Sleepyhead worth the money? or cheaper option

[Gigitree]

Hi everyone,

Just looking at getting one of these sleepyheads - I really like the idea of them but at £130+ are they really worth it? I’ve seen some other similar things from different brands ranging from £35-£65, yet everyone seems to rave about the sleepyhead.

Is it really worth the price tag? Or would a cheaper option be just as good? Thanks!

For downstairs we used the carry cot bit of the buggy and then the buggy itself in a reclined position. I never had a moses basket

I know it's not what op is after, but I was very specifically warned by two separate midwives that I should 100% NOT buy a sleepyheads, and that if they saw baby with one they would encourage strongly the item be removed. This was due to lullaby trust and other guidelines on safe sleep.

If you still want a sleepyhead, worth looking at second hand ones too as you can wash the covers etc. I used to own one but have now sold it for nearly half what I paid for it. So you’ll get some money back if you can face the hassle of sticking it on say marketplace. Good luck!

Don't bother with a sleepyhead for day time sleep. We just bought a cheaper version and it was perfect. Used to have it in the living room and would put the baby in there so I could eat my tea etc. It was the only place he would lie down without being held

I used a purflo nest for supervised daytime naps on the sofa until mine was about 6-7 weeks old. After that he got too alert to nap easily downstairs except when in my arms or the sling so I was glad I didn’t spend more money on a sleepyhead.

I got one for my DD and she hated it so was a waste of money. The advice at the time wasn't to avoid them but it still worried me.

Two of my friends also had one; one's DS hated it and one really liked it and moved on to the Granda size when he was too big.

I think it’s the American version (DockaTot) that is considered unsafe/doesn’t meet safety guidelines? Don’t take my word for it though. But I bought a Sleepyhead, and I actually bought it second hand for £42 and that is only because you can wash the WHOLE thing. I wouldn’t buy a second hand mattress or whatever, but this seemed ok to me.

I will add, I only plan to use it for napping as opposed to full time sleeping. Like somewhere to put baby downstairs so I don’t have to have her upstairs and keep checking. Plus the stairs are way too creaky for that! Lol

We have a purflow baby nest and it's excellent my daughter still uses it at 7months occasionally. With supervised use it's great.

Purflo have literally within the last week released a version of their nest which is now safe for overnight sleeping.

I’m considering getting the larger version for ds 11 months- he’s been co sleeping with me and won’t sleep in his cot anymore 😭

We had a Babymoov cosy dream & it did help my baby sleep longer. My NCT group loved them.
It doesn’t have the high sides of the sleepyhead
I bought it second hand off eBay and then put it back on eBay - whichever one you get maybe consider that? You basically pay a little bit to “rent” it before you sell it again!

This is the babymoov, whole thing goes in the wash

I have one and I found it useful in the early day, it's now in DD cot for daytime naps. I was told by the HV they are a SIDS risk but if you have a baby that won't go down apart from in a sleepyhead you have to weigh up the risk of them sleeping in the sleepyhead vs being so exhausted you fall asleep with baby in your arms (very dangerous). Anyway yes I like our sleepyhead and perfectly fine for your proposed use.

There’s loads of people who say they ARENT a sids risk

Yet you’ve got actual child professionals on this post saying they ARE a risk. So I wouldn’t risk it

@LGY1 arent those the ones that were recently recalled due to a baby dying?

A lot of new parents are too young to remember before the safer sleep guidelines, that saw the rate of sudden infant death plummet, were introduced. Rather like vaccinations, there isn't the experience of seeing babies die from measles for example.

If you want to use these products, crack on. It's your baby. Just don't stick your head in the sand and pretend that there isn't a risk.

You might 'love' the sleep positioner, nest, pod whatever. But do you love it more than your baby?

@SlowSigh I completely agree with you and understand your point, but the op has said more than once she is not planning on using for unsupervised nighttime sleep.

I agree @Lazydaisydaydream. However there are many posters claiming that these products are safe. They are not. And using one in the first place carries the temptation to use it over night when baby is unsettled. This ignores normal infant behaviour. The goal is often forcing baby into mature sleep patterns which are out of sync with their other biological rhythms.

We need to be supporting parents to have realistic expectations, rather than how to fix their baby before it has even been born.

Hi Op,
I bought one cos I had it in my head that I had to have one. My baby sleeps in it sometimes in the day time whilst I go make a cuppa or whatever. She sleeps really well in it and it looks comfy. We can put it on the floor or the sofa. That's about it!! So it probably wasn't worth the money. However, I know I can sell it on when I'm done with it so I don't regret buying it.
She also sleeps well in her next to me crib without it so it isn't always a case of them only being able to settle in the sleepyhead

I was considering a Moses basket, but they seem to only be 0-3mths and the sleepyhead is 0-8mths so would be able to use it for longer

Only if your baby is fairly small. We were given one and although we didn’t use it much DS had outgrown it by 3 months, so had he become dependent on it we would have been looking at £200 for a Grand.

I was considering a Moses basket, but they seem to only be 0-3mths and the sleepyhead is 0-8mths so would be able to use it for longer

My DS does still just fit in his Moses basket at 7 and a half months, although he is on the petite side. I know friends who were out of them by 3 months though. I think the same might be true for the sleepyheads as well though.

Sleepyheads should only be used when supervised and not for overnight sleeping. The manufactures have themselves confirmed this.
Huge SIDS risk to use overnight.

I love the cocoon a baby by red castle

I've also had a sleepy head
The cocoon is better

I wouldn’t in your case OP, especially if you want to move baby around with you while they nap. You can’t really pick the sleepyhead up with the baby inside it as the bottom is soft.