Best Bassinets for Newborns

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends parents and infants sleep in the same room — not the same bed — for at least the first 6 months of baby's life in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. A newborn bassinet is a comfortable and convenient way to keep baby in your room during these early months without taking up quite as much space as a standard crib. 

"I love it when parents use a bassinet for their baby in the first months of life," says Emily Scott, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. "This makes it easier for them to have their baby sleep in their room."

How long does baby sleep in a bassinet?

If you're planning on using a bassinet, you should have it ready to go as soon as your baby comes home from the hospital. Though not a necessity — a newborn can go straight into a crib — many parents find bassinets incredibly helpful in the early days due to their convenience and portability, says Michele Pedulla, D.N.P., a pediatric nurse practitioner and associate professor at Regis College.

Having baby by your bedside can help facilitate late-night feedings, bedtime bonding and nighttime comforting. And if you're recovering from a C-section, you may also find that the lower height of a bassinet makes it easier to lift baby in and out — with a standard crib, there are higher sides to lean over.

One important thing to keep in mind, though: While the AAP recommends room sharing for 6 to 12 months, most babies grow out of bassinets by the time they are 3 or 4 months old, sometimes sooner.

“The rule of thumb is, when the infant is active and starting to roll over, it would be wise to have the infant sleep in the crib,” says Pedulla. Additionally, most bassinets have clear weight limits, which can also put an end to your baby’s time in the bassinet — even before she can roll over. Once baby has reached this milestone or the weight limit — whichever comes first — she should be transferred to a crib.

Bassinets, mini cribs and playards: What’s the difference?

You may have heard that all three work for newborn sleep. But which one — or ones — should you invest in? The answer might be different for different families.

Bassinets, mini cribs and playards can all come in handy for new parents who want to keep their baby close by.

• Bassinet: Think of a baby bassinet as an upgrade to the old-fashioned baby cradle. Since bassinets tend to be small and lightweight, they're really only suitable for very young babies. Some have collapsible bases that make them easy to stash away when not in use.
• Mini crib: Ideal for small nurseries or to keep in the master bedroom, mini cribs have narrower mattresses than standard cribs, so larger babies may outgrow them more quickly. Some mini cribs fold flat, making them a popular choice to keep at Grandma's house. The weight limit for mini cribs is often higher than bassinets, so they might be a better longer-term solution for room sharing after 3 months. 
• Playard: Once called playpens, these mesh-sided spaces work for baby's naps, overnight sleep or simply playing in a contained space (like a hotel room that isn't baby-proofed). Playards usually fold into a compact tower, so they're fairly easy to travel with, especially if you're driving. (They may be a bit bulky for air travel, however.) Depending on which playard you choose, you might also get additional bells and whistles such as a bassinet attachment, a changing station, night light and diaper caddy.

Note that you should always check the weight limit on any item you're using (a bassinet may have an especially low one), and mini cribs and playards need to be retired if your child is nimble enough to climb out on her own, even if she hasn't reached the height limit.

Types of bassinets

Though your parents and their parents didn’t have many choices in terms of bassinets — they were pretty standard standalone items until recently — today, there are a wide range of options to choose from: 

• Traditional bedside bassinets: These bassinets are freestanding and typically larger pieces of furniture that you can place next to your bed or tuck somewhere convenient in the room. Some are as basic as can be — just an encased flat mattress — while others have extras like storage baskets.
• Bedside sleepers: These bassinets are meant to nestle right up to your bed (but do not attach to it), making it easier to reach for baby in the middle of the night.
• Travel bassinets: These bassinets are typically more lightweight and often collapse for enhanced portability. They are great for moving around the house, plus can be used for travel. Some of these bassinets even convert to playards for longevity.
• Smart bassinets: This type of bassinet is relatively new-to-market, but parents love the added functionality — these products have added features, like automated rocking, built-in sound machines, vibrations and more. Just be cautious with rocking bassinets — experts warn that once babies are able to move around a little, their shifting weight plus the rocking might tilt them enough to trap them on one side of the bassinet. 

How to choose the right bassinet

Whether you want a sleek pod or a traditional look, bassinets come in many different styles — but some features are non-negotiable.

"Babies need to sleep alone in their own sleeping space with four sides around them," says Dr. Scott. "We want to be sure that the sides of the bassinet aren't made of a soft, plush material that the baby could suffocate against. Mesh sides, which are firmer and allow air to circulate, are okay to use."

Safety features for bassinets are very similar to the ones for cribs — and any bassinets sold in the U.S. must meet strict safety requirements set forth by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in order to get a Children’s Product Certificate (CPC). In general, bassinets should have a firm mattress and a tight-fitting mattress sheet. Infants should always be put to sleep on their back without any extra toys, stuffed animals, blankets or bumper pads in the bassinet.

Beyond these must-have safety features, there are some extras that make some bassinets preferable to cribs, including:

• Side pockets or lower storage space
• Base that can slide under a bed to save space
• Adjustable height
• Folding mechanism 
• Lockable wheels so it can be transported from one room to another 
• Vibration feature, white noise or music

And FYI: If you're inheriting a hand-me-down bassinet from a friend or relative, be sure that it's compliant with current safe sleep standards, that you have all required parts and check that the item hasn't been part of a recall. (Use the CPSC database.)

How we made our picks for the best bassinet

To narrow in on the best bassinet, we poured through the comments from users of the What to Expect Community to see what their favorite bassinets are, then compared them against the above guidelines. We also polled our editors on the models they’ve tried and loved with their own kids to round out this list of the best baby bassinets available today.