But I have to say I wasn’t sure about recommending a baby box to your average parent – even as one as nice as this Smitten. My initial thought was, “yes, they are brilliant to help low-income families but if you can afford a more substantial bassinet wouldn’t you just go that route?” Not necessarily.
10 Reasons why I love me a Smitten Baby Box:
- Made of Corrugate (cardboard): I used to view this as a bit of a minus but it’s actually a plus. Printed cardboard is durable, easy to ship, green, lightweight AND actually reduces CO2 rebreathing.
- Slanted sides: making it better for airflow.
- Gender neutral design: so, you can use it for multiple kids and it doesn’t look like a kaleidoscope exploded in your Livingroom
- Portable: Going to the park, friend’s house, or to grandma’s for the weekend? Pack all your stuff into your box and you’re ready to roll.
- Largest bassinet box on market: It can hold up to 99lbs before compromising the integrity.
- Easy to assemble: I did it with no issues and you know that’s saying something if you’ve watched any of my videos.
- It’s U.S. Made: Yep, it makes it more expensive but you know that it wasn’t made in a sketchy sweatshop overseas.
- Non-Toxic Materials: Everything is BPA and phthalate-free – it’s even printed with non-toxic inks. Again, this makes it pricier but I feel like this is where you want to put the dollar bills.
- It’s safe: It adheres to all the safe sleep recommendations from the AAP
- The designers are child safety experts that tinkered, reworked and perfected this design to make it one of the safest ways a baby can sleep.
How Much Does It Cost?
At first, I balked at the price tag – $70. I thought, $70 for a cardboard box? But you know what, a shitty bankers box that I use to hold my tax crap in is half the size, printed with toxic ink, and runs between $20 – $40 so clearly I don’t price boxes too often.
Smitten Comparisons
As for comparisons, it’s hard because there is so much out there. The most popular newborn sleeping choices are:
- Halo Bassinest: A little pricier but it’s great for room sharing (it isn’t as portable)
- DockATot: DockATot has its own version of a baby box with a little ‘lift’ so it adheres to bassinet standards. As for the actual baby loungers they make, here’s what you need to know about the new DockATot safety warning.
- 4Moms Breeze Playard: Great for portable sleeping, converts to a playard as your baby gets older but it’s bigger bucks at $300.
- Graco Pack n’ Play: Again, great for portable sleeping and converts to a playard but they are bulky to cart around.
I could go on and on with options here, but I guess my point is to at least consider a baby box when you are weighing the pros and cons of what your newborn will sleep in.
Final Thought
I think this is one of those cases where I was overthinking the perfection of simplicity. Can you spend upward of $1,700 on an amazing high-tech bassinet? Absolutely. Can I get an eco-friendly, non-toxic, lightweight, portable bed that adheres to AAP sleep recommendations for under $100? Yeah, clearly, I can.
Next time one of my friends has a baby I’m going to pack one of these with diapers, wipes, books and wine – I’ll refer to it as an infant vestibule handcrafted from featherweight wood so I can look extra clever.
Related: I Read All The Baby Sleep Books So You Don’t Have To