A bassinet or bassinet is a bed specifically for babies from birth to four months, and small enough to provide a comfortable and safe sleeping place for newborns and small babies. These are smaller than normal sized cribs. There are many variations: the lightweight, portable types are sometimes called “baskets,” there are freestanding bassinets, co-sleeping bassinets, and portable bassinets. Cribs are less portable and may have rocking motion capabilities.
Bassinets are generally designed to allow the resting baby to be carried from one place to another, to be close to its mother. Bassinets are often raised on a stand or other surface to reduce back strain from bending down to attend to a baby, and wheeled frames for converting a bassinet to a stroller are common. The lightweight, portable types are sometimes called Moses baskets. A co-sleeping bassinet allows the baby to have their own sleeping space close to the mother’s bed. One side of the bassinet is lower than the other and that is the side that should be attached to the side of the mother’s bed, so that the mother can be close to the baby. Portable bassinets can be moved from one room to another where the mother is so that she can care for the baby.
Most bassinets come with removable hoods, prefer a hood that is removable or folds back. Many bassinets come with wheels to make it easy to move your baby from room to room, or with folding legs to save space.
The mattress pad should fit securely with no gap between the mattress and the edge of the bassinet. A firm mattress is safer for the baby in terms of suffocation hazards.
Bassinets must not have sharp or rough edges, they must have a stable base, any folding mechanism must lock securely in place. Most bassinets have extra storage space in the base and wheels that make it easy to move them from room to room. Casters should have a locking mechanism for stability when not in use. The cradles can be rocked while babies enjoy the soothing motion and fall asleep. To ensure baby’s safety, most cribs have safety pins that prevent the crib from tilting at an angle greater than 5 degrees. Cribs should be locked in a stationary position when necessary. The standard crib size is 18″ x 36″.