A
bassinet or
bassinette is a bed specifically for babies from birth to about four months, and small enough to provide a "
cocoonA cocoon is a pupal casing made by moths, caterpillars and other insect larvae.Cocoon may also refer to:*Apache Cocoon, web development software*Cocoon , a 1985 science fiction film**Cocoon: The Return, 1988 sequel to Cocoon...
" that small babies find comforting.
In a hospital environment, a special form of
sealedA mechanical seal is a device which helps join systems or mechanisms together by preventing leakage , containing pressure, or excluding contamination.Seal types;*Induction sealing or cap sealing*Adhesive, sealant...
bassinet is used in a
neonatal intensive care unitA neonatal intensive care unit, usually shortened NICU and also called a newborn intensive care unit, intensive care nursery , and special care baby unit , is a unit of a hospital specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants...
.
On many domestic and nearly all long distance flights, most airlines provide a bassinet (which is attached to a bulkhead) to adults travelling with an infant, i.e.
A
bassinet or
bassinette is a bed specifically for babies from birth to about four months, and small enough to provide a "
cocoonA cocoon is a pupal casing made by moths, caterpillars and other insect larvae.Cocoon may also refer to:*Apache Cocoon, web development software*Cocoon , a 1985 science fiction film**Cocoon: The Return, 1988 sequel to Cocoon...
" that small babies find comforting.
In a hospital environment, a special form of
sealedA mechanical seal is a device which helps join systems or mechanisms together by preventing leakage , containing pressure, or excluding contamination.Seal types;*Induction sealing or cap sealing*Adhesive, sealant...
bassinet is used in a
neonatal intensive care unitA neonatal intensive care unit, usually shortened NICU and also called a newborn intensive care unit, intensive care nursery , and special care baby unit , is a unit of a hospital specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants...
.
On many domestic and nearly all long distance flights, most airlines provide a bassinet (which is attached to a bulkhead) to adults travelling with an infant, i.e. a child under the age of two. Rather than the age of the infant, the restricting criterion for the use of the bassinet is usually size.
Research has shown that the
mattressA mattress is a mat or pad, usually placed on top of a bed, upon which to sleep or lie.The word mattress is derived from Arabic words meaning "to throw" and "place where something is thrown" or "mat, cushion." During the Crusades, Europeans adopted the Arabic method of sleeping on cushions thrown...
influences
SIDSSudden infant death syndrome or crib death is a syndrome marked by the sudden death of an infant that is unexpected by history and remains unexplained after a thorough forensic autopsy and a detailed death scene investigation...
outcomes; a firm mattress lowers SIDS risk.
Stationary or portable
Although there are many variations, they fall generally into two categories:
- light and portable types sometimes called "moses baskets"
- and sturdier but less portable cradle
Cradle may refer to:*Bassinet, a small bed, often on rockers, in which babies and small children sleep* Cradle , a band that Suzi Quatro played in, in the early 1970s before she became a huge star* Cradle , a novel by Arthur C...
s.
In both cases they are generally designed to allow the resting baby to be carried from place to place to be close to its mother. Within the home they are often raised on a
stand-Places:* Stand, Greater Manchester - a residential area in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, England-Objects:* A stand, as a place of commerce or other public activity, is an outdoor or indoor installation usually centered around a table or counter top or podium, where the intended interaction...
or other surface to reduce back strain when bending over to
tendTend may refer to:* Bartend, to srerve beverages behind a bar* Tend and befriend, a behavioural pattern exhibited by human beings and some animal species when under threat...
the baby, and wheeled frames to convert a bassinet into a
pram or baby carriageBaby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult...
are common.
Infant bed
Once babies are able to roll over by themselves, at three or four months of age, it is no longer safe for the baby to be left in a bassinet as they could tip themselves out, so they must use an
infant bedAn infant bed is a small bed specifically for infants, generally up to 3 years old.Infant beds are most common in North America, Europe, and Australia....
instead.