Do I really need a Moses basket and a bedside crib?

[shabbysimplification]

I’ve read many “baby item lists” that says you’ll need a Moses basket and a bedside crib. Are they really needed?

I am thinking to just put the cot next to my bed (so no need for bedside crib).

and for naps, I am getting a Pram that comes with a cot (Jooz aer+) in that case can I use the cot to replace the Moses basket?

feeling like there’s a lot of stuff to buy so don’t want to waste money on things I don’t really need!

Mine hated the bed side cot as it was too big. They loved the Moses basket and we ended up getting two, one for next to the bed and one downstairs for naps (even in the garden for naps when the weather was mild and I wanted some fresh air). They’re so portable, don’t take up too much room. People give them away on local selling sites, new mattresses are cheap.

Definitely don't need both a bedside crib and a moses basket. And cots are suitable from birth so no reason a newborn can't go in a cot either.
I have a bedside crib because I'd struggle to fit a full cot beside my bed. But definitely not bothering with a moses basket. And like you the buggy I have is sleep approved so plan to just use that for downstairs daytime sleep. These companies really do have clever marketing and make you feel like you need it all it's a minefield isn't it?😂

In a word no, you don’t.
The Finnish government give baby boxes to new mums with all the essentials and this includes the idea that you can use the box with its little mattress as a Moses basket.
so if you really want you can use a box!!

We had a moses basket and a cot. What I liked about the moses basket was that we could put baby to bed in a quiet corner of the living room then take them up to bed with us without having transfer them. Also used the pram for naps. One of mine wasn’t massively keen on the moses basket so went into the big cot quite early, the other was more like 4 months old.

I had a normal size cot by the bed which when she was teeny tiny I placed the moses basket inside it at night time and she slept in that.
But despite being tiny she would wiggle around so much and get stuck so I think we gave up on the moses basket after about 2 months.
I wouldn't bother with one if you have the pram as an alternative.

I would say YES, but of course the real answer is no you definitely don't need both, and honestly I thought it ridiculous having both until we actually had the baby... But ours slept in her side sleeper at night, but we found the moses basket to be the MOST useful thing we owned, as you can put them to sleep in it literally anywhere, and they sleep so much - kitchen table, corner of the living room, on sofa, coffee table etc. and then just carry them upstairs in it and not disturb them (pram obvs harder to carry room to room or upstairs). Husband would also have our daughter in with him in the spare room in the moses basket so I could occasionally get some sleep in our room (where we had side sleeper) which was a lifesaver... Totally up to you of course, just wanted to share our experience which was that both were v useful for us!

We have both and at the moment (5 weeks old) he sleeps well in the Moses basket but doesn't settle in the bedside crib, so at bedtime we just put the basket he's asleep in inside the crib.

He's going to outgrow the basket long before the crib though, so we hope he feels better in the crib once he doesn't feel so lost in it!

I've had two babies (mine are well out of the baby years now).

Do you need them both? No.

Will both potentially make your life way easier especially in those early weeks when they sleep downstairs until you go to bed? Yes. Is anything 'worth it' in terms of making your life easier when you have small baby? Also yes.

Baby sleep in moses basket in the day whilst you're downstairs, then comes up to bedside crib (or cot, whatever you choose) in your room with you when you go to bed.

Much easier than moving things around!

I would honestly say yes, my baby is nearly 3 months old now, we had both and it was so much easier. Next to me crib stayed upstairs next to our bed for night time sleep, moses basket downstairs for day time sleep. Our pram did also have a bassinet top which was in theory safe for day time sleep but using that meant having the pram in the living room beside us when trying to settle her for a nap which took up a lot of space vs moses basket alone.

If you can afford both I would absolutely say do it, in those early weeks when you’re all running on 0 sleep absolutely anything that makes your life even 1% easier is worth it’s weight in gold.

We never got a Moses basket.

If we had guests we’d pop her in the pram bassinet (but usually she’d be held). When we’d go out visiting we’d just take the pram bassinet that she happily slept in.

Thinking back to those days she spent most of her naps just napping on us. Or I’d pop her in her next to me and I’d watch tv upstairs.

Back then we had a small house. We were never far away.

You don't need half the stuff that's marketed to new mothers.

No you don't 'need' it. Would I would say though, is babies have their own ideas about things. So, you might make great plans that your baby is going to sleep in the pram, but your baby might decide it hates the pram, and scream at you, and insist on being carried in a baby carrier :) So just be prepared to try different things! We had a moses basket given to us by a friend. I didn't really think we'd use it, but my daughter liked sleeping in it during the day for maybe first 2 months, and the times when I could transfer her to the moses basket after a feed it was really handy, as could carry her into different rooms with me.

What I would say though is the bedside cribs are life savers - we got a next2me, and planned to use that rather than a crib. It makes night waking so much easier as you literally do not need to get out of bed. Babies can also sleep better the more they feel they are next to you. And, if you are breastfeeding, learning to feed baby lying down on your side with them in the next2me is a game changer. So, I would suggest seriously considering a bedside crib over a traditional crib.

You don't need it! We got given 2nd hand moses basket and next to me cot, but I wouldn't have bought either. Used the moses basket downstairs in the day.

You are absolutely right. Babies are a bit like cats; the more you buy/spend on sleeping equipment, the more they don't want to sleep in them. I think those baby boxes are brilliant.

When I had DS1 I imported a frigging hammock from Australia. Seriously. He hated it.

I co-slept from day 1 with DS2 (though wouldn't have had the confidence to do it with DS1 but wish I had) and we took the side off the normal cot, making sure the mattress was right up against the bed by adding a piece of foam the other side.

Both babies napped on me or in the buggy.

No you don’t. My baby only sleeps in her next to me crib at night. During the day she contact naps on me or sleeps in her carrier whilst I get on with things in the house. If she can be set down during the day she’ll sleep in her pram bassinet but she prefers to be held during the day.

I didn't have a moses basket with my first as we were in a flat that was open plan so I could see her.. Then we moved to a house before she was 6 months and I missed having somewhere safe to lie her. She wasn't a fan of the pram bassinet, or the baby carrier. I didn't mind her contact napping but it would have been nice to have the option of putting her down somewhere so I could pee lol.

With my second I got a swinging moses basket for the livingroom and we both loved it but baby did prefer the baby carrier for sleep. Happy to lie in moses basket awake watching the baby mobile we had on it. It gave me so many 5 minute breaks, plus I had it next to the sofa so baby could still see me if I was sat next to my eldest etc.

I guess having the knowledge now I'd NOT buy anything except the bare essentials (cot pram etc) and add things as needed. You are best to wait and see what baby is like / what they like before wasting a tonne of money.

As long as they have a safe sleeping space in your bedroom and a safe sleeping space in the main areas of the house for daytime naps, it doesn't matter what those two things are.

We went for a single moses basket as we lived in a flat, so it was very easy to keep the basket in the living room during the day then move it to the bedroom for night time.

Bugger, just realised this is an old thread revived. Why do that?

Ahhhhh....a quick advanced search shows it was revived by an advert sneaky. Reported.

I'd say yes but it does depend on your baby. Mine refused to even sleep in a next 2 me, let alone a cot, because it was too roomy and she wanted the security of a smaller space. She slept in the pram carry cot for about 2 weeks (it was safety rated for overnight sleep) until we bought a Noah pod, which she finally slept in for about 3 months before transitioning to the next 2 me. When I initially put her in the next 2 me she screamed and screamed and screamed all night. Would not settle. She was very easy to settle in something smaller. But your baby might not have a problem with the space - maybe go with your cot plan and then be prepared to buy a Moses basket if you need to?

You'll want something for upstairs and something else for downstairs.

Bedside crib ticks the upstairs box (our DD hated hers though and was in her big cot - in our room - from 7 weeks old).

Downstairs, we got a pram with carrycot that was safe for sleeping and used that for naps. Didn't need a moses basket.

3 children.
Never had a bedside crip or a Moses basket.

I would say yes because it made my life easier but more a nice to have than an essential.

and I was lucky, a friend lent me the bedside crib and I was gifted a Moses basket from work.