Would you use an old bassinet??

CandiceRDH · October 2011

Tell me I'm not crazy that I'm hesitant to use this bassinet that my in laws brought a couple weekends ago when they came into town for our shower. They brought the bassinet they used for my husband when he was born (1980), It's a nice thought, but so many things have been recalled and they did not bring the box and there are no markings on it so I have no idea how to look it up to make sure it's safe. Also, my FIL SPRAY PAINTED?!?!?! it before they came. My husband tells me it's because my sense of smell is so sensitive right now that the paint smelled strong to me and I know we have a while before the baby comes still but I don't like the thought of him surrounded by something spray painted? We'd have to buy the mattress to put in it so I just keep telling my husband it's silly to put the money into that when we wouldn't use it long and I told him I would like to know the brand to make sure it hasn't been recalled & he knows my concern over the paint thing too.... I think he's ok with not using it but is a little hurt by me not wanting to use it just because his parents went to the trouble of bringing it. I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I wish they had asked us what of his we would like to have or use... since besides the bassinet his mother brought the outfit he came home in (which was sweet and I plan to use those to take pictures of him in) about 4 blankets that were his, the bow that was on the door in the hospital (now, even my husband said "get that away from me, it's weird" because it had this naked plastic baby attached to it LOL) a couple of ceramic vases people gave her.... just a load of things that now we'll have to find somewhere to store as we live in a small house with not much storage.... Anyway, I didn't really mean this to turn into a vent, but it kind of did. Back to the issue at hand, should I feel guilty if I do not use the bassinet? I was just going to let LO sleep in our pack n play in our room for a while before he moves to his own room with the crib....

hayleydeee · October 2011

I think it's really sweet that she's been saving all of that stuff for his baby and that she wanted to pass it on. It sounds like this is their first grandchild?

My mom saved a bunch of my old clothes and blankets (and even a few of HER baby outfits) and we've actually gotten really good use out of them. It's also been fun when there is a picture of me wearing something we've been able to take a pic of DD in it too.

I see why you're nervous about the bassinet, although the old mattress would have been my biggest worry. I actually spray painted a lot of the baby gear that we'd picked up on Craigslist, and everything was fine. The bottom line though, is that if you're worried about it and it's making you nervous, then you're not going to be able to rest well at night. You'll need all the rest you can get!

So maybe skip it. Use it to hold stuffed animals in the nursery and take some cute photos of your baby in it for the grandparents. But maybe don't plan on it as your only baby bed.

Happily Overwhelmed · October 2011

No...I'm with you!

My MIL saved her kid's bassinet. She's attempted to push it off on me several times and I keep nicely declining. I think DH kinda wants to use it...since it was his. But I'm really uncomfortable with it. It's from the 1970s and painted. It's been in a cold and hot storage room for the past 27 years. There's no way of really telling how safe it is. Who wants the added expense of finding (or having made) bedding for the thing.

Beyond the question of how safe is the thing I'm right there with you and the storage. I think bassinets (though sometimes beautiful) are beyond a waste. We live in a fairly large house and I STILL don't want to find a place to store that thing. A pack n play can be used for such a long time and has many nice features. Or, the FP Rock n Play is much easier to store.

jenine482 · October 2011

I don't see the problem though, my mom saved the bassinet I used and the covering that my grandmother made. I'm actually pretty excited to use it for my son. But if you feel it's unsafe than talk to them and just explain you're not too confortable with it. Maybe you could just use it during the day for naps and use something else for night-time.

sagoon · October 2011

I'm in a similar situation. My MIL still has the bassinet her kids and other grandkids slept in. It's about 80 years old. She asked if I wanted to use it and I said nah, we'll use the PNP. Later, I find out all this info about who slept in it plus I learn that she had it repainted to match our nursery. So, I 'changed my mind' and now we have a crib, PNP, and the bassinet. The thing is tiny so he'll fit in it for a couple weeks at best, but I think I'll just put him in the PNP like I was planning until I can give the bassinet back. It's a sweet gesture but Ijust don't want it.

CandiceRDH · October 2011

hayleydeee:

I think it's really sweet that she's been saving all of that stuff for his baby and that she wanted to pass it on. It sounds like this is their first grandchild?

Actually, this is their second grandchild. He was married for a short time prior to me and they have a daughter.... We've been together since just before she turned 2. I've tried however to keep them involved sending ultrasound pictures & inviting them to the shower & letting them know they're welcome at the hospital after our son's birth because his ex wife did not allow anyone at the hospital when their daughter was born. Not his parents, nor hers.... not sure if that was because they were already having problems in their marriage and headed for divorce or if it was just some other weird reasoning. He's not even really sure and doesn't really talk about it. We have his daughter about once a month & his parents get to keep her a couple of times during the year. She passed alot of his books & things to his daughter but it is really sweet that they wanted his son to have his things from when he was a baby. I try to get along with his mother, but she tends to say things that I know just come out the wrong way that she doesn't mean things the way they sound. In fact, it's a good thing we're having a boy because I heard several times how we needed to have a boy to carry on their family name :-/ We just kept saying "We'll be happy either way." My husband tends to take up for her alot when she says things so that's frustrating.... I should just buy a couple rubbermaids and put the things in the garage for a while, I guess. I can do pictures to send to them of him with those things because at least they live about 4 hours away so I can just store them otherwise...

hayleydeee · October 2011

It sounds like they were pretty disappointed last time, so its nice that you are welcoming them more into this grandchild's birth. Just smile and nod! They'll love seeing the photos, and I bet if you decide to keep it around for a while you'll find creative ways to use it as storage,

Right now we have baskets overflowing with stuffed animals and toys, and I think having them stored in a beautiful vintage bassinet would be really cute. Plus it'll make a great doll bed some day too! So for sure hang on to it, even if it's just for stashing towels and blankets.

emd2887 · October 2011

hayleydeee:
It sounds like they were pretty disappointed last time, so its nice that you are welcoming them more into this grandchild's birth. Just smile and nod! They'll love seeing the photos, and I bet if you decide to keep it around for a while you'll find creative ways to use it as storage,
Right now we have baskets overflowing with stuffed animals and toys, and I think having them stored in a beautiful vintage bassinet would be really cute. Plus it'll make a great doll bed some day too! So for sure hang on to it, even if it's just for stashing towels and blankets.

This sounds like a good compromise. Although it's probably fine, I'd worry too about using the old bassinet, and this way you're still incorporating it. As for the other things they've given you, you can take pictures of LO in them or just bring them out when the ILs come to visit.

KMLP · October 2011

We will be using my bassinet for a few months, while the baby rooms with me. My mom got a new mattress for it when DS was born, so we will be using that mattress. It's wooden and very sturdy. Baby has a crib, but we won't be setting it up until I'm ready for her to go in the bedroomw ith her brother.