We never used our bassinet since the stroller bottom could be turned into bassinet like basket, and it also had the harness.
Our tall baby hated the small car seats and we never used them outside the cars. We also switched the seats out fairly fast.

Anonymous wrote:I used my bassinet all the time. I keep a snap and go in the trunk of the car for quick trips, but for walking around outside, I preferred the bassinet and so did my DD. I'd put her in with a couple of rolled swaddle blankets on either side to prevent too much movement and she got to flail around all she wanted instead of being completely restrained in the car seat. Also used it as a portable crib for when a neighbor babysat for a few hours, and I felt better about letting her sleep in it if she fell asleep during a walk.

I hadn't planned to use the stroller or bassinet much at first, but it was too hot to carry my July baby around comfortably, and I felt the bassinet was safer and more comfortable. Now that it's cooler, I do a lot more baby wearing and we swapped out the bassinet for a regular seat at 4 months when she started fussing to sit upright.

I already replied, but this is a good point! A bassinet is more of a need for a summer baby. Seeing parents pushing around tiny babies in carseats with a blanket over it (blocking the airflow) in July and August makes me shudder. DC summers are hot and sweaty and babies can get overheated easily.

I used my bassinet all the time. I keep a snap and go in the trunk of the car for quick trips, but for walking around outside, I preferred the bassinet and so did my DD. I'd put her in with a couple of rolled swaddle blankets on either side to prevent too much movement and she got to flail around all she wanted instead of being completely restrained in the car seat. Also used it as a portable crib for when a neighbor babysat for a few hours, and I felt better about letting her sleep in it if she fell asleep during a walk.

I hadn't planned to use the stroller or bassinet much at first, but it was too hot to carry my July baby around comfortably, and I felt the bassinet was safer and more comfortable. Now that it's cooler, I do a lot more baby wearing and we swapped out the bassinet for a regular seat at 4 months when she started fussing to sit upright.

We walk everywhere but much to my dismay, my son hated the bassinet!

Anonymous wrote:Our babies hated the bassinet while strolling. They didn't feel secure and were constantly startling. We used the car seat with the stroller.

This, plus once the can roll over the bassinet is dangerous. I used ours for naps at home. Useless outside. I'd have the baby in the car seat, and pop him in and out of the car an SO to grocery baskets or into the car seat adapter stroller without waking him up.

We have a VISTA and we used the bassinet in the house and the car seat/adapter outside of the house. We walk a lot too but I didn't like the bassinet for walking around. Our sidewalks are very bumpy. I also used a carrier a lot, Mei Tai for the first three months, Moby for a bit for legs out then the Ergo. We have a Ergo infant insert but never used it because our babies were big and it was just so bulky and hard to manage. Love the Ergo when they're older though.

I used the car seat if I was out running errands and was going to be transferring the baby to and from the car (there's also a chance they might be napping and you do not want to wake up a sleeping baby, I don't care how much you oppose keeping a kid in a car seat in principle). Starting around 3 months, if I was going out for walks I started using my stroller seat fully reclined with the Snuzzler infant insert, which provided some additional head support and padding but wasn't as hot as the car seat (this was the middle of the summer, in my case). My stroller seat was recommended for 6m+, but with the head support and the full recline, I really didn't see how it was any different than the bassinet (in fact, seemed a little more cozy and secure).

Point of clarification, the car seat isn't ideal positioning for extended use outside of the car, but the snap and go strollers are generally seen as okay because they're designed to have the same angle as in the car. If they're too vertical, their chins/heads can slump down and potentially compromise their airways. The article above recommends against strollers too, but common sense says checking on your baby and repositioning them periodically would ensure they don't get too scrunched in the seat when out and about. That's your call though, OP.

The bassinets have such a short lifespan that I'd probably skip it. If you're taking the baby in and out of the car, the car seat is SO much easier because you don't have to take them in and out of the seat. In an urban area where you're not driving, then the bassinet makes more sense.

The latest safety guidelines are to avoid letting infants stay in car seats any longer than necessary.
For example;
http://www.madeformums.com/news-and-gossip/the-2-hour-car-seat-rule---what-you-need-to-know/39322.html

I'd go with the bassinet.

I didn't want the baby napping or spending too long in the car seat when not in the car. The position is not optimal for their development. However if you plan on baby wearing some of the time this could reduce that without using the bassinet.

Anonymous wrote:How much do you walk? And will most of your walks be from the car to the stroller?

We live out in suburbia and didn't have the bassinet. I sort of wished we had it on longer walks, but maybe only 5% of the time would it have been nice.

I walk a lot. We don't use our car often. I'll be using the stroller to take the baby on errands.

How much do you walk? And will most of your walks be from the car to the stroller?

We live out in suburbia and didn't have the bassinet. I sort of wished we had it on longer walks, but maybe only 5% of the time would it have been nice.

I don't think you'll regret it. It's so easy to just snap the car seat in and out of the stroller whether you're going for a ride in the car or a walk in the neighborhood.

Our babies hated the bassinet while strolling. They didn't feel secure and were constantly startling. We used the car seat with the stroller.

Initially I was planning on purchasing a stroller with car seat and adapter as well as the bassinet. Now I'm considering dropping the bassinet and just using the car seat instead to carry around the infant and use with the stroller base. I'm also considering an ergo 360 and infant insert. Any thoughts? Will I regret not purchasing the bassinet that goes with the stroller?