Transition Your Baby from Bassinet to Crib

The timing of this transition can feel awkward. I have had parents reach out to me about this, and having gone through it myself, I get it! It IS awkward.

From a safe sleep perspective, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a baby sleep in the same room, on a separate surface, as the parents the first six months of life.

And, most parents will start with their baby in their room in a bassinet near their bed.

But here’s the kicker: Your baby grows and grows at a rapid pace those first few months, and usually by 3-4 months, they’re too big for the bassinet! Either they’ve hit the weight limit or they’re too long to fit in it comfortably.

So, what’s a parent to do?! If you plan to keep the baby in your room for longer, where do you put them?

In this post, I’m going to go over all of your options.

What works for your family?

While I know, you now know the current recommendation from the AAP, I also want to remind you that it’s just a recommendation. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but it’s recommended to keep your baby safe.

Since you’ve stumbled across this blog, you are more than likely struggling with sleep (or, specifically, this transition from bassinet to crib) and have realized your baby is either a noisy sleeper who wakes you from all their noises, or your baby is a sensitive sleeper who gets woken up by all of your noises. 

Ultimately, you need to do what's best for your family. If you decide you need to move them sooner than you expected, or in opposition, keeping them in your room longer than expected, that's okay. We want to make sure your baby is safe no matter where their sleep space is.

Option 1 - A Pack n’ Play in Your Room

If you’ve already fully set up your child’s nursery, the crib is probably in their room - not in yours. Let’s say you’ve decided to keep your baby in your room (on a separate surface) for the first six months and they’ve outgrown their bassinet.

It’s time to switch them to a pack n’ play! A pack n’ play, or a playard, is a great option. It’s bigger and deeper than the bassinet, providing your child a safe place to sleep, while also allowing them to move around and get comfortable. 

Option 2 - The Crib in Your Room

Maybe you don’t have a pack n’ play or you haven’t set up the crib yet since the baby has been in your room. This is your chance!

If you’re keeping your baby in your room, you’ll need to set up the crib in your room.

Yes, this may be short lived, but it’s your other safe option if you don’t have a pack n’ play.

Then, when you’re ready to move your child in to their nursery, you’ll just need to take it apart and move it in there when you’re ready.

Option 3 - Practicing Crib Sleep and Moving Them Into Their Nursery

Around 6-8 weeks, I recommend you start giving your baby one nap a day in their crib. If the crib is in your room, have the nap happen in your room. If it's in their nursery, have it happen in there and not the bassinet so that they can start getting used to it. If that nap went well, then that same day, try another nap in there as well. If it didn't go well, just try again with that same nap in the crib tomorrow until your baby gets the hang of it and is taking all naps in the crib. Then, once all naps are happening in the crib, you'd start nighttime sleep in there! 

One other thing to note is that if your baby is rolling, I recommend doing all sleep in the crib or pack n’ play so they have room to move and get comfortable. They’re learning to move and adjust their body in a way that feels good to them, and this will eventually help them sleep better.

Need Help with the Bassinet to Crib Transition?

If you’re still not sure the best way to go about this transition for your baby, or just want to chat through it with a professional, my Mini Sleep Strategy Call (30 minutes for $65) would be a great option! Get all your questions answered and have a plan in place to ensure this transition goes as smoothly as possible!