Breathable Baby Bassinets & Bedside Sleepers

A bassinet is a small crib designed with your newborn in mind. It gives your baby a safe, cozy place to sleep for the first few months of their life. Bassinets are compact, making it easy to keep your baby near you. They're also lightweight and can be moved easily.

The sleep surface of a bassinet is around waist height, allowing you to comfortably pick up and put down your baby. Some bassinets are freestanding, some attach to your bed, and some have wheels.

While a bassinet is made for babies from birth up to about six months old, you don’t have to use one. But there are some benefits. For instance, bassinets create a smaller, more familiar sleeping space as your newborn transitions from the womb to the world.

They also weigh less than a crib, are perfect for small living spaces, and most often cost less than a full-sized crib. You can move a bassinet around your house, taking it from room to room, which is useful if you want to stay close to your new baby while they sleep.

No, your baby’s bassinet doesn’t have to be in your bedroom. However, many factors make it a great place for your baby to sleep, at least during the night.

When the bassinet is in your bedroom, you have easier access to your baby for feeding, diaper changing, and contact (if your baby needs it) throughout the night. It’s a great way to be physically close to your little one in those early days.

Finally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room-sharing (but not bed-sharing!) with your baby for at least six months.

Most bassinets come with their own mattress. In fact, Newton Bassinets come with a Wovenaire® mattress that’s thicker and more comfortable than most other thin bassinet pads.

That being said, when shopping for bassinets, be sure to consider the mattresses or pads they come with. A bassinet mattress should provide a firm, flat, non-inclined sleep surface. You also want it to distribute pressure across its whole surface so your baby doesn’t get into a position that puts uneven pressure on one part of their body.

Make sure the mattress fits snugly into the bassinet, too. Finally, don’t forget about both material and temperature regulation. While safety is your top priority, you also want your baby to rest on comfortable and breathable material.

While most bassinets come with a recommended age limit (usually six months or less), you may need to transition your baby to a crib sooner if they show signs that they have outgrown their little bed.

Every bassinet is different, so follow the manufacturer's weight, height, and developmental guidelines for when to stop using it. Stop using the bassinet if your baby starts to push up on their hands and knees, roll over, or pull themselves up on the sides, or if their head reaches the top.

Many babies outgrow a bassinet before the maximum age listed, so always check your manual for your product's specific limits.

The biggest difference between the Newton Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper (BBS) and the Newton Essential Bassinet (EB) is that the Bedside Sleeper model is designed with an Infant Access Panel. This feature allows you to make contact with or even pick up your baby smoothly and easily.

Other differences include height (the EB is a fixed height, while the BBS has eight adjustable settings), frame (the EB has a lightweight metal frame and faux-wood legs; the BBS is made from birch wood), and weight (the EB is 15 pounds and the BBS is 20 pounds.)

The Essential Bassinet is easy to assemble, disassemble, and reassemble, making it ideal for travel. It also packs flat and has a built-in shelf, so it’s easy to unpack and stow your baby’s clothes and accessories when you’re on the go.

While the Bassinet & Bedside Sleeper isn’t as convenient for travel, it is light enough to “travel” from room to room in your home!