# arm's reach co-sleeper?



## megrenade

I'm looking at getting an arm's reach co-sleeper so that I can have my little man right next to me without worrying about harming him the first couple months.. 

has anybody here bought one and liked it? any negatives?

I'd just co-sleep with him in the bed, because I'm an extremely light sleeper.. but it will also be nice to be able to lay him down in something during the day.

it's this one if you're curious: co-sleeper bassinet


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## DarlingMe

Love ours! DS has reflux and sleeps in a bouncer in the co-sleeper then in the bed with me for the last couple hours. When he first came home he slept on the co-sleeper mattress. It was akward to have to bend down to pick him up but u eant the top rail a little lower than your mattress. This eay if LO rolls over while in bed with u, he might drop a couple inches but not get stuck b/t the mattress & cot. 

OH is a bit of a spaz in his sleep so I can't sleep with them both in bed. If I do sleep with LO in the bed when OH is there I use the co-sleeper as a side rail. I do wish I would have gotten one that doesn't have the drop in it. Some have ones where both mattresses are the same height, if we had I almost would have liked to side-car the crib when he is a bit older anyhow. Right now it works perfect. Definately reccomended!


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## megrenade

thank you for the reply :flow:

yeah, my bed is actually pretty low and I was worried that the co-sleeper might be a little higher than the mattress but we'll see.

sorry to hear about the acid reflux.. poor baby!


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## becsparkel

We have the mini and I love it! We've got an extra mattress on top as the cot was second hand, it also raises LO so he's not far down. Despite getting it I ended up co- sleeping with LO in bed with me for the first few weeks. 

The negatives for me are: the lip that separates us, it's good for safety but bad for picking LO up while you're laying down. It's also no good for bf lying down.

Positives: cosy, looks good, attaches to bed really well. It has storage and is on wheels, you can also use it as a travel cot.

If space is an in issue, the mini is ace. If not, go with the original.

B x


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## DarlingMe

You can check measurements online. It goes fairly low too. I think mine is the mini too. I got it second hand but brand new with tags still in place! Bec sparkle where did u find a thicker mattress? That would be perfect to raise him to my height.


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## TigerLady

Love ours!!!! Used it with both my kids. I did have to bring them into bed with me for side by side nursing because of the design of it, but that was fine with me. I have a low bed (mattress on box springs on the floor) and the lip of the bed side of it was about 2 inches higher than my mattress. I didn't really find that a problem, though. 

This is similar to what my set up ended up looking like:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jP1yP906AJI/Te8DgtdNhQI/AAAAAAAAALI/zkc-JMOiPf0/s1600/530_0197-1.JPG

If the Arm's Reach won't work for you, you can also look into a co-sleeping crib/cot. Also called side car:

https://cdn.mothering.com/c/c7/c7b98f50_sidecar.jpeg


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## becsparkel

DarlingMe said:


> You can check measurements online. It goes fairly low too. I think mine is the mini too. I got it second hand but brand new with tags still in place! Bec sparkle where did u find a thicker mattress? That would be perfect to raise him to my height.

I got one made here:
https://www.abacaorganic.co.uk/

Didn't cost too much, maybe £40??


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## lola

I wanted one of these but ended up just using our cotbed with the side off, same as you would as a toddler bed but with the mattress on the highest setting1 saved us a fortune and it work great!


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## membas#1

we have the universal and love it although right now she hardly uses it opting to sleep next to me but we used it exclusively the first 5 months


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## megrenade

membas#1 said:


> we have the universal and love it although right now she hardly uses it opting to sleep next to me but we used it exclusively the first 5 months

yeah, I'd co-sleep in the first place but.. the first few months they are so vulnerable.. I'd hate to accidentally smother him or something.. even though I'm a light sleeper I don't want to risk it.. when he's strong enough to move around a little more I'll be more comfortable with him in the bed with me.. plus, OH is a SUPER heavy sleeper and snores A LOT.. so, I won't be sleeping much between the two of them :haha:


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## deafgal

it looks neat, but it seem that I still have to sit up to get the baby. it seem like it is almost the same height as a bassinet too. so I am not sure if it is worth spending the money especially your child will outgrow it quick anyway.


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## megrenade

deafgal said:


> it looks neat, but it seem that I still have to sit up to get the baby. it seem like it is almost the same height as a bassinet too. so I am not sure if it is worth spending the money especially your child will outgrow it quick anyway.

well it's only $130? a nice bassinet isn't much cheaper.. plus this doubles as a playard.


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## patch2006uk

We have a bedside cot, which LO is now in in his own room. I'd recommend one of those rather than a bedside crib, as they last longer!


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## TigerLady

I actually didn't have to sit up to get LO out of the Arm's Reach. I could just reach over and lift them over to me. I didn't even totally wake. 

Also, the playard has come in handy with DD. DS was STTN by 10 months and moved to his own bed before he could climb out of the elevated surface. DD, on the other hand, started pulling herself to standing and crawling out of the Arm's Reach by about 8/9 months. :dohh: So, I converted it into the playard and kept that next to my bed. At 17 months she still uses it as she is still not STTN. :roll:


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## Grace10

We have used the Original, which is as big as a play yard, with the MamaDoo Kids mattress topper for much needed extra comfort (it also can help with the height). Now that we use a Chicco play yard with the mattress topper when we travel have realized we could have used the play yard all along, and skip the cosleeper. Good luck!


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## LovingYou

I use the arms reach co sleeper as well. I do love it, because its right next to my side of the bed so i don't have to go far to get her. BUT i do find that its hard to get her out of it while i'm laying in bed. I have to sit up, and sometimes even get out of bed and go to the other side of the co sleeper to pick her up. Our bed is a couple inches higher than the co sleeper so when i put her in it, or take her out, its a little bit of a struggle. I still love it though, because i can nurse her in bed, and then just lay her down next to me. Much prefer this over a regular bassinet. :flower:


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## snugglebot

if the arms reach doesn't work, you can try a snugglenest. Loved mine but it doesn't do the job for everyone and they outgrow them.

I like the sidecar pic! Thanks TL! I might google that! I could put the snugglenest in there. Are cribs still sturdy with only three sides if they don't convert to toddler beds or do you need a convertible crib to do it?


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## TigerLady

snugglebot said:


> if the arms reach doesn't work, you can try a snugglenest. Loved mine but it doesn't do the job for everyone and they outgrow them.
> 
> I like the sidecar pic! Thanks TL! I might google that! I could put the snugglenest in there. Are cribs still sturdy with only three sides if they don't convert to toddler beds or do you need a convertible crib to do it?

It varies from crib to crib. The only thing to do would be to try it. I can't side car with my kids' cribs because of the design of the crib itself. They are made to be converted and have one side off, but the side supports aren't flat on the front, so won't fit up against a bed without a gap. 

In this pic you can see how the corner supports are curved. Makes the crib pretty, but it prevents safe side car. :/

https://mydavincikalani.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Davinci-Emily-Convertible-Crib-Ebony-Toddler-bed1.jpg


I wouldn't have room to side car either, so the arm's reach worked best for me. However, I highly recommend side car to anyone that can do it. It also helps them get used to their crib, so when you do move it away from your bed, it isn't a big change for them. :thumbup:


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## deafgal

around here, a bassinet is around $35-60 dollars (not the pack and play type) . so thats why I am not sure if arm reach is worth spending (what I seen they go between $150-$190)


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## DarlingMe

LO is 6 months and we still use it. I think we will use ours for several more months, even just as a side rail for bed-sharing. Right now he falls asleep in the co-sleeper and I pull him into bed halfway through the night, I can hear him fussing before either of us is fully awake and nurse him, and he falls back asleep right away. As pp said, dont even have to sit up.


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