Bedside Cosleeper
A bedside cosleeper is a bassinet that attaches to the side of your adult bed. It's safe, as long as you follow the CSPC safety guidelines for sleeping spaces for infants.
These guidelines are similar to crib bedding standards. Learn more about the guidelines here. When selecting a bedside sleeping device, safety, comfort, and ease of use are the primary aspects to take into consideration.
Safety
Many new parents and expecting mothers have chosen to cosleep or bed-sharing, in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that infants be in the same room as their parents. The Academy says that sharing rooms is more secure than sleeping with an infant in the same bed because it decreases the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants or SIDS. The AAP doesn't recommend bed sharing but it does recommend that co-sleeping on an individual sleeping surface is a good option to decrease the risk of SIDS. This is the reason why the creation of the bedside cosleeper was so crucial for many families.
A bedside cosleeper attaches to a bed frame designed for adults. It's a crib like sleeper. The bedside cosleeper lets parents to easily monitor their child and gives parents the freedom of an adult bed while keeping their child close by. The top cosleepers are constructed 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 controls, to ensure your child's safe cosleeping experience.
The safety of a bedside cosleeper depends on several aspects such as how it is installed and connected to the parent's bed. If the bedside cosleeper isn't attached to the parent's bed in a way that prevents the gaps and spaces where the infant can get trapped, it could create an hazard of suffocation. It is important that the attachment system of a bedside cosleeper be tested to ensure that it can withstand the force that could be imposed during the course of use, for example, the parent rolling on and off of the sleeper or 25-pound. The attachment system, or the corners on the bedside cosleeper should be exposed to a horizontal force.
The standard that is voluntary for bedside sleepers includes by reference to the federal consumer product safety standard for bassinets and cradles (16 CFR part 1218), which includes requirements for performance for enclosed openings with a fabric-side. The requirements that are mandatory in the standard also address head and neck dangers of entrapment by insisting that following the application and release of 50-lb. horizontal force at the attachment systems and at the corners of the bedside sleeping device, a gap that is greater than 1.0 in. must not be created. ASTM's electronic Reading Room offers read-only versions of the standard.
Convenience
While many parents have avoided cosleeping due to fear of suffocation SIDS or the "Ferberization" process that requires children to sleep alone, anthropologists have long noted that the majority of mammals and primates, as well as people 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 bedside sleepers come with clever design that can be attached to the side of a bed and swivels for ease of access to feedings in the middle of the night or diaper changes. Find a model with feet that can be adjusted to accommodate various mattress sizes. It should also come with an ample storage area to store everything your baby needs.
Choose a bedside crib that will fit standard crib bedding, so it will be safe to use as your child grows. Think about a model that's convertible and can be used as a play yard or a more substantial bassinet. wooden bedside cot can last for many years.
Portability
Based on the size of your bedroom, a bedside sleeping system with wheels and/or a light base may be easier to move around your home than one that has an imposing wood frame or massive base. The babybay bedside sleeper HALO bassiNest essencetia, as well as Snoo Smart Sleeper are all portable. They come with feet that can be adjusted that can be retracted to accommodate platform mattresses; legs that fold up so that they are in close proximity to the mattress; and 100 mesh sidewalls for airflow without covering baby's nose or mouth.
The Arm's Reach ClearVue is another excellent option that can be adjusted in 1" increments to fit most adult beds and can also serve as a portable bassinet. It also pivots to give you easy access to your baby to help her relax, nurse her or check on the baby during the night.