Design
The Cariboo Gentle Motions Bassinet is a bassinet unit that's designed to hang within your cot or on its own stand (which is an optional extra).
The bassinet is made from a white or unbleached calico lining suspended on a wooden frame that comes in Rimu/Teak, Mahogany, White or Natural finish.
It's suitable for use from infancy to 5 months or when your baby can roll over or pull themselves up.
Features
The Cariboo Gentle Motions features a snug fitting firm mattress made from foam. If you use the bassinet with the stand you can add an arm with veil, bassinet changer or activity gym.
The straps that attach the bassinet to your cot or the stand are adjustable and non slip.
Performance
The first thing you'll notice as you unpack your Gentle Motions Bassinet is the lovely quality. It looks good and feels great, particularly if you use it with the stand.
The bassinet is ready to use straight out of the box and its very obvious how to install it into your cot. If you wish to use it with the stand you will need to assemble the stand. It takes about 20 minutes and my hot tip is to read the instructions on the inside of the of the legs in addition to the written instructions, it is possible to assemble the stand 'inside out'.
Also make sure you assemble it on a carpeted area and you're careful with the allen key; you don't want to scratch the surface of the stand.
From a comfort perspective the snug fitting firm foam mattress is just right to provide a safe sleeping environment for your baby and many babies love the soothing motion of a gently rocking bed. One notable aspect of the Cariboo Gentle Motions bassinet is its lack of 'newness' smell, this is due to the environmentally friendly materials and construction method. It's a nice environment to place a sleeping baby in.
An important consideration of all rocking bassinets is safe sleeping. A bassinet that rocks can tip your baby over from their back to their front, or worse, onto their side into the side of the bassinet. The Gentle Motions Bassinet is designed to rock your baby flat rather than a side-to-side motion.
If you have a baby with reflux you can very slightly adjust the top straps so your baby is sleeping on a very gradual slope which can provide some relief.
The Gentle Motions Bassinet will fit comfortably inside your cot and because of the adjustable straps it will fit within the larger Boori style cots. If you do use the stand it's reasonably large (but does not look bulky). If you want to have it next to your bed you'll want to check that you have enough room.
The stand is very solid but light enough for a mum to comfortably move it from room to room. The stand will fold flat.
Drawbacks
If you buy the bassinet with the stand it can be on the more expensive side, but then again it's not an outrageous price for a boutique product. Remember though, you are only going to use it for 5 months.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a lovely quality bassinet and/or a bassinet with a gentle (flat) rocking motion to sooth your baby then the Cariboo Gentle Motions is a great option.
You can never do enough to lower you baby’s risk of SIDS. Find more information on the SIDS and Kids website and support Red Nose Day every year.
About Cariboo
Cariboo is a small NZ company that makes a range of baby bedroom furniture. All products are made in NZ using environmentally friendly methods and materials.
