Help! I can't get a co-sleeper in Canada...what to do?

[Silverlilly]

The government banned all co-sleepers? Why on earth would they do that??? Seems to me it's none of their business if you want to use one?

I think it has to do with safety regulations - I don't know if it is related but there were recalls of the Arm's Reach co-sleeper a few years back due to babies being injured (or killed?) by them...I guess the Canadian laws are super-strict about what a baby is "allowed" to sleep in to keep him/her as safe as possible.

Not all "co-sleeers" are part of the ban though - the ones that sit in the bed seem to still be available - it' the ones that go beside the bed that are no longer sold. Seems to me that having a parent fashion their own solution would be a lot more risky than just approving a proper bedside co-sleeper!! So much room for error, gaps, baby getting trapped and suffocating... compared to a properly designed separate unit. People have been using them in the UK for years and love them!

Personally, I don't really want something right IN the bed..I'd like a little mini-crib beside the bed that is good up to at least 6 months, weight wise. Hard to find!

 

[Silverlilly]

Can you ladies please share your experiences with how you kept baby close to the bed for breastfeeding etc?

I really, really wanted a co-sleeper, but the government has banned them in Canada. A bassinet or moses basket has a weight limit, and I'd like baby beside me for at least 6 months...My next best bet is a Pack and Play, but I wanted to have this downstairs for naps during the day...and a separate "permanent" unit beside the bed upstairs. What would you do in a situation like this? Buy 2 Pack n Plays?

can i ask... what is a pack n play?

It's really just a glorified playpen. You raise the bottom level up, and some models come with a napper station and change table (or other options). Many parents use them as a crib beside the bed. The limitation is, you can use them past about 3 months.

Like this:https://www.graco.net/e/ItemList.asp?code=401&s=

 

[newaddition]

Can you ladies please share your experiences with how you kept baby close to the bed for breastfeeding etc?

I really, really wanted a co-sleeper, but the government has banned them in Canada. A bassinet or moses basket has a weight limit, and I'd like baby beside me for at least 6 months...My next best bet is a Pack and Play, but I wanted to have this downstairs for naps during the day...and a separate "permanent" unit beside the bed upstairs. What would you do in a situation like this? Buy 2 Pack n Plays?

So bummed about arms reach cosleeper, been looking everywhere. I have the same issue as you....any luck?

 

[Silverlilly]

Can you ladies please share your experiences with how you kept baby close to the bed for breastfeeding etc?

I really, really wanted a co-sleeper, but the government has banned them in Canada. A bassinet or moses basket has a weight limit, and I'd like baby beside me for at least 6 months...My next best bet is a Pack and Play, but I wanted to have this downstairs for naps during the day...and a separate "permanent" unit beside the bed upstairs. What would you do in a situation like this? Buy 2 Pack n Plays?

So bummed about arms reach cosleeper, been looking everywhere. I have the same issue as you....any luck?

Not really I like the idea of the crib beside the bed with the side removed, and in theory it could work well, but on the off-chance something went wrong, I just don't want to try it. The co-sleepers are available used on Kijiji sometimes - you'd just have to be sure that it's not a recalled model.

 

[Blah11]

I just bring LO in beside me. I just make sure the duvet isnt near him and he has his own blanket. Any reason why you dont want to bring LO in beside you?

 

[Heather M]

This is what we used with our dd...i liked it because it was smaller, and it allows you to drop levels which allows your baby to sleep in it a little longer...

https://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=3695987

 

[Silverlilly]

This is what we used with our dd...i liked it because it was smaller, and it allows you to drop levels which allows your baby to sleep in it a little longer...

https://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=3695987

This is exactly what we decided to get last night! How long did you use it?

 

[Silverlilly]

I just bring LO in beside me. I just make sure the duvet isnt near him and he has his own blanket. Any reason why you dont want to bring LO in beside you?

I'm just paranoid. I'm afraid I'm put the duvet over the baby in my sleep, or squash her! lol Or, suffocate her some other way...or that hubby would squash her...it's my first time so I have no idea what to expect. I'm sure I will be much less stressed with my second! Plus, I like to sprawl in bed...I take up a lot of space - we only have a queen, so I worry about room, too! And comfort...

 

[Heather M]

We used it until she was the weight limit on the second stage (she's always been on the smaller side though so it was probably a little longer)...the other thing was when she started pulling herself up, etc. I would think you could easily get away with it til 6 months at least. I can't lie, we co-slept throughout that in our bed as well due to that's what worked for us for breastfeeding, etc. but she did use it quite a bit and I plan on using it for this little one coming as well! We never put her in at the last stage (aka. playpen) to sleep and never used it in that capacity. However, it's so portable that it was easy to bring into another room if you wanted to and was even better to be able to carry to my parents when we went to visit them. I couldn't recommend it enough. It was definitely the right solution for us

 

[Silverlilly]

We used it until she was the weight limit on the second stage (she's always been on the smaller side though so it was probably a little longer)...the other thing was when she started pulling herself up, etc. I would think you could easily get away with it til 6 months at least. I can't lie, we co-slept throughout that in our bed as well due to that's what worked for us for breastfeeding, etc. but she did use it quite a bit and I plan on using it for this little one coming as well! We never put her in at the last stage (aka. playpen) to sleep and never used it in that capacity. However, it's so portable that it was easy to bring into another room if you wanted to and was even better to be able to carry to my parents when we went to visit them. I couldn't recommend it enough. It was definitely the right solution for us

This is so nice to hear! Thanks so much

 

[cassarita]

I didn't realize they were banned...
They have the at Babies R Us where I live (In edmonton)

 

[Starry Night]

i'm trying to look up more info on the ban and the only thing I could find an article on was how Health Canada knew for years about the concerns of co-sleepers but didn't really publish anything. I don't know. I don't have an Arm's Reach but it does look like I have a similar product. I think the recall was for products that were collapsing with the baby in them?

Does anyone know what products specifically are the problem? I loved using my co-sleeper/bassinet and have been intending to use it again if I get pregnant again

 

[Silverlilly]

i'm trying to look up more info on the ban and the only thing I could find an article on was how Health Canada knew for years about the concerns of co-sleepers but didn't really publish anything. I don't know. I don't have an Arm's Reach but it does look like I have a similar product. I think the recall was for products that were collapsing with the baby in them?

Does anyone know what products specifically are the problem? I loved using my co-sleeper/bassinet and have been intending to use it again if I get pregnant again

I know. It's frustrating trying to find any info on this. I realized there was a problem when I started looking for one of these in ANY store and couldn't find it. Then I went to the Arm's Reach website and looked for sellers in Canada..and found out from someone at one of the baby shops that they are no longer allowed to sell them. It seems there are alternatives available like the Graco model in the link above, but they are not called "co-sleepers"...and there are models specifically designed to make bed-sharing safer (but again, bed-sharing is not co-sleeping! Having the baby *beside* the bed is co-sleeping, technically). Anyways, if there are no recalls on your model, then I'd say it's perfectly fine to use it again!

 

[Starry Night]

My co-sleeper doesn't call itself a co-sleeper. I was looking at the manual today but I already forget how they refer to it. I always test what I get for baby by shaking it a bit to test the joints and putting some weight on it. If it seems sturdy I feel like it should handle a newborn if it can handle me.

My co-sleeper is a "Baby First".

 

[future_numan]

I contacted my local health dept. ( I am in Ontario) and Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper is not banned in Canada as long as it was manufactured after 2002.
I was told that the reason Canada stop the sales of the co-sleeper was because there was concern that the "crib" had no means of properly securing to the side of an adult bed so there was risk that a baby would become traped between the two beds. Also that the side that folded down didn't have a strong enough clasp when rail was in a upright position.
Arm's Reach corrected these concerns after 2002.

 

[Silverlilly]

I contacted my local health dept. ( I am in Ontario) and Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper is not banned in Canada as long as it was manufactured after 2002.
I was told that the reason Canada stop the sales of the co-sleeper was because there was concern that the "crib" had no means of properly securing to the side of an adult bed so there was risk that a baby would become traped between the two beds. Also that the side that folded down didn't have a strong enough clasp when rail was in a upright position.
Arm's Reach corrected these concerns after 2002.

Really?! Then the person I talked to was completely misinformed. So this means you can still buy them? I have not been able to find one anywhere. I am in Ontario as well. If you have any luck with sellers, please update us

 

[Starry Night]

OK, that is good to know. Though no part of my crib has a part that folds down. One side is just lower. I didn't get it use it beside my bed with DS because we were in a tiny one-bedroom house and it didn't fit so we kept it at the foot of the bed instead. But we're in our family home now and can use it with my next.

 

[lexie_13]

Hi there, I found your post via google so I'm not sure if this is too late or not but you can find Arm's Reach Co-sleepers in Canada. The forum will not let me post the links since I am a new member but the Arm's Reach website has a store locator for Canada and Amazon Canada has many available on their website although they are a bit pricey. I hope you find what you are looking for!

 

[MangoFlamingo]

I also know this thread is old, but since I also found it through google I thought I'd add to it.

I had been planning to buy an arms reach via amazon.ca but it is now gone. I suspect someone made them remove it from the site. Depressing since I'd planned on buying one in the next month or so....

 

[Corea]

I just looked on the Babies R Us website. They still have a cosleeper that ships to Canada.