Will only sleep in a dockadot

Gugu22 · 2023-01-15T10:49:27+00:00

I feel like a absolute terrible mother! My 4 month old baby has only and will only sleep in a dock a dot since she was born, she naps throughout the day in it and sleeps throughout the night in it. Now I know it's not recommended for babies to sleep in a dock a dot but it's the only way she will sleep! We have tried to take it away from her but she will cry and cry for hours, swaddling has never worked for us I just want her to be comfortable and have a good sleep which she does in the dock a dot only! I have noticed its the comfort of turning her head to one side and having the support on the side. The stress and anxiety every day thinking of allowing this has caused me sleepless nights... Will she ever sleep without it?

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Calphurnia88 · 16/01/2023 08:43

Have you looked into Merlin suits? Quite expensive but maybe worth a try...

Not here to shame, but you really must stop using the Dockatot for sleep, especially at night when you are presumably asleep too. There are warnings on the product for a reason.

GinnyBee · 16/01/2023 10:51

Mine slept in a purflo. They're safety tested to the same standards as moses baskets and pram carrycots so even though officially not recommended, I was still comfortable that it's at least safer than not sleeping.

girlmummy25 · 17/01/2023 02:56

Both of mine have slept in a dockatot/sleepyhead ever since newborn.
Co-sleeping is far more risky and lots of people do that - not saying that makes this right but its an educated choice.
If you still not happy with it could you try waiting until baby is in a deep sleep then removing them from the dockatot then slowly doing it when they are less and less in a deep sleep.

(que all the co-sleepers coming for me - do not @ me abuse unless you have researched against the 2 options, a quick google with give you the answer)

Original poster

Gugu22 · 17/01/2023 09:32

girlmummy25 · 17/01/2023 02:56

Both of mine have slept in a dockatot/sleepyhead ever since newborn.
Co-sleeping is far more risky and lots of people do that - not saying that makes this right but its an educated choice.
If you still not happy with it could you try waiting until baby is in a deep sleep then removing them from the dockatot then slowly doing it when they are less and less in a deep sleep.

(que all the co-sleepers coming for me - do not @ me abuse unless you have researched against the 2 options, a quick google with give you the answer)

That makes me feel better knowing I am not the only one! Up until what age did they sleep in the dock a dot? We went cold turkey yesterday and took the dock a dot away she went sleep at 11.30pm and woke up at 7am with only one waking... success!! Hoping tonight will be the same.

OP posts:

Original poster

Gugu22 · 17/01/2023 09:33

Gugu22 · 17/01/2023 09:32

That makes me feel better knowing I am not the only one! Up until what age did they sleep in the dock a dot? We went cold turkey yesterday and took the dock a dot away she went sleep at 11.30pm and woke up at 7am with only one waking... success!! Hoping tonight will be the same.

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Also I have never done co sleeping I feel its too risky!

OP posts:

girlmummy25 · 17/01/2023 20:18

@Gugu22 my first was until she outgrew it around 5 or 6 months.
My second is only 3.5months and still sleeps in it in a next to me crib.
Well done! Hoping tonight goes good for you again!

Original poster

Gugu22 · 17/01/2023 20:39

girlmummy25 · 17/01/2023 20:18

@Gugu22 my first was until she outgrew it around 5 or 6 months.
My second is only 3.5months and still sleeps in it in a next to me crib.
Well done! Hoping tonight goes good for you again!

We are hoping she will sleep through the night! How did you take the dock a dot away?

OP posts:

Eatentoomanyroses · 17/01/2023 20:49

Both mine slept in a sleepyhead. They were always in the same room as me and I used a breathing monitor underneath it. My first stuck with it until she was about 1 in fact. Loved it. My second was bigger but I weaned her off it by taking it out of the cover and making a larger nest type affair with it under the fitted sheet of the cot and then eventually taking it away.

Runkle · 17/01/2023 20:54

We used this til she out grew it. She slept so well in it!

purflo.com/the-sleep-tight-baby-bed/

PritiPatelsMaker · 17/01/2023 21:03

Co-sleeping is far more risky and lots of people do that - not saying that makes this right but its an educated choice.

Have you got any links on this @girlmummy25? I always thought that if you follow the safe sleeping guidelines, co-sleeping is the safest.

MatronicO6 · 17/01/2023 23:21

We noticed that baby would nap very quickly in sleepyhead during day but was awful at nights with nothing. But we figured it was the support so we ended up using rolled towels wrapped in t-shirts I had worn and placed them in a similar shape in cot. Which got her to settle in and began to gradually move them further apart, which seemed to be fine. But then the heatwave struck and our bedroom was roasting so everything was gone instantly. And whilst she grumbled a bit she did sleep. We never put her in sleepyhead again to avoid the sleep association.

Calphurnia88 · 18/01/2023 11:01

MatronicO6 · 17/01/2023 23:21

We noticed that baby would nap very quickly in sleepyhead during day but was awful at nights with nothing. But we figured it was the support so we ended up using rolled towels wrapped in t-shirts I had worn and placed them in a similar shape in cot. Which got her to settle in and began to gradually move them further apart, which seemed to be fine. But then the heatwave struck and our bedroom was roasting so everything was gone instantly. And whilst she grumbled a bit she did sleep. We never put her in sleepyhead again to avoid the sleep association.

I reported this because placing rolled up towels wrapped in t-shirts in your baby's cot, especially around their head, is most defintely not safe.

Apparently Mumsnet would rather I challenge it (as opposed to remove it, which I think would be the responsible thing to do to) so here are the specific sections of the Lullaby Trust safe sleep guidance that relate to this: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/clear-cot/

I'm not judging you @MatronicO6 but I would hate to think of uninformed parents reading this and thinking it's a safe option.

MatronicO6 · 18/01/2023 13:09

Calphurnia88 · 18/01/2023 11:01

I reported this because placing rolled up towels wrapped in t-shirts in your baby's cot, especially around their head, is most defintely not safe.

Apparently Mumsnet would rather I challenge it (as opposed to remove it, which I think would be the responsible thing to do to) so here are the specific sections of the Lullaby Trust safe sleep guidance that relate to this: www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/clear-cot/

I'm not judging you @MatronicO6 but I would hate to think of uninformed parents reading this and thinking it's a safe option.

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Just to make clear we were right beside her and then moved the towels once she had dozed off. She was never left to sleep alone in this position! Sorry, I thought I had implied that when I said it got her to 'settle in' cot.

user666555 · 25/02/2024 14:17

@Gugu22 how did it go in the end OP? What helped? X