Sleepyhead

[Sosie91]

This is our third baby and I still feel clueless in what to buy.. are sleepyheads worth the money? We never had one with our other two girls but i am prepared to shell out for one if they are as good as the Instagram
Community make out.

I didn't know what they were (many years since I had a baby and they weren't around then though I did have a cocoon-like thing), but have to say they look very nice and cosy. Yes, I think I would buy one.

I'm sure I read somewhere recently that they're a SIDS risk.

I detest scaremongering but just this past Friday our midwife at ante natal class said she would advice anyone NOT to use them until there is further research - SIDS risk involving anything around the head/ face ie also applies to pillows, bumpers.

My understanding is that they aren’t necessarily a SIDS risk, rather that there isn’t yet enough research on them at present to say whether they are safe or not.

The SIDS guideline state a firm flat mattress which a sleepyhead is not.

We’ve brought one after friends telling us they’ve had success with babies sleeping well on them etc hopefully comes to good use!

I'd wait until baby arrives. Dc1 - it made a massive difference and saved my sanity. Dc2- I stopped using it as she slept the same in it or out of it.

Sleepyheads were not included in the latest media release about sleep positioners. They are rated for overnight sleeping in Sweden where they are made. But they haven’t been tested here for there to be advice so the safe consensus is to say no.

Lots of people don’t follow SIDS guidelines to the letter, they move babies into their own rooms at weeks old rather than over 6 months. It’s all about your own risk assessment.

We used a sleepyhead with DD because it was a last, desperate attempt to get her sleeping in her own space. Before that she would only sleep on me and I was exhausted. That to me was more dangerous than having her in a sleepyhead.

We loved our sleepyhead. It made baby all snug and provided a barrier to cosleeping when she was tiny. It also meant I had somewhere for her to sleep in the living room, bathroom, ILs house that I knew she would sleep in.

The sleepyhead has been tested and is 100% breathable.

sleepyheadgcc.com/en/Safety-i16.html

The sleep positioners (which the Sleepyhead is not) are not breathable and are therefore not safe for unsupervised sleep.

Agree with above poster, we bought the sleepyhead in a desperate attempt to get DD to sleep not on me for longer than 15 mins. The first night we got it she slept for several hours in it. I used it during the day and moved her round so I could always see her. At night I put it in the next-to-me. I thought it was one of the best things we bought. Kind of regret not getting the grande when she outgrew it!

For our dd it was an absolute godsend, she loved it, slept well in it and it was excellent for travelling as we'd just pop her on the floor in a corner in hotels or at families.
...our new ds though... as soon as he's put in it he wakes up, really disappointed but glad we hadn't bought one new for him!

We got a sleepyhead grand for my son and started using it in a travel cot in our room from 4 months as he outgrew his Moses basket. He slept happily in it for 9 months and then we moved him in it to his own room and it was such an easy transition. He used it for a couple more months then just the cot.

The Lullaby Trust specifically advises against these now, but as others have said, it's up to you whether you follow SIDS advice to the letter.

The "breathable" thing in their safety info is a bit of a red herring, apparently, because SIDS risk is partly about not getting overheated or sleeping too deeply. It's not just about suffocating.

I used one, apart from the fact that it helps them sleep, DS could roll onto his side from birth, which is a much bigger SIDS risk, and the sleepyhead stopped him from doing it.

I'm torn on them! I'd probably summarise by saying that it's best to do without if you can though...

We used one with DC1, but it wasn't a magical sleeping cure for us, like some people claim. Certainly didn't help during the Fourth Trimester, but when baby got bigger and actually started sleeping in the bedside crib (rather than in bed next to me), I do think the feeling of snugness/security was beneficial then. But then we tried to take it away in the big cot and sleep was awful, so ended up shelling out for the bloody toddler one in desperation.

I have to say I probably hated them more than I loved them! Replacing of the covers was a bloody nightmare and the mattress pad NEVER went back in perfectly flat (which is how it comes when new) which pissed me off for the price of the thing. That's despite following the washing instructions carefullyand washing on a lower than recommend temp to avoid shrinkage.

I'm due another baby imminently and torn as to whether to wash the smaller one ready to use, or just dig it out once baby arrives if we feel the need. I would rather follow the safe sleeping guidelines, if baby will tolerate being put down at all, or just bedshare safely in the first instance I think. But sleepyhead might be handy for using downstairs as somewhere safe to put baby when toddler needs me... and can be used for tummy time, etc.

I have to say I watched DC1 (obsessively) in both sleepyheads and their face was never anywhere near the bumper bit when I was supervising sleep (obviously can't speak of the times I was asleep too) - and it was definitely something that concerned me. DC1 was a very still baby though, not a figety sleeper, happy on back, didn't roll in sleep for a very long time. I'd be less confident using it with a very wriggly sleeper.

To be honest I can’t see how they’re not a sids risk as they seem to go against the advice.

They’re bloody expensive for a couple of cushions in a bag.

My girls hated it, much happier swaddled on a firm mattress.

I think other cocoons are SIDS risk but sleepyheads are not?

The reason I didn't get one, is because friends who use them really really struggle to wean their babies out of them, end up having to then buy the grande sleepyhead and have a complete nightmare putting their babies down in the cot without them.

Midwives on antenatal we're dead against them but then I didn't much enjoy their sanctimonious opinions on things during the course. Yes they mentioned SIDS but there is no factual evidence to back this up - we've done our research. We have already bought one and still plan on using it. The flat part of it is pretty darn firm so i don't know why people are saying it's not! I've heard nothing but positive things about them - first hand from friends.

I had one. dd slept in it once for 5 mins then never again.
As with all baby things, if it works for you it’s ace. But it’s possible to spend a fortune on th gs that baby doesn’t use.
I wouldn’t bother. Next to me was good though!

Tired have you taken the cardboard out?

@Huffleypuff - Haha no! Is there cardboard in it to keep it stiff in the shop? We only looked at it briefly the other day - baby hasn't arrived yet

We got one for dc4 as it seemed like everyone was crazy about them. He did sleep in it occasionally (abs not at all in his moses basket!). However i agree with others that I would never leave a child unattended in it or overnight, by 3 months he was wriggling around and at one point he pushed his mouth fully up against the side before falling asleep, I was in the room and moved him but it made me nervous. They say this is breathable but it's tight full of wadding, I tried myself and didn't think it was enough air.

I'd personally say no and if you have one who hates cots etc then you can always buy a second hand one quickly, there are always tons going on FB selling sites or gumtree.

Yup, there’s cardboard! I leant ours to my sister to use with my niece when they visited. She didn’t sleep for 3 nights because of the bloody cardboard!