Cot Or Crib For Newborn.

[spot]

Hi,

We are expecting our son to be born in the next few weeks, and we are considering buying either a cot, or one of those smaller swingable cribs.

Which would you recommend for a newborn, and of course, beyond.

Any views on travel cots?

Thanks in advance

spot

[leisurely]

Go for either a well made wooden cot or a well made travel cot. Cribs are awful in my opinion particualry those Thai ones with net curtains all around them. If you are strapped for cash (and who isn't) a travel cot would be the one to go for. The downside of those is how low they are and the backache they can cause (this may not be the case if you are a shorty!)

[TanjaB]

If you are in Thailand for the long-term, than I would go for the cot option. Saw some very nice ones in Central World Plaza @ Brown Farm, and also at the Paragon. Travel cots are okay, but make sure to get one with a bassinet for a newborn to make it easier for you to reach your baby. Also, make sure it is suitable for every night use, and not just meant for occassional nights away (e.g. I know someone who bought a Samsonite pop-up cot for their baby- not suitable!). I have been looking around BKK for a travelcot but never found one I really liked- those that seemed ok cost about the same as a 'real' cot. Also, if you are going to live in Thailand for many years to come, a cotbed would be good as it can be used for up to around 5-6 years as it converts to a toddler bed. We're only going to be here for another 3-4 months after our babies' birth and therefore opted for a nice moses basket.

Edited June 20, 2007 by TanjaB

[swain]

Hello,

Would never do a swingable anything... the new view on this is either the baby can get addicted to the motion and can have a problem later in life or that it has a negative effect on intelligence in your child. Don't get me wrong anything in moderation is not going to hurt your baby, but as his primary sleeping environment something that doesn't move is best.

We have a new born about 14 days old now, and we bought a crib at brown bear in central airport plaza Chiang Mai. She is very comfortable in it. But we have a friend right across the way and her baby would not sleep in the same style of crib we bought ... he would only sleep in their bed with them. Read the "The Contented baby" Not sure who its by, but it gives insight to having a successful sleep environment for your baby.

Edited June 20, 2007 by swain

[leisurely]

Contented baby by Gina Ford. We used it for the second girl and the difference was astonishing. I would highly recommened it. There was a bit of a shit storm in UK when someone questioned her ability to advise parents as shock horror she doesn't have any children herself. It is a bit prescriptive, but we found if we adapted it it suited us.

[samran]

moses basket for the first 3 months for us.

She wouldn't go to sleep in the quiet room so we'd often get her to sleep on the balcony (bacground noise of BKK must be like the womb!), whacked her in the basket and then carried he to the room!

[spot]

Thanks for the answers.

We've looked at some 'Brown Farm' cots near where we live (central Pinklao), and they seem quite nice, sturdy etc. They do seem quite big for a newborn though. I'm just worried that the little fella might look a bit lost in there.

I've read that travel cots should not be used for permanent use, but some of the better models seem really well built with lots of extras.

Samran...where did you get the moses basket from?

We are thinking maybe a moses basket for the first few weeks, then a transfer to a full size cot.

Thanks again.

[TanjaB]

We bought our moses basket at the Emporium (Mothercare) for just under THB5000. This is the one we've got : Moses Basket. Word of warning though - ours is made of corn-husk and really smelled when we first got it, which could put baby off. We've had it for a few weeks now, and the smell has finally gone. If you do go for a cot, but are worried about the 'big space', I've heard that swaddling the baby for the first few weeks or using a 'sleep positioner' ( BritBaby ) might help.

Edited June 21, 2007 by TanjaB

[samran]

Thanks for the answers.

We've looked at some 'Brown Farm' cots near where we live (central Pinklao), and they seem quite nice, sturdy etc. They do seem quite big for a newborn though. I'm just worried that the little fella might look a bit lost in there.

I've read that travel cots should not be used for permanent use, but some of the better models seem really well built with lots of extras.

Samran...where did you get the moses basket from?

We are thinking maybe a moses basket for the first few weeks, then a transfer to a full size cot.

Thanks again.

bought it second hand off the bambi website.

[leisurely]

Would definitely agree with the swaddling. Imagine being all crunched up for 40 weeks and then BAM you're not. Both our girls had very spasmodic jerks of the arms and legs which woke them for the first month or so, swaddling cured it. Just get a length of thin material and wrap it around them. Obviously ensuring that there are no long bits that could find their way into babs mouth or round their neck. We found either a wizzar (arabian mans underslip) or a muslin square worked well. Wrapped around and the end tucked underneath them while they slept.

[Shola]

Having had our little one 8 weeks ago, I recommend anything that rocks, it's a real arm saver!

I got a 2nd hand bassinet that stands or rocks, it's great but she's already growing out of it! The bassinet is Brown Farm, but I'd recomend looking on the Bambi classifieds for a second hand one as they don't last long!

Sho

XXX

Edited June 25, 2007 by Shola

[glaitong]

Baby Pen - works til the kid is about 2 yrs old. Baht 3,000 at Central.

[bina]

wierd, we were taught that babies must have motion to develop their spatial awareness and intelligence and balance etc and babies ahve more difficulties if they are always kept still; plus as most moms know, babies go to sleep best when rocked or carried or swung...as far as i can see, the yuppy types in israel are all going for those special wraps that u carry your baby in like an snuggly, but 'third world style', and swinging cradles for the first three mnths are also big sellers now; seems that third world style is back in fashion again (without taking their babies in to the rice fields but rather the law firm office ) )

whats wrong with the thai style hammock cradle?? it seems safe enough, rocks, usually ahs a grandmother in attendance, is portable, takes up little room, and is cheap...?

bina

[nidge]

This is the one i bought for my baby.

I really think rocking the baby to sleep is important and i have never heard of it adversly affecting a childs intelligence. This crib is stonger than it looks, the mossie net is vital in the village where i live and it only costs 1700 baht from tescos.

Edited July 1, 2007 by nidge

[swain]

Study Shows That Healthy Sleep Pattern Affects Baby's Intelligence

September 14, 2006

It is a little known fact that there is a great way to enhance a child’s intelligence to help him do better later in life. That is, coach him healthy sleep patterns while he is a baby. This is arguably one of the best ways to enhance a child’s intelligence.

The author of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, Dr. Marc Weissbluth, uses the research of Dr. Lewis M. Terman in his study. Though Dr. Terman’s research was concluded in 1925, it is still broadly quoted and used today. Dr. Terman used the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test to test over 3,000 children. In the children who were found to have excellent intelligence there was one thing in common. They all had healthy sleep patterns at night.

Fatigue can cause a child to experience colic-like symptoms, crankiness, irritability, fussiness, hypertension, and weak focusing and eating behavior. Some studies even imply that there is a link between weariness and the increasing diagnosis rate of ADHD.

Thomas Choo, a father of a four-year-old, realizes this. "I had absolutely no idea that my child’s intelligence is linked to his sleep habits. I am now more aware and will strive to instill good sleep habits from now on", he said.

Now that it is understood how important it is to establish good sleep patterns, it is helpful to know that there are some things that may deter a child’s sleep patterns.

1) Using nursing as a way to get your child to sleep is not a good idea. This causes your child to have a dependence upon nursing to get to sleep and they do not learn how to fall asleep on their own.

2) Rocking your baby to sleep is setting yourself up for trouble later. Using a rocking chair used to be the norm, but now many parents will put a baby’s bouncy seat on the dryer or take them for a ride in the car to help them fall asleep. These methods work, but as soon as your baby wakes up you will have to do it all over again. Your baby need to learn how to fall asleep on its own.

3) Putting your child in bed with you puts them at a hazard physically and mentally. Sharing your bed may raise the chance of SIDS and your baby could cultivate a sleep disorder. A research study at the University of Massachusetts Medical School says that there is a link between co-sleeping and children who have sleep disorders.

What do you do to help your child learn to fall asleep? You first need to put your baby to bed while they are still awake. In this way, he can learn to self-soothe and he will fall asleep on his own. Feed him, rock him, and cuddle him before you put him to bed.

07-07-02 02:04:02' post='1394368']

This is the one i bought for my baby.

I really think rocking the baby to sleep is important and i have never heard of it adversly affecting a childs intelligence. This crib is stonger than it looks, the mossie net is vital in the village where i live and it only costs 1700 baht from tescos.

[spot]

Thanks for all the info....

We've decided on a well made travel type cot.

It's got a bassinet for the first 3 months, and has extras such as mosquito net etc. It's quite heavy for a travel cot, but this makes it sturdy.

These new generation of travel cots seem to be a lot more suited to permanent use.

For downstairs daytime, we got a mat and mosquito net - Thai style.

We'll see how we go.

Thanks again for all the input.