Product Spotlight: Newborn Sleeping (Bassinets, Cosleepers, Sidecars, Moses Baskets, Baby Boxes,etc)

lyse01 · October 2018

Sleep safe, everyone. Let’s do stand-alone cribs separately this weekend.

Give us the pros and cons of what you have, or ask about what you want. What maximized sleep? What made night nursing easy? What made it easy for DH/DW to take a midnight feeding? What was awkward? What did baby love and hate? What took up too much floor space, or made it hard for you to get out of bed in the morning? What had storage, or not, or required extra bedding or changes in your bedding, or not? Is there other relevant info?

FTMs: when you look at newborn sleeping options, what’s overwhelming or confusing? Ask away!

Want to discuss something else? Recommend it here, or second some recs by loving someone’s post (I’ll try to prioritize): https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12734953/product-spotlights-upcoming-or-requests

All product spotlights can be resurrected at any time for further discussion - type “Product Spotlight” into the search bar at the bottom of the page to find previous threads.

lyse01 · October 2018

Side note, if anyone finds a good overview of the options, please post a link! I’m too sick to google past the first page of results.

MRDCle · October 2018

We had a Halo swivel Bassinest. It was fantastic. We used it for the first 4-5 months? I don't recall exactly when he outgrew it. He was so close but had his own safe sleep area, which was important. Our room is tiny so it did take up some space but not TOO much because it slides under your bedfame.

It has a couple small pockets where I kept diapers, wipes, cream, and hand sanitizer. He was close enough so I could pop his bink back in or pat him while still barely being awake myself, and the side folds down so I could kinda just drape my arm there. Overall, we really liked it, and if we didn't get a bed that it definitely doesn't work with, we would probably be using it again.

thatbaintforbetty · October 2018

DD hated the bassinet we got. I think she slept in it twice at most. Mostly she slept in her rock n play (which had feet that moved to make it stable and she was belted in) or her swing for the first couple months. After that we moved to co-sleeping in our bed. (She was super tiny and I wasn’t comfortable till she was bigger) She would sleep in her crib if you could get her in it without waking her, but that was easier said then done.

I think we will try a bassinet again since it makes the most sense space wise for us. I have the fisher price rock n play bassinet on my registry (cause completion coupon).

professormama · October 2018

Our baby slept in his rock and play for quite awhile (can't say enough good about the rock n play). It really helped that it was tilted a little, since he had reflux. After he got a bit more wiggly and the reflux was more under control, we switched him to an arms reach co-sleeper, which, again, I LOVED. My son slept in the arms reach co-sleeper until he was about 8(?) months old, and could crawl. At that point, I usually had him actually in my bed next to me (covers at waist level, no pillow), but I kept the co-sleeper attached to the bed in case he rolled.

The arms reach was extra great because 1) I got it used so it was affordable. 2) it kept baby right by me so I could flop over and nurse him at night, then fall right back asleep. We all got sooo much more sleep than we would have if he had been in his own room / crib.

This time I'm thinking about getting a dock-a-tot as well? It seems like it might be nice because my one complaint with the co-sleeper was that it was such a large space, and my son would inevitably roll across the co-sleeper then wake up. When I had had him in the rock n play, he was more snuggled up and secure it seemed like, and he couldn't just migrate across the bed/crib/thing.

eli_belle · October 2018

We used an Arms Reach Cosleeper for our first two and it worked really well. We quickly found though that I was better to have LO on DH's side of the bed rather than mine. I was just way too attuned to LO to get much sleep at all. Every little sigh, grunt or squirm kept my attention and made it hard to sleep very deeply. Once LO was on the other side of the bed I would pass out knowing that DH would wake me if LO needed anything. It worked really well for us. DH would just hand LO to me when they were ready to eat. Another reason I didn't like having it on my side of the bed was that since it is strapped to the bed I had to scoot down a couple of feet to get out. Sounds simple now, but when you are recovering from childbirth you will want to eliminate any scooting if at all possible. DH on the other hand had no problem maneuvering around it. I really liked that LO had their own safe space to sleep but they were close enough to rest a hand on their stomach for comfort or give them back their pacifier without having to get out of bed. Every second of sleep counts in those early days!

chrissdee · October 2018

DD hated her bassinet but slept wonderfully in her rock-n-play for several months. I'd like to try a cosleeper this time around (not yet sure which one, so I'm following this thread!), but will definitely have the rock-n-play too.

kaitykins · October 2018

We used a family cradle that’s been used for 13 babies now.

we also have a Moses basket for sleeping baby in the living room if needed. Will set both up again.

Dd had silent reflux and meds and lots of night waking to nurse so no sleep is a memory. She outgrew the cradle around 4m (she was a big 4m) and we switched to the crib and shortly after we coslept with a mesh railing up to prevent tumbles from or tall bed. That worked until she decided to try to get off the bed around 9m? (She walked at 9-10m)

i feel like once once we are out of newborn tiny stage I will probably do cosleeping again as hubby never moves and I got such better sleep that way with dd. It took an emotional shock to try it last time and honestly I’m glad I did. But we will see, maybe baby #2 will be a better sleeper than dd. We don’t really have room for them to share a room right away or room for a crib in our bedroom... so... hmmm.

saraleigh2 · October 2018

We were nursing and bed sharing with my first and will do so again with this baby. My lactation consultant gave us the book ‘sweet sleep’ which was very helpful! The most important part in my opinion is the ‘safe sleep 7’ protocol which is also available at the LLL website or just google. But gives 7 criteria for sleeping safety with baby. Not everyone can do this some people have medical conditions etc that make bed sharing unsafe so be sure to check it out.

Also so I found that just putting a mattress on the floor for me and baby was the safest most stress free arrangement, no more worrying about falling off the bed or transferring to a different sleep surface and waking him up and having to start over!!! By far the easiest for my family.

We had a halo bassinet and crib and my son never took more than a handful of naps in them. Crib was a glorified play pen. He was mobile early and I was afraid he would try to climb out and get hurt the older he got. It wasn’t even appropriate for s play pen by 7 mo.

blueberrymomma · October 2018

@professormama good to know the arms reach sleeper worked for breastfeeding. I’m deciding between that and the halo one.
DD was an angel sleeper and always slept in her crib and only woke up once a night to nurse. DS hated his crib and the rock in play so eventually we switched to cosleeping so everyone could get more rest. At 2.5 he would still co sleep if we let him. DH and I really want to get the new baby to sleep in the crib (or bassinet) this time. I want a co sleeper because the nursery(which is attached to the master) is currently the play room and until we finish the basement Id hate to take that away from the other two

gollygeeitsamy · October 2018

My favorite resource that I used last time for products was Lucie's List. Here's the link to sleeping items: https://www.lucieslist.com/baby-registry-basics/sleeping/

I wasn't aware until I started reviewing her list was that there are two types of Rock'n'play - a bassinet that is flat and the sleeper which is reclined.

I haven't decided what we're going to get this time around. My DD slept on a now recalled item that I won't be using for this baby. But I moved her to her crib at 3 months. My husband suffers from PTSD so we decided co-sleeping wouldn't be a safe option for us.

catherineclaire78 · October 2018

With my first three I used the Arms Reach Co-Sleeper, but this time around (we had gotten rid of everything and need to start anew because this baby was a huge surprise) I bough the Halo sleeper—whichever version is sold at Pottery Barn Kids. I like that it’s right next to the bed but can swivel away.

Piccola1988 · October 2018

For probably close to two months the only thing I could get my son to sleep in at night was his rock n play. They usually have some reflux at that age and they like to be a little upright, plus it kind of snuggles them. That being said, I did find that his stretches of sleep in it were very short. Regardless, you need a rock n play - they are lifesavers.

We also had the Halo Bassinet and if I had figured out some things sooner that I learned along the way, I think we could have gotten more use out of it. Basically my son would not sleep flat, and I think he wanted to be swaddled, but he hated his arms pinned down. Eventually I came across an arms up swaddle and it was a game changer - his first night wearing it he went right to sleep in the Halo. I really liked that the Halo fits over the side of your bed, although by the time my son slept in it I didn't really need him that close. The bassinet itself is small, but the legs take up a lot of floor space. All you really need for it are a few of their fitted sheets and mattress pads. You'll end up changing these just because at the bassinet stage baby's bladder, bowel, and barfing habits can be a bit unpredictable! If you're wanting to keep your baby in the bassinet for a long time I would probably choose something else because it's not a huge sleep space and the sides don't come up that high, so once your kiddo is moving around, sitting up, etc. it's going to be time to move on, but we moved our very big and squirmy son to his crib around 3 months and we still had plenty of time. I think once we got the hang of it he slept better in the Halo than he does now - I would definitely recommend it.

ETA: I probably would have gotten a lot more sleep if I had been open to bed sharing, since that's really what my son wanted most of all, but I was terrified H would roll over and crush him so I didn't allow the baby in the bed until he was sturdier.

catherineclaire78 · October 2018

@Piccola1988 what is the name of the arms up swaddle? I didn’t know about that (maybe they didn’t have it) with my first three kids.

harveyisaboysname · October 2018

DD slept in DH’s baby bassinet. I hated the style but she slept pretty good in it. I splurged on a Moses basket from Dua Design this time around. I love the natural style and it seems way more sturdy than what my DD was sleeping in.

eli_belle · October 2018

catherineclaire78 said:

@Piccola1988 what is the name of the arms up swaddle? I didn’t know about that (maybe they didn’t have it) with my first three kids.

We used the Love to Dream - Swaddle UP with the zip off arm covers. link
DS LOVED to gnaw on his fist and it was helpful to be able to remove just one arm at a time.

Piccola1988 · October 2018

Yes @catherineclaire78 it was the Love to Dream like @eli_belle said. Possibly the best thing we ever bought for him!

kitkat8387 · October 2018

DS slept in his crib (but in our room - we have a really big master) until 5 months when we moved it to his room. I think it worked out pretty well because he was nearby but not so close that every movement woke me up. I never figured out nursing laying down, I always had to go to my chair anyway, so I didn't mind getting him from the crib and carrying him to the chair. With the next baby though, I think we will use the pack n play because moving the crib was a pain (it has to be disassembled to get through the doorway) and I also think I want to use the crib for naps from day one, in the nursery. I hated having DS nap in our bedroom because whenever he was napping I couldn't do anything in our room without waking him up!

lyse01 · October 2018

DD came home from the hospital to a baby box (www.finnishbabybox.com).

Loved: how small, light, and portable it was, especially in my tiny house that had a dedicated bedroom corner for DD. That it included clothes, outerwear, sheets, and toiletries to help get you through the first year (all gender neutral and patterned - we still wear and use, because DD is tiny!), plus condoms and a few other things for Mom & Dad. That it relieved me of wondering whether DD would get enough off her registry, or whether I’d finish the registry in time for her very premature birth - I had the basics. That it was a safe place for her to sleep. That the foam mattress wasn’t off-gassing or highly plasticy (there’s

a rubber sheet to keep it dry).

Disliked: that I couldn’t easily put it 2+ feet off the floor. The price...but considering the sheer volume of items received, it was fine.

At some point within a month or two, I got tired of getting out of bed to put her back into the baby box and transitioned to full time bed-sharing. It became storage/a place to stash baby while doing laundry or whatever. But I still think it far better than the bassinet MIL bought or the cradle DH slept in when he was a baby.

There are also also a number of baby boxes on the market at lower price points. The American versions tend to have a few samples of, say, baby wash, but not a significant amount of clothes. Some states in 2017 had free baby box programs for registered expecting mothers (NJ and AL, I think)...worth looking into, especially if on a budget.

eta: photo, in an awkward spot 🤷‍♀️

HGRich · October 2018

DD hated sleeping anywhere she wasn't touching me so I eventually gave up and bedshared. I followed safe bedsharing, but I'm not endorsing it and I'd rather not this time around. That said, I'm wondering if anyone tried a dock a tot, and is it worth the price? Are there any less expensive brands that worked? I love the ability to nurse at night so easily with baby so close (pro), but I had a lot of back and hip pain from having to sleep just right for bedsharing (con).
For naps, she slept in a swing which saved my life and sanity. Highly recommend. It was the only way I could put her down. She hated her bassinet and her rock n play. You just really never know what your kid will like, so I recommend keeping an open mind. Haha. But I'm definitely hoping this one will sleep in the bassinet at night! I transitioned DD to her crib in the nursery at 6mos, but even if she had slept in her bassinet I would have kept her next to the bed for nighttime nursing.

kaitykins · October 2018

@HGRich I know people who used dock a tot and loved it and people who tried it and it didn’t help them.

I second the awkward sleep with cosleeping. Ouch. My poor shoulders.

saraleigh2 · October 2018

@HGRich yes to accidentally falling asleep in awkward positions (side lying nursing) my poor hips and back since you don’t want to lean forward onto your kid- a pillow behind you helps or rolling onto your back after nursing session is over if you’re awake/remember lol...or my son just loved to wedge his head into my armpit!!!

mrstmoose · October 2018

The first time around we just used the bassinet in the PnP. She transitioned to her room (while still in the bassinet) around 8 weeks because I was not sleeping due to anxiety/all the noises. She went to her crib at 4-5 months old.

This time around we've talked about getting a bassinet for our bedroom and putting the PnP down in the living room so we aren't lugging it around (apartment when we brought DD home, now we live in a 3 story home and I have no intention of lugging stuff everywhere after a c-section!).

rennie1108 · October 2018

kitkat8387 said:

DS slept in his crib (but in our room - we have a really big master) until 5 months when we moved it to his room. I think it worked out pretty well because he was nearby but not so close that every movement woke me up. I never figured out nursing laying down, I always had to go to my chair anyway, so I didn't mind getting him from the crib and carrying him to the chair. With the next baby though, I think we will use the pack n play because moving the crib was a pain (it has to be disassembled to get through the doorway) and I also think I want to use the crib for naps from day one, in the nursery. I hated having DS nap in our bedroom because whenever he was napping I couldn't do anything in our room without waking him up!

I was wondering about using a pack n play instead of a bassinet since the pack n play can be used for a long time. I don't think I'd be comfortable trying cosleeping. Has anyone used a pack n play for a newborn? Are there any drawbacks?

angelob88 · October 2018

I wish I knew the name or brand but it was a bassinet that was bought from a rummage sale. It had wheels on it and a compartment underneath the sleeping portion to store things like diapers and extra swaddles. The sleeping portion also came off so you could technically have put it in bed with you as well but we left it on the side of the bed. We used it until she was 5 or 6 months and it was amazing. I could reach in and pull her right out at night to feed her and set her right back down next to my bed. Then during the day we just wheeled it around the house (not with her inside but it was easier to wheel than carry while holding her). We could keep her in any room we were in at the time and she had somewhere to be set down. We'll probably use the same thing this time around.

I used a pack n play after she was 6 months and the biggest downside was how far down I had to lean in order to put her in and take her out while sleeping.

thatbaintforbetty · October 2018

@rennie1108 the bassinet portion usually has a very low weight limit, like 15lbs, on pack n plays so they can’t be used for very long. (Or they did the last time I looked into it so you might want to verify) And as some one else said it’s really a pain to put them all the way to the bottom when they are asleep. (I have a bad back and wouldn’t want to do that several times a day)

kangstadt · October 2018

@rennie1108, with my son, we used the bassinet attachment on our pack and play for the first three months in our bedroom. After he started rolling over, we transitioned to the crib (although most nights we co-slept). He slept beautifully swaddled and snuggled in the bassinet, but he was also a small fry (and still is). Not sure what the weight limit is on them.

Piccola1988 · October 2018

The workaround @thatbaintforbetty and @rennie1108 is that many pack n plays have2 mattress placements - one up towards the top and then all the way at the bottom. Once they outgrow the bassinet portion (which can happen quickly) the raised mattress will work until your baby is sitting up, and then you'll have to lower it all the way to the bottom.

Personally we have lots of stairs in our house and the bedrooms are at the top, so we keep the pack n play in the living room for naps, which is comical because my odd little child prefers to nap in the middle of the living room floor anyway.

thatbaintforbetty · October 2018

@Piccola1988 That upper mattress placement is the bassinet. Some come with additional attachments (changer/napper) which have their own limits but its usually not very high, sometimes the changer is decent(20 to 30lbs) but any place the baby could be unattended and is elevated is usually very low, for obvious safety reasons. I used to sell baby gear and frequently had demos or product talks with company reps. The bassinets are not meant to be used for very long, which is why it's a feature that never made sense to me.

Piccola1988 · October 2018

@thatbaintforbetty ah, I see what you mean. Mine also had a bassinet attachment up top next to the changer, and then the upper mattress position which would obviously be the bassinet for a pack n play that did not have the added attachment. My kid wouldn't sleep on the mattress regardless of the position so I never gave any thought to the weight limits for it.

rennie1108 · October 2018

@thatbaintforbetty how long can the babes use a normal bassinet? I know you mentioned that the bassinet attachment for a pack n play is up to 15 lbs, but I can't find any info on a standard bassinet weight limit. I'm really just trying to limit my purchases but also do what makes the most sense. This will be our only kiddo.

rennie1108 · October 2018

@Piccola1988 having the pack n play on the first floor is a good idea. I'm so overwhelmed at everything I need to get! I'm finding that Lucie's List (I can't remember who recommended it but it was on another thread) is a great resource though.

thatbaintforbetty · October 2018

@rennie1108 unfortunately I don’t think there is a hard and fast rule. I think most of the ones I’ve seen are 25. But it really depends on the model. They can very greatly in size/shape/height. Not super helpful I know.

It also depends on the baby. My DD is tiny, she was under 6lbs at birth and stayed tiny. 25lbs would have got us a long way, but if you have a history of 9 lb babies that are just chunky monkeys the 15 or 25 doesn’t go as far. Which again if you are a FTM doesn’t help much. Although family history might give you some idea.

rennie1108 · October 2018

That is helpful, thanks @thatbaintforbetty !

thatbaintforbetty · October 2018

@rennie1108 No problem. I spent years selling kids and baby stuff, from gear to furniture to clothes. I’m happy to share any knowledge and help when I can.

And will shed a tear for the now lost Tru/Bru.

lyse01 · December 2018

@phoenix92885 mini cribs here

avidlyuks36 · January 2019

Hi All,
a friend of mine gave us a bassinet — Nanna Bassinet— we plan on using it for the first 3-5 months. This is a silly question but how many sheets do you think we need for the bassinet? The bassinet requires custom sheets so I was wondering ....

thanks,

kangstadt · January 2019

@avidlyuks36, I would recommend at least two sheets to get you started (some moms may say 3-4). If your kiddo spits up or leaks through their diaper in the middle on the night, you want to have a clean sheet you can just throw on. I would also recommend a waterproof mattress cover or even just a changing pad cover (I liked the Munchkin brand) that you can put under the sheet. I think it's probably easier to get away with only 2 for a bassinet since you won't be using it as long though. For my son's crib we had three sheets and one mattress protector sheet, and it really came in handy since we used cloth diapers (and then when he moved to a twin bed and was potty training, three sheets and a waterproof cover again).

avidlyuks36 · January 2019

Thanks! The sheets for this bassinet is expensive —$50 for 2. So I was wondering — Thanks for your wisdom — for the crib I’m getting 4-6 sheets —just so we have some wiggle room. Thanks so much!

lyse01 · January 2019

@avidlyuks36 is it a funky shaped bassinet? Surely there’s a cheaper option on amazon that has the same dimensions.

angelob88 · January 2019

We used a fitted sheet for a crib and just tucked it super tightly under the bassinet and it worked out well, there wasn't bunching or anything else. Might be a cheaper option for you if you want to look at alternatives. $50 for two is pricey.

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Product Spotlight: Newborn Sleeping (Bassinets, Cosleepers, Sidecars, Moses Baskets, Baby Boxes,etc)

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