A bassinet is a great and traditional way to keep your baby secure during their early months. Though not all parents use bassinets anymore, many people still like the traditional look of a bassinet in their family room. Bassinets can be useful, as long as you follow a few safety precautions, and don’t use them after your baby is over four months of age.
Like so many other baby products, bassinets have a wide variety of accessories available as add-on features. Some of these accessories are useful, while others simply make your bassinet appear more visually attractive. Depending on your needs, you might choose to purchase some accessories for your baby’s bassinet. Here’s a quick guide to bassinet accessories, and which accessories might be useful for your baby.
Bassinet Canopy
A bassinet canopy is one of the accessories that’s included in many bassinets. Since your baby is usually only in a bassinet as a newborn, they’re still very sensitive to light. Your baby’s eyes shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight, which can cause lasting damage. Also, your baby’s skin is still very delicate and thin. This means that your baby could be easily burned by excessive sunlight. That’s why a bassinet canopy is so important – it helps keep dangerous light out of your baby’s bassinet. Some types of bassinet canopies can be easily adjusted, which gives you more freedom to position your baby’s bassinet in certain rooms of your home. Also, some bassinets have canopies that can be completely removed for easy transportation of the bassinet.
Bassinet Bumpers
Bassinet bumpers are cushy accessories that are meant to protect your baby from becoming injured on the edges of the bassinet. However, these bumpers can also pose a safety hazard, since they can cause a restriction of airflow around your baby while in the bassinet. Because of this, many pediatricians recommend against using bumpers in your baby’s bassinet, unless they’re made of a breathable material.
Bassinet Stroller Attachment
Some bassinets can be inserted directly into a stroller to make transporting your baby around town much easier. This bassinet accessory is usually a special type of stroller that has securing mechanisms that are used to hold the bassinet. However, keep in mind that most bassinets aren’t able to be used for your baby after four months of age. Because of this, it might be better for you to invest in a traditional stroller instead.
Bassinet Skirt
Bassinet skirts are a cosmetic accessory for bassinets, but are favored by many parents looking for a more traditional appearance for their bassinet. A skirt for a bassinet is usually used for a raised bassinet, and extends down over the support system onto the floor. A bassinet skirt can give a raised bassinet an elegant, flowing appearance. If you aren’t looking to spent money on a bassinet skirt, you can always make your own easily by using a pattern from a crafts store. All it takes is some fabric, elastic material, trim (usually lace) and a sewing machine!