Moms did you use a bassinet first and then a crib for your newborn?

Question

from your experience did you use a bassinet for your newborn or use a crib right away. I have seen articles advocating one or the other. if you used a bassinet, for how long and was it easier?

Answer 1

At night, I mostly co-slept with all of my children because I nursed them. I know people are hard against this, but I'm a VERY light sleeper and it was great. Other than that, I used a bassinet during the daytime and right by my bed some nights. The crib was set up, however, it wasn't used until the baby was around 2-3 months. The great thing about a bassinet is that it is portable and you can push it around the house to wherever you are. I didn't use the bassinet too long, maybe 3 or 4 months.

Answer 2

I got hand-me-down bassinet & crib. Honestly, if I do it over, I'd use NEITHER. Bassinet is a nice place to set the baby down like in the family room for the first 3 month. A nice to have but definitely can save the $$$. A crib is just too big and bulky and so hard to MOVE. I'd have the baby sleep with me for the first year or so, then move the baby to a regular bed and put rails on the side.

Answer 3

We didn't use a bassinet. I think they are a waste of money and space. The baby is fine in a crib right away. The rails and mattress raise and lower for easy access and safety of the child. Bassinets generally are kept at the parent's bedside and can result in less sleep for mom and dad (hearing baby all night, nervousness, etc.) Plus, you don't have to worry about transition issues (if any would arise) from the bassinet to the crib.

Answer 4

I never thought about it, and I've never seen any issues on it like what you mentioned. I used the bassinet first, then crib, cuz that's what my mom had always done and that's what was normal to me. I kept my daughter in the bassinet in my room until she got too big for it. She was smaller to begin with, so it was probably for longer than most people use it. I used the one my mom had, same with the crib, so I didn't have the money issue of whether or not to buy one. Basically, when you notice they first try to roll over it's a good idea to move them to the crib, obviously due to safety reasons.

Answer 5

I didn't really like the rocking bassinets (my SIL let me borrow hers). I DID like the basket you could carry around with you. When the baby was small, first 3 months, I used that and took it with us everywhere so the baby had some place to sleep. They have so much new stuff these days better than just 10 years ago, so look around.

I found the babies all loved being snug and tight and warm in a small environment like that rather than in a huge crib for the first while. I would just put the basket in the crib at home and the babies were at the point they wanted to stretch and turn or outgrew it I switched them over.

Some of those baskets have stands too so in a way they are like bassinets. I just didn't like the wood ones like my SIL gave me and it rocked too which was useless as the baby would just kind of wedge into one corner against the bars of wood. Lots to be said about the newer things these days! :~) I slept all my babies by our bed until they were old enough to sleep through the night. I would go nurse in the nursery though so as not to wake hubby.

Answer 6

I did cause I wanted the baby right by me and not in my bed so I used the bassinet until the baby was 6 weeks or so and then into the crib.

Answer 7

well I used a bassinet for my 1st son but that was in 85 and I used cribs for my other 2 kids born in 92 and 95. Bassinets are fine up till like there 5th month ,thats when they will start pulling up and need to be moved to a crib for sure.

Answer 8

I never used a bassinet on the first night home from the hospital I put my daughter in the crib.

Answer 9

We used a bassinet for the first couple of weeks and then we used a pack and play because our son quickly outgrew the bassinet. We had our son in our room for the first 6 weeks and then we moved him into his room. Our son is a very light sleeper and thrashes about in his sleep and makes tons of noise. Neither of us were getting any sleep.

It probably wasn't until he was about 2 months old when we finally got him a crib. It's worked out much better. He gets better sleep and wakes up happier.

The bassinet was easier since i could have it right next to my bed since i nursed for the first 2 weeks of my son's life. The peace of mind of having him in the room with me was priceless, but it's hard because if you have a noisy sleeper like my son then you'll get virtually no sleep on top of the little you already get. On top of that, i was on percocet after my c-section and it gave me extremely vivid nightmares of my son dying every night. If my son were in the other room, i can't imagine what i would have done.

I advocate bassinets, but i think whatever you are most comfortable with is the best for your family.

Answer 10

I used a bassinet first because I had a small bedroom and because her crib was set up in her room and I didn't want her that far away. She was in there until she was about 4 months old, (she started rolling over). I didn't move her into her crib until she was 5 months old and had pretty good sleeping habits.