What Should I Choose – a Bassinet or a Crib?
Finding the perfect sleeping solution for your baby is not always easy. There is so much choice out there that it can be difficult to know where to begin. For example, you might be wondering whether a bassinet or a crib might be best for your little one. Ultimately, the difference between bassinets and cribs is that a crib will take up much more space. So, let us consider this and other factors that might affect whether we choose a bassinet or a crib for our baby’s first bed.
Size
A bassinet is more suitable if you have a smaller home or living space. Its mattress will on average measure 15 x 33 inches and have a depth of between 1 and 2 inches. This, however, depends on manufacturing styles. It certainly takes up less space than a crib does inside a house.
Longevity
Cribs last longer than bassinets as they allow for a baby to grow. Some cribs can even be converted into toddler beds, and then last for many years. So, this makes them more cost effective in terms of a baby-related purchase.
Bassinets have weight limits, so on that basis will only be suitable for a baby for so long.
Portability
One of the advantages of the bassinet is its portability. So, for a temporary solution it allows for a baby to be moved between rooms rather than be fixed in one nursery.
A bassinet is ideal for room sharing. A baby can be moved into the same room as its parents so that a closer eye can be kept on it. Say during periods when it is known not to be particularly well. So, the ideal combination might be to either have a crib with a baby monitoring system, or a bassinet that is placed close to the baby’s parents.
Moreover, a bassinet typically weighs less than a crib and so this is important to keep in mind if you are planning on moving your baby’s bed frequently.
Comfort
A bassinet represents a smaller sleeping area for a new-born baby who is still transitioning from the tight and cosy space they have been enjoying while sleeping inside the mother’s womb. There is nothing like familiarity to help a baby settle. The use of a bassinet can in that respect be considered as a measure that prevents a baby from crying so much. Although, it is natural for a baby to cry sometimes.
For the parents, a bassinet is easier with regards to leaning over it to attend to a baby. So, this is of benefit to a baby, mother, father, sibling, or other carer.
Cost
If it comes down to cost, then a bassinet is less to buy than a cot. However, as mentioned above, long term it can be more cost effective to have bought a cot in the first place to cater for a child growing. Where cost is not a factor, to buy the perfect thing for your baby at the time might be to start with a bassinet, inside which they will perhaps initially feel more comfortable than inside a crib.
To sum up, there are pros and cons to both bassinets and cribs, making the choice quite a difficult one to make. So, you might want to look at them on a website to make a few more comparisons of your own. Your decision, though, will generally be based on your individual circumstances. That is, cost-effectiveness balanced against available space while bearing in mind the comfort that is being provided for your baby. This may make the ideal choice, where the baby is your only consideration, to first purchase a bassinet and then to follow it up with a full-sized crib once your baby outgrows it. This way, your very young child can experience the best of both worlds. For more information on bassinets, as it may be the least familiar to you, there is an additional article attached which talks about bassinets as a bed for babies.
