Customer Reviews

Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper Bassinet - Natural

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this co-sleeper after having my baby in bed with us for two months. Its great for parents who want their babies in their room with them, but rather not have them actually in the bed. I can lay right next to my baby, safely and comfortably and be able to easily reach in to rub or pat his back when he stirs during the night and needs some comforting. I prefer it over a pack n' play because you can secure it to the bed, the one side goes down so its easier to reach in, and its much smaller than a standard size pack n' play. I tried having the bassinet up against the bed in the same manner and it wasn't working out for me so I purchased this co-sleeper. Our bedroom is on the small side and if I had to use something the size of a pack n' play it would have never worked.

Sorry to see some people arguing over the reviews for this product. I think that its the same with anything, different people have different opinions. Whether or not you enjoy this product will be based on the what you expect from the product and your individual needs. I personally don't need to get out of bed to feed my baby with this co-sleeper as some of the other mothers have indicated, but I could see why some other parents would need to. I didn't purchase the product because I thought it would help me from having to get out of bed. I purchased it because I want my baby next to me at night without having him in my bed, and I want to be able to easily reach in and help sooth him if he needs some comforting during the night. Therefore, depending on your needs you may love this product or you may be disappointed.

This is a great buy for us. You can reach in and get your baby to feed/cuddle and not worry about rolling over him in your sleep. It is securely fastened to your bed via a belt that goes between your mattress and base. It has two wheels that lock - we wheel it to our living room in the morning and back to the bedroom at night. It's easy to roll up and roll down the side facing the bed. It's also easy to fold if you follow the instructions to the T - the order in which you need to straighten/fold the top and bottom bars is very important. We have used this every day since our baby came home to when he turned 5 and half months old and we transitioned him to the big crib in his nursery. We still use the co-sleeper in the living room to put him down for his nap and will continue to do so till he no longer fits or starts to sit up. (He's 6 months old and 27 inches long now - to give you an idea of how long you can use this crib). You can purchase the special sized crib sheet from most online retailers for about seven dollars. I have two. We stow away all his toys in the storage area underneath and it keeps our house tidy. We even managed to fit a crib mobile on the co-sleeper. It's a very good value for the money compared to other fancy bassinets and rocking beds. We also considered the Original Co-sleeper but I'm glad we got this one because it makes it easy to get in/out of bed around the sleeper, much needed if you have a c-section. If you're looking for something good-looking - this is not for you. If you're looking for something useful and practical - this is for you.

I only have a few warnings with the Mini Co-sleeper. It is much harder to fold up than one would hope. I have to flip it upside down to get the bottom bars to fold completely. It is also very hard for me to put the one side up and down, my husband and I have both struggled to do it. The last of my complaints are the sheets. I've found cradle size sheets are the closest. You can order the right ones from Arm's Reach if you want to pay 15 dollars each plus shipping.
On a more positive note, the storage space at the bottom is a plus, baby can use it for longer than a small bassinett and nothing beats the convenience of having your baby close to your bed but not in your bed at first.

We had already debated the co-sleeper versus play yard decision & chose a play yard, reasoning that we would use it longer & that it wouldn't be that big a deal to hop out of bed a few steps to grab the baby. Then I had a c-section & my husband ran out to get the co-sleeper after all. We got the mini because I just didn't want to have to crawl all the way to the foot of my bed to get up like I would have to with the full size.

I was just sure this would make night time breastfeeding much easier. (You know: grab the baby, latch her on & lay back & get a few more winks while she nurses.) If you haven't yet had your baby & you share this fantasy: get over it. You won't be laying down to nurse with a brand new baby. And if your baby is like mine (90% on the growth charts) she likely may have out-grown the mini by the time she can nurse successfully laying down.

But I still give this 5 stars because it made life so much easier. We chose to have our baby sleep in our room until 3 months. All those crazy sounds that you're not used to coming over a baby monitor from another room, mean you really won't get any sleep because you'll be trudging up & down the hall all night long, and not just for feedings. Likewise, a crib or play yard (even in the same room) has the problem that you'll be getting up dozens of times a night to check on her. But with the co-sleeper, I just had to turn my head & see that she was fine. It's a lot easier to get back to sleep if you haven't had to get out of bed.

We weren't prepared to commit long-term to co-sleeping or "the family bed." I always knew we would move her to her own room at some point. (It turned out to be 3 months, instead of the 2 I'd originally planned.) As a new, first time parent, I know I got a lot more sleep than I would have with any other set up. (And sleep is soooo precious in those first weeks!) By the time we were ready to move her to her own room, the mini was getting pretty tight, but it was just the right size for our needs & for the period of time we needed it. We didn't need the ability to use it as a play yard later, like the full size can, because we already own a Graco play yard. But, honestly, we've never even used it.

If you are planning to have your baby sleep in your room for 2 to 6 months, the mini co-sleeper will be perfect.

We purchased the Mini Co-Sleeper instead of a bassinet or a cradle because we liked the idea of having our baby right up against the bed.

The sleeper is very sturdy. It has 2 wheels and 2 stationary legs, so it can be mobile when needed, but stationary when baby is in it. It also has a strap that fits underneath your mattress and attaches on the other side, which would secure the sleeper to the bed. We didn't actually use this feature because I wanted to be able to move the sleeper to get in and out of bed without crawling over my husband.

One side can fold down or up depending on whether you want to use the sleeper as a free standing unit or attached to the bed. There is also a storage compartment that is great for storing extra sheets.

My favorite thing about the Mini co-sleeper is the peace of mind it gave me. As a first time mom, I was a little nervous at first. Always wanted to check on the baby to make sure he was ok, hadn't rolled over, etc. This way I could check on him without waking him or my husband.

The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the cost of extra sheets. Mini Co-Sleeper makes their own extra sheets (one comes with the sleeper but you'll need to buy extras). The special sheets have velcro on the bottom that stick to the bottom of the sleeper to keep it secure in place. The sheets are nice, but they're like $12 - 14 each which is ridiculous. And they're hard to find (not carried through Amazon). The salesman at the store told me that regular cradle sheets will fit fine. We use the Koala Baby sheets and they are a little big but they do work ok. We put a waterproof mattress pad down and the sheet on top and that seems to give the mattress a little extra cushion. Again, not perfect, but it's still ok.

Overall, I really feel like we made a good choice in getting a co-sleeper over a bassinet or cradle. My son is now 4 months old and has moved into a crib, but we will definitely be saving this for our next child.

After having two babies who slept with me for a year so I could nurse them easily during the night I knew something had to change for my third child. I decided on the co sleeper and I regret that I didn't have it for my other babies. My son is definately the best sleeper of the three and I attribute that to this bassinet. Night time is so much easier when you can simply reach over to the baby to pat him or hold in the passifier.

My friend and I had babies 5 wks apart and she bought some other bassinet that vibrates and plays lullibies. Let me tell you she was exhauseted for the first 3 months because everytime her baby would wake up she would get up and nurse him in the rocking chair. (she didn't want to start the bad habit of putting baby in her bed) Many times she would wake up hours later still in the chair with both of them asleep.
I am so so glad I made this purchase. I was a little nervous to spend that much on a bassinet but it is very high quality and even the mini is a lot larger than most other bassinets.
My only complaint is the sheets. The one that comes with it shrinks if you dry it and ordering extras is costly. I sewed up my own out of soft flannel material and they work great.
We even took this bed with us on an the airplane when we went across the country for two weeks. It traveled great and the baby didn't have to get used to a new bed!!

You won't be disapointed!

I love this co-bed: It's a successful way of keeping one of my babies (they don't make these for twins) close by and safe and sound in the night. It's also well-designed, well-constructed and aesthetically appealing, and would fit in with any adult's bedroom decor. I quibble with the manufacturer's claim, though, that it is easy to move in whatever room one is in, especiallty given that it has to be secured to the adult bed via straps that slip underneath the entire mattress and come out the other end (interfering with the making of the bed, by the way.) In addition, the list of warnings about the use of the co-bed is daunting, though it rightly points out that at some point (the parent has to be the judge) the co-bed becomes a danger when baby is ready to climb out, in that the walls are much lower than those of a crib. Also, there is some migration of the co-bed from the adult bed, even with the straps in place. This creates a gap between the two. In addition, I noticed that my baby -- who is now nine months -- sleeps better in his crib than he does in the co-bed. I think that has to do with the fact that the co-bed's mattress isn't as solid as that in the crib. I would have liked a bigger and less expensive sheet selection to go with this co-bed, as well. But all in all, imperfections aside, the advantage of keeping baby at bedside safely and the convenience and peace of mind that affords, still renders this one of the most important pieces of furniture a new mother can purchase.

After detailed research coupled with the choice to breastfeed our baby, we decided to register for the mini co-sleeper. I won't get into the logistics of the pros/cons of co-sleeping because the choice is a personal one, BUT the co-sleeper has been a dream. I am able to hear the baby's movements before he is so hungry that his crying makes latching on difficult. He is nearby but not in our bed, thus removing the danger of suffocation. Frankly, we all catch a few extra winks thanks to his proximity!
The co-sleeper hasn't been hard for us to break down, but I could see where it would be frustrating if I wanted to do so constantly. In fact, we'll be taking it away with us to Grandma's house soon and have successfully moved it from room to room in our small city apt without issues. This product is great for breastfeeding moms and, as advertised, for those recovering from c-sections. I wouldn't dream of calling those women lazy!

We love our mini co-sleeper. It has been great both attached to the bed, and used separately. It is small enough to fit in our tiny 1 bedroom New York apartment. I have a bassinet as well, and much prefer the mini co-sleeper. The manufacturer states that this can be used as a changing table as well, but I would recommend another product if that is what you're buying it for. The mattress area cannot be raised or lowered, and it is far to low to be used as a changing table. In addition, the fabric cannot be removed from the frame making washing very difficult. Despite this I still really like this product and highly recommend it.

FOR SHEET PROBLEMS:

I have found great sheets for this co-sleeper at Shopko. They were 'bassinet' sheets called "PEEK A BABE" which were about 4 dollars and are very comfortable (cotton that feels more like jersey material). I did buy the original sheets that come with the co-sleeper, but they were VERY expensive and they had really rough material...really a poor choice by the designer/manufactuer of the sheets! I would NOT buy extra sheets for the price of the co- sleeper sheets and for the harsh fabric.

Actaully, I have found other 'bassinet' sheets that fit just fine for the co- sleeper too, but I really liked the Shopko "PEEK A BABE" brand - they also have Crib and Play yard sheets that are great and CHEAP too by the same brand. Sad to say, but I never use the sheets that came with the co-sleeper and I am thinking about selling them on Ebay (reason for the 4 stars otherwise a great product).

hope this helps~

Sandra~