I can't answer your first question, sorry. But I remember with my little one that she slept in cot at side of my bed for quite a while, think it was well over a year, lol. I couldn't bear the thought of her in another room away from me and it did make night time feeding easier just reaching over for her rather than stumbling half asleep into another room.
During the day she slept downstairs in a moses basket, again I think this was largely due to the fact i didn't like her in another room, but I also wanted her to get used to, and sleep through, normal household noises.