bassinet or crib?

[mom2ariana]

arianas crib is going to be across the room from my bed, but i was planning on having her sleep in a bassinet right beside my bed for the first few weeks...i guess i'm just wondering if this is necessary? will she have trouble sleeping in her crib when she is a newborn? if i do have her in the bassinet will she have trouble switching to the crib? im also afraid i'll worry about her when she's across the room and want her next to my bed..even though i have a video monitor and can watch her.
we're running into a dilemna with the person we were going to borrow the bassinet from, and i spent so much on her crib & bedding..i just hate to go out and buy a bassinet to use for a few weeks with a beautiful crib for her to sleep in.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

My PERSONAL opinion here is that if you are going to have her crib in the room with you it's not worth the money to get a bassinett.  A lot of women prefer the bedside bassinett or cosleeper for convenience so baby is at arms reach.  I had one and never used it with 2 of my pregnancies.  Before we had a room where we could fit the crib in there, I just had my kids either in a bouncy seat or swing near my bed or in the bed with us.  We have a king size bed...so I put a barrier of pillows beside my husband so he didn't roll and had them sleep closer to me.  BUT, I tend to be a very light sleeper since I've had kids.  Just my husband rolling over wakes me up now.  

Once we had a room big enough to put the crib in, I just had my last son sleep in it.  It was where I could just roll over and see him.  

[mom2ariana]

yep that is a bassinet!! :)

[freya25]

Sorry it hasn't come up as a link you may have to highlight to search!

[freya25]

We have brought a crib for our bedroom as babies room is other end of corridor (with cot) & don't feel right about him/her being so far away. I have no idea yet as to when we will make the change but I guess when baby is ready we will know.

http://www.mothercare.com/Cosatto-Baby-Bunting-Swinging-Crib/dp/B001F0ZUJ0/sr=1-26/qid=1271644664/ref=sr_1_26/276-3514791-6241517?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=44361031&mcb=core -This is our crib I don't know if its what you call a bassinet in the U.S? It going beside me-Can't wait! So is this a bassinet then? xx

[mom2ariana]

we were going to borrow one, but the girl that was going to give it to us to use hasn't answered my husbands attempts to text her about it.. so idk what we will do now.

victoria01: that's a good idea, maybe if i get a bassinet i'll consider doing that, thanks :)

[Victoria01]

I actually use a bassinet in my living room and the crib in my bedroom. I think it works well when teaching them the difference between  night and day. Both of my boys never had a problem with getting nights and days mixed up as I didn't change the lighting or noise level during the day when they were in the bassinet, but made it dark and quiet during the night when they were in the crib.

[feather2e]

I used my bassinet for as long as I could and will do so for this baby also. Could you borrow one off a friend?

[mom2ariana]

we are planning on investing in a pack n play, but the main reason we were going to purchase one was to use for when she is being babysat overnight with someone, or when me and DH leave her with my parents (we're currently living with them). i'm not comfortable with my mom sleeping 2 stories up while my baby is in her crib alone in the basement, so if me and DH need a night away i wanted to have the pack n play as a portable crib so she can sleep in my parents room.
we're just planning on buying the pack n play later since i don't want to leave her overnight for awhile, plus his grandmother is going to purchase that for us which is very helpful and sweet of her. there's not really enough room beside our bed to squeeze a pack n play (there's barely enough room on each side for an end table)..so i was going to use a small bassinet.
i may not need to get one at all if she is so close. i know it'll be so much more convienent having her right beside my bed but i have already spent money on convienence and i think DH would appreciate if i didn't spend any more LOL...

[Sunkissed19]

I'm also using a pack n play by our bed...it also has the handy drop down changing table with pockets on the side to hold diapers and wipes. We got the fisher price one from the rainforest collection as a gift. I think its going to be super handy for the first 2 weeks...ill be breastfeeding and i know im not gonna wanna get up for at least the first 2 weeks lol. Its also gonna be super useful to have at my moms so she can watch him or when we're visiting...or to use at hotels and stuff. I wasnt sure in the beginning if i actually needed a pack n play but upon receiving one as a gift i see exactly how useful its going to be!

[faye83]

Maybe you should get a cosleeper? I have one and its great and very handy

[spade22]

I did what tiredbuthappy mentioned - I used a pack n play with bassinet feature and it was wonderful (it also had a fold out diaper changing area)!  When they get older it can be used as a play area.  Its definitely convenient having baby next to you during the first few months.  If your running into problems getting the bassinet I would definitely consider investing in a pack n play.  They are also very portable which is a great feature.

[tiredbuthappy]

i used my bassinet with both girls for as long as possible. It is extremely convenient to have the baby next to you. they wake frequently in the beginning, and you are so exhausted you don't want to physically get out of bed to tend to their needs. With the bassinet I could even pick her up without fully having to sit up. Makes popping the binky in, feeding, sshhhing, soothing, etc... much easier. However, you can get by without it. And many women say mom sleeps better when baby's not right there. I prefer the baby there, because i think the monitor actually magnifies sounds more and you have to become more alert to check the monitor than to glance next to you. Plus, my bassinet had a WONDERFUL vibrate feature that would put the baby back to sleep quickly :)
Are you getting a pack n play? I know many people who used the bassinet feature it has with success. As long as the baby is next to you at your height it works.

[smjmekg]

I agree with nickie, I don't think she'll have a problem switching from the bassinet to the bed. I had DS in the bassinet for a while, and put him in his crib with no problems, they were both in my room, he actually did better in the bed because he could stretch out more, my dad made the bassinet and it's not as big as a normal sized bassinet, it's a little shorter. DS went from 21 inches to 24 inches in the first two months, so he outgrew it quick, but like I said he was fine with the bassinet then crib. I personally never thought of buying a bassinet, my dad made it without my knowledge, I was just going to put DS straight in the crib. There's so many things you think you need with a baby and you never use them...I bought a changing table for DS and I never used it. I always changed him on the couch or on the bed...it was a cheap changing table and it doubled as a place to store his clothes, but I really didn't need it. I probably won't use it with this baby either really.

[nickieb85]

I think many women get bassinets to have their baby's sleep by there beds when they are planning on having the baby sleep in their own rooms when they out grow the bassinet. With my first son I had a bassinet but he slept in my room and we used the bassinet for the living room or the kitchen when he was first born so I could keep an eye on him while he slept. I don't think either way that your baby is going to have a problem switching from bassinet to a crib if you use a bassinet first. If she is going to be in your room with you then I wouldn't worry too much about keeping an eye on her just plan on getting up to check on her to make sure she is still breathing! (We all do it at one point and very many points throughout the nights!)