Sleepyhead Vs Purflo

[CaseofEllen]

Any recommendations on which of these to use with my DS (16 days old). Struggling to settle him in basket at night, would like to try co sleeping but so nervous. Thinking a nest might make me feel better about it, not sure if the purflo can be used for overnight sleeping?

Any experiences with this really appreciated! TIA from a tired, sore FTM

No experience of the Purflo, but we have had a Sleepyhead since DD was 6 weeks. Not for co-sleeping, but still made a huge difference and we’re getting 6.30-6.30 with one feed (though I am well aware that we have a sleep regression looming).

Now at 4.5 months she uses it to self settle for bed; she has bath, bottle in dark bedroom, white noise on, then the little weirdo rubs her ear against the side while sucking her finger and falls asleep 🙈🙈🙈

No experience of the Purflo either although I was under the impression that only the Sleepyhead is safe for overnight sleep (although this could have changed!). We bought a second hand Sleepyhead when DS was two weeks as we couldn’t settle him but didn’t want to buy one new in case it didn’t help him settle. Washed it all twice and it’s like new and he settles in it so much better than his crib. I would highly recommend.

Gobletoffire - sleepyhead ISN’T safe for overnight sleep!

The only thing that is is a, firm, flat mattress in an uncluttered cot/basket, without cot bumpers!

Hi OP, we had a sleepyhead for ds1, gave it away when he outgrew it and got a Purflo for our ds2. Both loved theirs, did the same job with only a big price difference. We did use both when we went away on holiday and baby slept on the bed between us and the sleepyhead was slightly better as it's a bit more solid. The Purflo has a mesh only where the sleepyhead has a thin mattressy type thing. If money is no object and you might want to use it again for dc2, get a sleepyhead I would say. Both boys were out of theirs at 4 months.

Are you swaddling baby?

We have swaddled on occasion but then a midwife came round and said not to swaddle him

Those who used sleepyhead did you use for overnight sleeping? I thought they were safe too but maybe not?

I use a purflo nest with my 10 month old and he loves it. I feel confident leaving him to sleep in it because of the mesh bottom compared to the sleepyhead. Also the price difference is a bonus too!

If you want to cosleep follow the guidelines for it - don't use a nest. I.e. baby in sleeping bag, on their back, not under your duvet/blankets.

why did midwife say not to swaddle? in early days this was the way we got ds to sleep in his moses basket.

We swaddled until DS could roll over and it worked so well.

We do use it for overnight sleeping; she was such a wriggly baby due to reflux, kept thrashing around and banging her head against the side of the crib (one night she ended up moving so much she was completely horizontal) so we weighed up the risks and went for it. It’s helped to teach her to sleep on her back, and to keep her in position when her crib had to be tilted quite steeply.

@countrymousesussex do you use it in the cot? Or in bed with you?

Initially in a side sleeper crib, but now in her own cot (ready for when she needs to size up to the Grand). My mum had it on her bed when we stayed for the weekend and didn’t bring a travel cot, and it was fine for that too - mum just made sure it couldn’t fall/be pushed off.

We used the purflo when my little one was younger. They are safe to use overnight as they are breathable. I think it did help make him feel more secure, although they're not as soft and cosy as sleepyheads.

However, I would try swaddling with a Velcro swaddle first if you haven't already. That was the thing that really helped during the newborn stage. At around 6 months when my baby started wanting to wriggle and roll around a lot more then it was also bit of a pain trying to get him used to sleeping without the purflo, whereas he grew more naturally out of swaddling (after 12 weeksish started screaming any time I tried to do it!)

Sleepyheads are magical sleep machines! I can't recommend them enough.

I had Sleepyheads and then Sleepyhead Grandes for the DTs. They slept in them in their cots and also either side of me when we co-slept.

Sleepyheads are not safe for unsupervised sleep, the company themselves state this. Due to higher risk of SIDS, as a pp said, the only thing safe is an uncluttered cot. And if you want to cosleep again follow the lullaby trust guidelines.