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A bassinet, bassinette, or cradle is a
bed A bed is a piece of furniture that is used as a place to sleep, rest, and relax. Most modern beds consist of a soft, cushioned mattress on a bed frame. The mattress rests either on a solid base, often wood slats, or a sprung base. Many beds ...
specifically for
babies In common terminology, a baby is the very young offspring of adult human beings, while infant (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'baby' or 'child') is a formal or specialised synonym. The terms may also be used to refer to juveniles of ...
from birth to about four months. Bassinets are generally designed to work with fixed legs or caster wheels, while cradles are generally designed to provide a rocking or gliding motion. Bassinets and cradles are distinguished from Moses baskets and carry cots, which are designed to be carried and sit directly on the floor or furniture. After four months, babies are often transferred to a crib (American usage) or cot (UK usage). In the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, however, the
bedside sleeper A bedside sleeper, also referred to as a sidecar sleeper or bedside bassinet, is a bassinet or baby cot that attaches to the parents' bed, allowing newborns to sleep next to their parents safely. This is a form of safe co-sleeping, and has littl ...
is the prevalent option, since they are generally bigger, recommended up to 6 months, and often used up to a year.


Design

A bassinet is typically a basket-like structure on free-standing legs, often with casters.Injury Prevention for Children and Adolescents: Research, Practice, and Advocacy
Karen DeSafey Lille, Ed. 2006. p.71.
A cradle is typically set in a fixed frame, but with the ability to rock or glide.


Use

Bassinet usage in the United States nearly doubled to 20% from 1992 to 2006.Pike, Jodi, and Rachel Y. Moon
“Bassinet Use and Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.”
The Journal of Pediatrics 153.4 (2008): 509–512.
Greater than 45% of babies up to two months used a bassinet. By 5–6 months, however, fewer than 10% of babies sleep in bassinets. In a hospital environment, a special form of
sealed Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal (em ...
bassinet is used in a
neonatal intensive care unit A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), also known as an intensive care nursery (ICN), is an intensive care unit (ICU) specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. The NICU is divided into several areas, including a critical c ...
. On many long-haul flights, most airlines provide a bassinet (which is attached to a bulkhead) to adults travelling with an infant, i.e., a child under the age of two. The use of the bassinet is restricted by the infant's size and weight. These need to be requested in advance with the airline. However, most USA and Canadian airlines have bassinet policies which mean they are only allocated at the airport gate.Example of airline travel information regarding children and infants
Lufthansa Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), trading as the Lufthansa Group, is a German aviation group. Its major and founding subsidiary airline Lufthansa German Airlines, branded as Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. It ranks List of largest airlin ...
Research has shown that the
mattress A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a person Lying (position), lying down, especially for sleeping. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a Quilting, quilted o ...
influences
SIDS Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sometimes known as cot death or crib death, is the sudden unexplained death of a child of less than one year of age. Diagnosis requires that the death remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and ...
outcomes; a firm mattress lowers SIDS risk. Some bassinets are designed to rock or swing freely, with many carers finding their child calmed by this action. The process of lulling the child to
sleep Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain Sensory nervous system, sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with th ...
may be accompanied by prerecorded or live performance of
lullabies A lullaby (), or a cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies, they are used to pass down cultural know ...
.


Stationary or portable

Although there are many variations, they fall generally into two categories: * light and portable types sometimes called ''Moses baskets'' * sturdier but less portable cradles In both cases, they are generally designed to allow the resting baby to be carried from place to place. Within the home, they are often raised on a stand or other surface to reduce
back strain Back strain is the injury occurring to muscles or tendons. Due to back strain, the tendons and muscles supporting the spine are twisted or pulled. Chronic back strain occurs because of the sustained trauma and wearing out of the back muscles. Acu ...
when bending over to tend the baby. Wheeled frames to convert a bassinet into a pram or baby carriage are common.


Smart bassinets

Bassinets that automatically soothe babies by sound and motion in response to crying recently have become available, starting with the Snoo in October 2016. The Snoo has been criticized for its high price. Graco, 4Moms, and other companies have introduced cheaper competing products.


Rolling

At three or four months of age babies are able to roll over by themselves; this means they could tip the bassinet over, so for safety they must use an
infant bed An infant bed (commonly called a cot in British English, and, in American English, a crib, or far less commonly, stock) is a small bed especially for infants and very young children. Infant beds are a historically recent development intended to ...
or
toddler bed A toddler is a child approximately 1 to 3 years old, though definitions vary. The toddler years are a time of great cognitive, emotional and social development. The word is derived from "toddle", which means to walk unsteadily, as children at thi ...
instead.


See also

*
Baby bedding An infant bed (commonly called a cot in British English, and, in American English, a crib, or far less commonly, stock) is a small bed especially for infants and very young children. Infant beds are a historically recent development intended to ...
*
Baby transport Various methods of transporting children have been used in different cultures and times. These methods include baby carriages (prams in British English), infant car seats, portable bassinets (carrycots), strollers (pushchairs), slings, backpack ...


References

{{Authority control Babycare Beds Infancy