Bedside Cosleeper

A bedside cosleeper can be described as a bassinet that attaches to the side of your adult bed. As long as you adhere to the CSPC guidelines for sleeping spaces for infants, it's safe.

These guidelines are similar to crib bedding standards. You can learn more about these guidelines here. The most important factors to consider when choosing the best bedside sleeper are Safety as well as comfort and convenience.

Safety

In line with the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that infants are in the same room with their parents, cosleeping (a practice that is also known as bed-sharing) is becoming popular with a lot of new and expecting parents. The Academy states that room-sharing with a baby is safer than sleeping in the same bed with parents because it lowers the chance of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SIDS). While the AAP does not recommend bed sharing, it does recommend that co-sleeping be done on a separate sleep surface to reduce the risk of SIDS. This is the reason why the creation of the bedside cosleeper was important for many families.

A bedside cot co sleeper cosleeper is a similar to a crib sleeper that attaches to an adult bed frame. The bedside cosleeper enables parents to monitor their child, and it gives them the freedom of an adult bed while keeping their baby close by. The most reliable cosleepers meet strict safety standards and are built with durable, high-quality components. To ensure your child's safety be sure to look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association stamp of approval. This proves that the product has been tested thoroughly and quality control.

The safety of a cosleeper is contingent on a variety of factors. This includes how it's installed and secured onto the parent's mattress. If the bedside crib or cot cosleeper isn't attached to the parent's bed in a way that prevents the gaps and openings where the infant can get trapped, it could pose a suffocation hazard. It is essential that the attachment system used for the bedside sleeper is tested in order to ensure that it can withstand forces that are imposed to it during use, like the parent moving on and off the sleeper. The attachment system or corners on the bedside cosleeper should be exposed to a horizontal force.

The standard for bedside sleeping cribs incorporates, by reference, the federal consumer safety standards for bassinets (16 CFR part 1218) which includes performance requirements for fabric-sided closed openings. The standard's mandatory requirements also deal with the risk of head and neck traps by requiring after the application and release a 50-lb. horizontal force in the vicinity of the attachment systems and corners of the bedside sleeper an opening larger than 1.0 in. It is not allowed to create a gap larger than 1.0 in. ASTM's electronic Reading Room offers read-only versions of the standard.

Convenience

Many parents are reluctant to cosleep because they are afraid of suffocation or SIDS or because it's an "Ferberization" that forces children to sleep alone. However, anthropologists have observed for a long time that many mammals, primates, and people from other cultures sleep frequently. This may be because infants are calmed by the familiar voice of their mother and it may also help them practice self-soothing.

The best bedside cot bedside sleepers feature a clever design that attaches on the side of any mattress and pivots so that you can easily access it for diaper changes or feedings during the middle of the night. Choose one with feet that can be adjusted to retract to accommodate various mattress heights and a large storage space for all of your baby's needs.

Pick a bedside crib that fits the standard crib bedding so that it can be used safely as your child grows. Think about a model that's convertible and can be used as a play yard, or a deeper bassinet. It will last for many years.

Portability

A bedside cosleeper that has wheels or a lightweight base is easier to move than one with a heavy wooden frame or base. The babybay Bedside Sleeper, HALO BassiNest Essentia and Snoo Smart Sleeper are all equipped with great portability features: adjustable feet that retract to fit platforms; legs fold inward for maximum closeness to the mattress and sidewalls made of 100% mesh that let airflow without fabric covering baby's mouth or nose.

The Arm's Reach ClearVue is an excellent choice. It adjusts in 1" increments and can be used as a bassinet, or a portable bed. It also rotates, allowing for quick access to baby so you can comfort your baby, nurse or monitor her during the night.