Co-Sleeping with Your Baby – Choosing the Perfect Co-Sleeping Crib

When it comes to co-sleeping, what are the best alternatives to actually having your baby in bed with you? Safe co-sleeping is important and bed-sharing isn’t always the best way to go, even when practicing attachment parenting.

We’re going to take you through what you need to know when it comes to looking for the perfect co-sleeping crib so that you and your newborn can both get a good night’s sleep.

Lightweight design

When it comes to choosing a co-sleeper, you don’t want to choose a crib or a bassinet that’s big and bulky – a sleek, lightweight design is definitely the way to go.

That way, you have the option to move the crib easily from room to room if desired. It can become a multi-use tool rather than staying glued to the side of your bed for one purpose only.

While the majority of lightweight co-sleepers weigh in at 25 pounds, the Summer Infant SwaddleMe by Your Bed Sleeper is only 20 pounds fully assembled, making it an ideal weight to shift from room to room.

Breathable Mesh Sides

Another feature you definitely want in a co-sleeper is breathable mesh sides. You’ll see these in the vast majority of quality co-sleepers and for good reason. A newborn baby cannot regulate its body temperature, so keeping the temperature too warm and not too cold is a must.

Mesh sides allow air to circulate through the co-sleeper, which is extremely beneficial when it comes to regulating your baby’s body temperature. Mesh sides also make it easy to check on your infant while they sleep.

The Beside Me Dreamer Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper by Baby Delight and the Co-Sleeper and Bedside Crib for Baby by ComfyBumpy are two excellent examples of breathable mesh siding that will keep your baby cool throughout the night.

Adjustable height

A crib with an adjustable height is an absolute must when choosing a co-sleeper. The main reason is that you want the co-sleeper to be flush with the side of your mattress, which obviously varies from bed to bed.

This gives you the easiest possible access to your baby, especially when you’re groggy in the middle of the night. While most co-sleepers do have this option. For example, the Bedside Sleeper by Mika Micky has seven adjustable height positions which should be more than enough height options to suit any bed.

Similarly, the HALO Bassinest Glide Sleeper adjusts anywhere from 24 to 32 inches tall, ensuring that it will fit beside most beds. This bassinet has a base that is meant to tuck under the bed and needs only 32 inches of clearance from the wall, which makes it ideal for small spaces.

Easily cleaned

Make sure that whichever co-sleeper you choose can be easily cleaned. Features that you want to look for include whether or not the mattress is waterproof if it has a removable sheet, and whether it can be wiped down.

Again, the HALO Bassinest Glide Sleeper has both a removable polyester fitted sheet that can either be wiped down with a damp cloth or thrown into the washing machine. It also includes a waterproof mattress that contains no toxic flame retardants.

The Co-Sleeper and Bedside Crib for Baby by ComfyBumpy does not have a waterproof mattress but includes a washable fitted sheet as well as a washable urine pad to add an extra bit of protection to the baby’s mattress.

Grows with your baby

Co-sleepers are only safe as long as your baby cannot yet sit up on their own. However, some co-sleepers can only hold up to 15 pounds, making them difficult to use for too long after your baby’s born, especially if your baby is at the high end of the weight chart.

The Bedside Sleeper by Mika Micky will hold up to 33 pounds, which is impressive for a co-sleeper. Alternatively, the Graco Dream Suite Bassinet holds up to 30 pounds and the Dream & Grow Bedside Bassinet Deluxe by Ingenuity holds up to 25 pounds.

Safety

Making sure that your baby is safe and secure in their co-sleeper is of the utmost importance, so you want to make sure that your co-sleeper passes all standard safety tests.

The Milliard Side Sleeper Bedside Bassinet guarantees that it meets or exceeds all US safety regulations for side-sleeper bassinets, while the Co-Sleeper and Bedside Crib for Baby by ComfyBumpy has been fully approved by the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), and is BPA free, latex-free, lead-free and phthalate-free.

Additional features

While not absolutely necessary, it certainly doesn’t hurt for your co-sleeper to have additional features to soothe your baby to sleep. This may include vibrations, sounds, and the ability to rock or sway.

The Co-Sleeper and Bedside Crib for Baby by ComfyBumpy is again a winner. You can set it to either stable mode or rocking mode so that you can rock your baby to sleep with a soft motion.

The Graco Dream Suite Bassinet includes a two-speed vibration setting, as well as a soft toy mobile for baby to stare at as they’re lulled off to sleep.

Storage There is never enough storage when you have a baby and storage within arm’s reach could prevent you from having to get up and hunt for supplies in the middle of the night.

The Co-Sleeper and Bedside Crib for Baby by ComfyBumpy is a winner again. It offers a useful flat storage compartment underneath the crib, allowing for storage of diapers, wipes, or anything else you may need.

The Milliard Side Sleeper Bedside Bassinet also has storage pockets all along the side, perfect for grabbing a diaper or a bottle quickly.