As new parents embark on the journey of caring for their newborn, the question of where and how the baby should sleep becomes a central concern. Many ask themselves whether or not it is safe to let their sleep in the pushchair bassinet overnight. The safest, most comfortable place for a newborn baby (or young baby) to sleep at night is in their own crib or Moses basket at home, but this just isn’t possible during trips away. With the convenience of modern multi-function pushchairs (or ‘travel systems’) equipped with a bassinet attachment, many wonder if it’s safe for a baby to sleep in them overnight. In this blog post, I’ll explore the safety considerations, guidelines, and potential risks associated with using a pushchair bassinet as a nighttime sleep solution.
Understanding Pushchair Bassinets:
Pushchair bassinets, similar in shape and concept to a Moses basket, attach to the frame of a pushchair or pram to provide a flat surface for newborns to be laid flat in while they are out and about and too little to sit in the semi-upright position needed to travel in a more standard pushchair. Prominent brands such as UPPAbaby, Huack, Maxi-Cosy, Joie and Silver Cross (and many more) offer bassinet options as part of their modern ‘travel systems’, which often come with a hefty price tag. Before spending such a large amount of money on their baby’s new wheels, parents will understandably want to know whether the bassinet attachment will be suitable for extended periods of overnight sleep. They want to know whether or not they can use it as a convenient cot option for their baby when they are staying away from home.
The Foundation of Safe Sleep: Firm Surface and Guidelines:
Safe sleep guidelines, advocated by experts like the NHS and The Lullaby Trust (see links at the end of this post) underscore the importance of placing newborns and small babies on their backs to sleep on a firm surface, to mitigate the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). In theory, pushchair bassinets, when meeting specific criteria, can offer a flat and secure surface both for nap time and for a baby’s nighttime slumber.
Suffocation Hazards and the Role of Safety Concerns:
Despite the tempting convenience of putting their baby to sleep in a pram bassinet overnight when they’re away from home, parents must be vigilant about potential suffocation hazards, including those related to loose blankets or bedding. Adhering to safety concerns and guidelines is crucial in creating a secure sleep environment for the infant. It has to be faced that the majority of pushchair bassinets are not certified as being safe for nighttime sleeping, and this will usually be stated in the literature that comes with the pushchair.
Room Temperature and Compliance with Safety Requirements:
Ensuring a safe sleep space for overnight sleeping involves monitoring room temperature and adhering to safety requirements, including weight limits and proper use/positioning of the stroller bassinet (if parents decide they are going to use one). These factors collectively contribute to creating a more secure environment for overnight sleep.
Balancing Convenience and Safety:
While stroller bassinets may offer convenience, especially during daytime naps or short outings, there is some debate about their appropriateness for sustained nighttime sleep. Bassinets that have mesh sides (often now a common feature), provide ventilation, but this does not necessarily make them safe for nighttime sleeping. Parents still need to carefully balance convenience against potential safety concerns.
Alternative Solutions and Best Practices:
Considering the fragility of infants in their first few months, it’s advisable to explore traditional cribs, mini cribs, or travel cots as the primary sleeping place for overnight rest, even when it’s just for one or two nights away from home. These options are specifically designed to meet safety standards, ensuring a secure environment for the infant.
The Significance of Age: First Months and Sleep Schedule:
Infants, particularly in the first couple of months, have distinct sleep needs. Pushchair bassinets may serve as a convenient option during the day, but the focus should be on providing the safest sleep space during those critical early weeks. Understanding the baby’s sleep schedule is paramount to making informed decisions about nighttime sleep, as well as the type of bed and bedding appropriate for such tiny babies to sleep in.
Ensuring Enough Space and Monitoring Sleep Routine:
While stroller bassinets may offer a snug, cosy space for sleeping in the odd night here and there, ensuring there is enough room for the baby is essential. Monitoring their sleep routine and patterns becomes crucial to promoting a healthy and consistent sleep environment for the baby, whether they are sleeping at home or away. Pushchair bassinets are much narrower than cots and Moses baskets, meaning less room for the baby to safely sleep. Even with breathable mesh sides, when a baby’s nose presses up against the mesh it can block their nose causing a suffocation risk. As babies breathe almost exclusively through their noses until at least 4 months of age, ensuring they have enough space to sleep is essential.
Emergency Situations and a Last Resort:
In emergency situations where there isn’t another option than to have the baby sleep in the pushchair bassinet attachment, make sure the baby doesn’t sleep in it with any loose bedding/blankets to minimise suffocation risk. It’s also important to keep the baby very close to you in the bassinet, rather than, say, out of the way in the corner of the room or in another room entirely. It’s also important to keep the bassinet on the floor rather than at any height, to minimise the risk of it falling. At the end of the day the most important thing when it comes to small babies sleeping in a safe environment when they’re staying away from home, is for adults to use their common sense.
Conclusion:
As parents navigate the intricacies of newborn care, the question of nighttime sleep in a stroller bassinet requires careful consideration. While these bassinets offer convenience, parents should prioritise safety, adhering to established guidelines and exploring alternative sleeping solutions. In the end, ensuring a secure and comfortable sleep environment is essential for the well-being of the newborn, fostering restful nights and peaceful parenting during those early weeks.
The best time for a baby to be in a bassinet attachment on a pushchair is when out and about during the day and for short naps under supervision from an adult who is fully awake. While current safety standards of travel system pushchairs and bassinet attachments are very good, bassinet use for overnight sleeping is generally not recommended. Wherever possible, travel cribs which offer a lot more room than bassinet attachments, with a firm mattress/base should be used. The purchasing of a travel cot which has a solid base that is more akin to a proper crib mattress is a great way of ensuring you are providing a safe sleeping environment for your baby when you are away from home.
The best way to always provide a safe place, and a comfortable place for their baby to sleep, is to follow the advice and guidance provided to minimise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and suffocation as much as possible. While a baby taking a short nap in a pushchair bassinet is likely to not cause any problems, it is still wise to regularly monitor your baby even when napping in a bassinet for brief periods of time during the day.
When it comes to nighttime sleeping, parents need to consider whether sleeping in it all night is really a safe option. Most will come to the conclusion that a safer option is to invest in a proper mini crib (or ‘travel cot’). For at the end of the day, nothing is more important than the safety of your baby – especially not the temporary convenience of using something like a pram bassinet as a cot. Considering babies sleep for the majority of their early months, ensuring that their sleeping environment poses as few risks as possible is essential not only for their wellbeing, but also your peace of mind.
Links and Resources
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/reduce-the-risk-of-sudden-infant-death-syndrome
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice
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