Crib vs Bassinets

We have used both in the house. The bassinets don't seem to be comfortable though. There isn't as much padding, they tend to sway more. They are great for convenience if you don't live in a ranch and for travel.

We used both. Crib upstairs in bedroom, but downstairs a bassinet for naps so i could do cleaning around the house.

Both can be of a great use.

I believe new bassinets are very safe, and we used the same bassinet that my mom used for all her kids. We made sure it never had extra padding or loose blankets and always felt very comfortable with it.

I prefer the bassinet because it was so much easier in the middle of the night, and there were nights I was so tired that sitting up felt like a lot of work. We moved our babies to cribs in separate rooms at about 8 wks, but I also felt more comfortable with the baby in my room until then (I worry way too much - about everything!)

They're not really "enclosed" and the bassinet mattress is very thin and not very squishy (for lack of a better term). There are all kinds of bassinets--have you looked at the kind that attaches to the side of your bed? So you can reach the baby easily?

I used a bassinet for my first two kids for about 8 weeks each -- I stayed in the same room with them too. I did this mostly because someone had given it to me. I would not have purchased one myself honestly. It does make things easy if your baby drools or spits up on his/her sheets because the bassinet sheets are TINY and the bassinet is portable. I was nursing my 2nd and honestly slept in the same room with him because I wanted to pick up cues of him waking up instead of waiting until he started crying because I had a 17 mo old daughter too -- and she would cry when the baby cried :) Not good for family sleep time!

My bassinet had a top that could be put down and was NOT heavily padded - think basic oval that was hard with a layer of fabric and the mini-mattress - that's it. I did not leave the top up ever.

Go with whatever suits your comfort level, needs and budget. But keep in mind, depending on the height of your baby (length) you may only be able to use it a VERY SHORT TIME. Possibly shorter than 3 months!

Best wishes!

I used the Arms Reach mini co-sleeper with my son for a good 6 months until he outgrew it. It is one of the best gifts that we ever received and it's worth every penny even if you have to buy it($120-$130)
It attached to my bed and I could reach and touch him and hear him and that gave me so much peace of mind and helped me sleep a bit better, especially in those earlier months.
It also helped me to pick him up, nurse him and put him back without getting out of bed. I had a normal delivery but this is extremely helpful for someone who had a c-section.
It has wheels too so you can roll it around as well, if needed. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable having a newborn is his own crib in a separate room in the first few months. The co-sleeper is open and does not have extra padding that may cause suffocation. We only put him in the co-sleeper at night, during the day he took his naps/slept in the infant seat.

I think you will feel better with baby in your room for the first few months. The bassinet is not a major investment, so even if you change your mind its not a big deal. I use a possitioner so no chance of suffocation.

Both of my kids (youngest is now 3mos) spent 4 weeks in their bassinets - in THEIR rooms. We've never had the kids in our room with us. This is a personal choice, but DH and I take turns getting up in the middle of the night. Since babies are such noisy sleepers, we decided that there's no reason for both of us to be up. So one of us gets to sleep through a feeding and vice versa.
Anyway, it always seemed like they were too big for the bassinet after a few weeks, and it wasn't really necessary anyway. So I just moved mine out long before they are old enough to scoot around. Neither of mine noticed the move to the crib at all.
Just have nothing in the crib (no bumpers, blankets, etc...) and you don't have anything to be concerned about.

We only used a bassinet at my moms house when we would be over there, and that was mainly a space issue. Our daughter slept in her pack-n-play for the first few months and I slept in the same room as her (our living room!!) and then she went into her crib. The sheets are tiny for it and hard ro find sometimes. :-)
The bassinet worked great, but as another stated I would not have gone out and bought one, it was given as a gift!
Good luck!

I would skip the bassinet. I actually used the pack n play in the bassinet setting for the first three months - having the baby in my room made night-time nursing so much easier! There also are cosleepers out there that attach to your bed that I've heard great things about. At the end of the day, it's all about helping you get sleep and being close to your baby :)

I wouldn't bother with a bassinet unless you little one is tiny and you will get the use out of it - they grow so quickly. Just use the crib shortways while baby is small then transition to lengthwise as baby grows. By all means have the crib in your room if you feel more comfortable, then later when you aren't getting up every 3 hours put it in another room, or do the mummy walk every 3 hours to baby's room to feed. My friend used the detector and it gave her piece of mind, I had a wrap on baby's mattress which is supposed to help prevent sids. When you put baby in the crib have her feet closest to the end boards rather than her head that way they don't wriggle down but if they are going to wriggle will wriggle up. Swaddling is great too and use the sleep bags rather than blankets for sleeping - this will give you piece of mind that your precious baby won't get under any blankets.
Congratulations!

There are many different viewpoints on this, so ultimately you have to do what feels right to you. For my family, we chose to have our baby sleep in her own room inside a crib from day 1. It worked out fabulously - we have a video monitor so we could always see what she was doing. Our daughter is now 14 months, and she has never ever had one night that she cried out in the middle of the night ever since the day she slept through the night at 7 weeks. I believe being in her own dark, ventilated room contributed to her ability to self soothe at a faster pace than some other babies.

I did not personally feel inconvenienced to get up and walk downstairs to the kitchen to get her bottle and then back up to her room for middle of the night feedings in those early weeks.

Whatever you decide, good luck with your newborn! You can always switch it up and see what feels right for you.

My husband wanted our baby to sleep with us and I refused to allow that because of the risk of SIDS among other things so we came to an agreement of a bassinet. My Mother actually found a brand new one at a church sale and we have used it since my son was born (2 months old). It has wheels and I used to roll it into whichever room I was in for about the first 2 weeks. There isn't padding in mine except for the little mattress itself. And I bought a sleep wedge that fits perfectly so it holds him in place to prevent him from rolling over. It makes middle of the night feedings so much easier. Definitely recommend it.

I LOVED using a bassinet instead of a crib for a newborn, especially the one with wheels. I would pull that thing around all over the place and my baby was always close to me and I could do what I needed to. Used it a long time too until baby got too big and heavy to fit. That's when I worried (for safety reasons about them not having enough space, or the likelihood they would fall out.

We used a co-sleeper which is like a pack in play but the side goes down and attaches to your bed if you want to it was great I used it for both boys for 6 months and i also used a pack in play on our first floor for naps

Hi Christy, i used the bassinet in our room and had the crib in the baby;s room. Bassinets are convienit for newborns , by 3 months mine were all to long for the bassinet to sleep comfortably. Now as an old school mom, my children were born in the 80's, and the things said about sids, in my opinion have very little to do with where they sleep or how they sleep (Back/stomach with stuffed animals and blankets or with out. My girl friends baby died sleeping in her arms and it was said to be sids. My 3 sleep on their stomach in the 80's had bumper pads stuffed animals and fluffy blankets, nothing was ever said about those things back then. In my family there was 5 of us all slept on our tummy's we all had blankets, stuffed. Honestly i think sid's is just something that happens, like everything else. I used both crib and bassinet with no negitive issues. J.

I think having your baby sleep in your room for the first three months is a great idea, for many reasons. One, the risks of SIDS goes down a lot. Two, night feedings are so much easier with the baby so close. Bassinets now a days are safe. Just remember to check to see if you need to buy the mattress with it, most don't come with it, and buy several sheets, because you will need them with a newborn. If you can afford a little more expensive bassinet try to get the one that locks and unlocks so you can rock it. You may not need it, but it comes in handy if your child likes to be rocked. We chose a pack n'play. I loved the bassinet that was with it. You don't have to buy a really expensive one, but don't buy the cheapest either. Pack and plays are great and can come in handy many different ways. As your child goes it is a great place for them to play in and see you while you do almost anything, cleaning, cooking or trying to get a few more things done on the computer. My son slept in his pack and play for sleepovers as grandma and grandpa's until he was two. We took it with us when we traveled because they fold up so eaisly and they are not heavy. You might also want to get a themometer for the baby's room to keep tabs on the temp in there too and keep it about 68 degrees. All rooms are different so if you are concerned about SIDS that is another great addition to a baby's room.

We have always used the bassinet next to our bed for the first 6 months(until they out grew it). It was easier for me to check on them- I could just put my hand over the side to make sure they were okay. And I was healing from a c-section the first couple of months, so it was easier not to have to get up and walk around in the middle of the night. I also really liked having a portable place for my baby to sleep. I had the bassinet where ever I was in the house so I could keep an eye on the baby - at least for the first couple of months.
Now, my 9 month old is in her crib- and she transitioned fine- she's been in her crib for about 3 months.
~C.

We are currently using a bassinet. Our baby is 3 months old and she's been in there right next to the bed since the day she came home from the hospital.

Just this week, we've been transitioning her to take day time naps in her crib in her room, but its a slow process.

For my other 2 kids, they each were in the bassinet next to our bed. It was so much more convenient for night time feedings for us. In 3 more months we will move her out of the bassinet (or if she grows out of it sooner), and into her crib in her room as well as the rocking chair.

Our bassinet is a family heirloom and its sturdy and the mattress isn't too thick (or squishy, as the other mom mentioned). Ours isn't enclosed either.

I guess its a matter of choice...do you want the convenience of having your baby right there with you for night time feedings, or do you not mind walking to the baby's room.

Its really a personal choice. There are no rules that says that the baby has to be with you. I personally like it and am sad when they "graduate" to their rooms.

Best of Luck!

I used a pack and play in my room with the bassinet attachment for the first while, then transferred to the crib when ready. I couldn't see the added expense of a bassinet. To be honest, I haven't used the pack and play for anything other than those first few months, but it has the mesh sides, and total circulation, not a suffocation trap at all.

I used a bassinet literally 2 times. I put my daughter in it, and just didn't like it. To me it wasn't as sturdy. I put it right by my bed and I was afraid of bumping it in the middle of the night and waking the baby up. We put the crib in our room and thats where she slept (about two feet away from our bed), although we had sleep issues and she didn't like her crib as she got a little older. If I was in the living room she would be in her swing or her infant chair.
Maybe it's just my personal preference...I didn't like the bassinet. =)