I’ve always liked the idea of a hanging baby cradle. We used a cot for our daughter Hannah when she was an infant, and while it worked out perfectly fine, I think I would insist on a hanging cradle for her first months of life if I could go back in time.
They just seem so peaceful, almost romantic, with baby snuggled inside and gently swinging back and forth. I suppose it’s the same sensation that we adults get when looking at a hammock – complete relaxation.
Leander suspension cradle
When we were pregnant with our now 3-year-old Hannah, we assumed that we had to buy a Moses basket or crib in addition to a cot because of the size difference. It was hard to imagine such a little baby sleeping in such a big cot!
But while baskets and cradles are perfectly acceptable furniture for babies, it turns out that there is nothing wrong with using a full-size cot from the beginning. Because young babies should not sleep with a blanket for risk of suffocation, it just looks less cosy than smaller sleep areas.
So we opted to save a little money and bought a cot along with a cot separator, which is placed horizontally to keep baby from moving around too much. We have friends who had a baby around the same time that we had Hannah, and they invested in a basket for their newborn. It certainly was convenient for them to be able to easily carry him from room to room without disturbing him.
Not long ago as I was surfing the Internet, I came across this whimsical-looking cotton suspension cradle from Scandinavian designer Leander available from the Funky Nursery website. This milky-white cradle is oval-shaped and hangs from a hook in the ceiling. I really like that in a design like this, the baby’s own movements will cause the cradle to gently swing back and forth.
This would work great in a parents’ bedroom, where some paediatricians recommend little ones sleep in the beginning. With its airy canopy and refreshing simplicity (no batteries required!), I wish I had a reason to buy one. Our friends who are expecting already have enough baby furniture, and our daughter Hannah, who has graduated to a toddler bed, is far too old for it. Maybe someday soon Chris and I will have an excuse. Here’s hoping!
Tags: cot separator, crib, furniture for babies, hammock, hanging baby cradle, Leander, Moses basket, sleep areas, snuggle