If you've started shopping for nursery furniture, you've probably noticed the terms get used almost interchangeably bedside crib, co-sleeper, cot, cot bed, Moses basket. Retailers (ourselves included, if we're honest) aren't always great at being consistent about it, which makes an already overwhelming decision more confusing than it needs to be.
So before you add anything to your basket, here's a straight answer to the question we get asked most in the Everything Baby department at Fleming's: do you need a bedside crib, a cot, or both and when?
With 54,125 babies born in Ireland in 2025 and the average age of a first-time mother now 33.3 years, more Irish parents than ever are furnishing a nursery from scratch, later in life, often in smaller homes where every piece of furniture has to earn its place. This guide is written with that in mind.
Bedside Crib vs Cot vs Cot Bed: The Actual Difference
A bedside crib (also called a co-sleeper or "next to me" crib) is a small, low-sided crib that attaches directly to the side of your own bed. One side lowers or zips open so your baby is within arm's reach for feeds and settling, without sharing your mattress. This is what's usually meant by "next to me" sleeping.
A cot is a free-standing bed with four solid or barred sides, sized for a baby from birth up to roughly 2–3 years, depending on the model.
A cot bed is a cot that converts into a toddler bed once your child outgrows the crib stage one purchase that grows with your child, usually up to age 4 or so, which is why they tend to cost a bit more upfront.
The short version: a bedside crib is for the first few months, right next to you. A cot or cot bed is the next stage, in its own space, usually once baby is sleeping through longer stretches or has outgrown the bedside crib's weight limit.
Do You Actually Need a Bedside Crib?
Not everyone does but for most parents in the first six months, it solves a real problem: how do you keep your baby close for night feeds without sharing a bed with them, which carries known safety risks.
The HSE's official guidance, Safe Sleep for Your Baby, along with the Irish Sudden Infant Death Association (ISIDA), recommends room-sharing keeping baby's sleep space in the same room as you for at least the first six months, while avoiding bed-sharing (baby sleeping in the adult bed itself). This isn't guidance to take lightly: Irish research has found that a significant proportion of SIDS cases nationally involved bed-sharing at the time of death, which is exactly the gap a bedside crib is designed to close baby is close enough to hear, smell and reach, but sleeping on their own firm, flat surface.
A few practical safe-sleep points worth keeping in mind, whichever crib you choose:
- Always put baby to sleep on their back, on a firm, flat mattress
- Keep the sleep space clear of pillows, duvets, bumpers and soft toys
- Room temperature should sit between 16–20°C a bit cooler than most adults keep their bedroom, which matters more in an Irish winter than you'd think
- If using a bedside crib, make sure there's no gap between it and your mattress baby should be flush against your bed, not floating beside it
Our Pick: Babylo Cozi Sleeper Bedside Crib
If you've decided a bedside crib is the right first step, this is the one we sell the most of, and the one our own customers ask the most detailed questions about so let's actually answer them.
The basics: €139.95, suitable from birth up to 9kg or until baby can sit up unaided. Dimensions are 93L x 69W x 66H cm, with 5 height adjustments to match different bed heights, soft mesh sides so you can see baby clearly, and a ventilated drop side.
How does it attach to the bed? The side panel zips fully open, converting the crib from an enclosed standalone crib into an open-sided bedside sleeper that sits flush against your mattress. The 5-position height adjustment is what lets you match it precisely to your own bed height this is the step people most often get wrong with bedside cribs generally, not just this one, so it's worth taking the time to get it level before baby's first night in it.
What mattress size does it need? The Cozi Sleeper comes with its own fitted mattress sized to the crib, so you don't need to buy one separately for this particular model unlike a standard cot, where mattress size varies by brand.
Standalone or bedside can it be both? Yes. With the side zipped closed, it works as a fully enclosed standalone crib, which is handy if you want to move it to a different room, or if a public health nurse visit has you double-checking a fully closed sleep space.
Budget Alternative: Dote Bedside Crib
If you want a simpler, no-frills bedside crib, the Dote Bedside Crib (€99) covers the same core job attaching to your bed for next-to-me sleeping at a lower price point, without the extra features like the 5-position height adjustment. A solid option if budget is the main factor and your bed height is fairly standard.
When to Move to a Cot or Cot Bed
Most babies transition out of a bedside crib somewhere between 4 and 6 months, once they hit the weight limit, start rolling, or simply need more room to move. At that point, you're choosing between:
- A straightforward cot if you're happy to buy a toddler bed separately later on
- A cot bed, like the Travis Cot Bed (€180, grey or white) or Ella Cot Bed (from €175) both convert to a toddler bed, so it's one purchase that lasts into the toddler years instead of two
What Else You'll Actually Need
Whichever crib or cot you choose, a few extras are worth budgeting for at the same time rather than as an afterthought:
- A correctly sized mattress if you go with a cot rather than the Cozi Sleeper's included mattress, the Cot Bed Mattress – Breath-Dry (70 x 140 x 10cm) or the Babylo Spring Cot Bed Mattress both fit the standard 70 x 140cm cot bed size
- A waterproof mattress protector genuinely not optional, given how often it'll be needed; ours is €12 and fits standard crib mattresses
- Cellular blankets breathable, lightweight, and the safer choice over duvets for the first year; available in plain or pink
Quick FAQ
Is a bedside crib safer than sharing my bed? Yes this is the core reason bedside cribs exist. It gives you the closeness of co-sleeping while keeping baby on their own firm, separate surface, in line with HSE and ISIDA safe sleep guidance.
Can I use a bedside crib with any bed? Most bedside cribs, including the Babylo Cozi Sleeper, are height-adjustable to suit a range of bed heights, but very high or very low beds (and some divan or ottoman beds without a standard frame) can be harder to fit flush. Measure your mattress height before ordering if you're unsure.
How long can my baby use a bedside crib? Typically from birth until around 9kg, or once they can sit up unaided or start pushing up on hands and knees whichever comes first, in line with the manufacturer's weight and mobility guidance.
Do I need to buy a separate mattress for the Babylo Cozi Sleeper? No it comes with its own correctly sized mattress included.
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Shop the Babylo Bedside Cozi Sleeper Co-Sleeping Crib and the full nursery furniture range at Fleming's Department Store, Monaghan.