Comment from JAIME
Time: July 22, 2008, 4:13 pm

I had a bassinet for both of my children for the 1st couple of monts and then a portacrib. However, that was 8 years ago. Now they have portacribs that also serve as a bassinet. I would go that route, because unless you are getting a bassinet for free, they really aren’t worth the money you pay for them. Of course, that is just my opinion.

Comment from Cindy
Time: July 22, 2008, 4:21 pm

Ditto Jaime.

She can use the pack-n-play forever and you can take it with you anywhere. Bassinet is only good for a couple months.

Comment from Bethany
Time: July 22, 2008, 4:26 pm

Pack & Play with removable bassinet feature. Babies outgrow bassinets so quickly it really isn’t worth it unless there are a lot more children on the horizon. =) I didn’t even use a crib after my first child, except as storage for clothes and toys.

Comment from debra parker
Time: July 22, 2008, 4:49 pm

playpen.

Comment from Mandy
Time: July 22, 2008, 4:53 pm

I already responded via twitter, but I want my vote to count twice.

Playpen…all the way. I’ve had a bassinet that I used for 2 months and then I had 1 playpen that lasted for 3 babies. You can use them until they’re like 3 (traveling, camping & such) Totally worth the money. Bassinets are a waste…all show, no go.

Comment from Jeni
Time: July 22, 2008, 5:02 pm

I second all of the previous commenters! Pack N Play with a bassinet top is a much better way to go. I will add, though, that you should buy the real Graco Pack n Play, rather than one of the other brands. We were given an Evenflo, and had to replace it when my daughter was 9 months old because it wasn’t sturdy enough. She’s now almost 2, and the Pack n Play is holding up very well!

Comment from Rachel
Time: July 22, 2008, 5:07 pm

All three of my girls spent the first few weeks/months in the pack-n-play bassinet top. It was great and I still have it for the occasional visiting baby. I don’t think I will ever get rid of it!

Comment from Amanda
Time: July 22, 2008, 5:42 pm

Amen to the pack n play with the removable bassinet. Some of them are really cute too.

Comment from Sarah
Time: July 22, 2008, 6:41 pm

Pack-n-play with the bassinet thingy attached

Comment from Beth
Time: July 22, 2008, 7:13 pm

well, clearly everyone has voted for the play pen…cause…. well, you’ve gotta have one! I borrowed a bassinet. I don’t know how comfortable those bassinet attachements really are on those pack in plays. When my boys were babies, they were yucky. Maybe they are better now. Newborns sure know when you set them down on a hard bed.

Comment from Jennifer Miles
Time: July 22, 2008, 7:47 pm

We had a pack-n-play with the bassinet when Chandler was born, but someone also loaned us a cradle. I loved them both.
With Riley someone loaned us a bassinet for our room. We still used the pack-n-play with bassinet attachment when we traveled to see family.
If you are thinking of getting one or the other then go with the pack-n-play with bassinet attachment.

Comment from Kelley
Time: July 22, 2008, 8:05 pm

I have no kids, but to me, a play pen (pack and play…whatever…) can work as the kiddo grows.

Comment from Rachel
Time: July 22, 2008, 9:11 pm

I have a 12 week old — the pack in play with build in bassinet attachment by graco has saved us on vacation (and the first few weeks in our room)

GET THE ONE WITH THE WHITE NOISE MAKER/ VIBRATION thing!!! It is awesome.

Comment from AmandaM
Time: July 22, 2008, 9:27 pm

Graco Pack N Play with the infant attachment for sure. The attachment does have a weight limit, but it’s worth it to use it as long as possible.

I opted to get the bassinet size rather than the full sized pack n play (because I HAD to be matchy-matchy with her carseat and stroller). It was perfect for her first 9 months, but now that she’s 18 months, she looks a little crammed in there when we go on vacation.

Also, be sure to get the fitted sheets for the pack n play. My little girl stayed in our room for the first 6 months (jan-june) so we didn’t follow all the rules and added some of her fleece baby blankets to the “mattress” to make it more comfy. I made sure that they weren’t loose, but tight under the fitted sheet, so that she wouldn’t smother.

Comment from Leigh
Time: July 22, 2008, 9:32 pm

I would skip the bassinet and put the crib to its highest notch. The pack and play comes in really handy at about 4-6 months It’s been a life saver for me in all of my nanny jobs I’ve been a professional nanny for 10 years now so I’ve had a little bit of MOM-time under my belt

Comment from Shanda
Time: July 22, 2008, 10:37 pm

It’s all been said…I’d just like to agree with all of the above pack and play/removable bassinet voters.

Comment from Brandy T
Time: July 22, 2008, 10:54 pm

Pack’n'Play with bassinet attachment. The only way to go. I used mine during the day for “naps” and only put her in her crib at night. That way, she learned that crib= long sleep and pack’n'play = short sleep. Just a little tip! =)

Comment from Lisa @ The PW
Time: July 22, 2008, 11:07 pm

Okay, am I the only person on the planet who still loves a sweet bassinet? Mine had a huge basket underneath for diaper changing stuff and wheels on the feet so I could lay the babies in any room I was in. Though the Pack N Play is also an essential, they aren’t as portable.

AND I AM SO EXCITED THAT WE GOT TO TALK ON THE PHONE TONIGHT.

Next time, I will take a breath betwen words. I promise.

Comment from Kelli
Time: July 23, 2008, 12:03 am

I loved having the bassinet in the bed room for the first few months, but it was a gift and since money is tight, go for the Pack and Play with the bassinet attachment! It has a changing table and everything that can be attached to it!

Comment from Vicky
Time: July 23, 2008, 12:31 am

Playpen with a bassinet attached. You can use the Pack N Play for years (after removing the bassinet of course). No sense in having BOTH pieces of equipment taking up space.

My best friend borrowed bassinet for her first baby. She bought a pack-n-play with a bassinet for the 2nd baby.

Comment from Karen
Time: July 23, 2008, 8:05 am

My daughter slept in a plastic rubbermaid storage tub (without the lid, or course) next to my futon until she was three months old, then moved into a crib. When I had my son I didn’t live in Japan and therefore didn’t sleep on the floor, so he had a bassinet that I could roll right up next to my bed. I like the idea of having the baby right there at eye level I’m at when I wake up, and I didn’t want to cosleep because I’m an energetic and very sound sleeper.

And the rubbermaid thing - I know it sounds weird. I got the idea from Dr. Spock’s baby book - he said to use a dresser drawer. I didn’t have a dresser (again, it was Japan) so I used the next best thing.

Comment from Cabana Maam
Time: July 23, 2008, 8:29 am

Definitely the pack-n-play with bassinet feature. I know of what I speak…I have a 10 month old, we opted for just the bassinet, and now that she’s into everything, I sure do wish I had a place to put her while I run to the ladies’ room!

And, that would be a mighty good thing to put on the registry.

You are precious, precious, precious and I am enjoying your blog so much! God bless you! (And Roomie and Baby!)

Comment from debbie d.
Time: July 23, 2008, 9:59 am

you know, if you’d just register for both of them with all the thingys and attachments known to man at the Walmart, the Target and the Babies-R-Us, you wouldn’t have to make those decisions…we could make them for you…

Comment from Kelley
Time: July 23, 2008, 11:48 am

Pack ‘n Play. Bassinets are sweet but not useful for long at all.

Comment from Traci
Time: July 23, 2008, 1:08 pm

Pack N’ Play w/ a Bassinet attachment. Best way to go! And you can use the Pack N’ Play till they are like 3 for naps and such. AND they come in incredibly cute colors & patterns. Can’t beat it!

Comment from Christine
Time: July 23, 2008, 3:00 pm

I will totally endorse all the suggestions for the Pack ‘N Play (henceforth PNP!). You absolutely can’t go wrong with it, and the removeable bassinet feature is fantastic, although I didn’t have the bassinet option when I registered for mine 4 1/2 years ago, only the changing table part. But I know moms who love it.

I can’t remember if the new place is an up/down or not. If it is, I’d get the Pack N Play for downstairs and something else for in the bedroom with mom. Even if it’s not an up/down, I found it much easier for baby to have her own bed in my room and the PNP downstairs. I wasn’t about to move it up and down the steps everyday. PNP downstairs was also nice because it served as my downstairs changing table. No way I was running upstairs every single time I needed to change a diaper! So there was a cute little basket downstairs right next to the PNP with all the necessary changing supplies and I could also use the PNP for naps or child containment or whatever I needed it for downstairs. There also wasn’t enough room at the side of my bed for the PNP so it was never really an option to use that as baby’s first bed. But all the comments about the bassinet being just for the first 2 months are absolutely correct. Can you borrow one for a few months? I used the bassinet my mom had for me and my brother so it wasn’t like I spent $ on both, but my situation was such that I needed something else in addition to the PNP.

Comment from Jennifer
Time: July 23, 2008, 5:10 pm

I vote pack n play. We used a bassinet for maybe 4 nights with our first and not at all with the second. They grow out of it so fast anyway that the pack n play is probably the better way to spend your money. Also it’s portable for vacations, etc. until they are around 2 and grow out of that.

Comment from Erica
Time: July 25, 2008, 2:49 pm

I have a port-a-crib that has a removable bassinet. I love it. All 3 of my kids used it and we take it on trips and it has held up very well. I use a Kolcraft and love it.