When my husband and I arrived home from the hospital with our first brand-new bundle of joy, we quickly realized what equipment we were missing. We had the crib, a Boppy pillow, and a few other baby contraptions, but nothing really replaced the bedside bassinet that we’d had at the hospital, which had made sleeping and nursing easy. My husband ran to the store and grabbed the first thing that looked like a safe, baby-accessible co-sleeper that would help with nursing. He chose well, and returned with the budget-friendly (less than $50) Baby Delight Snuggle Nest co-sleeper, which would continue to be my favorite product through the newborn days with all three of my kids.
It’s such a challenge for new parents to figure out how best to help the baby get to sleep while being able to get a few hours in themselves. While some parents put their babies in the crib in a nursery immediately after they’re born, others are gravitating toward co-sleeping, which involves sleeping in the same room as a baby but not on the same surface for safety. (This is as opposed to bed-sharing, which can increase the risk of SIDS. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing—but not bed-sharing—for at least the baby’s first six months, because studies have shown this reduces the risk of SIDS and infant sleep-related deaths, which total 3,500 annually. Bed-sharing increases the potential for suffocation by an unaware parent, a pillow or blanket, or other means.)
I loved the Snuggle Nest co-sleeper because it has the best of both worlds: It sits on top of your bed, between you and your partner, and has flexible, breathable mesh sides to ensure the baby doesn’t roll out. It’s also incredibly easy in those first sore days after childbirth to gently ease the baby out of the co-sleeper to the breast without having to get up. As a new parent, having my baby’s face very close to my own during the early weeks felt very natural and reassuring.
More recently, the HALO Bassinest has seemingly become the co-sleeper of choice for those same reasons, but when I tried it, in my search to find the one that truly met my needs, I found it to be less effective than the Snuggle Nest co-sleeper and cost hundreds of dollars more ($180–$280). The HALO, which sits next to the bed instead of within it, boasts a “flexible side” that drops down so parents can easily take out the baby, which is especially good for C-section moms who may be healing, but in my experience, that flexible side was not very easy to use. While advertisements show moms easily leaning out of bed to push down the side, I had to physically sit up and push it down with one arm while trying to lift the baby out of the HALO with the other arm, which was not very safe or comfortable—great intentions on HALO’s part, but not very feasible in real life. Mothers who are not breastfeeding or those who don’t mind sitting up and leaning over to reach the baby may like the HALO. One benefit is that it offers a “swingable” basket to move the bassinet out of the way for the mom to get up in the night, as opposed to typical stationary bassinets.
Another benefit of the Snuggle Nest co-sleeper is a nightlight button on the top that emits soft light so you can make sure the baby is sleeping, breathing, and existing OK, which all new mothers worry about at 2 a.m. In addition, there are multiple options for soothing sounds that can be played above the baby’s head, including one that mimics the sound in the mother’s womb. Parents who use this will enjoy the portability of the product, as it folds up and Velcros, making it easily transportable and perfect for visits to grandma’s house that may fall during naptime. The only downside is that very long babies may grow out of the co-sleeper in a few months. I stopped using the co-sleeper at that point or when my babies started rolling around, transitioning them to a larger regular bassinet or a crib.
Co-sleeping is not recommended for parents who are obese, have issues with drugs and alcohol, or are on certain medications, as they are at an increased risk of accidentally smothering the baby. If any of these categories apply to you, a completely separate bassinet next to the bed is a better option. For more info on the benefits and drawbacks of bed-sharing vs. co-sleeping, and who should or shouldn’t do so, read more here.
Disclaimer: The information herein is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.