I've always tried to have mine in the mini co-sleeper next to the bed at the beginning but both of my kids had trouble sleeping when laying flat. So eventually they both ended up sleeping mostly in the swing! Which I never would have planned on. My first one went eventually from swing to crib (first in our room then in her own), and the second one went from swing to a pack n play in our closet then to a crib in her own room. I'm expecting #3 and people have told us that the rock-n-play is a great sleeping option for the beginning months (I don't remember these from when my first two kids were born) so someone lent us one of those and we'll see if our baby likes it. We also still have the co-sleeper and a mini crib that could fit in our room or in the baby's room. I agree with PPs who said it's hard to know what will work. I'm happy to have various options but wouldn't have wanted to buy them all and am happy to just be able to borrow them. If I were going to have to purchase items I'd probably buy a crib (since you'll likely use it eventually unless you end up co-sleeping) and a rock-n-play. The co-sleeper doesn't last that long and at least for me has never been all that useful.

Co sleeper (Arms Reach) and RNP until four months and then moved to crib. Agree with PPs that if you can fit a crib into your room, that's ideal. Though the RNP can be moved around the house, which is very convenient).

Mini co sleeper for all three kids.

Rock'n'play + SwaddleMe blanket = best newborn sleep ever.

Anonymous wrote:

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

+1 Our dresser is high, so we pushed our two large nightstands together and used those for the changing pad and supplies. Baby was in our room for 7.5 months and it would have been much tougher without a dedicated place to change him/keep changing supplies.

To add: we used an arm's reach co-sleeper next to the bed. It was kind of a PITA because our bed is high, but I liked being able to look right in at him. No problems transitioning to crib in the nursery for naps and nighttime at 7.5 months.

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

+1 Our dresser is high, so we pushed our two large nightstands together and used those for the changing pad and supplies. Baby was in our room for 7.5 months and it would have been much tougher without a dedicated place to change him/keep changing supplies.

We are using the baby cart bassinet for now.

As you can see, different things work for different people. As with all things baby related, you may have one plan but something else ends up working better for you. If you plan to get one eventually, just get it now. Unless you get an IKEA crib, most have a lead time of several weeks from ordering till you have it. My DS was a noisy seller and congested so we put him in his room in the crib at 2 weeks. The ped suggested we raise the head of his mattress which you can't do with a basinet. Reflux babies often need the same setup. A rock n play allows a similar sleeping position but babies who sleep in them are more likely to have flat head issues.

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

+1. Baby slept in bassinet for the first 3 months.

Mini pack n play at first. In his own crib by 6 weeks. Don't use the rock n play unless you need it.

Rock and play. Folds flat and you can take it with you if you go anywhere of even room to room. We never use our crib at 12 weeks. Granted I wish he would sleep alone but even early on he wouldn't sleep in a borrowed pack and play. Cosleeper is also good but more money than a rock and play.

3 month old still in bassinet.

Anonymous wrote:We sidecared the crib to the bed. BEST DECISION EVER. By 8 weeks they baby would wiggle towards my boob nurse and go back to sleep on his own. I was not even waking up anymore. Now at age almost 2 he comes to me nurses and goes back to his crib and we have the whole bed for ourselves but still share the space. Best of both worlds.

We sidecared the crib to the bed. BEST DECISION EVER. By 8 weeks they baby would wiggle towards my boob nurse and go back to sleep on his own. I was not even waking up anymore. Now at age almost 2 he comes to me nurses and goes back to his crib and we have the whole bed for ourselves but still share the space. Best of both worlds.

We just co-slept. No bassinet.

The crib was used for naps that happened at home during the day with the nanny.