Do you put your baby to sleep in a bassinet? Are you at a lost for maintaining cleanliness?
The mere mention of a bassinet evokes mental images of a peacefully sleeping infant ensconced in soft blankets. However, it is simple for your baby’s bassinet to store more germs than you know, what with milk, tears, sweat, and other bodily fluids.
How often must a bassinet be cleaned to ensure it is free of harmful bacteria? Thankfully, the process is not very intricate. We’ll go through the best practices for baby room hygiene so that you can rest easy knowing your little one isn’t being exposed to any germs that might potentially make them sick.
What Is A Bassinet?
A bassinet is a type of crib designed for newborns up to roughly four months of age. You may recognize them by their oval form, open sides made of mesh or cloth, and lightweight construction that allows you to move them with relative ease.
The bed is elevated to about waist height thanks to the bassinet’s foundation. The increased height of this construction has been reported to be useful by many parents when laying down their infant.
If you’ve recently undergone a C-section, for example, you might find it difficult to reach over the rail of the crib and pick up your baby to place him or her down, making the bassinet a more practical choice.
A baby’s bassinet can be purchased in a wide range of styles and hues. Many even include convenient drawers or shelves beneath the mattress and frilly ruffles on the headboard and footboard. Bassinets have undergone a number of noteworthy changes over time, including:
- Lights
- Sounds
- Rocking
You should no longer use a bassinet after your child reaches 20 pounds or can turn over on their own. Your baby’s growth and development will tell you when it’s time to move them out of the bassinet, but a good rule of thumb is approximately four months.
Bassinet Pros
- Your newborn baby will need a more compact crib (transitioning from a tight womb to a small sleeping area rather than a large crib)
- The baby can be moved around the house with relative ease.
- Lighter than a crib in weight
- Easy to share a room with others
- Suited to cramped quarters
- A lot cheaper than buying a crib
- The baby can be put down more easily.
Bassinet Cons
- Being of diminutive proportions and having a high center of gravity, the object could easily topple over.
- Short-term use only
Ways on How do you make a bassinet smell better
No. 1: You have to do more than just smell the foul odors. In other words, you have to get rid of them. Then, let’s try our hand at some homemade deodorizing. Vinegar and water can be combined in an old shampoo bottle and sprayed all over the bassinet or other odorous items. Wait half an hour and then wipe it down with a dry cloth or paper towel.
Secondly, if it doesn’t work, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it liberally to the fabric of your bassinet (you can also use this method on other surfaces). Let it sit overnight, and then clean up with the vacuum.
Thirdly, improve the air quality by using an essential oil diffuser. This is my preferred strategy because it does more than mask unpleasant odors. With the right oils, it can even replace them with better versions (I love lavender and eucalyptus). If you don’t want your baby’s nursery to smell like essential oils, plug-in room smells are a terrific alternative.
Using a commercial solution designed to eliminate odors from textiles is Option 4 if none of the other strategies have been successful (I love this one ). This is of great use for diaper pails that have developed a lingering odor.
5 Ways to Make a Bassinet More Comfortable for your Newborn
Put yourself in your baby’s shoes when deciding how to make the bassinet cozy. What does your infant enjoy most?
You, of course!!
It’s clear she has feelings for you. She appreciates your welcoming embrace, pleasant scent, and reassuring presence.
Make it feel like the baby is in the fourth trimester of pregnancy without cluttering up their crib with extra pillows and loveys.
Here are five ways you may improve your baby’s bassinet experience.
1. Keep Bassinet Next to your Bed
After 9 months of resting in the most comfortable position possible, your baby will need time to acclimate to the new bassinet.
The goal in creating a bassinet was to make sure that the baby felt safe and secure while still being cozy and warm. The bassinet would be perfect if only you could feel it.
If your infant is having trouble falling asleep in the bassinet, this may be the problem. Put a bassinet close to your bed if that’s the case.
Your baby will be able to sense your warmth, your breath, and your proximity. Baby will not only fall asleep more quickly, but also stay asleep for longer periods of the night.
The two of you will get more restful sleep in the bassinet next to your bed, which will facilitate your recuperation from giving birth.
This is why many new mothers think of getting a bassinet that can be placed next to their bed, sometimes known as a co-sleeper.
These bassinets can be adjusted in height to fit under your bed or to the level of your mattress. This way, you won’t even have to get out of bed to tend to your infant.
Co-sleepers, also known as so-sleeping bassinets, are an excellent choice for parents who prefer to have their infants close at hand during the night for purposes such as calming and feeding.
2. Swaddle Your Baby
There’s no mystery to the fact that swaddling a baby helps them feel secure and relaxed; the practice dates back centuries.
It’s warm and safe, just like being carried about in the womb was for the infant. Many infants report improved sleep after using this method.
Infants with neurological issues or colic benefit greatly from swaddling since it helps them stay asleep for extended periods of time. Look up the sources.
Your baby is more likely to sleep soundly and through the night if you swaddle her.
Another benefit of swaddling is that it encourages babies to sleep on their backs, which lowers their risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Babies who have problems sleeping on their backs because they wake themselves up find that swaddling is helpful.
3. Make Bassinet Smell like you
The sense of smell is fully developed by the end of the first trimester, which may come as a surprise to you. She has a preference for smell since she has been exposed to the odors of your food and drink since she was in the womb via the amniotic fluid.
An interesting study conducted in 2002 indicated that infants born to French women who drank an anise-flavored beverage during pregnancy preferred the smell of anise to that of infants born to moms who did not (2).
Another study found that infants preferred the breast pad their mother wore while breastfeeding over a pad worn by a stranger. Researchers compared how often infants turned their heads when their mothers wore a breast pad to the rate at which they turned their heads when fed by other women (3).
This evidence demonstrates how much infants cherish their moms’ scent. Postpartum, your body will naturally produce a scent that you may not enjoy, but your baby will.
The odor of the mother’s hospital gown, as opposed to the odor of a clean garment, has been shown to calm fussy infants, according to another study (4).
Seeing as how this method was able to reduce the infant’s wailing, it may have practical applications for dealing with crying infants.
These findings provide support for the practice of providing the mother’s odor to infants in distress as a means of calming them down and putting an end to their wailing.
Utilizing these details, we will create a bassinet that will be more accommodating for your infant.
It’s easy to make your baby’s bassinet smell like you by sleeping in the sheets for a day or two before putting them in the crib. You may also use an old t-shirt as a mattress protector for your baby’s bassinet. T-shirts fit nice and tight on bassinet mattresses, so there’s no need to worry about them shifting around and disturbing your baby’s sleep. If you are uneasy about doing so, you can always remove a t-shirt from the bassinet mattress before putting the infant to sleep.
Baby will feel more at ease in the bassinet and will be able to scent you from a distance. The risk is worth it, mom!
4. Baby’s Sleeping Environment
Make sure your baby feels safe and secure in her bassinet if she cries after being placed there. Babies will not fall asleep in their bassinets if they do not feel secure there. Finding your baby’s preferences in this area will take some experimentation.
Adjusting the room’s temperature, lowering the lights at night, positioning the crib at the correct angle, and playing soothing music are all good places to start. There will be some trial and error involved as you try to determine your baby’s preferences.
The two of you will be much happier sleepers once you’ve established your baby’s preferred routine.
5. Types of Bassinet
Nothing beats the first night of uninterrupted slumber for a newborn baby. When it comes to getting your baby to sleep at night or take a nap during the day, a bassinet that is both comfy and flexible can make all the difference.
In the market, you may find a wide selection of bassinets, each with its own set of enticing qualities. Prices, quality, and options might range widely. Some bassinets merely rock, but the Halo Bassinet also swivels and spins, plus it has a nightlight, calming vibration, sleep noises, and a feeding timer built right in.
The SNOO Smart Sleeper bassinet, for example, is like giving your baby a suite at a five-star hotel while they sleep. It moves and makes just the perfect amount of white noise in response to the baby’s cries, which is astounding.
There is an increased cost associated with adding more complex functionality. Low cost bassinets that are nonetheless sturdy and safe are also available. Keep the following in mind when looking for a bassinet:
Features that every baby bassinet must have
- JPMA Accredited.
- A firm bed
- Sheet that fits snugly
- Comfortable but unremarkable four-sided bed
- If it can rock or swivel, it has a locking mechanism.
Additional features for the bassinet
- Variable in height
- Bed frame that may be tucked under the mattress to save space
- Area for Keeping Things
- Mobility to roll from one location to another
- Accessible at night thanks to a foldable or lowered side
- Integrated night light, sleep sound, and/or vibration mode.
When To Clean Your Bassinet
You should take the time to clean your bassinet carefully if you see any signs of grime or buildup. However, there are some guidelines to follow to ensure that you address both obvious and hidden grime.
Some authorities advise laundering baby’s bedding once or twice weekly. How much you need to spend on the actual bassinet frame is much lower. Remember that your infant may not come into direct touch with the frame, and that exposure to a few bacteria may actually help them develop a stronger immune system.
You may not need to go to great lengths to clean it very often unless your infant has recently recovered from an illness or there is obvious soiling. Put your judgment to the test.
Disassembling Your Bassinet
Disassembling a bassinet is necessary prior to cleaning it. In most cases, you will need to empty the bassinet’s basket and stand of its linens.
Different materials on your bassinet will necessitate different cleaning methods. You may machine-wash the cover, hand-wash the mattress, and dust the frame.
The instructions for cleaning and assembling the bassinet should have been included in the packaging. Be sure to read them over before moving forward.
Online Advice
Do some digging or contact the manufacturer’s customer support if you can’t track down the bassinet’s original instructions. Instructions could be available on the internet.
How To Clean a Bassinet
If you follow these six easy steps, your baby’s sleeper will last as long as possible. They should work with most bassinets, but if you have any doubts, you should refer to the manual for your particular brand and model.
1. Gather Supplies
Some common household items can serve as effective cleaning agents for your bassinet:
- An infant-safe detergent.
- Get a new sponge, some clean towels, and some dusting supplies.
- Put some hot water in a spray bottle and use that.
- An easy-on-the-system disinfectant.
Cleaning will go more smoothly if you have these tools on hand.
2. Remove Bedding and Linens
Bedding and linens are likely to become the dirtiest parts of your bassinet. Take them out and sort them by type of cleaning required.
3. Remove Hood and Linings
Hoods or additional bedding may be purchased separately for some bassinets. Take apart the fabric and wash it if you can.
4. Wash Linens
Use a fragrance-free, gentle detergent on all of your baby’s cotton bedding. If you’re not sure how to clean anything, just hand wash it as directed.
Linens that are linked to the bassinet should be washed regularly, especially if they come into touch with the baby’s skin. Using a spot treatment pen or spraying a cloth with warm water and a small amount of detergent is an effective method for this.
5. Disinfect the Frame
After you have taken everything out of the bassinet, including the mattress, you may begin disinfecting the frame. What kind of disinfectant you put on your bassinet will depend on its material.
Use a clean cloth to thoroughly wipe off the entire frame. To prevent rust, you should dry the frame thoroughly with a second cloth.
6. Reassemble the Bassinet
Reassemble your bassinet after you’ve made sure everything inside is dry. Especially if this is the first time you’ve disassembled it, you should take your time. Ensure its steadiness is a top priority.
Some bassinets are easy to assemble, while others need more time and effort. A newborn will spend a lot of time in their bassinet, so you’ll want to make sure it’s safe and comfortable for them.
FAQS
Why does my Baby Cry every time I Put him Down?
It makes sense that a newborn would seek for parental affection after spending nine months cocooned in a warm environment. It will take some time to adjust to the new, brighter world that they have brought into existence. They require the comforting embrace of a loving human being in order to feel safe and at ease.
Even if we have state-of-the-art gadgets like bassinets that react to a baby’s cries, the most important thing for a newborn in the first three months is that their needs be met. Have hope that this is just a phase and will end eventually.
Why Does my Baby Hate his Bassinet?
Those are all reasonable concerns that any mother would have. So, if your infant displays no interest in the bassinet, you are in good company. Infants are accustomed to being cuddled, wrapped up, and, most crucially, rocked to sleep. After 9 months of rolling beds, they have trouble adjusting to sleeping on something flat and still. If this is an issue, a bassinet with a rocking mechanism could be the solution.
However, a bassinet does require some acclimation period. If you keep up the good work, they will eventually grow accustomed to sleeping in the bassinet.
How do you Calm a Fussy Baby at Night?
Nighttime crying can be caused by several factors, including a growth spurt, insufficient milk letdown, a gassy infant, colic, too much stimulation, or simply being overtired. Reducing a crying infant to calmness is akin to mastering rocket science.
But there are things you may do to soothe a crying infant before bedtime.
- Use a swaddling blanket to make them feel more secure.
- Put the baby in a carrier — they’ll feel much more at ease that way.
- Keep the lights low, lower the volume of any background stimuli, and swaddle them to help their developing nervous system relax.
- Maintain a regular bedtime schedule of massage, bath, feeding, playing, and sleeping. Babies thrive on consistency, so establish one now if you haven’t already.
- Swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking are all part of Dr. Karp’s 5 S Soothing Method, which can help soothe a fussy infant. Here is the procedure.
Do you still need help to get your Baby Sleep through the Night?
To be unable to soothe a crying infant at bedtime is one of life’s greatest frustrations. If this is how you feel, know that you are not alone.
Teaching a newborn baby to go to sleep may be challenging, but it’s not rocket science. The foundational knowledge of infant sleep is not hard to acquire.
If you don’t know the ins and outs of putting a newborn to sleep, it doesn’t matter how high-tech a bassinet you buy (like the SNOO).
Many parents, without first grasping these fundamental sleep ideas, attempt to implement a specific sleep training strategy, only to find themselves frustrated and unsuccessful.
If you have a baby, you should read this article to learn the basics of putting them to sleep. When you bring your new baby home from the hospital, this article will help you establish good sleep patterns.
Conclusion
Physical and emotional exhaustion are common during the first few months of a baby’s life. By establishing a regular bedtime routine and following these steps, you can help your baby fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep for longer.
