As soon as Athena could pull herself up on her cot she started to chew along the top bar like a little beaver. I looked online for the plastic sleeves that clip on to the rails, but a) they don’t seem to be available in many places and b) they are expensive for what they are! I also read a few reviews that said if they went on after the baby started to chew that they could just pull them off as they knew what they were there for! So I had a little think and decided to try and make my own cot protector from something I had already.
You need: fleecy material (mine was a blanket from Ikea with a scalloped edge) and scissors. That’s it!
Step One: Cut your material to the length of the rail you are going to be covering. Scientifically (aka two hand-spans) measure your and cut the width.
Step Two: if your material has scalloped edges then cut upwards following the pattern in 2 inch lengths. If it doesn’t have a pattern to follow then you could use your thumb or something else that’s around an inch wide to measure along each time.
Step Three: Lay the material over the cot so it is has an equal amount either side. Cut a strip into the opposite side from the pattern (so the bit hanging inside the cot) around 2 inches high.This is a bit awkward as I did it all with the fleece on the cot, if you wanted to be neat about it you could measure the bars and mark it on the material and do it flat on the floor. I’m not all about the neat so I didn’t bother and just bent over the cot, but if you do this make sure the baby isn’t in the cot needless to say!
Step Four: Tie the strip at the back to one opposite it on the front, through the cot bars. Tie a double knot fairly tight so little fingers can’t undo them, then tuck them under the material (though they won’t stay tucked up for long!)
Done! This took me less than 15 minutes, and if I didn’t have a little pickle pestering me at the same time would have taken even less! The great thing is you can take it off and pop in the machine if needed too!