Advice on a Bassinet?

I myself am a first time mom, my little one is going to be three Sat 4/26. I placed his cradle right beside myside of the bed. Many may say this is the wrong thing to do but my gut feeling was to have him right beside of me. I was scarred and didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I had monitors to place in his room but I was affraid that I wouldn't hear him. Plus I wanted to look at him just as much as I could for I had to get back to work in a short 6 weeks. Right or wrong I am happy with my choice. Best of luck! :)

Both my babies slept in a bouncy chair, swing, and in the bed with me for the first few months. They did not like the hard, lonley bassinet. Your baby needs lots of sleep but remember you need sleep as well, so just do what works best for you and your little one. Lots of luck

T., do not waist your $$$$ on bassinet....get a cosleeper(that clips to the bed) or pack n play with the bassinet option.......or your little one might prefer bouncy seat ,your bed, swing, crib to sleep in (our second would only sleep in the bouncy till he was 4 months old)Whatever works girl:)

Everyone has their own opinnion about baby & where they should sleep those first few weeks & honestly Do what feels right for you. For us it was letting our son sleep in HIS crib in HIS room from the first day. we never wanted to have him in our room or to have him in our bed. He now is almost 2 yo & wont sleep anywhere BUT his bed. When it comes time for naptime or bedtime he comes up to us w/ Louie (his stuffed animal) in tow & grabs our hands tugging sayin nini.

The best place for baby to sleep is where you BOTH get good sleep. For some moms, that's having baby in bed with them. For other moms, it's having baby in a crib in another room.

Personally, we put baby in our bed from day one. Contrary to what most (well meaning, but ill-informed) people will tell you, co-sleeping IS NOT any more dangerous than crib sleeping. But you do have to take certain precautions to keep baby safe, just as you would with crib sleeping.
Here's a link to kellymom.com with some great info on how to cosleep safely: http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/familybed.html

Co-sleeping has tons of benefits that unfortunately many moms miss out on because of the stigma that our so-called modern country puts on it. The US has the highest rate of crib use. There are entire countries practicing co-sleeping. And what do you think our ancestor did? For centuries?

Here's an excellent article by Dr. Sears on the benefits and his personal experience with cosleeping:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp

Obviously, I am very pro-cosleeping. But don't feel bad if it doesn't work for you. But I also want to tell you that the instinct to have your newborn very close to you, even at night, is just that, an instinct. A good, natural, God given mothering instinct. Dont feel guilty about it and dont let others tell you to "toughen up" or that you'll spoil the baby. And I PROMISE you, co-sleeping is the best way for a nursing mom to get sleep.

Congrats on your new baby and I wish you the best!!

My eldest slept in a crib from the very first night home (our rooms were right next to each other), and that worked just fine. Our youngest started out in our room in bassinet we borrowed from a friend, and when he outgrew it a couple of months later, we just used a pack n' play in our room. He slept in that in our room until he was six months old and then we moved him to the crib. Normally I would have put him in a crib right away too, but we were waiting for our oldest son to transition out of the crib and into a toddler bed, and we wanted to make sure the oldest had enough time to adjust since the boys would be sharing a room.

Ultimately your baby will be fine in whatever he sleeps in as long as you've taken all the precautions for SIDS. Pick whichever sleep option feels right to you. Congrats on your little one and good luck!

The best place for a baby to sleep is a)safe and b)going to allow you to get some sleep ;).

Seriously though, every baby and every mom is different, some co-sleep, some use a bassinet some go straight to crib some sleep with their baby on them! etc etc etc. There is no telling whats going to work for you, and it will probably be trial and error for the first week (heck, who am I kiding? Its ALL trial and error lol) but you get the hang of it and do whats right for you.

I swore up and down I would never co-sleep, but my daughter slept in my bed for the first 7 months because it was the best way for both of us to get sleep. Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep. You never realize just how precious it is until you dont have it anymore ;).

Congratulations on your new baby! I have an almost 3 year old son and researched everything like crazy, so I can tell you what I learned...
Sleeping with momma helps baby to regulate his breathing, and studies show that their breaths and heartrates will synchronize. This has shown to reduce sids and help baby sleep deeper. So after all the research, we decided that it was best to have our baby sleep with us. It was also MUCH easier for nursing (the best thing you can give your baby!) because you don't have to get up at night! We also had a cosleeper at the side of the bed, but having baby in bed became so much easier that we hardly used the sleeper, and we ended up not even using the crib...maybe for a nap or two. Now, our son still sleeps with us and we love it. He has his own bed and is wanting to sleep in it, so we aren't worried that he will be 10 and still sleeping with us...enjoy it while you can because they grow up so fast!

My lo is a mth old and my other one is 2 yrs old and i co-sleep. HOwever this time around ds is in the bassinet right beside my bed so i can rock it to get to sleep. He also sleeps in the bouncer and swing when downstairs. when he wakes for his night dream feed he stays in bed with me which ends up just being about an hr total of him being in the bed before my dd comes in and wakes us up. he loves the bassinet and so do i. I also have the pack n play with teh bassinet on it downstairs so that helps to.

My baby slept on my chest for 6 months. Don't let this happen to you!!! Talk about sleep deprived. I wish I would have never done that. I would put a bed for yourself in the baby's room instead of bringing the baby into your room (if you can) and put the baby in the crib with you next to her. My daughter is 4 years old and still has problems getting to sleep without me.

Hi T.,

This is what I did with my son. It may not be what the experts agree on, but it made me happy and resulted in a very well adjusted child. (He is now mid-twenties.)

When we brought him home he slept on my chest for six months, I then put him in his baby bed (in our room) on my side of the bed where I could put my hand through the rails and touch his little back until he was eighteen months old. Then we moved his baby bed into his room and I would rock him to sleep and then put him down in his bed. (Only after I had gotten enough hugging/cuddling time and this sometimes lasted hours) He would sleep through the night and we never had the separation anxiety. (Well, maybe on my part. HA! HA!) I just couldn't get enough of my little one......A little info here might help you understand my actions. I lost my first son at two and one-half months old and took ten years to have another baby. I kept his bassinet in what ever room I was doing chores in for him to lay in while I worked.

Hope this helps.

C. K

My mom gave me a Moses Basket before my baby was born. I thought it was kind of weird and I wasn't sure that I would even use it but when I brought my sweet baby home from the hospital we found that it was perfect for him to sleep in during the day AND night! It's small enough that I would take it from room to room, where ever we were and at night I would just put it in his crib. I used it at night because the crib seemed so big for such a tiny little person. He only needed it for a couple of months but I will definitely use it again with my next baby.

Hi T. -

I am also a first time mom & had no idea where my son should sleep when I brought him home. I was lucky enough to have a friend let me borrow her bassinet & I LOVED it. It was made by Graco and had a vibration feature, which was great for colic times! I also liked having him near me, (I put it on my side of the bed) but not in the bed with my husband and I. He slept in it until about 8 weeks, at which time I moved him to his crib and he did great.

Hi T.,
I had a bassinet that had wheels on it and I LOVED it. I kept my daughter in it for about 3 months and my son for 5 months. They slept in our room beside of me (our bedrooms are on opposite sides of the house) for that time. We had to move our daughter to a pack and play from 3-6 months while in our room. She outgrew the bassinet.

Anyway, with the bassinet on wheels, when my family came to help with the baby, I could roll it into the living room or another room and I could get some rest while they cared for my little darlings. This was helpful during the day and on the occasion night.

Having our children in our room for those first few months was AWESOME. I could hear their every breath and movement and felt confident that they were safe near my husband and me.

Congratulations on your new little guy! Motherhood is the most exhausting job you'll ever have - and by FAR, the most WONDERFUL!!!

Good Luck!
A.

We already had the pack n play that had the bassinet inside, so that's what we used. And she slept in that in our room for 4 months. I don't know what kind of set up you have in your house, but I wished I had a place for my daughter to sleep downstairs and upstairs (the pack n play was upstairs). I would consider getting either an extra pack in play at a consignment sale or on craigs list to keep downstairs, or possibly a used bassinet.

I recomment a pack-n-play that has a bassinet option. We currently are using that and have put one of the "Snuggle Nests" in it. (The snuggle nest is actually made to be an in-bed co-sleeper.) It's working out quite well. The Snuggle Nest will also be able to be used in his crib when we are ready to move him to the nursery.

Hi T.,

Sleeping with a newborn if you're breastfeeding (or you just want to) is the best thing ever. You're not running out of bed every 10 minutes to see if they're breathing, because when you wake up in a panic (as I did) you just have to look over at their little sleeping form.

My daughter slept with me until she was about 7 months old and she seemed to be having disturbed sleep because I was there. I moved her to a pack and play in my room for a couple of weeks, and then into her own room. She still prefers to sleep on her own at age 2, even if she wakes up screaming from a dream! I'll bring her to my bed for comfort and by the time we're settled she'll wake up and say "Mama, why I in Your Bed? I want go to My Bed."

I guess the only thing I really wanted to reassure you about is that sleeping with your newborn doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to have problems getting him into his own bed later. Just follow your instincts about what is right for your child.

Good luck, and enjoy your baby boy!

Personally, I didn't feel that a bassinet was worth the investment, considering the short-term use before they outgrow them. Plus, it's a change that they have to go through when you make the transition to the crib. Better to sleep in the crib right from the beginning.

Hi! Congratulations! Our son slept in a bassinet for a few weeks, but he wanted my hand to touch him while he slept...just a little spoiled. Needless to say, I couldn't get very comfortable with one hand up and over into a bassinet. So when I was pregnant with my daughter I looked into the co-sleepers but thought they were a little pricey for no longer than I would use it. I opted for the Simplicity 4-1 comvertible bassinet from Babies R Us. It was about $90 and I loved it!! It had a removable bar so it was also a co-sleeper! I would highly recommend it, even if the baby will only be in your room as short while. It was worth $90 for me to not have to go down the hall to get her in the middle of the night when she first came home. Good luck!

HI! I had my daughter sleep in a bassinet beside my bed for the first 6 weeks. I slept in the guest room with her so that my hubby could get rest and only one of us would be sleep deprived! By 6 weeks she was getting too big for it and I moved her to her crib. She loved the extra space! However, I still slept on the floor in her room (it wasn't that bad and made me feel better to be close to her even though she was in the crib) because she was getting up every 3-4 hours. I wanted to be able to breastfeed her whenever she needed it and also allow her to learn to soothe herself in her crib. When she began to sleep longer, I returned to our bedroom. She now sleeps soundly in her crib for 12-14 hours a night at 6 months old. HTH :)

I agree w/the other ladies. Both my children only stayed in the bassinet for maybe 2weeks. The one that attaches to your bed sounds like a good idea, because i think it can be used as a play pin later. I sure bet our mothers didn't have all these choices. Good day and God Bless you.

I used my pack n play it has 2 levels one ay down then one higher up for little babys. it worked great b/c its light weight and i can break it down in our room and move it other places.

I have a 6 month old baby girl and the best advice from my experience is to go to websites like Target or Babies R Us, find bassinetts that interest you (preferably with rocking options) and read any and all rating reviews. That really helped me and I was able to select a couple, look for specific features according to the reviews of others, and find something I was really happy with.

Hope this helped even a litte.

A.

The best place is near you. I love the mini-cosleeper. Its great - esp. If you are going to nurse and safe. I wish I had it for my first born.

I used a bassinet with wheels. It was great in our one-story bungalow. I could wheel my boy to the kitchen, bathroom, opr wherever I went. he was always close, and that was a good thing because he had a breathing emergency that I would not have discovered had he not been in the same room with me. It was also nice because it helped keep him warm (he was a winter baby). My husband and I liked it because the baby could sleep very close to us without actually being in the bed with us. We used the bassinet until he was 20 pounds. I think they are a good choice for one-story houses or at least the ground floor. Good luck and congratulations on the new baby!

We used our Pack n Play. It's great for using on vacation, in hotel rooms, around the house or outside. But we first used it in our bedroom when our babies came home from the hospital. Ours had a bassinet and changing table attachment. It worked great and we used it until our babies were 2. It's also great to have if you have guests staying over or visiting that have a baby.

Speaking from experience...there are two things to look for when purchasing a pack n play. 1) Get one that is narrow enough to roll through the doorways in your home 2) Get one that has mesh around the top so you can see your baby without having to get up and look inside.

If you get one that has the bassinet and changing table, you're probably going to spend anywhere from $60 - $100.

Good luck!

My son sleep in our room for about four months. We used the pack 'n' play with a bassinet. What I loved most about using it is that it came with a changing table and diaper/wipe holder. It made night time diaper changes very easy. I never had to leave my bedroom in my dazed state of mind.

My kids are 5 and 10 so it's been a while since I've had a newborn - my advice might be out of date!! Most moms want to sleep with their babies and we all did a couple of times!! Doctors will tell you the safest place for them to sleep is in their own bed because of SIDS deaths and all. Now I don't know who makes them now, but there was something called a sleep-n-play that was a combination of a playpen that had a small platform bassinet that attached to the top. I loved mine because the bassinet part was so high compared to other bassinets and was about the level of my bed. You didn't have to bend over so far to get to them. (The bassinet hung into the playpen part about a foot so the baby can't roll off.) I could be near my kids without the fear of squishing them ot not hearing them!! The playpen part of it was also handy because it was used when they got a little older. Did I mention the whole thing folds up into about a 1 foot square by 3 foot long box?! Very easy to take along to friends houses or picnics or anywhere!! Hope this info helped and congratulations! Welcome to a whole different and wonderful life!

Your room while the baby is waking up at short intervals at night, about 2-4 weeks, will save you the trouble of walking down the hall or even getting out of bed, but once the little bundle of sleep deprivation calms down for longer periods at night make the move to the nursery. You will sleep so much better. I highly advise a baby monitor to give you some peace of mind once you make the move to the nursery.

All 5 of my children slept in a bassinet next to my bed. I did not share a bed with them as I feared I would fall asleep and harm them. Trust me, you will be so exhausted, LOL.

When they started scootin' around a lot or trying to roll over then I switched them to a crib in their room. We didn't have sleep issues with any of them.

Best of luck to you & congrats!

With my first son he had his own room and slept in his own bed from day one. With my second son, he had bassinet in our bedroom, though he often ended up sleeping with us for the first couple of months, then in his bassinet in our bedroom, then in t he bassinet in the living room, then finally in his own bed in his room. So, after having done both, I really think having him in his own bed in his own room w as MUCH better. It was easier, and you still get plenty of cuddle time with your wee one... but you aren't FORCED to just so as he can sleep. It eliminates there ever having to be a habit to break for either of you, helps the child develop a sense of self and a sense of well being even when he is not right in your arms. It lets a child now from the very first that just because he isn't being held doesn't mean he isn't loved and cared for and lets him know as soon as he capable of understanding it that you will ALWAYS come when he needs you, even if you're not right there. I just think it is so much better for the baby and you and your marriage. There is nothing wrong with having your baby close by, but know that he doesn't have to sleep close by at night for you to experience cuddle time. There are snuggly naps, and I would also go get my son in the morning and bring him to bed with me. He would nurse and lay with me for a couple of hours or more, and then we would start our day. It was wonderful. Best of Luck!

IDEA: when my baby came I lived at my mother's in my old room (small) we had a dresser, my full bed, her crib, a night stand, two nightstands... not much, what I am trying to get at is set up her crib in your room... your extra dresser or furniture in her room until it is time for her to go into her own room. That will save you from "going down the hall" or from spending needless money on something to keep you from "going down the hall" I DID GREATLY APPRECIATE having her in the room with me to begin with- until I knew her sounds and what not... however, once she got old enough, a couple months or so, to actually be able to see me when she stirred at an earlier time than she should have been waking- I was wishing I had a separate room. In fact, I slept on the couch often just for that reason!!!!

Bassinets are very adorable, but please don't use it as the main bed for baby... as he/she grows, the bassinet will not and he/she will become accustomed to sleeping in only it! Therefor making for a difficult transition period and then of course there will be another likely difficult transition to a toddler bed- unless you are lucky like I was. We moved into a new house when my little one was a couple months from turning three, so, I bought her a new bed and told her we would put it together when she was ready but the old bed would not be back, and 2 days later she told me she wanted her "big girl bed"

NEWBORNS need to sleep on their backs on a very firm surface with no pillows or quilts!!! Yes the pictures of a well matchinng nursery are beautiful but the blankets are for show only- not for use on a child who doesn't yet have the strength, or knowledge to turn/lift their head if they can not breathe.

I will say, there are going to be lots, and lots, and lots of naps at first. be sure and PICK ONE to single out as BEDTIME, even if you know darned well the baby will be up again in 2 hours... treat it as BEDTIME or NGHT-NIGHT! Later on, this will help the baby to know that that time is differet than all the other "go-to-bed" times during the day. At 8:00pm from the first night of my child's life, I bathed her, put her in her PJ's, read her a book, then sang her a song! At 2 months old... no matter where we were at 7:00-7:30 she would visually inform me that she was supposed to be getting ready for bed! slept through the night at one month!

Another thing, it is VERY hard to break a older child of sleeping in the bed with you so (my advice, practiced myself) don't do it unless the baby/child is sick, or on special occassions! How can you make a 12 month old understand that mommy and daddy want the bed to themselves tonight? Don't set yourselves up to hurt their little feelings later.

HTH
amyb789
www.LaButterflyGifts.com

Our son started out in the First Years Close and Secure Sleeper which I know you can get at Target. He stayed in that until he was about six months old (I nursed him) then he fell in love with his Moses basket and stayed in that three more months (he's a little on the short side). The only thing my daughter would sleep in was an old car seat with no straps. The day she learned to roll over, she slept in her crib the whole night. Every baby is different. My son was not impressed with his sister's favorite. If you're going to try an expensive option, I would try to borrow one or go to a place like Once Upon A Child. We spent hundreds of dollars on different things neither would sleep in. Good luck and congrats!

Hi T.,
We used the Arm's reach mini co-sleeper and absolutely loved it. I loved being able to just roll over and look at my baby to check him. I think it also helped me to learn what his normal sleeping baby sounds were, so I didn't end up jumping up to check him every time he made a noise. If you will be breast feeding, it is so easy- you barely have to wake to feed him. The mini size worked out well for us- we were ready to move him to the crib in his room at about the same time he started getting a little big for it.
For me, as a new momma, the best thing to fall asleep to was the sound of my baby's breathing.
Congratulations! Whatever you are most comfortable with is the best way for your family.

Whether or not you're thinking about co-sleeping and/or breastfeeding I would highly recommend the Arm's Reach co-sleepers. If you do plan to breastfeed I'd say its a must.
I used a borrowed full-size one with my older child and a mini-co-sleeper with my younger child. They both sit hooked up (from under the mattress) to your bed so you can reach out and touch and even almost hold the baby all night. Although we were never really worried about rolling over on the kids it will ease that fear if you have it. The baby can stay in them until they are able to sit up. (Although I admit my older slept in his until he was nine months and just crawled into our bed) For us the reason we went with the smaller the second time around (the mom that loaned the big one had another baby) was simply a matter of space. Like pack-n-plays they are easy to set up and put down after you've done it a few times but I think they seem a little more comfortable and safe to me. I don't remember retail on the full size (the mini retails at $130-ish) but you can find them both on ebay type sites for $90 sometimes less. (if you do plan not to co-sleep long term, like we did with our second, you can just start moving the sleeper further and further away each night until you're ready to transfer to their own room)

Bassinets are awesome! True you only use them for 3 months, but it is cheaper than a cosleeper, you don't have to go across the hall/house/up-down stairs in the middle of the night. The babies sleep better and so does mom!

For my second child, I bought a bassinet at a consignment sale at a local church- I paid maybe $40 for it and washed all of the cloth-- it was a Fisher Price (Good Vibrations I think)-- either way, I had it next to my bed for almost 5 months and then I transferred her to her crib (upstairs... hence the need for the bassinet). I actually ended up donating it when Hurricane Katrina hit-- our city accepted a lot of the refugees and I was involved with that recovery process-- so it found a good home. I was happy I didn't spend a significant amount of money on it because the time she was in there was so short.

Congrats on your new son!

Mel

I have a 1 month old little girl. I debated wether to use the bassinet or the travel pack -n- play. Because we do alot of camping in the summer I chose the pack -n- play. I have the evenflo pack -n- play. It is very nice. It can be used as a play pin or you can put the top piece in for a bed where the baby is up closer for easy reach. It also has a changing table that sets on the top if you need to use it. I felt this would be benefical for my family. Because it is so nice, my mom bought one just like it to keep at her house for when she keeps the baby. I have already had the need to pack it up and take it some where for the baby to sleep in. In a few weeks I will be packing it up again because I will be going somewhere overnight. I chose not have the baby sleep with me because my husband and I are afraid that we would roll over on the baby. That really scares me. Also I did not want the baby to get used to sleeping in the bed with us. The pack -n- play puts her close to the bed till we get adjusted and we don't have to worry wether we will roll over or do something accidental to the baby while we are asleep. Putting the baby in the crib right away would be fine as someone else mentioned, but I feel it is important to have the baby close to you for the first several weeks. I hope this helps with you decision.

We have the arms reach cosleeper full size. My son is 2 months old and still fits fine in it. My 3 year old can actually still fit in it so its a good size. I like it cause I dont have to get up to get him when he wakes to nurse at night since he's right beside me.

My bast advice would be to go with your gut. I got a free crib with my oldest two kids, so I purchased a bassinet for my second child, b/c I thouhgt that would keep him out of my bed. Now with my third he has a wonderful converting crib that will grow with him, just make sure its made of quality materials or it won't last that long.

I had such an aversion to cosleeping, but honestly it is the only way I get any sleep, and my son is 8 months old. I nurse him almost exclusively, meaning once in about 3 months he gets breast milk from a cup, we skipped the bottle trama all together :)

My bast advice is do what feels best for your family, and don't be afraid to do what is best for your family. Also until I got used ot having a baby in the bed again I used one of these, http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/6332/co-sleeper-bed/ (the in the bed one)it was the best thing ever, especially since my hubby had never had a kid and never had one sleeping next to him.

I hope that helps. But mostly noone can tell you what is best for your family, only you and your family get to make that choice.

I used the Graco pack and play with the changing table, mobile, and bassinet. We put it at the end of our bed. Works really well and you can fold it up and take it with you when you travel to grandma's and grandpa's. Plus you'll also get use out of it when they get older. They make sheets for it and you can put a piddle pad/burp cloth under the sheet in case of accidents. We were also able to use the Angel Care Monitor with it also. Just have to place a hard piece of cardboard under the "mattress/floor" of the pack and play to keep the monitor stable and still. Hope this helps.

I'm a new mom too (we brought our little one home just three days ago).
We're having success with the First Years Close and Secure Sleeper (you can get it at Target).
It goes in the bed with you.
Good luck!

I have five children T. B and I brought them home to a bassinett and they stayed in my room until they outgrew the bassinet and then I put them in the crib (in the closest room to my bedroom). There may be a weaning process of getting them into the crib but that is how I did it I hope this will help.

Bassinets are great for newborns.My boys were in one for a few weeks until they out grew it and I give them to my friends and family when they have new babies.You can take the bassinet everywhere you go in the house.Walmart has one that is on a frame and rocks and has storage space under it.Check around..congrats and good luck..
S. B

T.,

Congrats on your little one! When my son was a little baby, I kept him closeby when it was bedtime to make those nighttime feedings easier. Try the Arms Reach co-sleeper...

Later on as he or she starts to sleep through the night, he can transition to a crib or other bed, but for me this was the best way to go.

Best advice I have is to get a bassinet or even just a pack n' play with the bassinet part to it, and use that in your bedroom. He will want to nurse often and having him in the room with you will allow for easy access and you can keep your eye on him as he sleeps. Good luck and congratulations.

A.

I loved the Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. It was right next to my bed, so I could easily bring my newborn in and out of bed for nursing or cuddling. I think the baby can use it until they are 20lbs or 26", which for our daughter was about 5 months. It worked great for us! Congrats on your little boy!

i am the mother of an 11yr old and i let her sleep in a bassinet in my room next to my bed for awhile but it was only for the first 3 months i let her sleep in one and then after that i moved her to a babybed which i also kept in my room.

Hi T.. My personal advice on the bassinet is - skip it. Try to get the baby to sleep in the crib from DAY 1. Even if it means you/partner/helper sleep in the nursery on a inflate-a-bed (or if you're fortunate enough to have a real bed in there too). I spent alot of money (let me rephrase - I wasted alot of money) on a bassinet that neither one of my sons slept in. They both hated it even with the incline and all the fancy positions. Babies like to be really snug so be sure to swaddle nice and tight so they can't wiggle out. Have a nurse teach you how to do this really well. Those pre-made swaddling blankets with the velcro seem to work okay - but not quite like a good thin blanket. Plus, if you get the baby used to its crib from the beginning you won't have to deal with the transition later. Another thing my kids liked was the womb sound machine - comes in a bear or some other animal but we ended up just taking the little box out of the bear. Seemed to soothe. Good luck!

I think the packnplay with the bassinet attatchment is great! The bassinet feature is great and then when they are too big for that, you still have a packnplay. My daughter slept in that on trips until she was about 3. It's important to have them close by when they sleep for a few months, especially when nursing! Best of luck to you!

both of my babies slept in the bed with me for two months. then my daughter moved to a crib in our room. she was not in her own room until she was 2 and in a big girl bed. my son went straight from our bed to his crib in his own room. it was better moving him straight to his own room at two months. sorry o dont have any better advice, just what i did.

Hi T.. I am a mom of 3 kids...10, 8, and 4, and went to school for early childhood education. I currently run a family child care home and have had this issue come up with many of the parents I work with. Of course everyone has their opiniions. I think the best is to have a bassinet or one of those pack and play's with the bassinet top. Put it right next to your bed. Then the baby is right there with you, but not in bed with you. If you have a 2 story or your bedroom is far off from the rest of the house you can put another one in a room closer to where you will be during daytime naps, although in the beginning you will want to be napping when he naps!! Keeping him in his own bassinet will make the transition to crib and then bed a whole lot easeir! Congratations on the new one and good luck with the sleeping arrangement!!

my son slept in a bassinet by our bed for almost 3 months then i moved him to his own room. congrats and good luck!

We used a Pack n' Play with the bassinet feature, which we still use today for my 4 month old.

Well when we brought our son home the first night we put him in his pack n play beside our bed, when he got a little older we put him in his crib in his room and he was about a month old then. I would suggest putting your baby in the bassinet in your room for a while, until he gets a little older.

CONGRATS on the new little one!!!

I have a 6 week old and she sleeps in a play-pin/play-yard (the ones that have a couple different levels... She sleeps in the mid level beside my bed. It works really well for me! There is nothing there for her to get tangled in, she is right beside me for easy feeding and peace of mind.

This is baby #3 for me and each of them have slept in the same thing. It is also really easy to move it around the house for midday naps, etc... I didn't have the money for a basinett and a play yard so I just got the one that would last the longest. Hope this helps!

Congratulations,
I had a hard time taking him from the pack and play to his crib. I would not advise a pack'n'play. If you can handle it I would say put him in the crib as soon as you can. I was given that advice too late. All my girl friends did it and told me they did not have any adjustment issues because that is where the baby was always used to sleeping. Remember the surfaces are different, that is what makes the adjustment issues.

Good Luck and Good bless.

We used a port-a-crib (it looks like a tiny pack n play) for a long time. It is a better option than a traditional bassinet because it doesn't have a lot of fabric or an enclosure around the top. I personally feel that it's best to have the baby in your room at first. I felt the need to check on my daughter so much that having her in another room would have just been too much work.

We started off in the crib and my son never had an adjustment.
I thought about a co-sleeper and realized that I wanted him to get comfortable in the crib and not get to used to a co-sleeper. It worked out well for our family.
Good Luck

I attached the Arm's Reach cosleeper (full size, not the mini) to my bed, and I was very happy with it. I moved my daughter, now 15 weeks old, into her crib in her room across the hall about three weeks ago -- but if I had wanted to, the cosleeper would have held her for quite awhile longer (until she could climb out of it, whenever that would have been). I moved her since she was keeping me awake with talking in her sleep and I wanted us to get used to the crib (which until then we'd used for naps) as soon as possible.

If I'd known I'd move her so soon, the pack n' play might have been a more cost-effective option -- but still, I really liked not having to get out of bed to breastfeed early on (not because I wanted to feed and sleep at the same time; I just had a lot of pain postpartum). Oh, almost forgot: I also really really enjoyed watching her sleep.

I loved our Arm's Reach Co-sleeper. Kept both kids in it for 6 months then into a crib.

My first child we lived in the city & had very little space. My Graco stroller had a bassinet feature & he napped in there during the day til he out grew it. I'd use it for a bed when we traveled while they were still very young.

go to Gracobaby.com this model has the bassinet feature:
Vie4™ Stroller 6A09LLB3

There is no picture of this feature, but it is a flap on the seat that simply flips up to create a wall in front of the tray where the child's legs go when sitting. It was the greatest feature ever for us.

I raised three and make sure that you get a crib and start that precious one sleeping in it from the beginning. They soon grow out of a bassinet and why waste the money...you are going to spend enough on other items. Also, don't let them start sleeping with you...even ifs it easy because they won't every get out of your bed. Good luck and God Bless.

I would recommend a pack-n-play. They have a bassinet part and when they grow out of that part they can sleep on the bottom. Plus the changing table comes in very handy! I bought a bassinet at first and then decided to go with the pack-n-play becasue it was more convinient. Our nursery is upstairs and our room downstairs so it was helpful to have a place for her upstairs and downstairs. Now that she sleeps in her crib it is great to travel with the pack-n-play. Congrats and good luck!

I would recommend a bassinet like this one at Babies R Us:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2404781

I had one similar to it and loved it. The bassinet part is removable and has a changing area under it. It fit nicely next to our bed for those sleepless nights. Both my kids slept in the bassinet til about 9 or 10 weeks old. But they can go longer if need be. I didn't use the rocking part but the rest of the functions were a life saver. The only problem I have with it is it's harder to clean than I would have liked. The cover is not easily removeable to throw in the washer. That was not so great with my son who sprayed everywhere. But I just put a large multi-use pad to cover up the changing area.

Hello.. I'm C. and I'm a momma of 4 little boys! Personally, I nursed our babies so I liked to have them close by for a few months...(their rooms are upstairs and mine is downstairs) we used a portacrib that has the bassinet top to it.. then you can use the portacrib later so really you are buying 1 thing instead of having to buy 2. I have always wanted the kind of bassinet that has the drop side.. it always seemed like it would have been easier that way.. its hard to explain but maybe do some checking out on the drop side portacribs or bassinets.. the best way to describe it quickly is its kind of like an extention to your bed so that way your baby isn't in your bed... which I highly recommend you don't put your prescious baby in bed with you... if your husband is anything like mine... he is such a deep sleeper and I was always afraid he would roll over on to the baby..
Hope this helps some... at least a little!
C.