$174 on sale . . . A must with twins!

Price: The pricing on these vary, so please shop around. I got mine at Baby Universe. They do NOT charge shipping, so that saves a lot of money! I researched it by searching Google and then just looking at prices. It is more expensive to get the long liner, but it is SO much prettier. Also, people don't walk in your room and go, "What is that?" Instead they say, "Oh, how cute! It's a little baby bed."

Expensive? Well, they are very affordable on eBay. Also, they resell incredibly well (especially with the long liner). You get most of the money back.

I did think about buying a cheap eBay co-sleeper and then ordering a long liner ($75), but luckily I caught a sale for $174 at Baby Universe.

About co-sleepers: It connects to your bed so the baby can be next to you at eye level and arms reach, but not in the bed with you.

It is a must have with multiples, babies with reflux, anyone breastfeeding or anyone with a C-section! This is because you can fit one to four babies in it and they are right next to you, so you don't have to get up. C-sections are painful, but worse when you have to get up. Also, with this the babies are not in your bed, so there is less worry about rolling over them. You can place bouncers in the co-sleeper when the babies are sick (congested) or just fall asleep in their bouncer. (This was great when they were really small).

Size: The Universal Co-Sleeper® bassinet is 40" x 28" x 31" and has a weight limit of 30 lbs. in the co-sleeping position and 50 lbs. when used as a play yard. (F.Y.I. I KNOW that I put more than 30 pounds on this thing in co-sleeper position and it held up fine. Nothing bent or moved for me. In no way am I suggesting that you put too much weight on it. I can only tell you my experience).If your bed is 18" TO 24" you are fine, but if your bed is greater than 24" tall you have to get extensions at an additional cost. For my bed I used all three of the extenders that come in the pack, so my bed is about 30" tall. (The extension pieces are 2" tall each).

Breastfeeding / Convenience: One reviewer mentioned that it didn't help her too much because she pumped. Well, so did I. I pumped and fed and pumped some more. I had the pump on a TV tray between the nightstand and co-sleeper. I would fill the bottles there and feed the babies in their sleep at 1 am. It was a perfect setup . . . the bottles fit perfectly in the crack between my bed and the co-sleeper. (Oh, I didn't the connecting sheet). I stuck the bottles in there upright and gave my girls their nipples. Glug. Glug. It worked out great, because after making the bottles I just went back to sleep.
(IMPORTANT NOTE:) For feedings, I highly suggest these Podee bottles for anyone pumping and especially for multiples. It is a straw system that you can place in the bottle, so the baby can just suck on a hose with a regular nipple piece and get the milk without moving or tipping the bottle. It's awesome to have these! I got mine at Bonny Babies: http://www.bonnybabies.com

Setup: It's not too hard to set up following the instructions. It isn't as easy as a Pack 'N Play and more hard core, but it only takes a few more minutes once you get used to it. We took ours for several different trips in the first 8 months of our babies' lives and we travel a lot. It stores pretty compact, but it is heavy.

Comfort: One reviewer said that the sheet was itchy. I don't remember how it was when I first received it. (I always put down a liner and then a blanket, so they didn't use it). By the time they were laid on it, it had been washed a few times and I think it becomes softer with more washes. I don't think that the mattress is too hard. Babies don't require much cushioning, but I think the mattress is fine. I have used it as a crib for my toddler recently and it was fine.

Converts: It converts to a changing table or play pen. We have used it for both, but it's best used as a co-sleeper hands down. It doesn't go up and down as easily as a Pack 'N Play, so we got cheap Pack 'N Plays for traveling when the babies were about 7 months or so.

Bottom Line: Awesome to have, but it is best used as a co-sleeper. Don't buy it for a Pack 'N Play. It's not the same thing. It was also very useful for my friend who had twins after me. She loved that I already had it and was thrilled that she didn't have to buy one. Yes, you do only use it for a few months, but it is awesome to have and I think all babies should sleep and bond with their mothers in the first months.