Your journey as a parent starts with decisions - lots of decisions. From what pram to buy to whether you should train your baby to sleep. Parents make a lot of decisions and one of the first is where their precious newborn should sleep.

A Moses basket or cot?

There are two options for a newborn – a Moses basket or a cot. Moses baskets date back centuries and its name comes from the biblical story of Moses being left in a cradle of bulrushes. His basket was made of wicker or straw and commonly Moses baskets are made from a sturdy, natural material.

moKee has a range of Moses baskets to choose from. I chose the WoolNest for both of my sons and really loved the felt material and with its high sides my babies felt cocooned and snug. It can come with a stand which was super useful, keeping baby high and away from our sweet but curious cat.

Their Classic Wicker Moses Basket has a clever rocking stand which in retrospect would have come in handy! It also has a retractable hood which helps shelter from noises and distractions.

If you’re looking for something a bit different take a look at the Soft Seagrass Moses Basket. This basket comes in a natural colour, turquoise or burnt orange and the soft leather handles make the basket sturdy and safe for baby.

How long can you use a Moses basket?

Moses baskets and cribs are only appropriate for newborns and should only be used until your baby is around three to four months old. When they get to 4 months you’ll find that they are starting to get heavy and more alert, meaning you probably won’t be carrying around a sleeping baby- they’ll need somewhere stationary for naps.

Moses basket safety

When placing your baby in the Moses basket make sure they are in the "feet to foot" position, with their feet at the end of the cot or Moses basket.

The mattress in the Moses basket is very important too. The Lullaby Trust, a charity preventing unexpected deaths in infancy and promoting infant health, advise that “it is important that the mattress is firm, entirely flat, and waterproof, with no soft or cushioned areas, particularly around baby’s head. Soft mattresses are known to increase the risk of SIDS. They make it harder for babies to lose body heat, which can cause them to become too hot. The surface of the mattress should be firm enough that when your baby is placed on it, their head does not sink in more than a few millimetres.”

Why not take a look at our useful TOG Guide to help you work out what to dress your baby in for naps and night time.

What else do I need with a Moses basket?

So you’ve decided on a Moses basket but what else do you need? How many sheets will I need? What bedding do I need?

Firstly you must make sure you have a firm, clean mattress. And I would get a number of fitted sheets. Sicky babies means you’ll be needing them. It’s also useful to have liners - this makes it easy to keep the basket clean and moKee has some lovely, striking designs.

Stands aren’t essential but I found that by elevating baby high it meant I wasn’t leaning down as much which can be difficult after giving birth! It also means you can keep them away from any curious pets!

I swaddled both of my babies – that’s another decision every parent must make.  Take a look at our guide to swaddling here.

So, if you’re thinking of using a Moses basket check out our guide on how to help your baby sleep. Happy sleeping!