For moms that skipped the bassinet and went straight to a crib a question...?

Question

Everyone is so adamant about the use of a bassinet i guess just because the newborn looks more secure in it since its smaller. Since you went straight to a crib what measure did you take to feel comfortable with this choice? I know there is swaddling for the little ones, but anything else you did?

Answer 1

I know it looks weird to put such a tiny baby in a huge crib, but we just put him in there. sometimes he was swaddled, sometimes not... My husband always used to put him in sideways so that he didn't look so tiny, but I always put him the same way. I do try to use both ends of the crib though, because at first we always used the same spot and I think the mattress started to compress a little there and it was still fluffy everywhere else, so it looked like there was a sunken spot. The kid will be fine, it just looks strange. Good luck!

Answer 2

Basically the reason parents use bassinets is because its a "crib on wheels" and you can have the baby next to the bed when you're sleeping
Its more of a convenience than a necessity but I would suggest that whatever you do.. DONT let the baby sleep with you in the same bed. Anything can happen! Which is probably why bassinets are so popular nowadays.
I dont have any kids but my sister does and she never used a bassinet really. If you want your baby to be in the same room while you sleep and you have limited space, get a bassinet. Otherwise, put the crib in your room for a few months until the risk of SIDS has lowered as the baby grows older. I know new mothers can be very worried about newborn babies. Just check on your baby a lot if youre worried or get a video baby monitor, I hear they work great!

Answer 3

New moms (I've been there) are paranoid about EVERYTHING! What is the difference between putting your kid in a bassinet or an empty bathtub or swimming pool? They all have flat bottoms and high sides... the difference is that a crib or bassinet is comfier. Most babies prefer being tightly swaddled (they just spent too much time all tight, so it comforts them) so blankets laying on top of them is silly and an entanglement issue, especially if it's one Great-Aunt Gertrude knitted. My Dr.s told me that *if* my daughter became fussy about being swaddled, then just dress her warmly instead of wrapping her up or putting a blanket on her.

Your baby isn't going to go anywhere. It's a baby. A newborn at that. You're not a bad Mom for being OK and confident in the equipment you've purchased or received to keep your child safe. If a crib was a bad idea, we wouldn't have them anymore.

My rational thinking got me through the irrational purchases and thoughts I sometimes swayed toward. It was also helpful to have a friend and/or family member with me or on call in times like those.

Keep a clear head and don't be afraid to ask if you're being silly - you probably are, but that's OK!!

Congratulations!

Answer 4

The main reason most people use bassinets is that you can have the baby in your bedroom for the first couple of months without having them in your bed but also without having a big crib in your room taking up space.

If you just want to go straight to the crib, that's fine, just keep your baby monitor turned up enough. As others said, they will wiggle out of any swaddling or props pretty quickly. But if you want a bassinet, you can get one for $30 to $40 at Wal-Mart if nobody you know has a hand-me-down available when you need.

Answer 5

I have a towel that we folded longways and rolled it up on both ends and put the rolled ends down and tucked a receiving blanket over it and put it in the crib. We put it at the end so his feet would be at the foot of the crib.
I used the pack and play bassinet for 2 weeks and then decided to use the crib. Since day 1 my baby only wakes up once in the middle of the night to eat and never really cries.
Alot of people think I am crazy fro not keeping my baby in the room with me for the first 3 months, especially since I am breastfeeding, but I think it is more hazardous to both of us because I don't wake up all the way if I am in my own room and I was falling asleep while I was holding him and that botheres me.
Now that he is in his own room, I can get up and wake up and turn on some music and sit in the glider and change him and feed him without waking hubby!
I also have good monitors and I wake up the first time he coos and I get to him before he starts crying.

Answer 6

I have never used a bassinet for either of my 2 sons...I had one of those devices that keeps them from rolling over, but generally you dont need anything...just put them in the crib swaddled and thats it....also make sure the crib and mattress fit snuggly together and your crib bars are up to regulation so the baby doesnt get caught between the mattress and the crib or fall through the bars....

Answer 7

You are right! Its more about how it looks. Newborns will be fine even if you put them on a bed.
The only thing to keep in mind about newborns babies is that give them a similar feel as they were in the womb. So swaddle is very good. Also by the baby's head roll some cotton blankets and keep them like you see on a car seat. The less they move the more secure they feel. Its like how uncomfortable you feel if you were dangling on a tree although you are capable of it. Will take them time to be comfortable with their new found freedom. So try to emulate the womb.
My baby would wake up if the swaddle was loose.
All the best for your newborn !

Answer 8

Just make sure it's a newer crib in good working order for baby's safety - the slats have to be not more than a 2 3/8" apart, etc... baby will sleep erratically no matter where (s)he sleeps. Mine started in a crib for a year and ended up in my bed for another year. Don't waste money on both a bassinet and a crib.

Answer 9

We used a bassinet downstairs for during the day, simply because you don't have to bend down as much, but a crib upstairs. I put them on their back with the feet at the bottom of the crib, covered them with a blanket and tucked it in at the sides and bottom, as recommended by the midwife, and we had no problems at all.

Answer 10

I skipped a bassinet, but I haven't put my son in his actual baby bed yet. My sister had a Graco Pack N Play with her girls and she loaned it to me. It has the bassinet type thing in it, but it's obviously not as small as the "old-school bassinets".

I still feel a little unnerved even having him close to my side of the bed when I go to sleep. My sister gave me something that helps out with the worrying. It's a wedge looking thing that I can lay on each side of him so he stays on his back (or on his side). Also, I did read something in a book from our pediatrician. To cover the baby up and not have to be worried about a loose blanket, get a long enough blanket to extend to each side of the baby bed and tuck it under the mattress after putting the baby about waist high underneath it. Chances are he/she wouldn't wiggle enough to get it anywhere near the face.