baby bedside sleeper is attached to your adult bed. If you stick to the CSPC guidelines for infant sleeping spaces It's safe.
These guidelines are similar to crib bedding standards. You can learn more about these guidelines here. When selecting a bedside sleeping device security, comfort and convenience are the most important aspects to take into consideration.
Safety
In keeping with the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that infants are in the same room with their parents cosleeping (a practice also referred to as bed-sharing) has gained popularity with many new and expecting parents. The Academy notes that room-sharing is safer than sleeping with babies in the same bed because it lowers the chance of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants or SIDS. While the AAP discourages bed-sharing but does recommend that sleeping with a partner be done on a separate sleep surface to reduce the risk of SIDS. This is why the introduction of the bedside cosleeper was so important to many families.
A bedside sleeper is attached to a bed frame designed for adults. It's similar to a crib sleeper. The bedside cosleeper enables parents to keep an eye on their child and allows them the ability to move around in a bed while keeping their baby close by. The most reliable cosleepers are made with high-quality materials and adhere to strict safety standards. To ensure the safety of your child, look for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association stamp of approval. This proves that the product has been tested thoroughly and quality control.
The safety of a bedside sleeper depends on several aspects, including the manner in which it is put up and attached to the parent's bed. It is essential that the bedside cosleeper be attached to the parent's mattress in a way that does not create gaps and spaces where the infant may be trapped. This could result in the risk of suffocation. It is important that the attachment system of a bedside sleeper be examined to determine if it can withstand the force that could be imposed during the course of use, for example, parents rolling onto and off the sleeper, or 25-pound. horizontal force applied to the attachment system or the corners of the bedside cosleeper.
The voluntary standard for bedside cribs incorporates, as a reference, the federal consumer product safety standards for bassinets (16 CFR part 1218), including specifications for the performance of closed openings. The standard's mandatory requirements also tackle the issue of head and neck entrapment by requiring that, after the application and release the 50-lb. horizontal force near the attachment systems and corners of the bedside sleeper, gaps greater than 1.0 in. is not allowed to be created. ASTM's electronic Reading Room offers read-only versions of the standard.
Convenience
Many parents have resisted cosleeping because of fears of suffocation, SIDS or the "Ferberization" process that requires children to sleep alone, anthropologists have long noted that mammals and primates and people living in non-Western societies, frequently coslept. This is because babies are soothed when they hear the voice of their mother, and can also learn to self-soothe.
The best bedside sleepers come with an innovative design that is attached to the side of a bed and swivels for easy access for feedings during the night or diaper changes. Look for a model with adjustable feet that retract to accommodate different mattress sizes. It should also have an ample storage area to store everything your baby needs.
Choose a bedside crib that fits standard crib bedding, so it will be safe to use as your child grows. You might also think about a convertible model that could transform into a play area or deeper bassinet to last for years of use, and folds easily for travel.
Portability
A bedside cosleeper that has wheels or a light base is more portable than one with a heavy wooden frame or a substantial base. The babybay Bedside sleeper, HALO BassiNest Essentia and Snoo Smart Sleeper all come with amazing portability features. The adjustable feet that retract to fit platform beds; legs fold inward for maximum closeness to the mattress and a 100% mesh sidewalls that allow for ventilation without any material covering baby's mouth or nose.
The Arm's Reach ClearVue is an excellent option. baby bedside crib adjusts in 1" increments and can be used as a bassinet, or a portable bed. It also pivots to give you easy access to your baby so that you can soothe her, feed her, or monitor the baby during the night.