It’s that sweet time at the end of a long day… it’s bed time. She’s had her dinner. She’s had her bath. She’s lathered in coconut oil and zipped up in her warmest PJ’s. The only next step is to tie her into her basket.
Wait. What??
Baby O in her pusuk at 1 week old
Until about 6 weeks ago, Baby O slept in a traditional Native American sleeping basket called a pusuk. Missus Scooter’s brother in-law is from the Mono Indian tribe and his entire family uses the baskets. Missus Scooter is the youngest of eight children, with a 21 year spread between the oldest and youngest siblings. Missus Scooter’s sister and brother-in-law have been married for 36 years and her entire family has adopted the tradition of swaddling up their babies and tucking them into their cradleboards. It was a foregone conclusion that our baby would also sleep in a pusuk.
Baby O looks so tiny in her pusuk at 1 week old
The pusuk is a flat woven surface with leather loops on each side. A soft tie is used to secure the baby through the leather loops. A plush, breathable pad is placed on top of the woven surface.
Before tying a baby in, you swaddle or wrap a blanket around the baby.
Missus Scooter’s great niece sleeping in her basket
I had the opportunity to see Missus Scooter’s niece use a pasuk with her daughter, who was born 3 years ago. Every time I would see that sweet little baby swaddled up in her little cocoon, there was no denying she was at her calmest. The family explained that the babies love their baskets; they felt safe and secure and it was the family’s secret for a long night’s sleep. Having not grown up with this tradition, I wasn’t skeptical… I was curious. But I was not entirely comfortable I understood how it worked and that I would be able to do it right.
Missus Scooter’s niece holding her daughter in her basket
Our first step was finding someone to make a pusuk for us while I was still pregnant. Making a pasuk is a sacred ritual and a tradition that is typically passed down from the elder women in a family. Missus Scooter’s brother-in-law’s mother still makes the baskets and has passed it down to her daughters and granddaughters, however it is unfortunately a dying artform and very rare to find someone who knows how to make a cradleboard. We reached out to Missus Scooter’s niece, who learned from her grandmother, but having a toddler and a newborn, she knew she did not have the time to make one for us. A pusuk takes approximately 100 hours to construct, not to mention gathering and preparing the materials from the land can take upwards of three months ahead of time. We asked another one of her granddaughters, a woman that Missus Scooter grew up with. She was willing to make us a basket and had the time to do so. We were very excited!
We got our pusuk the day Baby O was born. We did not use it that night because she slept on my chest the whole night. It’s where I wanted her and I didn’t really sleep; I sort of laid there thinking oh-my-god-I-have-a-baby! However, the next evening we decided to try the basket. I was a little nervous to use it, not having any experience with it, but Missus Scooter grew up with this tradition so she was ready to go. The first time we tied her in it probably took 5 minutes (that’s a long time)! We placed the pusuk in our bed in between us. We laid down and stared at each other over our sleeping daughter. She was so secure and calm (like in the womb) and she slept wonderfully. I knew we had made the right decision.
this picture really shows the beautiful detail of the basket
Eventually, we moved the pusuk to one side of our king size bed so that Missus Scooter and I could actually sleep next to each other again, then we moved her basket into the bassinet next to our bed. In her early days, she would nap in her pusuk on the couch. It is extremely easy to move her when she is in her pusuk. Often we would tie her into her basket in the living room and then carry her to the bedroom to sleep. After several months, we moved her to her crib in her room. She was still sleeping in her pusuk in her crib.
Baby O sleeping in her crib, appx 4 months old
Baby O has always been a great sleeper, and I think there are varying factors for this: being born with a propensity to sleep well, being born over 8 pounds, no digestive issues, incorporating a dream feed into our nightly ritual, and last but CERTAINLY not least her basket! Baby O was one of those babies who needed swaddling and did so well with it. As she got older and bigger, I know she would have busted out of a regular swaddle, but being in a pusuk was like swaddling on steroids. There was no busting out of the pusuk and she was happy as a clam.
Missus Scooter and Baby O at 2 days old
When Baby O was about 6 months, she gave subtle clues she was ready to move out of her basket. She would fuss when it was time to tie her in and she wouldn’t sleep as long in it. We started our transition with naps and a regular swaddle only. Eventually we moved to night sleeping sans pusuk. Her transition was pretty good, all things considered, but I think that was because we followed her cues and didn’t try to force her out of the pusuk before she was ready. Because she transitioned out relatively early, we did not need to get a hoop basket made for her.
Baby O sleeps out of her basket now and does very well. However, there have been several times recently when we’ve brought it back. Traveling is always hard. The environment, smells, routines are all different and her sleep can really suffer. We traveled to Missus Scooter’s family for Thanksgiving and didn’t bring her basket. Rookie move. She slept awful the first night and all three of us were confused and cranky. Missus Scooter’s sister loaned us her son’s pusuk and the minute we tied her in the next night she thanked us by closing her eyes and sleeping very soundly. It was special to think this is where other members of the family slept. We have also pulled out the cradleboard when she’s been sick or is having unexplained/random sleep issues. Each time it’s like a reset for her and I have to think she reverts back to her early days when she was swaddled up tight and secure. Luckily, switching between the pusuk and no pusuk is easy for Baby O.
Baby O in her basket at Christmas, 8 months old
Each time I look at Baby O’s pusuk, I smile a little. It was a blessing to us for so many nights of her early life and it has gotten us through some very rough times. It is such a traditional piece in a beautiful Indian culture and now it is a historical part of Baby O’s life, one I feel very lucky to have experienced.
Have you ever heard of a pusuk or sleeping basket? Have you incorporated any cultural traditions into raising your little one?
honeydew / 7504 posts
I’ve never heard of a pusuk, but it seems like a wonderful tradition! And what a special thing to have to pass down to other generations!
pomegranate / 3008 posts
I too have never heard of a pusuk but I love the idea. And the basket you have is beautiful!
papaya / 10560 posts
very cool tradition!!
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
that is too cool! such a great thing to have for her (or future LOs) too!
pineapple / 12053 posts
Very cool tradition and awesome that you found someone who had the time and talent to make you one!
coffee bean / 36 posts
Wow I had never heard of that, how unusual and cool!
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
How absolutely beautiful!!! It literally took my breath away to look at these photos of Baby O in her gorgeous pusuk. Thanks for sharing. Oh my goodness. So beautiful!!!!
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
What a great post! I’ve never heard of this and found it totally fascinating. Thank you!
blogger / pear / 1964 posts
Sooo cool!! You’re going to make all new mamas want one!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
Wow that is so cool!!!
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
wow. what an awesome tradition. thanks for sharing!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
What a wonderful tradition and what a great swaddle!! I was just mesmerized by this post.
coconut / 8305 posts
OMGosh I LOVE IT! Love the tradition and what it means, the way the “skill” is passed down through the family, how beautiful it is, and how stinking cute she looks in it!
When I read the post title from the “boards” page sidebar I immediately thought of a moses basket but this is even better!
Do you have to be of Native American descent to use one, like would if be offensive if I used one? I just love everything about it & would LOVE to look into it for our future children.
Absolutely beautiful!
honeydew / 7444 posts
Wow that is awesome! The pusuk is gorgeous too. thanks for sharing!
Did you encounter any issues when she started rolling over, or was that not a problem since she is swaddled down pretty well?
guest
I have never heard of a pusuk but now I want to try it out on baby #2. It seems really magical and I would love our baby to feel that sort of safety straight out of the womb.
pomegranate / 3225 posts
omg, i love this. So cool!
squash / 13199 posts
wow never seen this before!
pomegranate / 3053 posts
Wow, that is REALLY cool and awesome! I can see why a baby would sleep so well in it. Now that’s a swaddle a baby can’t break out of!
pomegranate / 3383 posts
What a neat tradition!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Very cool! I guess I have seen pictures before but didn’t realize people still did this! My mom thought it was odd that we swaddled so she would think this was way crazy!
Question – How do you pronounce pusuk ?
pomegranate / 3388 posts
That looks so cozy!
hostess / wonderful grape / 20803 posts
Wow! I’ve never heard of one or seen one. My husband is part Muskogee Creek (his grandma is full blood) so I wonder if they have anything similar – she never mentioned it!
pomegranate / 3204 posts
I have never heard of that! So interesting! Also it’s nice to know that if she’s having a hard time sleeping you can just put her in the basket and she will sleep soundly!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
This is so fascinating!! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful tradition – I love learning about different cultures and your LO looks snug as a bug in it!
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
This is so cool and so totally break-out proof! We swaddled until 5.5 months, waiting for his cues too and he slept in a basket until he was 12w old, but I don’t think I’d call your pusuk a basket – it’s a work of art!
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
this is the coolest thing i’ve ever seen!
pomegranate / 3595 posts
Thanks so much for sharing–how cool! Baby O is so cute all bundled up in her basket!
pear / 1895 posts
I love reading your posts! They’re very refreshing. Not that I don’t love reading all the other ladies’ posts, but I feel like you come from a different place than a lot of the other HBs and I always feel so educated after reading. Thank you!
blogger / cherry / 247 posts
thanks everyone! i had a moment of doubt when i hit the “send” button on this post, thinking to myself, what if people think this is the weirdest thing ever and what if people ridicule me for putting my baby in a pusuk!! i love that our readers are so open minded!
@runsyellowlites: it would not be offensive for someone who is not native american to use the basket. i think many people don’t understand the tradition and artistic value of the pusuk’s, but those are not the types who would be interested in using one. if you’re interested, send me a private message and i can connect you with Missus Scooter’s family who make them
@kelly rae: if you’re interested in using one, send me a message as well and i can connect you
@caffeinated: no rolling issues at all, that’s another wonderful aspect to the pusuk. there is absolutely no way the baby can roll when they’re in. in fact, many babies sleep in their pusuks beyond a year. completely safe from rolling.
@thehistoryofus: pronounced puh sook
@winniebee: you should ask your MIL! they may call it something different so ask her about a cradleboard
honeydew / 7687 posts
That’s so neat, thank you for sharing! What a beautiful tradition. How long does it take to get her out for diaper changes? Yikes!
pomelo / 5132 posts
What an incredible tradition! That pusuk is beautiful!
guest
I really like the design of the pusuk, my tribe’s basket design definitely doesn’t give me the same warm fuzzies as the pusuk it is definitely designed for sleep/carrying. Something to consider…
blogger / cherry / 247 posts
@SCG00387: after a couple of days of using it, you get really efficient! we can probably tie her in/out in about a minute and a half, no problem!
@joanna: attach a picture! i would love to see your tribe’s basket design
persimmon / 1099 posts
This absolutely has blown my mind. I would have loved something like this! My DD adored being swaddled but always busted out.
olive / 55 posts
This is so interesting! Thanks for sharing!
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
When I worked in Idaho, I came into contact with many Indian moms bringing their babies in on cradle boards. I was so curious about them at the time and one generous family invited me over for dinner and showed me the ins and outs of cradle boards.
All babies that I ever saw in them were always VERY calm. We did our best approximation with babywearing.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
THIS IS incredible! The pusuk is beautiful, I wish I had one for my swaddle hating baby boy!!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
That is so neat. I’ve never seen anything like it!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
I love the cultural significance of this. How sad that it has become a lost art.
pomelo / 5628 posts
So cool!! It totally makes sense that it would work as a really secure comforting place to sleep. I’m surprised there aren’t more swaddle-like products modeled after it. Thanks so much for sharing!!
guest
Wow, wow, wow! This is the most diverse thing I’ve ever seen on a baby website. Way to go, Hellobee! It’s great to see some truly different parenting styles. This looks awesome.
blogger / persimmon / 1398 posts
Wow! What an incredible tradition… and beautiful basket! I’ve never heard of this, and really enjoyed reading about it. (And the photos of your girl in the basket are gorgeous!)
apricot / 346 posts
I have never heard of this but I think it is the cutest thing ever to see them all bundled up in the little basket! I love this. I loved reading your post and the photos were amazing and so peaceful.