long run. Remember, they’re not as fragile as they look! They’ve survived in a womb for 9 months!    Josh

•  We just put him in the cot one night and that was it. I was however putting him down for his day sleeps in the porta cot for a few weeks. He had no issues in there either. We moved him at 13weeks as he outgrew his bassinet.    Hanna

•  Day sleeps in the cot. I did this with both my kids and it went really well.    Em

•  Put the bassinet into the cot for a week so still familiarity with new surroundings.   Amy

•  I did day sleeps first, then just put him in overnight one night and haven’t looked back.    Rachael
  

• My lo out grew her bassinet real quick too. I have the porta cot in our room now,but she mainly sleeps with me(hubby works away). I’m not in any rush to have her out either,I love our cuddles. Jamie

• SIDS guidelines are 6-12 months in the same room as you. Are you able to put the cot in your room? Or even a smaller porta cot? Racheal

• My bubs has been in his cot since 7 weeks. If your concerned make sure you have a good monitor. I know SIDS recommend 6-12 months but it’s totally up to you. You have to feel comfortable. My bubs didn’t like the bassinet and it had a creak in it that kept us up all night. He hasn’t looked back since being in his own space. Sleeps through 7pm til 6am Shannon

• The earlier the better I say! Do it before they are old enough to realise as then it because alot more difficult! Emily

• My son was in the cot in his own room at 12weeks as he outgrew the bassinet also. I just turned the monitor as loud as it would go & if I woke would check on him too but he was totally fine. I recommend a monitor with movement pads though as it made me feel more comfortable knowing an alert would go off if he didn’t move. Shelley

• I started DD in her cot for day sleeps only at 3 months and now at 4 months she sleeps there all the time. Loves it, she was also running out of room. Melanie

• My LO was in her own room at 4wks in the bassinet, no monitor. She is absolutely fine, I hear her and it may sound strange but I feel her…I always wake up about 5mins before she does. I slept better and so did she Danielle

• I think it was 11-13 weeks. He was already doing day naps in his cot and at night in a cradle in our room so I think helped he was already partially used to it. Within a week he gave up one of his night feeds so I think he sleeps better in his own room Fiona

• I managed to squeeze the cot in next to my bed (bye bye bedside table and I climb over the end of the bed to get out) but it makes nighttime so much easier for now. When he reduces nighttime feeding, I’ll consider his own room Debra

• We just put our baby in the cot in his own room because he has outgrown his bassinet, he’s 4.5 months (we bought a particularly large bassinet but he is also very tall). Truthfully, I would still rather have him in our room but the cot is too big. Jenni

• About 8 weeks as she had outgrown her bassinet. She slept great Auri

• We had to put our daughter in the cot at 4 weeks. She was just too long. She had no problems being in the different room and I just made sure I had the monitor on louder for the first couple of weeks Kelly

• Our son went in to his cot in his own room at 10 weeks. Our house is very small and his room is right next to ours so we could still easily hear him when he cried out. We all slept better it’s a personal decision though and there is no set age just do what works for you Rachel

• Second night home from hospital (1 week old). Do what you are comfortable with Erin

• 7weeks old. He hated his bassinet and I did too. Every one slept better once he was in his own room. Ez

• My son has been in his cot for the last 2 nights, he’s almost 6 weeks and has just about out grown his bassinet. I was really worried but he’s actually seeming to settle better so far Allyce

• I moved mine for day sleeps about 10 weeks and he is now 18 weeks and has his first night in the cot yesterday night, I really really didn’t want to but he also outgrew the bassinet it was selfish of me to keep him in there when he was kicking the ends, but I’m not 100% sure it was that that was waking him or night cycles commenced, so I reluctantly put aside my own separation anxiety and moved him and he is sleeping better? Or I just can’t hear the fussing only crying! Lucy

• Just short of 7 months. Bit we had a big sturdy bassinet that was deep, longer and up to a bit I we 8kg max weight. As bub passed the weight we moved her to a cot. We had no probs at all. Loved my bassinet though, was great. Dell

• Our bub went into her own cot and room at 9 weeks, best thing we ever did. We both sleep better. Just get a good baby monitor (I love the oricom secure 710) which will give peace of mind Kate

• my first child went into a cot about 4 weeks as she would wriggle out of her blanket and bang her arm on the bassinet she didn’t have any problems but remember to put her down the end if the cot Debra

• Our son was in a cot from day dot. It’s never been a problem. Hayley

• We had our little one in a portacot for a couple of months. I too thought she was too young to be in her own room and the cot wouldn’t fit in the door without disassembling. She is now 7 months and happily in her own cot in her own room. Karlee

• I put my little one in his cot at 4 months old best thing ever, he’s now 11 months and sleeps every night all night in his bed Stephanie

• My bub has been in his cot since we got home from hospital at 5 days old. His room was right next to ours and I could still hear every murmur. He is now 5mths old. I use the zip swaddles for piece of mind of suffocating I find that if he is swaddled with a blanket I wake constantly and go check him. SIDS have instilled this fear in parents but my midwife said it was ok that he wasn’t in our room.  Do what you feel is best for you! I know that SIDS recommend sleeping in parents room etc but if you have a good monitor ( video, sound, movement whatever it may be) then that is extra security and piece of mind for you. Perhaps try day sleeps in the cot in bubs room and see how bub handles it. Use some of the bedding from the bassinet so that it is not completely foreign that’s what I do when I need to use portacot. If bub is sick then sleep in same room for safety. Stacy
  

• the day we got home from the hospital although the nursery is right next door to our room and we leave both doors open. Janine

• my first did about this time too as she was a big bubby but not much you can do about it. maybe you could get an angelcare movement monitor, pretty pricey but worth it for piece of mind especially when they are in another room. Claire

• At about 12 weeks my daughter went into her cot in her own room for the same reason .. I personally think it’s good age to start getting them less dependent on u but it’s completely up to u and what u feel is right and comfortable. if u aren’t ready, maybe move the cot into ur room if there’s room or just try for a night and see how u go. u may surprise urself Sarah

• my daughter was in cot from 2 weeks and my son from 4 weeks I couldn’t sleep with them in the same room as both made noises in their sleep and it would wake me .. my son was in my room an extra 2 weeks because I got Mastitis and had to put him on formula and I was so paranoid he would vomit in his sleep while we worked out the best formula for him. .. Carissa

• 8-9 months old when he started standing up Kelly

• SIDS foundation recommend sleeping in same room as bubs for the first 6 months. I did it with mine until sleep school at 4.5 months. Prue

• The day we brought our boys home from the hospital they were in cots in their own room. Steph

• With all my babies, when they grew out of the bassinet I put them into their cot in my bedroom until they were 1. More for my sake really as I couldn’t bare them being away from me just yet! Kristy

• My DS went into his nursery on the 2nd night at home. He was so loud in his sleep it worked better for us. Then he went into his cot around 10 weeks. I had him in the cot during the day for 2 days and the bassinet at night, then into the cot on the 3rd day. I did the first cot night as a Friday so DH could help if DS was unsettled. But we had no dramas at all Kelly

• My first baby went into a cot on day 1… 2nd baby used a cot for night and a bassinet for the day. The look super tiny in a cot but no dramas Agnetha

• 12 Weeks she still fit in her bassinet but felt she was ready and she sleeps soo much better she has room to sleep like a starfish Juanita

• Bubs went in his cot in his own room at 4.5 weeks. Best thing I ever did. Night time feeds are so much easier and more easily settled. Hayley

• We put bub in his cot at 8 weeks, he kept waking when he touched the sides. It was the first night he slept from 9 until 5am and hasn’t looked back he’s 7 months now. We have a video monitor so we can see him and hear him. U will sleep a lot better too Kim

• My bub only spent a week in out room then he went straight into his own cot in his own room. Now I feel like it is the best decision we made as down the track there was so anxiety, for him or us, about the big move into another room Carolyn

• 4 weeks old dd went into her cot. She was in her our room then and I thought it pointless to continue with the bassinet. Emma

• I’ve had my little one in a cot from the first night. But then again I sleep in the same room as him. Natalie

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