Baby's First Bed

For new and expecting parents, the wait before the arrival of your baby can be an overwhelming and anxiety filled time. Between car seats, diapers and baby bottles, the nursery might take the cake for most intimidating. What are the most important things to remember when shopping for newborn furniture? Where should the baby sleep? The answers are different for every family and will depend on your personal needs. Here’s where to start.

Bassinet or a crib? What’s the difference?

What is the difference? Bassinets and cribs are both CDC approved places for newborn babies to sleep. A bassinet resembles a cradle and is much smaller than a standard crib. What will make a difference for a lot of new parents is whether there is room for a crib in the parent’s bedroom. It is recommended that newborns sleep in the same room as their parents for the first six months. If you have a smaller space or a bassinet is a more affordable option for when the baby first arrives, this choice might be ideal. It’s also portable and can be moved easily around the house.

Which is better for me and my family?

A crib will be something your baby needs rather or not you opt to use a bassinet in the beginning. A standard crib size is 28” by 52”, so your baby will grow into the space. If a crib will fit in the parents’ bedroom, this is a great option, and the expense of the bassinet is not overly necessary. No matter what, baby will need to sleep in a crib when they are too big or heavy for the bassinet, usually at about 4 months or 20 lbs.

Questions to consider

Will I feel comfortable with my baby napping in the crib in a different room? Will I use a baby monitor or prefer to have a portable bassinet?

• A bassinet is handy for parents who like to have the baby sleeping near them while they have the freedom to move around the house. If you don’t have a baby monitor or plan on getting one, this is an ideal option.

Is my family done growing? Will we have another baby that could use this furniture?

• Per CDC recommendation, check for new guidelines before reusing your first babies’ furniture for the second baby. If you plan on having more than one baby. The bassinet might be cost-effective from the use you intend to have from it.

What makes sense for our budget? Is buying a crib something we can afford right now or will using a bassinet give us time to save for the crib we want?

• Comparably, the price of a bassinet is more affordable than a crib. If the crib you want won’t be in your budget before baby arrives, using a bassinet those first four months will give you time to save.

What is our space like? Will there be room for a crib in the parent’s room or will the bassinet save us a lot of space if we invest?

• A common selling point for parents on a bassinet is the sheer size. It can sit right next to mom and dads’ bed without taking up a lot of space as opposed to moving the crib directly into mom and dad’s room.

Was our pregnancy or birth complicated? Is mom recovering, having difficulty nursing or does your baby need extra attention?

• A circumstance that will make the bassinet ideal is if mom has had a C-section or a complicated birth and is recovering. A bassinet is waist-height and easy to lay down your little one in. A crib can be taxing to reach over, especially if you need to do so many times in the middle of the night.

Before making your decision, these are some important things to consider. Whatever makes you and your family feel most comfortable will ultimately be the right (and the best choice).  Your baby’s first bed should be the place you feel they are safest.