[BeckC]

We're planning to adopt a baby hopefully sometime in the next year. While I'm in the waiting period I've kept myself busy by obsessing over everything baby related.

One of the things I talked to our social worker about was co-sleeping. Now we're cramped in our queen bed already and a new king bed is not an option, so I was planning on side-carring a crib. Our social worker said that she is not comfortable with that, not because of the co-sleeping aspect, but because of the structural stability of a crib with one side removed. She suggested that we look into dedicated co-sleepers. Arms Reach is the only company I've found that makes actual co-sleepers but I haven't heard the greatest things about them, comfort wise. Are there any others? I was thinking of getting one of the mini convertible ones that turns into a playpen so that we could get more use out of it (a regular size wouldn't fit downstairs as a playpen). Whatever we choose we have to be able to use for about 8 months, which is when post placement visits will stop and we will finalize the adoption. At that point we can do whatever we sit fit.

TIA

 

[lilysmama1124]

You may want to double check because I don't think the mini convertible turns into a play yard. I believe it only converst to a regular bassinet and the underneath part is for storage. They may have a mini deluxe that truns into both. I am currently trying to decide about sleeping arrangements. I actually got to see the mini convertable and the regular full size in a store and wasn't all that impressed. What I mean is that is really didn't seem that much more functional than just putting a pack n' play next to your bed. There is still a difference between your mattress and the co-sleeper in height so it isn't as though you can just roll them back and forth so you would still have to sit up and place them in the bassinet. You can get a regular pack n play for pretty inexpensively or could just use a bassinet as the mini-cosleeper was very small. I haven't actually used one but this just what I am thinking for us. I have actually considered getting the coccoon from arm's reach which is a baby hammock. It is portable and could sit next to the bed, that or I am going to get a sleep nest to put in our bed. Hope that helps

 

[icy02]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeckC One of the things I talked to our social worker about was co-sleeping. Now we're cramped in our queen bed already and a new king bed is not an option, so I was planning on side-carring a crib. Our social worker said that she is not comfortable with that, not because of the co-sleeping aspect, but because of the structural stability of a crib with one side removed. Whatever we choose we have to be able to use for about 8 months, which is when post placement visits will stop and we will finalize the adoption. At that point we can do whatever we sit fit. TIA

Congrats early on your adoption!!!!!!!!!

:

From my experience the social worker doesn't come by your house enough to really know where your baby is sleeping or really to know anything for that matter. Ours will come twice in the 6 months before our adoption is final. All she asks is where does the baby sleep. We have a beautiful nursery for our DS that he has not once slept in. (I obviously do not tell her that we co-sleep with him.) My point is that you really don't have to go and buy something that you don't really need if you don't want to. Adoption itself is expensive. IMO I would just set up a pack n play when she comes by and say this is where he sleeps and then you can take it down and use whatever you want the rest of the time.

If you really want to purchase an arms reach co-sleeper I say go for it. I wouldn't get both the co-sleeper and a pack n play. I got both for my baby shower and returned the co-sleeper. I know some families that really love their co-sleeper though.

Good Luck!!

 

[BeckC]

Thanks for the congrats.

The problem is that we really can't fit in our bed with a baby. We can barely fit in it now ourselves, and like I said a bigger bed is just not an option. We plan to get a crib and sidecar it, but I don't want to have to take it down and then set it back up again everytime our social worker comes over (4 post placement visits) and she's very thorough so I know she'll check out where the baby sleeps. I was hoping we could use a cosleeper until finalization at which point we'll just sidecar the crib. I had considered a pack n play but the bassinet portion only goes to 15 lbs and that's a tiny 8 month ol (that's when we can finalize).

 

[Amber Lion]

We absolutely LOVED our co-sleeper for the first 2.5 months (a full sized sleigh bed one, but it was a gift we didn't buy it). After that, DD stopped sleeping a 5-6 hour stretch and I gave up trying to put her back in the co-sleeper after feeding her b/c I'd just have to take her out again an hour or two later. Now we just co-sleep full time and the co-sleeper is unattached, but near the bed, and works great as a semi-bed-side table.

Now, I've heard of people getting two mattresses so the surface is flush with your bed so you can just scoot your kid over like a side-carred crib and that would probably work for us, but we're broke and lazy and co-sleeping is just easy.

 

[MsHiss]

We are using the mini-cosleeper and love it. My DD is 7 months today and it still works for us. CHeck Craigslist or church sales, you can find them used and order a replacement mattress from the company.

Congratulations!!!

 

[Masel]

Has she looked at cribs? The one we have has a cross piece. The movable side isn't intregal to the stability of the crib and isn't used when it converts to a toddler bed. Your social worker might have a different style of crib in mind.

That said we were able to borrow a co-sleeper when we adopted DD and I loved it. I think I would have felt caged in myself with a full fledged crib at my side. I think it was an Arms Reach.

Congrats!

 

[Loralz]

ITA with MsHiss. We have the full-size co-sleeper and love, love, love it. Yes, recently dd hasn't been sleeping in it all that much. Yay for teething and fevers.

:

But it's been worth it for us. We got it used and it was one of the best investments. Love, love love it.

 

[BeckC]

For those that use and like the co-sleeper - did you add a second mattress or otherwise modify it some way to comfier for baby?

 

[Anastasiya]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeckC We're planning to adopt a baby hopefully sometime in the next year. While I'm in the waiting period I've kept myself busy by obsessing over everything baby related. One of the things I talked to our social worker about was co-sleeping. Now we're cramped in our queen bed already and a new king bed is not an option, so I was planning on side-carring a crib. Our social worker said that she is not comfortable with that, not because of the co-sleeping aspect, but because of the structural stability of a crib with one side removed. She suggested that we look into dedicated co-sleepers. Arms Reach is the only company I've found that makes actual co-sleepers but I haven't heard the greatest things about them, comfort wise. Are there any others? I was thinking of getting one of the mini convertible ones that turns into a playpen so that we could get more use out of it (a regular size wouldn't fit downstairs as a playpen). Whatever we choose we have to be able to use for about 8 months, which is when post placement visits will stop and we will finalize the adoption. At that point we can do whatever we sit fit. TIA

We have the mini convertible, and we love it. It DOES convert to a pack n play, lilysmama. It's the regular mini that doesn't, but the mini convertible does. The weight limit on the cosleeper part is 30 pounds. Even then, would you really feel comfy keeping your baby in it past 5-6 months? I mean, once Baby starts pulling up and sitting, etc., he/she could fall right out of it. The sides aren't that deep as a cosleeper. Or will you be putting Baby in the pack n play part of it once he/she reaches that stage?

I love the mini for the fact that it takes up little room and can go through doorways without having to be collapsed, unlike the regular sized ones.

And we've never had a comfort problem.

 

[BeckC]

We'd be using it as a cosleeper until finalization and then we would just sidecar the crib.

I'm not worried about a child falling out of it because it will be up against a wall on two sides, the bed on one and we can figure something out for the third side.

I did look at some cribs today online and I did notice that some of them are meant to be used as a daybed with the third side missing. I don't know if the social worker is familiar with those cribs but I'll certainly show her.

Also, is it possible to sidecar a mini crib? That would certainly fit better in our bedroom.

 

[Anastasiya]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeckC Also, is it possible to sidecar a mini crib? That would certainly fit better in our bedroom.

We also have a mini crib. This one: http://www.amazon.com/DaVinci-Emily-.../dp/B000FT9J3U

The sides are stationary, so it would be pretty sturdy without one of the side panels. You would just unscrew one side - that's it. Also, the mattress support screws into its own dedicated holes (in other words, the sides aren't needed to hold the mattress up.)

The mini crib is the size of a pack n play, btw.