For first few weeks, it was fine. However, around 10 weeks, he’d outgrown it. We tried him in his cot, but he looked tiny in it, so we went out and got him the Mothercare Swinging Crib.
The Mothercare Swinging Crib is a pretty, traditional-style birch crib that’s really easy to assemble. It’s suitable from birth to about 6 months and costs £74.99, which I thought was good value for such a sturdy model.
You need to buy a mattress (38cm x 89cm) and there are two options to choose from. Firstly, there’s the one-piece foam interior mattress, £12.99, which can be wiped clean. The second option is the foam interior mattress with Spacetec and CoolMax, £34.99, a waterproof layered mattress with a removable, washable cover. You also need linen. There are cute crib bale sets, from £24.99, which include a bumper, coverlet and fitted sheet or you can choose separate elements from the huge Mothercare linen range, where prices start from a more budget-friendly £4.99.
What we love
The Mothercare Swinging Crib was far more spacious than the Moses basket, but cosy enough for my baby to feel secure – I wished we’d bought one from the start!
A big selling point for me was the gentle rocking motion – perfect for soothing your baby when a feed, burp and cuddle won’t do! It also locks into a fixed position. This is a plus, because I didn’t want my son to get used to being rocked to sleep.
Another big bonus is that you can see your baby from your own bed, rather than having to get up and peer into a Moses basket – perfect for sleep-deprived parents!
What to watch out for
Although the bars are great for attaching toys to, they are spaced a little too far apart and my son got his arms and legs stuck a couple of times.
If you buy the optional crib bale, the whole thing will cost you over £100!
Although it’s light, it’s not as portable as a Moses basket, so if you’re after an option to cart room-to-room, this may not be for you.
Who is the Mothercare Swinging Crib best for?
New parents after a sturdier, spacious alternative to a Moses basket.
A pretty, pre-cot sleep solution, the Mothercare Swinging Crib will take you through the first six months. Being able to rock it to soothe your newborn, or keep it fixed is a big bonus. The downside is, unlike a Moses basket, it’s difficult to move from room to room.
