Sleepyhead not recommended, what else to use?

[Buglife]

Was planning to get a sleepyhead type sleep pod for DS2 to nap in downstairs but now the Lullaby Trust don’t recommend them I feel a bit off about it and DH doesn’t want to at all. DS1 never had one but I really just wanted to avoid getting a Moses basket for downstairs. I have a Next 2 me for night sleep. Any other downstairs safe sleep solutions? There’s always the carrycot for the pram which is a firm flat surface. I’ll
Have a sling and expect quite a few sling naps but sometimes you just want to put them down if you can!

That is defo one I think they're overcautious on.

Bertie they’d have a fit at a bouncy chair or swing... if it’s not a firm totally flat surface then is not on!

We had a travel cot downstairs with a nice mattress for our twins. I think using things like a sleepyhead can cause sleep habits that become really hard to break, i would be concerned about that.

The advice is worded the way it's worded. For me there's a huge difference between popping into the kitchen, to the loo etc to deliberately putting a young baby to nap upstairs. You have you use your judgment and make it work for you, but the advice is still that and that's what people must be clear on.

I think it's near enough impossible to follow the guidelines to the letter. Not whilst retaining your sanity. But then again I'm one of those cosleeping types...

But they don't advise against those things. Just for night time sleep, which you'd think they would if they felt they were a problem since they have been popular for decades. The concern with these new products is that they 're very padded and yet being sold as totally safe. Swings and bouncers come with clear warnings not to leave a sleeping child unattended or use for extended sleeps.

Everyone is free to interpret the risk for themselves but I would not put a child in something so cushiony, especially at night.

It's not that they say breathable isn't important BTW, they just point out that it doesn't mean anything because it's not a standardised testable term.

I certainly don't follow their advice to the letter as I co-sleep but I think they are right to point out the potential dangers.

Yes, it is the charities purpose and they have to be stringent. I think it worries parents who see guidelines as “rules to follow” as they are scared and want to do everything “the right way”. The right way unfortunately is often quite incompatible with day to day life, and I imagine that will be especially true with a second child. I was never a massive guideline follower with DS1, I didn’t do anything unsafe in my mind but certainly didn’t follow all advice to the letter (I think I started weaning a couple of weeks before 6 months, I started to put him to bed up in the cot in my room with a monitor for a couple of hours from about 5 months as he couldn’t settle downstairs in the light and noise) but maybe it’s my late tage of pregnancy that’s making me stress a bit with DS2 coming and I’m worried I don’t know how to look after babies anymore! Also worried that I’ve become too laid back to look after a fragile newborn!

The flat surface or a pram is ok isn’t it? For a nap. Or if not then a Moses basket downstairs. We have one in the middle floor so I can do things while dd is in it

I haven’t seen anything against slings on Lullaby Trust?

It is really hard, newborns want to be warm and cuddled to sleep and sleep deprivation is serious

But like most we muddled through trying as hard as possible to adhere to the guidelines, we were just v lucky the side cot worked

What you’ve posted is very new advice. Last 5 months

@Buglife You are clearly a lovely mum already and from what you've said you're so thoughtful and careful. Just go with your instincts and what comes flooding back from memories of dc1 once the new baby is here! Also your DP sounds cautious so you'll have his sensible input too. Don't worry.

Pram top ideal for downstairs, no need for Moses.

We always used the pram carrycot for naps downstairs. It was also one that could be used for occasional over night sleeping which has been handy to be used instead of a travel cos while dc still fits in it

Lullaby Trust don’t recommend a lot of things but you need to use your common sense. Sleep Pods aren’t dangerous, sleep positioners are; my guess is the Trust have recommended against both because some people are too lazy to research the difference.

It’s pretty clear they’re now including pods

Before it wasn’t

Duchy They now say sleep pods aren’t suitable because they aren’t a firm completely flat surface. Previously they said sleep positioners weren’t safe, now they also specifically advise against any pod/nest type product. From their website

“Confusion around product safety was highlighted by a recent survey of new and expectant parents commissioned by The Lullaby Trust. 91% of respondents stated compliance with safer sleep advice as a very important consideration when buying a product. However, the same survey also showed 41% of parents have bought or are planning to buy a baby sleep nest or pod. These items go against the advice that babies should sleep on a firm, entirely flat waterproof surface. Sleeping a baby on a soft surface can increase the risk of SIDS as they make it harder for babies to lose body heat and maintain a safe temperature.”

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/the-lullaby-trust-issues-warning-about-some-popular-baby-sleeping-products-sold-in-high-street-stores/

Again there is no evidence of them having caused any harm as far as I can see, but obviously the advice has changed and it is new and not many people know about it. I think most people would make an informed decision and risk assess this themselves. I am not a guideline stickler really but along with not really wanting to buy lids of extra stuff I’m going to pass on the sleepyhead for now. I’m just going to use the pram carrycot with a new mattress, as I remember a Moses basket one fit perfectly. It also means I’m not buying loads of new baby stuff which I had initially promised myself/DH when I found out about DS2! I have a close Caboo sling which I imagine will be used a lot too.

It's basically a pillow, I don't see how anyone can say it's definitely not dangerous, considering pillows aren't recommended for under-ones. Just because there haven't been any deaths it doesn't mean that it's not a risk.

I've been using the sleepyhead deluxe in the next2me since DD was around 3 weeks old as she hated the Moses basket and wouldn't settle if laid on a flat surface. From the first day she slept amazingly and now sleeps in it every night.

I wouldn't bother buying one unless baby has problems sleeping in the pram/Moses basket as although I think they're safe if she had slept well I'd rather not have one just in case.

I have checked myself and they're not breathable at all so I'm not sure where they got that from.

I got a cheap/secondhand moses.basket and just got a new mattress :) and then later on you can use pram or upstairs cot with monitor?