Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper

When I found myself unexpectedly pregnant with baby number four, the first panicked thought that I had was that I had gotten rid of many of my baby things, from bassinette to infant carseat. Knowing I'd have to replace both my playard as well as my bassinette, I went with the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper, a product I'd been coveting since I had my second baby.

::: Co-Sleeping :::

I don't subscribe to any particular parenting "method" but do know that in those first days of having a newborn, I'm way too tired and sore to be up and down heading off to a nursery, so I prefer to have baby in the room with me. Baby number one was in our room in a bassinette, while numbers two and three were actually IN our bed, one in a carseat and one in a medical-grade sleep wedge, due to reflux. I'm still not sure what convinced me that the latest addition would be able to sleep flat, but I knew that at least I'd have a convertible item.

The Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper functions much like one of the convertible play-yards prevalent in baby gear today. It measures 40" x 28" x 31" and can hold babies up to 30 pounds with the bassinette insert, and up to 50 pounds as a playard (my six-year-old isn't too heavy!). It comes with all the equipment you need to get it set up next to your bed, including one matching sheet. Attached pockets are at the top and bottom outsides for storing items like diapers,and it comes with a storage/travel bag for easy transport.

Assembly takes a bit of work, and I'd definitely recommend trying it out BEFORE you need to use it for the first time. I decided to see on which side of our bed it would fit best, and decided to set it up myself one night before the baby was born, assuming that I could put it up and take it down in about 5 or 10 minutes, like my old playard. Thirty minutes later, my husband was yelling about my lack of planning. In order to assemble the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper as a bedside sleeper, you have to assemble it as if you were going to use it as a play-yard, THEN change settings to drop one side. In addition, a strap used to secure the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper has to be placed between the mattress and box spring of your bed, no small task if you have a king-sized bed. In addition, the mattress for the bassinette is actually attached to the metal support tubes with velcro, making it a bit awkward for set-up.

When folded up for storage and placed inside the nylon carrying bag, the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper measures 10" x 10" x 32", and allegedly can fit easily in the overhead luggage compartment of a plane.

::: So She's Still Next to Me? :::

After I got used to the assembly process and had the whole thing set up and in place, I was happy as a clam. Until, that is, I put Tattoo in to go to sleep. For some reason, even after reading the instructions that stated that the edge of the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper should be lower than the edge of the mattress, I was thinking that I would simply be able to have little Tattoo at the edge and nurse her without lifting her. I wasn't thinking the whole product idea through, apparently (or had my own ideas apparently), since, unless you are a contortionist, there is no chance you are going to be able to nurse baby without picking him or her up.

Once I was jolted back to reality, I was able to look at the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper for what it really was; a playard with a side that drops lower so that baby is a little closer (and feels closer). Having pulled our old playard into our room when I was reluctant to have my oldest move into the crib once she'd outgrown our little bassinette, I can assure you that they are pretty much the same size, and take up quite a bit of bedroom real estate. In addition, especially if you have a night table next to the bed, you are going to be scooting right down to the foot of the bed to be getting in and out, making for awkward movement if you've had a c-section, or already have baby in your arms. On top of THAT, you still have to worry about the same blankets and pillows from YOUR bed issues that you would if baby was co-sleeping in your bed, as I discovered fairly quickly. I try to tuck that side of the covers in under our mattress as best I can and then slide in from the other side to keep "overhang" from going over baby.

The fabric cover is thick and attractive; I chose the Fern Star pattern which is a much prettier soft green than it appears in the photos I've seen online. Once assembled, the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper seems very sturdy; it's held up to older siblings hopping on it (and in some cases, INTO it) with excitement over their little sister. The sheet has a nice, tight, fit without being so tight that it becomes difficult to put on, and the "mattress" is nice and firm to help alleviate your worries about SIDS. Since it also doubles as a regular playard (as well as "changing table" but let's be honest; without a separate insert, you are basically changing the baby in bed), it does get longer life than a regular bassinette.

Overall, I'm happy with the Arm's Reach Original Co-Sleeper, but not thrilled. It's definitely nicer than a regular bassinette, which we would have used for a few months and then had no need for, but at the same time, it's not much different than a regular playard, and pricier than many playards on the market.