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MarilynW
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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 8:32am | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Does anyone have any views or recommendations? I am considering one for the next baby.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 9:04am | IP Logged Quote mom2mpr

I looked at them and decided to attach the crib to the side of my bed. Worked fine and saved us some $$. Also allowed more "real estate" for a bigger baby. The co-sleepers I looked at only went to 20 or 30 lbs if I remember correctly. I just took one side rail off-had to totally disassemble the crib and tied(really tightly)the mattress base(metal rail)to our bed rail-the one the box spring sits on. I checked it for tightness every time I vacuumed or changed the bed. We were able to get both matresses to the same height by adjusting the crib mattress.
Just my 2 cents to your question..
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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 9:28am | IP Logged Quote Cindy Mac

We have a co-sleeper and I love it. I've used it with all 3 boys so far (youngest is in it right now). As far as the weight issue, I can't really comment, but I can tell you that I've had the baby in his car seat in the co-sleeper, and either the 2 or 3 year old climbs in there to see the baby. So there's definitely more than 30 pounds going on in there - not for an extended period of time granted, but it didn't collapse as soon as the "big" boy got in there.

We think it was totally worth it.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 9:40am | IP Logged Quote Angie Mc

Hi Marilyn...isn't it so much fun to plan for a new little one?! Here are some more thoughts on co-sleepers.

Love,

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 10:01am | IP Logged Quote humanaevitae

Like Anne, we also attached the crib to our bed. It worked great! We used many bungee cords.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 10:40am | IP Logged Quote Maryan

Have one here and love it too, Marilyn!

I have to admit that the mattress isn't very comfortable, and the baby is 90% of the time in bed with me...BUT he sleeps on the side of the co-sleeper (and has fallen into the co-sleeper once!!), so I don't worry about him falling out of the bed...

AND all my other boys because of the crib on my side, go to Daddy's side of the bed. IF they need to snuggle, then the middle is open or the outside on Daddy's side.

ALSO -- I keep all the diapering supplies, suctioning supplies, etc. in this co-sleeper. So they are all at an arms length for those middle of the night episodes!

It's not an exact science for me, but as they get older, start eating and are bothered by noise and light... then I move the baby to a crib (very modified "family bed" here) or I change my co-sleeper to "Pack and play" height.

Also my co-sleeper has a fabric piece that just runs under the mattress and hooks to the other side to keep it in place. You may have to play with height as many bed heights are different.

HTH -- also I think I ordered mine through OneStepAhead, and I have a full-sized, but since then I've noticed that Target and other stores carry them at least online.

Anne's suggestion seems like a good one if you want to save the money...and have a crib that's not in use!

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 3:10pm | IP Logged Quote teachingmom

I had been meaning to go back to that other cosleeper thread to comment, but kept forgetting. In the beginning I was thinking that the cosleeper was an expensive mistake. The baby simply wouldn't sleep in it! She would sleep, well, like a baby next to me, but would be wide awake as soon as I shifted her to the cosleeper. Finally, this changed when she turned about two months old.

Since then I have been glad to have it. I much prefer it to the "bassinette near the side of the bed" method we used in the past. I reeeaaally don't sleep well with my little one attached to me nursing all night long. And it causes too much back pain to be curved around her for that many hours at night. She still much prefers to sleep in the bed with me, but I can usually get her to sleep there for about 3 or 4 hours each night, which helps.

By the way, like Maryan, I was surprised that they couldn't come up with a design that had a more comfortable mattress for the baby. I'm not totally convinced it would be all that good for a child's back if she slept in there all night every night.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 3:16pm | IP Logged Quote Elizabeth

In the other thread, I think I shared how we build the cosleeper up with two good porta crib mattresses so that it's flush with the side rail on the bed side. It's more comfortable for baby and it's easier to slide her over. It sounds like her sleeping patterns are almost exactly like Irene's littlest angel.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 3:17pm | IP Logged Quote Elizabeth

Oh, and Katie was in there until she was about two. It was plenty big until we moved her from the cosleeper to her big sister's bed where she still sleeps with Mary Beth.

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 3:35pm | IP Logged Quote Maryan

Elizabeth wrote:
In the other thread, I think I shared how we build the cosleeper up with two good porta crib mattresses so that it's flush with the side rail on the bed side. It's more comfortable for baby and it's easier to slide her over.


Oh...great idea Elizabeth. I'll have to try to find one of those quilted sheets somewhere when I'm feeling like braving a store! Maybe I'll look online instead...

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 4:24pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Thanks everyone for the information and Angie for the other thread. I have always had the crib/cribs or bassinets in our room. But I love the cosleeping idea - especially as the 3 year old always comes into our bed at some point before morning - and older kids have been known to wander in too!!! And we only have a Queen bed! I just feel it would make life so much easier with the night feedings - and especially if a c-section happens. I am just trying to justify what expense is necessary for #5. (The only other major thing on my list is a sling - cannot believe I did not use one with the other 4).
Jenn referenced the Arms Reach brand in the other thread. Is there any other brand that you recommend?



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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 6:15pm | IP Logged Quote Molly Smith

Marilyn, maybe you'd consider something like this. My mom bought one for me before Veronica was born and it was wonderful. We put it right between us in our bed and I put a small blanket under the top so it was on a slight incline. Veronica was right in bed with me and I could nurse her, change her diaper and lay her back down without ever leaving my bed. It was great for my c-section recovery. We also have a bassinet in our room, and the Snuggle Nest is now in the bassinet and V still sleeps in it (dh loves having her in our room, but not in the bed--he worries he will squish the babies).

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 6:34pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW

Molly Smith wrote:
Marilyn, maybe you'd consider something like this. My mom bought one for me before Veronica was born and it was wonderful. We put it right between us in our bed and I put a small blanket under the top so it was on a slight incline. Veronica was right in bed with me and I could nurse her, change her diaper and lay her back down without ever leaving my bed. It was great for my c-section recovery. We also have a bassinet in our room, and the Snuggle Nest is now in the bassinet and V still sleeps in it (dh loves having her in our room, but not in the bed--he worries he will squish the babies).


Molly - I like the idea of this. The fear I have is of Matthew (the just 3 year old) who climbs up the bottom of our bed and jumps in between us in the early hours. I worry about him falling on the baby. My dh worries a little too about rolling over on the baby - our queen bed is suddenly looking a little small!!

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Posted: Feb 13 2007 at 11:07pm | IP Logged Quote teachingmom

Molly Smith wrote:
Marilyn, maybe you'd consider something like this.


I noticed one of those things while in the baby aisle of Target after my little one was born. I thought it was pretty ingenious for those who want the baby in bed with them, but worry about being too deep of a sleeper for it to be safe. (I'm thinking more of dad here than mom.) The sides would add a measure of protection. But, I think those would only work in a king size bed, which we don't have either, Marilyn.

By the way, my cosleeper is an Arms Reach one too.

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