I Swear That the Halo BassiNest Was the Only Thing That Actually Helped My Newborn Go to Sleep

Before I get into the details that I loved the most about the Halo Luxe BassiNest Swivel Sleeper, I want to be clear that it checked a lot of essential boxes first. Top of the list and most importantly is that it felt safe. (It’s certified by the JPMA and independently tested to meet and exceed all U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission safety standards, FYI.) You can easily adjust the height of the bassinet for convenience next to your bed frame, but at any position, it felt sturdy as long as proper set-up instructions were adhered to, of course.

The bedding is machine-washable and easy to wipe clean, too, should spit-up hit. I also appreciated the flexibility when it came to positioning the bassinet bedside—the 360-degree swivel is designed so that baby can positioned on your mattress while still staying safe in their own sleep set-up with breathable mesh siding for added protection. (For middle of the night nursing sessions, I also loved how easy it was to simply pull the flexible side wall down and scoop baby out and into the right position.) This is a bassinet where it feels like every mom-related need has been considered.

But about that swivel: Probably one of the slickest details about the Halo Luxe BassiNest Swivel Sleeper is exactly that. I truly didn’t realize the potential of a radio silent bassinet that can be re-positioned easily while baby sleeps. Quite frankly, you cannot hear it. This was especially helpful for those moments when baby fell asleep in my arms and I was ready to lift him into the bassinet, but needed it to be properly positioned to avoid any wake-ups. The glide itself is also totally smooth.

Then there’s the mesh siding—and a multitude of “nice to have” details that aid in extending baby’s slumber. With the mesh, I loved how easy it was to peek at baby sleeping soundly beside me without moving a muscle and risking disturbing their sleep. I could open a single eye and with a quick check confirm that, yes, they were still snoozing peacefully and be able to see their chest rise and fall at a glance. The luxe edition of the bassinet also comes with a built-in soothing system that includes white noise and a range of sounds as well as a subtle vibration and adjustable lighting. I found the lighting wasn’t angled properly to be all that useful, but it’s tricky since you don’t want to wake baby either. But the sounds were great for helping my little one doze off. They also felt calming when he was lying there awake while I was next to him folding laundry. (Yes, the bassinet portion can also detach to be portable and to create a safe space for baby—another one.)

Last, but not least, the bassinet comes with thoughtful storage in the form of a side pouch. I kept everything from extra pacifiers to a couple of diapers to a swaddle and burp cloth in—in other words, the middle of the night necessities I didn’t want to rifle around for. Truly, with this product, it felt like no detail was left unturned.

Reader, we bought two—only so that we had another one handy should our baby pee through their diaper in the middle of the night. We never wanted to be without it in the early days. Basically, the insert serves almost like a hammock, but one that maintains the safety details of the bassinet itself (breathable mesh siding, compatible with safe sleep guidelines). But this is the genius of it: It mimics the feeling of being held—and takes the pressure off tired parents who are desperate to set baby down.

The insert itself lies flush with the bottom of the bassinet, but a set of clips secure it safely to bassinet walls. (One note: The clips are pretty snug—as they should be—but during a rushed setup in the middle of the night, my husband snapped one in two, so go gently.) With my newborn properly swaddled, this insert really did make it easier for us to transition him from our arms to a safe sleep set-up without any wakefulness. Then, knowing he was secure—and right by our bedside—it gave us the peace of mind to drift off ourselves.

Yes. If I could have extended the use of Halo’s Luxe BassiNest Swivel Sleeper, I would have—it offers convenience and comfort, but most importantly parental peace of mind. But even with a larger baby, we were able to get about four months of use, which is a great life cycle for a bassinet. The best part about it was that it allowed me to help my baby achieve more sleep before giving a tired mom the ultimate reward: Permission to close my eyes myself.