Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper Review

The Halo Bassinest (yes that is bassiNEST, not bassinet) Swivel Sleeper is the hottest new thing in the bassinet world. Is a bassinet world even a thing? Well it is fairly new and exciting, and I was very impressed with the idea when I wrote my post on best bassinets for room sharing and breastfeeding. Since I wrote that post, I decided I really needed to check it out thoroughly and give it a review of its own.

Now the only way to truly know how something is going to work for you is to use it for months, but that's not going to happen with both of my babies being toddler age now. So, I will do my best to give you my thoughts based on my bassinet and newborn experience.

Models

The bassinest comes in two series, the Essentia (more basic model) and the Premiere.

The main difference I can see in the two is that the Preimere is $30 more and has a lights, sound and vibration machine attached, it comes in two different styles and fabric choices vs one, it has two storage pockets vs one, and the base is silver vs white.

The only thing that really makes the premiere version worth the additional cost in my opinion is the light, sound and vibration feature. I did have something similar on my bassinet and I think it's worth it. I used the vibration on my bassinet for months and the light is great for those middle of the night diaper changes. This certainly isn't necessary though, and the Essentia model is still a great bassinet at a lower price.

 

Features that make this bassinet stand out from a typical bassinet

Bed sharing is wonderful when you are breastfeeding, but for some people it may not be an option or you may need something to use in addition to bed sharing. This is why I wrote my post about the best bassinets for room sharing and what led me to discover the Halo Bassinest. It stands out from your typical bassinet in that your baby can have its own space but really be right there next to you and accessible in a way that normal bassinets do not allow.

This bassinet swivels 360° so you can bring your baby close to you, move it easily and even swing it over your bed.

The sides are made out of mesh so it is breathable and you can always see your baby.

It has a side wall that lowers and returns on its own making it very easy to grab your baby in the middle of the night for feedings. This may be my favorite feature of all!

The bassinet is height adjustable from 22" to 34" so you should be able to match your bed height. This is another great feature compared to many bassinets which are one standard height.

Between the swivel feature and the lowering side wall, you truly can grab your baby without getting out of bed. This may not sound like that big of a deal but when you are breastfeeding it is huge! I loved my bassinet but I still needed to get up and get my baby and then place my baby back in. When you are beyond exhausted anything that keeps you from waking fully is wonderful.

Halo points out that this bassinet is great for mother's healing from C sections due to these features.

If you go for the premiere version then you will also get the music and sound machine which includes sounds, lullabies, a night light and vibration. It has a 30 minute timer and also a nursing timer if needed (I never needed a nursing timer).

The base is a long thin pedestal with four wide feet sticking out. While the feet themselves do take up some space, they can be positioned under your bed or nightstand. Compared to a regular bassinet this will actually save space.

Other things to know

The base requires 32" clearance from the wall.

The bed portion is big. It is definitely bigger than my standard bassinet, and it has a sleep area almost as big as my Graco crib with stages (you can read about those here).

It is recommended to be used up to 5 months or 20 pounds but they do state that a maximum weight of 30 pounds is acceptable. My one year old who has always been in top 95% is now about 25 pounds to give you an idea how long that will last.

You do not want to use any bassinet once your baby can pull up, roll over or push themselves up. I imagine most babies will need to be moved out of this based on those skills before hitting the weight limit.

My bassinet (which I loved) had a max weight of 15 pounds and both of my babies were moved out of it by 4 months. That's usually about as long as you can go in the world of bassinets so that makes the Halo a pretty good buy in terms of longevity.

Check out this video to see how it works:

Any cons?

I think the biggest con is the price. Bassinets are a temporary item and most babies are out of them by five months. This is pricey compared to some (both of my bassinets mentioned in my bassinet article were around $100).

But, when you are tired and breastfeeding, any tool to help you get as much rest as possible and keep your baby safe is worth it. Those first few months of motherhood are exhausting and sleep is worth it! I believe you would be able to resell this once you are done with it as well. If you are planning to have more than one baby that may also make it worth it.

It has a unique mattress shape so standard sheets may not fit well. It does come with one included sheet and you can buy more from Halo.

The mattress is okay. I would say not the greatest, but not the worst, for a bassinet as far as thickness and comfort goes.

It does not move around or have wheels. I admit, I used to roll my bassinet and then pack N play into the bathroom while showering. I also liked moving them around my room. The Halo bassinet does not have wheels and it can only be moved in two pieces by disconnecting the bed from the stand.

It will need to be assembled, but assembly is pretty simple.

Does not have a mobile or canopy which many standard bassinets have (they are not really needed though).

Does not rock which some standard bassinets feature. The vibration on the sound machine can make up for this though. I always used vibration more than rocking with my babies.

Conclusion

The Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper really is a new and exciting bassinet option. It takes on traditional bassinets with some amazing features, the ability to swivel over to your bed and move easily, and the ability to lower the side and reach your baby without even sitting up. Amazing! If I was still in the market for a bassinet I am pretty sure I would buy this. While I enjoyed my traditional bassinet for two children, I love the idea of staying in bed and just reaching over to my baby. I also love the looks of this and the much sleeker profile which is important if space is an issue. While it is pricey, sleep and convenience during those nighttime feeding hours is worth it. I love that you could do a combination of co-sleeping and bed sharing with this as well.

You can find it here on Amazon.