Bassinet for New Baby

I have an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper and love it. It has a bassinet that baby can be in until 30 lbs and you can take the bassinet piece out and it becomes a playpen until baby is 50 lbs.

I got the $100 from target. It was really easy to set up- worked great for our baby until she out grew it. It has wheels that lock, so you can roll it around to whatever room you are in and then lock it in place. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on one because they out grow them so fast- but this one was a lot sturdier than the $50 at Wal Mart (which seems to be made of cardboard). We used it until our baby was 6 months and started sitting up on her own(I didn't want her to fall out!) we have passed it on to a friend and it is still in great shape.
~C.

Bassinet will be easier to take your baby out of at night, but he/she will grow out of quickly. My sister used my bassinet for about 6 months and then her son was just too tall to stay in there. So, if you are looking at will be easier on you the first 3 or so months, I would say the bassinet, but overall, long term, pack and play.

You can also join your local www.freecycle.org and request a bassinet or travel pack and play and get it for free.

I am expecting #2 any day now. I bought a Arm's Reach Mini-Cosleeper as we have a small bedroom. You can attach it to the side of the bed, or it can be used as a free standing bassinet. Here is an example (we got pink but they come in other colors):
http://www.albeebaby.com/arms-reach-the-mini-metro-blush....

Congratulations!

You can get a pack'n'play that comes with a bassinet-type sling that fits in the top half so you don't have to bend down. Then when the baby starts to sit up, you remove it and you have the regular pack'n'play. You could realistically use it for a couple of years.

I loved my Graco pack n play because it also had a changing table with space for diapers and wipes. The changing table could go up and down depending on whether you needed it or not. We ended up not setting up the crib for a good eight months because this worked so well.

I found a bassinet on Craigslist for only $20 in perfect condition. It had vibration and a night light and I ABSOLUTELY recommend it. She was right next to me for the first three month. When she got restless I would turn on the vibration and she went right back to sleep. The nightlight on it is kind of bluish and doesn't wake the baby. It's just bright enough for the night time feedings. So yes absolutely a must. I just regret I didn't have one with my other two. It also made the switch to a crib easier. The vibration, nightlight part can attach to the crib and I still use it. Check Graigslist for sure. Don't buy it new

I see someone else already recomended this but I wanted to second it. Go to craigslist. I just got an awsome one with storage underneath, rocks and rolls, came with a mobile and sheets or 20! There are always a ton of bassinets on there and it is not something that gets a lot of wear an tear or will have surprise safety issues from being second hand. Dont spend too much on something thyat will last 2-3 months at the most.

PS. For longer use there are always lots of pack and plays w/ bassinet option too but they take up a bit more room.

Bassinets only last for a couple of months and then the baby is too big, go with something that will a lot longer, like a portable crib. they look just like a baby bed and fold up. The mattress is thick and is comfortable. The bed can fold up and slide under the bed or behind a bedroom door when you want the room to look like your room too.

A lot of child care centers that care for babies have them and you can see them if you're interested by just calling around and talking to directors and if they use them you could visit and look. That way you could actually see them and get a real feel for how they would work in your space.

I have one I bought for $20.00 and it is solid wood. I had to make a mattress for it but it didn't cost much. I bought a thick piece of foam from Wal-Mart and covered it in a pillowcase like sheet, that way if there's an "Oops" on one side I can just flip it until I can get another one on it. You can also make it more waterproof by putting a plastic bag over the foam and then an old mattress pad can be cut like a pillowcase too then the sheet.

I loved mine and the baby stayed in it the full time until she was pulling up and shaking the bars playing.

My daughter is using the Arm'sReach Co-sleeper and it's working out great. It has 4 legs and sits independently on the floor..one side can be set a little lower than fully upright so you can put it next to your bed and see right in..the side can be moved back up if you don't want to use this feature..it looks a lot like a pack and play, but is smaller...she uses it at one end of her sofa during the day...very comfy and convenient...her baby is just 2 weeks old, but it's large enough that she will probably be able to use it for quite a few months before moving the baby into her regular crib. Hope this helps. KC.