Is a Bassinet Really Worth It??

I found a bassinet on wheels at a resale shop that just saved my sanity with my first born.

I could take him with me all over the house and park him at night next to the bed.

And he had jaundice so I could just roll him in front of whichever window or skylight had some sun shining in and let him get some sun.

I think it was totally worth it.

I had a bassinet for the first two and a wooden cradle for the third. I LOVED them! My first slept in his for about 3-4 months, second was about 5-6 months and my baby was almost 8 months! I think my youngest was in the cradle longer because it was significantly larger than the bassinet was. I think its totally worth it.

I used a "Moses Basket" for my son.
I too had had a repeat c-section.
It was GREAT.
My infant son at the time, LOVED the basket. I got it from Amazon.
And it is portable and you can put it in any room.
My son slept so well in it.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED it.
Wish I had it for my 1st child.

My son was a tall/big baby. He could use the Moses Basket up until about 3 months old. Then he went in the crib just fine.

EDIT:

If you're getting a play yard with the bassinet, why not just have it in the bedroom? Do you really need two beds?

I ended up getting a pack-and-play with the bassinet feature. We didn't even HAVE a crib until my eldest outgrew the bassinet on the pack and play! I mean, whats the sense in getting both the pack and play AND a bassinet AND a changing table when you can have it all in one? It worked great for me for the first 5 months or so!

Here's a great one like the one I had. I also LOVED the changing table part that is built in and flips over when you need it.

http://www.itzababything.com/GracoMorganPackNPlaywithBass...

And a fancier version:

http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Frame-Bassinet-Changing-Marlo...

You can get a play yard (pack and play) with the bassinet attachment, which would be nice for you not having to bend over a crib and walk out of the room. As for me, I had a bassinet and rarely used it. We co-slept the first several months b/c night nursing was easier and baby slept in the crib for naps. I couldn't lift my child b/c I had severe carpal tunnel for pregnancy swelling. By the time, we stopped co-sleeping the baby was too big for a bassinet. My children were also 7-8 lbs. If you have a little 5/6 lb baby, you may be able to use it for 3 or 4 months.

With my second child, we did not use a bassinet at all because we ended up giving ours away and never needed another.

I was given a beautiful, natural wicker bassinet with a hood and white eyelet bedding as a shower gift. I thought it was so extrav**ant--and it was an extrav**ant, generous gift....but SO PRACTICAL! I used t for quite a while. Get a roomy O. so you don't feel pressure to quit using it--the typical ones are very small. Definitely get O.!

I absolutely love my bassinet, I didn't have one with my first child and got just a real simple one with wheels for my second daughter and it was the best purchase I made. I'm expecting my third child in Oct. and have already pulled it back out again. Its great to have the baby so close in the middle of the night. Plus mine having the wheels made it great for when I was taking a shower I could just roll it into the bathroom without ever disturbing the baby. I wouldn't spend a ton of money on one because you only use if for the first 3 months or so. Go for something reasonably priced without all the frills and whistles. It really is great for getting your baby in the habit of sleeping by him/her self while still being really close to you. Good luck and God bless your family. :)

I borrowed one. They are used for such a short time.
I understand why you need one, but try not to spend too much money on one if you do purchase one.

it depends. my cousin had a bassinet and her baby grew so fast he was out of it within 2 mnths. I am using the one she had for her baby this time around. my son did not have one, but slept alot in his infant seat beside the bed

Either a bassinet or a cradle swing in your room would be helpful.

My son is a BIG 5 month old--20 lbs, but we are still using both in our bedroom. He naps in the swing and sleeps at night in the bassinet. Perhaps you can get a used one.

We have a Koalcraft lights & vibes (but didn't even need the lights & vibes with this kid--my first 2 DID need it.)

Brand new it was $79. If I were to sell mine (which is still spotless and works just fine--4.5 yrs old) I'd ask for about $30 for it, so a used one would be very worthwhile.

Both of my boys slept in theirs till they were about 3 or 4 months old.

You can get a used one at a great price. Just shop around.

Also, they make bassinets (co-sleeper type thing) that hook on to your bed. I would've loved one of those!

I say bassinet. I have a 5 week old in the bassinet next to me. I also have his crib in our huge bedroom and a pack n play in the living room. First, I feel like hes too little to be in his big crib and its on the other side of the room. At 1, 3, 5am the last thing i feel like doing is getting out of bed and walking across the room. Its MUCH easier to just lean over and grab him (and i had a very easy v** birth and was up and about the next day). And we actually for a few days were using the pack n play, but that got really annoying taking the pack n play up and down the stairs from bedroom to living room. So bassinet it is. I say go for it. You can get one for $70 and use it for 3-4 months. Good luck and congrats!

If I were doing it all again i'd get the pack n play with bassinet attachment. It serves as a bassinet, changing surface, playpen, and portable crib you can take with you if you travel.

I didn't plan on getting a bassinet, but one of my mom's friend's gave me her grandson's old bassinet. OH MY GOD! I don't know how I would have survived without it. After I had my son, I ended up staying in my grandmother's living room for a month (Long story). But having the bassinet made it so much easier because it was a lot easier to move around than a crib would have been. Then when I did move back home, I had the bassinet next to my bed. It made it so much easier for midnight feedings (Didn't even have to get out of bed for a while, since I breastfed for the first 6 weeks). My son started out small but got big fast and slept in his bassinet until he was a little over 4 months.

I used the bassinet until my daughter was 4 months or so. Was worth it. She never liked being swaddled and her crib was to big she wouldn't be comfortable so she slept in her bassinet since it's smaller and I think made her feel a bit more secure. I had a c section as well but I live in a small studio so the walking across the big room I have no idea but if you feel you do need it get it you are gonna be the one caring for the bby while still recovering and if you feel it would reduce a bit a stress go for it
Mayr try getting it used in craigslist
Since it will be used for a couple of months thy are near new unless passed around a couple of times
Then ou can resell it later on
Hope his helps
Good luck
Esmeralda<3

I bought a used cheapy one for $10 at Goodwill. Upon closer inspection, the thing was made from cardboard and plastic with nice fabric covering it. I think my newborn son slept in it for about 4-6 weeks (I walked down the hall to my newborn after my c-section). What I did like about it was that it was so incredibly light, I could just drag it across my carpet into the living room. I remember taking a nap on the couch with the baby at literally arms length.

So more than $40 and it's not worth it imo.

Yep it's easier and worth it.
I had a c-section too and that saved me to have the baby right there by
my bed.
It wasn't a bassinet so much as it was a cradle on wheels.
It was great because I could move it around the room or from room to
room.
Also, it was great to prop up on our one step when he had reflux (?) and
I was sleeping out on the recliner.
I couldn't have lived w/o it. :)
When he was ready to transition, we had his crib in his room.

I think a bassinet is very handy, but you definitely don't want to spend a lot of money, because your baby won't be in it long. How long depends on the bassinet size. Maybe you can borrow one from a friend. (It's really true, by the way, that some people used to use laundry baskets as bassinets decades ago.)

When my children (now grown) were born, bassinets were pretty shaky things - wicker, with fold-down legs. After maybe six weeks, the babies were too big and I needed to move them to a crib My grandchildren, on the other hand, have spent their bassinet times in pack-and-play cribs, and their parents have been able to continue using the things for a year or two, especially when they travel (like to Gran's house). Since it's built to be a crib or play pen, it's quite versatile, with an extra raised "bed" for very young ones. If it will fit, you might consider one of those.

I hope you'll do well with the c-section. It will be worth it to have your wonderful baby as a reward.

I would get a used bassinet for cheap.. you can probably sell it for the same price you pay for it.. I bought a used bassinet for $50 used it for both kids. and then sold it for $50 when I was done with it.. So it cost me nothing to have it..

I put my bassinet downstairs in the living room so the baby could sleep during the day and I could watch her.. this worked great for my first.. not so good for my second as the first would wake up the baby.

I bought a bigger size bassinet It was like the eddie bauer model with a longer mattress. My kids fit in their for almost 6 months.. It had a rectangular mattress 30 x 15???

I coslept with mykids for 6 months on the king size bed.. I never ever used my pack and play.. except for 1 night in a hotel.. the pack and play was a waste of money.

Nope they arent worth it. I just had a baby and didnt even bring it up from the basement. I only used it with one baby, until I realized they grow out of the bassinet VERY quickly.
I have bought 3 pack n plays for each kid and I used them until they were all two, for several different things. I had to get a new one each time because we used the heck out of them and they get funky.

The one I am using for my new baby is a Graco Pack n Play with the newborn napper. The napper is awesome!! Makes baby feel more secure while sleeping.

The thing is like a nursery in your room, I keep everything in it, I do not leave my room at night! Love it!!

I would for go the bassinet and just put the baby in the carseat next to me in bed so I didn't have to get up at all. Then again I can be lazy too! I would def. save your money.

After my c-section a family friend loaned us a wheeled bassinet and I have to confess it was utterly brilliant. I could wheel my little one all over the house which was very convenient. I didn't have an impossible c-section but it had its challenges. Moving around was difficult but the bassinet made it that little bit easier. I thought the bassinet was a valuable asset and I still thank our friend for her generous loan. I would try a nice consignment shop to purchase one since it won't get used for more than the first few months.

Walmart sells one which we were gifted, its called a badger baby bassinet which converts into a toybox and can double as a moses basket. We expected that we might use it for several months, our little one surprised us though by flipping very young, at 2.5 weeks.

That said, if you can afford one, and it makes your life easier, even for just a month or so, why not?

Good luck.

Can you borrow one from a friend?

Usually they're not for babies over 15 pounds or so.

We brought a bassinet with our first child. We had her probably using it for a month or a month in a half.

The second we were going to use it again,but our daughter(our first) thought it was funny b/c it had wheels at the bottom and she could push it around the house,plus we were afraid that she was going to tip it over with the baby in it. So we use the baby bed instead,just lift it up to the highest that way it was easy to pick her up out of it.(had a c-section too.)

Our third we brought a pack and play(but it had the bassinet attached to it) but we usually put him in there but had TO WATCH carefully that he didn't start flipping over,or his older sisters try to messed with him or etc....

The only thing I worried about the bassinets that some of them aren't sturdy and worried about younger kids flipping them over. Plus they don't stay in them that long......

Best wishes and Congrats!!! :)

If you were closer, I would give you mine. My last baby didn't even sleep in it. I like the ideas where you use the bassinet attachment on the pack n play. There's also this bassinet that you can use next to your bed:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-and-P...
Oh, and I know everyone is different, but my 3rd c-section was a piece of cake!

Well my daughter was jaundace at birth so we used the bassinet as the billy blanket had to be changed quite a bit and then i was breast feeding. So worked out well. Bad part my daughter got use to the bassinet and when we tried moving her to a crib it was absolutely horrible. I'd say if you do not need a billy blanket or some other special reason I'd just use the crib. I'd try to put the crib in my room though probably to have it closer.

I def think it was worth having ours and we used it for months and I will again with this baby coming in Dec.

I never used a bassinet. With our twins, there was no way we could fit two in our bedroom, so we put them in their cribs from the day they came home (c-section, too). We now have a two-month-old and the twins are almost three years old. We debated putting the second crib in our bedroom since we are now in the basement, but decided against it since our boys have been great sleepers. So, I go up and down the stairs every night to feed her (another c-section, too). For us it's a good choice. I know I want her sleeping in the crib so we avoid any issues trying to get her in it later on. It's been working, too, since she naps wonderfully in the crib and now sleeps 12 hours each night at only two months.

Congrats and good luck!

It was for me, but i co-sleep and needed somewhere to put my babies down during their day naps. I had a convertible bassinet, it doubled as a changing station with storage, and when the bassinet was no longer appropriate it converted into a play-yard.

I never used my bedroom bassinet, this time im getting a co-sleeper crib.

I loved my bassinet. I wheeled it all over the house too. Which really takes the pressure off your healing stomach if you don't have stairs to contend with. My bassinet had a removable basket, so I could also put the basket portion on the bed with me if I needed to.

Don't know if this style is still on the market. It was an import from Italy. But you could check around. I did find one on amazon that has the same features, though this isn't the one I had. See;

http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Carry-Sleep-System/dp/B...

If I were getting a bassinet today, and I couldn't find the one I had before, I'd go with one of those new style co-sleeper bassinets designed to be snug against the side of your bed. They come in two sizes, and much like a pack n' play so your husband might like it better. Not sure if you can wheel this one around easily.

See: http://www.armsreach.com/

I know I'm late and I didn't read all the answers so sorry if I am repeating.

For our second daughter we got the Fisher Price Rock and Play. http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2002&amp;e=product... We have the yellow one, but this pink and brown one is $5 cheeper.

It has been amazing. My daugher is 5 1/2 months and still sleeps in it at night, though we are getting ready to move her into her own room. She somehow turned over in this the other day, and I don't want her to fall out. :) It has been awesome for me because I am breastfeeding and this way I can just pull her into bed with me and then pop her back over when she's finished. She has been sleeping through the night for months now, but she likes to eat at about 6am and I don't ahve to get up until 7 so it's nice to only half way wake up.

For us we chose to have her in our room in the begining instead of in with her sister. We only have a two bedroom and our 2 1/2 year old really likes to "help" us. We were afraid that she would try to climb in the crib or something. We are moving in the next few weeks so it won't be an issue anymore. :)

I LOVE the Rock 'n Play! It's amazing!

Having had my son, I wouldn't buy a 2nd bassinet before finding out if the first one worked (my son HATED the bassinet and wouldn't sleep in it at all). It was a complete and total waste of money. So for myself, I would bring the pack'n'play to the bedroom for the first week and see if #2 would be willing to sleep in it. Even if he had liked it, though, he was too long for it 2 weeks after birth (born at 23.5inches), and too heavy for it a week later (born at 10lbs, he was 15lbs before he was a month old). Once bitten, twice shy.

OR

Get a cosleeper. No lifting required. Just roll toward or scoot them.

OR

Use a dresser drawer (did this all the time. Esp. when traveling. )

I had a repeat c-section, my husband couldn't help at night because he can't nurse the baby (lol) and he had school 5 days per week and I had a 3 year old and no family around. So I feel your pain but you don't need a bassinet. My daughter's crib was in the room with the mattress on the highest setting so there wasn't any leaning over into the crib.

And I can tell you, every mom I have ever talked to said the 2nd c-section was a breeze compared to the first. I had my daughter on a Monday night and left the hospital wednesday afternoon because I was doing so well and not needing really any pain meds.

You won't need the bassinet long enough to justify the cost imho. But if you are getting a pack and play get one with the bassinet feature and you are done (but those are more pricey).

My first son would not sleep in one, so he ended up sleeping in bed with me for the first 6 weeks while he was still night feeding. My second did great in one, and it was nice having him close those first 6 weeks while I was night feeding without him actually being in our bed (safer IMO). So if the child will sleep in it, it is well worth it IMO.

We never bothered with one.
We took a drawer from a dresser, put it on top of a large stable cardboard box next to our bed, and our son was fine in there for 3 weeks.
It wasn't glamorous, but it was very practical and it didn't cost us anything.

Loved our co sleeper for our bedroom! It's like a pack n play with one side missing that attaches to your bed. Just wake up, nurse, and roll baby back into bed. No getting up required. So easy!

I would try and find one for cheap if you get one off craigs list or a garage sale or something. I would not buy new. I only used it for 1-2 months tops with both kids and neither of them really liked it at all. My daughter has just always slept in the pack and play and she will be doing that till she goes into a big girl bed in her big brothers room after the first of the year. That has worked great for us.

I LOVE our bassinet.

I used one with both of my daughters. It is one of those things that is NOT a "necessity" but it is worth the money if you can afford it. If I were you I would look for a gently used one on ebay or at a thrift store. Is you personal comfort and sleep for 3 or so months worth about $50? - mine is! Plus, it is a great item to "hand me down" as a baby gift to other people when you are done with it.

-M.

PS, we have 2... one upstairs, and one downstairs.

Whe you say that you are getting a play yard, do you mean a pack n play and if so are you purchasing one that you have picked out? If you are purchasing one I say go the built in bassinet route. The pack n play that I had for my daughter and the one I plan to use with my next baby due in Feb has a built in bassinet for when the baby is really small and then there is a convertable level to the pack n play that has the baby up much higher than the regular pack n play. Once the baby is rolling over you just remove the top part and the baby either sleeps on the mat in the pack n play or its time to move them to their crib. My daugher was about 3 and a half months before we moved her to her crib
Good Luck and Congrats

I didn't use a bassinet with number one but a friend will lend me one for number two. Maybe you could buy used from a consignment shop then you won't be out a lot of money if you only use it a short while.

I never used a bassinet (4 kids - -2 c sections), but I did like a port a crib. It's not a pack and play; it's actually a smaller version of a wooden crib. I kept it in my living room to keep the baby safe from the other kids during the day, but it would work well in your room too. After the baby is done in your room, you can move it to wherever you will be most. I could lift the baby in and out of it easily even after the c sections.