Anyone using a mini co-sleeper bassinet?

[cyclinggirl]

Hi Moms,

We're expecting in 2 months and are living in a small house with a tiny bedroom while we search for our new home. Just in case the baby comes before we've bought our new home I'd like to get a mini co-sleeper bassinet. It's smaller than a pack n' play and will allow me to attach it to our bed so I can nurse or soothe the baby from the bed.

This is the one: http://armsreach.com/mini_cosleeper.php

I've read a lot of great things about it but would like to hear if any of you have experience with it. Did you like it? Would you recommend it? Anything I should be aware of when using it?

I may get one this weekend so I can practice setting it up and working the side up and down, I've read that it can be stubborn and get stuck. Not so fun when you're exhausted and baby is crying. ")

Thanks in advance for any advice!
Steph

 

[dcat]

Hi Steph -
Have it, love it! For my first, we lived in a home where the master bedroom was on the first floor. We ended up leaving it as a bassinet, not attached to the bed, mainly because at the time I had a cat which liked to sleep with us at night and I didn't want her crawling into it. It worked out perfectly because during the day I could roll it out into the family room area so when my daughter napped I could keep an eye on her there and knew she was safe.

Since then, things have changed. We moved and our current home's master bedroom is on the second floor. Also, my sweet cat of just about 19 years passed earlier this year. So for my son, who is 3 months old now, we did attach it to the bed because I knew I wouldn't be rolling it out of the room.

For the first few months, it's great being so close, especially for those middle of the night nursings and also to be able to place a comforting hand gently on them at night (easier to do when it's attached to the bed!) or to simply listen to them breathe. Also, I had to have c-sections for both so it was great for that situation, too.

My son is still using it but only for another week or two, when his furniture arrives (we ordered it after he was born!). He's been sleeping through the night since he was 11 weeks old so he's ready to leave our room, but like I did with my daughter (she slept through the night at 9 wks), I want to wait until he turns 4 months old. That's when I'm ready!

Regarding it getting stuck, I can't comment because I have had it either up all the time or down all the time. But my husband said it really wasn't a problem when he set it up. He's an engineer and likes the way it is designed. The sheet that covers the little mattress is not a standard size as it is designed for the special features of the co-sleeper. I only have one. Another one or two would've been nice but at the time I purchased it more than 3 years ago, it only came with one and they didn't sell extra ones seperately. If they do now, you might want to get more. However, the one I do have has held up nicely through washings.

They didn't have the nice color options they do now. I have natural but it worked out great anyway since I had a girl and a boy. It comes in a nice bag so you could travel with it, too, and it stores well.

In short, I recommend it! Congratulations and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

Diana
Mom to Nora, 3, and Lucas, 3 months.

 

[cyclinggirl]

Hey Diana,

Thanks so much for all the comments and details about the sleeper, this is exactly the kind of info that I was looking for to seal the deal. Great to hear that you LOVE it and are still using it for your 2nd. Plus, a thumbs up on the design from an engineer hubby is good news for me. I'm fairly mechanical, the one who puts stuff together in my family, but I'm not looking for a challenging project...got way too much going on as it is!

I also wasn't sure if you could safely leave the side down while it's attached, sounds like you can -- that's a relief!! What a pain to do the up and down thing when you need to nurse...especially with a c-section. I'm pretty sure I'm getting it now, so thanks for the feedback!

Congrats on the new addition to your family! I love the name Lucas. You've been blessed with a girl AND a boy...that's awesome.

My best to you and your family.

Steph

 

[rgi]

I used the mini for my third baby and absolutely loved it. I wish I had had it for my first two!

You won't be disappointed!

 

[lindzebird]

I've used the sleeper for my second and my third and I love it. I actually have them in there until they start getting big enough to try to get out of it and then I switched them to the crib. At the time we purchased it we were in a really small home with a really small bedroom and it worked out really well for us. I've nurse all my children and it is so nice to be able to just place them back in the sleeper and reach over and get them out when they need to nurse again. It's super easy to set up, just basically unfold, straighten out and push the bars down till their in locking position. The side can stay down or up, ours is always down, but I've used it in the up position when I went on a trip and took the co-sleeper for the baby. It is a little tricky to put down, but it's always me that takes it up and down, probably wouldn't be as hard for a man who has stronger fingers, I just can't seem to get the buttons to work all the time, I have to fidget with them.

Lindzebird

 

[cyclinggirl]

Thanks Ladies!!! I made it official and ordered the one I wanted online, we need the risers and a few other things so we ordered it directly from the manufacturer even though it's not the lowest price. It seemed easier than saving a few bucks to get sheets here, risers there and the crib elsewhere.

I sooo appreciate all the info about how happy you are with it and the details about the sides and the up and down issues etc. I'm sure it will be fine for us the way we intend to use it but it's great to know all the ins and outs before attempting to using it.

Thanks again!

Steph