We are starting to think about the "big" (read: expensive! Lol) items, like a pram and cot etc. We put a car seat on lay by over the weekend and now I'd really like to start looking for a cot...although DF isn't that fussed
My question is, would you recommend getting a bassinet as well as a cot, or will just a cot be sufficient? I would prefer not to get a bassinet if it's going to be a waste of money and I would like to not have the extra expense of getting it plus bassinet sheets & blankets.
However, bub is due smack bang in the middle of winter and our house gets freezing cold, even with our reverse cycle heater on. I don't think a cot will fit in our bedroom, although DF reckons it will, but I also would prefer not to be moving furniture around everywhere! I thought it would be better to have bubs in our room at least until the weather starts to warm up a bit, to save on heating costs as then we would only have to have an extra heater in our bedroom, not in our bedroom + baby's room. And I think a bassinet would also be handy to move bubs into the lounge room/kitchen/office etc during the day.
At the moment one day I'm all yeah lets get a bassinet, then the next it's we can't really afford to if we don't really need it... DF couldn't really care less so long as I am happy which doesn't help in the decision making process
The only places I have found here that sell them are the baby stores, starting from about $200 brand new, not sure if they sell second hand goods, there was one in the local paper second hand last week, but they wanted $200+ for it! Haven't seen much else around...unless we hit garage sales but DF is never up early enough!
Could you look into hiring one? I'm sure you can even hire the trolley style bassinettes that they have at the hospital. Or you can hire baby hammocks too. Might save you some money?
Personally, we had a cradle that we borrowed from friends for Natty and she was in it about 3 months. I wasn't all that fussed about it TBH! It rocked, which was handy, but that was about all it was good for. This time I was lucky enough to buy a cheap hammock on eBay- was only $50, though I would like to replace the mattress, so that will cost a little extra.
GL with whatever you decide!
ETA: I did sleep Natty in a port-a-cot downstairs for day sleeps because she was born in summer and upstairs during the day was too hot for her. She always needed help to go to sleep (patting etc) and I found it hard in a cot to give her that help. So if bubs goes straight into a cot, it's good to have an adjustable one where bubs is well within reach JIC!
We used a bassinette for DD and found it helpful (was borrowed from SIL). I just wanted to add we didn't buy blankets for it I just used bunny rugs and wraps as blankets and as bottom sheets.
For DD1 she went straight to a cot, but for DD2 we brought a cradle as DD1 was still in the cot when she was born. DS is now in the cradle and DD2 is in the cot.
If i didnt have both my DD's so close then i wouldnthave got the cradle. Personally i think a cot straight up is fine. Babies grow out of cradles/basinettes fast so can be a waste of money in the long run unless you can get good use out of it (eg, more kids).
If you can get a second hand or loan bassinette and you are planning more bubs close together than get one. If not I did not have the need for a bassinette with DD1. She was in a porta cot in a snuggle bed for 4 months in our room then in a snuggle bed in her own cot in her room.
TBH Loren hated the bassinette from 12wks and ended up in the porta cot anyway.
BTW Big W and Target have bassinettes for cheaper than $200.
I never used bassinette sheets. I used muslin wraps and small blankets too.
I got a bassinet cos I had thought I'd have DS in our room (little did I know just how loudly he would snore! ). I did find it good (mine was on wheels) so sometimes useful to wheel him in it & settle him, and also get him used to sleeping in different places. On the flip side, he was out of it before 12 weeks, not due to length, but he loved to sleep with his arms straight out (think scarecrow) and seemed much happier in his cot.
Sooooo IMHO - definitely not essential, but if you're gonna have more than one, helps make it better value for money. Comes down to your budget I guess.
Oh and I did get some bassinet sheets which I found ok, cos he was just in a wrap - so never used blankets with it really. If you buy a set of sheets, you can use either the top flat or the bottom fitted - as your bottom sheet (I only ever had one sheet on it) - so can get away with one set only if you really want 'em. But also, bunny rugs and things do just as well in there.
If I had my time again, I'd probably hunt down a second-hand one, or hire (I hear some councils or hospitals hire?). But, I'm lending mine to friends before I have #2, so I'm happy it's getting used (and I am very emotionally attached to it!). I also managed to buy floorstock on at a discounted price too.
Oh and on the cots, I couldn't live without my single-hand dropside - cheapest one I found with this was the kingparrot. I'd avoid the two button/lever thing like the plague! (so saying, I'm short & DH is tall - hence he always leaves it up, and I'm always putting it down one-handed with a baby on the other arm!)
I'm getting a bassinet or a cradle to sit next to our bed. Have been looking at ebay and looks like there's some bargains! I just do a search for stuff that's 'within 10 km' from our postcode so I can pick it up and then bid a low price that I am willing to pay. If I don't get it, I'll just try again for the next one (obviously this is easier living in a big city). At the moment have the winning bid of $5 on a gorgeous wooden cradle - am willing to bid more, just leaving it to the last minute to see what happens! I've been doing this for weeks and have snapped up some serious bargains. Good luck making your decisions - it's not a cheap process, but it's kinda fun!
This is my first bub and also due in Winter like yourself so that was the main reason.
Also DH wants bubs with us when we first get home and there is no room in our room to put a cot.
We picked ours up from Baby Kingdom for $127 (Snug as a Bug and very cute) and it came with everything the only extra that I need is a couple of small blankets and I also bought two mattress protectors which only set me back $20 each.
I see that your in Wagga and don't think that they have a store there however you can purchase on-line.
With DS1 I had a secondhand bassinette and he was in it for 6mths. It was so good to have it to be able to move it around the house to where ever I was so that I could keep an eye on him... Best thing I ever had.
I'm now pregnant with my 2nd and there was no if's or but's as to whether to get a new one.
Luckily my brother and sister in law gave me there one that was only used a handful of times but I was prepared to spend the $200 on a new one - that's how much I loved it with DS1...
Check out ebay - they go pretty cheap on there. That was where I was mostly looking for mine...
For DS#1 and DS#2 they slept in their cot from day one. For DS#3 i was looking on ebay and stumbled upon a bassinet that i really liked the look of. I won and got it so much cheaper than in the shops.
Our house is freezing in winter. For DS#3 we slept in the lounge room every night for ages where it was warmer. I slept on the couch - i was so tired it didnt bother me ! DS#3 slept in bassinet. DH slept in our bedroom and had the bed all too himself - he was happy !
I think bassinets are good if you can get one. Also gives baby a feeling of security (smaller space - more enclosed). A cot works fine but they are so big and open compared to mums tummy !
I have done both and DS#3 seemed to be alot happier to sleep from alot earlier on - dont know if the bassinet had anything to do with it.
DD was born in winter and lost a kilo in her first week at home becasue it was so cold. The MCHN suggested we use the bassinette from the pram, it was a winner of an idea, it came as part of a package with the pram anyway, and it was handy to have her sleep at family and friends houses too.
Thanks everyone I think we probably will end up getting one if we can find one, my lovely mum gave us some money so it can go towards that! Have looked on Ebay but there is nothing local to us, and DF said that he would prefer to look at purchases like that in person before buying. I'm a bit annoyed though...was looking through the weekend paper today at work and there were a few garage sales over the weekend that had baby goods for sale!! Might have to start checking them out I think... Otherwise to convinve DF to take a trip to Albury or Canberra/Sydney to go baby shopping.
Our Bassinette has done the rounds. My aunty got it from a friend of hers, had her 2 kids in it, passed it on to us, my 2 older DDs used it, We passed it on to my sis, her DD used it, now we have it back for our DD3, so that is 6 kids plus the ones I don't know about!!
You dont need sheets for it. I use pillow cases as the bottom sheet, and a wrap for an oversheet if needed, or just wrap baby up. I would get a couple of protectors (either pillow or bassinette, they are the same size) because NB's spill their feeds.
When Bub is ready to go in the cot, we put the bassinette in the cot for a few days and nights, and then took the bassinette out and had baby in the cot.
i can vouch for a basinette or moses basket thingy 100%. we used a moses basket as like you our DD was born in cold weather and our house only had minimal heating (canberra in the cold i think is pretty similar to wagga...).
there are two major baby stores in canberra...they are all in fyshwick...i reckon it would be worth dragging your DH there! LOL!
Cot and/or bassinet?
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). I did find it good (mine was on wheels) so sometimes useful to wheel him in it & settle him, and also get him used to sleeping in different places. On the flip side, he was out of it before 12 weeks, not due to length, but he loved to sleep with his arms straight out (think scarecrow) and seemed much happier in his cot. 
I think we probably will end up getting one if we can find one, my lovely mum gave us some money so it can go towards that! Have looked on Ebay but there is nothing local to us, and DF said that he would prefer to look at purchases like that in person before buying. I'm a bit annoyed though...was looking through the weekend paper today at work and there were a few garage sales over the weekend that had baby goods for sale!! Might have to start checking them out I think... Otherwise to convinve DF to take a trip to Albury or Canberra/Sydney to go baby shopping.
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