Hi, we are 13 weeks pregnant and starting to purchase nursery items. We are weighing up whether to purchase a bassinette for bub's first few months. All things considered, are cots safer than bassinettes from birth onwards? And would the Red Nose recommendation be to select a cot over a bassinette ? Thanks!

Red Nose recommends that the safest place to sleep baby is in a cot that meets Mandatory Australian Standards.
https://rednose.org.au/article/what-is-a-safe-cot

Bassinets are suitable for use, however there are no Mandatory Standards in Australia for bassinets.
Red Nose has the following general information about bassinets.
If you decide to use a bassinet the following information is important.

As there is no Australian Standard for bassinets, we are careful to keep up to date with reports of accidents associated with their use.
To date, the most frequent accidents associated with bassinet use are falls and suffocation hazards.
https://rednose.org.au/article/bassinettes

Risk of fall may be greater if the sides are soft or low.
Product Safety Australia has included some “Buying Tips” on their website, which may be helpful in determining the safety of any bassinet.

Ensure the sides of the bassinette are at least 300 mm higher than the top of the mattress base.
Ensure it has a wide stable base and a sturdy bottom so that it won’t tip over.
Ensure the mattress fits well and is firm, smooth and no more than 75 mm thick.
If the product has folding legs, make sure it cannot accidentally fold during use.
https://www.productsafety.gov.au/products/babies-kids/kids-furniture/bassinettes