Do I need a moses basket? Toys R Us or Mamas & Papas?

[whitie]

Just when I thought I had everything for my first baby (due in 5wks) a friend has just mentioned I need a moses basket. Do I need one? I've got a crib that will be upstairs, but would you put a newborn in that while you are downstairs? Anyone had a crib and a moses basket and still used the moses basket a lot?

Secondly, is it ok to buy second hand? There is a Mamas & Papas moses basket with stand advertised locally for £45 (RRP £120), or I could get a brand new moses basket from Toys R Us for about the same price. Does anyone know if there's a huge difference in quality?

I hope someone kind person will take pity on my and give me some advice because my brain just doesn't seem to work anymore! Thanks in advance.

We had a moses basket, a cheapo ToysRUs one for about £60 including the stand and DD never slept in it once. She HATED the thing. We had a 3in1 pram and so we used the carrycot from that for downstairs and she co-slept with us for the first 10 weeks before she went into her big cot in her own room.

Personally i think my moses basket was a waste of money as dd went in it about half a dozen times. She hated it. The only time its handy really is somewhere to put the baby if you have to dash to the loo or similar. dd never slept in hers. I sued a pram in the hall or a swing or the bouncy chair. Some people will tell you they got lots of use out of it though. Second hand so long as its clean would be ok

we borrowed one and it was handy to have ds in it at the side of our bed at night BUT we only used it a couple of times really.
If you buy 2nd hand i would defo invest in a new mattress for it. I think you can buy them seperatly.
IMHO i dont think that you will need one. HTH

we never had moses basket just the crib adn will be doing same this time. When downstairs ds was always either on a poufee or in a bouncy chair...the pouffe [sp?] was fab cos he couldnt roll off but was always flat.

if u do get one buy brand new cos otherwise u still have to do the replacing matress in them and to be honest i think M+P are just expensive not better and it is used for such a short time not worht the money

swore by my moses basket......

We were given one, we just bought a new mattress , DS was next to our bed in it for 8 weeks and we also used it downstairs during the day......

u can have mine.

I used mine for about a month with dd1 and about the same for dd2. Not a long time but I found it a lifesaver when they were asleep as you could carry them upstairs and put them in their rooms without disturbing them.

Mine was a cheapo from Mothercare, it will get puked on whether £30 or £300.

xx

With ds I used the moses basket for the first few weeks as I put it between me & dp on the bed. I'd had a c-section so found it easier than picking him out of a cot for night feeds. Also used to gently swing it by the handles to get him to sleep.

With dd hardly used it. She had a small crib then a cot. When she slept downstairs it was on her bouncer chair (very flat)or on the sofa (when watched).

I'd have no worries about a baby sleeping in a cot upstairs if a monitor was on them or if the house is small/quiet.

So - I'd say you don't need one - definately not a £120 one ! If you want one & it's just for day naps then 2nd hand should be fine IMO.

Honestly, you will use a moses basket for such a short time that if you can, I'd borrow one or buy a cheap one. By the time your baby is 3 or 4 months old, he/she'll have more than likely outgrown it. I borrowed one for ds1 and again for dd. Someone very kindly gave me one for ds2 and I've now passed it on to a lady who's just had triplets! When it comes back to me, I'll pass it on to someone else. I'm pretty sure I won't need it again, but you never know!

Hi I would definatly buy a moses basket. I used mine loads when my baby was young and still do a lot now. I wouldn't spend £45 on a second hand one i think the toys r us one will be just as good as the mamas and papas one. I think with mamas and papas you are just paying for the name!

doesn't matter what you use - moses basket, pram, cot, as long as it is flat (new studies show that it is benefitical for spinal development if babies sleep flat for about the first three months - of course, the exception is the safety car seat)

we bought a travel cot (which we needed anyway) with a basinet insert from mothercare - i put that up in the sitting room, and my son slept in that whilst downstairs, and in his cot upstairs

use what you've got, or something that will be useful later, because they tend to fit into the moses baskets for such a short period of time it is hard to get your money's worth (or borrow one - then its worth it)

Oliveoil is selling one here.

Whitie - where do you live? Are you oooop north like my good self?

Thanks so much for all your advice, I don?t think I?ll bother getting one then. I?ve got the crib upstairs with baby monitor and I?ve got a play pen and bouncy chair for downstairs if I need to put the baby down. I?ve also got a pram (Jane Carrera) in the hallway which I?m sure will be useful when the baby is tiny. It just amazes me how much stuff you need for a baby, buying it all is wiping us out!

Anyway, panic over, you?ve put my mind at rest now and I don?t think I?m missing a vital piece of equipment anymore

PS - I am an Essex wife, although originally from Newcastle and only recently moved here from London.