In this guide we will try to give you a quick review of the 3 most popular models and best bassinet for 2018 !!!
When your tiny little bundle of joy arrives, you will want to ensure that you’re as well prepared as you can possibly be. In terms of importance, there are fewer baby products that are more important than a bassinet, so you will need to ensure that you get things right the first time.
Whilst cribs are all well and good, bassinets offer a fantastic alternative, especially if you have limited space, or if you want a cozy and convenient alternative. Bassinets are especially useful because due to their size, and their portability, they can easily be moved into the bedroom with you to help ensure you are always able to keep one eye on them, and comfort or feed them when they wake up in the night.
If you’re on the lookout for a bassinet, you’ve come to the right place as we’ll be providing you with a detailed bassinet buying guide. Here we’ll be looking at what you need to look for when buying a bassinet, things to consider, before finishing off with a look at 3 of the most popular bassinets currently on the market.
Best Baby Bassinet on the Market for 2018
Graco Pack and Play Playard – Best Bassinet Overall
Up first we have the Graco pack and play playard Bassinet with automatic folding feet.
This bassinet is a fantastic product for those of you looking for a safe, reliable and effective bassinet that does not cost the earth. This bassinet is considerably cheaper than many others on the market, and it more than stacks up against its competitors. Made from a combination of a metal frame, along with polyester and plastic. It features a removable changing pad, has a safe and secure playpen design, and at just 22.9 pounds it is one of the lightest on the market.
It has an in-built toy bar for entertaining your child, folding wheels for portability, and push-button folding technology. The visual stimulation that the toy bar provides will keep your child entertained for hours, and will assist with their learning and development in the process.
The bassinet folds away quickly and easily, so moving it from location to location just couldn’t be simpler. Ideal for babies that weigh 15 pounds and under, and children under 35 inches tall, this is the ultimate bassinet for people on a budget that want style, comfort, and security for their babies.
Halo Bassinet Swivel Sleeper
Next up we’ll be looking at the Halo Bassinet Swivel Sleeper premier series bassinet. This device swivels and rotates a full 360 degrees, and can be locked in a fully upright position if required. The base of this device will easily tuck under the bed, and best of all, it only requires 32 inches of clearance away from the wall.
This bassinet is loaded full of features to help your baby drift off to sleep, including a nightlight, lullabies, a nursing timer, soothing sounds, plus a vibration feature. It also has an automatic shutoff feature which will kick in after 30 minutes. The bassinet is made from top quality polyester, features a wipe clean design for hygiene and convenience, and it weighs in at just over 11 ounces.
There are storage pockets, it lowers and raises allowing you to easily tend to your baby, and what’s more, the mattress pad is fully waterproof, is non-flammable, and is made from non-toxic materials. What’s more, the CJ foundation for SIDS recommends this product as one of the safest alternatives to sharing the bed with your child. Ideal for babies of up to 5 months of age, the Halo Bassinet Swivel Sleeper is one of the most advanced and popular devices on the market today.
BabyBjorn Cradle
Finally, we’ll be looking at the BabyBjorn Cradle. This bassinet will gently rock your baby to sleep thanks to its gentle rocking motion, plus it is low in height and has a mesh fabric material so you can supervise your baby at all times. There are no loose parts or bars, and no sharp edges, so your baby will be safe and sound at all times.
Thanks to its unique design, parents can operate the rocking system by gently rocking the bassinet themselves, or alternatively, the baby’s movement will also gently operate the rocking system, which in turn will help to soothe and comfort your baby. The device has a spring suspension system which is very similar to a stroller, so it can rock in all directions and will never be at risk of becoming stuck.
Your baby will also be kept nice and cool during warm weather, due to the mesh fabric sides, and what’s more, as it is so light in weight, it can easily be transported around the home from room to room, with no problems whatsoever.
The mattress cover is waterproof, and the cradle fabric is made with a wipe clean design. What’s more, the mattress and fabric cover is removable and washable, so can easily be cleaned and dried in a matter of hours. Perfect for newborns, and babies up to six months of age, the BabyBjorn cradle is the ultimate bassinet for safety, comfort, and convenience.
What is a baby bassinet ?
A bassinet is basically a smaller, cozier, and more portable cot/crib that your baby can sleep in. Bassinets are not designed to replace cribs/cots, but to serve as a handy alternative or short-term solution, especially if you wish for your baby to sleep in the same bedroom as you.
The thing to remember is that because of their small size, bassinets will only be used for a few months, perhaps up to one year in total, as your baby will quickly outgrow it. For newborn and very young babies, however, these products are ideal, and due to the fact that they can be purchased for a very affordable price, they are great for parents of newborns.
Bassinets come in a variety of different styles and designs, as there are bassinets on wheels, as well as free-standing bassinets. Some hang from frames, whilst there are others that can clip onto the side of your bed. Because of the different styles and designs, however, you will need to ensure that you know exactly which design you require.
Things to consider before you buy a bassinet
Before purchasing a bassinet, there are a number of things you must first take into consideration, including the various safety features. Here’s a look at some of the most prominent things to consider before buying a bassinet:
Portability
Whilst bassinets are small and light in weight, some of them can be tricky to transport, especially if they are bulky or awkward. If you are looking for a bassinet that you intend to keep in just one location, you can perhaps look for one that is slightly less portable than others. If you want one that can be moved from room to room, a bassinet on wheels that is light in weight (but secure) might be the better option.
Price
Bassinets can vary in price pretty drastically so it is important to find one that falls within your budget. With that being said, however, you should make sure that you do not make price your number one priority when buying a bassinet as if you look for the cheapest one you can find, you could be putting your baby at risk.
Very cheap budget models are likely to be made from poor materials, they may not have undergone as strict and stringent testing as others, and those things are just unacceptable. Not only will your baby be uncomfortable, but they could potentially be at risk. You don’t need to find the most expensive bassinet on the market, but at the same time, you shouldn’t look for the cheapest ones either.
Generally, you should look to be spending anything from $60, up to $400 or more. There are plenty of products that fall into these price brackets, so do your research and see what you can find.
Size
When it comes to buying a bassinet, you must also consider the size. When we say the size, we don’t just mean the size of the bassinet either, as the size of your baby is also something worth considering. Your baby is, of course, going to outgrow their bassinet, but when, is another matter entirely.
Bassinets come in different sizes but you shouldn’t simply buy the biggest one just to try to get more usage out of it. If your baby is too small for it, they will be at risk, and if they are too big, they will be uncomfortable. To get a rough idea of when your baby will no longer be able to use their bassinet, you should consider permanently moving them from the bassinet when they are able to pull themselves up or roll over.
Motion
There are some bassinets out there that can actually be converted into cradles and so they will rock back and forth, which will help your baby to relax and gently drift off to sleep. Some of these devices have in-built rocking/motion features that allow the bassinet to sway at different speeds thanks to different settings.
Other features
Other features to consider are ones such as in-built entertainment for your baby. Some bassinets have hanging mobiles or play soothing lullabies, which not only help your baby to sleep but also help to keep it entertained in the process. It may not seem like much, but those peaceful few minutes when your baby is preoccupied with their hanging mobile toys will be like pure bliss to tired parents.
Final thoughts
And with that, we shall draw proceedings to a close. Before we do so, however, let’s quickly summarize what we’ve learned. As you can see from the above, bassinets are not designed to be suitable replacements for cribs/cots, but rather, they serve as great alternatives.
They are much smaller, they’re lighter, and they are designed to be portable so you can move them from room to room to keep your baby as close to you as you possibly can. There are many different things to consider before purchasing a bassinet, but if you know what you’re looking for, and if you weigh up your options, there is plenty of choices.
The 3 products listed above are all great items to consider, though there are plenty of others to choose from as well. Take your time, weigh up your options, consider your circumstances, and don’t rush into making any purchases. If you follow the advice above, as well as your gut instinct, finding the perfect bassinet just couldn’t be simpler.
Abby Larson
