You might already have a regular crib and maybe even a co-sleeper. So why do you still need to buy a Moses basket? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of a Moses basket.
Is A Moses Basket Worth It?
Most people like a Moses basket for its looks. Moses baskets have an old-school and country look to them. Which can look more stylish with your other furniture compared to a crib that is made of synthetic material.
What’s a Moses Basket?
A Moses basket or bassinet refers to a portable and lightweight sleeping space for a baby, often made from straw or wicker, but can also be made from other materials.
The “basket” is lined with a firm mattress that provides ideal sleeping space for your baby.
Moses baskets are designed to be used until your baby can pull themselves up to sit unaided, usually around 3 to 4 months of age.
You can easily elevate a Moses basket off the floor using a stand sold separately, but some expensive ones come with it.
Moses basket can make a good sleeping space for your baby, but it only lasts for a few weeks. Given the limited use, most mums find it difficult to justify purchasing a $350 sleeping pod that becomes obsolete in two months or three.
If you’re also skeptical about the viability of purchasing a Moses basket for your baby, the following section might convince you to change your mind.
Advantages of a Moses Basket
Most people generally lean towards cribs, bassinets can be equally as good, or even better. If you worry that your baby’s Moses basket will soon become obsolete.
Here are some of the advantages that should encourage you to rethink your stance.
- They’re very portable
The weight of the average bassinet is very negligible, even when it’s lined with a mattress. In addition to that, most are designed with handles that make them very easy to carry, even with a baby inside.
If you find yourself wanting to move your baby’s bed around quite often, a bassinet works better than a crib.
Apart from the portability of being easy to move around, you can also place it at a height above the ground. If you bought a Moses basket that comes with a stand, you can let it stand at any height you please.
If you don’t know a practical application of this, there are many. You can simply elevate your baby to any level to make it easier to carry them whenever you please without having to bend over.
- Safe and convenient
Moses baskets feel very safe. The high edges covering the sides of a baby will keep them from rolling over and falling from the basket, even if they were elevated from the ground.
This feature makes bassinets feel incredibly safe and immune against your baby falling off accidentally.
Also, Moses baskets are designed to meet all baby-safe sleeping standards and the mattress is always firm and comfortable.
There are usually no small parts that your baby can possibly swallow, and as long as you don’t line them up with another pillow or blanket, your baby should be fine.
All of the features of a bassinet are carefully thought out to provide a safe and convenient sleeping pod for your baby that keeps your mind at rest, giving you some sleeping time too.
- Smaller footprint
According to the NHS, your baby should always sleep in your room for the first eight months of their life. A Moses basket doesn’t only make that possible, it also makes it easy and convenient.
Unless you have a very spacious bedroom, you may have to move some things around to make room for a cot or cot bed.
Due to the smaller size of a bassinet, you can easily fit it in your room without ever having to move anything around.
It doesn’t end there. When you sleep in the same room with your baby, you always want to see them sleeping every time you wake up.
If you’re using anything else, you may have to get off your bed to get a satisfactory glance at your baby.
With a Moses basket, however, you can buy a Moses basket stand that lets you elevate the basket to any level.
If you elevate it to a level that will make it comfortable for you to see them, you won’t need to get off your bed each time you need to see your baby.
If your bassinet doesn’t come with a dedicated stand, you can buy a cheap one on Amazon. Just make sure you’re buying an adjustable stand, and not one that’s locked at a specific height.
- Easy to clean
Most bassinets are only big enough to contain a baby. While this has obvious downsides, like the baby outgrowing them quickly, there are upsides too in the sense that they’re easy to clean.
A Moses basket, due to its smaller size footprint also has smaller bedding. Needless to say, smaller beddings are significantly easier to clean than larger ones.
Disadvantages of a Moses Basket
While you’d like to believe that a Moses basket is the perfect sleeping pod for your baby, it’s not. There are some glaring disadvantages to using a Moses basket that you should consider before buying. If any of them is a deal-breaker to you, you may be better with a cot or a cot bed instead.
Here are some of the disadvantages of buying and using a bassinet instead of the many other alternatives.
- Can get expensive
While you can get very cheap Moses baskets, it’s almost evident that they will be cutting many corners, making them unworthy for your baby.
If you want to have the best experience with a bassinet, you must be willing to pay upwards of $200. Throw in the optional stands and you’ll be spending more than necessary.
When you compare the price of a Moses basket to that of alternative sleeping solutions for your baby, it’s really hard to justify the purchase.
Considering the basket will only last for two months, four at most, you will be almost convinced to ditch the basket.
If you can afford it, however, there is no reason why you shouldn’t get a Moses basket. It’s safer and more convenient than most alternatives, and it’s arguably the closest thing to a womb your baby will ever get.
- They’re unusable outside the house
If you’ll be traveling with your baby inside your car, your Moses basket can’t help. Instead, you’ll need something else that’s safer and more shock-resistant than a regular Moses basket.
While they’re portable, their portability only talks about moving around the house. When you need to visit a friend’s, bassinets are pretty much unusable.
You can’t take the basket apart to make it easier to transport, and the sight of a full basket in a car is just awkward.
If you’re always on the move and you need something to help put your baby to sleep outside the house, you’ll need something a bit more portable.
- Doesn’t last long
While this has nothing to do with the quality of the basket, there’s no doubt that you won’t be enjoying your investment for long.
A Moses basket is only usable until your baby gets too big or can stand up easily on their own with external help, which doesn’t take long, especially if you have a precocious child.
How to Choose the Best Moses Basket for Your Baby
There are a couple of factors to consider before buying a Moses basket for your baby.
If you get all the variables right, you’ll end up with a basket that works perfectly for you without compromising on your baby’s convenience and safety.
Here are some handy tips that will help you select the safest and the most convenient bassinet for your baby at a decent price.
- The beddings
The bedding is the only part of the bassinet that your baby will ever interact with, so choosing the best possible one should be a priority.
Since most Moses baskets have decent beddings, you only need to worry about the colors here.
To keep your home aesthetically pleasing, it’s important to choose one that matches the color of the baby’s surroundings.
Once you buy a bassinet, you should refrain from adding extra blankets, pillows, or beddings. Any soft surface can be a suffocation risk, and that isn’t something you want to risk.
- Get a stand
You shouldn’t lose sleep over your choice of a bassinet stand. Anything works, as long as it’s both adjustable and capable of holding the basket firmly in place.
Even if you don’t think you’ll be needing a stand anytime soon, having one will leave no room for future regrets.
