Keep Your Baby Close with a Practical and Helpful Bedside Bassinet

What is a Bedside Bassinet?

A bedside bassinet is a bed for the youngest of babes, typically used from birth to until they start hitting five-month milestones. Just like a typical bassinet, it is small enough to allow parents and their brand-new baby to room share even in small spaces. What sets a bedside bassinet apart from other options like baby cribs and bassinets is the ability to “sidecar,” or attach to the parents’ bed. Some bedside bassinets even swing over your bed, meaning that you can lift your baby out of the bassinet without even leaving your own bed. Genius.

What to Look for in a Bedside Bassinet

The best bassinets tend to have a few things in common. For instance, all of the highest rated beds were adjustable, followed safety standards, and had a foolproof means of securing the bassinet to the parents’ bed. Here’s a closer look at the features to look for in a bedside bassinet for your baby:

Adjustability

Adjustability makes it possible for the height of the bassinet to be changed to match the height of the parents’ bed. This is important for safety as it ensures that the bed can be properly secured in place, without the risk of gaps where the baby might become entrapped.

Safety standards

All products used by children should meet safety standards put in place by third party organizations. As you shop for a bedside sleeper, we suggest checking to be certain it has the Consumer Product Safety Commission ruling for safe products and is certified by the JPMA, or Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.

Both of these organizations are concerned with making sure that set up and use doesn’t pose risks to the wellbeing of your baby. They also test for chemicals and toxins that could be dangerous for your little one. However, despite these safety certifications it is important to note that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not support the use of bedside sleepers–according to the AAP, there just isn't enough research to say for sure if bedside sleepers that attach directly to the bed are safe for your baby. The AAP continues to recommend that the safest place for babies to sleep is in a separate sleeping area from caregivers, but in the same room until at least six months old.

Security

A good bedside bassinet will have the option to secure it to the parents’ bed. Most use straps to accomplish this and some also have wheels with brakes to help keep the bassinet flush with the mattress of the larger bed.

The Best Bedside Bassinets

Clocking in at 12.8 pounds, the Ingenuity Dream & Grow Bedside Baby Bassinet is the most lightweight option on our list. It also transitions from bassinet to crib so your baby can stay in the same space for their first year (or until they reach 25 pounds). As a bedside bassinet, the Dream & Grow adjusts its height to stand level with your bed, making middle-of-the-night feedings a breeze. The sides are mesh to promote airflow, and it has convenient storage pockets to hold extra items you might need during the night. Features:

• Sturdy, lockable wheels that provide stability and mobility
• Dense, comfortable mattress and machine-washable sheet
• Soothing sound machine and night light that attaches to the bassinet
• Lightweight and easy to assemble
• Dimensions: 37"L x 29.5"W x 31.9"H

Customer Review:

The KoolaBaby 3-in-1 Bassinet has close to a 5-star rating on Amazon. And with so many amazing features, it's easy to see why. There's no denying that this bassinet is convenient for parents. It can be used in three ways: as a stand-alone bassinet, a bedside sleeper, or a playpen. As a bedside sleeper, the KoolaBaby has five height adjustments to snuggle next to any size bed. One side rolls down for easy access to your baby. And for an added security measure, the bassinet straps to the bed, making this an excellent arm's reach co-sleeper. The sleek, compact design makes this a convenient stand-alone bassinet. Use it in the living room, nursery, or anywhere you want your baby to sleep comfortably. The built-in wheels allow you to safely push the bassinet wherever you want without ruining the floors. Once it's in place, the wheels lock to keep the bassinet stationary. When you want to use the KoolaBaby as a playpen, unzip the bottom, and you've got a safe, secure place for your baby to play. You can also create two floors by unzipping the bottom to store toys and replacing the mattress on top. An additional convenience factor for the KoolaBaby is how well it travels. This bassinet comes with a carrying case to easily disassemble and take on the road. You can find a video tutorial on Amazon with set-up instructions.

• Product Dimensions: 33"L x 20"W x 33"H
• Product Weight: 28.9 pounds
• Maximum Weight Recommendation: 20 pounds

The KoolaBaby has over 1,600 5-star reviews on Amazon with high ratings in, sleep quality, sturdiness, maneuverability, and ease of assembly.

This 2-in-1 bedside bassinet allows parents to room share safely in a way that best suits their needs. The Mika Micky Bedside sleeper can function as a stand-alone bassinet, supported by stable legs and safely surrounded by mesh walls. However, if parents prefer to have their baby within reach, one wall collapses and the bassinet can be secured to the bed with attached straps. Portability is another awesome function of this option, since the stand has wheels with brakes to secure the bassinet in place between moves. This bassinet is actually the bestseller on Amazon. It holds a 4.8 star rating from 5,200 reviews. This bedside bassinet is meant for newborns starting at five pounds and can be used for babies as heavy as 33 pounds. However, parents should discontinue use if the baby starts pulling themselves up or crawling before they reach the weight or age limit. Features:

• Dimensions: 36 x 22 x 32.7 inches
• Length is adjustable
• Side panel opens easily
• 2 side storage pockets
• Wheeled legs with built-in brakes

Customer review: “I absolutely love this for my baby,” writes one Amazon reviewer. “It is so nice to have him close enough for me to check on him without getting out of bed. The bassinet is better quality than I expected ( never heard of the brand and was a little concerned). It looks great and was easy to assemble. It is sturdy and secure. The wheel locks are strong and it comes with additional straps to hook under the bed mattress so the bassinet will not budge. Mattress is firm and the cover is removable and washable.” Keep in mind: Some of the best features of this option, according to reviewers, is that it is easy to set up and easy to move around. Parents love that they can see their baby easily through the mesh walls without getting out of bed. One downside mentioned in the reviews is that, even with seven height settings, it might not work with every bed. Be sure to measure your bed and compare it against the bassinet specs before you place your order. Others mentioned that the mattress is very firm and they were concerned about their baby’s comfort.

BABYBJORN has been a trusted brand for decades, and its mission has always been safety and sustainability. The fabrics used in their cradle are Oeko-Tex Standard 100, class 1 approved which means they contain no health-hazardous substances. While this cradle doesn't have wheels, it's compact, lightweight, and easy to move around the house. The spring base creates a gentle, rocking motion either from baby's movements or from your hand or foot. Made from 100% polyester, the soft, breathable mesh fabric allows for ventilation and visibility. Features:

• Machine-washable mesh fabric and waterproof mattress
• Sturdy, wide-leg design
• Optional mesh canopy
• JPMA Certified Product
• Weight recommendations: 8-17 pounds
• Dimensions: 31"L x 23"W x 26"H

Customer Review: "This bassinet is beautiful! I was so happy to find a bassinet that is safe while also being light, portable and minimalistic. Was worried from reading reviews that it would be extremely small but looks like the perfect size bassinet for the first four or five months." ~Amazon Customer Things to Consider: Some of the reviews mention that the bassinet is on the smaller side. One reviewer mentioned that her child was in the 95th percentile and was only able to use the BABYBJORN cradle for two months, which made it an expensive option.

Safety is a parent's top priority, especially where a child's sleep is concerned. Cloud Baby is a highly-rated safety brand, and they have a bedside bassinet among their products! Their bedside bassinet is CPSC Certified which conforms to ASTM Safety Standards, meaning their materials are high-quality and safety-tested. The Cloud Baby Bedside Bassinet has a whopping nine adjustable height settings! You can set it to fit any bed height, creating a seamless transition from bed to bassinet. It has one detachable side panel to form a no-barrier bedside option. When in place, the double mesh panel provides excellent ventilation. The frame is made from solid aluminum, allowing for a sturdy structure that's still lightweight. And the base is on wheels for easy mobility. Features: 

• Machine-washable fabric
• Hanging mobile and attachable music box included
• Tool-free setup
• Maximum weight recommendations: approximately 19 pounds
• Dimensions: ‎35.04"L x 28.35"W x 39.5"H

Amazon Reviews: With over 2,500 reviews, the Cloud Baby Bedside Bassinet scored close to five stars in age appropriateness, comfort, sturdiness, and ease of assembly. One reviewer had this to say: "I really love this bassinet! We have an abnormally high bed and it does go high enough to be even with my mattress. The mattress in the bassinet is more comfortable than the 4 moms bassinet we previously had. It’s SO convenient that baby can be right next to me and I can easily reach in to feed and put him back, also having him at my eye line to check on him and I’m able to put my arm fully in the bassinet to comfort him. It’s like he’s in bed with me but not. I also love not having to physically get up all night to do all the newborn care. We strapped it to the base of our bed frame and it feels really secure, it for sure can’t be pushed away."

There aren’t many bells and whistles to this bedside sleeper, but it does check off the most important considerations while fitting well within most budgets for baby. It’s safe and meets JPMA certification requirements as well as standards set in place by the CPSC. Plus, parents will love knowing they’re buying from a family-owned business that has a longstanding reputation for prioritizing safety and quality. A removable cover and mattress pad makes for easy cleaning of the Dream On Me Skylar Bassinet Bedside Sleeper. It’s also adjustable and portable. The wheels can be unlocked and your sleeping baby can easily be moved to another room and you can adjust it to fit your bed. Features:

• 5 position adjustable height
• Lockable wheels
• Removable, washable mesh cover
• Adjustable
• JMPA-certified
• Dimensions: 34.5 x 20.5 x 1 inches
• Recommended for babies up to 25 lbs. or 6 months of age

Customer review: “This bassinet is amazing,” writes reviewer Rebecca. My daughter immediately falls asleep in this because she can look up to me and see my face while she’s falling asleep. It’s easy to quickly reach over while still being in bed. She has slept through the night since we got it and is so comfortable. We don’t have any issues with it being secured next to our bed, it doesn’t wobble and sits perfectly leveled so that hasn’t been an issue for us when pairing it to our bed.” Keep in mind: The Dream On Me Skylar Bassinet Bedside Sleeper has 942 reviews and a 4.7 star rating on Amazon. Caregivers who have used this bedside bassinet love how easy it is to reach over and soothe their baby from their own bed. They also report that this is a very stable option, even with the lightweight base, when set up properly. However, some reviewers complained it wasn’t easy to set up, but that seems to be one of the only downsides of this budget-friendly bassinet.

Other Products to Consider

If you're in the market for a safe place for your baby to sleep, you might also want to check out our other product guides on:

Baby Cribs

Crib Mattresses

Play Yards

Mini Cribs