Sleepyhead

[gkeal3]

Reviews please. Are they worth the price tag?
I've seen so many people using them and I was adamant I wouldn't spend so much on it and use a Moses basket as I have with my other babies. Should I rethink?!

@gkeal3 I was thinking about whether they were worth the money a few weeks ago. From a bit t of research I found that the lullaby trust don’t seem to recommend using these cushioned sleeping pods so I am probably going to give it a swerve.

I’m not getting one due to lullaby trust guidance. They do seem very popular though

I've got one and it's amazing. Get a second hand one if you want to save money. We got a spare cover that was still boxed and unused for half the retail price.

I’m in the same camp as @bfphopeful2019 - they’re not recommended by the Sleep Safe trust as safe so shouldn’t be used unattended, and wouldn’t want baby getting used to only napping in them!

See this is what I just don't understand, if they aren't recommended as 'safe' why are they so popular and why are people paying £130 for what I can only see is a glorified cushion. I don't get it lol
I thought they must be absolutely amazing to justify people paying those prices and I was missing something!

I also agree that I wouldn't want baby getting used to napping in one, especially as the larger one is over £200 if I needed to buy that after the smaller one is outgrown! I think it's crazy money for what it is. Especially as I got a brand new chic I next to cot for less!

@gkeal3 @Tefiti2 it is so confusing but I think I’m going with the lullaby trust and sleep safe trust. It may be that 99% of the time everything is fine but just not worth the risk.

I was certain I wanted one after seeing hundreds of people with them and so was a little shocked seeing the guidance.

They are popular because babies tend to sleep well in them (feel safe and cocooned) and they can help reduce flat head syndrome.

We had one for DD and will use again for this new baby. DD slept and napped like a dream in it (we popped it into the Snuzpod and used it downstairs during the day). I totally understand the Lullaby Trusts stance on sleeping pods generally (they don’t recommend any sleeping pods and there are a lot on the market, not just the sleepyhead), however sleepyhead use fully breathable fabrics - I tested it out myself when we first bought it as I was paranoid and pressed my face straight into mattress/sides and could breathe well through it. Like all things though you have to weigh up what you’re comfortable with.

I got one for my daughter after a week of no sleep when she was newborn. It was an absolute Godsend! She obviously felt safe and secure in it and slept really well in it fir her first 4 months. By that point she had grown out of it and needed some more space to stretch out etc. But I would say it was the one thing I wouldn't have been without.

I was very anti getting a Sleepyhead then my newborn refused to be put down ever and we bought one on day 9 - best money we spent! It meant I was able to actually steal some sleep at night and he was able to nap in it during the day. I didn’t want to over rely on it and was not keep to purchase the next size up so we transitioned him out of it at around 5 months.

I've always swaddled mine as newborns to make them feel secure and that seemed to help with sleep.
If I got a sleepyhead I wasn't planning on using it at night as I have the Chico next to me crib, it would be more of a daytime thing downstairs instead of a Moses basket. Im still so unsure

The Lullaby Trust has banned them all because a lot of people buy knock offs from Amazon and are getting things that may appear to be Sleepy Heads but aren’t. Some people are also buying Sleep Positioners through Amazon and Ebay which are the ones that cause active harm to the baby.

The genuine Sleepyhead that you buy from John Lewis etc is perfectly safe to use.

I've heard really good things but can't justify the money - I don't think I'd use it for overnight sleeping because I'm very anxious anyway, but I know other people have... It's so hard making decisions

My mistake the Lullaby Trust only recommends against sleep positioners and the Sleepy Head is not one of those

The lullaby trust don't recommend, but they are given the all clear across Europe. I've got one and I love it. It's a sleep game changer for both my kids. Even if you crush your face right up in to it, you can still breathe clearly. Brilliant for taking on trips away as well as you can just put the baby in that rather than a travel cot (whilst they're young. 6 months or so) My best purchase by far. I use it every night inside my Snuzpod bedside crib. Helps to transition to the proper cot as well as you can start putting it in the cot, then when they're used to the new room, remove the sleepyhead.

@Teddybear45 ah ok that makes sense, I would buy a brand new one from John Lewis or Mothercare if I did decide to go for it. I would never trust cheaper alternatives off of eBay etc

We started using one at around 8 months old ( so it was the bigger size ) , after 8 months of only having 2 hour sleep at a time the sleepyhead was a miracle worker and ment we could sometimes get 5/6 hours !

I think it's something I would wait til baby is here and probably a little older to get though as you never know if you are going to be lucky with a great sleeper , my brothers kids have all slept a solid 10 hours per night from around 6/7 weeks so it would of been a wasted £200 for them

We used in in a side sleeper at night and for naps downstairs instead of a Moses basket up until about 5 months (when he started getting stronger and more active). It worked brilliantly. Also, as legalseagull says above, you can use them instead of a cot if you go away. We just popped ours on the floor next to bed in hotel rooms a few times. So easy and the baby slept wonderfully because the sleepyhead felt familiar.

I also agree that the reason the lullaby trust don't recommend any sleep pods is that a blanket rule like that prevents confusion and may stop people buying the unsafe versions.

I'd recommend you go to a shop and have a good look at one yourself. The cushion is firm and covers designed so there is literally no way a young baby could get into trouble.

I completely respect other people's opinions on this but I am glad we got one and I wouldn't hesitate to use again.

Literally the best baby item i have ever bought. 5 month sleep regression hit and i wanted to give DS back! Bought the sleepyhead and has slept through pretty much ever since.

I've got one, my little boy is 4 weeks old and has slept every night in it, I put it in the chicco next to me. It's easy to carry downstairs for daytime naps too, he seems to feel secure in it. It sponges really easily to get rid of any dirty bits. I'd definitely say it's worth the money.

I would also be worried to leave a newborn alone in one but joyfully forked out the full price for one and never regretted it. It was for my first baby (so no reckless toddler around) and I used it all around the house really as a comfortable place for the baby to be put while I got on with....in the sitting room at night while we watched tv, in the shower room so I could shower and keep him in sight (once he got older he loved watching the water), in the kitchen while I cooked, on the sofa when friends visited which meant I could be near him and he'd be safe from falling off. He never got addicted to it or anything. This time I'll have a boisterous toddler so I'll probably have to find something with more barriers but for me it was worth every penny.

The sleepyhead is the only “luxury” item I would ever recommend and I truly believe babies need very little material items. DD has slept like a dream since newborn thanks to the sleepyhead, she slept anywhere and everywhere in the sleepyhead, the transition from our bed, to her own room was easy and she learnt to fall asleep by herself. At 6 months, we had to leave her with my parents overnight for two nights to attend a funeral, the first night my parents didn’t use the sleepyhead for whatever reason, and I was told she woke every 2 hours and was very unsettled, second night with the sleepyhead she slept through. I was worried about her becoming dependent on the sleepyhead to sleep but we moved her into a “big girl” bed at 3.5 but she had no issues.

Currently pregnant with twins and have already purchased another one. It is an expensive purchase and I had to buy another crib sheet for it which are expensive aswell, but I feel it’s worth it.

Worth comparing the differences between Sleepyhead copies and the real thing.

The copies nearly all have gaps under the side bumpers where a baby's head could easily get trapped.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/search?q=baby%20nest

The all-in-one covers on genuine Sleepyheads mean that there are no gaps plus the material is breathable.

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/4839912264471710224?lsf=seller:80823,store:6203658154399457648&prds=oid:8924968423319147599&q=sleepyhead&hl=en-gb&ei=HSUdXYq-PIWYsAfMnrGIDw&lsft=skwcid:2dxLIA-FASHION,tmad:c,tmcampid:2&lsft=gclid:EAIaIQobChMI6IL7vN-Z4wIVBp53Ch3gbAP0EAQYESABEgIFffDD_BwE,gclsrc:aw.ds

My DD has slept in one since birth (the midwives in the hospital made a little makeshift one out of towels for her!) and she's coming up for five months now so it's been well worth the money. It's also really portable - when we go away it can go in the travel cot so it feels just like normal for her. It's one of the few must-have purchases we've found.

I have one and I'm sure when I bought it they were approved for overnight sleeping but maybe not now. I'm currently using it for dd because I balanced the risk between using it or accidentally falling asleep holding her/co sleeping or crashing my car because I was that tired.

I didn't set out to buy one or use it with dc2 until I felt that I needed to in order to operate. Remember shops don't shut once your baby is born, if you find you need to try one buy it then, not in advance.

I was given a sleepyhead second hand. It is a nice thing to have, but not sure it’s worth the price tag for what it is!
Pro is that it’s super squishy and portable - I’ve taken it to friends / families houses for naps. Never having had a Moses basket I'm not sure if they’re as easily portable?
Also nice to have it on the sofa / bed next to you.
Con is that the covers easily get stained if you go for an unforgiving colour like mine which is cream. I’ve washed it but then it says not to tumble dry the cover. I’m guessing with a Moses basket you can easily whip on a new bottom sheet if there’s a sick / nappy leak incident. Spare covers for sleepyheads are pricy.