Cot vs crib: which is better?
Short answer: They do different jobs. A cot is a framed baby bed with fixed sides, usually taking a 120 x 60cm mattress. A crib is a small free-standing baby bed, sometimes with a rocking or gliding action, sized between a Moses basket and a cot. Choose by your baby's stage, your space and how long you want to use it.
Cot
Used from birth, once you are ready to move on from a Moses basket or bedside crib, until your child is ready for a bed.
- Check the internal size and buy a mattress that fits with no gaps.
- Adjustable base heights let you lower the mattress as your baby learns to sit and stand.
- Teething rails protect the top rails from little teeth.
Crib
Used for the early months of room sharing, until your baby reaches the maker's limit.
- Use a mattress made to fit that crib exactly.
- If it rocks or glides, check there is a lock and use it for sleep where the instructions say to.
- Check the weight and stage limits.
| Cot | Crib | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | from birth, once you are ready to move on from a Moses basket or bedside crib, until your child is ready for a bed | for the early months of room sharing, until your baby reaches the maker's limit |
What the guidance says
- Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in good condition, with no raised or cushioned edges, that fits the cot or Moses basket with no gaps.
- Keep the cot clear: no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, loose blankets, soft toys, pods, nests, wedges or anything to keep your baby in place.
- The NHS advises placing your baby in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you for every sleep, day and night, for at least the first 6 months.
- Cots and travel cots: look for BS EN 716-1:2017.
- Bedside cribs: look for BS EN 1130:2019.
Related questions
How long can you use a cot?
From birth, once you are ready to move on from a Moses basket or bedside crib, until your child is ready for a bed.
How long can you use a crib?
For the early months of room sharing, until your baby reaches the maker's limit.
Shop at Baby Kingdom
- Bantam Cot - White
- Bantam Space Saver Cot - White
- Stamford Space Saver Sleigh Cot - White
- Hartley Classic Cot
Check each product page for its exact dimensions, mattress size, age and weight limits and safety standards.
More advice
Where should I put a bedside crib in the nursery?Your 6 week's sleep space: a safe-sleep guideWhat safety standard should a cot bed have?Bedside crib buying checklistSummer sleep safety quizYour 9 month's sleep space: a safe-sleep guideAll safe sleep and sleep spaces advice →
Sources
- The Lullaby Trust: Baby mattresses and bedding (accessed 2026-10-21)
- NHS: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (accessed 2026-10-21)
General information only, not medical advice. Always follow your product's instructions. If you are worried about your baby, contact your GP, health visitor or 111. In an emergency, call 999.