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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

How useful are sleepyheads/dokatots or similar?

25 replies

Lafoosa · 27/01/2022 13:30

I'm 28 weeks pregnant with baby no3 and we didn't use anything like that with either of my other two. We didn't even have a Moses basket or a cot, just coslept from day one.

I wouldn't consider using a pillow like that for overnight sleep, but are they useful for naps? I was thinking with having two other children who will be almost 4 and 2 by the time baby is here it might be handy to use on my bed while I'm tidying the bedroom or something like that. We still cosleep most of the night with my other two children so I'll probably get a next to me this time just because there's not enough bed space and our bedroom isn't big enough for a cot.

Are these pillows a waste of money? I've only seen very marmite reviews for them. I'd definitely not buy new at those prices. And if they are good can anyone recommend certain brands? The price of the sleepyhead seems rather steep when there's similar things on the market for a fraction of the price.

Thanks.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Squiff70 · 27/01/2022 13:31

The Lullaby Trust (safer sleep for babies charity) strongly advise against them. Please do some research into these products - they are not safe.

ShirleyPhallus · 27/01/2022 13:37

We used one and thought they were great. Really good to have somewhere to put the baby when you have a shower / tidy laundry / make dinner etc.

Absolutely fine to let them nap in it too, if you’re there and watching that they don’t roll in to the side or get their face stuck in the side

I wouldn’t buy a Sleepyhead though, we have one and it was very expensive and a cheaper one would do the job just fine

Mimba1 · 27/01/2022 13:49

I didn't buy one because of the safety concerns but you're absolutely right that it's fine if you're watching. My friend used one in the day and her baby was just sleeping on the sofa next to her while she was watching TV and sorting laundry whereas I always had to hold DS or have him in a sling. DS is my first so that wasn't a problem but I can see the advantages! I guess you just have to be careful that the temptation isn't there overnight, or when you're really tired and might just drift off next to them.

Nurselife2020 · 27/01/2022 13:56

Hey,

We had a sleepyhead with my daughter and loved it, plan to use it again for number 2 in April. We never used it for overnight sleeping or left her in it unsupervised but it was a godsend for putting her down in the sofa in. We placed her in in and she was cosy and safe and we had free hands for a cuppa. It was also nice to take to other peoples houses so you could put baby down without putting them on the floor or someone always holding them. We had a Moses bases and a cot for night time sleeping and daytime naps but if she chose to doze off in the sleepyhead when next to us then that was fine. She couldn’t roll, it had no pillows, gaps etc and we were right next to her. Lullaby trust state to maybe not sure for the babies main sleep aid or for a long unsupervised overnight sleep. Like you said it’s a nice little cosy thing to pop them in whilst having a tidy, shower (she would be outside the glass door safe), at a friends for a cuppa etc. xx

Derbee · 27/01/2022 14:06

I’ve read terrible things about them. They’re not safe. I wouldn’t use one personally

Original poster

Lafoosa · 27/01/2022 14:08

@Mimba1 even if I had the urge to fall asleep next to them while in it, in reality with more than one child daytime napping doesn't happen.
I've not been able to nap with my second ever, they never sleep at the same time 😅

OP posts:

Mimba1 · 27/01/2022 14:11

@Lafoosa that's a very fair point! I honestly can't imagine having 2 let alone 3!

OakRowan · 27/01/2022 14:12

The Sleepyhead has turned out to be the most expensive dog bed I have ever bought.

Original poster

Lafoosa · 27/01/2022 14:13

I saw Aldi do one that's quite cheap, and I saw an Asda brand one in a local charity shop the other day and almost got it but wasn't sure if the safety concerns were just for overnight sleep or napping too. I'd only want it for naps and putting baby down quickly without the risk of siblings rolling her onto the floor by standing on our bed.
I mostly babywear for naps, but my back isn't what it was before and I couldn't manage baby wearing while tidying the floor anymore as it's too much bending down.

She'd never be left unsupervised in whatever pillow, so I imagine they'll be fine if I can find a good one that doesn't cost a fortune.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lafoosa · 27/01/2022 14:14

@OakRowan I can definitely imagine my cat taking a liking to it, that's what our previous Moses basket ended up being used for, just a glorified cat bed 😂

OP posts:

Winifredgoose · 27/01/2022 14:14

I bought a sleepy head for no 3. As far as I'm concerned it was just another gimmick which made no difference. I'm sure babies either sleep well or they don't, and I don't think a small mattress, with a slightly raised perimeter will actually make the difference. Good luck with your number three.

JustWonderingIfYou · 27/01/2022 14:19

I loved my sleepyhead! It was great for somewhere safe to put baby down where I didn't have to worry about him sliding off. Nice and comfy, easy to move around the house or take to other people's houses.

Also good for tummy time and you can put them over the end bit- same as using a rolled up towel just a bit sturdier.

minniep · 27/01/2022 14:23

We had a sleepyhead for DC3 and it was fabulous. She used to just snuggle into it and fall asleep. I found it very handy to use downstairs on the couch during the daytime.

Mattieandmummy · 27/01/2022 16:57

Never used one as I was too worried about the safety concerns. If you didn't use one previously why do you feel one would be useful this time?

Mattieandmummy · 27/01/2022 16:58

Oh sorry, you did say - I just didn't see it.

Rosebud2016 · 27/01/2022 17:18

I’m very cynical and think that your baby will either nap/sleep well early on or they won’t. Nothing you can buy will make any difference to that.

I haven’t had one with either of my other children and they napped and slept brilliantly. I don’t intend on having anything other than a Moses basket for naps this time either…….. but ask me in the summer, and if I’m severely sleep deprived, I may be willing to try anything and give you a different answer!

Wait and see how baby is first, maybe? X

RandomCatGenerator · 27/01/2022 17:25

I bloody love the sleepyhead - so much so I’ve just gritted my teeth and bought the 9-36 month one too.

They’re super for having somewhere to put the baby when you’re having dinner or doing chores so you can keep an eye on them while getting on with stuff. It’s somewhere comfortable and safe (when supervised) to put the baby down when you need your hands. We also used it for daytime naps when DS was really small so he’d get used to sleeping with people and noise going on around him.

Great for travel too. In airports, on the plane, on boats, in restaurants, we could put DS down in the sleepyhead if there was a spare seat and it was somewhere cosy and familiar where he’d be comfortable and often fall asleep. Absolute godsend for restaurants on holiday, honestly. Don’t need to worry about stairs as with a pram, nor about weight or being in a sitting position for too long as with a car seat.

Honestly, it’s one of the best purchases we ever made.

Do consider looking on Facebook marketplace - there are a lot of them there.

RandomCatGenerator · 27/01/2022 17:26

Definitely wouldn’t use it for overnight sleep, of course!

Februarymama · 27/01/2022 20:01

We use one, and love it. I did a lot of research into the safety of them when I was my pregnant with my second… did you know there hasn’t been a single SIDS death recorded to be caused by them? There have however been a few cases where they were used in the parental bed and the child died, however the cause of death was found to be unsafe bed sharing and not the use of the sleepyhead. Even then, it was only 7 cases and none of them were in the UK. The lullaby trust needs to make its advice as clear as possible, and it is true that lots of sleep positioners are dangerous. It’s easier and simpler to have a blanket ban on them all.

We are using one with our third now. It’s great to have a clear ‘boundary’ for the older children of their sister’s space when we set her down, and super convenient to always have somewhere safe in the room to place her.

abbs1 · 27/01/2022 20:11

Please don't buy a sleepyhead or at least research it. Ive read some very close calls to mums nearly losing their babies to SIDS and some that have. I'd never buy one personally and follow the lullaby trust guidance.

Amichelle84 · 27/01/2022 20:17

My friends chipped in and bought me a sleepyhead, I don't think I would have paid that much for it, but a cheaper version yes.

It's so handy! We use ours for daytime naps on the sofa. It's also really handy if you're going to someone's for the day so baby has something to nap on.

The cat has started to adopt it and I have to lay the baby on him to get him to move

ShirleyPhallus · 27/01/2022 20:31

@abbs1

This is a little misleading, agree to do your own research though

JustWonderingIfYou · 27/01/2022 20:41

@abbs1

That is very misleading. Used correctly and for supervised naps there is nothing wrong with a sleepyhead.

RandomCatGenerator · 28/01/2022 18:28

@Amichelle84 ha, we have to do the same - she wouldn’t move until he was literally lying on top of her then would grudgingly shift a bit…

multicolouredmittens · 29/01/2022 16:08

The Sleepyhead was a total must-have for us. Bought it when my baby was six weeks old and for that entire six weeks she wouldn't sleep unless I was holding her. I was going/had already gone insane. And then she slept in it straight away! For like four hours! It was like a miracle.

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