which co-sleeper to get

[erth mama]

Hi Mamas,
I am about 30 weeks preggo and am looking into buying a co-sleeper for beside the bed. Any advice on which one is good? I am looking for something compact and modern looking. Thanks for any insight.

[Finch]

I hear lots of good things about the arms reach co-sleepers. Although I haven't tried one myself.

[kate~mom]

we have the arm's reach mini cosleeper - we (and ds) like it. are there other "kinds" out there? or are you comparing the arm's reach to a bassinet or sidecarring a crib?

[bluets]

We started out using the bassinet portion of a graco pack n play. And then 6 weeks into things, ds moved into our bed. I eventually bought a snug tuck pillow and used the pack n play as a changing table for another 6 weeks. keep in mind that most cosleepers can only be used until baby reaches 15 lbs or so.

[CountryMom2e]

We used the arm's reach smaller co-sleeper, which I really liked but DS outgrew it at about 5 months (he's a big kid). I thought about rigging up his crib at that point but wound up having him in the bed with me for part of the night while DH slept in the guest room.

At 13 mo we nightweaned and now DS sleeps in his crib.

I would definately recommend the co-sleeper, thought it was terrific.

[Ruthla]

I never used a co-sleeper. My girls started out in my bed from birth. With ds, I set up a full-sized crib in my bedroom. Generally, I'd nurse him to sleep in a chair, and then put him down in the crib. Whenever he woke at night, I'd go to the bathroom, then pick him up and nurse him back to sleep in my bed, where he stayed until morning. When he got a little bigger (and wouldn't fall asleep if I was nursing him in a chair,) I'd nurse him to sleep in bed.

[MelW]

I think I'm going to try to get an Arms Reach, too, but their website doesn't have any information about Canadian distributors (American and Italian was all that I found...). I see you're in BC, too, erth mama. Let me know if you find a local distributor, or perhaps another co-sleeper sold here. I'm in Vancouver, but may consider a quick shopping trip to the US if I can't find one locally or get one shipped.

[erth mama]

Thanks for all the input. I am wondering.... is arms reach the only brand around? I also checked the website and couldn't find a canadian distributer. Also I don't love the style of them, they look very good and functional, it would be great to get something that goes a little better with our bedroom though. And would be nice to see them in person before ordering.

[freakyspice]

We started out using the bassinet portion of a graco pack n play. And then 6 weeks into things, ds moved into our bed. I eventually bought a snug tuck pillow and used the pack n play as a changing table for another 6 weeks. keep in mind that most cosleepers can only be used until baby reaches 15 lbs or so.


The arm's reach original co-sleeper (which we use and really like) has a weight limit of 30 lbs.

[Alvenchrst]

There are a few other small brands out there, but arm's reach is basically it, and I think they have the widest selection of products too. There is also the sleigh bed which is basically a wooden mini co-sleeper that later covernts to a seat which is very modern looking. The mini is also compact. The original is the same size as a porta-crib, but we have it with the long liner on it and it looks VERY nice in our bedroom. We sleep trained, CIO, and ds slept in a sperate bedroom, so with this baby we are very excited to use the cosleeper and I'm am just thrilled at the idea of not having to get out of bed at night to nurse and all the close bonding and definentally no CIO this time. I've heard people say that they love their cosleeper and others that it was a waste of money. I think it just depends on both your baby, and the personal prefereances of both you and your partner and what you are looking to attcive in nightime parenting.

Good luck with the cosleeper and the new baby.

[Boof]

My "arms reach" mini is pretty much worthless.No way I could lift DS out of it to breastfeed before he or I would wake up fully or he'd start crying. The little mattress is too hard to be comfortable at all and DS didn't really take to it.

Right now it's still attached to our bed as a side car and serves nicely as a nightstand for my water and a little changing station. Also makes for more room in our bed because I can move closer to the edge without falling off.

What really came in handy the first few months was our Snuggle Nest. Here's a link to check it out: http://www.mommysthinkin.com/snuggle_nest.htm

A quick summary: 3 sided fabric covered plastic walls, firm mattress with envelope sheet and back sleeping positioner and costs around $45. I'd just slide the mattress down when it was time to breast feed then slide it back up. When we visited the inlaws we took it with us. A 3 pound snuggle nest is much easier to transport and set up than the arms-reach mini.

Good Luck!

Beth

[Annikate]

I use an arm's reach co sleeper and love it! DD does wake up when I take her out to nurse, but she goes right back to sleep now that she's used to the nighttime routine.

The 'mattress' is very uncomfortable - kind of like the pack n play fold up mattress. We bought a portacrib mattress and put it in there (same size) and that works great.

I LOVE it. I wish I had had it with DD1.

[Annabel_the_Sheep]

http://www.huggababy.co.uk/pages/briocot.html

This is a UK site, not sure if they will post to Canada, but worth a look. This global bedside cot is looking good, I saw it in a store here in UK and wanted to buy one. May be they have them in Canada too? We ended up just putting two futon matresses on the floor together - now we have a room that is just one huge matress! :)

[urbangoddess]

My "arms reach" mini is pretty much worthless.No way I could lift DS out of it to breastfeed before he or I would wake up fully or he'd start crying. The little mattress is too hard to be comfortable at all and DS didn't really take to it.

Right now it's still attached to our bed as a side car and serves nicely as a nightstand for my water and a little changing station. Also makes for more room in our bed because I can move closer to the edge without falling off.

What really came in handy the first few months was our Snuggle Nest. Here's a link to check it out: http://www.mommysthinkin.com/snuggle_nest.htm

A quick summary: 3 sided fabric covered plastic walls, firm mattress with envelope sheet and back sleeping positioner and costs around $45. I'd just slide the mattress down when it was time to breast feed then slide it back up. When we visited the inlaws we took it with us. A 3 pound snuggle nest is much easier to transport and set up than the arms-reach mini.

Good Luck!

Beth

HAHA
same as us, our arms reach co sleeper is still attached as a barrier to the floor, and holds magazines and water and our dd is in bed with us. I totally agree the mattress is so hard, she would wake up everytime we tried to place her in it, It was just easier to keep her in bed with us for nursing, when she was little little we used one of those wedge pillow sleep positioners and just kept thaat in the middle of bed.
HTH
Erykah