Bassinet help

[kamakeg]

Hi!

We are trying to find a bassinet and are having a REALLY difficult time finding one that meets all our requirements. Here is what we are looking for:

* Sustainably made (meaning no toxic finishes, with natural products, etc., etc.)

* Local (to Canada) if possible, which is turning out to be a massive issue

* Breathable, which, again, is turning out to be a massive issue

* Safe, ASTM, JPMA, etc.

We've looked at the Stokke bassinet combo but from all the reviews and seeing it in a store, we are not happy with it. We've looked at the Monte Design Ninna Nanna bassinet, but that has issues and they conveniently removed that the base in made in Asia from their website recently. We are closest to getting this one because it meets all other requirements (more or less) but the solid sides are scaring me. We really like the Boori Matilda rocker but they can't ship it to Canada and have no dealers here. We've looked at the Cariboo bassinets but again, they have mesh sides and are not local at all. We love the design of the Hushamok but upon reading user reviews (and my husband questioned this after seeing the design) if the baby is active, it may pose a problem with them getting caught at one end.

Cribs that meet all our requirements (AP Industries) seem to be a lot easier to find, fortunately but we really want to use a bassinet at the beginning.

Help, please?

Lots of love!

K

[georgiegirl1974]

I'd probably wait until baby arrives. DS wouldn't sleep on flat surfaces (he slept in the swing for the first 4 months), and DD was a wretched sleeper overall and needed to co-sleep. I had bought an expensive crib and neither kid slept in it for more than a few hours. What a waste of money. Maybe borrow something like an arms reach co-sleeper to see if your baby will like sleeping flat, and then buy something. Especially on these boards, so many people end up co-sleeping and the crib/bassinet ends up being a very expensive toy or laundry basket.

[LilyTiger]

I agree with PP.  We used the bassinet a lot, but I would have preferred an Arm's Reach because it was a pain to get the baby in and out of the bassinet while I was still in bed.  We ended up co-sleeping until she was sleeping extended stretches at around 3 months and then transferred her to the crib around five months.  So two months of use might not be worth it. 

You might also consider a Moses basket, since it would give you the natural fibers and more flexibility on mattress materials. 

[nstewart]

I agree with PPs.  

I'd suggest a moses basket with a wood stand (they have these at Babys R Us and I'm sure a zillion other places) and/or a co-sleeper. If the mattress in the moses basket doesn't meet your requirements, you can always replace it with a better material.

We had a bassinet last time (purchased used on kijiji) and this time we have a co-sleeper and I am going to get a moses basket (to have in whatever room I am in at the beginning during the day.  Although DS mostly napped in his Ergo or on my chest).  They do not sell co-sleepers new in Canada anymore (due to a recall) so if you want one you will have to either get one shipped from Amazon.com (crazy expensive though for the shipping), go to the states and pick one up, or get one used on Kijiji or from some other source.  

We ended up co-sleeping last time, but the bassinet was still handy to have. I'm looking forward to having the co-sleeper this time so that I don't have to stand up to bring babe into our bed or return babe to theirs if I need/want my own space.

[bmcneal]

We got a bassinet with DD when she was a baby, but she would *not* sleep in it for anything. Whether we laid her in it after she was sound asleep, right after she fell asleep, still awake but sleepy, as soon as she was in it, she was awake and screaming. We ended up co-sleeping with her, and with DS, he was the same way, albeit we didn't have a bassinet, but a pack and play or crib, depending on where we were, so with this babe, we're skipping anything like that, and plan on co-sleeping and saving the money for something more worth spending the money on, that will get used.

That being said, I realize there are situations where it is difficult/impossible to co-sleep, and you may or may not be willing or able to, and if that is the case, I would agree with the PP who suggested a Moses basket. I've seen them somewhere (can't remember where), but it had a wooden base, and it seems like it *may* fit all your criteria, though with you being in Canada, I don't know how readily available one would be to you.

I hope you are able to find something that works for you and your family. 

[here we are]

Bump

[sageowl]

I was gifted with a crib, bassinette, and a Moses basket.

Out of those, the only one I got any use out of was the Moses basket, and only for about 3 or 4 months, then DS grew too big for it. 

Although I hadn't originally planned on co-sleeping (knowing I was going to go back to work FT), it turned out that the babe would only sleep ON me for the first several weeks, then for the next several months would only sleep snuggled up NEXT to me...but he WOULD take naps in a Moses basket, and occasionally at night could be moved to the basket after he had fallen asleep.  He would NOT sleep in a crib ever, and grew too big for the bassinette long before he would have willingly slept in it.  So aside from sleeping in bed with us, the only other place he would sleep was his carseat, or his Moses basket.

So, long story short, in my opinion, basinettes are kind of a waste of money because a baby will outgrows them pretty quickly.