HALO BassiNests (and any other bassinet) are a great place for newborns to sleep when they come home as it provides a safe and separate sleep place for baby, but also allows you to keep them close for those many night time feedings.
The HALO BassiNest is a very popular baby product, often rated on top 10 lists of newborn or registry must-haves because of it’s handy features!
Things like:
- 360 degree swivel to help with getting in/out of bed
- soothing sounds, lights, and vibration
- waterproof pad
- breathable mesh
- adjustable height
- collapsible side wall
--all make it a great choice for a bassinet.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room sharing with your child for the first 6 months of life, if not the full first year. However, a child cannot typically sleep in a bassinet for 6 months, let alone 12 months!
That means, the Halo Bassinest, while it may be great for newborns, isn't meant for long term use.
From HALO’s website, the recommended length of use depends on weight, age, and ability (as do most bassinets, pack n plays, or cribs so make sure to look up your specific brand’s recommendations).
HALO says, “The BassiNest Swivel Sleeper is recommended for babies up to five months of age or 20 pounds (9.1 kg.). Discontinue use of this product when the child is showing signs of being able to pull up, rollover, push up or sit up unassisted, or is able to move out of the security of the walled sleep area.”
This means, whichever one of those things happens FIRST, it’s time to transition into something like a pack n play, mini crib, or crib. This depends on if your child will continue sleeping in your room or if you’re transitioning them out!
When it’s time to discontinue using the HALO BassiNest, it can feel daunting to transition to a different sleep surface. However, it’s important to remember that you’re transitioning your child from one safe, flat surface to another. Which means it’s not really all that different!
Something that might change though, is the proximity of your child to you which is what can make things feel more difficult.
Here are some tips for easing the transition out of the HALO BassiNest (and any other bassinet):
- Ensure their room is familiar to them if they haven’t slept in there before by going in/out of there frequently during the day (diaper changes, tummy time, reading books, etc)
- Ensure their new sleep space is also familiar to them by putting them in during brief periods of awake time during the day (and playing something fun like peek a boo to create a positive association with that space-- they’ll still sleep there even if they play there!) Add a fun mirror or mobile (but remove for sleep) to help them form that association!
- Sleep with their sheet for a few nights so it smells familiar
- Try a nap or two in their new sleep space (need help figuring out a nap schedule? Check out this post!)
- If they haven’t grown out of the bassinet (or aged out, etc), then you can start with moving their bassinet to their room first and having them sleep just in the room instead of changing their sleep surface as well
- You can also sleep in the nursery with them (in a separate space) for a few nights before they sleep in there alone.
- create a bedtime routine for baby. I usually suggest something simple including feeding, bathing, lotion massage, Kyte BABY soft baby pajamas and bamboo sleep bags, white noise, rocking with a special bedtime lullaby for bonding, and then putting them down for sleep but you can read more about what to include in bedtime routines in the blog!
But you might be thinking… is this all REALLY necessary? And the answer is fortunately, no! It isn’t!
Some babies will be totally unfazed by the changes and others may have a more difficult time. You know your child best so take what sounds good from the list and implement that, leaving the rest behind.
AUTHOR:
Ashley Olson is a certified pediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep, and passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, desperate and sleep deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 4 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond and attachment with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one on one support in changing sleep practices!
