Newborn Map
Bassinet vs crib in the first months
Room-share for the first 90 days. Either a CPSC bassinet (16 CFR 1218, incline ≤10°) or a crib is fine. No SIDS product ranking. Link to the SNOO compare.
We are not pediatricians. This is not medical advice. Your pediatrician knows this baby.
You need one flat sleep space in the room where the night adult actually is. A bassinet is furniture that fits next to a bed. A crib is furniture that also fits. Neither prevents SIDS. AAP wants room-share for at least six months, which covers the entire first 90 days.
The floor, not the brand
- 16 CFR 1218 is the US bassinet / cradle standard. Incline greater than 10 degrees is not a legal infant sleep product. CPSC.
- A full-size crib has its own CPSC standard. Firm mattress. Tight sheet. Empty.
- Bare is Best. Safe sleep.
A SNOO is not “the safer bassinet.” It is an FDA-regulated device with a supine-positioning claim and a required warning that it has not directly demonstrated a reduction in SIDS/SUID. Comparison and the 2026 warning letter: SNOO vs a regular bassinet. Buying rules: bassinet buying guide.
When a bassinet is enough
Most families in weeks 0–13 do not need a second sleep product “for downstairs.” One space. Move the adult, not the furniture, if you can. When they outgrow the bassinet manufacturer’s weight or length — or start pushing up — the crib (or a play yard used as designed) is the next flat space.
When a crib from day one is enough
If the crib already fits in the room you will sleep in, skip the bassinet. You do not owe a matching set. Registry.
What we will not do
- Rank “safest” brands
- Tell you a mesh wall or a nightlight prevents SIDS
- Recommend in-bed nests as a third category. What to skip.