Looking for the right co sleeper or bassinet for your newborn?
Our top choices are:
- HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper – Best Bassinet for Newborn and C-Section moms
- Arm’s Reach Cambria and Clear-Vue Co-Sleeper – Overall Best Bedside Co Sleeper
An infant co sleeper is great if you want to enjoy the benefits of co-sleeping without sharing the same bed as your baby.
AAP recommends that infants should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents but on a separate surface (such as a bassinet or crib) for at least the first 6 months, or optimally for the first year, to reduce the risk factors of SIDS. Skin-to-skin care and breastfeeding are also added protection.
The Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper has the flexibility to be used as a baby co sleeper bed attached to the parental bed or as a standalone bassinet.
Similarly the HALO Swivel Bassinest is a bassinet with a twist that allows you to pull it right up to you on your bed.
Both are great co sleeper bassinets, but with some differences. Do check out our in-depth cosleeper reviews to determine which one is better suited to your lifestyle and space.
Should I get a bedside co sleeper?
To manage your expectation, I should probably point out that a baby cosleeper is generally designed for babies from newborn to around 5 months. Your baby will then have to transition into a crib.
Even though the lifespan of an infant cosleeper is relatively short, personally I think it is money well-spent.
The first few months as a new mom are tough. Not only is co sleeping advantageous to baby safety and health, it is also beneficial to moms.
For anxious mommies like me, it is very COMFORTING to have my baby in close proximity, to be able to see the chest of my little one move up and down, and to be able to reach out and touch him from where I am in bed.
Middle of the night feedings are also easier as you don’t have to get out of bed. This is extremely helpful for breastfeeding moms as babies tend to feed more often through the night. Not to mention, the repeated action of bending over to pick up the baby for diaper change or nursing can really take a toll on the back.
It can also be a lifesaver for C-section moms. In the initial days and weeks of recovering from C-section, it can be difficult and painful for moms to lift themselves out of bed, walk to the baby’s crib and bend over to pick them up.
By having an adjustable bedside cosleeper bassinet to match mom’s bed, it can greatly reduce the pain due to big movements. Moms can simply lean over to reach out to them without getting out of bed.
HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper – Best Bassinet for Newborn and C-Section moms
The Halo Bassinest Sleeper is a beautiful and modern looking bassinet that can blend into almost room decor.
This is the perfect sleep solution for moms who would like to have the baby close, but prefer to keep a wall between them.
The swivel function and the collapsible wall are the KEY features that make this co sleeper bassinet so unique and practical. You can use it just like a bedside cosleeper or a stand-alone bassinet.
The 4 leg base is flat so it can be tucked under the bed for you to set up the bassinet right next to your bed. It is height-adjustable so that base of the bassinet flush with the parental bed and TA-DAAA… you have your baby at your eye level!
To bring your baby even closer to you, simply swivel the bassinet towards you.
360 Swivel Function
The swivel function has been a surprisingly helpful feature.
Instead of having to leaning forward to bring yourself closer to the baby, you can swivel the bassinet to bring the baby CLOSER TO YOU, making it even easier for you to lift the baby out and bring her over to nurse.
You can also easily rotate the bassinet AWAY from the bed, smoothly and quietly without disturbing the baby!
With such design, you can easily get in and out of the bed without the bassinet getting in your way.
You won’t have to crawl in and out of the bed from the lower part of your bed everytime (which can be annoying) as with other types of side car cosleeper that are fixed to your bed.
This is also extremely helpful to c-section moms as it greatly reduces movements.
If your baby needs a bit of soothing, you can also try to gently swivel the bassinest back and forth.
Adjustable height
You will be able to adjust the height of the bassinet such that its base sits flush with your bed.
It’s really nice to have the baby at eye-level so you can easily check on her from where you are lying in bed. It feels like the baby is in bed with you.
When you need to bring the baby even closer to you, simply swivel the bassinet and swing it onto the bed.
Press down bar
Even though there is a wall between you and the baby, the wall is easily collapsible.
The weight of your arm pressing down on the bar while reaching out to your baby is enough to lower the mesh wall.
This makes it so much easier to scoop the baby over in the middle of the night for nursing or just to reach out and gently pay her back to sleep.
The wall does not stay down. Instead, it returns automatically but slowly. You can rest assured that it wouldn’t just swing back and bounce up.
The collapsible wall can also be locked so that you can use it as a standalone bassinet.
This allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds – accessing your baby without getting out of the bed, but still have your baby sleeping in her dedicate safe space.
Mesh sides
The all-round breathable mesh sides improve airflow and helps to provide parents with a peace of mind. You can see through the mesh walls to check on your baby from all directions.
Modern colors and matching fitted sheet
The latest HALO BassiNest Essentia series comes in 2 modern prints – Morning Mist and Nautical Net. The Halo Bassinest comes with a fitted sheet of coordinated prints.
However, the fitted sheet included is made of polyester. If you are looking for a 100% organic cotton fitted sheet, you will need to purchase it separately.
Easy to clean
The material of the mesh sides is 100% polyester which can be easily wiped clean with a damp cloth.
The mattress is waterproof, while the fitted sheet for the mattress is removable and machine washable.
Easy to set up
The Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper can be put together in 15 minutes.
Firm mattress
The mattress is thin and firm.
Sturdy and well-built
The base is really heavy! It is sturdy enough to prevent tip overs so you don’t have to worry if you have another toddler at home.
CONS
This isn’t really a major complaint, but I do wish the sidebar can lower all the way down and have the option to be locked down.
Limited storage
Compared to Arm’s Reach, halo has a much limited storage space. There are only 1 small side pockets for the Essentia.
Watch your toes
The bassinet legs do take up a big space on the floor. This is needed for the stability but you will really have to be careful not to trip or stumped on it. It can be really painful.
You’d also have to work around the clearance space if you have a door or cabinet that might swing open nearby.
Not portable
Although it is possible to take the bassinet off the base and move them around separately. The base is so heavy that I do not expect myself to movie the unit from room to room.
Tilt?
Some parents have complained that the bassinet has a slight tilt or that it seems to lean towards the side that it is swiveled too.
Dimensions of the Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper
Base: 45″ x 45″
Legs: 21″ each
Mattress: 33.5″ x 22″
Weight: 28 Ibs
Adjustable for bed height from 22″ to 34″
Overall Height: 36″ at lowest point
Click here to check out the Halo Bassinest Essentia
Which Halo Bassinet the best?
I feel that the basic Essentia model is sufficient to meet my needs as a co sleeper bassinet.
Halo also has other higher-priced series (Luxe Plus, Luxe, Premiere) that comes with added features such as additional storage pocket, music, light and vibration.
Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper Premiere Series comes in 2 colors – Herringbone (above) and Pebble.
They require addition AA batteries, which can drain really fast. Personally I don’t have much use for these extra features and I prefer not to spend too much on these extras because there’s no guarantee that my baby will like them.
Nevertheless, here’s a comparison of the 2 most popular models – Halo Bassinest Premiere and the basic Essentia Series:
Arm’s Reach Clear-Vue and Cambria Co-Sleeper – Best Bedside Co Sleeper Overall
The Arm’s Reach Cambria Co-Sleeper is our top-rated bedside co sleeper. It has a budget friendly price tag and offers solid functionality and versatility. It can be used both as a standalone bassinet or as a cosleeper attached to bed.
Just as the name suggested, it’s perfect for parents who wish to have their baby literally within arm’s reach but not on the same bed.
The side rail on one side can be lowered where it is attached to the parental bed. The co sleeper is also height adjustable so can be used with most beds. With no wall in between you and your baby, you can simply reach your arm out to soothe your little one or pick up the baby to nurse without getting out of bed.
The cosleeper is easy to move around the house as it has a 4-wheel design, which can also be locked in place when not in used.
All 4 sidewalls are made of breathable mesh, so it is safe. You can have the option of using it as a standalone bassinet and still be able to see through to your baby.
Why is the Arm’s Reach Co Sleeper highly recommended by paediatricians?
In this video, Dr. Bill Sears explained that Arm’s Reach Bedside Co Sleeper Bassinet provides a safe place for baby to sleep and an optimal distance for moms and babies to get the best night sleep.
When babies sleep near mommy (but not too near), they do not wake up so often as they are less fearful. And when baby is about to awaken, mummy can instinctively reach out to give baby a loving touch without getting up or fully awake, and the mommy-baby pair drifts back to sleep.
Dr. James McKenna, a world authority on mother-infant co-sleeping and director of the Mother Baby Behavioral Sleep Lab at University of Notre Dame, also cited the Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper Bedside Bassinet as a safe separate-surface cosleeping choice in his book Safe Infant Sleep.
If you are interested to learn more about the science and history behind co sleeping, I’ve included Dr. McKenna’s interview in our post on co-sleeping here.
Arm’s Reach Clear-Vue Colseeper vs Cambria
Both Clear-Vue and Cambria are Arm’s Reach flagship models, which are similar in their features and functionality.
The main difference is in the looks. Cambria Co-Sleeper features curved wood ends, which gives it a more elegant and classic look.
How to Use Arm’s Reach as a Sidecar Cosleeper
To attach the Arm’s Reach co-sleeper bed, you will first need to lower one of the sidewalls. The adjustments involve a system of velcros, which can be cumbersome and noisy. Hence it is not recommended that you do the adjustment during bedtime.
It does not make a big difference if you are just setting it up once and using the same mode. However, it can be rather annoying if you are looking to raise and lower the side rail frequently.
There is an additional attachment to tether the cosleeper snugly to the edge of the parent’s bed. The connection consists of a long adjustable nylon strap buckled to both ends of the cosleeper with a flat anchor plate on the other end. Simply slide the strap under the parent’s mattress, with the flat piece is anchored against the opposite edge of the parental bed. Make sure that the strap underneath the mattress is taut to hold the setup firmly in place.
Without a wall between you and the baby, you can be lying in bed and still easily reach out to soothe the baby.
However, do note that the baby’s mattress is a few inches lower than the parent’s mattress. This is a safety feature so that mommy won’t roll onto the baby’s bed, and the baby can’t roll into mommy’s way.
What this mean for mommy is that you won’t be able to just slide the baby over to breastfeed and slide baby back to her bed. You will still have to sit up and lean over to pick baby up for nursing. However, this is already a game-changer to me, without having to get out of the bed.
Suitable for bed heights from 24 to 30 inches
Built-in leg extensions allow the cosleeper to be adjusted for bed heights from 24” (measuring from the floor to the top of the parental bed mattress) to 30”, in increments of 2”. This should be compatible with most beds, except for platform beds.
Lots of storage space
The spacious storage basket at the bottom is indeed something to rave about. It is really nice and functional as you can have all the supplies in 1 place, including blankets, diapers, burb cloths and swaddle.
There are also generously-sized mesh pockets on both sides that comes in handy to store what you need, so you don’t even need to bend over.
Easy to move around the house
The co-sleeper bassinet can be moved from room to room as it is on 4 wheels. With a dimension of 34.8″H x 34.5″L x 20.3″W, it is narrow enough to fit through doorways.
You can possibly use it in the living room in the day for naps.
The wheels look a little cheap but serve their purpose. It rolls well on hardwood but may get caught up on rugs.
Well, not everything is perfect. But it’s pretty lightweight, so not too much of an issue here.
Ease of use
As described earlier, it’s easy to attach and detach from bed.
However, if you are looking for an easily height-adjustable bassinet, this would not be a top choice. Personally, all I did was to adjust it to the correct height to match my bed for the first time. After that, I’ve not have the need to readjust it.
Firm mattress
The mattress is firm and sturdy. It is 1 inch thick which meets the safety requirement, and fits snugly within the bassinet frame.
It also comes with a fitted sheet that has velcros to secure the mattress pad and sheet to the base.
Other safety features
While the bassinet frame may not feel rock solid when you push it back and forth, it certainly feels sturdy enough. When you press it down, the frame does not move.
All the 4 sidewalls are made of breathable mesh, which ensure good airflow and maximum visibility.
Though there are fabric panels on the corners and along the length, it shouldn’t pose a suffocation danger as they are not at the height of the babies’ nose and mouth. The babies are also unlikely to position themselves in such a way that they will be breathing through these thicker fabrics.
There are also plenty of velcro to hold the fabric in its place.
There is a cosleeper bed attachment to pull it right up to your bed and secure it to the parental bed.
Ease of cleaning
The mattress fitted sheet is easy to remove and machine-washable, while the mattress pad is water-proof and wipe clean only.
The fabric linings are nylon material which may look more utilitarian than pretty, but makes cleaning easier.
However, removing all the velcro to take down all the fabric from the frame for washing can be a tedious process (more so for Clear-Vue than Cambria). The fabrics are machine-washable, but line dry only.
CONS
Getting out of bed
With the cosleeper occupying the space right next to your bed, the only downside of this set up is that mom will not be able to just swing their legs out to get out of bed. You will have to kind of crawl to the bottom half of the bed to get out of bed each time, which can be annoying.
Not the easiest to set up
The setting up instructions and diagrams are not exactly the clearest, and definitely could have been better.
The product came largely assembled in a flat pack but you still need to screw in the bassinet and storage basket.
You can probably do it alone, but it will certainly be easier if you have 2 people to do it together. One to hold the pieces, and the other to tighten the screws. Assembly time can range from 30 minutes (if you are able to pay attention to the details) to over an hour if you need to restart.
Not to mention, there are LOTS of velcro to work around to hold the fabrics in place.
Uncomfortable mattress
One of the most common complaints among the parents is that the mattress feels too thin and uncomfortable.
Who is not suited?
Even though they are portable within the house, this is not the one for you if you are looking for a travel bassinet.
The side car cosleeper is supposed to fit flush against the parent’s bed, so if not suitable if you have a bed frame that sticks out from the mattress. This leaves a gap that your baby may become entrapped in, if left unsupervised.
Which Arm’s Reach Co sleeper is best?
The Clear-Vue and Cambria models are classic models that are compatible with traditional adult beds. Clear Vue measures 34″ x 20: x 34.5″, while the dimension of Cambria Co Sleeper Bassinet is similar at 34″ x 20″ x 33.75″. Both models come with built-in extensions so you can use it with beds from 24” to 30”.
Over the years, Arm’s reach has introduced new models with additional features to cater to the needs of modern parents.
Looking for a smaller baby co sleeper bed? Check out the Arm’s Reach Mini Ezee series.
Want a portable cosleeper to travel with? The Arm’s Reach Mini Ezee series and the Arm’s Reach Ideal 3-in-1 Ezee can open up and fold down like a pack and play.
Wish to extend the use as a play yard? Both Arm’s Reach Mini Ezee 3-in-1 and Ideal Ezee 3-in-1 allows you to lower the base and convert it into a play yard after your baby has outgrown the bassinet.
Your bed is a platform bed or has a bed frame extending from the mattress? Check out the Arm’s Reach Versatile Co-Sleeper bed.
Arm’s Reach Mini 2-in-1 Ezee Co-Sleeper Bassinet
Arm’s Reach Mini 2-in-1 Ezee Co-Sleeper BassinetThe Mini series has a smaller footprint of 34″ x 20″ x 32″. If your mattress is above 24”, you will need to purchase additional leg extenders.
Similar to the Cambria and Clear-Vue, the Mini Ezee 2-in-1 can function in 2 modes:
- Standalone bassinet with all 4 sidewalls raised
- Bedside Co-Sleeper – It comes with the resistant plate and nylon strap attachment to anchor the co-sleeper against the adult mattress. The side-rail on 1 side can be lowered and locked in place.
Features that we like about the Arm’s Reach baby cosleeper are still present, including:
- Huge storage underneath
- Convenient mesh pockets at the sides
- Breathable mesh sides
- Easy to attach and detach from the parent’s bed
- Easy to move around the house. But the Mini Ezee comes with 2 wheels, instead of 4
What’s Different?
The Mini Ezee features a new patented gliding system that allows you to lower and raise the side-rail more easily to ease the transition between the 2 modes.
The assembling and dissembling of the Arm’s Reach Mini Ezee is similar to a pack-n-play. There are less parts and screws to deal with. It can be opened up and folded down much more quickly and easily, compared to Clear-Vue and Cambria. It also comes with a its own carrying case to make it easier for you to travel with it on trips/for hotel stays
To set up the Mini Ezee, prop the sides up at the top and put your feet down to press down on the bottom to click everything in place. Place a few support rails and put mattress on it.
I do agree that the set up process still takes longer and is a tad more cumbersome, compared to a travel crib or a standard pack and play. But well, Arm’s Reach is specialized in sidecar co-sleepers not pack-n-plays. So hopefully over time, this is an area that they can improve on.
Most complaints revolve around the difficulty in locking all 4 sides in place during the setting up as instructions are not that clear.
Arm’s Reach Mini 3-in-1 Ezee Co-Sleeper Bassinet
In addition to the 2 modes of Mini 2-in-1, the Mini Ezee 3-in-1 can also function as a pack and play. This infant co sleeper has a footprint of 34″ x 20″ x 32.5”, and can be converted into play yard after your little one has outgrown its function as a bassinet.
The downside is that it is not as big as a typical pack and play, so it could be more cramped for bigger babies.
When using it in play yard mode, stop using it when the baby is able to climb out or when they reach a height of 35 inches.
Arm’s Reach Ideal Ezee 3-in-1
The Ideal Ezee 3-in-1 is similar to Mini Ezee 3-in-1, sharing the same features of being portable, convertible to a play yard and having the pack-and-play style of assembly and fold-down. It is however bigger in dimension, measuring 39.5″x25.5″x 32″.
How long can baby use co sleeper?
Both Arm’s Reach and Halo infant cosleeper are recommended for babies up to approximately 5 months old, or when the baby shows signs of being able to push up on their hands and knees, whichever happens first.
The Verdict – Which is the best cosleeper for you and your baby?
Both Arm’s Reach and Halo make great baby cosleepers and they have the flexibility to be used as standalone bassinets. But they are different in their features and designs. So do consider their differences against your lifestyle to decide which one fits your needs best!
