Straight to the Crib?

js8812

Our room is right next to the nursery.  Do you think a bassinet is necessary?  I'm thinking of having baby start sleeping in the crib right away.  I plan on nursing and I I think I'll be wide awake whether I just have to roll over to pick baby up or if I have to walk a few steps to the other room.  I hate clutter and don't want to buy things I don't really need and I'm not comfortable with the idea of our baby sleeping in a RNP.

Thoughts on baby sleeping in the crib right away?  Is anyone else doing this?

js8812

I also realized that my post title sounds like a rap song.

balamama

I'm wondering the same thing. I feel like it's going to be an adjustment for the baby to go from bassinet to crib no matter when you make the move so maybe it makes more sense to start in the crib. Would love to hear others' thoughts.

Charla1224

I'm interested to see others thoughts on this because we have a similar set up.  I don't want to spend extra on something we won't use long if we don't need to. 

araecasey

Rooming in with you is SIDS protective. But whether you use a bassinet or crib doesn't matter. We skipped the bassinet and tried DD in her crib in our room. One less piece of baby gear to buy!

js8812

Charla1224 said:

I'm interested to see others thoughts on this because we have a similar set up.  I don't want to spend extra on something we won't use long if we don't need to. 

Amen.

kbrands7

My advice would be to go ahead and plan to start LO in the crib, but be open to a bassinet if it doesn't work and plan a just-in-case space for it. With DS, I was set that he would start off in the crib. We tried it for a week and neither he nor I slept. He slept well in a PNP bassinet right next to me, so we did that until he outgrew it. Some babies do well in the crib from the beginning though-- mine just wasn't one of them!

AmmyBelle

We're going straight to crib, and my sisters and I went straight to crib too. I didn't really know what a bassinet was until my cousins were born when I was in high school

Bluejay3030

I don't think a bassinet is necessary, but just be prepared for the fact that your newborn might HATE laying flat in the crib.

We let DD sleep on a Boppy pillow on the floor of her nursery for the first couple of months. I think that's frowned upon, but so is having them sleeping in a RNP, swing, or pretty much anything other than a crib.

I definitely get wanting baby in the nursery right away, so I would go with that and try the crib out from the start if that's what you're comfortable with. You can always adjust your plan if necessary depending on what's working or not!

yogahh

I thought I was a bad mom already because I want her in the crib from day one. Our room is right next to the nursery so I can be there in 10 seconds or less. We don't really have room for a bassinet in our room. And since DH will be working, I want him to be able to sleep as much as possible. We will try it, and if need be, make a BRU run for something small if needed. I know the 1st couple nights, I will probably camp out in her room anyways. 

Par13

With DS, he was in our room in a pack and play for a month, then we transitioned him into his crib once he was on more of a routine and sleeping longer stretches.

We were planning on going straight to crib initially, but changed to the PnP at the last minute just because I wanted him to be in our room (and he was getting up every 1-2 hours which was insanely exhausting).

Kurrant

We are keeping baby in a bassinet in the bedroom with us for the first few months. The bassinet we have coming takes a baby till around 6 months. This seemed easier even though the nursery is the next room over.  We already have plans for a second baby and the bassinet we are getting is very good quality so we know we will get use for second baby and maybe pass it to daughter or step daughter.

I guess it's not really necessary but we think it will work best for us.

sosweet487

I'll probably only use a bassinet if I am gifted one. I have no plans on buying one. 

kp90

We aren't buying a bassinet but we are getting the sleeper/play pen thing... that sounds terrible... I don't know the exact name of it but where you can have it up high for them to sleep as a baby and lower it for a little play area once they're older or put them down for naps. That way it serves more than one purpose and lasts a lot longer than a bassinet. This will still be able to be in our room by the bed if needed.

BuzzBee614

It really could depend on your baby. DD would NOT sleep flat on her back and the crib wedge didn't seem to help much either. She had reflux but never spit up so it was probably uncomfortable for her but we didn't know it for a while. Nothing besides a crib or bassinet is recommended, but we started by letting her sleep in this little thing with a rocker on the bottom and then eventually someone bought us a rock n play and we used that for the first 4 months next to my side of the bed. Again, not recommended, but after listening to your baby scream and nothing else works, you'll do anything. Any. Thing. I then moved her crib into my room and found out she was a tummy sleeper! By then she was bigger and I felt okay about letting her sleep on her tummy in the crib. Personally, I couldn't deal with her being in her room. I wanted her right there next to me. We moved her crib into her room when she was 9-10months.

This baby I'm planning on being in my room for 4-6 months at least. I'll have a swing, rock n play, and the crib will be in his room. We'll see how it goes. I'm not going to make any plans because it will depend on him.

Dantzscher32

With DS1 and DS2 they spent a week in our room in a bassinet. I then transitioned them to their rooms after that week. Their rooms have a full-size bed in there with a crib. Some nights when they couldn't be calmed, I slept in the bed in their room. With this little one, we have moved, so the baby's room is on a different floor. I want to do the same plan I did with DS1 and DS2, but we will see how it goes. I will most likely be using the baby's room as my new room for a while. I want baby use to their room's sounds and smells ASAP.

finnybooboo

Agree with PP's that it depends on your baby. Ours would not lay flat in the crib at all, and frankly, didn't like being in such a large space. She hated being swaddled too. Our saving grace was the rock n play that we ended up getting in her first week home, and it was a god send. It has the angle she liked, and it sort of "swaddles" them and makes them feel snug. It wasn't until she was several months old and actually started moving around a lot more that it became a safety concern, which is when we transitioned to the crib with mattress on an incline.

Like others, you can certainly have the plan, but know that baby might throw you a curve ball.

cortney626

With DD#1, she was in a pack n play bassinet in our room for a few weeks then went to her crib. I'm thinking of just putting DD#2 in her crib from day one. We'll have a pack n play that we could use if it doesn't work out in the crib right away. But we will not be buying an extra bassinet.

saraleigh2

Suggest a place for you to sleep in the nursery if you are going to start baby out in the crib- reclining rocker, air matters or spare bed. You are going to be feeding baby every 2 hrs in the beginning and the easier it is on you the more likely you will be successful at breastfeeding!

BlueJuice

It totally comes down to you, your preferences, and how strongly you feel about making it work. (Okay, it partly comes down to your baby too, haha!) But you definitely can skip the bassinet if you want. My parents never had bassinets, but they put the crib in their bedroom, which is totally an option. Having the crib in the nursery is a viable plan too. In your shoes, if you're thinking that's what you want to do, I'd plan on that and just remain open to changing it up somewhat (whether that means crashing out in the nursery some for the first few months, or using a pack and play as a bassinet for a little while after all, or whatever) if it doesn't seem to be working out once baby arrives.

TL:DR - there's no reason a baby can't sleep in a crib in its own room straight off, but you'll be getting up every 2-3 hours for a few months regardless of how you structure the sleeping arrangements.

doozer1345

It's what you're comfortable with. For me, I knew DD would sleep in our room due to her room being upstairs from ours. What I would do is be prepared for either. DD refused to sleep in the bassinet so she slept in the swing next to our bed then eventually the pack n play at the end of our bed. I wish babies came with a personalized manual for each one so you know their preferences immediately.

js8812

Great advice everyone!  Keep up the sharing.

mmemartinez

With DS we did the crib right away for two months and then moved him to the rock n play. You pretty much need to change their diaper every time they wake up so it was easier to have him I the nursery. Eventually he slept longer and needed less changes so the rock n play was better for nursing. Once he outgrew it he pretty much slept in the bed with us. Everyone's different. This time we are going to try to delay having a nursery so that the two boys can room together. So we have a bassinest bassinet and the changing table in our bedroom. I believe they can stay in it til 30 lbs which would give us a lot of time, and I imagine we will be cosleeping again anyway. For reference, we have a king bed. Got forced into it with DS

camillaandcarson

I am getting a c-section and will be nursing the baby. I will not want to go into baby's room every hour or two around the clock for what seems like eternity when so sleep deprived and recovering from surgery.  Baby will be in our room in some fashion, close to my side of the bed to reduce SIDS. 

slfezz

We had both DDs in the room with us for the first 2 months (at which point there was only 1 night feeding) but this was because the nursery was at the other end of the house. If the bedroom was right next door, I might have gone straight to the crib

lionstigersbears

With DS we tried a lot of things. I had heard the little egg carton type attachment on top of the pack n play was a good option, but I didn't feel safe with it. He slept in the rock n play for a few weeks, then we put the crib in our room as a side car (one side off, flush with side of bed). He hated the flat surface but it made me feel comfortable cosleeping knowing if he rolled he'd just roll into crib. Out of desperation he slept in a bouncy chair...in the crib that was next to the bed..for a month or two. Then it was cosleeping, until he became restless and needed his own space. That's when we transitioned to the crib at about 8 months and just had to commit to settling him in there no matter how long it took and how many times per night. After a few weeks it became the new norm. It was a lot of trial and error.

With this one I plan to do a rock n play in our room, bring a rocker in for nursing (in bed wasn't always comfortable), cosleep if it's working and start thinking about the transition into crib at about 6 months.

TXmamatobe

We had a pack n' play with the bassinet top that DD slept in for the first few weeks. Then we figured out she had reflux and a milk protein allergy so laying her down flat was almost impossible until we got her meds and formula correct. I'd say from about three weeks old until seven weeks old, she slept in the RNP next to our bed and then we transitioned her to the crib in the nursery with no problems at all.

I will tell all FTMs this because no one freaking told me and I was terrified:

Newborns makes all kinds of scary noises while sleeping. One minute they are taking deep, audible breaths and then for a few seconds they literally won't take a breath at all. Then all of a sudden they might gasp for air to catch up. THIS IS NORMAL BUT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME because I didn't know to expect that. Now you know and hopefully you won't be as taken aback as I was. just something to think about if they'll be in your room at night.

Chappy_jr

I had planned for my DS to sleep in his crib from the start but honestly, he spent the first week in the swing. He hated the crib when I tried the next week but did okay when we added a wedge, though still waking up three times a night. That is, until four months when his reflux got really bad and he was waking every 30 minutes. We then resorted to putting his bouncer inside the crib and that actually worked for a couple of weeks until his reflux medicine began to help and he developed enough strength to roll over. So we tried a lot of things but never let him sleep in our room unless he was miserably sick.

For this baby #2, the guest room will become the nursery and we'll probably keep the full-size bed in there and I'll sleep in there when I need to but I hope and pray that this baby sleeps (more importantly NAPS) better than DS.

JoMunson

Were doing a basinette first, for a few reasons.1. We got our crib and our basinette for free! 2. I want the baby to be able to sleep wherever, not in one specific spot for one reason. 3. Personally I'd rather sit up and grab my baby than get up, walk down the hall, then figure out the baby.

khochanadel

The house we're buying (if everything works out) has master bedroom on ground floor, all other bedrooms (including nursery) upstairs. Great longer term for when the twins are older. The master has enough room for the twin bassinet-pack and play combo I registered for. Plan on doing that for a while, and also putting a sofa in the nursery.

buffythevampireslayer

I'm not making a decision right now because I have no idea what is going to happen. So basically we are just going to have options. We will have a crib in the baby's room and we are registering for a pack and play that comes with a basinnet and changer so we can move that to our bedroom if we need to. We are also getting a bassinet for our stroller and it is sleep approved up until 6 months so hopefully one of those things will work for our baby and us!

codeeye

My friends son is and always has been super easy to put to bed and his mom attributes it to the fact that he hasn't ever slept anywhere other than his own room.
My plan is to try having my LO sleep in his crib from day one but our pack and play can act as a bassinet if needed. Basically I'm just winging it. I'm a first time mom. I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Haha

kami09

SIDS scared the absolute shit out of me (I had a friend lose a child about 3 months before I had DS so it was constantly on my mind). So I went with the AAP's recommendation that he stay in the same room with us to reduce these risks. He stayed with us for 6 months in a pnp then smoothly transitioned to his crib in the nursery. I strictly follow their recommendations for sleep.

Sidenote: maybe I'm super lazy, but physically getting out of bed and walking to another room that many times a night...couldn't do it

BabyBliss2012

With my first child I only used the bassinet for about 5 weeks until she kind of outgrew it. I do think we both got better rest when she was in her own crib.

lisaren

Having 4 kids already my expectations are super realistic. We eill have a bassinet. A crib. And I'm breastfeeding so baby will probably sleep with me. Exhaustion becomes all too real and I need sleep. At a certain point baby may even sleep in swing or car seat. They all grow up beautifully adjusted in the end.

jhjelmberg

We did a crib from day 1 with our firstborn, and as soon as we figured out he wanted to be swaddled and propped up on his side to sleep (day 2) it was great. Our second born I slept on the first floor (c section complications) and our son was in the bassinet, but lying flat like a crib, the transfer to crib was flawless. I think it's more about getting baby used to sleeping flat.

lalala2004

We're getting a cosleeper that attaches to the bed. I plan to use the crib for him sleeping during the day so he's used to it.

The nursery is next door to our bedroom, too, but If I'm waking up multiple times a night, those 10 steps are going to seem awfully far. I don't even want to get out of bed! Unless he needs changing, I'll be able to feed him and go right back to sleep. Sounds a lot better to me than getting up and down multiple times a night...

AdorkablePixie

I would LOVE a cosleeper to attach to our bed. Maybe if we have money after the necessities, we will get one.
we are getting a pack and play that has a built in bassinet and changed pad, that is what we will be using in the very beginning. I want baby as close to me and the bed as possible to make breastfeeding easier.

onislandtime

We went straight to the crib with DS, and plan to do the same with DD. however, plans could always change because now we will be in a much bigger house, and I'll have a c/s again, so we will see how long SO wants to wake up and go get her out of the crib for me to nurse! DS was 9lbs 13 oz and regardless of c/s, I'm too short to have lifted him easily out of the crib...

2.red.heads

BabyBliss2012 said:

With my first child I only used the bassinet for about 5 weeks until she kind of outgrew it. I do think we both got better rest when she was in her own crib.

This was exactly us. I don't think it's that comfy to nurse in bed(weird, I know) - I like sitting with my legs down, touching the floor. Also, since DH had to work I usually nursed in the nursery or living room anyway. This time around I am having twins and will probably keep them in our room. Who knows.... Maybe not.... Will play it by ear! Oh, and btw, my first born and 2nd born had no trouble moving from a bassinet and PnP to the crib.

PYLWhammy

We're planning on using the pack n play bassinet at first, then transitioning to the crib when she's a few months old. But we're not sure if that plan is going to work in reality. I'm a big fan of baby going into the crib eventually, but the nursery is down the hall and I can just see my lazy self dreading the walk to get her in the middle of the night