Baby will be in our room, and I'm wondering if I should I get a bassinet for the first few months, or just use a crib or pack and play?

If you’re breastfeeding, I would recommend a bassinet over a pack’n’play or crib for a newborn/infant. For me it made a world of difference to have baby right there next to me, at my level. It sounds silly, but the difference of not having to make the effort to stand up, bend over, lift them out, nurse, bend over to put them back… it’s a huge help at 3am. There are bassinet cosleepers that attach to the bed (we borrowed the Arms Reach Co-sleeper from a friend for Cimorene, and it was fabulous), spinning bassinets (I know women who have used the Halo and loved the ability to bring baby to them) or basic freestanding bassinets. However, if budget is an issue and your pack’n’play has a firm mattress that meets the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), you can put that in your room for baby to sleep.