Parenting is a fun ride. That’s why every parent wants to give their children the best they can. So, when it comes to buying baby products, parents have a hard time figuring out which to choose. Bassinet and cribs have almost similar features and you can opt for them based on your preferences and budget. However, just like everyone feels that bassinet is a cheap version of the crib. There are many other features that both offer and when you look at it objectively, the bassinet ended up being the better option.
Is a bassinet or crib better?
The crib is better because you can increase its height and adjust the mattress. However, if you have a baby who sleeps through, then the bassinet has more features than the crib as it supports sleep on all fours (prone). It also offers a side sleeping feature that facilitates slightly easier breathing in some babies. Continue reading: Baby too big for bassinet
Comfort
The crib and bassinet look the same but the crib is more comfortable than the other as it offers different positions to place the baby, such as laying on the stomach or back flexion/extension of legs. Certain brands provide additional foam mattress that also acts as the foundation for a child’s bed that can be attached right after its birth.
Some parents find daytime sleep in jogging chairs too burdensome, so they simply move their newborn during naps into bassinets when they return home. Other parents place their baby in a bassinet at night to be close to the parent’s bed as they sleep, which works best for early childhood development and relaxation of new babies during naps time or periods of tiredness like the first 2-3 months of a child.
Stability
Bassinets have wide bases, which makes them stable as babies can be supported on all fours (prone) while in the crib, they need to lay prone or back. The bassinet is more conducive for newborns who are still learning how to sit up and do not need the support of a headboard along with a mattress that restricts movement etc. As well, a bassinet provides better airflow over the baby’s body compared to a crib where there is less surface area open for sleepers to breathe, which can be very advantageous in preventing obesity.
Assembly
The crib is for quick assembly and it takes about 10-15 minutes to assemble. Bassinet can take slightly longer depending upon whether you have a model that has a white sliding caster at each end of the bassinet or plastic wheels on the base which does not have a caster (I like those models as they are easy to roll away if necessary). However, in both cases, once assembled, services cannot be more ready right out of the box – you just need to add an additional white sheet at the top of the mattress to complete your nursery furniture.
Period Of Use
While the crib needs to be used at least thru the first birthday, the bassinet has almost unlimited usefulness and it will never get old. It can be modified as your babies grow – different colors, fabrics, etc. Keep in mind that the best use for baby furniture is right during the newborn period when you may need the most help!
The cradle for the first months of baby’s life
The cradle to let your baby sleep for the first months of life is necessary, if not essential. The cradle is a small and confined space, which can make the baby feel safe during sleep.
The cradle must not exceed 60 cm. In length according to safety regulations and so that the child does not run into any danger. Babies, when they sleep, stay still, but after a few months, they could feel the instinct to want to turn around, even involuntarily. It is therefore important that the cradle has containment surfaces and that the bars do not have a distance greater than 6 cm, to prevent the head from getting stuck between them. Furthermore, to make the cradle even safer, very soft bumpers can be added and inside it must be avoided toys or parts that can be ingested or that can twist around the atria of the newborn (such as ribbons or laces of bed linen). Keep reading https://awoc.org/what-is-the-difference-between-an-air-purifier-and-a-humidifier/
The choice of the cradle can be based on numerous parameters, such as brand and model, material, shape and size, color, etc.
As for the materials, the legislation does not describe anything mandatory but recommends materials that are as natural as possible, such as wood, cotton or wicker. The cradle must be hypoallergenic and non-toxic, even in any paints, and it must also be completely removable and washable. For the rest, it is up to the mother’s taste to choose the most suitable cradle for her baby. Many mothers, for example, choose so-called cots for “co-sleeping.”
Cots for co-sleeping
These are cradles that allow the mother and her baby to sleep at a very short distance, each keeping their own space.
These cradles are configured with one of the walls that can be removed so as to be able to bring the cradle as close as possible to the edge of the bed. In addition, these cradles have systems that allow you to approach and anchor safely.
Sleeping in this way has a number of advantages, for the mother but above all for the baby:
Reduced risk of SIDS, the known cot death. Unfortunately, this is a fairly frequent phenomenon, but the causes are still unknown. Some research finds a cause in the malfunction of some neurotransmitters from birth that prevent the child from reacting in the face of dangerous situations, such as waking up in case of suffocation. Sleeping in the same bed has been shown to increase the risk of SIDS. The solution of a cot for co-sleeping finds the right compromise between sleeping together and eliminating risks.
According to some authoritative studies, the baby who sleeps at close range with his mother has many of his physiological functions most stimulated, such as heartbeat, breathing, growth function, digestion, management of body temperature.
Co-sleeping is also very useful for the mother, in addition to affective issues and mere closeness with her baby. The cradle attached to the bed allows the mother to monitor the baby’s sleep more closely and to immediately realize if something strange is happening. Accidents, including sids, are much more frequent in the first months of life and during sleep, when, of course, the little one is unconscious.
The bed
After the first months of life, it is important that the child learns to sleep alone, in his bed, and in his room which must necessarily be different from that of his parents.
A transition of this type must be carried out gradually, accompanying the child to the change and trying to limit the trauma as much as possible. On the other hand, however, it is important that parents are very determined, it is the good of their child, and not be persuaded by the sweet eyes that the child persuade them to sleep in the bed with them.
You need to have the right patience and give the child the time he needs. A sign of the change could be when the baby starts to turn around or sit in the crib or even when he tries to climb to enter or exit that environment.
In the passage from the cradle to the bed, however, we must try to keep in mind some precautions, such as, for example:
Keep objects and positions (such as that of the cot itself) as similar as possible to when using the cot. You could keep the same dream catcher mobile as the cradle or the same bag and the same colors.
It is necessary to involve the child in the choice of the nightwear and in the furnishing of his new bedroom to make him feel part of the situation.
In the event that the child has reached the right age and instincts to use the cot but is still a little small in stature compared to the average, it is better to use the appropriate reducers. Although older, the baby can still suffer accidents but, more importantly, he must continue to feel protected in his little corner of the sleeping world. Keep reading Pranayama benefits: controlling the breath
