February 2019 Moms

Product Spotlight: Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers (7/24)

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers!


Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.


For S+TMs:

  • Favorite [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers]:

  • Link/picture:

  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):

  • What you like about it:

  • What you don't like about it, if anything:

  • Is there a [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers] you don't have but are considering? Why?:

  • Additional thoughts on [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers]:

For FTMs:

  • [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers] you're interested in:

  • Link/picture:

  • Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):

  • Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:


To view past product spotlights, add suggestions for future spotlights see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NZB2b3JaDWH7WnSQ0ZZMP4cMmKjUHFjlPanVeDTuzPY/edit?usp=sharing

Please feel free to add in suggestions at the bottom if there is anything you want to discuss... if you can't edit the spreadsheet, tag me below or shoot me a message.

(Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!)


T & J 5.9.09
MMC 2.12.11 @ 8w
PVM 5.8.12
GWM 3.17.15
RPM 2.21.19

Babysizer Cravings Pregnancy Tracker

Re: Product Spotlight: Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers (7/24)

  • We have a Halo bassinet, it was a gift but those things are $$$
    I liked that it swiveled and the white noise setting sometimes helped DD sleep
    I did not like how much floor space it took up. Our room is small and I was always tripping over it.

    This time around I got a Dockatot because I know cosleeping works for us and I think it’s a safer alternative to just having an infant in our bed. If it doesn’t work out we could always revert back to the Halo.
  • We got a pack n play with the bassinet attachment. It worked for us and we’ve gotten a lot of use out of it since then. I hated the diaper changing part of it (although now I can’t remember why) so I just changed him on our bed in the middle of the night. DS was only in our room full time for the first 6 weeks, then he moved into his crib in his room. I know people say you want them in your room for breastfeeding purposes, but I actually liked walking to his room to breastfeed him. It woke me up a little more so I felt more present. His crib is just from target - it’s one of the convertible ones that becomes a toddler bed and a twin headboard. We’ll probably stick with the pack n play this time, although I think we’ll need to buy a second crib since DS doesn’t seem to want to move to a big boy bed yet
  • Loading the player...
  • @BourbonBiscuits same to everything! However, we were renting before and had a HUGE master bedroom. Since then we’ve bought our own home and the bedroom is significantly smaller. I was looking into the halo bassinets because I’ve heard good things and they seemed smaller than the pack and play, but now @conchispita has me wondering if that’s even still too big. 
  • Oohhh love this topic!! 

    For travel crib we are looking at the Lotus. It’s about $200 which I think will be well worth it if baby likes it since it folds up to the size of a backpack. We hope to continue to travel (and fly) a lot so having something portable that’s also good for home is necessary. 

    For a bassinet I wassss thinking the Halo or something similar. Will prob still go with that. But I recently discovered the SNOO and OMG. It’s very new but if anyone happens to have experience with it or an opinion I’d love to hear it. It’s ridiculously expensive (almost $1200!) but they have $300 off sales fairly often and if they do a bigger sale at the end of the year I might be more tempted. IF we got it (big if) baby would stay in it for a full 5-6 months if that influences anyone’s opinion. 

    For a regular crib I’ll prob go with RH Baby... nothing super exciting. Haven’t decided on a style yet but just want clean lines and storage drawers. 
  • So for my oldest, we used a PNP in our room (also hated the changer, @BourbonBiscuits!) before transitioning to her crib in her room around 6 weeks. Her crib was part of a pricey baby furniture store set that was gifted to us by my IL’s. It converted to a full and that’s what she’s in today. 

    For my son, we employed a Rock N Play as well as the PNP - the dude hated being flat right away. I’d say it was probably 4 weeks in the RNP and then 4 weeks in the PNP before moving to his room (crib then). For us, my two were such LOUD sleepers that we all slept better once Baby was in their own room. As far as my son’s crib, in true second child fashion, we opted for a $100 Amazon crib and it worked beautifully. So great that we’re going to use his crib for this baby. It was minimalistic in style, clean lines, felt sturdy. No complaints and frankly, I wish we’d have went that route with our first. 

    I’d encourage all new moms to save on the crib (we obviously had a good experience with our Amazon one and IKEA has some great options too!) and splurge a little more on the mattress. The expensive mattress we bought for my DD in 2012 was used for my son and will be used for this baby too. 

    im intrigued by the Halo but frankly, my RNP/ PNP combo worked for my first two (and weren’t enormous in our room) so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 
    T & J 5.9.09
    MMC 2.12.11 @ 8w
    PVM 5.8.12
    GWM 3.17.15
    RPM 2.21.19

    Babysizer Cravings Pregnancy Tracker
  • @megpants209 I have a guava lotus bed and really like it! My daughter is almost 2 and it’s the bed that we always use when traveling. I think the mattress is more supportive than a pack n play because it rests on the floor. The zipper feature on the side is great too. Unfortunately my daughter doesn’t always sleep well when traveling and it has come in handy to lay on the floor next to her. Not my favorite thing to do, but you do what you have to!
  • I have had the same crib for all 3 babies and it's getting used again!  the 2 big girls will be getting bunk beds.
    I have always had good luck with my PNP which I still have and will use again in my room.  I'm not really big on buying a bunch of stuff for baby because I found I hardly used any of it.  BUT one thing I'm splurging on this time is a top of the line Rock N Play.  That was one piece of baby equipment that was used every single day for me.
    This time around I'm also planning on getting a travel/fold up bassinet that I can easily take downstairs during the day.  
    Overall I generally discourage against buying anything super expensive that doesn't have a long shelf life (aka won't be used long).  I say wait til baby gets here and if none of the options you have are doing it them maybe go for the splurge item.

     

    Baby girl #1 7/11/13

    Baby girl #2 4/30/15

    Baby Boy Due 2/16/19!




     

  • We're looking at the following (FTM here):
    -for a bassinet: BabyBjorn cradle. I don't like how big the Halo is, and like the simple look of the BabyBjorn. It's expensive, but besides a really good running stroller for DH, there aren't many pricey things that we're looking at.
    -for a crib: a simple one from IKEA. Again, space is at a premium, so I don't need or like the look of the massive cribs. Plus, there's an IKEA about 15 minutes from our apartment.

    Questions:
    -What's the purpose of a pack n play? When/where do you use it?
    - @okayestmom12 what are some good examples of nice mattresses? Is there any quality in particular that's important?
    • Favorite [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers]: we have a Jenny Lind crib and a Britax bassinet for our stroller. We also have a pack and play we never use.

    • Is there a [Cribs/ Travel Cribs/ Bassinets/ CoSleepers] you don't have but are considering? Why?: Considering a Halo Swivel Bassinet so LO can sleep in our room until we figure out sleeping arrangements. 


    KBJ-SEJ married 8.18.2012
    BMJ born 5.27.2014
    MMC 7.2.2015 @ 5w5d
    SMEJ born 6.5.2016
    BFP 6.8.2018 EDD 02.18.2019


  • Agreed with @Erinm278 - each baby is so different so I’d really caution FTMs to not spend a ton on anything unless nothing else is working. Try the inexpensive stuff first and if that works then get the gimmicky stuff. 

    I forgot that that we used the rock n play a ton with DS too. He napped in it frequently because I could just drag it around the apartment when I was doing stuff. And when he was sick and had ear infections it was good to have his head elevated for some drainage. 

    @hannahbananas11 we used the pnp as our bassinet when DS slept in our room. Then when he grew we took the bassinet off and he slept in it when we had visitors (his room is our guest room too) and when we travel.  
  • @hannahbananas11 The PNP we use for traveling and when DD was a newborn, we used it as another place besides the RNP to let her sleep.
    As for mattresses, there are ones that are made of foam that make it easier for babies to breathe through if they end up rolling over at night compared to the ones that are spring mattresses. Also, it is important for a mattress to be firm. Here is a website that goes through all of the qualities of a crib mattress. https://www.sleepadvisor.org/best-crib-mattress/  
  • Second what @okayestmom12 said about the crib mattress, part of the struggle with getting DD to sleep in her own bed is that our mattress is more comfortable than her crib mattress. Hopefully this weekend we can find a comfortable twin that she’ll sleep the whole night in.

    like @kayjay44 we almost never used the PNP, DD napped during the day in her rocker or swing but would never stay asleep in the PNP. (She also spit up a ton so I was paranoid about her choking if I laid her flat).
  • @runnermom9 that is really great to hear! Does it actually fold up into the backpack as easily as it seems? I know there are a few other very portable cribs but the zipper and the fold up size were two of the biggest pulls for me. Did you look at any others?
  • We had DD in an old family hand me down cradle- I’m talking OLD. DH hated it so I’m thinking the halo bassinet. But DD was only in our room for like 6 weeks so I don’t know if it’s worth the money for that short time! We also have a pack n play that we didn’t use very much when DD was a baby but I do have to say we use it all the time now when we travel. She’s 2.5 and still sleeps in it. We did have the rock n play(hand me down) for daytime naps but our pediatrician was strongly against using it for nighttime sleeping so we never did. 
  • I started off thinking I would be a minimalist. Not anymore!! My friend is letting us use her bassinet. Now I also want a crib and a pack n play, lol. No idea what brands. I do know i won’t be splurging on expensive stuff. I will take all the hand me downs I can get! 
  • For traveling, I’ve never had an issue requesting a PnP at hotels. You can also rent a lot of baby equiptment at your destination. I would travel with as little as possible since babies require so much shit. 

    KBJ-SEJ married 8.18.2012
    BMJ born 5.27.2014
    MMC 7.2.2015 @ 5w5d
    SMEJ born 6.5.2016
    BFP 6.8.2018 EDD 02.18.2019


  • @kayjay44 I don’t like the idea of requesting cribs at hotels... something about it gives me the heebie jeebies lol. For us traveling is just a huge part of life. Not only recreationally, but my husband travels a lot for work and all our family lives out of town. So for us to be able to spend both as a family and then with extended family, we gotta travel. Baby’s first flight will be at like 10 weeks old  :| just reading and prepping as best as I can till then. 
  • kayjay44 said:
    For traveling, I’ve never had an issue requesting a PnP at hotels. You can also rent a lot of baby equiptment at your destination. I would travel with as little as possible since babies require so much shit. 
    Yup! We travel to Disney quite often and have never had an issue getting a PNP (bring our own sheets because I’m weird). 
    T & J 5.9.09
    MMC 2.12.11 @ 8w
    PVM 5.8.12
    GWM 3.17.15
    RPM 2.21.19

    Babysizer Cravings Pregnancy Tracker
  • We also used the PNP with the bassinet in our bedroom for DS for the first 3 months then moved him to his room in the crib. He did fine in the PNP but he ended up having to wear one of the helmets to help shape his head because it was flat on one side...I have no idea if it had anything to do with it but I feel like that PNP mattress is so hard that it might have contributed to it (he would also only sleep with his head looking one way) So that might just be me making that up in my head lol. Anyway my SIL has a bassinet that she is going to give us to use in our room this time. 

    We did also also use the PNP a lot for traveling because all my family lives out of town but close enough to drive so we used it a lot.
  • @megpants209, we have a similar situation, both of our families are far and it is nice to pack up a crib and not worry about where our DD will sleep when over a relatives. Also when we travel, we have been doing more AirBNB because you can get an apartment with laundry and a kitchen, which is super clutch when you have a child. DD is 2 and still fits in our PNP, money well spent for us. 
     
    When our DD was smaller we did rent things like a bouncer and crib, there are great companies all throughout the U.S. so if you ever have to do some minimalist packing, this is a great option. But this can add up if you travel a lot. 

    DD's first flight was at 10 weeks too! We went to Czech Republic and Germany and she did great on the flights, the natural white noise of the flights helped DD sleep. So you got this!
  • We had a Graco PNP with the bassinet/changer attachment for DS.  The attachments are long gone lol we moved from a bigger apartment that we rented to a smaller apartment that we now own so I did a lot of purging.

    Graco has a smaller bassinet/PNP that I’m interested in this time around.  It’s the graco travel lite stages.  It’s basically a bassinet but you can use as a PNP as kid gets older.
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
  • Folks- My SO bought this off of Facebook marketplace (w/stand for $25!).  But he brought it home and I thought it seemed pretty weird because the sides are all fleece-y fabric, not mesh. I thought it had to be mesh for SIDS prevention? Am I confused?  Thanks!
  • My advice is get a good double-sided crib mattress.. We use a water-resistant cover under our sheet so water-proof wasn’t a huge thing for us.  For my first baby, we didn’t listen to how loud the crib mattress would be and now he’s still using that same mattress almost two years later on her toddler bed and the noise from her own rolling disturbs her sleep.  
    Here's a one site to give you a good idea about different types of crib mattress 
  • When my baby was near to born I was confused about cribs which one to consider that have all the safety and quality measures because I am very much conscious about health thing. So I choose a mini round crib from amazon after reading many reviews about that brand online but finally convinced at https://sleepyfoams.com/mini-round-crib/ and thanks to God it's superb and fulfilling all my requirements.

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