Using cot beds safely

A safe and secure cot bed is a crucial investment for any parent. Once you've purchased your little one's cot bed, you need to know exactly how to build it, where to position it and how long to use it before swapping to something bigger.

Thanks to the British Safety Standards guidelines, it's easy to see whether or not a cot bed can be trusted – we've got more details on that further down the page. But guidelines aside, you should also be aware of which objects should and shouldn't be kept by your child while they sleep.

In our expert guide, we cover everything you need to know on cot bed safety. Keep scrolling for details on cot bed safety checks and drop-sided cot beds, plus important tips on when to adjust the cot bed height and how to stop your baby or toddler falling out of their cot bed.

We've quizzed parents to find out which cot bed brands they rate highly. For the full results, explore our guide to the best cot bed brands.

Cot bed safety standards

When shopping for a cot bed, you need to make sure it conforms to British Safety Standards BS EN 716 as a cot, and BS 8509 as a bed. These markings show that the product has passed a series of important British Safety Standards guidelines.

According to British Safety Standards:

• The distance between the top of the mattress and the top of the cot sides should be at least 50cm.
• The distance between each bar shouldn't be less than 2.5cm or more than 6.5cm, so that your baby’s head can’t get trapped.

As your child gets older, keep an eye out to check that the bars remain smooth and securely fixed.

Where should I put my cot bed?

The position of the cot bed in your bedroom or nursery is very important. For the first six months, experts say it's safest for your baby to sleep in the same room as you, but after that, you might want to move them to their own room.

To keep your baby as safe as possible, remember the following when positioning a cot bed:

1. Keep the cot away from obvious danger Don't position it beneath a wall-hanging frame, mirror or shelf. Power cables are a strangulation hazard, so should be kept well out of reach.
2. Keep the cot away from heat sources Make sure your child isn't next to a radiator or in direct sunlight. To keep an eye on the temperature, buy a room thermometer or get a baby monitor with a temperature display.
3. Keep the cot away from footholds Placing it close to furniture could allow your baby to climb out. Look out for trailing strings or cot-bumper ties, as they pose a strangulation risk.
4. Keep the cot away from curtains and blinds The strings and cords are another potential strangulation hazard. These can also give your baby something to hold on to and potentially help them climb out of the cot.
5. Use the base in the correct position Many cots and cot beds have adjustable bases that you can move lower as your baby grows – this means they can't roll or climb out of the cot. Check the base regularly to avoid any injuries when your baby inevitably tries to climb over the top. The highest base position is only suitable for use until your baby is about three months old.

For more expert advice on ideal temperatures for your baby, consult our guide: cot mattress and baby bedding safety. Plus, our baby monitor reviews reveal which monitors had an accurate temperature thermometer in our tests.

Are drop-sided cot beds safe?

The sale of drop-sided cots (new or used) has been banned in the US since 2011, after several children died because they became trapped between the drop side and the base of the bed.

Our furniture safety experts believe that this type of accident is not possible with a cot bed that complies with the relevant British standards for cots. Reacting to concerns over the safety of drop-sided cots, the British and European safety standard was revised in 2011 and again in 2013. Drop-sided cots in the UK now require a lock on drop sides when the cot is in the lowered position.

Make sure you look out for the BS EN 716: 2005 marking if you're buying a drop-sided cot bed. We'd also advise never leaving your child unattended in the cot when the drop side is down.

If you're planning a holiday or an overnight stay away from home, see our guide on travel cot safety. 

Do I need a cot bed with a teething rail?

Your baby can start cutting teeth from around 5 or six months and it will continue until they reach around two or three years old. To relieve discomfort, you might find they are gnawing and chewing on things a lot, including their cot bed.

When a baby is teething the saliva softens the material, causing potential chunks to break off, which is incredibly dangerous as they could end up swallowing pieces of the wood.

Some cot beds come with teething rails, a protective piece of silicone or fabric that runs along the top edge of the cot's sides. If your cot doesn't come with one, you can purchase them separately from Amazon, Munch and Mokee.

When should I adjust cot bed height?

As your baby grows, their cot bed should adjust with them. Make sure your cot bed is in the highest position until your baby is around three months old.

Once your baby can sit up unaided, you can adjust the cot bed so that it's in its lowest position.

Eventually, your toddler will show signs of attempting to climb out – at that point, it's time to make the transition from cot bed to bed.

What kind of cot mattress should I use?

There's a wide variety of cot mattresses on the market, including pocket spring, foam and coir. Whichever you go for, it's essential to choose one that fits your cot bed correctly and that you can easily keep clean. 

Your cot mattress should fit the cot without any gaps, and it's important to keep your baby's mattress clean and dry. 

We don't recommend buying a second-hand cot mattress. Where possible, always buy new. 

Which? tests have found that cot mattresses can lose more than 25% of their firmness in just a few years of use. This means using a second-hand or hand-me-down cot mattress may not provide the firm support all babies need, which could increase the risk of suffocation or smothering.

If you're shopping around for the perfect cot mattress, check in with our expert cot mattress reviews to see which ones pass our rigorous safety tests. Plus, our page on Don't Buy cot mattresses uncovers the mattresses to steer clear of.

To find out which cot mattresses our experts recommend, take a look at our guide to the best cot mattresses.

What should you not put in a cot?

You should always keep your baby's cot clear of unnecessary items. In fact, the Lullaby Trust says 'a clear cot is a safe cot'.

Avoid adding soft toys, pillows, cushions or quilts for babies under one year old, as these pose a suffocation risk. Duvets need to be avoided at this age as well, as these can make your baby too hot. 

Cot bumpers aren't generally recommended either because of the danger of suffocation and overheating.

Our page on cot mattress and baby bedding safety offers further advice.

How to stop your baby or toddler falling out of a cot bed

Once your child makes the transition from a cot bed to a regular bed, consider fitting L-shaped bed guards. The bottom part of the L slides under the mattress, while the uppermost section sticks up, providing a barrier at the edge of the bed. Blow-up guards to put under the sheet are also available.

Before you part with your money, you can try a homemade alternative to bed guards. Place a rolled-up blanket or pillow under the outer edge of the mattress to raise it slightly – your toddler will have to roll up a small incline before they risk falling out.

Until your toddler is used to their new bed, put a spare mattress, soft rug, blanket or duvet next to the bed to soften the fall if they do roll out.

You can also protect a curious toddler by investing in a baby gate – see our best baby stair gates to make sure you pick a secure one.

When is it time to change from a cot to a bed?

As soon as your baby can reach over the top rail of their cot, you should think about buying a bed. The same applies if your little one shows any signs of trying to climb out of their cot.

A good rule to bear in mind is that the lowest side of the cot shouldn’t be lower than the shoulder height of your baby.

It's safer to convert the cot to a junior bed so your child can't hurt themselves when escaping, rather than them spending hours in A&E with a possible concussion.

Once your baby is able to pull themselves up to stand (approximately nine months old) and get their arms over the side rail, they will be able to climb out.

A new bed needs a suitable mattress – see our guide to the best mattresses and see which options offer adequate support.

5 tips for assembling your cot bed safely

Cot beds can be a pain to put together, even if you have more than one pair of hands and a reasonable level of DIY experience.

To help you avoid problems when setting up your baby's cot bed, see these top tips from our experts:

1. Get the instructions These contain vitally important information about keeping your baby safe while they sleep. Don't worry if you don't have the original instructions for your cot bed, as most manuals are also available online.
2. Get some help Most cot beds are large and unwieldy, and it's far easier to assemble them with two people. Most instruction manuals tell you to assemble the cot bed with it standing up, but we've found that assembling the cot on its side is usually much easier.
3. Use your judgement Some instruction manuals lack text, or contain incorrect pictures or descriptions. If the cot bed doesn't look right, or is difficult to use, you've probably assembled it incorrectly. If the base of the cot bed seems really high after assembling it, you’ve probably put it together upside down.
4. Don't use too much force Never bang wooden dowels in with a hammer as they can go straight through to the other side of the wood. Splitting the headboards and footboards when you convert the cot to a bed can be really tough. The instructions usually say you should ‘simply pull it apart’, but as you do this take care not to break the wooden dowels that hold the pieces together.
5. Cot bed adjustment When adjusting the base height, take off one of the fixed sides so you can see more of the fixings and get a better grip. Loosen the sides first and then retighten them afterwards, as the base is clamped tightly in place and it's difficult to manoeuvre the components loose.

To find professionals in your area that can help with assembling furniture, including cot beds, visit the Which? Trusted Traders website.