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Original poster

Has anyone used an Amby Natures Nest and does it do what it says it does?

22 replies

delcymru · 14/02/2008 15:30

I've just bought an Amby natures nest for my baby due in 4 weeks. I'd never seen one before with my other 3 (all a lot older) so I did a lot of research and it looked great. But all my friends and family have looked at me as if I'm mad for choosing this over a Moses basket , so would like to know if any parents out there found that this worked well for them, or not.

OP posts:

legalalien · 14/02/2008 15:41

hi there - there was a thread about this recently I think. We had one and I thought it was great (easy to move about the place, doubled as a travel cot as easy to disassemble, bouncing motion seemed to settle DS). He stayed in it until around 8 months from memory - when he was starting to try and sit / stand up in it.

Original poster

delcymru · 14/02/2008 22:30

Thanks Legalalien. Glad it worked well for you , my other 3 when they were younger didn't particularly like the Moses basket so thought this was worth a try. And the fact it's easy to transport is a bonus.

OP posts:

Lucky13 · 15/02/2008 09:04

I have for my 3 month old and she loves it. I have it right next to the bed so that i can just lean over and check on her or pick her up to feed.
The swinging and bouncy motion has a wonderful calming effect and she always has a good night sleep. In fact she has slept for at least six hours straight since she was 6 weeks old.
I know it looks odd - my MIL looked at me as if i was nuts too.
Besides they last a lot longer than a moses basket and can be used as a travel cot.

Original poster

delcymru · 15/02/2008 11:24

Thanks Lucky13 , did you have a lot of problem in setting it up as it looks fairly complicated as it says about balancing etc , and did you find you needed the snuggler to keep baby positioned in it.

OP posts:

legalalien · 15/02/2008 11:32

(answers for self as back online) - no problems setting it up - takes about 1 minute once you figure what order the pieces go in; and yes re the snuggler thing, but DS was on the small side)!

onebatmother · 15/02/2008 11:38

supposed to be excellent - nigh on miraculous - for colic too, according to a friend who was at the end of her tether.

snowleopard · 15/02/2008 11:40

Agree with everything Lucky says - ours was great and DS was a very good sleeper as a baby and still is - of course we can't be sure if that's why, but the bouncing did seem to help him settle himself. We never needed the snuggler but DS was a big baby.

According to their website they use them in hospitals in some countries. They have a long track record now. I bet your friends & family will love it when they see your baby bouncing around in it and looking very snug!

Original poster

delcymru · 15/02/2008 11:52

Yes snowleopard, I might convert all my friends and family , at the moment they just think I'm becoming a hippy ( no offence to any out there) as I'm going to use reusable nappies and washable wipes as well , but I think I'm just trying to do my best to have a happy comfy baby.I've told them all about the fact that hospitals use it etc and they just look sceptically at me as if they're humoring me. I hope it works for me , or I'll have to keep it to myself

OP posts:

weeonion · 15/02/2008 11:59

our dd - 9mths had one. we loved it! she has just moved into her big cot now but i honestly thik it helped alot. it doubled as her travel cot. our hv had read up on htem after seeing it - and is very impressed. so pleased we got one - a good 2nd hand one keeps its value.

good luck for the next 4 weeks - will keep an eye out for your birth announcement!!!

Fillyjonk · 15/02/2008 12:35

oooh I am tempted...

dd2 is in bed with us atm but tbh it is causing problems-we have to stop the older two from coming through and that doesn't seem like a good way to promote sibling bonding really...

how much are they ebaying for? And what do I need, as a minimum?

Oh and are there any safety concerns re secondhand ones? I know that there are with cots/mattresses, aren't there ? (have never actually bought a cot but...)

weeonion · 15/02/2008 12:48

filly - not sure how much they are now but ours was about £120 last year. havent heard any concerns re second hand ones but we did get a new foam mattress cut for ours. we just got the basic model - i didnt use a snuggler in it. the sheets are expensive - around £12 each but i improvised with ordinary ones. sometimes they are on the for sale boards here so keep an eye out.

snowleopard · 15/02/2008 13:28

I think I've read that as with other cots, you should get a new mattress for each new baby that uses it. You can order the mattress from the amby website. You might need the snuggler for a small baby, but for sheets it's very easy to make them - just cut up a normal sheet and make into long pillowcase shapes that fit over the amby mattress.

Original poster

delcymru · 15/02/2008 13:47

They go for a lot on e-bay, in the £100's. I bought ours new for only £30 more than the 2nd hand ones were going for. I don't have any problems buying 2nd hand though, but I knew I'd have to get a new matress anyway. The sheets are £12 for a pair but I think you could use normal ones? Oh yes just saw that you did weeonion, I should take more notice when I read .

OP posts:

Lucky13 · 15/02/2008 22:50

As legalalien said - easy to put up once you've done it once. As for balancing, i've always thought ours looks a little wonky, but DD seems to like it that way!!

Our DD was small but she didn't like the snuggler, but she didn't like being swaddled either.

We bought ours new as like you we saw the second hand value was not much less than new. We got it from Babyworld when they had a sale on + the 5% off for being a member. We bought sheets, but only cos i can't sew or adapt anything!

I'm really happy with it and glad that i didn't get a moses basket or cot. Just a few little swings or bounces and she's off to sleep again - fab.

PortAndLemon · 15/02/2008 22:58

They seem to go for around £100, up to about £120, on eBay at the moment, and postage is generally about £20 if you can't pick up in person. You can buy them new for around £140 (am planning to get one, have been stalking eBay auctions for a while but frankly for the difference in cost I think I'm just going to buy one new).

Original poster

delcymru · 16/02/2008 16:49

Same here Lucky13 , I can't sew to save my life , much less stressful buying the proper fitting thing.
Portandlemon ,I spent many weeks on e-bay watching them too , and the difference in cost is minimal. Nice to know they hold their value for when I want to resell though

OP posts:

yurt1 · 16/02/2008 16:51

bought it for my third.

Wish I'd had it for the other 2.

I must get around to selling mine.

canadianmum · 17/02/2008 18:53

I wish my dd had loved the amby but unfortunately she was happier in our old moses basket. She just cried every time I put her in it. she is now 5 months old and happy in her cot. I will be selling it on ebay when I get around to it...........

Sounds like everyone else had success, my dd is proving to be the exception that proves the rule with lots of things .

mumofdjandp · 17/02/2008 19:25

ooh if anyoine is selling one I would love you to CAT ME

lynniep · 20/02/2008 12:52

Worth the initial outlay imo. I hated the moses basket and so did DS. He was much more comfy in the amby. No, he never slept through (still doesnt) and he was too big for it by 8 months, but still worth it because it helped to get him to sleep in the first place, and rock him back when he woke in the night. Keeping ours in case we have another...

inzidoodle · 20/02/2008 13:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

suzi2 · 20/02/2008 15:48

I had one for both of mine from birth. I wouldn't change that decision, but it has worked better/differently for one rather than the other. For DS it was great. He was colicky and a rubbish sleeper but the motion really helped him. He would bounce himself to sleep in it no bother. the transision to a cot was no real bother at 11 months too.

DD however wasn't so good in it. Having said that, she was much worse in anything else! We had to bounce her constantly and she woke every 45 mins, but that was the same regardless of where she slept and it saved me from rocking her. She was in it less than DS as she often slept beside me. We tried her in the cot at various points but she was rolling at 11wks and got herself stuck in all sorts of positions. The biggest problem for us came when she was about 8 or 9 months and she learned how to roll over in it. It was at that point she wasn't safe to be in it. I don't think it's common for that to happen though - I'm sure DS at 2.5 couldn't even do that. Transition to a cot was/is horrid for her, but I think that might have been the case regardless how she slept.

Mine is now going to it's new home very soon... I bought an extra frame for £10 from an ebay seller and that was worth doing (had one upstairs and down, then later one at mums) and also had the jump jump though never used that much. the fitted sheets are definately worth getting.

Oh, and MWs and HVs will give you seriously weird looks... ignore them!

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