Summer Infant By Your Bed Co-sleeping crib review

It’s not surprising that co-sleeping cribs and cots have become so popular recently over the more traditional, larger cot and Moses basket, they are made to help parents keep babies near but also help them follow safe sleeping guidelines (NICE guidelines or The Lullaby Trust) of having baby on a separate, firm, flat, waterproof surface when sleeping.

When looking to buy a co-sleeper as a first time parent the one thing you’re likely to notice is that there are a few to choose from. Cribs such as the Snuzpod (£199.95), Chicco Next2Me (£239), Jané Babyside crib, Knuma huddle and Halo Bassinest are a few of the market leaders.

And this recently parenting brand Summer Infant released it own version, the By Your Side Bed Sleeper. Priced at £129 (so one of the most affordable) Summer Infant have designed the crib to ‘make those first exhausting weeks of early parenthood a little bit easier”.

Made to be suitable from birth to 7kg months, the crib adjusts to four different positions, but it’s worth noting I don’t know the exact height as it’s not mentioned on the Summer Infant website or in the instructions (more on this below).

It also has two mesh sides, so you can reassuringly see your baby and it can be positioned on either side of the bed, for when your other half is doing the nighttime feed (obviously!?!).

The By Your Side Bed Sleeper also comes with a really handy music and vibration unit that attaches to the side of the crib. It has 2-speed vibrations, 4 lullabies, 2 nature sounds, 1 heartbeat, 20 minute auto shut off timer and a white soft-glow nightlight.

This crib is also advertised as being “ the only bedside crib with adjustable incline”.

• Safe sleeping rules for newborns and babies under 6 months
• Do you need a Moses basket, co-sleeper or crib?

First impressions?

As a first-time soon-to-be mum, I had no idea on what crib or co-sleeper to get, I scoured the net to find out which one was the best, spoke to other parents and even asked my midwife. In the end, I was given this crib to test, and I was so happy I didn’t have to choose one.

Is it easy/hard to build the bedside crib?

Overall is was fairly easy to build. Arriving in a nice compact package, I couldn’t wait to get it up and ready, even though I wasn’t due for a couple of month.

Apart from the initial safety warnings at the start of the manual the building instructions are of the picture only kind, not great if you actually like to follow clear instructions. I noted that the American instructions are much better than the one packed in with the crib here, they have pictures and words and are easy to follow.

You will need an Allen Key (which is included) and Phillips head screwdriver(not included), and 3 “AA” Batteries for the Vibration & Sound Unit (not included).

I have the annoying habit of trying to put things together first and following instruction after, when things aren’t going as easy as I think they should. In all honesty, I recommend you always read instructions first, especially when putting a crib, cot or co-sleeper together.

But as I mentioned earlier, it was fairly easy to put together anyway, and I was thrilled with it being up and ready for our little girl.

What do you think of the music and vibration unit?

I really like it, it has two really good vibration modes that gently vibrate around the crib and I love the fact it has lullabies and heart beat sounds. It’s also portable, so I can bring it around the house.

How many height positions does it have?

The crib has four height positions, which can be changed by pushing the little metal prongs in and raising the middle bar higher or lower. I can’t give you the exact measurements, like other co-sleeping cribs, as it’s not in the instructions or listed on the Summer Infant site.

That said, it fit nicely to the side of our divan bed and has I can imagine it would fit to a variety of other bedsides with no problem.

What is the Summer Infant By Your Bed Crib like on space?

In terms of space this crib is compact and would probably fit beside most beds. Our room is about average size, and there was a good amount of space for it to be in our room.

Is it easy to put the sides down on the Summer Infant By Your Bed Crib?

Unlike many co-sleepers on the market the sides of this crib do not come down. So, of course, you do have to reach over the side of the crib and pick up your baby, but the sides aren’t as high as some other co-sleepers, so it’s not an issue.

Tell us about the adjustable incline feature on the Summer Infant By Your Bed Co-sleeper

The crib features a one-level incline of 11 degrees that “elevates baby's head for easier breathing, better digestion and more comfortable sleep”.

In all honesty I don’t think this is a correct claim on Summer Infant’s part. Firstly, I found unlocking and locking the incline feature difficult. It took more force than I expected to get the top of the crib up into the incline position and then I couldn’t lock it back into place.

Secondly, I don’t think it follows the safe sleeping guidelines of baby sleeping on a flat surface, and research from the NHS suggesting that babies shouldn’t be in a inclined or seated position for too long either.

I’m afraid I am not a fan of this feature.

How comfy is it for your little one?

Here’s the thing, I have used this crib with my newborn and of course she can’t say wether it’s comfortable to her or not. She can cry though, and when she is in the crib, she cries, something she doesn’t do in her Sleepyhead.

It’s worth noting that the number one thing I do not like about this crib is the fact that it doesn’t seem steady. When I put my daughter to lie down in the crib it dips a bit and she always rolls to one side, even if I put her in the middle of the crib. She ends up stuck in the corner of the crib, and I really don’t like this!

There is also quite a bit of movement to the crib and one side always seems higher than the other.

MadeForMums verdict:

There are some baby products that Summer Infant have nailed, the By Your Bed Co-sleeper crib is not one of them. I wouldn’t recommend anyone use this crib, in fact, I’d recommend the brand goes back to the drawing board and start over, as it could be a fantastic product.

In this instance, I believe a Moses basket, or any other co-sleeping crib would be better.

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