When should I buy a crib?
Short answer: Buy in time for when you will first use it: for the early months of room sharing, until your baby reaches the maker's limit. For newborn essentials, many parents order in the second trimester to allow for delivery and assembly.
- 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.
What the guidance says
- 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.
- 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.
Related questions
What is a crib?
A small free-standing baby bed, sometimes with a rocking or gliding action, sized between a Moses basket and a cot.
Shop at Baby Kingdom
- CoZee Air 2 Bedside Crib
- CoZee Sense Bedside Crib
- CoZee Sense Bedside Crib
- Tutti Bambini CoZee Mini Me Play Crib - Oak/Charcoal
Check each product page for its exact dimensions, mattress size, age and weight limits and safety standards.
More advice
Can a 10 month old sleep in a cot bed?Can an 18 month old sleep with a soft toy?Can a 6 week old sleep in a travel cot?Bedside crib quizIs a Moses basket right for you? Quick quizSIDS risk factors quizAll safe sleep and sleep spaces advice →
Sources
- NHS: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (accessed 2026-10-21)
- The Lullaby Trust: Baby mattresses and bedding (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.