Bassinet or crib
What your baby sleeps in at first: a bedside bassinet, a crib from day one, or a portable play yard.
Should our newborn sleep in a bassinet or a crib?
In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Bedside bassinet, then crib; Crib from day one; Portable play yard. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: during pregnancy.
- Evidence
- Your call
- Best settled
- During pregnancy
- Part of
- Pregnancy to first birthday
Bassinet or crib: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 3 approaches.
1. Bedside bassinet, then crib
The baby starts in a small bed beside yours, then moves to a crib.
2. Crib from day one
The baby sleeps in a full-size crib from the first night.
3. Portable play yard
The baby sleeps in a portable play yard.
Bassinet or crib: what does the evidence say?
Your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.
The AAP says to use a firm, flat sleep surface that meets federal safety standards; any surface that inclines more than 10 degrees is not safe. Under the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, inclined sleepers for infants have been banned from sale in the US since November 12, 2022, and mandatory federal standards cover infant sleep products such as cribs, bassinets, bedside sleepers and play yards. Within those rules, bassinet versus crib is convenience and cost, with no outcome research found
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
A bassinet is small and sits by your bed; a crib is larger and lasts longer. What matters for safety is a firm, flat surface that meets current standards. The rest is about space, budget and convenience.
Questions to ask each other
- What would we like the baby to sleep in at first and why?
- Are we comfortable buying second-hand, and what would we check for safety?
- Where will the bassinet or crib go?
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First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.