Second hand cot - what would you do?

[MrsHedgehog]

My MIL has given us the cot that DH slept in when he was a baby. It's in fairly good condition, just needs a bit of a clean. However, I'm worried about it meeting current safety regulations. The bars are 9cm apart and I read that they should measure less than 8cm. The wire base is loose which DH says he can fix but I'm not so sure. The drop side is kind of difficult to use and a bit stiff.

Obviously my DH and SIL slept in this cot and were fine but I'm really paranoid. I like the idea of using an old family cot and also it would save us a bit of cash. However, the top priority is safety and I'm not sure that I trust this cot. I don't want to disappoint DH or MIL by saying I don't want the cot but I need some real reasons why we shouldn't use it to convince them. At the moment they'll just think I'm being silly and worrying over nothing. What should I do?

 

[2ndtimeluckyX]

i would use it, the world has gone safety mad! as long as its not falling apart i would say its fine. give it a good clean and some new bedding, i have been looking at some old vintage cots, i much prefer old furniture to some of the new flimsy crap they sell these days. (although saying that i ended up choosing one from babies r us in the end lol)

 

[Sini]

End of the day, if your not comfortable having your LO sleeping in it, you dont need any excuses. Safety first - im sure they would understand! Its hard to decline gifts etc especially from family but they just gotta live with it as its your bubs and choice

 

[lesleyann]

i would not use it, you also need to check the paint it was painted with as what they used to use is harmful

 

[MrsHedgehog]

i would use it, the world has gone safety mad! as long as its not falling apart i would say its fine. give it a good clean and some new bedding, i have been looking at some old vintage cots, i much prefer old furniture to some of the new flimsy crap they sell these days. (although saying that i ended up choosing one from babies r us in the end lol)

I would normally tend to agree with you. However, this cot isn't particularly old and is still kind of flimsy. I do think we've gone a bit safety mad nowadays which makes it really hard to decide for ourselves what is really safe. My MIL said that she was sometimes put in a bottom drawer to sleep! This is why I'm having such a hard time deciding. I don't want to be overly picky about regulations but I don't want to be completely paranoid about putting my baby into a cot that doesn't meet current safety regulations.

 

[lesleyann]

Just had a little look on tha tinternet, the reasons the rules changed where for a very good reason, babys heads getting stuck,clothes stuck on bars, lead paint, increased risk of SIDS etc i would just tell her that although you are thankfull you have fallen inlove with XX cot or cotbed as it will last longer

 

[Cherrybinky]

i would use it, the world has gone safety mad! as long as its not falling apart i would say its fine. give it a good clean and some new bedding, i have been looking at some old vintage cots, i much prefer old furniture to some of the new flimsy crap they sell these days. (although saying that i ended up choosing one from babies r us in the end lol)

I agree. Id use it. The world HAS gone safety and precaution mad and esp with pregnant woman and babies and children! Use your common sense with the paint, make, bars etc. Go for it, save yourself some money! I have got everything second hand so far including an older style silver cross pram and I dont mind a jot that its second hand and its often made better and can be safer.
X

 

[hayley x]

theres nothing more important than a safe environment for your baby to sleep in. Just to read about the bars not meeting the guidelines is enough to put me off.

 

[JZW]

I have to say I wouldn't use it. Yes I do think that health and safety has gone mad and I choose to ignore guidelines to my own peril but if it is anything concerning the safety of my baby, I would not take any chances however small or silly they may seem at the time. If anything happened to my baby because I chose to ignore my worries, I would never be able to live with myself.

 

[lynnikins]

theres ways to get around the bars thing https://www.littletreasuresuk.com/p55802/Airwrap-Cot---Cotbed-bumper/b0-3188-3188

so long as once your OH checks it out and fixes it that it doesn feel flimsy then id go for it , strip it clean it up and repaint it if you want it will all be cheaper than a new one and save you money in the end.

 

[WannabemomV]

I wouldn't use it. My DH's brother has said he would give us his crib which is 9 years old and used for 2 children and I said No. First I want a white crib (I dont know what colour this one is) and I am so worried about recalls on the crib. Plus this is our first child, we would like 3, so I want a new one that will last all three children. I dont want one with teeth marks from other people children.
I have dreamed of decorating my babys nursery since I was a child myself. I want it perfect and how I imagined it in my head. Not with old used mismatced furniture.
I sound like a Snob.

 

[MrsHedgehog]

theres ways to get around the bars thing https://www.littletreasuresuk.com/p55802/Airwrap-Cot---Cotbed-bumper/b0-3188-3188

so long as once your OH checks it out and fixes it that it doesn feel flimsy then id go for it , strip it clean it up and repaint it if you want it will all be cheaper than a new one and save you money in the end.

Thanks for that link, this is definitely something we could use to solve the problem of the bars.

 

[Ol1vertwist]

I'm borrowing my friends cot which will be about 10 years old - used for 2 children, I'm just getting a new mattress for it and a breathable cot bumper.

 

[ahcigar1]

I personally wouldn't use it for several reason. Back at that time they often used lead paint which is toxic. Also the spacing in the bars should not even allow a coke can to fit through, not sure of the exact measurements of that. The reason being for this is because babies would fit thier little heads through and end up choking themselves.

 

[abi17]

Couldn't u get a cot bumper so the babys head wouldn't get stuck, I would use it but get a new mattress and a cot bumper to make it safe x

 

[MrsHedgehog]

Thanks for all of your comments. I'm fairly sure we'll end up getting a new cot although I'm going to have another look at the one we have and see if anything can be done to make it 100% safe. It's not painted, just varnished wood. Do you think there could be dangerous chemicals in the varnish? I'm going to have a look at new cots and see how they compare. DH is trying to convince me the cot is safe but at the same time agrees that we can get a new cot if I'm really not happy with it.

 

[JosieM]

theres nothing more important than a safe environment for your baby to sleep in. Just to read about the bars not meeting the guidelines is enough to put me off.

Have to agree with this. It's up to you at the end of the day. If you're not happy you could tell mil you got a great deal on a new one. I got a barely used mamas and papas cot for £30 for gumtree, for DS someone gave us a mamas and papas cot in immaculate condition. My mum and dad still had our old cot bought in 1972! It was cute with Basil Brush on it, but it got chucked last week and a new cot was given to my mum for DS, we just wouldn't risk it, though our old cot was really old.