A bedside co-sleeper is a crib with a side that lowers, so it stands level against your bed. A bassinet is a small, separate bed you can place anywhere in the room. Both give your baby their own firm, flat sleep space. Our bassinet costs KES 7,500 and bedside co-sleepers KES 15,000 to 19,000, as of October 2026.
For the first months your baby should sleep close to you, in their own bed. This guide compares co-sleepers and bassinets, explains how to set each one up safely, and covers when to move up to a cot.
What is the difference between a co-sleeper and a bassinet?
The difference is where it stands and how you reach your baby. A co-sleeper, also called a bedside crib, pushes right up to your bed with one side lowered, so your baby is within arm’s reach. A bassinet stands on its own with all its sides up, so you get up to lift your baby out.
| Bedside co-sleeper | Bassinet | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it stands | Against your bed, level with your mattress | Anywhere in your room |
| Sides | One side lowers when it is against your bed | All sides stay up |
| Night feeds | Reach across without getting up | Get up and lift your baby out |
| Height | Adjusts to match your bed | Usually fixed |
| Moving it | Wheels, but heavier | Light, and many fold away |
| Price at Zawadi (October 2026) | KES 15,000 to 19,000 | KES 7,500 for our foldable bassinet |
You can see every model in our bassinets and co-sleepers range.
Is a co-sleeper the same as sharing your bed?
No. With a bedside co-sleeper your baby sleeps next to you but on their own mattress, not in your bed. That is the point of it: your baby stays close for feeds and comfort, without sharing your pillows, duvet or mattress.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) says the safest place for your baby to sleep is a separate cot or Moses basket, in the same room as you, for every sleep for at least the first 6 months. A co-sleeper or a bassinet next to your bed gives your baby exactly that. If you have questions about your baby’s sleep, ask your clinic or paediatrician.
Which is safer, a co-sleeper or a bassinet?
Both are safe sleep spaces when they are set up and used the right way. What matters is the sleep space itself. The NHS advises:
- a firm, flat mattress;
- your baby on their back for every sleep, with their feet at the foot of the bed;
- nothing in the bed that could cover their face or head: no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, loose blankets, soft toys, or pods and nests.
If your bassinet rocks or swings, keep it still once your baby is asleep. Our baby sleep routine guide has more on settling your baby at each age.
How do you set up a bedside co-sleeper safely?
Set up a bedside co-sleeper so there is no gap between it and your bed, and so the lowered side is only ever down when it is against your mattress:
- Raise or lower the crib until its mattress is level with the top of yours.
- Push it right up to your bed, so there is no gap your baby could slip into.
- Lower the side only when the crib is against your bed. When it stands on its own, keep the side up and locked.
- Lock the wheels.
- Lay your baby on their back on the flat mattress, with nothing else in the crib. Keep your own pillows and duvet on your side of the bed.
A mosquito net is worth having in much of Kenya. Fix it to the crib’s frame, so it stays above your baby and cannot fall onto them.
Which should you choose for your home?
Choose a co-sleeper if you want easy night feeds from your bed, and a bassinet if you want something light to move from room to room or fold away:
- Our bedside co-sleeper crib with adjustable height has mesh sides, a drop-down side, a canopy with a mosquito net, a storage basket and wheels.
- Our bedside co-sleeper with a pop-up net has a drop-down mesh side, adjustable legs, a quilted mattress and a storage basket.
- Our foldable bassinet has a canopy and mosquito net that zip open, mesh windows and a light frame that folds away.
When should your baby move from a bassinet to a cot?
Move your baby to a cot when they reach the weight limit on the label, or once they can roll over or push up on their hands and knees, whichever comes first. A bassinet or co-sleeper is made for the first months, and a cot is the bed that lasts.
Our guide to baby cots covers cot sizes and prices in Kenya, and you can see our full range of baby cots.
Where can you see co-sleepers and bassinets in Nairobi?
Come and see them set up at Zawadi Baby Shop, Shop F12, IBEA Building, Moi Avenue, Nairobi. We are open Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 7pm, and Sunday 11am to 6pm. Call or WhatsApp 0706 561 855 before you visit.
You can also order online and pay with Lipa na M-Pesa, and we deliver across Kenya.
Frequently asked questions
Is a co-sleeper safe for a newborn?
A bedside co-sleeper gives a newborn their own sleep space next to you. Follow the limits on its label and set it up right: level with your mattress, no gap, wheels locked, and your baby on their back on the flat mattress with nothing loose.
How much is a co-sleeper in Kenya?
At Zawadi Baby Shop, bedside co-sleepers cost KES 15,000 to 19,000 and our foldable bassinet KES 7,500, as of October 2026. Prices change, so check each product page for the current price.
Can I use a bassinet as a co-sleeper?
Only if it is made as a bedside crib, with a side that lowers and a height you can match to your bed. An ordinary bassinet keeps all its sides up, so stand it next to your bed instead.
How long can a baby sleep in a bassinet?
Until your baby reaches the weight limit on the label, or can roll over or push up on their hands and knees, whichever comes first. Then move them to a cot with a firm, flat mattress.
Do I need a mosquito net on a co-sleeper?
In much of Kenya a net is worth having, and many co-sleepers and bassinets come with one. Make sure it is fixed to the frame so it stays above your baby and cannot fall onto them.
About the author
Kui Thairu
Founder and director, Zawadi Baby Shop
Kui Thairu is the founder and director of Zawadi Baby Shop, the baby store at Shop F12, IBEA Building, Moi Avenue, Nairobi, which has served Kenyan parents since 2018. She built the shop around one idea: only stock what she would be proud to hand over the counter. Her guides share the practical buying advice she and her team give parents in the shop every day. For anything medical, she always points parents to their clinic.
