Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper

The decision to purchase the Mini Co-Sleeper for my second child is among the best I have ever made! She is 4 months old now and has slept in it every night since coming home from the hospital. I am nursing, and love the "idea" of co-sleeping if not the reality of it. I just don't sleep well with my baby in the bed with me. With my firstborn, I was trudging down the hall two to three times each night for feedings, and then had to wait for him to fall asleep in his own bed before I could go back to my own bed. With my daughter right next to me in the co-sleeper, we both get a much better nights' sleep. She had reflux in the early weeks, and often would spit up and choke during the night - with her right next to me I slept much easier knowing that I could hear her if she needed me. I can hear her stirring and get up with her before she wakes up fully. I can nurse her (I usually choose to do this in a glider next to the bed, but one could easily pull the baby close and nurse lying down) and then put her right back to bed. My husband, sleeping beside me, is usually not even aware that we've gotten up. More often than not, both baby and I are back to sleep instantly. If she does take a while to fall back to sleep, I can snooze there right next to her with no problems. I am getting a LOT more sleep at this point than I was with my son because I'm not sitting outside his bedroom door waiting to be sure he's fallen asleep!

The co-sleeper is well designed and made of high quality materials. It now comes in a variety of beautiful fabrics and colors. The Mini has been the perfect size for us. We have traveled with it as well and it was very convenient to be able to bring the very bed that our daughter was used to along with us. It can be used as a freestanding bassinet as well as attached to a bed.

Many of the reviews of the Original Co-Sleeper mention the 4-inch "drop" - meaning that the bed the baby lies on is 4 inches lower than the level of your bed. This is part of the design and makes it so that the baby won't roll onto your bed. I have never found this to be a drawback; you do sort of need to sit up in order to return the baby to her bed from your bed, but it's far easier than having to trudge down the hallway to do it!

Now that my daughter is 4 months, she is beginning to outgrow the Mini as she moves around more in her sleep. We are preparing to transition her to her own bedroom now. The Mini has been the absolute perfect first bed and has given us a wonderful start. I really wish I had purchased the Mini when I had my first baby; we would have had far fewer sleepless nights!