Co-Sleepers

[Ravenclaw]

Is Arm's Reach the only company that makes co-sleepers? For space and personal reasons, we're going to co-sleep for awhile instead of having a crib. Last time we borrowed a snuggle nest but it wasn't very comfortable in our queen sized bed. Any suggestions on sidecar style co-sleepers?

Also-we're in a 2-story. I was thinking of getting a pack-n-play for naps when we're on the lower level. Good/bad idea?

[scrub-jay]

We didn't use a co-sleeper but we loved having the pack and play while we were in the main living area.

[Michele]

I have the ArmsReach mini-cosleeper. I loved it and used it for all three kids. It's smaller than a pack-n-play and was perfect for the first 6ish months. When D outgrew it, we removed the side of the full sized crib and wedged it next to the bed to be a really big co-sleeper. I stuffed a body pillow along the outer side of the crib to keep the crib mattress pushed next to the bed so there wasn't a gap between our mattresses. K liked his own space after he outgrew the cosleeper and P just moved into my bed.

[SoonerTexan]

We got the original size Arms Reach...supposed to be able to use it longer. I'll let you know how we like it! I wasn't able to find any other brands, though, either.

[ladymoreta]

I borrowed an Arms Reach one for DS, but he wouldn't sleep in it. This time, we're going to just use the pack & play with the bassinet attachment if she'll sleep in our room.

[madeintaiwan]

I have the full sized Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. Got for DD slept in it for 6 months then slept with us until she was almost 2. DS2 slept in it from day 1 and remained in it until we moved him to the bottom bunk when he was almost 3. It is bigger than a pack and play and can be used up to 50 lbs. I loved loved it as a co-sleeper attached to the bed with the little lip. Solid product. It can be a pain to break down. Still doable. If it wasn't so damn heavy I'd sell you mine, but I am sure that shipping is a fortune.

http://meimeislittleadventures.blogs...o-sleeper.html

[v-girl]

We just had our babies in our bed. I loved having a playpen in the living room. The one with the bassinet insert saves your back those first couple of months!

[MarissaNicole]

I have the full sized Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. Got for DD slept in it for 6 months then slept with us until she was almost 2. DS2 slept in it from day 1 and remained in it until we moved him to the bottom bunk when he was almost 3. It is bigger than a pack and play and can be used up to 50 lbs. I loved loved it as a co-sleeper attached to the bed with the little lip. Solid product. It can be a pain to break down. Still doable. If it wasn't so damn heavy I'd sell you mine, but I am sure that shipping is a fortune.

http://meimeislittleadventures.blogs...o-sleeper.html

(tangent) But thank you, now I finally understand the difference between a co-sleeper and a pack n play. Couldn't figure out the advantage, but now with the pictures I can see that you literally extends your bed so you don't have to get up to get the baby!

[SoonerTexan]

Ooo great review!!!

If anyone else gets the original size, ditch the Arms Reach sheets (wasn't impressed and they have to drip dry...really?) and buy the quilted Eddie Bauer play yard sheets. About the same price, much softer, and they fit perfectly. I've heard a king size pillowcase works for the mini size.

[Ravenclaw]

When D outgrew it, we removed the side of the full sized crib and wedged it next to the bed to be a really big co-sleeper. I stuffed a body pillow along the outer side of the crib to keep the crib mattress pushed next to the bed so there wasn't a gap between our mattresses. K liked his own space after he outgrew the cosleeper and P just moved into my bed.

Michele - I have this set-up in DD's room with a twin bed set flush to her toddler bed. I love it. She's still not completely sleeping through the night (at almost 3!) and I can't handle CIO, so I sleep in there most nights.

MadeinTaiwan thanks for your review of the co-sleeper. I'll have to show that to DH; he'll most appreciate your husband's take on it of course! DD would probably still fit in it at 3 y.o.!

For those of you that co-sleep and have multiple kiddos, how does that work logistically? Do they all sleep in your bed at some point? We have no room for even one tiny baby in our bed, comfortably at least. I'd like to gently transition DD to sleep on her own if she's ready but don't know how to do that. And if she's not, I won't push her. Just wondering when DH and I will get to sleep together again!

[Michele]

Mine still don't sleep through the night. D (5) and K (3) wake up once a night each about 5/7 nights. P (1) is still nursing. Some nights I can get them back to sleep in their beds, sometimes they sneak in with me. I only get annoyed when K pees out his diaper in my bed.

Guess I'm not much help.

[Ravenclaw]

Ooo great review!!!

If anyone else gets the original size, ditch the Arms Reach sheets (wasn't impressed and they have to drip dry...really?) and buy the quilted Eddie Bauer play yard sheets. About the same price, much softer, and they fit perfectly. I've heard a king size pillowcase works for the mini size.

Thanks - great tip!

For those of you that co-sleep and have multiple kiddos, how does that work logistically? Do they all sleep in your bed at some point? We have no room for even one tiny baby in our bed, comfortably at least. I'd like to gently transition DD to sleep on her own if she's ready but don't know how to do that. And if she's not, I won't push her. Just wondering when DH and I will get to sleep together again!

We have a ridiculous sleeping situation. DH sleeps with DS (3 1/2) and I sleep with DD (10 mo). DS won't sleep on his own. We can't have both kids in the same room because DD is such a light sleeper and wakes up if DS makes any noise! The plan was for DH to sleep with DS in DS's room for a while after the baby came then DH was going to come back but that part never happened. It's partly because this house has a weird layout, master bedroom up and other bedroom down, and it seems to far away to have DS down here by himself so we haven't worked too hard at it. I would suggest trying to do something before your new baby comes. Maybe try letting her pick new bed linen, getting her excited about her own bed?

[spotty_dog]

Our master bed is a king. Best investment EVAR. When the baby was born, it went bedrail - baby - me - DS - DH. (DS was 2 and would start in his room for a few hours but inevitably ended up with us.) As time passed, kids' sleeping habits changed, and so did sleeping arrangements. At this point DS (5) has a twin, where he will start out if requested, but he prefers to cuddle with Daddy and often comes to our bed of his own accord at some point in the night (between 3:30 and 7). DD (2.5) has a queen. She prefers sleeping alone, but in the past few months has had a few tough nights where she asks me to stay in her bed with her, and thanks to the bigger bed I can do that. Generally we have no problem getting adult time during the first few hours of the night if we want it, and if we aren't in the mood -- well, we go ahead and fetch DS so that we can get some nighttime snuggles while he is still small enough to tolerate them.

DD started sleeping through the night most nights at some point after she weaned (27-28 months). DS didn't sleep through reliably until he was probably almost 4, and like I said, he still comes to bed for cuddles at 5 -- but at least he does it very quietly.

[Ravenclaw]

We have a ridiculous sleeping situation. DH sleeps with DS (3 1/2) and I sleep with DD (10 mo). DS won't sleep on his own. We can't have both kids in the same room because DD is such a light sleeper and wakes up if DS makes any noise! The plan was for DH to sleep with DS in DS's room for a while after the baby came then DH was going to come back but that part never happened. It's partly because this house has a weird layout, master bedroom up and other bedroom down, and it seems to far away to have DS down here by himself so we haven't worked too hard at it. I would suggest trying to do something before your new baby comes. Maybe try letting her pick new bed linen, getting her excited about her own bed?

Lamorna - what do you guys do when your husband is on call? We're trying to figure out how that will work. DH is on call (at home) every other week. We were thinking on non-call weeks he could sleep in DD's room and I'd be in the MBR with the baby. But not sure what to do when he's on call. He'll have to sleep on the couch those weeks. But if DD is still not sleeping through the night by then, I'm sure she'll get up looking for us. I've been telling DH we should see if she can sleep on her own right now since we have about 4.5 months before the baby comes but he has to install a baby gate at the top of the stairs, so she doesn't try to walk down the stairs half asleep - they are really steep! He hasn't done that yet of course but that's one idea we're thinking of. Haven't thought of anything else. She's a light sleeper like your DD so having her sleep with me and the baby probably won't work.