HALO Bassinest Luxe Plus

We’re on our fourth kid, and the HALO Bassinest Luxe Plus is the first bassinet we’ve tried. It was quite easy to put together. I did it myself. (Usually I don’t even try to assemble things and instead pass those duties off to my husband—not because I can’t put things together but because I don’t want to.) Anyway, I thought I’d give this one a go, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.  It took me about 30 minutes to put it together—but part of that can be attributed to the fact that the baby kept crying, so I had to stop and tend to her. That being said, I’d recommend putting it together prior to the baby’s arrival. Or have your husband do it. Whatever assembly route you choose, I think you’ll be pleased at the ease with which it goes together.

I will warn you that this is not a small item, mostly the base. And it is heavy. Don’t put it together downstairs, thinking you’ll just carry it upstairs to your bedroom later. Its weight and the width of the base do make it notably sturdy, which is a good thing because it stands up at bed level. Our bedroom is narrow, but we still managed to fit the Bassinest between the side of the bed and the wall. Once it was in place, it meant that I had to climb into bed from the end. So if your bedroom is small, you might want to take some measurements ahead of time.

Because this is my fourth baby, I’m not really one for many bells and whistles when it comes to baby accoutrements. But if it’s your first or you’re in the camp of needing the upgrades, then the HALO Bassinest Luxe Plus is for you.

It has it all:

• 360 degree swivel (so you can rotate the bassinet to get out of bed without waking baby, if space allows)
• Retractable sidewall with lock (to reach baby in the middle of the night without getting up and out of bed)
• Two generous storage pockets (a feature that I really do appreciate—it’s always helpful to have pockets in which to stash extra goods: boob pads, binkies, nipple cream, etc.)
• Soothing Center that includes three lullabies, three soothing sounds, two levels of vibration, a nightlight and a nursing timer (I like the music feature, but the vibrating feature has never appealed to any of my babies. Maybe your little one will love it, though. If I were a first-time parent, I’d be all over the night-light and nursing timer!)
• Floor light (to help you see without disturbing your baby … but most of the time, the baby is awake and disturbing me)
• Extra 100 percent cotton fitted sheet and mattress pad (I love that these are included because these are necessary—and with many sleepers you’d have to purchase them separately.)

The manufacturer recommends this bassinet for babies up to 5 months or 20 pounds and advises that you discontinue use when baby shows signs of rolling over or pushing up. We only keep the babies sleeping in our room until they’re 8 weeks old, so this won’t be a concern for us—but it’s good advice for those who plan to keep baby in their room for longer.

I like the neutral color scheme. I love that this product allows baby to sleep close but in her own safe space. The mesh sidewalls are ideal for breathability, and so you can see in and baby can see out. The bed itself seems to be an appropriate softness to keep baby comfortable and firm enough to make for safe sleeping.

This item is pretty pricey, but this would have been something I’d have wanted to have for my first baby onward. And you plan to use it for more than one child, then the investment has even more value.

If you’re in the market for a bedside sleeper, I really don’t think you could do any better than the HALO Bassinest Luxe Plus!

Price: $300
Where to buy: amazon.com