A bassinet is an excellent place for babies to sleep, whether they are sleeping overnight or taking a nap. Bassinets do not have a time limit on how long your baby can sleep in them. If the environment is set up according to the safe sleep guidelines, your baby can sleep in a bassinet for as long as it needs to.
In the critical first weeks and months of your baby’s life, bassinets offer a cozy place to sleep for him though they are only good for a short period of time. It will depend on many factors when your child can use a bassinet, but generally, between 3 and 6 months, you will need to upgrade to a larger and wider sleeping space for the baby.
A number of factors must be considered before deciding when a baby is big enough to be moved from its bassinet to a crib. A bassinet can have some advantages as well as disadvantages, some of which have to do with your baby’s development. Consider all of the important factors that come into play when choosing the right bassinet for your lifestyle.
What are the benefits of having a bassinet?
For the first few days after bringing your newborn home, you will need a safe and convenient place for him to sleep and nap. When a newborn sleeps between naps and night sleep, they may sleep up to 14 or 16 hours per day, so parents will need a safe space where they can lay the baby down many times throughout the day. It can be much easier to accomplish this important task if you have a bassinet nearby.
As well as providing parents with the convenience of having a baby close by, bassinets also provide babies with a cozy and safe place to sleep close to their parents. A bassinet or a crib, which are soft and supportive, is recommended for newborns and infants who are sleeping on their backs. It is also recommended that parents sleep with their babies in the same room, but not in the same bed, for at least six months, and even up to twelve months.
Different types of bassinets
Stand-alone bassinets and bassinets on wheels are the most common types of bassinets. Usually sitting on a stand or platform, stand-alone baskets are the most classic kind. Parents can use these bassinets in their bedroom and can move them around the house as necessary. Taking naps during the day could even be possible if you choose a lightweight, compact model.
It is usually the case that the bedside bassinet is designed to be used right beside the parent’s bed or sometimes even attached to it. Their function is more that of being a permanent piece of furniture to be kept in the bedroom. Bedside bassinets provide parents with many helpful features that allow them to teach their babies at night without having to leave the comfort of their beds.
Limits for bassinets in terms of size and weight
In most bassinets, the weight limit is somewhere between 20 pounds and 25 pounds, and the baby’s size is between 25 inches and 30 inches. It is recommended to look for models with higher limits to allow for more growth and therefore more time in the bassinet if you would like to extend your baby’s stay in your bedroom and in the bassinet.
It is actually for safety reasons that these limits exist. Despite the fact that manufacturers can make bassinets to fit larger babies, these numbers correlate with important developmental milestones for your baby.
Your baby’s milestones
During the 4 to the 6-month period when babies weigh around 20 pounds, some major milestones are reached. By now, they are probably rolling over, sitting up, and sometimes even standing up because they are moving a lot more.
When babies roll over or stand up, their bassinets aren’t large enough or high enough for them to do so. Bassinets are designed for babies to sleep on their backs. Upon rolling on his own, sitting up, or pulling himself up from sitting to standing, your baby should be moved from the bassinet to a larger, more secure sleeping area such as a mini crib or full-size crib.
The safety of your baby comes first
The safest place for your baby to sleep or nap is a bassinet if you follow the guidelines for safe sleep and the restrictions on weight, size, and milestones on it.
It is in most parents’ minds that SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a possibility. You can reduce the risk of SIDS by a significant amount by taking the appropriate precautions.
To ensure a safe sleep environment for your baby, make sure it is free of accessories, blankets, and other potential hazards. In addition, studies have shown that babies sleeping in their parents’ rooms up to six months old are 50% less likely to die of SIDS. Your baby’s sleeping space in your room should be in a bassinet, which is the safest place for them to sleep.
How do Bassinets and Cribs Differ?
Basically, a bassinet is a crib designed to hold babies for a considerable period of time. Because they are intended to cradle newborns for at least a few months after birth, they tend to be much smaller than typical cribs.
A bassinet differs from a crib in several ways:
- It’s smaller
- Lightweight
- Can be moved easily
It is unlike the crib which is designed to be used long-term. As the mattress of a crib can be lowered, creating a higher side rail, making it safer for older babies than a bassinet.
Is it worth it to buy a bassinet?
The duration of a bassinet normally ranges from 3 to 6 months. In spite of the fact that this may not seem like much time, your newborn baby goes through a critical period of development in this period of time. It is important to make sure you choose the right bassinet for your lifestyle because it is the best and safest place for a baby to sleep.
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