One of the most exciting parts of parenthood is decorating and making your baby’s nursery Pinterest worthy. But, while it’s easy to get lost in colour schemes and furniture placement, it’s essential that you consider your child’s safety before anything else. So, can you place a cot next to a window?
Today, we’ll be looking at this in more detail, exploring the risks, a few safety precautions you need to be aware of, and advising the best place to put your baby’s cot to keep them warm and comfortable while they sleep.
Key Points
- Putting a crib in front of a window is a trendy placement, but it can pose multiple dangers.
- Glass, curtain rods, blinds, and long pull cords are significant risks when placed near a baby’s crib.
- Follow the appropriate safety advice if you have limited space and must place your baby’s crib next to a window.
- Placing a baby’s crib against a wall is the most practical and common option.
- You can safely decorate your baby’s nursery wall by ensuring all wall decorations are properly hung.
Content in this article:
- Is It Safe To Put A Cot Near A Window?
- What Are The Risks Of Putting A Cot Near A Window?
- Are Curtain Rods And Blinds Dangerous For Babies?
- How Can You Keep Your Baby Safe If You Need To Have A Cot By A Window?
- Where To Put Your Baby’s Cot?
- Can You Put Your Baby’s Cot Against The Wall?
Is It Safe To Put A Cot Near A Window?
You should not place a cot near a window, and there are several reasons why. These include broken glass, the dangers of hanging curtains and blind cords, a curtain rod or blinds falling down, and exposure to cold or hot temperatures.
Each of these things has the potential to cause your baby some real harm, so it’s always safest to place your baby’s cot far away from a window and any other potential hazards.
What Are The Risks Of Putting A Cot Near A Window?
We’ve touched on the main risks of putting a cot near a window above, but let’s take some time to explain exactly why and how each of these things could be dangerous.
Broken Windows
Since windows can be broken from the outside by many things (accidental damage, strong winds, etc.), there’s a risk that your baby could become showered in glass while they are sleeping.
Even if they aren’t in their cot at the time, tiny shards of glass can work their way into mattresses and blankets, no matter how well you think you’ve cleaned them up.
Likewise, windows can also be broken from the inside through accidents, and while the majority of the glass is likely to head outside, there can still be shards that find their way into your baby’s cot.
Long Curtains And Blind Cords
Blind cords and long curtains pose a strangulation risk for babies when a cot is placed near a window, as they can easily be pulled into the cot when your child is old enough to stand and start grabbing objects through curiosity.
Similarly, windows that have been left slightly ajar to allow a breeze to pass into the room can blow long curtains and blind cords into a cot, where they may become tangled around a baby’s neck or other body parts. Long curtains may also blow onto your baby’s face, increasing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) through suffocation.
Falling Blinds And Curtain Rods
No matter how securely attached you think your curtain rod or blinds may be to the wall, there’s always a risk of them falling down. Should this happen above a cot, there’s a chance that they could cause some serious injuries to your child, especially if they hit them on the head. There’s also the risk of them covering your baby’s face, posing a suffocation risk.
Temperatures
Cold, wintery weather creates cold draughts that can cause the temperature around the cot to drop quite significantly. Likewise, during the heat of the summer, a cot placed next to a window may become too hot. Both of these fluctuations in temperature can be hazardous to your baby’s health by leaving them cold overnight or causing them to overheat, both of which can be fatal.
Falling
There’s also a risk that a fall could take place as your young child starts to gain strength and tries climbing out of their cot to explore the world around them. This is especially true if you don’t have lockable windows or there is very thin glass in the frames.
Even if they don’t fall through the window, there’s a chance that they may become tangled in curtains or cords while they climb onto the windowsill, posing another strangulation risk.
Are Curtain Rods And Blinds Dangerous For Babies?
Curtain rods and blinds are considered dangerous for a baby if they are within the baby’s reach, which is why you should never place a cot, changing table, toy box, or anything that your child could climb onto near a window.
The reason for this is that blind cords can easily be pulled at, resulting in a strangulation hazard should they wrap around a baby’s neck. Pulling on the blind cord could cause the whole set of blinds to come crashing down on your baby as well if the fixtures are weak, resulting in a potentially fatal accident. The same issue applies to curtain rods, particularly if they are holding long, heavy curtains.
For these reasons, it’s best to choose different, newer window coverings for your baby’s nursery, such as cordless blinds or window tints. This will take away any cords or rods, resulting in a dramatically reduced risk of suffocation, strangulation, and injury.
How Can You Keep Your Baby Safe If You Need To Have A Cot By A Window?
Some parents are working with limited space and may not have a choice but to place their baby’s cot near a window. While this isn’t ideal, there are some ways you can help keep your baby safe if you’re in this predicament, including:
Locks
It’s essential that you ensure your windows are fitted with locks and remain locked at all times if you need to place a cot next to a window, as this will prevent falls should your baby climb from their cot onto the windowsill. It also reduces the risk of the window blowing open in a particularly strong wind, which could blow any blind cords or curtains into the cot.
Use Modern Window Coverings
To reduce the risk of strangulation or suffocation from curtains and blind cords, it’s best to use modern window coverings if you have to put your baby’s cot by a window. Cordless blinds are a particularly good choice as not only do they not need any long, dangerous cords to open and close, but they also keep a good amount of light out of the room, helping your baby sleep peacefully.
Tinted window stickers are another great option for safer window coverings, as they’re easy to install and don’t pose any danger to your baby at all. They also come in a variety of fun designs, allowing you to add some personality to your baby’s nursery.
Keep Window Sills Clear
Do not place any soft toys, ornaments, or anything else that may pique your baby’s interest on the windowsill next to the cot. Doing this will encourage them to pull themselves out of their crib in an attempt to explore the objects, which could result in a fall. Similarly, if you have curtains or blind cords, placing objects your child simply can’t resist trying to grab on your windowsills could increase the risk of strangulation if they become tangled up in them.
Placement
You need to make sure the cot is placed at least one foot away from the window, as this will prevent a lot of issues, including your baby being able to climb onto the windowsill. Make sure that you also follow the current safety guidelines for your baby’s cot model and ensure that the crib rail is up at all times in order to prevent your child from being able to leave their bed.
Where To Put Your Baby’s Cot?
You need to make sure your baby’s cot is kept away from windows and, ideally, placed next to a wall. Doing this reduces the significant risk of suffocation and strangulation posed by curtains and blinds crashing down or becoming wrapped around your baby.
You should also make sure there is a clearance of at least one foot around the cot on all sides, as this prevents your baby from becoming stuck if they climb out of it.
As well as placement, there are certain safety elements you need to consider when deciding where to put a cot in your baby’s room. To begin with, you should make sure there aren’t any wall decals placed near the cot, as these could fall and cause an injury to your baby. Likewise, you should also make sure that you place picture frames away from your child’s reach to prevent such injuries.
Make sure the cot is placed away from any electrical hazards nearby as well, including outlets and baby monitor cables. This is especially important as your baby starts sitting up as they’ll soon be able to grab things that were once safely out of the way. One way of preventing this is to place the crib diagonally so there is a greater reaching distance between them and any surrounding hazards.
Can You Put Your Baby’s Cot Against The Wall?
You can put a baby’s cot against a wall, and doing so is actually one of the safest and most convenient options. However, you will still need to make sure you follow a few rules to make sure your baby is as safe as possible while they are in their cot.
Leave A Gap On All Sides
Firstly, you need to ensure you’ve left a gap of at least one foot on all sides of the cot as, if your baby decides to climb out, this will prevent them from becoming stuck. It also allows air to circulate better around the cot, keeping the ambient temperature in check while your child sleeps.
Avoid Vents
Do not place a cot against a vent, as this can cause temperatures around the cot to fluctuate, potentially resulting in overheating or chilling. Vents often feature sharp edges, and it’s very easy for a baby to get their little fingers stuck in the gaps of the vent as well, resulting in injury.
Avoid Electrical Hazards
You also need to make sure that you avoid any electrical hazards that may be on the wall, including outlets and hardwired lighting. Make sure, also, that you place any electrical items, such as fans, heaters, or a cool mist humidifier, as far away from the cot as possible. Put simply, anything that needs electricity to power needs to be way out of your baby’s reach.
Hanging Shelves
It is also very important that you do not place the cot near any hanging shelves. Not only is there a significant risk of items falling off the shelves and landing on your baby, potentially resulting in suffocation or head injuries, but the shelves themselves could come crashing down into the cot.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to placing a cot in a nursery, it is best to avoid putting it next to a window unless absolutely necessary. While there are many images on Pinterest and other social media platforms that romanticise the idea of a fairy tale nursery theme with cots by windows surrounded by decorative drapes, the significant safety hazards mentioned throughout this article should be enough to tell you that putting a cot next to a window isn’t a good idea. Instead, place your cot against a wall, making sure there is a gap on all sides and that it is away from electrical hazards, vents, and shelving.