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How long can a baby sleep in bassinet?

A comfortable bassinet is perfect for your newborn baby to sleep for the first few months. However, a bassinet is not a permanent solution for your baby’s sleep. Bassinet allows the baby to connect with the mother on the bed, but your baby will outgrow that phase very soon. 

As I said, bassinet can be used until your baby outgrows bassinet or reaches at 15 lbs. As a new parents many questions can disturb you about your baby’s sound sleep. Because sleep is an essential component for baby’s growth.

When is bassinet too small? When is baby too big for bassinet?  When does baby outgrown bassinet? What to do babies outgrow bassinet? This article will help you with the following: 

  • The perfect time to replace the bassinet with a crib
  • The weight capacity of the bassinet
  • Functions of a crib
  • Benefits of a crib. 

No doubt that bassinets are a cosy and safe place where babies can sleep soundly. However, having a crib for your baby comes with its own benefits. 

What is a bassinet?

baby is too big for bassinet

A bassinet is designed for infants and younger babies to sleep safely and soundly in your presence. In the beginning, moms are always worried about their infant’s safety. It scares us to leave the baby alone in a room. For such instances, the bassinet is the best solution for your worries.

Bassinets are smaller than cribs, co-sleeping bassinets can be placed/attached near your bed. These strollers and moving bassinet are mobilised and can roll along with you wherever you go. This helps mommas to keep their babies nearby and keep an eye on them while doing house chores.

Below are essential benefits of a bassinet:

  • Smaller bassinets are super safe for your tiny baby
  • Baby feels like it’s sleeping in their momma’s cosy womb.
  • You can move the bassinet as it is easy to mobilise. They come with wheels.
  • The bassinet is smaller than the Crib. 
  • Co-sleeping Bassinets are a better and safer substitute for co-sleeping with infant.
  • You can attach it to the bed and still sleep at a safe distance. 
  • Bassinets are affordable and perfect for limited living space. 
  • Bassinets are designed in different weights; you can buy them according to your baby’s weight.

How to get a baby to sleep in a bassinet?

The big problem you will face after buying a suitable bassinet is what to do when your baby doesn’t want to sleep in a bassinet.

Below are a few tips to follow to make it easy to sleep your baby in a bassinet:-

  • Establish a bedtime routine for your baby
  • Swaddling
  • Focus on the baby sleep schedule

Below are the most popular moving bassinets with bassinet weight limit and baby’s age limit:-

  1. Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet – weight limit 25 lbs age limit 0-6 months approx.
  2. Delta Children Sweet Beginnings Bedside Bassinet 15 lbs age limit 5 months
  3. Baby Delight Beside Me Dreamer Bassinet weight 20 lbs age limit 5 months
  4. Kidsclub Baby Bedside Sleeper weight limit 25 lbs age limit 6 months
  5. Mika Micky Bedside Sleeper weight limit 33 lbs age limit 5 months

Now a days you can get many newer bassinet with higher weight limit up to 33 lbs. So, don’t worry if your baby too long for bassinet.

Baby too big for bassinet, but not ready for crib!

As a new mom, you’re worried about where your newborn baby will sleep and when to stop using bassinet for your baby or when to move baby from bassinet to crib?

You’re a breastfeeding mom, and your nutritious breast milk makes your baby grow day by day. (It seems like yesterday when my baby was a tiny munchkin, and now, it appears too big! Time flies; three months of motherhood passed in a split second.).

What are different bassinet models?

It depends on the different bassinet models and how quickly your baby gains health. Co-sleeping Bassinets or any other bed sider sleeper can be used between three months to 5 months of age. Secondly, it depends on the growth of your child and the weight limit of bassinets.

All babies have different growth processes, a few babies gain weight fast and others remain underweight. Bassinets come in a variety of sizes and shapes with different weights.

Bassinets come in many sizes, styles and shapes:-

  • long bassinet,
  • Extra large baby bassinet 
  • big bassinet
  • Newborn sleep bassinet
  • Bassinet on go like Fold N’ Go Travel Bassinet
  • Bassinet rolling etc.

What is a bassinet weight limit?

A bassinet weight limit means an ideal weight where your baby sleeps safely for months until the baby outgrew bassinet.

For example, if you buy a bassinet weight limit of only 10 pounds, you can use it for weeks only because the weight of 10 pounds is equal to the weight limit of 20 pounds. So, it’s essential to know the right bassinet weight for your newborn baby. Mostly baby outgrown bassinet at 3 months.

When to stop using bassinet?

Your baby can sleep at a specific age in the bassinet when it begins to gain health; he needs a more spacious place to stretch his body properly.

Bassinet manufacturer strictly instructs parents to stop using bassinet when baby reached its first milestones like:-

  • Baby tries to roll over
  • The baby able to sit
  • He starts to push up on his hands
  • Your baby reaches at a specific age and weight limit.

Can baby sleep in bassinet if rolling over?

a crib

Babies keep growing fast in the first year, so their sleep patterns continue changing. However, sleep is essential for both parents and babies. Because the baby is outgrown, and he’s feeling uncomfortable in the bassinet.

Once baby started growing certain milestones, bassinet becomes too suffocative for sleeping.

Every bassinet has height and weight guideline from the manufacturer, if your baby cross the recommended limit. That means you have to move your baby in a better place for taking rest.

Cribs are one of the best option next to bassinets. If your baby refuses to sleep in crib, you can grab bedside crib for one year old baby, that mimic like bassinet for the baby.

When to move baby to Crib? Or how long can a baby sleep in a bassinet?

move baby to a crib

Here are the main reasons to transition to a crib from bassinet:-

  1. When Baby is 4 to 6 months old – Baby tries to sit up and sleep in uncomfortable positions in the bassinet, which means it’s time to change baby’s sleep place.
  2. The baby started rolling over the bassinet from the back to the belly. Here for safety concerns, transition the baby from bassinet to Crib.
  3. Your baby is trying to crawl and hit the sides of the bassinet; you have to stop using the bassinet anymore.

Most babies transition into Crib near about 4 to 6 months of age. But your baby still likes to sleep in the bassinet and is not ready to move into a bigger crib; it’s unnecessary to rush to transit it to the Crib. You have to purchase a heavier weight limit bassinet if you can. 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, instead of bed sharing, room sharing with your baby. 

“This means keeping your baby’s sleep area in the same room where you sleep for at least the first 6 months. Place your baby’s Crib, bassinet, portable Crib or play yard in your bedroom, close to your bed. The AAP recommends room sharing because it can decrease the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%, and it’s much safer than bed sharing. Room sharing will also make it easier for you to feed, comfort and watch your baby.”

What to do when baby outgrows bassinet?

While there is no age limit for a bassinet to use, every baby has its own physical growth, and each bassinet has its weight and length limit. Your baby will decide how long he wants to sleep in the bassinet through his health development. 

Generally, babies outgrow bassinet between 4 to 6 months. Many parents prefer bassinet-style strollers for their infants because they help babies nap on the go.

If you’re in the same boat as me, when my baby is too big for a bassinet stroller or bedside bassinet, then you have to pay attention towards the weight and length limit of the bassinet similar to your baby. 

Bassinet vs Crib

Often new parents need clarification about where to place the baby to sleep in the bigger Crib or bassinet because their baby overgrew bassinet. When you notice baby try to say You know all about a bassinet but unaware of a crib. So, I am letting you know what is a crib?

 It’s a durable and robust baby bed than a bassinet. You can use the Crib from one  year old baby to toddler, because it is solid wood. Below are the main differences between a crib and a bassinet. 

 Bassinet vs Crib – What’s better for baby?

Below are main difference between bassinet and crib:-

  1. Bassinets are light weighted, and you can use them until your baby weighs 20 to 25 lbs. On the other hand, cribs are used for younger toddler because these are big and made of firm wood.
  2. Bassinet is a co-sleeper and convenient for room sharing with infants. It makes your breastfeeding and diaper changing job easy. Crib needs an extra room to assemble and its the best option for mobilized baby.
  3. A bassinet has small walls that’s good for infant, whereas a crib has high walls that protect your naughty one from a fall or any unnecessary injury.
  4. The bassinet comes with bedding; cribs don’t have any bedding, and you have to purchase extra bedding.
  5. Bassinets are easy to assemble, and you can use them- immediately, but cribs take a lot of time to assemble.
  6. A bassinet needs a small space, whereas a crib takes up a lot of space.
  7. Bassinets are affordable, but cribs are more expensive than any other baby option.

Do you need a crib?

Your baby is a healthy and outgrown bassinet. He started to hit the bassinet’s sides; it tried to roll and roll over. 

Suppose you don’t want your baby falling from the bassinet and hurting its forehead because it’s impossible to watch baby 24*7.

On the other hand, your baby’s safety is knocking your mind even when you’re in the office, kitchen or anywhere. A crib gives you the peace of mind that your baby is safe and will not hurt himself. 

The most important thing is that a crib can avoid any accident or suffocation to the baby when you sleep tight. 

When to move baby from bassinet to crib?

Newborn babies sleep 14 to 16 hours a day, including naps and long stretches of sleep in the first weeks after birth.

When you notice that your baby has outgrown bassinet and starts to sleep for hours continuously without an urge to eat food, it’s time to move baby from bassinet to Crib.

How to transition baby to Crib?

Wow! baby fall asleep, its the best time to move your baby to crib without waking him up. But How?

Below are a few tips that will help you to complete the challenging task of transitioning your baby to a crib:-

  • Put the Crib in your room: Your baby might hesitate in a new room and it might revolt against the idea. For starters, keep the crib in the same room as yours. Your voice and familiar environment will ease your baby. 
  • Use the same bed sheet you have used in the bassinet because the familiar smell helps the baby to relax and sleep soundly.
  • Keep the Crib safe and suffocation free for your baby.
  • Use a firm mattress with a fitted bed sheet, and don’t use extra pillows or blankets.
  • Swaddle the baby properly before placing it in the Crib for sleep.
  • Try to maintain a routine with the baby’s bedtime.
  • Keep the baby in a crib to take small naps in the daytime.

Extra questions about how long do you use a bassinet

How long do babies sleep in bassinet?

A bassinet is generally designed for newborn babies and can typically be used until the baby reaches around 4-6 months of age. Or until they start showing signs of being able to roll over or push up on their hands and knees.

It is important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for bassinet weight limits and age recommendations, and to discontinue use of the bassinet once the baby has outgrown it or is showing signs of being able to move around more independently.

How Long Do Babies Sleep In Bassinet?

Babies can sleep in a bassinet for varying amounts of time depending on their individual needs and development.

In general, newborn babies may sleep in a bassinet for several weeks to a few months, or until they start to outgrow the bassinet or show signs of being able to roll over or push up on their hands and knees.

Once a baby starts to become more active and mobile, it may be necessary to transition them to a crib to support for their growing bodies. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for weight limits and age recommendations.

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