Babies are not capable of doing most things by themselves, they surely need the help of their mother but sleeping is not part of what they need help doing. Babies can sleep and wake up any time of the day as they are not aware of day and night. They have tiny stomachs and because of this, they can sleep and wake up any time of the day just to eat as their stomachs don’t take enough food to hold them for a long time.
A baby can sleep in any convenient position but as the guardian, you need to place a baby in a good sleeping position to avoid body pains and bad sleeping posture. If you need to hold your bay in a tight sleeping position and avoid any disturbance while they are sleeping, you need to get a baby bassinet.
A bassinet is a small bed-like structure that helps to hold babies in a tight sleeping position. Bassinet can only be used for babies within 6 months so as to provide ease of moving them around the room without their weight resting on you. They are mostly used for babies as temporary sleeping cribs before they move into their sleeping crib.
Bassinets should not be used for a long time as the baby will surely grow beyond the length of the bassinet. This brings out the question of how long can a baby sleep in a bassinet? Babies would usually sleep for about 13-16 hours a day. This may differ in babies as the National Sleep Foundation says some babies may sleep up to about 18-19 hours inside 24 hours. These sleeps are not in a stretch as they can sleep and wake up every 3-4 hours to eat and sleep again.
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What is the Best Sleeping Position for a Baby?
When a baby is growing up, they tend to have a favorite sleeping position, below are some steps to the best sleeping position and environment for your baby. To reduce the risk of losing children to infant death syndrome, the Healthy children’s organization encourage mothers to lay their baby down to sleep on their back. So, the best sleeping position for babies is to lie down on their backs. When you use bassinets, you tend to reduce the risk of the baby getting attacked by sudden infant death syndrome. A bassinet only reduces the risk of the syndrome happening, it does not eradicate the chances of it happening.
How Long Should a Baby Sleep in a Bassinet?
No matter how big the bassinet may be, a baby will surely outgrow it one day. So, you need to study the growth of your baby and determine when they outgrow the bassinet. Normally, Pediatrics Academy only advised you to stop using a bassinet for your baby at the age of 6-7 months. You should be ready to transition your baby in t another crib when they are up to 7 months. When you transition a baby from the bassinet into a sleeping crib, it tends to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome up to about 50%. When a baby sleeps alone, they may not wake up so far, they are not hungry or sleeping in a bad position.
Why should I use a Bassinet?
Bassinets have many advantages and we will look at some of them.
- Comfortable for babies: When you lie a baby down inside a bassinet with their back, they tend to sleep better, longer and calmer. You do not have to worry about the baby waking up at intervals when they sleep in a bassinet. They are very comfortable with a plain surface.
- Versatility: Bassinets comes in different size and designs. You can choose the one that suits the way you want your baby to sleep and the design you want. The quality also differs.
- Well ventilated: Bassinets are well ventilated and give a baby a serene sleeping environment. They have strapping mesh walls which ensures air circulation in the bassinet. Depending on your budget, you can get bassinets to protect your baby against mosquitoes and bed bugs.
- Can be easily moved around: When a baby sleeps in a bassinet, you can easily move the baby around inside the room conveniently. Babies are portable and can be moved around easily even when they are not asleep.
- Very Cheap: Bassinets are cost-effective and almost everyone can afford them. If you are looking for a cheap way to allow your baby to sleep in a cradle position, the bassinet is for you. It is way cheaper than the other sleeping options available for babies.
Frequently Asked Questions on Bassinets
- What type of bedding should I use for my bassinet?
Almost all bassinets come with beddings, so it’s not necessary to get extra bedding for the bassinet, you can only get another one if you don’t like it.
- Is a bassinet stroller needed?
You may need a bassinet roller if you travel a lot. It might be expensive but you can always get one within your budget range.
- Is it compulsory for a baby to sleep inside a bassinet?
It is not compulsory, but it tends to add more t your child and gives you the ease of carrying them around. So, you can always decide not to buy a cabinet and allow your baby to sleep in the crib.
Conclusion:
Bassinets are very useful and are very important to prevent children from sudden infant death syndrome. Don’t say you don’t need a bassinet, look for the one within your budget range and get it. This will help give your baby a better and relaxing sleep.
