Bedside Cosleeper

A bedside cosleeper can be described as a bassinet that is attached to the side of your adult bed. It's safe, so long as you follow the CSPC safety guidelines for sleeping spaces for infants.

These guidelines are very similar to crib bedding standards. Read more about the guidelines here. The most important aspects to take into consideration when selecting the right bedside sleeper are Safety, Comfort, and Convenience.

Safety

In keeping with the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that infants sleep in the same room as 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 recommends that room-sharing with a baby is safer than sleeping in the same bed with parents, as it reduces the chance of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SIDS). While the AAP does not recommend bed sharing however, it does recommend that cosleeping be done on a separate sleeping surface to reduce the risk of SIDS. This is why the introduction of the bedside cosleeper was so important to many families.

A bedside co sleeper cosleeper attaches to a bed frame for adults. It's an equivalent of a crib-style sleeper. The bedside cosleeper enables parents to easily monitor their baby and gives parents the freedom of an adult bed while keeping their child close to them. The best cosleepers are built using high-quality materials and adhere to strict safety standards. Look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) stamp of approval, which indicates rigorous product testing and quality control, to ensure your child's safe cosleeping experience.

The safety of a bedside cosleeper is contingent on a variety of factors that include how it is installed and connected to the parent's bed. If the bedside cosleeper is not connected to the bed of the parent in a way that blocks the gaps and spaces where the infant can get trapped, it could be a suffocation hazard. It is crucial that the attachment system of a bedside sleeper be tested to ensure that it can withstand the forces that might be imposed in the use of it, like parents rolling onto and off the sleeper, or 25-pound. The attachment system or corners on the bedside cosleeper must be tested against a horizontal force.

The standard that is voluntary for bedside beds incorporates by reference the federal consumer safety standard for bassinets and cradles (16 CFR part 1218) that includes performance requirements for enclosed openings made of fabric. The mandatory requirements of the standard also address head and neck dangers through requiring that, following the application and release of 50 lbs. horizontal force near the attachment system and the corners of the bedside sleeper a gap that is greater than 1.0 in. cannot be created. Read-only copies of the standard can be accessed at ASTM's online Reading Room.

Convenience

Many parents have resisted cosleeping due to fear of suffocation, SIDS or the "Ferberization" process that requires children to sleep alone, anthropologists have long noted that most primates and mammals as well as those in non-Western societies, regularly co-slept. This is because babies are soothed when they hear the voice of their mother, and may also learn to soothe themselves.

The best foldable bedside crib sleepers have a clever design that attaches to the side of a mattress and pivots so that you can easily reach it for diaper changes or feedings during the middle of the night. Look for one with feet that can be adjusted to retract to accommodate different mattress heights and a large bedside cot storage compartment to store all of your baby's necessities.

Pick a bedside crib that fits standard crib bedding so that it can be used safely as your child grows. You may also want to look into an adjustable model that can transform into a play area or a more deep bassinet for a long time of use, and folds up easily to travel.

Portability

A bedside sleeper with wheels or a base that is lightweight is much easier to move than one with a bulky wooden frame or base. The Babybay twin bedside cot Sleeper, HALO BassiNest Essentia and Snoo Smart Sleeper are all equipped with great portability features: adjustable feet retract to accommodate platform beds; legs fold inward for maximum closeness to the mattress and 100% mesh sidewalls that allow for air circulation without material covering baby's nose or mouth.

The Arm's Reach ClearVue is a great option. It adjusts in 1" increments and can be used as a bassinet or a portable bed. It also pivots to allow for easy access to your baby so that you can soothe her, feed her or check on the baby during the night.