Cot (furniture)
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A cot is a small bed (called a crib in American English) specifically for babies and infants. A crib can also refer to a stand that contains hay (a 'hay crib'), used to feed animals.
Cots are typically used as a bed for a baby after it is no longer safe to leave them in a bassinette. Cots are designed to restrict the baby to the bed. Both sides are too high for a baby to climb and providing no footholds. The thinking behind this design is that if baby wakes up, she will return to sleep rather than roam around the house. Cots have a low centre of gravity, and to hold a larger baby cots have a larger base than bassinettes; these attributes make them more stable than bassinettes and desirable when a baby can roll.
Placing a child into a cot puts can put strain on a caretaker's back. To reduce the strain on those operating a cots, many cots feature:
- a mattress that can be in a raised position until the child is able to sit upright.
- a dropside, a side which lowers to ease the process of putting the child into the cot, but can be raised again to restore the integrity of the enclosure.
Design standards for cots include considerations such as preventing hand and head entrapment. Research has shown that the cot mattress influences SIDS outcomes; a new mattress lowers SIDS risk.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
'Cot' is also an archaic English slang word for a cottage.
One of the more popular cot makers on the market is Pali Furniture, which manufacturers both baby cots and bedding.
Larger cribs are manufactured, generally for hospital use or for those with special needs, by companies such as Pedicraft and Hard Manufacturing Company. They may include a top, generally made of plastic or metal, to prevent a child from climbing out.
Cots in American English
A cot (as used in American English) is a bed which folds up, generally with the two ends coming together over the middle of the bed, and can be rolled away. A cot is designed primarily for temporary use such as when unexpect guests arrive and no standard beds are available.
A cot is also used by the military as a portable bed that can be carried or transported from place to place. These beds tend to be wooden frames (with a canvas for a "mattress") that fold up and are light-weight.
See also
External links
- [Crib safety information] from Seattle Children's Hospital.
- [Baby Crib Safety Guidelines] criteria for selecting a safe cot/crib.
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