Bassinet

A bassinet is a compact bed sized for a newborn, smaller and often lower to the ground than a crib, designed to sit beside an adult bed or be moved easily between rooms. Most are rated for a specific weight and age range, commonly until the baby starts pushing up on hands and knees or reaches the manufacturer's stated limit, whichever comes first.

Bassinets support room sharing, keeping the baby's own sleep surface within arm's reach of a parent's bed without bed sharing. Some models add rocking motion, storage underneath, or a bedside sidecar style that attaches to the adult mattress. As with any infant sleep product, the mattress or pad that comes with the bassinet is the one it was tested with, so it should not be swapped for a thicker or softer pad.

Families sometimes keep a baby in a bassinet longer than the manufacturer recommends because it is convenient, but every bassinet has a weight or mobility limit for a reason, once a baby can push up or roll, a bassinet is usually no longer appropriate and it is time to transition to a crib or mini crib. Check the specific product's limits rather than assuming a general age like four months applies to every model.