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Original poster

Anyone successfully weaned off the Sleepyhead?

26 replies

RaeSkywalker · 06/05/2017 09:59

DS is outgrowing his Sleepyhead. We've actually purchased the Grand, but I'm beginning to think that I just want to ditch nests alltogether, and deal with the fallout now- as opposed to when he's a toddler.

He's been unwell, so I want to make sure he's back to 100% before I attempt it. My rough plan is to start next Friday night, just go cold turkey and put him down in his cot without it. Sleep on his nursery floor until things settle, and accept that night's are going to be awful for a while.

Does this sound like a sensible plan? Anyone completed the process successfully? Any tips? He's 6 months old.

OP posts:
Original poster
RaeSkywalker · 06/05/2017 10:02

'Nights', not 'night's' 🙄

OP posts:
Sunnywithadashofgin · 06/05/2017 10:10

I weaned my son off it at around 5 months. I just started by making a nest out of towels under the sheets, this worked well. I think started to put them more away from him the next night and within 3 days he was sleeping without anything. I am not sure cold turkey would work best with it! Slowly reduce and there is less of a fallout and it will save your sanity!

EnglebertSlaptyback · 06/05/2017 10:17

We used the sleepyhead until DD was about 5 months. She just became too wide! We had it inside the snuzpod, so removed the sleepyhead and left her in the small cot. It was still cosy enough for her to sleep without any problems.
Then she started moving around like a whirlwind and we had to get a proper cot bed pronto! She loves all the space and has discovered sleeping on her front.

Fleurchamp · 06/05/2017 10:18

I took thw sausage pillow out of the cover and put it under the cot sheet - it basically created a much bigger nest. DS liked snuggling up to it still. I took it out when he got to about 8 months and learned to roll on top of it.

Btw - not saying this is necessarily safe.

firsttimemum15 · 06/05/2017 10:22

I didnt use a sleepyhead delux but biught a grand. It saved my sanity. Worth every penny. Towels and blankets just didnt do this same. Also she isnt a wriggler either it helps that i can settle her on sleepyhead and transfer her into the cot.
Also helps with sleeping elsewhere.

I hope you managed it and i know i havenrt answered the question but just thought id give the flip side. X

tatohead · 06/05/2017 12:47

We've used the grand, but 3 weeks ago (she's 21 months) she pulled it off the bed and shouted "no sleepyhead! No!" So I asked her if she wanted it repeatedly, she said no, so I piled up some cushions next to her bed (it stops her rolling out) and she's been fine ever since, so I don't think you need to worry about any battles with a toddler

splendide · 06/05/2017 14:20

I really worried about this but then when we did it (at about six months) he was fine. If anything his sleep improved a bit. Good luck!

Original poster
RaeSkywalker · 06/05/2017 23:07

Thank you so much for the advice everyone. We've decided to do things more gradually based on what's been said on here. Also decided to start tonight and see how we go.

I've removed the cushion bit and spaced it wider- so he's laying on the cot mattress, and his feet are unsupported. It's going well so far! I put him down at 8, and he's only needed resettling once. The plan is to move the cushion further away over the next few nights. I suspect we'll run into real trouble when his arms can flap about at will!

first and tato thank you for making me see that it's not the end of the world if we end up using the Grand!

OP posts:
TessTube · 06/05/2017 23:17

I was advised by a friend to stop using it before the grande as her son wouldn't go to sleep without it but found it restrictive and woke a lot.

I went cold turkey at 6 Months and it was fine - know loads of people that said similar.

Original poster
RaeSkywalker · 07/05/2017 21:19

Thanks Tess I'm still not brave enough to just take it away yet, but I've moved the cushion further apart again, so there's loads more space tonight- we'll see how he goes. It must feel strange for him to suddenly have so much room!

OP posts:
Babe2807 · 14/04/2019 17:27

Hi. This post is from awhile back. I'm now in this position of trying to wean my son off the sleepyhead. Any additional advice?

saywhatwhatnow · 14/04/2019 19:16

I put the sausage pillow bit under his cot sheet for a couple of nights (not advocating this) and then went cold turkey. DS was fine after all my worrying about it.

MonkeyToucher · 15/04/2019 14:39

Cold turkey here too - when he grew out of it I put him straight into his snuz pod (at about 5 months) and he was absolutely fine! Moved to the big cot a month later when he went into his own room and again had no issues!

DJ82 · 20/07/2019 17:57

Hi all, my LO is 6months and we've moved him from the next to me to his big cot and he is inside his sleepyhead. He's rapidly outgrowing it so contemplating getting the Grand. My worry is of course the weaning him off it at a later stage and also wondering if they are able to roll over with the Grand and if it causes any concerns there? Does anyone have any experiences to share?

He's sleeping fantastic in it and also as it's portable we've had been able to take it with us on holiday etc so his sleep hasn't been affected. Overall I'm a big fan however, I do understand it'll have to go at some stage so is sooner rather than later a better option?

Pepperstripe · 03/09/2019 10:24

When you put the insert under the sheet do you not find the fitted sheet just sits on top of the inserts as it's stretched to full capacity, Is this okay?

Evi20 · 09/03/2020 00:57

Hi all, my LO is 7 months and the best way I could get him to stop sleeping in the sleepyhead was I put 2 little pillows on the sides of the cot, near the face as he liked the snug feeling the sleepyhead gave his face. It worked.

SophieMay123 · 16/07/2020 03:51

So I’ve recently gone cold turkey with getting rid of the sleepyhead and I’m having an absolute nightmare! I thought I was the only one in this situation so thank goodness for this page making me feel better! I should’ve started with small steps, going to try the sausage bit under the sheet for the next bedtime. Thanks for the advice everyone, I am one veryyyy tired momma so let’s hope this works!

CiaraQ123 · 20/07/2020 10:30

@SophieMay123 I'm writing this message in desperation as am also having a nightmare having gone cold turkey on the sleepyhead. My DD is 5 months and had gotten too big for it and is also rolling over so I felt it was time for it to go. She is still in her cosleeper crib beside our bed but now minus the sleepyhead. The first night wasn't too bad but last night was the third night without it and it was a disaster!! Any advice or tips welcome!

SophieMay123 · 20/07/2020 10:39

The past few nights I’ve tried rolled up towels under the sheet of the cot (that was the easier option than finding the sleepyhead pillow bit in the loft) and it’s defo made some improvement. He’s still been up a few times in the night but has been settling a lot quicker than usual, sometimes I’m able to settle him in his cot too without taking him out and rocking him (I was having to resort to that when I went cold turkey and would sometimes take hours at a time because he would wake up when I’d try putting him back down). Hope something works for you!

CiaraQ123 · 20/07/2020 12:17

Thanks so much for the response. Sounds like we're in the exact same position with the multiple wakings, taking hours to resettle, having to take her out and rock her, etc. You've given me some hope and the rolled up towels are already gone in! Can I ask if your little one is rolling over yet? And are they in their big cot?

SophieMay123 · 20/07/2020 16:44

Yes he’s certainly a roller 😂 night 1 I put one large towel under and it was a bit risky with whether he could get over it or not so night 2 I added another towel and it seems fine now. And yes he’s in a cot bed which I think was harder to go cold turkey with because it’s so much larger than a normal cot/next to me crib etc x

Jackienevisonx1989 · 24/09/2020 10:59

Im having the sam trouble. Its a nightmare he wont settle without it xx

SophieMay123 · 24/09/2020 22:25

@Jackienevisonx1989 it took a while but we got there eventually! It’s hard but you’ve just gotta stick at it and they eventually get used to it. Lucky for me it was through lockdown so I could get away with making no plans and having lazy days to make up for the lack of sleep! Have you tried the rolled up towels? Defo helped us and we changed our routine a bit by giving him his bedtime bottle in his cot for him to hold which he now falls asleep to so that works well for us. Hope you can find something that works!

Jackienevisonx1989 · 24/09/2020 23:47

@SophieMay123 Thank you! Im on maternity leave just now so I could go cold turkey i suppose.
Yeah i tried the towel thing and also took the pillow out and put it under the sheet but he still wouldn’t settle. I was gonna buy a bigger one but then thought i would have it harder down the line. He’s nearly 7 months and he’s far to big for it lol but he just can’t part with it. Xxx

LDxx · 10/12/2020 20:40

Took DD out of sleepyhead for 3 nights, she wriggled her way around the crib all night waking herself up. Sleepyhead has returned! Thought I would try to remove it at 3 months but think I’ll wait a bit longer. The sleepyhead is fab, but they get so dependent on it that I don’t think I’ll use it again in the future. Looking at suggestions, I think I’ll try again around 5 months.