Do You Need A Bassinet?
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
This is a question we’re asked a lot in the store by new parents : If my baby can go into a cot from birth, why do I need a bassinet? The short answer is you don’t need a bassinet. However, a lot of parents still choose to use a bassinet for a number of reasons.
Do You Need A Bassinet?
This is a question we’re asked a lot in the store by new parents : If my baby can go into a cot from birth, why do I need a bassinet?
The short answer is you don’t need a bassinet. However, a lot of parents still choose to use a bassinet for a number of reasons.
Baby sleeping in Parents’ Bedroom
It’s recommended for baby to sleep in your bedroom, on a separate sleep space, for the first 6 to 12 months of their lives. Having baby in your room overnight can help support breastfeeding may make dealing with your baby waking a little easier and, according to Rednose.org.au, “Room sharing reduces the risk of SIDS.”
While it might be possible for some, many of us don’t have space in our bedrooms to accommodate a full sized cot in our bedroom. This is where a bassinet can come in handy! Bassinets are a lot more compact than a cot and so they take up very little valuable space in a smaller adult bedroom.
Multi-story Living
A lot of family homes are spread out over two levels. A typical modern two-story house will have bedrooms upstairs, and living rooms downstairs. So when we’re spending most of our day downstairs, it may be impractical to have baby sleeping all alone upstairs during the day. You may not be able to hear baby is they ccry and some baby monitors don’t work effectively between floors. Also it’s inconvenient to have to run upstairs every time baby wakes up!
It would be completely impossible to carry a full sized cot downstairs every day, and it would be unaffordable for most parents to have an upstairs cot and a downstairs cot. But many bassinets cost less than $200, so having a spare bassinet for downstairs might be something to consider.
Keeping Baby Close
Even living in a single story home it can be practical and comforting to keep baby close to you throughout the day. Many bassinets have lockable wheels, so can be easily moved from room to room throughout the day.
Immediately post-partum it can be beneficial to have baby within arm’s reach, even if you’re on the couch! Alternatively when family and friends come to visit, baby can stay sleeping in the bassinet and still let everyone have a peak at your newest family member.
Up and Away From Siblings and Pets
Another reason that the mobility of bassinets is highly convenient is being able to have baby in living spaces of the house during the day, while also keeping them elevated and safe from older siblings and pets. Supervising a toddler and a newborn baby together can be challenging. If you have a bassinet in your main living area your baby can stay close to you, surrounded by the noise and activity of family life, but also be out of reach of well-meaning, but sometimes overly affectionate, older siblings.
Delay the Expense of Buying a Cot
Bassinets are significantly more affordable than a full sized cot. There are so many big purchases to make before baby arrives, it can simply be a financial decision to buy a bassinet rather than buying a cot straight away. That way you won’t need to invest in buying a cot for your baby for approximately 4-6 months.
Ultimately whether or not a bassinet is the right choice for you family is entirely up to you! While it may not be entirely necessary, they are also incredibly useful to have for the above reasons and more!
If you need any help choosing the best bassinet for your family, or selecting your ideal cot, feel free to contact the friendly team at Baby Train on 03 9558 0010, check out our full range of bassinets or come into our store at Ringwood and Dingley Village.
