Arms Reach Universal Co-Sleeper: Keeping baby close, but not too close.

When we bought the Arm’s Length Co-Sleeper we were a newly blended family of 7, almost family of 8 at the time, in a four-bedroom house so space was at a premium. I knew that I would be nursing our child so I did not want him far away for those in the middle of the night feedings. To be honest we also just did not have the space to set up a full sized crib. I decided that I wanted something sturdier and longer lasting than a bassinet. So, the search was on for a co-sleeper. Never did I imagine that one would be so hard to find! Other than in pricey catalogues I had never seen one. We finally found one at The Baby Depot at Burlington Coat Factory and boy am I glad that we did.

About the Universal Co-Sleeper:
It easily accommodates beds ranging from heights of 18” to 24” from floor to top of mattress.
Its dimensions are 40” x 28” x 31”
It can convert to a freestanding bassinet, a portable play yard, and/or a changing table.
When used as a play yard the child should not be taller than 34” or weight more than 30#.
Discontinue use as a co-sleeper when the child can roll over and pull to a kneeling, sitting, or standing position.
The sleeping platform rests on metal bars. We found this a nice alternative to the pack and plays with a bassinet feature as the pack and play platforms were not nearly as sturdy. 

The co-sleeper has three stationary sides and one side that can be put down (when being used as a co-sleeper or changing table). It comes with an anchor plate and straps to secure the sleeper to the bed. The straps are plenty long enough for any size bed (we have a king and there is room to spare). It has a nice carrying case for when it is used as a portable play yard. I do not recommend use as a play yard until you are finished using it as a co-sleeper. It is just too much of a hassle to keep converting it back and forth. We found the co-sleeper easy to assemble, but changing it from one configuration to another can be a hassle.

The co-sleeper is wonderful for a nursing family (and any parent that wants to keep their baby close). The baby is able to have their own sleeping spot, but is not out of reach when it is time for those middle of the night feedings. I do have to admit that even though our son starts out in the sleeper he usually ends up finishing the night in our bed as we both usually fall back to sleep while he is nursing. Even so, I have found this to be a great investment for our family. He is almost seven months old now and is still able to use it at night. I do not put him in it during the day though unless I am in the room with him.

If you have trouble finding one you can go to http://www.armsreach.com .