There’s a lot of sleep advice out there for new parents, mostly to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It can be difficult to find the right bed for your baby. A bassinet, maybe? A crib right off the bat? Some parents advocate sleeping with your children and claim that they have never had any problems at all—but experts say this is a bad idea, as demonstrated by so many cases of infants being smothered to death by sleeping parents.

The idea of sleeping so near your baby is very tempting, though, especially if you are breastfeeding. Being able to simply reach over and feed baby sounds like a breeze! Not to mention the fact that many moms check on their babies relentlessly throughout the night, afraid they will stop breathing in their sleep, be snatched away by goblins, or simply be a figment of their imagination! So what’s a good middle road solution?

Behold, the co-sleeper! Modern co-sleepers attach right to your bed, making baby within arm’s reach all night long. It lets you sleep close—while not being too close to where you could harm baby. The side that attaches to your bed is open to allow easy reaching when baby needs a midnight feeding.

Many of them resemble a rectangular bassinet, and can be converted into a small play yard for daytime use or trips. With pockets on the sides for easy diaper and burp cloth storage, there’s not much else you’ll need to care for baby during his or her first few weeks if you’ve got one—which is a relief, considering that your faculties will be rather blurry until your cub starts sleeping through the night.

There are even co-sleepers made to hold two babies if you have twins, and if during travel or in other situations where you won’t be sleeping but baby will, it can usually convert into a free-standing bassinet on its own as well.

I know when we brought our daughter home—a preemie who had been on oxygen and in the hospital for three months—I had to have her right by side at all times! I was so grateful for my favorite gift of all, the co-sleeper given to us by my aunt. Without it, I’m sure I would have camped by her bassinet side all night on a floor pallet, darting up to check every five minutes! Just be sure to have your transitional crib ready on standby, because as soon as baby can sit a co-sleeper will no longer be safe.