The question of whether to buy a crib or a bassinet has led to debate for years and the recent popularity of baby hammocks has done little to quell the passionate and sometimes heated debate that looms.
Every Side Of The Argument
Infant Cribs
Proponents of the bassinet believe that having baby near them while they sleep is the greatest benefit of all and that the compact, portable nature of the bassinet makes it even more appealing. Baby hammock lovers argue that the hammock offers baby the most comfortable and protective sleeping position of any type of bed. Fans of the crib, on the other hand, will tell you that babies can outgrow bassinets making them prohibitively expensive and impractical in the long run.
A Decision Tailored To You And Baby
The simple fact of the matter is that all of them have their advantages and disadvantages and there is no definitive answer for any parent or any baby. The most appropriate choice will depend on your preferences, your circumstances, and what your baby wants.
Infant Cribs For Baby Nurseries
Baby cribs are designed to be a more permanent nursery fixture. They are larger than the bassinet and therefore more immobile but they also have higher and more protective sides which means that there is considerably less danger of baby being able to roll or climb out of the side of their bed at night.
Size Matters
Most people will struggle to fit a full size crib into their bedroom comfortably and many new parents prefer the feeling of knowing that their son or daughter is close to them and at eye level should they wake in the night. However, having them in your bedroom can cause problems of its own.
Practicality
Typically, at least one parent will be going out to work during the day and the other parent may well take on the responsibility of night time feeding. In this case, having baby in the bedroom all night will inevitably lead to the working parent having less sleep although this is a generally accepted side effect of having a baby.
Designs And Colors
Whether you choose a bassinet, a crib, or even a baby hammock, it may be reassuring to know that there are many choices available to you whichever decision you plump for. Not only can you choose different sizes and even shapes of any of these items but modern infant cribs and other sleeping items also come in a virtually baffling array of different styles, designs, and colors so that you can match the bed to the room in which it will be used.
Infant Cribs
Providing comfort and safety for baby is the responsibility and virtual obsession for every parent but this needs to be offset with the practical situation. Some bedrooms are not big enough to include a crib as well as the parent's bed. This means that if you want baby near you at night but don't have the room then you will need to buy a bassinet and potentially move up to an infant crib at a later date.