For a really beautiful example of a simple d-i-y bassinet, go to this blog:

http://lightbluegrey.blogspot.com/search/label/interior

I couldn't figure out how to get the complete url, so you'll have to scroll down to the date 7.10.10, to see the title 'Uterus'. Absolutely gorgeous. And so simple.

I love some of these especially the more modern takes on the traditional cradle, however, I found a cradle quite useless for our daughter. Within three months she had outgrown it. I only spent a small sum and shudder at the price tag of some of these.

Thanks, Dulcibella, for pointing out that blog - beautiful designs!

Just a heads up I believe the hammocks were recalled a year ago. Make sure you check the history of the product before you buy; don't just get it for it's aesthetics.

My mom had me sleeping in a laundry basket (this was the late 70's) and we used a moses basket for our daughter. This sampling is not really a range of prices --- except for a few they're all around $300. Way to much for what is essentially a laundry basket.

These are pretty, but if you have the space, a pack n' play can be used for the same purposes (bassinet at night, later a nap place in another part of the house) and serves as a portable crib for maybe two years. They are not stylish, but I found ours to be very useful.

Sure, you only use your bassinet for a few short months, but I loved mine. I had a c-section and it made caring for the baby in the middle of the night so much easier. I also had a pack n' play, but I kept it in the family room so I had a changing table/napper in the room where I spent my daytime hours. I'm planning on having another baby soon (and hopefully another after that), so it will get plenty of use.

All lovely, but so expensive! We bought a used Moses basket for 20 bucks. $300 for 4 or 5 months of use is not a reasonable expense for most people.

ooooh! I adore these designs! so much has changed since my daughter was an infant - 4 years ago!

we used a bassinet for a long time. it's mobile and cozy and a great piece to pass down to the next generation or sibling. I would TOTALLY splurge on one of these.

Those hammocks with the solid cloth sides (and some with loose hanging cloth) look both inconvenient and potentially hazardous to me... then add the price tag and the hassle of installing hooks wherever you want to be able to use them... no thanks.

Of course you don't need a bassinet. But, I' m so glad they are for sale as I adore that pic of the baby kicking up her heels and looking so incredibly sweet.

We had a bassinet but never used it. We had to use our rock and play because of reflux. #1 looks amazing and safe. #2 looks suffocating. No way would I ever put a child in that plus it's hanging from the ceiling. #3 is the same as #2 but this looks a little more 'bondage' and is ugly as hell. #4 meh #5 looks like a basket from a craft store plopped on a metal frame but I'll take it over 2,3 &4, #6 wait...is the point to suffocate our children? #7 looks like a laundry basket... #8 umm no. I pinned this on pinterest a long time ago and had concerns about it then, #9 eww... just eww #10 again, no #11 ok! I like this preppy take on a moses basket. I likey! #12 again...what's with the hanging things. This looks so sterile but also like it's trying too hard to be cute #13 ... #14 This is nothing new #15 I think I'm ok with it. Basically don't buy it for looks. Buy for safety!

I can see why a lot of people might be skeptical about the baby hammocks but the handmade version of these have been in use in my culture (South Indian) forever. I myself slept in one as a child and has pretty much seen every younger cousin in one when they were babies. There have never been any accidents with them as far as I know. The idea, as I have had my grandmother explain to me is that the flexibility of the cloth mimics the liquid filled environment in the womb and soothes babies. Whether one chooses to believe this or not, I have seen these things put crying kids to sleep in minutes. Of course the houses there are of a different architectural style so I'm not sure how compatible they may be to hang in American homes.

We're getting ready to have our first and we decided on a baby hammock for exclusive use (no crib). Here's why:

If you actually research baby hammocks (like #2,3, etc) and look at their safety stats, you'll find that they are actually VERY safe when used and installed correctly. There are many women in my community and several close friends that used hammocks exclusively for the first year of their babies' lives and loved them. Also, many eastern countries (we saw these in India and Turkey all the time) use them in lieu of cribs. Their design helps prevent reflux and colic and their movement helps soothe the baby back to sleep. Most (like the Kanoe #3) do not include a mattress which makes it very hard for the baby to roll over into a position where they might be at risk for suffocation or SIDS.

As for the price, the Kanoe has a rental option if you want to try it out. $60/month, if you don't like it, return it and only pay for the time you used it. If you use it for 5 months, you've paid for it. They donate returned hammocks to orphanages and day care centers.

We also like the convenience factor. Many of the hammocks come with easily collapsible stands which means that when we travel, we can bring the baby's actual "bed" with us wherever we go.

Bottom line, don't assume something is unsafe because it's different from what you chose or nontraditional. Do your research and choose what fits best with your family. I think this is a good round up of options.

I also used a rock n play. So easy to tuck beside a bed and rock your baby to sleep. Way easier to pack away than a pack and play too. No way near as adorable as all of the options posted, but when it comes to babies and sleep, utility wins hands down.

Here in Germany it's almost a requirement to have a bed for the baby that attaches to the parents' bed... I couldn't have survived the first six months of middle-of0the-night breast feedings without it. And it feels so nice to be almost sharing the bed with the baby...

These items are for a baby? They look so industrial, more like laundry baskets than something for a baby.

I was really thinking about a hammock, but I got discouraged because there were in fact some recent recalls of certain models, they seemed to have too much cushioning that could move and cause suffication. The recalls mostly seem to apply to ones hanging form a single point ones, like in picture 3 and 5 seem to be fine.
Also they seems to be against US guidlines about SIDs, because they aren't a hard surface, but I think the might be a misinterpetation meaning you should use too soft a mattress.
But clearly many are safe and have been used forever, I would really like more into and resources form anyone about chosing a safe model, or features that make it a safe model.

I was really thinking about a hammock, but I got discouraged because there were in fact some recent recalls of certain models, they seemed to have too much cushioning that could move and cause suffication. The recalls mostly seem to apply to ones hanging form a single point ones, like in picture 3 and 5 seem to be fine.
Also they seems to be against US guidlines about SIDs, because they aren't a hard surface, but I think the might be a misinterpetation meaning you should use too soft a mattress.
But clearly many are safe and have been used forever, I would really like more into and resources form anyone about chosing a safe model, or features that make it a safe model.

Some of these designs look a little less "baby" and a little more "baby-making".

this link will work better:

http://lightbluegrey.blogspot.nl/2010/10/uterus.html

thanks for visiting my blog!

We just set up the whole crib and a some essentials in our room and then moved the baby into his own room when they were sleeping through the night. Actually with my son, we moved out of the room! My daughter is 7 months and still in our room because she's going to be sharing with big brother until we move into a 3 bedroom.

We live in a 2-bedroom apartment, and realized that with the birth of our 3rd child we were moving into the "specialty furniture" realm. We got the two older kids a bunk bed, put away the crib, and got a pack-n-play "lite".

Best baby purchase EVER. It is smaller than a regular pack-n-play, but bigger than a bassinet (and has three height adjustments). It also fits through doorways, which is incredibly helpful. Our baby is almost seven months old and I anticipate that he will be able to use it for at least another 6 months as his primary bed, and at least another year as a travel bed. He still sleeps in our room right now, but it works because the lite is small enough.

Oh, and the colors are neutral, and it cost about $85.

Here's the link for those who don't want to search... it is beautiful.

http://lightbluegrey.blogspot.com/2010/10/uterus.html