Anyone used an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper?

[rachie]

With my first we just put up mesh side bar and baby was usually sleeping close to me. With my second baby was either sleeping in my arms (she wouldn't sleep if her little body wasn't nestled near or ON mine). But we had a pack n play next to our bed and she hated it - it hardly got used and it was a pain to lift her in and out of.

So this time I am buying an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper, original (larger) size. I'm hoping that it will basically be an extension of our bed, giving all of us a little more room. I'm hoping I can just scootch baby over a little into his/her little space and not have to lift in and out and startle the baby as much.

[laughymama]

We used one for a bit with Cain. Then it became a diaper station and night stand.

If I recall, there's a lip between your bed and the baby's sleeping area so I still had to lift baby a bit to bring them into my space to nurse or to put them back. I couldn't just scootch him. We had the universal with a platform bed at the time though so maybe it's different than the others.

[Jennbee]

For our first baby we used an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. I had a c-section and I think that using the co-sleeper made it a bit easier than a pack-n-play or crib. We used it for about 5 months...then it mostly just stored toys and clothes.

For our 2nd baby, I can't exactly recall how long we used it...may have been only a few days. Baby liked our bed so much better.

And for baby #3, we didn't even bother using the co-sleeper, just packed it away a bit before she was due.

[texaspeach]

we have one but never used it. it will not be even with your mattress - there is a drop of about 4" - if you raise it to where the cosleeper matress is even with your bed there is a wall in the way.

look into sidecarring a crib

[Bokonon]

I had the mini for both kids, but when they outgrew it, we sidecarred the crib, which was a bit cumbersome in the room, but worked SO much better than the co-sleeper. I was able to nurse without even picking up the baby, so dreamfeeds were a piece of cake. Plus they had their own space, which was a bonus. The downside was having to put that side of the crib back on when they started rolling onto the bed!

[rachie]

Sidecarring

Originally Posted by texaspeach

we have one but never used it. it will not be even with your mattress - there is a drop of about 4" - if you raise it to where the cosleeper matress is even with your bed there is a wall in the way.

look into sidecarring a crib

Is sidecarring (I have no clue) - taking the entire front of the crib off and placing that part of the crib against the side of your bed (and I assume then you'd try to adjust baby's mattress to the same level, close as you can get, to your mattress)??

[VroomieMama]

Originally Posted by rachie

Is sidecarring (I have no clue) - taking the entire front of the crib off and placing that part of the crib against the side of your bed (and I assume then you'd try to adjust baby's mattress to the same level, close as you can get, to your mattress)??

I googled and I found this... I think it is wonderful!!!! http://www.freewebs.com/sidecarcrib/index.htm

[rachie]

sidecarcrib

Originally Posted by VroomieMama

I googled and I found this... I think it is wonderful!!!! http://www.freewebs.com/sidecarcrib/index.htm

That is COOL! I'm showing it to my hubby. We'd have to either get another crib (18mo still in hers) or think about switching her to a toddler bed (though I don't think she's ready for it yet - she loves her crib).

[akind1]

We use the original, and yes, you do have to lift baby in and out of it. DS is 5 months and we are still using it. After we nurse to sleep - or to drowsy enough to lay down, depending on the night - he goes in it (I took out the bassinet when he could roll - there is a gap between the co-sleeper and our bed b/c of wood bedrails) pack-n-play style. When he wakes to eat - between 4-6 a.m. - he comes to bed to nurse and I just keep him in bed those last couple hours.

I like him having a separate place to sleep - makes time with DH a bit easier - but also love, love, LOVE, having him in the room with us, right next to the bed so I can peer over and check on him through the night. Thankfully, so does DH.

I like the idea of a sidecar, but it wouldn't work with our crib or our bed (those wood bedrails would create the same gap) and our crib was handmade by my dad with an attached dresser.

[rachie]

Improove?

Do you think it's at least an improvement over a regular pack n play? Is it as high of a lift in and out of the bassinet part? Do you think it helps that you can use the extra pieces to lift it higher to be at a closer level to a high adult bed? Ours is pretty tall.

[akind1]

I think the matress may be slightly better; I use a quilted pack-n-play sheet for extra cushion though. Our bed is quite high, and you can buy leg extenders for a taller bed. out of the bassinet, it might be 6-8 inches a lift, not much at all. (easy to do even when you are mostly asleep).

I think it is an improvemnt over a regular pack-n-play for the most part. I did find this one http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3330190 that I liked, however it does not come in a boyish or even gender neutral pattern that I could find.

also, I found the arm's reach one on craigslist for maybe $75, that was a huge plus. Also the weight limits on the arm's reach's bassinet part are much higher than typical pack-n-plays.

[rachie]

reply

I showed my hubby the link and he's all for sidecaring a crib (we'll have to find a crib is all). The Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper is probably less of a "drop" to take baby in and out of - but eventually baby will sit up and then we'd have to either take out the bassinet part or put up a rail and have baby in our bed anyways - that other way gives baby much more space and we won't have to worry about when baby is old enough to sit up and fall out.

I'm sure there are "safety experts" out there who would holler and rant about such an arrangement but I'm quite sure my husband will have that mattress so tightly against ours - they'll be as one . He's big on safety and is sure he can get it set up quite secure and tight.

I did ask him if we should still get the co-sleeper for travel, etc... a friend is selling me hers for very cheap. We're thinking about that.

[mimi_75]

We have a ClearVue Mini and it's flush with our bed. I think the trick is the adjustable legs that the ClearVue has that many of the other models don't have. Unfortunately, it's a Mini, so the weight limits are low, it doesn't fold up, and it is fairly small. We don't have much room in our bedroom, though.

[octobermoon]

we have one, i wasn't impressed. like others have mentioned it was not even with our mattress, my back hurt trying to lift DS out in the middle of the night while lying down. it just did not seem like an extension of the bed at all. plus DS and i preferred to be together. we used it a few times and then it was a storage compartment.

on another subject......i have to laugh though cause i got this same advice before i had my baby and i got the thing anyway and NOW i am the one saying it. LMAO!

[JudiAU]

The mattress is lousy. Like a miserable board and always drives the babe into my not-as-safe bed. AND we had a fancy organic latex insert this time too. If you get one, consider buying used. Lots on CL and you can buy the adjustable legs.

Some of it depends on your anatomy. My sister was really large breasted while nursing and could dream-feed in the co-sleeper. No chance of that with me.

Do you want to sleep next to your babe? I share a king size bed with our baby and sleep as far away as possible from her. We both prefer it actually. So the cosleeper helps...

[rachie]

co-sleeper

Originally Posted by JudiAU

The mattress is lousy. Like a miserable board and always drives the babe into my not-as-safe bed. AND we had a fancy organic latex insert this time too. If you get one, consider buying used. Lots on CL and you can buy the adjustable legs.

Some of it depends on your anatomy. My sister was really large breasted while nursing and could dream-feed in the co-sleeper. No chance of that with me.

Do you want to sleep next to your babe? I share a king size bed with our baby and sleep as far away as possible from her. We both prefer it actually. So the cosleeper helps...

Ya - my friend is selling me hers for cheap, including the leg extensions (usually like $25 extra, new). I'm hoping that with those extensions it could level the same as our bed. I wouldn't be comfortable leaning over into the co-sleeper to nurse - I want baby right next to me (in crook of my arm usually). I sleep much better if I can "scootch" baby over at least a foot away so I have "elbow" space to sleep.

If we can't situate the co-sleeper I have found a mini-crib that isn't too expensive we can get and sidecar it to our bed - we might just do this anyways so we don't have to worry when baby can start sitting up (falling hazard).

[porcelina]

There's no point in getting a cosleeper just for travel -- pack n plays are much lighter and quicker to put together. You can also find good deals on craigslist, etc. So, if you're not using it for nighttime sleeping, there's really no point -- it's kindof a pain to set up.

We used ours for maybe a week or two. I hated it. First, after birth, I had a second degree tear, and it was a real pain to scoot around the thing to get into bed. Second, you can't just scoot them over as people have said, since there's a rail in the middle. One way it might be worth using is if you put a foam mattress in there to bring to top up to level with that bar, but then that makes it less usable since they will eventually be able to roll out. Eventually, I just separated mine from the bed, but we moved him to the crib soon after (he then moved into our bed at about 5 months).

So, definitely side-caring crib sounds like a better option, if you liked it.

Good luck!

[rachie]

crib

Originally Posted by porcelina

There's no point in getting a cosleeper just for travel -- pack n plays are much lighter and quicker to put together. You can also find good deals on craigslist, etc. So, if you're not using it for nighttime sleeping, there's really no point -- it's kindof a pain to set up.

We used ours for maybe a week or two. I hated it. First, after birth, I had a second degree tear, and it was a real pain to scoot around the thing to get into bed. Second, you can't just scoot them over as people have said, since there's a rail in the middle. One way it might be worth using is if you put a foam mattress in there to bring to top up to level with that bar, but then that makes it less usable since they will eventually be able to roll out. Eventually, I just separated mine from the bed, but we moved him to the crib soon after (he then moved into our bed at about 5 months).

So, definitely side-caring crib sounds like a better option, if you liked it.

Good luck!

Thanks. I just feel bad turning down my friend's really nice one (that she was giving me such a good deal on) and also we'd spend just a bit more on a crib and mattress - but I think it will be worth it and be usable longer (our babies have roomed in with us an average of 7-8 months - then they want to "play" at 2am and that's when we usually transition them to either a crib apart from our bed so they don't jump on us to "play"). My last baby, at the 8 month mark would NOT sleep as long as she was in my presence (wanted to either nurse or play or would cry - put her in a crib and "boom" she's "out" - that was weird because I always imagined this big "family bed" thing but she sleeps so much better in a quiet place of her own that she feels secure in I guess). All that to say once again - ya I think the side-caring the crib idea is going to be best for us

[lonegirl]

I really, really loved ours!!!!!
WE had the Universal Arm's Reach with leg extensions. I was able make the lip disappear by folding it down (it's been a while so it is hard to describe but I found it easy at the time). It was level with our bed (no drop at all) I wrapped the mattress with a thick blanket and a fitted sheet to make it a bit softer I also then laid a sheet across it to our bed to get rid of the little crack between the 2 beds. We used it from about 1 month until 18m when we bought a futon for beside our bed.
I have recommended this many times....and recently found out that sadly it is banned now in Canada.

[crunchy_mommy]

Yeah if your babies normally room with you for 7-8 months they may outgrow the Arm's Reach too soon. DS was pulling to standing at 5mos and that made the Arm's Reach unsafe for him. I also had issues with it being a "separate" sleep space, unless you make modifications it is NOT just an extension of your bed like I thought it would be, and DS always woke up when I moved him back into it. We've been sleeping on two mattresses (full & crib) on the floor for the last ~year and I like it 1000000 times better. I *might* use the Arm's Reach next time around (since we already have it) just for the first few weeks when baby is so, so small that it's hard to sleep without being afraid of crushing him, but at the same time I wanted my baby IN MY ARMS in those early weeks, so I don't know.