Where did your newborn sleep? Bassinet? Or should we buy a crib right off the bat?

[Anonymous]

Help! FTM here. DH and I would like the baby to sleep in our room for the first few months. We have a nursery set up, but that will be for change table, etc. Should we buy a crib right off the bat, or should we buy a bassinet for those first few months? Either one will fit in our bedroom.

Many of our friends have suggested that all you need at first is a bassinet/moses basket and that you can wait on buying a crib until the baby gets bigger. However, I'm worried about the safety of bassinets, they're not regulated in the same way as cribs. Please let me know if you have suggestions or thoughts.

[Anonymous]

We used a bassinet that friends loaned to us. Used it with both kids.

[Anonymous]

There are a ton of options and it is hard to know ahead of time what will work for your child. We had three sleeping option and the child still ended up co-sleeping with us. We had a crib, a rock and play and a mini bassinet pack and play.

It's not clear why to me why people are suggesting holding off on getting a crib. You will need it eventually right? We used the crib very sporadically at first but now at 4 months much more often. I don't see why you wouldn't just have it as an option at first though.

[Anonymous]

If the crib fits into your bedroom, then buy a crib right away. Why waste money on another piece of furniture that only lasts you a few months? My twins slept in our bedroom for the first six months (first they shared a crib, then we crammed two cribs into our room) before they moved to the nursery. That way they were used to sleeping in their crib right from the start.

[Anonymous]

We planned for baby to sleep in a Cosleeper in our room. That lasted two weeks. We were very glad to have the crib. Also, it was much nicer setting up the crib before birth than having it as another thing to do once we had the baby.

[Anonymous]

We bought a Pack and Play with a bassinet attachment, which we used for the first 2 months or so with both of our kids. You're right, bassinets aren't as regulated, but your newborn won't be able to roll or anything, so a lot of the precautions needed for cribs (i.e. can't scoot themselves between the mattress and frame) don't apply.

[Anonymous]

I loved a the First Years bassinet. $125 bucks. Daughter used it for 4 months in our room. We did not even buy a crib until right after she was born. I liked that I did not have to get out of bed to look at her. I could just sit up and lean over. Easier than having to get up and walk across the room (or to another room) to a crib in the middle of the night.

[Anonymous]

Crib, got a smaller PNP for our room. We kept our kids in our room for the first few weeks but I had trouble sleeping with them right next to me and them in their own rome was better. We have a small house so they were very close either way.

[Anonymous]

I agree that if you can fit a crib in your bedroom, then you don't have to buy another piece of furniture. But will the crib fit next to your bed? Like a PP said, it was so nice those first few months to just lean over and look at her in the bassinet.

[Anonymous]

We bought the crib and set it up but used the bassinet for a couple months. You'll need the crib eventually so might as well get it. I got a used bassinet from a friend.

[Anonymous]

You'll want a changing table in the room where baby sleeps. We just cleared off our dresser.

[Anonymous]

Rock N Play. Trust me. Most babies won't sleep flat in the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Our baby slept in a bassinet (actually the one that came with our stroller) for the first month, but we transitioned to the crib within 4 weeeks.

[Anonymous]

Can you borrow a bassinet? That's what we did, which saved us money and hassle.

[Anonymous]

Got a bassinet on CL.... Baby ended up partially cosleeping for the first three months. The crib is probably more comfortable than most bassinets. If I have another I'll probably try an arm's reach cosleeper. But I'd start with a crib if it fit in our room.