Bassinet or Cradle?

I used a bassinet because my kids didn't like the cradle. I think this was because it woke them when it moved side to side. The bassinet was great. I liked the idea of the cradle too, but my last 3 babies didn't like it. I have my little guy in a bassinet by my bedside.

Neither :o) I used a pack n play for my kids because you can put the "bassinet" piece on it to make it so the baby is up higher and then as they get bigger you can take it off. I also liked that I could see through the mesh, unlike my real bassinet. I got a neck ache from lifting up and peeking in at the kids in the bassinet and with the pack n play I could just lie there and watch them through the mesh wall. You have to have a pack n play for travel anyways so it was nice to get all that use out of it. My first 2 were in the pack n play in our room until they were 1. #4 was in it until he was 6 months old and then put in his crib so we could all sleep better. He did nap in it until he was 18 months old in our room though so the other kids wouldn't wake him up. (#3 came to us when he was 2 so we didn't need it for him :o)
Best Wishes,
J.

I personally would just use the bassinet, with a cradle you might get into a habit forming situation where you have to half asleep be rocking a infant who then wants to be rocked like that as a toddler etc....

I did the bassinet in my room as well and then used the crib (baby's room) or my own bed after that. Since I didn't push the crib my daughter soon just permanantely ended up in my bed and is now 6 years old and still in my bed. I'm not with her father anymore so it's not a big deal to me to have her in bed but it's definately one of those habits I havent' had the heart to break yet.

I'm not sure about safety, but I assume cradles are just as safe, assuming they are deep enough and you can lock the cradle so it doesn't rock. I used a co-sleeper with my first, and decided to use a cradle with my second (due at Christmas time). There were times when I felt like rocking my first in a cradle would have helped him sleep independently, but with a co-sleeper, didn't have that option. Going til 9 months might be tough though. Most are crawling and some are pulling up at that point. You might be able to cradle at first, then buy a porta-crib on craigslist and sell your cradle on craigslist. Portacribs are wood and stand up high, like a crib, but are smaller--lot's of daycares use them because they take up less space. Well, that was my thought on the issue anyway.
Best of luck with the new baby :)

I'm not sure about the bassinet or cradle - as to which is safer. We never used either because we expected our son to be very big. What about an Arms Reach Co-Sleeper? They have mini and regular versions (the regular size also functions as a pack n play for older babies/toddlers). They're great, convenient, and extremely safe.

FWIW, we had DS in his own crib in our room for the first 7 weeks. We had to use his crib because he was so long and heavy (10.5 lbs, 22" at birth, currently he's 15 months and 29 lbs and 35"). It was pretty convenient to have his crib in our room - even though it took up more space. We only moved him out because none of us were sleeping well when he was in our room.

I am not really sure which is safer. I just wanted to say, it is possible for them to share a room ealier than 9 months. I have a 2 year old boy and a 4 month old boy and they share a room, they have since the 4 month old was born. Not sure if there's a reason you don't want them to share a room, but if you are worried about waking each other, they ususally they learn to sleep right through things. My oldest woke a couple of times when we came into feed the new baby, but we just told him he could go back to sleep and he did. After about the first week he slept through everything. Our 4 month old also sleeps through any night waking our 2 year old has. I have heard similar things from other parents who's children shared a room.

R.,

I used a cradle and got it from Babies are Us. I have used it with both of my children and it was nice because I could move it from room to room if need be. I think my little ones grew out of it by 6 months and then I transitioned them to a crib in their own rooms and they did just fine.

A. g

I would highly recommend looking into a co-sleeper. They have ones that are larger and end up being the size of a pack and play (we got that one for our twins as we needed space for two) but they also have smaller ones for single babies that turn into a smaller pack and play after they are too heavy for regular bassinet/cradles. The cost is a bit more BUT I loved ours. It takes a little more fiddling to get together and apart but its so, so nice to have them within arms reach (I think that's the actual brand name we had, Arms Reach Co-sleeper) They are well made and getting more popular so you may be able to find one used on craigslist or ebay. I was so glad we invested in one for our twins, the bassinet and cradles require you to actual sit up and get them out, the co-sleeper that attaches right to your bed means you can just pull them over when its time to breast feed in the middle of the night. Then we he/she is bigger the small one turns in to a play yard just the right size for a baby under one and doesn't take up as much room as the full pack and plays that should work until you are able to have her/him in their own room...
K. H

After the 15 lbs. or when she is able to sit up I'd get a travel pack n play. My kids share a room and the youngest was with us in the travel pack n play until 5 months or so and then I was worried about the space available and bumped to a full size pack n play. I'd just go with a full size pack n play and use the bottom part of it. You should be fine to use that after she sits up or reaches the 15lbs. Maybe at 3 months switch her:)