Many new parents spend months perfecting the nursery and selecting the perfect crib and adorable baby bedding only to quickly realize once baby arrives that the easiest (and safest) place for baby to sleep for the first few months is in their room in a bassinet. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies room share for at least the first 6 months, if not first 12 months, of life, because it can decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by 50 percent.
While some families choose to bed share (see tips for doing so safely), the AAP’s official stance is that room sharing, where baby sleeps in their own sleep space, is the safest choice. So what’s a tired, sleep deprived parent to do? Invest in a good bassinet that will make those midnight feeds and shushing sessions much easier.
Here are our top picks for the best baby bassinets.
BEST FOR NURSING MOMS
Baby Delight Beside Me Dreamer Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper ($199.99 on Amazon)
If you’re planning to breastfeed, the Baby Delight makes it as easy as possible to bring baby from their sleep space into yours for a middle-of-the night feed without requiring you to get out of bed. (Because #priorities). Plus, the base has six different height adjustments, making it easy to fit to your specific bed. This sleeper can function as a stand-alone bassinet or you can secure next to the bed and unzip the side. For these reasons, this is also a great choice for moms recovering from c-sections.
BEST FOR SOOTHING AND SLEEPING
HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper Premiere Series Bassinet ($264.99 on Amazon)
If you can’t stomach the price tag of the Snoo, the HALO Bassinest is a good, less expensive option. The height can adjust from 24 to 34″, making it suitable for most beds and it has a 360 degree swivel, allowing you to position it in whatever way works best for your room. You can store pacifiers and extra burp cloths in the two side pockets and when baby is ready to snooze, pick a lullaby or white noise and turn on the vibration mode, both of which have an auto shutoff of 30 minutes.
BEST FOR UPPING YOUR CHANCES OF A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
SNOO Smart Sleeper by Happiest Baby ($906.50 on Amazon)
Yes the price tag on this bassinet is well over what most people expect to spend on a place for their baby to sleep for 4 months, but if you are desperate for sleep (which, who isn’t?!) and you can make this work with your budget, it’s definitely worth a look. The SNOO was designed by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp (of Happiest Baby on the Block fame) and is supposed to mimic much of what baby is used to in utero: shushing noises from mom’s heartbeat, constant movement and the coziness of the womb. The SNOO can be controlled by an app and comes with a “transition” mode, intended to help baby break the SNOO habit before moving to a crib.
BEST FOR TRAVEL
Dream On Me Traveler Portable Bassinet ($79.99 on Amazon)
BEST FOR WORKING WITH YOUR DECOR
BABYBJORN Cradle ($349.99 on Amazon)
A lot of baby stuff (we’re looking at you Jumparoo) isn’t exactly designed to blend in with your furnishings. If aesthetics are important, the clean lines of the BABYBJORN cradle will fit in better than most. This classic bassinet is powered by you — when you rock it with your hand or foot — and can grow with baby up to 6 months or 17 pounds. The breathable soft mesh fabric provides great airflow and ensures you can keep an eye on baby. Plus the fabric zips off for easy washing.