Bassinets with Motion Recommendations

Hi Riane!

Thanks for trusting me with your bassinet search. Based on our short convo, you're looking for a bassinet that moves and safety is of utmost importance. I'm happy to help! I keep things pretty concise, but please text me if you have any follow up questions, want more detail or just want to chat :)

 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR in a motion bassinet

  • Variety of motion types- When buying a bassinet with movement, it's important to choose one that has a variety of movement types. Every baby is different and finding the movement that works for them is a bit of trial and error. Moms who had bad experiences with motion bassinets had purchased ones with 1-2 vibration options and unfortunately their little ones didn't like them, so they were left with expensive high tech bassinets they couldn't use.
  • Secured placement- A concern parents have with motion bassinets is the risk of their babies rolling over from the movement. Some bassinets, like the Snoo, have a built in swaddle to secure them in. 
  • Auto-response- A motion bassinet may save you a couple of minutes (maybe hours) of rocking, but without the auto-response feature, you'll have to manually turn it on. Bassinets with auto-response will have the ability to recognize a cry and turn on the soothing features automatically. However, if you're in the same room as the baby, you'll likely hear them cry and wake up from it anyways, so manually turning on the bassinet might not be a huge issue. 
  • App vs. control panel- If your bassinet is going to be located bedside, the control panel could be a great option. However, if you're planning to keep it on the other side of the room or in another room, an app might be more preferable.
  • Other features- most of these types of bassinets offer other features like soothing sounds and night lights. I view these as "nice to haves" because the key thing you're paying for is how well the motion works.

 

Based on the info above and that safety is most important to you, here's what I'D RECOMMEND:

  1. Happiest Baby Snoo- I'm sorry, don't hate me. This is one of the most expensive bassinets on the market. However, Happiest Baby does offer a rental program that brings the price closer and more comparable to the Graco and 4moms bassinets. The reason this is at the top of my list is because it has the secured swaddle for extra safety, on top of all the other features. Unfortunately, the Graco and 4moms bassinets don't make an extra insert you can buy.
  2. 4moms mamaRoo Bassinet- This is #2 on my list because it has 5 unique motion types and can be controlled via an app on your phone. The one downside is that it does not have cry detection so you'll have to manually turn it on.
  3. Graco Sense2Snooze- This is #3 on my list because of the cry-detection auto-response capability. The downsides are that it only offers 2 vibration settings (at 3 speeds) and a control panel with loud buttons that have been known to wake up babies. The user manual also states to never leave the baby alone when the bassinet is in motion - potentially defeating the purpose of getting it.

FYI There are two other options you might have come across- Chicco Close to You 3-in-1 and HALO Bassinest. I didn't put them in the top three because they only offer 2 vibration options and didn't have any of the above and beyond features like cry detection.

 

So these are your options. It's never easy choosing, especially with such an important and expensive purchase. Given what you have in front of you, here's what I would THINK ABOUT WHEN DECIDING...

  • How important is the safety swaddle to me? If it's really important and you're able to budget for the Snoo, I'd recommend that. But if you're less concerned about it, then 4moms and Graco are great options.
  • How important is the cry detection feature to me? It's helpful to think about where the bassinet will be placed and why you think you want the cry detection feature. Like I eluded to earlier, if you're hoping the cry detection will be able to automatically turn on and soothe the baby without interrupting your sleep, but the bassinet is in your room, that's unlikely to happen. However, if the bassinet is in another room or you're a heavy sleeper, then auto-response might be a super valuable feature. Making a decision on this will help you choose between the 4moms and Graco options.

 

Here are some helpful SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISONS:

 

That's all I have for now. Text me if you have any questions. I'm always here to help!