Bassinets can be incredibly useful for new parents getting up in the night frequently those first few weeks. Keeping your baby close to your bedside allows you to respond to your baby easier and follows the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for room sharing for up to 6 months. However, as your baby grows you may wonder when is baby too big for the bassinet.
It’s important to know for comfort and your baby’s safety! In this post we’ll go over the signs baby is getting too big for the bassinet and what to do if you still want to keep baby in your room.
Signs Baby is Getting Too Big
Weight Limit
One way to tell if your baby is becoming too big for their bassinet is by checking the weight limit. They’re all generally around the same, but each manufacturer has its own safety standard. You may see a weight limit of anywhere from 15-30 pounds, so if your baby is approaching the 15-pound mark definitely check your owner’s guide for your baby bassinet!
Some babies may actually outgrow the bassinet or bedside sleeper before they ever reach the weight limit. So this is just one deciding factor in how long your baby may stay in their bassinet!
Length of Baby
Does your baby comfortably fit in their bassinet? There should be a few inches of clearance between their head and the top of the bassinet when you lay your baby in it.
And even if there is a decent amount of clearance for your baby to comfortably fit, you may find during the night your baby wiggles around a lot. They can become fussy and uncomfortable if they find themselves squished with not much room to move around. They may end up with their head pressed to the top of the bassinet or with their legs crunched at the bottom.
Your baby may determine they don’t feel like they have enough space. Even though they may technically meet the safety standards, your baby may be telling you it’s time to stop using the bassinet.
Baby’s Movement and Milestones
This is an important consideration that many new parents may not be aware of. If your baby has rolled (even once!) or looks close to rolling, it’s time to get them out of the bassinet. This should be mentioned in the owner’s guide as it’s a very important safety risk.
You should also stop using the bassinet if your baby can pull themselves up from laying down or can sit on their own. Bassinet walls are low to allow the parent to easily reach in the middle of the night to grab their baby. This means your baby could very easily fall over the side.
When to Stop Using the Bassinet
If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to stop using the bassinet right away:
- Your baby’s weight has reached or surpassed the weight limit for their bassinet
- Your baby has shown signs of rolling over
- Your baby is able to pull themselves up to sitting, or sitting on their own
- Your baby has become uncomfortable in the bassinet
Some babies may be on the smaller end and not showing signs of rolling. In this instance, you may want to check your bassinet as some also have requirements for how many months of age a baby must be to remain in the bassinet.
What if I Still Want to Keep Baby in My Room?
The AAP does recommend that the safest place for your newborn baby is in your room, and up until they’re at least 6 months old. So what happens when baby outgrows the bassinet, but you still want them in your room? There are a few options for this situation.
You could use a pack-n-play, mini crib, or your baby’s full-sized crib in place of their baby bassinet until you’re ready to put them in their own room.
If parents have the space in their room, some like to use their baby’s own crib from their nursery. Although it may be rather large in your space, the pro to this is that your baby will be comfortable in their sleep space when you eventually transition them to their own room.
The other options could be to use a mini crib or a pack-n-play. Many new parents already own a pack-n-play so this may be an easy transition from bassinet to pack-n-play in their room. If you want to learn more about the mini crib, you can check out this post here.
Frequently Asked Questions
My baby is too big for their bassinet but not ready for their crib. What do I do?
Moving your baby to their crib is a big change. The best time to move your baby to their own room is whenever you are ready. If you’re not ready to put your baby in their crib in their own room, you can put a pack-n-play or mini crib in your room in place of the baby’s bassinet.
These typically take up less space like a bassinet but still provide a safe space for your little one to sleep.
Can baby sleep in bassinet if rolling over?
No! Once a baby is even showing sign of rolling over it is time to move them out from the bassinet and into another safe sleep space.
