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Thank you to infant health advocate, Jennifer Coias, for this informative video!
For more on the monumental benefits of sharing sleep with your baby, see the articles on this page: CoSleeping Review of Research
Note: co-sleeping can take the form of bedsharing (sleeping on the same safe surface) or side-sleeping (within an arm's reach of baby). Both have physiological benefits for baby and mom, both foster a more effective breastfeeding relationship, and both protect from SIDS risks during the first year of life. At our home we use beds (on the floor) that are pushed together for ample, comfortable, safe sleeping space (first photo below). Like many others, we've never used a crib. However, if you already have a crib that you'd like to make use of, turning it into a co-sleeper is a fabulous idea.
Additional photo examples of how other parents have turned their crib into a side car co-sleeper:
42 comments:
This is how we have managed for 2 years and two babies. Don't think that is what the manufacturer had in mind when they described it as a "convertable crib". Especially nice being that my newest likes his space, but momma better be right there when needed!
We did this when my daughter was a year and a half old, and it was wonderful. If we ever have another child, I will do it from the very first day!
Man! Wish I would have thought of that when we moved our oldest (she's 6yrs old now) from the bassinet at my side of the bed to her crib at the foot of her bed!
Our youngest has always slept right next to me. On her own mattress, though. We've got a full and a twin pushed together on the floor for my husband, youngest daughter, and I to sleep on. Oldest is on her own twin mattress within an arms reach of Daddy's side of the bed (not that she need to be that close ... it's just a small room).
We're into the whole Family Bedroom thing. Gives me peace of mind, w/hubby working nights, to have them both close to me.
Even the dog's crate is in there lol
I really love your blog! but I have to admit I do question the safety of taking a crib apart and attaching it to your bed with bungee cords. I think it would be more safe to just share the bed! Using a body pillow between the mattress and the side of the crib seems frightfully unsafe!
In my opinion, you just can't put a price on safety. I think an arm's reach cosleeper, if you want a sidecar type thing, would be way more appropriate here. Also, since we have a high pillow top and I was nervous our newborn would be unsafe in the cushiness of our mattress, we used a 'snuggle nest' when she was tiny and it was fabulous. (and no where near as expensive as an arm's reach cosleeper) Just my 2 cents for what it's worth!
I love cosleeping with our 8 month old. I used a cosleeper arrangement for his first six months, but now he is mobile, and every time he wakes up, he tries to crawl away (even in his sleep).
So I still sleep with him in bed with me at night, but I have started putting him in a crib (it's next to my bed, but without alterations) for naps and early bedtimes. I just don't feel safe leaving him in a sidecar, where he could potentially crawl out and fall off the bed.
Any suggestions for addressing this short of putting our mattress on the floor? (We have two dogs, and I'm concerned about allergies and dust.) The photos you share show regular height beds. Do folks nap their babies elsewhere? Do other cosleepers try to put their babies down earlier? We try to put our baby to sleep around 8:30 or he gets very overtired.
Thanks!
Inder-ific:
I cannot answer for the crib as we do not use them, but I did want to note about the mattresses on the floor/dust/allergies idea...
Babies home-grown around dogs and your own environment (especially those who are breastfed) are unlikely to be impacted by allergens that would be around while sleeping 2 feet closer to the floor. Of course, it is great to get out the vacuum. And keep the dogs out of the room while baby is napping. But this shouldn't stop you from making your sleep set-up more comfortable (and safe) if that is what works best.
A little dust - as gross as it may sound - is just natural 'germs' that baby is breathing in day in and day out anyway and it is helping his/her immune system to develop properly.
Only you know your environment, but many people have mattresses on the floor w/out any problems whatsoever. In fact, in many Asian cultures the standard bed is one that rests directly on the floor. The high-set Western 'American' bed is not a world-wide desired item.
Hope some others chime in too and let you know what they do with crawling toddlers with this set up.
DrMomma - Thanks for responding! You will laugh, but actually it was more MY allergies I was worried about! I didn't grow up with dogs (although I love mine dearly).
My baby? He's as strong as an ox! Nothing seems to bother him. The breastmilk seems to be doing the trick!
That said, I am seriously considering trying the floor plan, and just vacuuming a lot, although I'm still eager to hear how others got through this wiggly phase cosleeping. I have to wrestle my baby and keep him from crawling away in semi-sleep about five times per night! When I'm there, I don't worry about him falling off, but it's exhausting!
Thanks again.
Do we know where the Mama in the video got those super wide bungee cords? I am going to be sidecarring our crib soon, getting ready for #2, and would rather use those than thin round cords.
I am the maker of the video. I see a few comments to address.
To Megan, if you watched the video and listened to my description you will note that I did NOT use the body pillow with an infant. I made this crib well after my son turned 1and soft surfaces are not a danger to toddlers. I expressly said in the video that you are to use thick foam blocks for infants. You can use the foam blocks that are made for yoga or use some that you find int he craft store. This will create a firm extension from the crib mattress. After you place the blocks snugly you will couple the foam blocks to the crib mattress with a sheet. This creates a perfectly safe place for babies of all ages. A co-sleeper bed is great but does not provide a seamless transition for night nursing and can not be used for infants over 7 months as they can fall out. With the modifications that I described above this is far safer than the co-sleeper bed and far more convenient for nursing. As for the place where the crib mattress and your mattress come together, you can easily make this seamless by building up the crib mattress a little higher and joining the two mattresses with a sheet.
To Pamela, I found the wide bungee cords at Walmart. I actually bought a ton to see which ones I liked better. These ones were the ones that worked the best for the way we have it connected to the bed. If you have a nice big side board you'll really like them. On the other hand, if you plan to run the cords between your box-spring and mattress to the other side of the bed you might need to link a couple cords to get the desired length. The regular round ones would work for this.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Jen
Thanks Jen!
Fabulous idea! we are getting ready to try it in out home too!!!
We've never owned a crib and between the 5 kids and pregnant with the 6th, we finally decided we needed more space. Who knew a 28"/17 lb 16 month old could take up so much space?? We did it last night and we ALL slept very well. Thanks for posting this! I like to your blog, hope you don't mind!
Erykah - Thank you for enabling others to see that a crib is *NOT* a necessity to happy, healthy babies - and several of them at that! I am not sure about a 17lb 16-month old and how much space s/he'd take up... but I do know a 35lb 17-month old is taking up a GOOD amount of bed space at our home! ;) This is the reason we have 2 beds 'put together' on the floor and it works out fabulously well. Thanks for your insight.
I have done this with all 3 of my kids starting almost 12 years ago with my oldest! Some people thought I was crazy, but it works so well for us. I sort of thought I was the only person alive to think of this, but that was 12 years ago. LOL. I don't even have them bungee corded together...and we have never had an accident or issue. We just have them butted tightly and there is not one baby/toddler that can move them apart. My husband and I have to do it and it takes some strength. I love love love it, and recommended it to all!
I did this with our cot when my son was 4 months old.I was a bit concerned about safety but was confident he would be ok and am even more reassured reading this! I don't think i would still be breastfeeding if it wasnt for making my cot into a co sleeper, the nights are so much easier. I'm not sure how it'll go when he is on the move but so far its great.
My daughter just turned 5 months and has gotten a little too big for her moses basket. I was worried I would have to put her into her own room until someone sent me the video. She can't sleep in bed with us because both me and my husband sleep too deeply. This was a safe alternative.
I just did this to my crib actualy. to fill in the space between the mattress and the crib edge I placed tightly rolled towels and stretched the sheet over top creating a tight firm extension. It was relatively easy to do and I am not concerned about the crib not being sturdy because I have a convertible crib. I just converted it to a day bed using the instructions that came with the crib and then bungee that to the bed before attaching bungees to the mattress.
I wish we could do this with ours. Our bed is too tall though :( So we have our daughters crib up next to the bed and a flat/firm pillow shoved inbetween our bed and the crib as a rail sort of. But this is an awesome idea. I wonder if the hubs would let me take out the box spring and put it in storage so we can do this-lol...
I have done this with all of my kids and my eldest is almost 12! Love love love it! I highly recommend it!
Did this and LOVE it!
We did that after my 2nd turned 1. He wanted more space but still liked being close to us. The next just flat out refused to use the crib part so we gave up w/ #4, lol.
We love this arrangement. Our crib would have never seen use otherwise. ;-)
Did this with a crib and then a toddler bed. If done safely, it's a great way to get more room. Either for baby or the pile of books, glasses, water bottles etc.
I am trying to convince my husband this is a good idea... especially now that my son is rolling over and more active, and he hates to be in his crib
We've had the crib sidecarred since we got it. We LOVE it. I can even lay half in it and nurse haha. Alex has woken up to find me asleep partially in the crib before too. So funny. He always asks if I was comfy the next morning haha
LOVE THIS!!! We are so doing this when my next one is born! My son will be 20 months by then and I'm sure we'll need the space in our bed! Awesome idea!
What a great idea! Right now our crib is only used for play time and diaper changes, I'll have to try this!
I did this with my crib tonight. my daughter just grew out of her moses basket
My dh, ds1, ds2, & I cosleep. Hmm, maybe when our third son arrives, we'll use the crib for more than just storing laundry. Or maybe we'll just be squishy-family even more ;)
This was a great post. We have a two year old and one on the way in May and I did not want to kick my DD out when the baby came. Thankfully I saw the first post and we now have a crib sidecar best solution for our family. So thanks for putting up the info.
We co-sleep in the same bed until my girl turned 13 months, then We did this with the crib and She is still there! and now She is 5 years old! :D We love it!..
We had a new addition 2 years ago...and He is sleeping between my Husband and Me...but with the crib like this...IT IS A BIG HAPPY FAMILY BED!..I cant imagine other way...I LOVE to co-sleep with my kids!
We've had ours sidecar'd for years now. time to add a full bed ;-)
Thank you for this! I found it in your blog archives a few months ago and we decided to give it a shot and it's been awesome!
very cool! wish i would of known about that before i sold both of my cribs, lol.
We've been doing this for about 2.5 years now and LOVE it!!!!! Currently our 3 y.o. and 20 month old cuddle together in it :)
This is the best setup!
How absolutely wonderful is this! Thanks so much for posting this!
This is exactly how our bedroom looks!
I never thought to do this!!! My son has been out of the bed, but in the room since his sister arrived but I love this...I miss sleeping next to my other baby!
That's how ours is set up right now.
I just did this about 2 weeks ago and my 8 m/o who had started getting up every hour at night immediately started waking only 2 or 3 times! It's so nice for all of us because we have a full size bed and there's no way to safely bedshare without the sidecar. Thanks for sharing this!!!
Hey, I thought *I* invented that! :)
This is what worked for us too
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