What type of baby sleeping arrangments are you checking into

[epdeans]

I have been searching on line to see what type of sleeping arrangments are out there for infants. I am not interested in a crib yet if ever.

I am considering a bassinet or a co sleeper. Does anyone have any experience they would like to share?

Thanks for reading

[magrat]

With our first child, we had an in the bed co-sleeper we were planning on using. *Huge* waste of money. I think we maybe tried it for 5 seconds before realizing it wouldn't work. DD was so little and DH so big (and we only have a queen bed) having her in bed between us was out of the question too. So pretty much the first evening DH ran out an bought the arms reach mini-co sleeper. Loved it! It was great having her right next to me but safe so I didn't feel like I needed to stay awake to make sure she could breathe, I could easier pick her up and bring her into bed to nurse and most of the time I'd put her back into it once she fell asleep again. If I left her in bed with me at least she wasn't in between the two of us, and if she were to roll out (which she never did) she would have just rolled into the co-sleeper. By 4 months she was getting too big for it and made so much noise squirming around in it we had to move her to the crib in her own room. Several months of sleep hell followed, but there was also no way I could have just moved on to regular co-sleeping (though that had been our original plan) because we're both such light sleepers we woke each other up *constantly*. But the co-sleeper worked really well for us in the beginning.

[ishyfishie]

With dd1, I was convinced that I could never sleep with a baby in the bed (I've never been able to sleep with dh anywhere near touching me, I tend to roll a lot, etc). We got the Arm's Reach co-sleeper...yeah, it never got used for anything more than holding my water bottle and glasses. For one thing, it has a raised edge on the "bed" side, so either you have to reach over that to get to the bassinet, or you have to line up the edge so it's level with the bed, but then the bassinet mattress is lower than the bed. We ended up getting a piece of 4" thick foam to put underneath the co-sleeper mattress so it was all bed-height, and it still never got used.

We're planning to just plan on co-sleeping this time! We got a king size bed in the past year so that if dd1 doesn't migrate to her bed (which is in our room), we still can all fit! The co-sleeping was for my sanity (I kept checking to make sure she was breathing if she wasn't sleeping with her head on my arm!) and for my laziness in breastfeeding, and the Arm's Reach just didn't help. It's a very hard mattress and awkward to get dd in and out of to nurse, so she'd always wake up when I put her back in after nursing and it totally defeated the purpose. I like the idea of a regular bassinet for napping, but I feel like it will present the same situation at night (plus we have no room for one now!).

I considered one of those "snuggle nest" things for this baby, just to keep her sort of sectioned off on the bed, but I wasn't impressed with the reviews/comments on them. I ended up getting one of those air-flow sleep positioners (the two triangles things) for $2 at a consignment store and I figure if this baby stays asleep when laid down, I can use that to keep her in one place!

[MrsReady2bMama]

We loved the Arm's Reach co-sleeper for DD1 and are planning to use it this time around too! The first time we actually had it connected to the bed with the fourth side 'down' so that it was more an extension of the bed. This is nice, except for the fact that I felt like every time me or DH moved, the co-sleeper moved, and so I spent most nights trying not to move and/or being really irritated at DH every time he did So this time, we will probably put it right next to but not touching the bed (with all four sides up). I like the convenience of having the babe right there in the room for nursing. She transitioned really easily to a crib in her own room so we're hoping for the same with #2. We'll see!

[MrsMcCullen07]

We had DS sleep in a bassinet in our room and then we moved him to his crib and at 2 months realized that wasn't what we wanted so we bought a Amby Bed and used that until he outgrew it (around 9 months) then he slept with us or in his pack n play until he switched to his bed .. so with this baby I have :

A moses basket - for the early days
The Amby Bed - for the first months / year or until I feel baby is too big to be in there
A Crib (mainly b/c it transforms into a toddler bed and MIL wanted to buy it) - for use as a toddler bed
A Pack N Play - for napping in (in the living room) until the baby outgrows the Amby then it will sleep in the pack n play or our bed until its ready for the toddler bed ..

wow didn't realize we had so many options :

[cocoanib]

No experience yet, but wer'e going with the Arm's Reach co-sleeper.
Just seems easiest for a breastfeeding newborn situation.

[Plummeting]

For the first three weeks we kept DD in a cradle right next to the bed. I was soooo exhausted, because every time she woke up, I had to sit up, pick her up, feed her, then put her back in the bed and go back to sleep. Plus, she woke up a LOT. Finally, one night I accidentally fell asleep while feeding her. (I always fed her sitting up in the bed, so this wouldn't happen, but it did anyway.) When I woke up, I was completely disoriented, had no idea what had happened, and couldn't find DD. I looked in the cradle, on the floor, under the covers. Finally, I picked up a pillow and she was underneath it - completely underneath it, hidden. That's a SIDS death waiting to happen. I had napped with her on many occasions and knew that when I slept with her on purpose, I always knew where she was. You just sleep differently when there's a baby with you - if this is your first, there's research on that; you don't have to take my word for it. So after that I told DH what had happened and that I wanted to co-sleep, because being that exhausted that you somehow put the baby under a pillow then fall asleep is flat out dangerous. He was okay with it, so that's what we did.

I'll use a mini crib for this baby for naps and stuff (if baby will sleep in it anyway) and co-sleep at night.

[Lilcrunchie]

When I was in college and even maybe when I was pg with my oldest, I remember telling my mom how it was dangerous that she coslept with me when I was an infant and she was still BFing I was not quite so crunchy before my first came along to say the least

DS was born and even in the hospital did not enjoy being in the bassinet so we kind of ended up colseeping in the hospital. He'd look at me from his bassinet and grunt at me...it was clear he didn't like being alone in his little bassinet. We brought him home and he spent maybe 1-2 nights in a bassinet right next to our bed, but the picking him up/putting him back got old and he just slept sooo much better with us. He ended up cosleeping until he was 3 LOL. We even had a crib and nursery that pretty much went unused other than storage of his things...his crib was the occasional safe place upstairs to put him down when needed. By the time I had DD I didn't bother even considering anything other than cosleeping. She's almost 3 and still in our bed. I sold our old crib while pg with her. Cosleeping is the right fit for us.

[judybean]

We're just planning on co-sleeping. It's easiest for me to get some rest, therefore EVERYBODY is happier when I'm a happier person

We're used to it by now with this being babe #4. The youngest is in her own bed now.. and actually when she started sleeping in the same room as her sisters, dh (who would grumble about having kids in the bed for six years+) actually said it was almost kind of lonely without a child there! (of course, he got over that and enjoyed it a bit.. me too).. but I'm looking forward to that again

[moonInLion]

co-sleeping over here as well. DS was in a crib next to my side of the bed for the first half year or so until DH got confident enough to allow him in bed. DD was in bed with us from day 1 (on my side, with a rail on the other side) while DS still slept in the middle.
Now DD is gradually moving out of our bed into a toddler bed on my bedside, while DS spends half the nights in his own room. But we are prepared that there will be 5 of us in bed much of the time (DS, DD in the middle between DH and myself, baby on the side with rail, so me sandwiched between DD and baby) -- I love the family bed, and it certainly helps that it is king-size.

[Ldogg]

No experience yet, but we're planning on the Arm's Reach co-sleeper. There's not a lot of room in our queen-sized bed, DH and I are both tall... plus I tend to be a bit of a thrasher at night, so I'm scared to have the baby in the same bed with us. I'm hoping the co-sleeper works well!

[mumkimum]

Well, we got one of those in-bed co-sleeping 'boxes' last time, used it about the first month (until it got too uncomfortable cause dh & I would shove it into each other). But it did help us get used to sleeping knowing that something was in the middle of the bed. We'll probably do that again (though, possibly not that long).

[staceychev]

We have the mini-cosleeper, and so far it's gotten little (but some) use for my daughter and my sister's two sons. After all, who wants to sleep on that thin mattress when you can sleep snuggled in the big bed next to the milk factory?

Anyway, we had it as a backup, and also have a hand-me-down crib, but I expect that new DD will be in bed with us most, if not all, of the time.

[LittleLegos]

We had planned on co-sleeping with our other kids and really like it. Both dh and I are not large, so a queen with babe works out pretty well. We had been given a crib as a gift and I wasn't sure when and if I'd use it, but we took it anyway. When my first was close to 1 I think we moved it into our room and took the one side off. At that point I had been sleeping up against a bed rail and it was great to have that off! Having another mattress there just gave us all more room for stuff. Eventually I'd scoot him over there, but I think he was at least 2 or older. He really preferred sleeping next to me. I like having the kids next to me too. I know they are the right temperature and doing well. It was always in the night with hot little feet against my thighs that I'd know I had a feverish kid.

The kids generally slept between us for a while, maybe until 1 or 2 yrs (I have no memory really) and then I'd have them nurse the last time on the other side and have them sleep just next to me. Also if they rolled, it would be to the other bed.

Anyway, for the new baby we still have the same set up, but we're in the process of getting a new bed and considering a king. It's not as big as the two beds together, but we really keep the baby/toddler in the bed for a while, so it would be nice to have the extra room. We'll see how long this next baby likes to stay. The others have stayed a long, long time.

LL

[octobermom]

I'm setting up our third curently just a dumping ground room as the babies room so for the first time we will hav an actual nursery. I am planning on having a crib we will see exactly how much it gets used . WIth my DD she slept about 1/2 in her crib 1/2 in our bed and we side carred for an extended time. Still we used it a lot so it was worth it for us. We actually JUST as it was delivered yesterday evenign a full size bed for the room so 1) I can sleep in there with her if needed. 2) We will have a place for a guest when necessary. 3) its big enough my older DD can come join me if she needs ect..
I choose to set up a room outside DH and my bedroom because he snores terribibly I often end up escaping to the couch anyways so now I'll have another place to take baby. I'll likely also get one of those snauggle nests for our room which will make DH and I feel better when baby is in our bed.

Deanna

[Blanca78]

DDC crashing here--
I'm due in July and have been looking into this question myself. I had been planning on the Arm's Reach, but I found an archived Mothering thread where people overwhelmingly seemed to be saying it was a waste of money. I'm not comfortable having the baby IN the bed with us (I am a very restless sleeper and need my space, plus I love to have lots of covers). But after thinking about the options, I think we're going to get a crib and side-car it to the bed. Although if we can find a cheap used hammock we'll use that the first few months.That way we still get the co-sleeping experience and convenience, but it seems more practical because the baby won't outgrow the crib as quickly as a co-sleeper, hammock, or bassinet, and it will still save space in our small apartment.

[gcgirl]

We got the Arm's Reach mini-cosleeper, which basically served as a comfort for me knowing the baby wouldn't roll off the bed when sleeping on that side. Otherwise, it was useless, except as a diaper holder. We got an infant sleep positioner for the early weeks of cosleeping because we have a very soft pillow top bed, but we basically just coslept from the beginning, and haven't regretted it. Well, DS did sleep in the cosleeper once in a while for naps, but not often. DS is almost two and has been sleeping most nights happily in his own room since about 18 months, no problems (he LIKES his bedroom). (It's not true that cosleeping means you'll never get your LO out of your bed. )

[Luv2bemommy]

I'm probably not much help since we cosleep but we do have a bassinette we use when they nap if they aren't in the swing or being worn. Honestly though it gets used more as diaper storage than for holding the baby while he/she sleeps. lol

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by Luv2bemommy

I'm probably not much help since we cosleep but we do have a bassinette we use when they nap if they aren't in the swing or being worn. Honestly though it gets used more as diaper storage than for holding the baby while he/she sleeps. lol

Oh yeah - forgot to mention that this time around I want a cushy swing to use for occasional naps. DS slept on me ALL the time, and I was never able to get anything done while babywearing. You're supposed to be able to do all this stuff, like cooking and cleaning and whatever, and I NEVER figured out how. With a toddler already at home, I'm going to need hands free a bit more often.

[kms7z]

We have one of those in-the-bed co-sleeper box things. We really liked it for our first-- I was really paranoid about my husband rolling onto him (like a lot of men, he is a heavy sleeper). He got too big for it after a few months and then he just slept between us. I am not sure what we will do this time-- we may not use the box if i feel comfortable without it. The main drawback was that I couldn't just nurse him while sleeping. One advantage too it though is that it is a safe place to put them for when they nap alone or if you are spending the night at someone else's house (its pretty compact).

my biggest issue this time is where to put my 2-year old! DH wants to buy a king size and have us all sleep together-- but we have $$ and space issues.