Bassinet Buying Guide: Types, Safety & Expert Tips

Bassinets and cradles are similar to cribs, but with a few key differences. Bassinets have a smaller footprint, making them easier to fit next to your bed. The base may be stationary, or it may rock like a rocking chair, or the sleep space might swing back and forth atop the base. (Technically, bassinets are stable and cradles rock, but brands nowadays tend to use the terms interchangeably.) When the bassinet is not rocking, the sleep surface should be flat or at an incline of less than 10 degrees. 

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Most bassinets are smaller and more lightweight than a full-sized crib, and are usually easier to move. (There are some notable exceptions, however—smart bassinets like the Cradlewise and the Snoo are heavier and not designed for portability or travel.) Some bassinets come with wheels to make them even easier to move from room to room, which may be useful if you intend to keep watch over your sleeping baby in more than one room in the house. Bassinets sometimes feature very shallow inclines, but keep in mind that no infant sleep products can have inclines that exceed 10 degrees (and inclined sleeping surfaces aren’t helpful at reducing infant reflux, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP). 

You can also find bassinets with built-in canopies or hoods. It’s important not to hang or drape a blanket or other material over a bassinet, because it can fall on the baby and strangle or smother them. “Do not add an accessory to a sleep environment that is not specifically made and/or tested for safety with the item you intend to attach it to,” says Antoinette Burns, DO, associate medical director of the Sleep Lab at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

If you’re planning to regularly move the bassinet between rooms or houses (to visit grandparents, for example), a portable or travel bassinet may be a good choice. The best bassinets we tested fold or disassemble easily without extra tools, and their lightweight nature makes them easy to transport or stow. Just note that some bassinets in the portable category may be slightly smaller than their traditional counterparts, which could limit their longer-term use. It’s also important to remember to never put a baby in a portable bassinet on a raised or soft surface, like a countertop or bed. “Babies have been injured in falls—and the soft surface may allow the bassinet to tip, putting the baby in an unsafe position,” says Nancy Cowles, child product safety expert and former executive director of the child product safety nonprofit Kids in Danger. 

Bedside bassinets, sometimes called “co-sleepers,” are designed to nestle right beside your mattress for optimal reachability. They typically attach to the bed itself, and sometimes the side closest to the adult bed can be lowered for even easier access. 

However, what’s known as an “in-bed co-sleeper” is different; this is similar to an infant lounger that is placed on the adult’s bed. Consumer Reports has found that in-bed sleepers have been linked to infant deaths, and they’re now illegal per the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Infant Safe Sleep Rule, which took effect in . The AAP does not recommend sharing your bed with your baby, because doing so is associated with SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). “Not only do infant loungers or in-bed sleepers not make bed sharing safe, they add additional potential hazards to the sleep surface,” Cowles says.

Some experts believe bedside sleepers that attach to the side of the bed can be great options for some parents. “There is no large-scale convincing data in regard to [bedside bassinets], but intuitively they seem safe, providing proximity and at the same time a separate surface,” says Eliot Katz, MD, medical director and division chief of the Sleep Center at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla. “I think that it makes nighttime breastfeeding easier, and I personally have been recommending co-sleepers for years.”

Stroller bassinets are designed for the first few months of a baby’s life, before they can safely sit upright in a traditional stroller seat. Once the baby is a bit older, you can swap them out for a regular seat on the stroller; they can also be removed and placed on a stationary frame for nighttime sleep.

“Strollers that come with bassinets must meet the safety standards for both strollers and bassinets,” Burns says. “A newer requirement for products with removable bassinets includes stability testing specifically for the bassinet once the bassinet is removed from the stroller.” If yours doesn’t meet safe sleep standards—for example, if it’s an old product, or you don’t know when it was made—the baby should be moved out of it as soon as possible if they fall asleep.

Cardboard bassinets are just that: bassinets made out of cardboard. They’re also sometimes called “baby boxes,” and their popularity began in Finland, where, since , new parents have received a free box of goodies that, once emptied, served as a place for baby to sleep. Some people have linked Finland’s low SIDS rate to the use of these boxes, though other experts say neighboring countries have similarly low rates of SIDS without the free baby boxes. 

“Currently, there is not enough research and/or data to advise for or against any infant sleep product that is not already included in the published safety standards,” Burns says. “This includes any alternative sleep product, such as cardboard boxes, despite the popularity of alternative sleep products in some countries and cultures.”

Additionally, Red Nose Australia, an Australian infant and child safe sleep organization, recommends against cardboard bassinets because high humidity can affect the structural integrity of the product.

Moses baskets are small baskets, typically made of wicker, that rest on a stand. “The American Academy of Pediatrics does not have an official statement about Moses baskets, but Moses baskets offer a firm sleep surface for infants that would meet the AAP recommendations about safe sleep environments for infants,” says Mary Beth Howard, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore. 

What you won’t want to do with a Moses basket? Carry it with your baby inside, or place the Moses basket with your baby on top of a counter or table—it should always be used with the included stand. (Moses baskets sold without a stand violate the bassinet safety standard.)

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“Bassinets are great for new babies, allowing them to sleep in the parents’ room and keeping them nearby throughout the house,” Cowles says. “But they can become unsafe if the baby uses it as they grow and develop. Signs of rolling over or pushing up on hands and knees mean it’s time to move baby to a crib. As with a crib, soft bedding or other items should not be put in the bassinet—nothing but baby.”

If you can, buy a new bassinet, or ensure that all product features are in line with the current safety standards as established by the CPSC. You can also check to make sure that the product in question hasn’t been subject to a recall or warning. And just say no to grandma’s old bassinet that has been in the family for half a century. Safety standards have evolved over the years, and those years may have taken their toll on the product itself and weakened its structural integrity, making it a risky choice.

A bassinet mobile is adorable, but don’t let it hang too low. Loose toys should remain out of your baby’s bassinet, but according to the AAP, toys that clasp securely to the bassinet’s edge are probably okay, though the organization says your baby isn’t likely to be too interested in them at first.

While bassinets are more portable than cribs, you still shouldn’t move them around the house with the baby inside. “If you trip, the baby could be injured; they could fall out,” says Joan Muratore, who leads much of Consumer Reports’ baby product testing. “And suppose something failed or collapsed. You just don’t know what’s going to happen.” 

Finally, keep in mind: Bassinets are a short-term solution. You can use them for only a few months, and by that point, you’ll want a more appropriately sized sleep solution. Might we direct you, then, to our crib buying guide and the best cribs of the year?

Choosing a Bassinet for Your Baby Registry

Choosing the best bassinet means finding a balance of safe design, comfort, and convenience.

Look for breathable materials, easy-to-clean fabrics, and a size that works in your home.

Whether you’re registering for a smart bassinet, travel crib, or classic co-sleeper, pick one for your baby registry that meets both your lifestyle and your baby’s needs.

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Add your favorite bedside sleepers, travel bassinets, or crib alternatives to your MyRegistry.com baby registry.

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Create a Universal Baby Registry today and add gifts from any store.

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