C section/breastfeeding and Bedside Crib/Co-Sleeper (help)

[SnKcampbell]

Hi I was wondering if anyone had any advice on the best Bedside Crib/Co-Sleeper for people who have had a c section and also plan on breastfeeding?
i have a king size divan base with 4 draws from floor to top of the mattress is about 70cm
I do like the look of
Chicco Next2Me Dream
Tutti Bambini CoZee
SnuzPod 4
I'm 5ft 10 and hubby is 6ft 4 so I suspect we will be having a tall and heavy baby we were both 9lbs at birth
I have also been reading some people struggled with a beside sleeper after a c-section as a bedside crib made it trickier to get out of bed easily after a c-section?

we had the chicco next to me magic I think. I honestly found it super awkward and wouldn’t buy next time and would just use a Moses basket.

We had it on dh side at first so he lifted baby over. But even he found it a annoying getting in and out.
I would often sit on my bed to feed baby when small daytime, then baby fell asleep and we had to awkward shuffle down bed to get out and take baby to sleep in living room as you can’t leave them in room to nap alone under 6 months.

Ds was nearly 9lb born. He fitted the chicco next to me, but decided to start sitting, crawling and pulling himself up the side by 3.5/4 months. So we ended up putting main cot in our room until he was 12 months as it wasn’t safe.

It annoyed me it was fixed. A Moses basket would have been better to carry into garden or dh office or downstairs daytime. Can take in car also if staying overnight somewhere.
And if next to me was on my side I found I ended up feeding baby and then going all the shushing/ patting back to sleep, where as when on dh side dh could hand baby to me 30 to feed then I could put baby back on dh side and dh spend next 30 mins settling baby with hand. So we equally were awake more rather than just me

I would get the little green sheep Moses basket.

I'm 5ft8 and DH is 6ft3 and both babies were high centile for length when born (1st by EMCS and 2nd by ELCS)

We had a Snuzpod for both. It can technically sit next to the bed rather than attached, as it has sides that can be done up, but I liked the fact they were in touching distance to me.

Both kids lasted until about 7 months in the Snuzpod and we then moved them into their cot in their own room.

It was a bit of a struggle to get in and out of bed in the first few days but I just sat down and did a very slow bum shuffle backwards using my hands to move along and it got much easier very quickly.

www.snuz.co.uk/snuzbaskit/#

also look at the snuz basket. It’s bigger than most baskets. But doesn’t need to attach to bed

I breastfed Ds until 18 months, and never managed to feed him lying down then slide into next to me. It was just as easy to feed, then lift into wherever after

We had the next 2 me dream crib. We didn't attach it to the bed but it was useful to be able to slide the side down to get baby out for feeds then put her back in. It was also good to be able to settle her in her crib with our hand and then move the side up gently once she fell asleep - brilliant for practising to settle straight in the cot from an early age as well (to help with self settling in the future). We also did have a bamboo mattress topper for this crib which was was still firm but ever so slightly softer. Let me know if you're in Kent as I'm currently trying to sell mine 🤣🤣

As others have said, it doesn't matter what crib you have for the first few days after a section as to won't be able to lift the baby out of any of them, so just goes with what fits in your room.

Sleeping bag wise I cannot recommend enough the Tommee Tippee grobag - they have poppers at the shoulders so it acts as a swaddle at first and then when baby is older, you can undo the poppers to get their arms out - it is my go to baby present!

Just a note on the c section and painkillers, I was prescribed codeine as I was in a lot of a pain after my first c section and wanted to be prepared this time round. 5 days of codeine and no laxatives made for a few VERY painful days on the toilet - my husband was ringing the midwife for an emergency prescription after he found me crying in the bathroom! So if you get given codeine make sure you get some laxatives alongside them! I was breastfeeding as well and it was all safe.

Good luck! Xx

We had the original snuz pod with our first that you could have completely level with the bed. Apparently this isn’t safe anymore so they all have a hugely annoying lip on them that is incredibly awkward.

I had an EMCS but didn't breastfeed (though did bottle feed in bed). I have the Maxi Cosi Iora and love it. I used the Tutti Bambini at my in laws as they had one for other grandchildren, and personally didn't like it as much as I felt she kind of ended up on one side more than the other. But it fit the bill just as well as my one to be honest, I think there's not much in them!

@SnKcampbell we have a king size divan bed and it was fine. No issues with baby rolling to the sides either - she always slept ok in it until she realised our bed was better which is a whole other story. My friend had the same next to me and was happy with it. I didn't have a C-section but the crib was on my side of the bed. Could you have the crib on your partners side and then he hand you the baby in the early days whilst you recover? Sometimes I slept on the opposite side of the bed so my partner did the settling/winding after I had fed so he needed to be closest to the crib and that worked ok.

Honestly, don't give too much headspace to any limitations from the c section. I had mine 4 weeks ago and it was only really the first 4 or 5 days I struggled to get the baby out of the crib. Even then, DH was in the other room with DS and while he told me to wake him for help, I never felt I really needed to.
For what it's worth, we have the original Next2me but have ended up putting the moses basket in it as baby is too small and seems lost in it. With hindsight I wish I'd got the snuzpod as it seems more cosy.

Hi, thanks for responding and the very helpful advice/ information

I have thought about a Moses basket before but wasn't sure how long it would last with tall babys? is it easier lifting them out of this after a c section?

we are only in a 1 bed property so the cot will also be in our room when bigger for cot,

the shuffling around don't seem to good and then not getting much sleep between you, I suppose you could have a go sleeper but not next to the bed but they more money then Moses baskets?

Hi thanks for responding, I was thinking I may have to start out with a bed sleeper not attached to the bed at first why I was recovering but close by so can reach them and see them like you say.

When we size up to a cot this will be in our room as we in a 1 bed property right now.

Thank you I actually come across this on there Instagram page last night it does look nice.

It's amazing how different everyone reacts and what works for them etc, I suppose we all just have to try and test as they say.

I used the shnuggle baby air bed side sleeper and so did my sister in law and we both had c sections.

Our boys were both big as well and lasted in it till 6 months.

I had it attached to my side of the bed from day 1. I was a little uncomfortable getting out of bed for a week or so but fine after that.
Everyone's recovery is different though x

Hi thanks for responding and yes been thinking about maybe not attaching to the bed and just having near bed, we don't have a lot of space in our bedroom though.
I'm from Dagenham .

I have also read some lady's slept on sofa after as they found bed a struggle.

I'm not to sure what meds I will be given but I have bad pelvic floor and also chrons so can't be constipated 🤣🤣

Will also check out the sleeping bag as I'm not sure how I would get on swaddling 🤣

I had two sections and I breastfed both times. We had the Tutti Bambini Cozee. I was fine getting the baby out of the crib and shuffling down the bed to get out myself after the sections.

Haven't had a c section, but I have had pelvic girdle pain and got myself a "tubular slide sheet" for about £5 on Amazon. It's just a loop of slippery fabric, you put it on the mattress under where your bum/hips are and it makes it soooo much easier to roll over/sit up in bed. Baby is 4m now and I'm still using it to sit up for night feeds (even though I've not got any pain any more). I imagine it would be helpful for c section recovery too!

Hi thanks for responding, i had seen some comments of the bambini have an issue with babys rolling to the side not to good.
haven't seen the maxi cosi lora will check this out.
how did you find getting out of bed with the basinett attached to bed or didn't you have it attached?

Hi thank you, yes we could try having it his side and getting him to help me a bit more, he just loves his sleep lol

Thank you for responding and yes your right as everyone's body will recover/ act differently so suppose what works for one may not work for all.

Hubby did say I can order 2 co sleepers to test and see what I liked more.

I didn’t have a c section but did have a PPH with DS1 so was quite weak, even my arms etc. I am 5t7 and DH 6ft6, DS1 was 7lb and DS2 9lb but both long. I did have a Moses basket but neither liked it so they both went in the normal cot which was at the end of the bed. DH passed them to me in bed or in the feeding chair until I was able to get them myself.

They both loved sleeping bags, the Gro snug when they were tiny which means you can swaddle their arms and then normal sleeping baby bags.

Thanks for responding, i havent seen this one before will check it out, and that's good you got a while out of it aswell.

and yes you'r right watching some youtube videos and speaking to people online seems everyone's body work differently and recovers differently.

Thank you for responding im not to sure what pph is sorry.

i was thinking of like a space saver coat at the foot of my bed and then hubbys help to get baby in and out, but thought baby would be massive compared to the cot size lol.

thanks will check out the gro snug aswell

Thanks for responding, i do like the look of the cozee only think that concerns me is some people mention baby rolls

@SnKcampbell I found it a bit tricky at first scooting around it, but to be honest I found getting out of bed tricky in general! It wouldn't put me off using it again if I had a second child and second section!

yeah i may have to do a test run lol, I struggle allready as my bed is high up lol

I brought the Joie Roomie Glide for my Last baby. It was absolutely dreamy, rocked nicely and quietly to sooth baby, was quite a cot cot so (hence the name) was really Roomie and he still had plenty of space at 6 months when he decided to start standing up in it and we had to get rid.

it also felt a lot sturdier and less flimsy/cheap as the chicco. I had a chicco for my first and it did feel cheap to me