Bassinet vs. Crib for Newborns

FirstTimePregnancy · November 2011

I still have a long way to go, but I am thinking ahead and trying to decide if we should get a bassinet for our bedroom or just go with a crib in the nursery. I have spoken with friends who have done both. Our bedroom is next door to the soon-to-be nursery, but I've been told that with all of the getting up we will have to do, having a bassinet in the bedroom is highly recommended. Any thoughts? Also, for those who do recommend a bassinet, any suggestions? Thanks so much!

JuliaJAG · November 2011

We're going to get the "baby bunk"... it's sort of like a bassinet but attaches to our bed. I like the idea of co-sleeping but this is a safer way to do it IMO. (Plus, I have a hard time getting up in the middle of the night, so this way, when my baby needs to eat, I can just roll over and breastfeed while never having to get out of bed!)

https://www.babybunk.com/

jayleigh68 · November 2011

I'm still undecided but we will either do a crib in the baby room or have her sleep in a pack n play on our room.

Under.the.Rose · November 2011

For the first 6 months or so, Connor was sleeping beside our bed in his Fisher Price Rock n Play. It's wonderful for newborns and if they have reflux it's even better since it's inclined.

After that he was in his pack n play in our room and made the move to his crib in his own room just in the past few weeks (was in our bed from 8 months - 12 months).

Clearly, I think it's best to have lots of options

katieh1017 · November 2011

Our house is a split floor plan so she will be in a bassinet in our room for a little while.

morethancottoncandy · November 2011

I had a bassinet in the bedroom for the first 8 weeks. It was just easier because I was breastfeeding. After 8 weeks she slept through the night and we moved her to the crib. I really liked having her in their with us though.

ellesmama · November 2011

DD went to her crib from Day 1 and I never regretted it for a second. Her room was right next to ours, so it wasn't like I was having to go a long way when she did wake up. All of our friends that co-slept or used a bassinet are still having issues with getting their kids out of their rooms- and most of them are 2+ years old now!

hewinked · November 2011

We did both with both kids. DD was in our room in a PNP for about a month or so, and then we felt comfortable moving her to her crib. DS went back and forth between crib and PNP because he was very restless and could never seem to get comfy any where. It's really up to what you feel comfortable with and what works best for your baby and you and DH.

JennyJensing · November 2011

We plan to have a bassinet in our BR, assuming LO takes to BFing. Of course, we will have to play it by ear and see what LO likes...my sister's DD slept in her swing for the first 6 months of her life and hardly anything else!!

lovebaby2012 · November 2011

Hi, I'll be moving to 2nd tri soon, but I've been thinking about this too. I think we're going to get both though, a bassinet for the bedroom and a crib for the nursery. I saw a nice rocking bassinet on target.com but I can think of the name. Anyway good luck on your search, and like pp have said we just have to see what baby likes!! :-)

NikiBaby · November 2011

For DD we bought the Graco Travel Lite playpen with the bassinet system. She slept in it in our room for the first 6 weeks and it was great having her in there for nursing. She slept great in her crib once we moved her though. Once summer came we were able to use the playpen in our trailer and it worked great. We thought about a regular bassinet but from what I've heard, most babies grow out of them sooner than some other products.

It all depends on how long you plan on keeping your LO in your room though! For our family, 6 weeks was long enough as my husband works early in the morning and theres no sense in both of you being dead tired all the time! It's nice having DH useful when he gets home from work!

kiarstin · November 2011

I bought a crib and also I have a arms reach cosleeper. I think falling back to sleep will be easier if I dont have to actually get up to feed and change the baby. But I am a ftm so I can not say either way.

FirstTimePregnancy · November 2011

Thank you for all of the great info, ladies! You have certainly given me some other options to consider. Happy Thanksgiving!

Nicolewinsbingo · November 2011

Baby will be in a borrowed bassinet in our room for as long as DH is on maternity leave, which will probably be 3 to 5 weeks. He works strange hours in a job where wakefulness and concentration are very important, so when he goes back to work then baby goes to his/her crib. I plan to BF so I will be the one doing feedings in the middle of the night anyways. We will invest in a very comfy rocker/recliner for in the baby's room for midnight feedings. I will be staying home, so I view this as the best option for DH to get the sleep he needs for work.

MommaJB · November 2011

We will be using a bassinett in our bedroom, even though the nursery is next door. My grandpa made one for me when I was a little one and my mom has saved it all these years so that my babies can use the same one. It is kind of special to us.

sunnydays99 · November 2011

With DS we had a pack n play with the bassinet attachment beside our bed (it was a Graco). It was a lot easier to check on him and get up with him for the first few weeks with him right beside us. We needed the pack n play anyways so this worked out great!

ohioroots · November 2011

ellesmama:
DD went to her crib from Day 1 and I never regretted it for a second. Her room was right next to ours, so it wasn't like I was having to go a long way when she did wake up. All of our friends that co-slept or used a bassinet are still having issues with getting their kids out of their rooms- and most of them are 2+ years old now!

Exact same with us. Even at a few months old your LO will have to adjust to a new bed in a new room.

GigglesNLashes · April 2014

I am likely to have a C-Section and was leaning toward a bassinet, Moses basket or some sort of co-sleeper, but have been worried about them because my baby is on track to be big at birth (10lbs or so) since there isn't a lot of good info on size and weight for many of them. The ease of having baby nearby when you're recovering from a c-section and not having the need to bend and pick the baby up out of the crib seemed like a really good option until I saw this piece linked to on a mommy forum from Consumer Reports https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/bassinets/buying-guide.htm. Highly recommend mommies read it. Most of the forums I've gone to say these are ok products to use but the logic in this consumer reports piece has really made me move toward the crib only approach at least to start.