The bassinet works beautifully until, quite suddenly, it does not. Most parents get a few weeks of warning and then find themselves moving a baby to the cot faster than they planned. Knowing the signs early makes the whole thing calmer.
The four signs it is time
Act on any one of these. You do not wait for all four.
- Pushing up or rolling. Once a baby can push up on hands and knees, or roll from back to front, the low sides of a bassinet no longer contain them. This is the most urgent sign.
- Weight or height limit reached. Check the manufacturer's stated limit, usually around 9kg. Many babies reach it well before the age suggested on the box.
- Length. If your baby's head is close to the top end when lying straight, the bassinet is done.
- Sitting. A baby who is starting to sit unaided has outgrown it regardless of weight.
For most families this lands somewhere between three and six months, though it can be earlier for a larger baby.
Have the cot ready before you need it
The single most useful thing you can do is assemble the cot early. Transitions that happen on a Tuesday night because the baby suddenly rolled are stressful. A cot standing ready in the corner removes all of that.
Set the mattress base to its highest position for a young baby, which saves your back during night lifts. Lower it as soon as your baby can push up on hands and knees, and again to the lowest setting once they can pull to standing.
Making the change easier
Some babies do not notice. Others need a few days. These help:
- Keep the room the same. If the cot is going in your bedroom for now, do that first and change rooms later. One change at a time.
- Start with daytime naps. A few days of naps in the cot before the first night makes it familiar territory.
- Keep everything else identical. Same bedtime routine, same sleeping bag, same wind-down. Familiarity is what carries them through.
- Do not add comfort items. The instinct is to put something familiar in the cot. Resist it, because the cot stays clear.
Room sharing does not have to end
Red Nose Australia recommends that baby sleeps in the parents' room for the first six to twelve months. Moving from bassinet to cot is a change of bed, not necessarily a change of room. If your bedroom fits the cot, keep it there.
What goes in the cot
The list is short and it does not grow with age:
- A firm, flat, well-fitting mattress with no gap wider than 20mm
- A fitted sheet
- A correctly sized sleeping bag, or a lightweight blanket tucked in firmly with feet at the bottom of the cot
No pillows, doonas, bumpers, positioners or soft toys. Baby sleeps on their back.
Reset the room for a mobile baby
A cot brings a taller, more capable baby into play. Check the surroundings again: cords from blinds and curtains well out of reach, nothing hanging over the cot, no furniture beside it that could be used to climb, and the cot away from heaters and windows.
Frequently asked questions
My baby sleeps worse in the cot. Is that normal?
A few unsettled nights are common. If it stretches beyond a week or two, look at the room environment, the routine and the temperature before assuming the cot is the problem.
Can I use a portable cot instead?
Portable cots meet a different standard, AS/NZS 2195, and are intended for occasional and travel use. For everyday sleep, a household cot to AS/NZS 2172 is the right choice.
Should I move rooms at the same time?
Preferably not. Separate the two changes by a few weeks if you can.
Ready when you are
Babyworth stocks cots, mattresses and complete nursery packages, and you can see the size difference for yourself at our Peakhurst showroom in Sydney.
General information only. For safe sleep guidance see Red Nose Australia.