moses baskets - are they practical?

saturdaynightdoubletree · July 2012

I've never had a moses basket, but a few friends who just recently had 2nd babies have gotten them and said they are awesome. I'm still not sure I understand the use other than a portable place for baby to sleep. I'm a little nervous because I wouldn't want to put the basket on the floor with the kids running around, and wouldn't trust it on the couch... when else might I use it that it would be practical? We won't have an infant carrier this time around, so I'm thinking maybe it would be something to bring to family/friend's houses when we need a place to put the baby down to nap or something, but I'm just not sure. TIA

choppinbroccoli22 · July 2012

I don't see how I would feel more comfortable with the basket someplace unfamiliar if I was uncomfortable with it in my own house. That said, my SIL uses it to sleep her 6 week old baby, and she likes it. She has no animals or other kids, though. I wouldn't use one due to a toddler and cats.

May I suggest just using the infant car seat if you have one, for naps at other people's houses, that way you don't have to bring more equipment. Personally, I toted my daughter everywhere in her Moby wrap carrier, and she loved sleeping in it. Why consider buying a Moses basket when you could get another carrier? Are you unable to use one?

KingRay09 · July 2012

I don't think they are really practical. Once the baby is a couple months old they really aren't safe to use anymore. They're cute but not practical imo. I used the Fisher Price Rock & Play sleeper when I wanted to move dd from room to room. It's lightweight and sturdy and we were able to use it until she started rolling over. HTH

SweetSima · July 2012

I thought they were a waste of money personally, until I started seriously stroller shopping and asking around. Now I have all of my friends, both first time and second time mom's telling me that for the first 6 months they used it all the time. I know some mom's who have been using the bassinet of their pack and plays for day time naps or traveling. In fact, I had a big discussion with my parents about it. They said absolutely get a bassinet, I said no way, until I spoke to all my friends about it. My stroller comes with the bassinet so I plan on using one. All in all I think if you don't have one, you won't need one, but its a decision based on your lifestyle. I will personally use it because my parents live about 30 minutes away and won't want the pack and play back and forth and that will be a good solution for when I go over to visit. I also registered for a stand to place it in at home.

akating · July 2012

I was given one by a friend and I never used it except at church and so I left it there in the mothers room so all the new moms could use it. It gets a lot of use there.

staci183 · July 2012

i got a moses basket for my first baby and have used it for all 3 of my kids. I loved mine. It came with a stand to set it in so it's not on the floor. it is light and easy to move from upstairs to downstairs for napping. all my kids slept in until they were 4 months old and then i moved them to a crib.

jamdv3 · July 2012

My MIL gave one to us for DD, and I never used it. Ever. It's sitting in our basement collecting dust.

Worcbride · July 2012

Had one for both my kids--loved it. It was a gift/not something I thought of getting and I was so thankful for it. With DD (1st child) I put it on the coffee table :-) Didnt have the table when DS was born. DD was 22 mos then and did fine with it placed on the floor out of the way and told not to touch We now use it to put DD's stuffed animals in
.

bearkatjen · July 2012

I guess I can see how it might be useful the first couple of month, but I personally would have not had any use for one when DS was that age. I carried him in the moby wrap all the time, and for the first 3 months he took most of his naps that way, so it didn't matter if we were home or out and about.

g8trkim · July 2012

I actually think they are the most pointless things you can have. They are actually just as big as a folded up pack n play, and baby outgrows them really fast. Plus they just don't seem all that safe. Most babies that small just sleep in their infant seats. Say you go over to someone's house to visit, you would bring your sleeping baby in the infant seat. It would be crazy to try to move them to something else. If you were going to go there for a more extended amount of time, like overnight, you would just bring the pack n play because I just can't imagine it is safe for a baby to sleep in a moses basket all night. MIL got us one. It took up so much room. I pretty quickly sold it to a consignment shop.

jenyjeny · July 2012

SweetSima:
My stroller comes with the bassinet so I plan on using one.

This is what I did - which turned out to be GENIUS cause we just wheeled her around the house to wherever we were going

mrsmklynch · July 2012

A family friend made me one when DS1 was born and I've used it with both children and plan to use it again for the third. Rather than taking up a lot of space in the living room for the pack and play, I lay the baby down for naps in the moses basket next to me, usually on the floor next to the couch. I also used it in my room at night next to my bed until my MIL brought me the family cradle. For me, it was great and has gotten a lot of use, but I don't know that I'd spend the money to buy one.