# Best accessories for side carring crib?



## Kaydove (Jul 29, 2010)

I figured that my DD was getting too big for the arms reach co-sleeper so it looked it up and apparently its when baby can get up on hands and knees, not by a weight limit like I thought. Oops, we need move the crib in and side car it to the bed today!

I've heard of bungie cords being used to secure the mattresses together. What other 'accessories' did you use to get a safe and secure set up for your side carred crib?

Also, since she rolls and army crawls fast, I was thinking a toddler bed rail attached to the bed but in front of the crib would work. Thoughts? I would love one that folds down or something so I can move it out of the way at night.


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## IdentityCrisisMama (May 12, 2003)

We just have ours bungied together. I think we had a blanket rolled up to push the crib mattress closer to our mattress when DC was really young. But our crib is against the wall so it doesn't really move. One thing you may get now since they will be hard to find in the winter is a pool noodle. They seem like a good, cheap way to wedge the crib mattress closer to yours.


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## Songy (May 7, 2012)

I bought a few feet of that nylon strapping (like a backpack strap) and some of the clips that go with the strap (the clips that adjust and snap together - I hope that makes sense to you!) I strap the legs of the crib around the boards under my bed. I like the clips so I can unsnap it to get under the bed for cleaning. For me, it works better than the bungee cord b/c I can adjust the strap to the exact tightness and I don't have to go way under the bed to hook and unhook for cleaning.

I used foam from a fabric store to wedge against the mattress. Because I have a platform bed with a frame around it (Ikea Malm,) I needed foam between the crib mattress and my mattress to cover the wood frame. I cut the foam using an electric bread knife, then covered it with the same fabric that you use to make cloth diaper covers. (This was a bit of a paint to get right. The biggest problem was the design of my bed. Also, the crib I bought had extra big end posts that were much thicker than the side railings, so that pushed the crib mattress away from my bed even further. I did finally get it right, though.)

I use a mini-crib b/c I don't have the room for a full-sized crib. Really, she sleeps mostly on the foam between the two beds, more than in her own crib or in my bed. I wish I could get a crib that is only half as wide b/c she really doesn't need all of that space. It would be great to just have two feet added onto my bed as a safe little haven for her, rather than a whole crib.

I use a square of rubberized flannel to make a smooth, waterproof surface over where the two beds come together. (Since the foam is between the two beds, I didn't want two little splits right where she sleeps the most. Probably not needed as much if you push the mattresses together and put the foam (or other filler) between the crib mattress and crib railing instead.)

My daughter is still pretty little, so I keep a little basket in her crib with my nighttime stuff (water, snack, nipple cream, burp cloth, etc.) since the side car prevents me from having my nightstand.

We are actually transitioning now to a different bed (for me.) This new bed is much higher than my old Ikea Malm bed, which presents new challenges. I tried to set it up yesterday and I now have to have the crib set on the highest height (was on the lowest) which makes me nervous as my daughter is nearly sitting up. My solution was to put the crib in the corner, then my bed up against it (thereby blocking 3 sides - two against the wall, one against my bed.) I think I'm going to push a chest of drawers up against the last side so there is no way she can climb up and fall over the railing. Other ideas: get rid of the box spring, get a half-box (box spring with half the height of a regular one,) or get rid of the frame and put my bed directly on the floor

Hope this isn't too confusing!


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## LaughingHyena (May 4, 2004)

We have a wooden bed frame, and I was advised that a pool noodle would be good for bridging the gap between our mattress and the cot one as they don't compress too much.

Bought the noodle in the end of summer sale, but never used it (well till they were learning to swim). Should really have measured that the cot would fit at the side of the bed first!


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