Infant bed

An infant bed (commonly called a cot in British English, and, in American English, a crib or cradle, or far less commonly, stock) is a small bed especially for infants and very young children. Infant beds are a historically recent development intended to contain a child capable of standing. The cage-like design of infant beds restricts the child to the bed. Around two or three years of age, children are able to climb out and are moved to a toddler bed to prevent an injurious fall while escaping the bed.

Infant beds are commonly seen in countries affected by Westernization, employed by the majority of parents as an alternative to sharing a bed or due to cultural norms.

The name crib was used to describe a slatted, high-sided child's bed. It derives from the Old English word which means manger (food trough, referring to the shape of a bassinette) or stall (implying coralling the child).

It wasn't until the 19th century that infant beds developed from bassinettes, acquiring a role of keeping the child in their bed. The development of a distinction between infant beds and bassinettes was natural because it was "considered vital that the child's bed be raised off the ground." This was due to a perception of noxious fumes below knee level, and explosive vapours near the ceiling, with good air in between. Once children's beds were raised off the ground the role of the sides changed from a convenience to a safety feature.

It was recognised that once children learn to stand they may be able to get out of a bed with low sides. According to an expert of the time, infant beds were used once the child was 12 months old. Often one side was hinged to open the enclosure, a function fulfilled in modern infant beds with a dropside. With the hinge side lowered, the bed could be moved on casters, and they could be moved right up to the carer's bed when needed.

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