CoSleeping. It’s a polarizing topic in most mom groups I’ve been in, and there’s usually a stigma that goes along with it. But it’s not just for crunchy granola type parents! I promise! Studies have shown that cosleeping is beneficial to both the baby and the parents, however it can seem intimidating at first. But I promise it isn’t! And there are so many different ways to cosleep: bed sharing, room sharing, sidecar arrangement and more.

As a breastfeeding mom, cosleeping has made night time nursing sessions SO much easier and quicker. Because we’re in the same room, all I have to do is lean over, pick J up, let him latch, and then lay him back down when we’re done. No having to get out of bed, no having to walk to a separate room. There are so many benefits of cosleeping when done safely, and it works perfectly for our family’s needs.

The Ingenuity TravelSimple Playard is our current go-to for when we room share while cosleeping. Whether we’re at home or on the go, it’s the easiest way for both J and I to get some much needed sleep, while still being close and able to care for him quickly if need be. 

Room sharing is probably the easiest and least intimidating way to cosleep with your baby.

In this situation, you and baby aren’t sleeping in the same bed, which I know can be scary. Rather, baby’s bed is within arms reach of you, or just in the same room. When room sharing, our TravelSimple Playard is kept right next to my side of the bed for easy access to baby J.

I started cosleeping with J as soon as he was born.

Because I needed to wake him up every few hours to nurse him throughout the day and night, having him next to me was a necessity. The pulse oximeter baby monitor that we have cannot be used while bed sharing, so to keep my mind at ease, we set up our TravelSimple Playard and placed baby J in the upper Inclined Sleeper.

The inclined sleeper is awesomesauce, and is like a sweet little cocoon for your newborn. For your babe’s comfort, there is a really soft pillow to keep their head in place, and for your peace of mind, there’s a buckle system to keep them safe. 

After changing J into a fresh diaper and jammies, and nursing and rocking him to sleep, I place him into the inclined sleeper. A little kiss on the forehead and happy dream wishing, and he’s off to sweet slumbers. Because he’s right next to me, that also means I get to turn over and go to sleep at the same time. Yahoo! If he wakes up at night hungry or having a rough time, he’s right there next to me. I can feed him, return him to the inclined sleeper portion, and roll back over to sleep. Easy peasy!

Keeping J in the TravelSimple Playard also gives us a little peace of mind at night.

Our pitbull Clyde love J, but he also loves snuggling right up to him to sleep. Which is super sweet, but not great safety wise. My very heavy sleeper of a husband get a little nervous when we bed share. He isn’t as confident in his ability to be conscious of his surroundings while asleep, so pulling the Playard up next to the bed allows us to have the best of both worlds.

A little more about the TravelSimple Playard:

It’s the easiest setup. EVER. Seriously. We have two other similar contraptions that we used for H, but I hated having to set them up. There were too many steps and the things were super heavy to bring along. Now that we’ve switched to the TravelSimple Playard, setup is a breeze. In under 30 seconds, we’re good to go! Need to take it down? It folds up just as quickly and easily!

We travel, a ton. And now with two kiddos and a huge dog, space is at a premium. The TravelSimple Playard comes with a carrying bag and shoulder strap for on the go travel, and fits easily into our trunk. But the best part? How light it is! Weighing in at about half of what other portable playards weigh, I don’t have to struggle with heavy, bulky gear. I can still hold J in one hand, be wearing my diaper bag, and lift the TravelSimple Playard into our trunk, or carry it into a hotel without breaking a sweat.

Once baby J grows out of the inclined sleeper portion, the playard mat is padded for nap time snoozes. And if we’re visiting family that doesn’t have a baby proofed home? No worries. That padded mat is also great for playtime! I’ve even brought it into my office while big brother is sleeping so that I can keep an eye on J while still getting some work done. I know this is going to be extra beneficial once he starts becoming more mobile!

Another huge bonus?

This TravelSimple Playard will last us from J’s infancy all the way to toddlerhood! With a weight range from 6 to 30 pounds, that’s a long time! Plus, I love that the colors are so gender neutral. And with a MSRP for under $95, it’s not only versatile and adaptable to your family’s needs, but it’s affordable as well! 

Find Ingenuity’s TravelSimple Playard online and at Walmart!

Ingenuity TravelSimple Playard Giveaway

I wrote this blog post while participating the Kids II Blogger Campaign and received monetary compensation and/or free products to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.