Anyone not use a bassinet and put the baby in crib right away?

[nicknack]

Hi--
We most likely will have a bassinet for nighttime, but were thinking of using a crib for during the day. That probably sounds weird, so here's the situation: We're living with my parents until mid-December when our house will be ready. We're in the finished basement, so I think we'll stay there and have the bassinet down there for at night.

My parents, however, also have a crib in one of the bedrooms on the main level, so I was thinking I would put the baby down for daytime sleeping there so I can hear it better down in the kitchen/den area.

So, I guess I was wondering if there were people who didn't use a bassinet and used the crib right away and if so, are there any inserts or anything I should get to make it feel more cozy?

Thanks, any help would be much appreciated!
Nicole

[Rubisca]

Hi, Nicole:

Our baby isn't here quite yet (one week or so to go!) but we will not be using a bassinet, just the crib. Our room is very small and there was no place to put a bassinet. And the nursery is right next to our room so the crib will be literally just a few feet from my bedside (right on the other side of the wall where the head of our bed is) so the baby will be just as close by as if it was in a bassinet in our room. I don't think it's weird at all, I think plenty of people who don't want to spend money on a bassinet or don't have space for it do this. I have two friends whose babies started out in their cribs in their nurseries and they were fine. Neither of the moms used anything else to make the cribs "cozy"--no sleep positioners or anything--and the babies were just fine and dandy!

Robin
EDD 10/17/03

[amp]

We tried to use a bassinet for a few days, but DS didn't like it. When he would get out of his swaddle, he's fling his arms out, bang them on the sides and wake himself up. After a few days, we started using the crib and he's been in it ever since. In the beginning, we turned him the other way in the crib, so he laid across the short way, not down the length. Now he sleeps the regular way. Using a crib from day one is not a problem. You may want to keep swaddling in the early days to make baby more cozy.

[Jen841]

Jude was in his crib from day 1 (no room in the inn plus other parents recommended it.) We did not swaddle him. He has not complained to the management yet!

[momma_boo]

DD has slept in her crib every night since she came home with us and has been fine. Initially, we put her down towards the top of the crib facing the top board so that it would feel "cozier."

[julierobin]

Hi Nicole,

When we first brought DS home he spent the nights in our room on second floor in a Pack 'n Play bassinet. During the day he would nap in his crib on the main level. At age 6 weeks he was in his crib exclusively. From the beginning he has been just fine in the crib, and I didn't use any inserts or anything.

Julie, Mommy to Ben 8/7/03

[kaitlinsmommy]

DD slept in a PNP bassinet in our room for 4 months but I did put her down for naps in her crib early on. I thought it would help her get used to it. She sleeps in her crib every night now but often ends up with us before morning. I think it's a great idea to use the crib as soon as you want.

[bnme]

My DS slept in his crib starting his second night home. We put him in the "short" way, so his head was at one side rail, feet the other. We also swaddled him and used a sleep positioner (positioner at about 1 month). He napped best in the bassinette or PNP. Every baby is different, but the more sleeping spots they become accostomed too the easier it will be on eyou in the months ahead.

[brinat1995]

Do the PNP bassinets use standard bassinet sheets? We're not going with a standalone bassinet - registered for the PNP. BRU had special Graco sheets for the playarea of the PNP, but nothing for the bassinet.

[KMommie]

Kiki was in her crib from the first night we came home. During the day, she slept in the bassinet PNP downstairs in the living room for part of the time.

We did keep Kiki swaddled, and then we also ended up propping up rolled blankets around her, on the sides, to make her feel more secure. For convenience sakes, we would lay her down the "short way", feet towards the dropped side. It was just easier to pick her up and put her down that way.

I think you're plan sounds great! If it doesn't work, you can always modify and try a monitor. I found that the first week, I had trouble going up and down the stairs. I usually had Kiki brought to me upstairs, if she was sleeping downstairs in the bassinet PNP.

:) Good luck!

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03

[justlearning]

Our son slept in his crib from the very beginning with no problems. We used a sleep positioner, which I think helped him feel a little cozier. (He seemed to miss if we had to put him down for a nap without it while the cover was being washed.)

[stillplayswithbarbies]

the same mattress is used for the bassinette area of the pack n play, so the same sheets fit it. It folds up to fit, if it bassinette is not full size.

Don't get the Graco sheets, they are scratchy and not soft. I like the flannel ones from Kushies which you can get cheap at http://www.kidsurplus.com

We used the bassinette of the pack n play for naps during the day, and she sleeps with us at night. She's probably slept in her crib maybe 10 times in her life so far, for naps.

I had a very adorable Moses Basket for her, but it was too narrow. She would lay on her back and her arms would go out in the reflexive "fencer's pose" and hit the sides and wake her up. I think that may be the case with a standard bassinette too. The pack n play is wider.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[kaitlinsmommy]

You use the same PNP sheets for the bassinet, at least in the full-size bassinet. Lots of people dislike the Graco sheets and think they aren't soft enough but I used them and thought they were fine.

[AndrewsMommy]

Our ds has slept in his crib from the night he came home from the hospital! He's always been an excellent sleeper. He loves his crib. We did use a cradle for naps downstairs in the very beginning when he slept a lot. We didn't do anything special. No positioners or anything. We did swaddle him for as long as we could. That seemed to help keep him sleeping longer.

Tina
Proud Mom to Andrew 3/03