Cosleeper vs Pack n' Play for first few months

BlondeBeachBride08

We're planning to keep the baby in our room for the first few months. I had debated between a pack n' play with a newborn napper attachment and an arm's reach cosleeper and had decided on the pack n' play, but now I can't remember why and am looking at the cosleeper again!What are you planning to do/what did you do? 

erinkate23

We had an Arm's Rest but DS is humungous and outgrew it (He's 27 inches, 14 1/2 pounds at 3 months, he's a monster!).  Now we use a PNP (no newborn napper, just the top part).  He really prefers it, especially now that he's figured out how to roll over and do circles around it.  Overall, it's a better investment; we also use it when traveling and for naps in the living room.

The plus side of the Arm's Rest is that you can make it even with your mattress and more easily nurse in the middle of the night.  With the PNP you will have to sit up and pick LO up.

EcoBaby

We had an Arms Reach, but we never used it. We attempted it the first few weeks, but DS wouldn't sleep in there. We never used a PNP either. I think if I were to get one knowing what I know now, I would get a PNP, especially if you can raise it up higher for the newborns. My arms reach was pretty useless.

jkalmommy2b

I'd go PnP just for the simple fact that it's more bang for your buck.  You'll be able to use it past the newborn stage as a travel crib or if you want to do work out in the yard, or somewhere in the house that it's hard to baby proof.  Our DD slept in the bassinet attachment part until 3 months when she outgrew the weight limit and we transitioned her to her crib in her room.  We also used the changing table part of ours a good bit too in the beginning.

Rosieoutlook

We used a pack n play with bassinet. We didn't have the newborn napper feature, just the bassinet. We have one that was around $70 and used it for the first 4 months.

bliss611

Using the cosleeper and love it. Just being able to reach over and comfort LO at night. For the first few days - just being able to look at him and make sure he is fine (paranoid first time parent without getting out of bed

But my boy was born early and  small. Even then he will outgrow it sooner than weight limit or pulling himself up because there isn't room for him to roll around and he is starting to wiggle quite a bit at 2 months.

 But I think it was well worth the $140 even for 3 months or so.

notreallyirish

We bedshare, but I also have a Graco pack n play with a newborn napper next to the bed.  DS will nap in the napper for up to an hour...it is the only place he will sleep other than being held, in his sling or snuggled up against me on the bed. We do use the changing table part at night, although it is not quite flat and DS rolls to one side, so I prefer a regular changing table.

We also have a Moses basket downstairs but he will only sleep in there for a few minutes before he realizes he is alone and gets upset.  He will also lie in the basket for a few minutes if he is awake and look at the pattern on the wall of it.

KellyD01

Full  size Arms Reach hands down! The mattress was much more supportive than the bassinet portion of the PNP, DS slept in the Arms Reach in our room first at bed level and then at PNP level until he was 14 months old. I can take it wherever I want to in the house, or outside just like the PNP...

sweetmelodies&harmonies

I decided on the cosleeper, and I love being able to see her or pick her up easily ... but honestly, she only sleeps in there maybe an hour each night. We ended up bedsharing -- that's how hard it was for me to be away from her! I love it.

brideofaussie

We had an ARCS and loved it.

meg1974

We used a PnP b/c it was given to us by family. If I had made the purchase, I probably would have used a co-sleeper only b/c it would have been more convenient. However, we do use the PnP from time to time now, so it is more economical in the long run. 

DarcyLongfellow

The original arms reach cosleeper -- the one that converts into a regular pack and play. I love it. I think it's much better made than the regular pack and plays.

mrsfirefly

I have been using the Pack N Play with the bassinet and am really happy with it.  Arms Reach wouldn't have worked because our dog sleeps in our bed and I didn't want him to be able to get to LO.  Only regret with the PNP is that I didn't get the one with the changing station option.  I've heard that the newborn napper isn't very useful -- I certainly wouldn't have any use for it.  LO just sleeps right in the bassinet.  But that changing station would be nice for the middle of the night.