Opinions needed: White or natural cot best?

[Delphine11]

I've spent weeks looking at cots and can't make up my mind whether to buy a white one or the natural wood version of the Mothercare cot I like.

Colour-wise I prefer the White, I think, because the wood one looks a bit dark and that kind of orangey browny antique pine not really like wood, but now I'm worrying that the white will get knocked or that my son will bite it or knock it and it'll look bad, or worse flake off and be bad for him.

These are probably completely mad worries, but you know what it's like when you have to make a decision and are scared of regretting it.

So - any opinions, ladies? Any pros, any cons of either version? Anyone got a white cot and regretting it? Anyone wish they'd gone for white?

 

[jodilee6]

We have the "natural" cotbed and even with guard rails one side looks like a small animal has tried to chew it's way out!

I have white bedroom furniture and it did get chipped when we moved but it's not noticeable unless you look for it

So based on my experience of both, I'd go for which ever one you like the look of

 

[_Meep_]

We have a white one and I've found it to be more versatile when choosing a colour scheme for her room as it goes with everything ... like, if you wanted other bare wood items for your LO's room, you would likely have to go looking for things in the same wood as the cot (if you care about stuff like that anyway!), whereas with white it doesn't really matter.

Saying that though, I already had a cupboard that I painted in blue, brown and white a few years ago for my own room, which I then donated to her. I based her room around that, so a white cot was perfect.

Her rocking horse is varnished natural wood. I think it goes quite nicely.

Are you sure the cot is painted white and not coated with something? LO's is some sort of tough Formica-style stuff I think and doesn't flake off, though it does have a few scratches.

Whatever the coating, by law it will have to be baby safe! So don't worry about that.

I've put on a picture of my little girl's room. It isn't finished yet as we've only been here a few weeks, but it's getting there.

 

[Delphine11]

We have the "natural" cotbed and even with guard rails one side looks like a small animal has tried to chew it's way out!

I have white bedroom furniture and it did get chipped when we moved but it's not noticeable unless you look for it

So based on my experience of both, I'd go for which ever one you like the look of

Thank you! Your description of the chewed side made me laugh

I think I am just being paranoid, but it's nice to have other people's opinions because it really helps me make up my mind. I'm hopelessly indecisive (I blame the lack of sleep!). It took me long enough to decide to go for a cot rather than a cot bed!

 

[Delphine11]

We have a white one and I've found it to be more versatile when choosing a colour scheme for her room as it goes with everything ... like, if you wanted other bare wood items for your LO's room, you would likely have to go looking for things in the same wood as the cot (if you care about stuff like that anyway!), whereas with white it doesn't really matter.

Saying that though, I already had a cupboard that I painted in blue, brown and white a few years ago for my own room, which I then donated to her. I based her room around that, so a white cot was perfect.

Her rocking horse is varnished natural wood. I think it goes quite nicely.

Are you sure the cot is painted white and not coated with something? LO's is some sort of tough Formica-style stuff I think and doesn't flake off, though it does have a few scratches.

Whatever the coating, by law it will have to be baby safe! So don't worry about that.

I've put on a picture of my little girl's room. It isn't finished yet as we've only been here a few weeks, but it's getting there.

Thank you for replying. Love the photo! What a beautiful bedroom! That cupboard looks great and everything matches really nicely.

I don't know for sure if the cot's painted, but I just assumed it must be. I think I'm going to email Mothercare and ask. It never occurred to me it could be anything but paint.

I haven't even chosen a colour scheme for my son's room yet (keeping him in with me a while longer) but I do agree white would be more adaptable with whatever colours I choose. I just like the look of it too.

Thank you both for your input. Much appreciated

 

[jodilee6]

We have the "natural" cotbed and even with guard rails one side looks like a small animal has tried to chew it's way out!

I have white bedroom furniture and it did get chipped when we moved but it's not noticeable unless you look for it

So based on my experience of both, I'd go for which ever one you like the look of

Thank you! Your description of the chewed side made me laugh

I think I am just being paranoid, but it's nice to have other people's opinions because it really helps me make up my mind. I'm hopelessly indecisive (I blame the lack of sleep!). It took me long enough to decide to go for a cot rather than a cot bed!

You'd think he was never fed at night!

Ooh I'd always go for a cot bed over a cot, I've had friends LOs outgrow their cots at ~2 years while my LO is still in a cot bed sized bed (toddler bed but exactly the same size as his cotbed) now at 3y 6m and will probably be until his 4th birthday when I'm planning on redecorating his room

 

[MumToEva]

White all the way! We have 2 white cotbed and they barely marked at all. Plus it goes with more colour schemes.

I second the cotbed over a cot too. My 2 are both still comfy in theirs.

 

[Delphine11]

Stupid question, but how much bigger/more difficult to move around are cot beds?

The reason I decided to go with a cot, having initially wanted a cot bed, is I thought a cot bed would be too big to have by the side of my bed. My other problem is my strangely designed house. It's been added onto over the years and the bedrooms are all on different levels up and down quite narrow little flights of stairs. I had visions of spending hours building a cot bed in my bedroom, then a few months later, having to take it all apart again and rebuild it in my son's room. The thought wasn't appealing as Im not that good at building furniture and OH is worse than me!

How easy would it be to build, take apart and rebuild a cot bed?

I am looking to move house when I eventually finish the renovations and sell this one as it's not very child-friendly, so I was also thinking a cot bed might get damaged in the move whereas I could use a cot now, then when I move buy a cot bed for the new house as my son would probably be growing out of his cot then. Yes, I know it's all hopelessly disorganised! We've had problems with the builders so my whole schedule has been messed up, and my poor sleep-deprived brain is struggling!

 

[Becky1987]

Stupid question, but how much bigger/more difficult to move around are cot beds?

The reason I decided to go with a cot, having initially wanted a cot bed, is I thought a cot bed would be too big to have by the side of my bed. My other problem is my strangely designed house. It's been added onto over the years and the bedrooms are all on different levels up and down quite narrow little flights of stairs. I had visions of spending hours building a cot bed in my bedroom, then a few months later, having to take it all apart again and rebuild it in my son's room. The thought wasn't appealing as Im not that good at building furniture and OH is worse than me!

How easy would it be to build, take apart and rebuild a cot bed?

I am looking to move house when I eventually finish the renovations and sell this one as it's not very child-friendly, so I was also thinking a cot bed might get damaged in the move whereas I could use a cot now, then when I move buy a cot bed for the new house as my son would probably be growing out of his cot then. Yes, I know it's all hopelessly disorganised! We've had problems with the builders so my whole schedule has been messed up, and my poor sleep-deprived brain is struggling!

I've put my lo's cot bed up and down about 6 times! Originally built it in the nursery, moved it to my room, back to nursery, into a bed, back to cot bed, back into bed and then moved to another room! Once you've put it up once and taken it down it only took me 10 mins to rebuild! My husband is useless at stuff like this so I take it upon myself to do it myself!

 

[MindUtopia]

We have a natural coloured one, but honestly, I don't think it matters that much. I think it will all get banged up a bit eventually. We just found the natural colour went with more things and the cot bed we really liked came in that colour. If you're just going for a cot (not one that converts to a toddler bed), I don't think it matters as much because most of the damage will occur later anyway. I'd just get what you like. Cot beds are as easy to move around and put together as a cot, but you will need a bit more space for one. We used a smaller cot as a co-sleeper next to our bed and kept the cot bed in the nursery. We didn't actually use it much as an actual cot, but more as a toddler bed as we bedshared full-time for the first year and part-time after that anyway. If you have the space though (we didn't), they're the same as long as whatever cot bed you get will be stable with only three sides on it and is adjustable to your bed height if you want to attach it.

 

[Delphine11]

Thank you, Becky1987! Ten minutes sounds very impressive! I'm reassured that you rebuilt your cot bed so many times : D I've never had one (other children had cots, then straight into a junior bed) so they're a completely unknown thing to me.

Thank you, MindUtopia. That was interesting to read what you did. With my other children, I never planned to co-sleep but it kind of worked out that way as they wouldn't sleep away from me. For some reason, I'm assuming my new little guy will do what I plan Of course, now you mentioned co-sleeping, I'm thinking that maybe all my careful planning will be disrupted anyway - in the nicest possible way : )

I'll also admit that because he's my last baby I want to keep him close to me as long as possible