HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper Review
We like
- Folding sides allow for you to reach into the bassinet with ease and safely take your child out of it or put your child inside of it
- Five different features soothe your child to sleep, provide light at night, and help parents stay awake for feedings
- The vibration feature helps get your child to sleep better
- The base is adjustable to any bed height and is heavy enough to prevent tipping
- The bassinet rotates three hundred and sixty degrees for when Mom or Dad needs to get into or out of bed
- Mesh sides allow for free flow of air and gives parents the ability to see their child at all times
We don’t like
- Batteries not included
- Some parents found the mattress dips and their child rolls to one side
How it works
For the new parent, having the bassinet as close to you as possible is a top priority. Whether you are a new parent or a seasoned professional, the first few nights home from the hospital can be nerve-racking. For moms, it can be even more grueling because getting in and out of bed can be more difficult in the days after giving birth. The makers at HALO have developed a bassinet that gives new parents and recovering moms easy access to their baby without compromising comfort or safety. HALO has created the Bassinest, an all-around useful and interactive bassinet that not only provides easy access to your child but also helps soothe them and keep them safe. Although the bassinet is on the more expensive side, if you plan on having multiple children it is a great investment because the ease of use and the benefits of owning the bassinet are priceless.
Design
The HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper comes on a base that resembles that of a floor fan. It is a four-footed heavy base that keeps the bassinet in place without the risk of it being knocked over or easily moved. The bassinet then rests on top of the base and it can swivel three hundred and sixty degrees so that no matter where you are located in the area of the bassinet, you can easily rotate it around so that it is close to you and out of harm’s way.
One of the more prominent features of the Bassinest is the moveable side. The sides of the bassinet fold down to make getting your baby in and out of the bassinet easy. With just a minimal amount of pressure, when your forearms rest on the sides of the bassinet when you reach in to grab your baby, the side will fold down so that your arms are at the proper angle to lift and move your child. The folding sides eliminate the awkward positioning of your arms as you reach into the bassinet to get the baby out. The sides are also mesh so that you can easily see your baby while they are sleeping.
There is also another advancement on the HALO Bassinest and that is that there is a panel located on the bassinet that has several helpful features. There are five buttons on the bassinet that have five very useful purposes. There is a nightlight function for when you go to feed or change your baby in the middle of the night. There is also a soothing sounds button for helping your child relax. There is a nursery rhyme button for playing familiar songs. The most popular feature is the vibration feature that when once pressed, the bassinet will gently vibrate soothing your baby to sleep. Another fascinating feature is the feeding timer. Once pressed, a timer will eventually go off alerting the parent that feeding time is over. This feature is helpful especially for the parent who falls asleep during those late night feedings.
One of the more prominent features of the Bassinest is the moveable side. The sides of the bassinet fold down to make getting your baby in and out of the bassinet easy. With just a minimal amount of pressure, when your forearms rest on the sides of the bassinet when you reach in to grab your baby, the side will fold down so that your arms are at the proper angle to lift and move your child. The folding sides eliminate the awkward positioning of your arms as you reach into the bassinet to get the baby out. The sides are also mesh so that you can easily see your baby while they are sleeping.
There is also another advancement on the HALO Bassinest and that is that there is a panel located on the bassinet that has several helpful features. There are five buttons on the bassinet that have five very useful purposes. There is a nightlight function for when you go to feed or change your baby in the middle of the night. There is also a soothing sounds button for helping your child relax. There is a nursery rhyme button for playing familiar songs. The most popular feature is the vibration feature that when once pressed, the bassinet will gently vibrate soothing your baby to sleep. Another fascinating feature is the feeding timer. Once pressed, a timer will eventually go off alerting the parent that feeding time is over. This feature is helpful especially for the parent who falls asleep during those late night feedings.
Safety
The HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper has been proven to be very safe. Because the bassinet rests atop a base, there is always the fear that a jumping animal or wayward toddler may knock over the bassinet with the baby inside. Rest assured that the bassinet has been tested for tipping and the base of the HALO Bassinest is so heavy and sturdy that it would take a highly extreme force to tip the bassinet.
The sides of the bassinet are also made of mesh, which helps keep your baby safe. By having a mesh wall all around the baby, parents are able to see into the bassinet at all times. So, if your child is fussy or has happened to roll over too close to the side of the bassinet, the mesh wall allows for there to be a constant air flow through the bassinet so that your child is always breathing easy and always has enough air for them to breathe. There will always be a constant airflow through the bassinet. It is also always recommended that when putting your child in their bassinet that you never put anything in there with them. Any stuffed animals or blankets or other items should always be kept out of your baby’s sleeping area.
The sides of the bassinet are also made of mesh, which helps keep your baby safe. By having a mesh wall all around the baby, parents are able to see into the bassinet at all times. So, if your child is fussy or has happened to roll over too close to the side of the bassinet, the mesh wall allows for there to be a constant air flow through the bassinet so that your child is always breathing easy and always has enough air for them to breathe. There will always be a constant airflow through the bassinet. It is also always recommended that when putting your child in their bassinet that you never put anything in there with them. Any stuffed animals or blankets or other items should always be kept out of your baby’s sleeping area.
The Mattress
The mattress of the HALO Bassinest is specifically designed to fit the HALO Bassinest. It is recommended by the manufacturer that you do not try and use any other kind of mattress because it will not fit properly and may compromise your baby’s safety while they are in the bassinet. The mattress has been specifically cut and tailored to fit the bassinet perfectly. HALO also sells sheets that fit the mattress; however, a lot of parents have found that other brands of sheets fit just fine and HALO sheets, although good quality, do not necessarily have to be used with bassinet mattress.
Another feature of the bassinet mattress is that it is waterproof. For parents who want to preserve the mattress for future use or future children, there is no need to purchase a waterproof mattress pad because the mattress itself is already equipped with the technology to repel any spills or diaper leaking. Your sheets, of course, will need to be changed.
Another benefit of the mattress that comes with the bassinet is that it has been tested for any harmful chemicals or metals. The mattress has been deemed safe to be used by your baby right out of the box.
Another feature of the bassinet mattress is that it is waterproof. For parents who want to preserve the mattress for future use or future children, there is no need to purchase a waterproof mattress pad because the mattress itself is already equipped with the technology to repel any spills or diaper leaking. Your sheets, of course, will need to be changed.
Another benefit of the mattress that comes with the bassinet is that it has been tested for any harmful chemicals or metals. The mattress has been deemed safe to be used by your baby right out of the box.
The Base
The base of the HALO Bassinest is its most important feature. Not only is the base heavy (the entire unit weighs about forty-seven pounds), but it can fit under your bed. The feet of the base are so long that you can gently slide the bassinet feet under your bed so that you can have the bassinet as close to you in bed as possible. The close proximity allows for you to be able to reach for your child in the bassinet without having to get out of bed.
Another feature of the base is that it is adjustable to your bed’s height. If you happen to have a tall mattress or if your bed is closer to the floor, the bassinet can be moved up or down according to how high your bed is so that you can still reach for your baby with ease.
Because the base does slide under your bed, the bassinet will actually hover over your bed as if the baby is in bed with you. When this occurs, you can sleep next to your baby without them being in your way as they will be protected by the sides of the bassinet and the mesh sides will help them get fresh air and the sides allow them to be completely visible to you at all times.
The base also allows the bassinet to rotate at three hundred and sixty degrees, which gives you the ability to swivel the bassinet out of your way as you get out of bed without disturbing your sleeping baby. When you get back into bed, you can pull the bassinet closer to you and the entire bassinet will rotate over your bed so it is right next to you.
Another feature of the base is that it is adjustable to your bed’s height. If you happen to have a tall mattress or if your bed is closer to the floor, the bassinet can be moved up or down according to how high your bed is so that you can still reach for your baby with ease.
Because the base does slide under your bed, the bassinet will actually hover over your bed as if the baby is in bed with you. When this occurs, you can sleep next to your baby without them being in your way as they will be protected by the sides of the bassinet and the mesh sides will help them get fresh air and the sides allow them to be completely visible to you at all times.
The base also allows the bassinet to rotate at three hundred and sixty degrees, which gives you the ability to swivel the bassinet out of your way as you get out of bed without disturbing your sleeping baby. When you get back into bed, you can pull the bassinet closer to you and the entire bassinet will rotate over your bed so it is right next to you.
The Buttons
The five buttons of the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper offer options that help your baby stay comfortable. One of the buttons plays soothing sounds for your baby. The sounds will help your baby if they are feeling restless and just can’t fall asleep. The light sounds will help your child relax and help them stay calm. There is a similar button that plays soft nursery rhymes. The songs set a mood of calm for your baby where they can be pacified by the melodies. It’s an extra way to get your child comfortable with sleeping.
One other option for helping your baby sleep is the vibration feature. Sometimes, rocking your baby is not enough and the vibration that comes from the mattress help stimulate your baby to relax and get some sleep. The vibrations are gentle enough that your child will soon start to slip into sleep and while they are sleeping, the vibrations will keep them calm and give them a sense of relaxation.
The two other options on the button pad are for parents. The first feature is a nightlight that will help you see better at night. The light will prevent you from having to approach and reach into the bassinet in the dark without being able to see what you are doing. This also gives you another option instead of turning on all of your lights or disturbing your partner. The soft light from the nightlight will also give your child the ability to know that they are not completely in the dark when they wake up in the middle of the night.
The last option on the button pad is a feeding alarm. In the middle of the night, it is quite common that Mom or Dad will fall asleep while feeding their child. By hitting this option on the button pad, a soft alarm will alert the parent that the baby is indeed feeding and will help keep Mom or Dad awake so that they can put the baby back in the bassinet for a restful night’s sleep. The button pad runs on three AA batteries. It should be noted that the batteries are not included, so if you purchase the bassinet you must also buy the batteries to make it work.
One other option for helping your baby sleep is the vibration feature. Sometimes, rocking your baby is not enough and the vibration that comes from the mattress help stimulate your baby to relax and get some sleep. The vibrations are gentle enough that your child will soon start to slip into sleep and while they are sleeping, the vibrations will keep them calm and give them a sense of relaxation.
The two other options on the button pad are for parents. The first feature is a nightlight that will help you see better at night. The light will prevent you from having to approach and reach into the bassinet in the dark without being able to see what you are doing. This also gives you another option instead of turning on all of your lights or disturbing your partner. The soft light from the nightlight will also give your child the ability to know that they are not completely in the dark when they wake up in the middle of the night.
The last option on the button pad is a feeding alarm. In the middle of the night, it is quite common that Mom or Dad will fall asleep while feeding their child. By hitting this option on the button pad, a soft alarm will alert the parent that the baby is indeed feeding and will help keep Mom or Dad awake so that they can put the baby back in the bassinet for a restful night’s sleep. The button pad runs on three AA batteries. It should be noted that the batteries are not included, so if you purchase the bassinet you must also buy the batteries to make it work.
Price
The HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper is expensive. It is one of the most expensive bassinets on the market due to its design and its advanced features. If you can fit this bassinet into your budget it is worth the money spent. It should also be noted that you will spend a lot of money for the bassinet and most bassinets only last a couple of months. It is recommended by the manufacturer that once your child reaches 20 pounds, they should be taken out of the bassinet and if your child has the ability to roll over or lift themselves up, the child should no longer be using the bassinet.
Because babies grow and change at different rates, you may not have the bassinet for very long. It is a great investment if you want to or plan on having more than one child as all the perks and safety features do make having the bassinet worth it in the long run, but that decision is ultimately up to you.
Because babies grow and change at different rates, you may not have the bassinet for very long. It is a great investment if you want to or plan on having more than one child as all the perks and safety features do make having the bassinet worth it in the long run, but that decision is ultimately up to you.
Conclusion
The HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper is a great purchase to make if it fits into your budget. With so many features that make using the bassinet a breeze for new and professional parents, it seems that caring for your baby for the first few months is impossible without it. The creators at HALO took into account all the obstacles that are apparent with using a bassinet and eliminated them so that parents can transition from the hospital to the home without any hiccups. The design helps recovering moms still be able to feed and attend to their child without having to get up and down, and the design helps dad when it’s his turn to feed or change the baby. With a waterproof mattress, mesh sides, and several features that help your child sleep, the HALO Bassinest Swivel Sleeper is a great buy for those who can benefit from its advantages.
