I Loved This Bassinet So Much That I Bought a Second One When My Twins Were Born

Before I brought my first baby home from the hospital, I did a lot of research about where she would sleep. I knew I wanted to keep her close, but I also knew I wanted her to have her own safe sleep space. I ultimately landed on the HALO Bassinest, which is also a parent-picked winner of the 2024 Cubby Nursery Awards for Best Bassinet. I liked it so much that I even bought a second one when my twins were born three years later.

After relying on it for safe sleep for three babies, I can confidently say it’s an excellent bassinet that babies love and that makes life easier for new parents. 

When I’m shopping for a bassinet for my kids, here’s what features are most important to me. 

• It has to be safe. I’m a stickler for safe sleep. I need to trust that any sleep space I place my babies in is going to be firm and flat. If I’m going to sleep soundly, I first need to know that my baby is safe.
• Extra features that help baby sleep are helpful. From smart bassinets like the SNOO that start to sway when your baby fusses to those with built-in white noise and nightlights, bassinets can come with a plethora of features. While not necessary, extra features might help baby sleep, which means I can sleep. One of the things that has always helped my babies sleep is being as close to me as possible.
• It’s easy to get baby in and out of. I had an unplanned C-section with my first baby and a planned C-section with my twins, so it’s imperative that it’s easy for me to get my babies in and out of their bassinet. Even before I knew I was going to have C-sections, I still wanted something that made it as easy as possible to get baby in and out of bed in the middle of the night.
• It will stand the test of time. Most bassinets aren’t cheap (some cost upwards of $1,500), and in my opinion this isn’t a purchase you want to skimp on. When I’m looking for a bassinet, I’m looking for something that is so well-made that it will still be in good shape when I’m ready to use it for the next baby. I’m also looking for something that my babies won’t outgrow too quickly. 

• Name: Halo Bassinest 
• Model: Swivel Sleeper 3.0
• Price: $219.99

I used this bassinet with all three of my kids — first in 2018 with my daughter, and again in 2022 with my twins. The second time around, I used two bassinets next to each other. Halo does offer a twin version of this bassinet, but because I already had one, it made more sense for me to purchase another single bassinet. 

If you’ve never seen it, the Halo Bassinest is kind of a cross between a regular bassinet and a bedside sleeper. The legs are designed to be able to slide under your bed, and the height is adjustable. Once you get the right height and have the bassinet snug near your bed, you can swivel the actual bassinet portion over the top of your bed to bring your baby close and to make it easy to get them in and out for feedings and diaper changes. The side of the bassinet also bends down slightly when you push on it. 

Like many other babies, mine have always slept best when they’re as close to me as possible. I love that the Halo Bassinest can swivel over the bed because it allows for that while keeping them in their own safe sleep environment. I also loved the mesh sides because I didn’t worry when my babies pushed their faces against the sides (which all three of them inevitably did). It always made me sad when my babies outgrew their bassinets. 

Here are a few standout features of the Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper, in my experience.

• The swivel: As it’s part of the name of the product, it’s fitting that this is a standout feature. The swivel made it so easy for me to pull my babies close. It also made it easy to move them to the side when I was ready to get out of bed. I didn’t have to shimmy down to the bottom of the bed or maneuver around the bassinet. This was key when recovering from a C-section.
• The waterproof mattress: This is a feature that you don’t realize is important until you have a baby. With spit-up and blowouts, you want a mattress that you can clean up easily and that will keep those bodily fluids out. I found it so easy to wipe down the mattress when needed, and I never noticed any mold or long-term smells.
• The portable nest: One of the coolest things about this bassinet is that it’s also portable. You can take the “nest” or the top bassinet portion off the stand and use it to create a safe space for your baby in other areas of your home. Place it on the floor of your living room, for example, and you can have them close by no matter where you are.
• The safe sleep surface: The mattress of the bassinet is nice and firm, and it comes with a sheet that fits nicely without bunching or wrinkling. The mattress also fits well in the bassinet frame, so I never worried about my babies getting their faces stuck in any gaps. 

The fact that I purchased another Halo Bassinest when my twins were born speaks to the fact that there wasn’t much I didn’t love about this bassinet. My biggest (and really only) complaint is the size of the bassinet. When babies are tiny, the small size makes it nice and cozy and easy to use. It also means that they can outgrow it quickly, however. The company recommends discontinuing use when babies can push on their hands and knees or when they reach 20 pounds — whichever comes first. I also found that my babies started to be too long to fit comfortably after a few months and especially once they could move around more and turn themselves sideways in the bassinet. Compared to bigger bassinets and those with higher sides, some babies might outgrow the Halo Bassinest more quickly. 

My babies slept fine in this bassinet without extra features, but some parents might prefer additional soothing features. In that case, you might want to check out the Soothing or Luxe models that include things like vibration and nightlights.