Bedside Cosleeper
A bedside cosleeper is a bassinet that is attached to the side of your adult bed. It's safe, as long as you comply with the CSPC safety guidelines for sleeping spaces for infants.
These guidelines are similar to crib bedding standards. Read more about the guidelines here. The most important factors to consider when selecting the best bedside sleeper are Safety Comfort, Convenience, and Safety.
Safety
Many new parents and expecting mothers have adopted cosleeping, also known as bed-sharing, in line with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that infants should be in the same room as their parents. The Academy notes that room-sharing is more secure than sleeping with babies in the same bed as it decreases the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy, or SIDS. While the AAP disapproves of bed sharing however, it does recommend that co-sleeping be done on a separate sleeping surface to reduce the risk of SIDS. This is why the development of the bedside cosleeper became 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 allows parents to monitor their baby and gives them the ability to move around in sleeping in a bed while keeping their child close by. The most reliable cosleepers are made with top-quality materials and adhere to strict safety standards. Be sure to look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) stamp of approval, which confirms rigorous product testing and quality controls, to ensure your child's safe cosleeping experience.
The safety of a cosleeper is contingent on a variety of factors. This includes how it's installed and secured to the parent's mattress. If the bedside sleeper is not attached to the parent's bed in a way that prevents the gaps and spaces where an infant could be trapped, it could be a suffocation hazard. It is important that the attachment system of a bedside crib be examined to determine if it can withstand the forces that may be applied in the use of it, like parents rolling onto and off the sleeper, or 25-pound. The attachment system, or the corners on the bedside cosleeper should be tested against an upward force.
The standard for bedside cribs incorporates, as a reference to the federal consumer product safety standards for bassinets (16 CFR part 1218), including the requirements for performance for closed fabric openings. The mandatory requirements of the standard also address head and neck entrapment hazards by requiring that, following the application and release of a 50-lb. bedside baby sleeper stipulates that after the application and release of 50 pounds. cannot be created. Only read-only copies of the standard can be obtained from ASTM's online Reading Room.
Convenience
While many parents have avoided cosleeping for fear of suffocation, SIDS or the "Ferberization" process that makes children to be in a room by themselves Anthropologists have noted that the majority of mammals and primates and people who live in non-Western societies, have regularly co-slept. This is because babies are soothed when they hear their mother's voice. They can also learn to self-soothe.
The top bedside sleepers have a clever design that attaches on the side of any mattress and swivels so you can easily reach it for diaper changes or feedings in the middle of the night. Choose a model that has feet that can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of mattresses. It should also have a large storage area for all of your baby's essentials.
Select a bedside sleeper that is compatible with the standard crib bedding so that it can be used safely as your child grows. You may also want to consider an adjustable model that can transform into a play area or a deeper bassinet to last for years of use, and folds up easily for transport.
Portability
A bedside sleeper with wheels or a base that is lightweight is more portable than one with a heavy wooden frame or base. The Babybay Bedside Sleeper, HALO BassiNest Essentia and Snoo Smart Sleeper all have excellent portability features. baby bedside cot that retract to accommodate platforms; legs fold inward to ensure maximum proximity to the mattress; and sides made of 100% mesh to let airflow without fabric covering baby's mouth or nose.
The Arm's Reach Clear-Vue is a popular option that adjusts in 1" increments to fit most adult beds. It can also serve as a portable bassinet. It also swivels to allow for quick access to baby so you can comfort your baby, nurse or monitor her at night.