The Best Bedside Cribs for Co-Sleeping Safely With Your Baby

If we could keep our babies close and cuddle them all night long to help them sleep, we would, and while choosing to co-sleep with your little one is a very personal choice that thousands of parents across the UK do, choosing from the best bedside cribs for your baby to sleep in will give you all the benefits of keeping them close to you, without the safety risks. Until you blink and your baby is ready for a bigger cot in their very own bedroom.

A bedside crib is literally how it sounds: a bassinet-style cot that attaches to your bed with one side that can be removed or dropped down so you can easily reach your baby without any obstacles or the need to get out of bed. Ideal, if you ask us, and celeb mums including Stacey Solomon, Binky Felstead, and Lucy Mecklenburgh agree.

Best Bedside Cribs At A Glance:

Best bedside crib overall: Snüz SnüzPod 4 Bedside Crib, £159.96 on John Lewis
Best bedside crib for babies with reflux: Maxi Cosi Iora Bedside Crib, £149.99 on Amazon

It's like a mini-bed extension for your child so they can sleep safely by your side, and you can lift them into your arms, night feed them, and soothe them back to sleep, all within arm's reach. If you have restricted movement after a C-section, for example, a bedside cot will prove invaluable.

We've found a few of the best bedside cribs for you to choose from to help you co-sleep safely with your little one. Keep scrolling for some useful FAQs and expert advice.

SHOP: The Best Bedside Cribs And Cots

Are bedside cribs a good idea?

Half of the babies in the UK will have slept in their parents' bed by the time they're three months old, whether that's through the parents' choice to co-sleep or from accidentally nodding off after a feed. It's so easily done. However, it's worth bearing in mind that this does increase the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), suffocation and overheating due to the risk of bedding accidentally covering your baby as you sleep.

The chance of SIDS is lowered when your little one sleeps in a separate cot, and so a bedside crib offers you the benefits of co-sleeping but with the added safety of them having their own space.

These benefits include:

Easier for breastfeeding mums to nurse through the night with more sleep

Spending more time with your baby if you're a working parent

Quicker response to your baby if something is wrong

Building an emotional and physical bond which can be comforting for parent and baby

Official safe sleeping guidance from both The Lullaby Trust and the NHS also advises that your newborn should sleep in the same room as you for the first six months. A bedside crib is a super handy way to create that space for your baby in your room without taking as much space as a full-size cot might.

What to look for when buying a bedside crib

You can scroll down for our favourites, but if you want to be 'in the know' and clued up on exactly what you should be looking for, here's a quick guide to take you through.

Side panel: If you want to achieve that co-sleeping closeness, make sure that one side of the crib can be lowered. If your baby is likely to nap or sleep without you there, you should make sure this side panel can be easily raised and/or reattached to keep them safe.

Fabric: It goes without saying, but accidents happen in the night so you'll want the crib fabric to be easy to clean. It should be easy to remove and re-attach and machine-washable to oust the mess.

Bedding and mattress: Most bedside cribs come with the mattress supplied, but check that it’s suitably substantial to provide a comfortable sleep for your baby. A baby mattress should be firm and flat.

You'll also want to make sure that standard crib sheets will fit before buying. Your baby's bedding must fit the crib securely and have no excess fabric, so if you need to buy specialist bedding, you'll need to consider its availability and added cost.

Design: Safety and comfort are the most important features in your bedside crib, but, let's be honest, you'll want to pick the one you can happily live within your bedroom for the next six months too. And while it might seem way too far ahead right now, you might want to think about where you’ll put it when your baby outgrows it.

Added features: Some bedside cribs come with extra features designed to help your baby sleep better and make your life as a parent easier – yes, please! Some bedside cribs rock to settle your baby or have an incline feature so you can elevate the mattress to soothe symptoms of reflux. Some have pockets or shelves for storing nappy-changing essentials, and some have a detachable bassinet, which you can use in another room for naps.

It's worth keeping an eye out for these as they'll only make your crib more valuable to you, but with each feature, consider if it's necessary to you and your home and how it could help your little one.

Bedside crib buyer's checklist

Is it suitable for your bed? A bedside crib must be compatible with your bed, as the baby’s mattress must be level with your own. If your bed is lower or higher than most, opt for a crib that’s height-adjustable. Triple-check compatibility as some cribs are designed to clip onto bedstead frames and, therefore, won’t work with a divan.

Is the bedside crib mattress a standard size? If it isn’t, you might be limited to buying bedding from the crib manufacturer. Check, too, whether the mattress is included or has to be bought separately.

How easy is it to assemble? Some bedside cribs are easy to assemble without the use of power tools, while others will test your DIY skills and, most likely, your patience.

Do you want to co-sleep? Some bedside cribs let you keep the panel down at night, so you get the closeness and convenience of co-sleeping without the risks of bed-sharing. Others are designed so that the side panel pops back up after you lift your baby out – these are a good option if you have concerns about the risks of co-sleeping.

Can you use it as a standalone crib? If you think you’ll convert the crib back and forth from a co-sleeper to a standalone crib regularly, choose one which is robust and doesn’t need to be attached to your bed.

How much space have you got? Bedside cribs vary in size so consider your space and how long you intend to use it. A smaller crib will be outgrown quicker.

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Eleanor Weaver is Deputy Homes & Garden Product Editor and has been a writer for Grazia. She's borderline addicted to exploring social media for trends and décor and, thanks to her experience on Mother&Baby, has kept a keen eye on celeb mums. She often shares what they've been using to help make parenting that little bit easier as well as the most-loved baby products you need to know about.