Product Spotlight 12/09: Cribs, Bassinets, Travel Cribs, & Sleeping Surfaces

wanderlustsoul · December 2020

Sorry this is so late! Work has been crazy this week and I haven't had time to log on except on my phone.

We'll be tackling lots of baby furniture and gear over the next few months, but one of the major focus points of the nursery is the CRIB/BASSINET! So let's start there!

Many people find themselves with a million different sleep surfaces, e.g.: a bedside bassinet for when they're itty bitty, a sturdy crib (which may or may not convert to a toddler bed down the road) for their nursery, travel cribs, a Pack and Play for other areas in the house, and we want to hear about them ALL! Do you like all the bells and whistles like a SNOO? Or perhaps just the minimalist dream of the Finnish Baby in A Cardboard Box tradition? Please share!

(And generally this is a lighthearted space to share cute baby products, but this is a good time and place to share this page linked by the American Academy of Pediatrics on safe sleep habits for babies).

Prior and Upcoming Product Spotlights

wanderlustsoul · December 2020

We had a great bassinet that we used for DS until he was technically 4 months old. In reality, until he was just over 3 months old, then we travelled for 3 weeks, and when we returned, we put him straight to his crib. I absolutely LOVED having him beside me but he slept 100% better in his own room with the crib. The dog would wake him up all the time.

We're going to do the bassinet again but I might move baby 2 earlier, depending on how the baby sleeps. DS only fed 1 time a night as of 7 weeks old.

We just had a regular bassinet that had a rocking feature, which was cool. And a regular crib that turns into a toddler bed. Nothing fancy. Kid sleeps great in it so fancy isn't needed. But the bassinet was great for the 1st 2 weeks where he fed so often and I could just lay him in it without having to get out of bed. It had a side that unzipped and attached to my bed.

laurad75 · December 2020

We used the halo bassinest (I bought it on FB maretplace) until DS was around 11 weeks. He slept in our room with us while he was still feeding several times a night. Babies are super loud when they are sleeping and I found that I couldn't sleep with him next to me so around 11 weeks we moved him into his room.

We bought a pricy crib at Pottery Barn. It was not my intention but I wanted to look at a glider chair they had in store and DH spotted a really nice crib and he said 'can we just get that one?' and I didn't argue.

kristah2 · December 2020

Something to consider when buying an expansive bassinet : Neither of my 2 would sleep in a bassinet. I tried with both of them but they only slept in my arms or in their room in their crib.

That said I will likely purchase a bassinet again for this one and give it a try. But I’m okay if baby decides he or she would rather sleep in the nursery.

I will likely transition DD into a big girl bed when we move and then take the crib for baby.

mc0303 · December 2020

Bassinet: We used the Uppababy bassinet with the stand for a little before we got the SNOO. We bought the Halo but DS kept drifting to one side 🥴. We used the SNOO for 6 months.

Travel Crib: We have the 4Moms pack n play with the bassinet and changer. We have a 2 story house so it was perfect to keep in the living room when he was really tiny for cat naps and diaper changes. We keep a separate one at the grandparents’ house and he sleeps great in it when we’re there. It’s a breeze to open and close and store.

Crib: We have a Babyletto mini crib that he’s outgrowing. It has been great but I’m going to buy a new convertible crib for him. Likely one of the Babyletto ones.

And the Dockatot was amazinggggg. Obviously make sure you’re watching them if they’re asleep in it. We used it all the time during the day before he could roll over. We bought 2.

angelz429 · December 2020

With DS & DD we had a Moses basket. DS did well in that, DD did not. DD was preemie and particular. Would only sleep in our arms 😭 so after 4 months of sleep deprivation, we gave up on 100% “safe” sleep (she literally would wake every hour if not held) and did a Snuggle Me. Life saver for us, though like a doc a tot, not something I recommend to people unless it’s unsafe sleep options or not sleeping (which also isn’t safe).

This time, I bought a Snoo on Black Friday. I’m going to keep my eye out for one on marketplace to see if we can get it less expensive still.

I think all cribs have their plus or minus. DD & DS used the same crib which transitioned to toddler and then full size bed. We got rid of the transition pieces when we converted DD to the full because we were done with babies 🤦🏻‍♀️ So my friend is giving me her barely used cribs Bc she co-slept and her kids never really used the crib.

For pack n play, I borrowed a Lotus crib from a friend once for travel and was hands down going to buy one this time. It’s light weight and travels so easily. Except my friend is done now as well, so is gifting me hers with the bassinet conversion. So will definitely be using that regularly, probably will keep it downstairs with the Snoo upstairs.

MelissaMay82 · December 2020

Bassinet- Uppababy with the stand. I really liked this bassinet. DD slept in it in our room until 6ish months.

Travel crib/pack n’ play- 4moms Breeze Plus. This playard has a removable bassinet and changing area that clips into the top. It is pretty easy to fold up and setup. DD was never a fan of napping in it, we mostly use it for a safe area for her to play if we are trying to cook dinner or do dishes.

Crib- DaVinci Jayden 4-in-1 crib. I love this crib. It has four adjustable mattress positions and easily converts to toddler bed, daybed, and full-size bed. The crib is also Greengaurd Gold Certified. The mattress we got for the crib is the Babyletto pure core dual sided mattress with hybrid waterproof cover.

laurad75 · December 2020

@mc0303 I really want a dockatot this time around. We had so much stuff for DS that I couldn't justify one more thing and they are pricy but I'm getting one this time.

Omie_Wise · December 2020

We use to travel a lot, especially when DS1 was little and we love our Baby Bjorn Travel Crib. It’s super easy to put together and put away. It also has a pretty narrow footprint so it’s great for hotel rooms. The downside to it is that it’s got a thinner mattress and it doesn’t work well once the kid gets older.

DoubleUp8 · December 2020

Crib - DaVinchi crib - I don't think they make our exact crib, but we saved it and just need a new mattress. I will say it was a great value for a wooden crib, compared to a lot of the options.

Bassinet - we have a family one that we used for the down stairs naps during the first 2 months while at home on leave. We used a pack 'n play in our room as a play to put him when we need to get dressed, fold laundry, etc. DS never roomed in because I knew I would never sleep if he was in the room, I would be up at every sound. I have the same plan for Baby. I also nursed him in the nursey so DH could sleep and take over to give me a break during the day.

Travel - we had a pack 'n play for travel. DS always did great sleeping in it. We plan to do the same when we can travel with the baby safely.

Dock-a-tot - Tell me all about it! This wasn't a thing when I was pregnant with DS 6 years ago. We plan to be a the lake a lot over the summer. I'm wondering if a dock a tot would be good for the dock under the sun shade I have to help keep the little guy out of the sun. DS was 8 months when we got to the warm weather and lake time with him, so it was about the baby pool, not laying around on the dock. Thoughts?

mc0303 · December 2020

@laurad75 we got both of ours Used from a baby consignment shop! Best decision ever. I’ve seen them on NextDoor and FB marketplace. I just super hot water washed and dried it.

@DoubleUp8 It would be great for that! You can actually buy a sun shade attachment too. Will it stay dry on the dock? It isn’t waterproof.

legallykate · December 2020

We have the Halo also but my daughter hated it, she had bad reflux and could not sleep flat on her back so she slept in a Rock-n-Play for like 4 months (this was before they were recalled) (

). I am super tempted to try a Snoo this time but feel guilty because my MIL bought the Halo for us and we never really used it. DD would also nap on a Boppy lounger all the time so I would highly recommend that, I know a lot of people swear by the Dockatot but the Boppy is way cheaper and worked great for her naps.

mc0303 · December 2020

I just saw that 4Moms has a new sleeper bassinet with motion and sound. It seems like a mix between the vibrating Halo and the SNOO. It’s priced at about $350.

I just really hope this baby likes to sleep SOMEWHERE 🙈 Sleep deprivation was the hardest thing.

ramzlau · December 2020

We had a Snoo gifted by my company, DD loved it, so much so that when we transitioned her to her crib we used it as a sound machine in her room for a few months. We plan to use it again with DS.

For the crib we have a convertible one that DD is using as a toddler bed for now. We will move her to a new bed and use the crib again for DS. I am debating buying a Newton Mattress this time around. It was just becoming popular when we had DD and I didn’t buy it.

We have a pack’n’play that we use downstairs. It is nice to have something the first few weeks before I am ready to let the baby sleep upstairs when I am downstairs doing things. I think DD was around 2-3 months before I had her start doing all her naps and bedtime in the Snoo.

laurad75 · December 2020

@legallykate I loved the Rock n Play for DS. He slept in it all time and when we went on vacation when he was 7 weeks he slept in it every night. I need to find a replacement. 😢

_orchid_ · December 2020

@legallykate @laurad75 +1 for the rock and play. I used it for both kids bc they had reflux and it made such a difference. I'm nervous about what's going to happen this go around bc I need sleep! I think I'm going to see how baby does in our pack and play top attachment and then spend all the money on anything that promises sleep if it doesn't go well.

We bought a convertible crib but never actually converted it. DS1 damaged it a LOT when he was teething- we bought protectors so he couldn't chew on it but he figured out how to take them off/get around them. It looks like a beaver went at it 🤣😬 I bought a used toddler bed on fb marketplace for $15, and then we bought a bed for him when he was 3. Our furniture needs have been pretty fluid- we have a small house and our big kids now share a room, so we've bought cheap ikea furniture bc it seems like every few years we need the space to change. Once rooms are more settled/kids are bigger we'll probably spend more for furniture they can take with them when they move out.

@ramzlau soooo jealous your company gifted you a snoo!!

DoubleUp8 · December 2020

@mc0303 - Thanks for the reply! Yes, it would be dry. The dock is about 18 inches above the water and my plan was to put a towel under it to help protect it. I have a colleague who said she used it when they were at the pool with towel for padding underneath and a shade over the top.

sgrn18 · December 2020

@_orchid_ DS also chewed the crap out of the crib rails even after we got the things to cover them!! We still plan on using the crib just with those pads on it to cover the marks lol!! He was an early teether and had two teeth at 4 months old 😬. Here’s a pic in the spoiler

We used a simple Chico bassinet at the bedside for about a month and got annoyed with it. Ended up with the pack n play in the room instead until he was about 3 or 4 months old and we moved him to his room. We will likely do the same thing this time around. I was debating putting a twin bed for me in his room for a month or two and just starting him in his own room but idk if we’ll have the space for that.

I really want a snuggle me or a dock a tot for daytime/living room naps. We had a Boppy lounger and it was a life saver when DS wouldn’t sleep. It made him feel snuggled while not being held so I could get some stuff done.

it_is_a_baby · December 2020

I have the boppy lounger and loved it, but I think I’m going to get the Pello pillow this time. My friends love it. It’s similar to the boppy lounger, but much bigger. They say their kids still lay in now even though they are older.

Omie_Wise · December 2020

@DoubleUp8 When DS1 was 8 weeks old we took him to Hawaii and I used the dock a tot for the beach. We set him up under an umbrella and had a little fan on him. It worked great! As mentioned, they sell a special sun attachment now.

legallykate · December 2020

@sgrn18 DD chewed the sides of her wooden crib too, I am getting a metal one this time!

_orchid_ · December 2020

@sgrn18 yes that's what ours looks like too! I went in after one nap and a big piece of wood was missing that we never found 😳 ds2 was not a biter, but we used the same rail protectors and then cut a bit of fleece that we tried through every slot along the rail so he couldn't slide it around.

ashaislurking · December 2020

Bassinet: Delta Smooth Glide Bedside Bassinet

Pack n Play: Baby Trend Retreat Nursery Center
Crib: Fisher-Price Liam 4-in-1 Convertible Crib

Omie_Wise · December 2020

@legallykate We have a metal crib and my kids have scrapped the paint off with their

teeth 🙄🙄

MelissaMay82 · December 2020

DD has chewed the top of her crib rail too. It’s not terrible and I think that I could sand it and touch up the paint. I plan to get the same set for the baby so I’m trying to decide if I want to give dd the new set or the baby. I guess it depends on if we are going to move dd to the 3rd br and keep the 2nd br as the nursery.

legallykate · December 2020

@Omie_Wise oh noooo what is with these kids chewing literally everything?!?

laurad75 · December 2020

Who has a Dock A Tot and what are the reasons that I need one? I found some on FB Marketplace but they are still pricey so I need to justify the purchase to my husband.

tooraloorah · December 2020

It seems like a lot of you ladies like the SNOO. Is it worth it for baby #3?

My girls were good sleepers until the 4 month sleep regression when it got bad, but they also slept in the rock and play, which isn’t recommended now.

Omie_Wise · December 2020

@laurad75 We have one. I don't want the safe sleep brigade coming at me so don't.... but we let our kids sleep in it. I am not sure when they start but it has definitely helped my babies sleep better. The dock plus the ollie swaddle had my first born STTN around 8 weeks, I mean that obviously didn't last but we did get a couple weeks or maybe a month of great sleep before it fell apart again. There have also been a couple of nights when my babies would not sleep in their bassinet and they ended up in our bed. When they are really small, it was nice to have a little space for them. It's also really nice to have a bed for the baby that you can carry around the house. This was more important when we had our second. With our first though, we traveled a lot when he was a baby and it was nice that we could bring his bed with us wherever we went. Again, though none of this is safe sleep and as any good keyboard warrior will tell you, I'm lucky my children are still alive after such negligent flouncing of the rules. That in all likelihood I will probably ignore again because lack of sleep makes me desperate.

laurad75 · December 2020

@Omie_Wise thank you and no judgement here. DS slept in a rock n play for months which is now considered a lethal weapon so ....

mc0303 · December 2020

@laurad75 I have one too and used it for sleeping all the time. Don’t @ me. It was a lifesaver the first few weeks. Also took it with me to the bathroom and around the house while I was getting ready. It cuddles them perfectly so they can’t roll out...until they’re like 8 months old. It really was the only thing my babe slept in until I got the SNOO and then he slept in that at night at Dock a Tot for naps.

@tooraloorah I loved my SNOO and am happy to have it for my next baby. That said, it is rather expensive and you can only use it for 6 months-ish. They have great resale value though!!

marebear15 · December 2020

I still miss my RnP so much 😭 I had it for my first, my second was a literal angel and always slept in her crib. But if we have another like my first I'm going to be crying my eyeballs out. I haven't found a safe replacement.

legallykate · December 2020

@marebear15 I will confess that I kept my two (yes two) RnPs. Will avoid using them at all costs, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I have the Owlet Smart Sock so I'd at least feel a bit safer putting him in one with that if he refuses to sleep anywhere else like my daughter did.

llamamamawearspajamapants · December 2020

@Omie_Wise we have soooo many pictures of DD as a baby, sleeping in the RnP. She napped/ lounged in it for a solid 8 months.

I feel like the RnP is the new crib bumpers, lol. I found pictures of myself and my twin sister in our crib with a slew of stuffed animals and the crib bumpers. This was also a droplatch crib we learned how to climb out of every night

Somehow we survived the 80’s!

sgrn18 · December 2020

Ooh yes the safe sleep police! Lol 😂 I never talked about anything sleep related with my friends or anyone for fear of the backlash. DS was the WORST sleeper from day one. The boppy lounger was a literal godsend. It helped with the reflux/ colic since it’s a touch inclined. We went to toys r us (RIP) when DS was about a month old and saw a couple registering for stuff. MH (my antisocial, avoids talking to strangers husband) actually went up to them and started convincing them the boppy lounger was literal gold. Cracks me up thinking back on it.

marebear15 · December 2020

The only thing I'm going to say about safe sleep is if you are going to bed share (co-sleep in American terms), there are ways to set it up safely. It's more unsafe to be laying on the couch or sitting in a rocking chair and accidentally fall asleep with your baby in your arms, than to set up a safe sleep space in your own bed.

(That being said, I'm still to nervous to actually sleep well with my baby in my bed. But on desperate nights, I have done this on occasion because I found myself sleeping unsafely with the baby.)

tooraloorah · December 2020

@legallykate I kept my 2 RNPs, as well. As long as baby isn’t sleeping, he/she can lounge in it, right?

I’m confused how the RNP is any different than some other loungers like the baby Bjorn one.

legallykate · December 2020

@tooraloorah I think it has something to do with the angle (the reason my daughter liked it with her reflux issues) potentially compressing the baby's airway. We moved my daughter out of it and into her crib once she first showed signs of being able to roll, so I wasn't ever concerned with her ending up face down in it which I think was the other issue with some of the tragic incidents.

mindyb2019 · December 2020

@legallykate I saw the owlet smart sock and really want to buy it so baldy. Are you able to tell me stuff about it? Is it worth the price and work well? its on my Amazon baby registry. Love to hear your thoughts.

it_is_a_baby · December 2020

@mindyb2019 We have the Owlet Smart Sock and my husband and I agree it is worth the money. My son went to sleep one night and was sound asleep and the heart rate detector started alarming. I text his pediatrician because it was the middle of the night and I didn’t know what to do. He was sound asleep and it turned out he had a high fever. I never would’ve known without the alarm. His fever was dangerously high and I am so grateful it alarmed to it. He didn’t have a fever when I put him to bed.

My husband and I had heard life saving stories and we agreed that if we ever needed it, it would be worth the money. If we didn’t need it we would be grateful for that. Some people worry it’ll stress them out. Honestly, I 100% believe I actually slept because I knew the alarm would notify me. My husband and I could sleep soundly and not worry about our babe sleeping.

sgrn18 · December 2020

I have the owlet smart sock too and suffered from PPA. Having it gave me comfort and allowed me to sleep more soundly. Which in turn helped with the PPA. I kept it and will be using it again 100% worth the money for my sanity lol

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