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Some parents swear by co-sleeping or at least having their baby in the same room as them for the first few months of their baby’s life. Other parents, though, prefer to keep their baby in the nursery from day one. There’s no one way to go or the “right” option, but when parents feel the need to have their babies close choosing the best bedside bassinet comes into play.
These don’t have to necessarily be legitimate co-sleepers or playpens that double as bassinets, but the best bedside bassinets, like the Graco Dream or SwaddleMe bassinet, fall somewhere in the middle. These top five bedside bassinets aren’t the only ones out there by any means, but they are some of the top bassinets out there made to get the job done.
Whether the goal is practicality, something with more bells and whistles, or a bassinet that’s the most economically sound, this list of the top five bedside bassinets has parents’ needs covered.
Even if some parents’ goals are to have a bedside bassinet available on the off chance that their baby is sick and they need to keep him or her close, it’s always convenient to have one at the ready. And these top five bedside bassinets are designed to meet most parents’ concerns.
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1. Graco Dream Suite Bassinet
One of the biggest strengths that come from the Graco Dream Suite Bassinet is that being Graco, it comes from a brand that’s already known and trusted by most parents. But the bassinet also doubles as a changing table and comes equipped with a vibration option, meaning no absent-minded rocking by hand in the middle of the night and no super fat rocking speed all on its own.
And since the Dream Suite Bassinet is also flipped around to be used as a changing table, it makes those middle of the night diaper changes much easier and enables parents to stay in their own bedroom as they care for their newborn rather than navigate their home late at night.
- Child Age Range: The bassinet part of the Graco Dream Suite Bassinet can be used up to 15 pounds or three months old. The changing table, on the other hand, can be utilized up to 30 pounds.
- Where To Buy: Although the bassinet can’t be purchased directly from Graco’s website, it can be found at Walmart, Babies ‘R Us, and Target, among many others.
- The Best Part: The changing table aspect of the bassinet is a huge plus for most parents. While some playpen bassinets also offer this feature, the Graco Dream Suite Bassinet is also small enough so as not to be a bulky presence in any room of the house, while also being a changing table.
- The Not So Great: For some families, the weight limit of 15 pounds might make this well-loved but short-lived accessory in their home, since some babies could reach that weight before their three-month mark.
2. SwaddleMe Bassinet – The By Your Bed Sleeper
Summer Infant’s SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper is another bedside bassinet that comes from a trusted brand by most parents. It’s also a typically affordable brand, which is another deciding factor most parents look to. The bassinet has an adjustable incline made to made the baby, while swaddled in a blanket or not, feel that same comfort that comes along with being swaddled.
It also has a vibration, music, nature sounds, and a side rocking rhythm that makes it easier for parents to rock the bassinet without even getting out of bed. The legs of the bassinet have the ability to tuck underneath the bed too, making it possible for parents to sleep with their baby right by their side, which for some, is the whole point of a bassinet in their bedroom.
- Child Age Range: The SwaddleMe By Your Bed Sleeper is designed for babies up to 17.5 pounds.
- Where To Buy: The bassinet can be purchased directly from Summer Infant’s website and can also be found at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond. Check out the latest prices and discounts here.
- The Best Part: The design of the bassinet itself is the most genius part. As most parents know, swaddling a baby is often the cure-all for fussiness or gas, and having s bedside bassinet that promotes that feeling for them is equally as important sometimes.
- The Not So Great: Although it’s only made for babies up to 17.5 pounds, the bassinet itself might be considered bulky for some, especially for those who may not have extra room in their bed.
3. Serena & Lily Sausalito Moses Basket
While the Serena & Lily Sausalito Moses Basket might be on the high end for some parents, others might consider it their own item to splurge on when it comes to the infancy stages of their baby’s life.
The basket is designed to be a snug and comfortable space for infants to rest while remaining close to their parents, but when that stage is over, it doubles as a toy bin. While it doesn’t offer the option of tripling as a changing table too, the Moses basket does offer closeness and the ability to bind, while taking up very little space.
- Child Age Range: The Moses basket bassinet is recommended for babies ages 0-4 months old.
- Where To Buy: The Serena & Lily Sausalito Moses Basket can be purchased right from the manufacturer’s website and on Amazon, but the best place to find it would be right from the original source, as it’s not available in stores.
- The Best Part: The idea of the basket, though small, is where some of its best qualities lie. It can fit snugly in bed, giving parents the feeling of co-sleeping while keeping their baby safe and secure.
- The Not So Great: For some parents, the padded insert that lines the bottom of the bassinet is not soft enough, but this is a minor complaint.
4. UPPABaby Bassinet
At first glance, the UPPABaby Bassinet seems like it’s made for strictly on-the-go use, but the fact of the matter is that it’s designed to be used for any time parents need their baby to be in it. I.e., as a carrier, while out and about, for a bit of rest time, or yes, overnight use.
With the stand (sold separately), it can be placed next to the bed or even as a co-sleeper for parents, making it even more versatile than it already is. It also makes it possible to go from being out for the day to coming home without needing to wake the baby to move him or her to a crib before they really need to.
- Child Age Range: The UPPABaby Bassinet is meant for “birth up to 20lbs and 25″ long, or until infant can push up on hands and knees, whichever comes first.”
- Where To Buy: The bassinet can be purchased directly from UPPABaby’s website or at Bed Bath & Beyond. You can also find it here on Amazon.
- The Best Part: The fact that the bassinet can be used pretty much anywhere and comes equipped with a sunshade that has an SPF of 50 and a built-in blanket cover of sorts means being able to get a lot of use out of the bassinet.
- The Not So Great: The stand for the UPPABaby Bassinetis sold separately (for $150 on its own), so to make the best out of using the UPPABaby Bassinet in the room but not in the bed, parents would need to make the additional purchase.
This universal bassinet complies with new ASTM standards requiring, (1) the bassinet to be at least 191 mm in depth and (2) canopy hinges be engaged by pressing a button to both raise and lower the canopy.
5. Babyletto Bowery Bassinet
It’s kind of hard to ignore the fact that the Babyletto Bowery Bassinet looks like a smaller version of an infant’s crib, which for some parents can be a good thing. It could make the transition to crib easier down the line and the straight, simple edges also make the bassinet appealing and able to fit in with most other furniture in a room.
And since the pad and base are flat, parents can use the bassinet as a changing table if they need to. While being an attractive bassinet certainly isn’t grounds for being a deciding factor, it’s one of the characteristics that set the bassinet apart from some others.
- Child Age Range: The maximum weight for the Babyletto Bowery Bassinet is 21 pounds, which is a few above many others.
- Where To Buy: The bassinet can be found on Amazon, AlBeeBaby.com, and at Babies ‘R us.
- The Best Part: With the legs off, the Babyletto Bowery Bassinet easily converts to a toy box. Whether parents want to utilize it right away or once their baby is old enough to actually play with toys is up to them, but the option is a pretty big perk.
- The Not So Great: The mattress pad that comes with the Babyletto Bowery Bassinet is thinner than most parents might like, especially since underneath the pad is the hard base of the bassinet.
Final Thoughts
As with any big decision regarding baby products, ultimately, the decision is all up to the parent involved and it’s up to them to decide what they think is best for their baby. Obviously, safety is the number one thing, though versatility and price aren’t far behind. We believe the Babyletto, UPPABaby, Serena & Lily, Graco Dream, and SwaddleMe bassinets are all excellent choices for your family.
There are certainly some bedside bassinets that would be better off left as strictly changing tables or could do with a few minor adjustments, but the ones on this top five list of the best bedside bassinets all have their strengths.
Choosing the best baby bassinet isn’t easy, but it’s not supposed to be since it’s a pretty big accessory for any baby. But it also shouldn’t be stressful for parents to choose either, which is why one of these are sure to cover most of the bases for parents’ must-haves regarding their bedside bassinets.
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