Chicco next to me OR Snuzpod

[ALew15]

Hi, just after some feedback of which Next to me crib to get. I prefer the look of the Snuz pod but have heard the Chicco is great.
Thanks in advance

We chose Chico purely because the basket was bigger and we knew he was going to be big!

We have the next 2 me, had it for first dc so over 2.5yrs old now, but we really liked it at the time and will be used for this one, tbh I don't think it makes much different which one you get so many on the market now (wasn't loads about a few years ago) but what I would say just make sure the one u pick can go head up incase baby has reflux.
If I had to buy new now I would pick one I liked the look of and what Eva one is on sale

We went for snuzpod3 as it was the only one that could go high enough to be level with our mattress

We went with the snuzpod as it had a heavier maximum weight allowance than the others we’d looked at and wanted it to last until at least 6 months (some of our NCT babies were heavier than the permitted max weight by the 5/6 month stage which meant they either went in their own rooms earlier or cots had to be moved into parent’s bedrooms. I also liked the fact that the top just lifted off so we had it downstairs with us most evenings in the early weeks. It didn’t fold down for travelling but that wasn’t an issue for us.
A friend wasn’t happy with her chicco one as there was a fault and her baby kept rolling into the sides - may be worth checking recalls (her model was recalled in the US but not the UK) but luckily the shop gave her a refund anyway.

@MOR19 if you don’t mind me asking, do you think that the snuzpod top lifts off easily enough that if you live in a flat you wouldn’t need another sleeping option, ie you could easily move it into the lounge or from room to room for naps during the day?

Also, maybe I am being paranoid here but being unable to get into the shops I am not sure what the items are like....is there any risk of the baby rolling into the bit where the crib meets the side of the bed, or getting clothes etc stuck in it? Also, is there any risk of the bedding from the adult bed, eg duvet, ending up spreading into the baby sleeping area and posing a hazard?

@Inkpaperstars it definitely lifts straight off easy enough (it just rests on the top so no faff picking it up/putting it back on). It is quite bulky in the sense that the frame is solid wood rather than light/flexible like a wicker Moses basket but we took ours up and down the stairs most days during the early weeks.

I think with all of the bedside cribs the instructions advise/official advice is that the sides are up when you are both sleeping to avoid the risks you mentioned above. I did have the side down to start with as my baby would only settle if I had a hand on him but followed the lullaby trust advice on safer co-sleeping (and probably took it a bit further than necessary as I was paranoid! so I had no pillow, I moved down the bed to be more level with the baby, duvet below waist height etc).

One of the things I liked about it is that the side fell onto the bed (rather than dropped down between the bed and the crib) - this was less comfortable for me as I often found myself lying on it! but I preferred that option for the baby as it meant there was no ‘gap’ between the two as the side bridged the gap if that makes sense?! I think the key thing is making sure the crib mattress lines up with your own mattress height wise to avoid gaps etc. Hope that helps!

We had a next 2 me for DS1, found it very unstable and far to big for a newborn. I wouldn't use it again.

Thanks so much @MOR19 that’s all really helpful

We went for a snuzpod and loved it! Defo can lift it off to take it downstairs tho it is pretty large. We also worried about duvet cover going over onto baby so we either slept with blankets above the waist, duvet below or we zipped the side up!

Thanks everyone. Ah I'm still none the wiser! Haha. I've seen a few cheaper alternatives to the Chicco, will def make sure it tilts for reflux though. Maybe I will do as you recommended and just get the one I like the look of and that fits.

We have the Chicco Next2Me magic and had the same issue with baby rolling to the side, if you look at the reviews on John Lewis a number of people report the same issue. We had to put the sleepyhead inside it so baby didn't roll but that's not exactly following guidelines. Should have complained and got a refund but was too busy with a new baby! Would go for the snuzpod next time.

I have a snuz pod and it's been brilliant ! Little one is 6 months now and I think he's probably got a month left in it !

We had the Snüz pod and couldn't fault it...it can be reclined slightly to help with babies that get colic xx

I have a snuzpod for my 2 week old. It's quite big for him at the moment but he doesn't seem to mind and sleeps well. I haven't done anything special to stop the duvet going in to the snuzpod and this has never happened. I like the fact it's roomy so I can have him there for 6 months or so. As he gets bigger I think I'll put the side up to make it safer as he starts to move. But newborns can't move of their own accord so he's safe there for now. I would recommend the snuzpod.