Product Spotlight Series: Sleep Surfaces (cribs, bassinets, travel cribs, etc.) week of Nov 13

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... sleep surfaces! Cribs, bassinets, travel cribs, mattresses, and anything in between.

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.

For S+TMs:

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc):
Favorite [sleep surface]:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like about it:
What you don't like about it, if anything:
Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
Is there a [sleep surface] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
Additional thoughts on [sleep surfaces]?:

For FTMs:

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc):
[Sleep surface] you're interested in:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:

To view past Product Spotlights or view the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gjNtxy2Kd2JceTYYR5wkwVcpTbU-khgazhjcZnfI1y4/edit?usp=sharing

Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!

BurlapandLace · November 2017

I definitely plan on getting a Dock a Tot this time around.

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

@BurlapandLace do you have any opinions on the smaller vs larger size?

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

Question for S+TMs!

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): we live in a 2 bedroom apartment, and baby will be in our bedroom so I can keep our guest room a guest room (and thus my mom can stay with us)
[Sleep surface] you're interested in: I'm going to get the Uppababy Vista stroller, so I'm considering just using the bassinet with or without the stand (probably with), but I'm also considering something like the halo? There is minimal room around the edges of our bed, so we need something that doesn't take up a ton of room. I like the idea of the halo because it has light/sound features which I think would be handy.
Link/picture: https://www.halosleep.com/our-products/halo-bassinest-swivel-sleeper/
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $250-$299 depending on model
Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?: I've read some babies just don't really like basinets and prefer things like RnP, etc. So, knowing that, should I just use the Uppababy bassinet at first, see if baby likes bassinets in general, and then assess if I need a Halo?

momlyfe29 · November 2017

@BurlapandLace We love our dock a tot (our son our grew the small one so we have the big one now and he still sleeps in it at 16 mo)! So worth it in my opinion

lisa2589 · November 2017

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): We live in a ranch style house, though baby’s room will eventually be on the opposite side of the house so for the first few months will be in our room. Favorite [sleep surface]: With DD we used a Chicco Playyard with a bassinet insert and changing table. We will most likely be using this again. Link/picture: This is similar to what we have

Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $150ish depending on the modelWhat you like about it: So functional- when baby goes into the regular crib, we take off the changing table and bassinet insert and move it to our main living area for a safe place for baby to hang out/snooze. Since it’s large, DD got used to sleeping on a large flat surface right away (vs Rock n play etc) so transitioning to the crib was super easy. Our model had an attachment for vibration, sounds, music and nightlight that we loved also. What you don't like about it, if anything: It’s pretty big to be set up in a bedroom next to our bed. Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: I have considered the Halo bassinet only because it would take less space in our room.

jsl82 · November 2017

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): With DD we were in an apartment until she was 3 months, now in a house (3 floors).
Favorite [sleep surface]: For the first 2 months she slept in the Rock N Play next to our bed. DH and I have 2 cats that sleep in our bed/on us (which is a thing I'll probably start b!tching about in the weekly thread the larger I get). Because of the cats we were scared to have her in our room, for fear of waking up to a cat laying on top of the baby, and co sleeping was completely out of the question. I would LOVE a doc a tot (would have made my life a million times better as a new mom), but that's not possible for us. After DD started sleeping through the night in her Miracle Sleep Suit at 2 months we moved her into her room/ the crib. This time I plan on having a basinet next to the bed and the Rock N Play downstairs for naps.
We will probably buy another crib. I like the one we have for DD. It's super sturdy- which is good, since my 10 month old doesn't like to nap and walks around the crib holding onto the rails when she wakes up. I also love that the color- it has a bluish tint to it, but is so dark you almost can't tell. It looks grown up- so I plan on transitioning her into a bed with it. We have the converter to make it a full sized bed, but I'm not sure if we will have enough room for DD to have a full sized bed.
Link/picture:
Rock N Play: https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Rock-Sleeper-Rainforest-Friends/dp/B00BUO4664/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1510607208&sr=8-3&keywords=rock'n+play&dpID=511qxsIxiXL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Crib: https://www.toysrus.com/product?productId=70562826
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you don't like about it, if anything:
With the rock n play I didn't like the strap. I was trying (failing, but trying) to keep DD swaddled and the strap didn't allow for that.... and when I didn't strap her in I felt like it must have been uncomfortable to have the strap under her. DH was (and still is) paranoid about everything related to DD- so he wanted her strapped into any and all surfaces. It was a constant battle for us.
The crib my only complaint is that DD bites the railing.... and the paint has chipped where she bit. We bought a crib rail cover and that solved the problem.
Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: The Halo. Space saving, plus the rail bends down for easy baby scooping (not getting out of bed to pick up the baby would be a huge benefit). It also has the vibration setting that I think is the reason the RnP worked so well for DD.
Is there a [sleep surface] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: For the first 2 months she really only slept at night while nursing... that was the worst... once I removed her she would wake up. I slept on her glider ALOT. Not technically safe- but wasn't the goal of any of the feeding sessions either. Get a good rocker/ glider... you will sleep in it more than you should.
Additional thoughts on [sleep surfaces]?:

BurlapandLace · November 2017

@doxiemoxie212 ~ You start with the smaller one when they are younger and (if you want to) transfer to the bigger one after they’ve grown out of the small one.

They are pricy for sure. Especially if you get both. But I’ve only ever heard good things about them. And they hold their resale value really well so you could sell the small one to help fund the larger one when the time comes.

ETA: If you want to meaning either transition baby to the bigger size dot or into another sleeping arrangement. Not suggesting that once baby grows out of the small one that you should continue to use it.

BurlapandLace · November 2017

When DS was born, we lived in a 300 square foot living space. So space was a huge concern. We got a mini crib and had it side car next to my side of the bed, so he could be close but on his own sleeping space. Once he came, it very quickly became clear that I had given birth to the world’s worst sleeper. So our plans changed and he ended up (safely) bed sharing with us more often than not. And the crib was just taking up space. So it came down. It eventually went back up (after we moved out) and he eventually learned to mostly sleep on his own sleep surface. As he got closer to 2, he was very quickly outgrowing the mini crib and we transitioned him onto a twin mattress.

Now that we have our own house and more room, we plan on getting a full size crib this time around to have side car on my side of the bed. We also plan on getting a dock a tot in hopes that little one will be more comfortable in their own sleeping space in the dock (though i am obviously comfortable bed sharing again if that ends up being what gets us all the most sleep).

araecasey · November 2017

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): House, we travel once or twice per year.

Favorite [sleep surface]: In bed with me. I also like the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper. My second baby liked the Rock n Play for naps and when he was congested.

Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): Cost of bedsharing... I paid a friend $25 for her old bed rail. I bought the Arm's Reach from a neighbor for $20.

What you like about it: So many things I love about bedsharing. Breastfeeding is easy. Baby soothing is easy. No one has to fully wake in the night. My babies learn to sleep so peacefully at night. My baby is right there for me to check on continuously through the night. Arm's Reach provides similar easiness but in baby's own sleep space. We follow the Safe Sleep 7 guidelines, and this choice was made after extensive research. If anyone is interesting in reading about safe bedsharing, I highly recommend Sweet Sleep and checking out the research shared on UNICEF's website.

What you don't like about it, if anything: My babies stay in bed with me for the first six months. At that point, hubby and I are ready for more time together just us, not sharing our bed or bedroom for at least part of the night. On nights we wanna be intimate, I put baby to sleep in another room, then allow baby to come back to our room for the second half of the night.

Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: Nope

Is there a [sleep surface] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: Crib in baby's own room has been very challenging for my newborns. This is where we started, and it just didn't work for us. No one slept, not even our babies. At this point, after much research and discussing with pediatric professionals, I've stopped fighting the cultural pressure to put my newborns in a crib.

llamamama14 · November 2017

S+TM:

Lifestyle: With DS we had a 3 b.r. ranch. With DD and currently we have a 3 floor house. We've kept our babies bedside until 3 months when I move them into their own room in a crib.
Favorite [sleep surface]: We have used pack n play, crib (one IKEA and one from Wayfair not sure the brand) UppaBaby bassinet, and Rock n Play. I've been satisfied with all these products. Unfortunately none were miracle products... DS was a bad sleeper and DD looooved to sleep and I did the same routine and products with both of them.
Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: + 1 to the Halo bassinet. It looks like it would be perfect for the first few months because you can pull it right next to you while you're sleeping and the sides come down... I'm just debating whether I want to spend $$$ on something that I'll only use for 3 months. Might get one of Craigslist and resell.
Additional thoughts on [sleep surfaces]?: 1. I don't believe in spending more than $100 or so on a crib. 2. If you have a house with multiple levels it's nice to have a place to put baby on each floor. (If it's your first kid you can put them on the floor but if you have a toddler or a pet you're worried about you'll want baby off the floor.)

@doxiemoxie212 I'm convinced every baby will prefer a Rock n Play over a flat surface. Some babies are just fussier sleepers (or have reflux) so parents are more likely to cave and use the RnP for sleep. Some parents choose to train baby to sleep on a flat surface from day 1.
@jsl82 Did you mean to say the strap on the Rock n Play? (Not the Pack n Play?)

Austenista · November 2017

@doxiemoxie212 if you have minimal space around the bed, I would not recommend the Halo. The base is very large. I had a lot of space and we were constantly shuffling over and stubbing toes. Also, I never could get DS to sleep in it and ended up selling it. It was the only item I didn’t keep because we knew we were planning for more.

marcus7676 · November 2017

FWIW, DS hated the RNP. He also hated sleeping anywhere that wasn't attached to my nipple or on my husband. We co-slept, tried the Arms Reach, tried a PNP, and the only thing that worked was a swing. You probably don't want my advice. We are going to try things differently this time (I recommend Bringing Up Bebe and "The Pause") and try to keep Two in the PNP in our room. Although my husband REALLY wants the Snoo.

jsl82 · November 2017

@llamamama14 yes the rock n play's strap. Edited review to correct.

katie121209 · November 2017

DD ended up sleeping in the rock n play for 4 months due to terrible reflux. Knowing that I'll have to have a c section this time around, the halo bassinet looks so convenient. But what if I spend all that money and they end up with bad reflux too and we don't use it. Ugh decisions decisions.

NamelessAria · November 2017

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): We live in a 2 story townhome and we travel a decent amount. My family is 15 hours away and my ILs are about 5 hours away. So anytime we want to see family on either side we have to travel. As a result we travel for pretty much every holiday and then random trips for weddings or other events.
Favorite [sleep surface]: When William was really little my favorite was a gliding bassinet. Now that he's older my favorite place for him to sleep is his crib. For travel we use a pack n play.
Link/picture: Gliding bassinet. Pack n Play.
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): The gliding bassinet was about $170. The Pack n Play was around $60 I think.
What you like about it: William has, and still has to an extent, bad reflux so it was really hard for him to sleep flat. I know that's the safest but his pediatrician wanted to try having him sleep with his head slightly elevated before trying medication to treat his reflux. With the gliding bassinet we were able to have his head slightly inclined but he was still mostly flat. William also was just a super fussy sleeper presumably because his reflux made him uncomfortable at night. He absolutely slept better in something that was moving. There were a few desperate nights that we let him sleep in his swing and it was just magic. Once we got the gliding bassinet we were able to put him in there and he slept really well like he did in his swing but I felt so much better about it than I did about having him in a swing all night. For the Pack n Play I really loved having the changer attachment. I used it so much during those early weeks. We had a changing table upstairs in the nursery but having somewhere downstairs to change William was fantastic.
What you don't like about it, if anything: My biggest peeves with the gliding bassinet are the loud click it makes when you raise/lower the head and the fact that the mobile doesn't move.
Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: At this point I have so many sleeping options I don't think I'd collect anymore.
Is there a [sleep surface] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: Rock n Play. I know a lot of people say that these are magical for babies especially babies with reflux but I hated it and William hated it. He didn't really sleep any better in it than he did in a standard, flat bassinet/crib. Sometimes I'd check on him while he was napping and he'd be kinda slumped down and I don't know it looked really uncomfortable. Plus the way he'd wiggle down like that would sometimes leave his head and neck in a weird position that just gave me anxiety. I also noticed that the flat spot on his head was a lot worse after a long nap or a night in the Rock n Play than it was in his bassinet. If I could go back in time I would have returned the Rock n Play that I was gifted instead of trying to use it.

buffalove1211 · November 2017

Pack n Play - We used this for every night sleep until DD was 4 months old and moved into her crib. Nothing fancy but no complaints either. It was the back up plan after my Halo fail (keep reading)

Rock n Play - This thing was a god send. We very rarely used it for night time sleep because I was paranoid about wanting her on a flat surface. However we did use it for naps and just lounging around - she loved it! A few brutal nights I did end up letting her sleep in it after using a flat surface for the first long stretch of the night.

Halo - Sad story for me... We got this with DD and after assembling it, we ended up needing to return it. Our bed was too low for the lowest setting, so when I would pull it towards me and the bed, the Halo and baby were too high and it was awkward. We have since gotten a new bed and mattress. Without intending to, apparently my new bed is low also! My new bed is one inch lower than what Halo says the bed height should be. I'm so annoyed. I am going to see a friend who has one in a couple weeks, so I am going to play with hers and a yard stick and see exactly what I would be dealing with if I re-bought it.

Dock a Tot - I want this thing so badly, and I honestly don't even entirely understand it's function. Is it meant for all night sleep? Or is it more for lounging around the house? I can't imagine it is good for all night sleep because the sides could be suffocating? Thoughts?

buffalove1211 · November 2017

@BurlapandLace Talk to be about the dock a tot! I meant to tag you and this question in my post. What exactly is it's intended purpose? Lounging? All night sleep? Co-sleeping? Using inside a crib? Help me justify why I want something I don't even understand LOL.

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

@buffalove1211 looks like the answer to your dock a tot question is that it's not safe for "unsupervised" sleep: https://dockatot.com/pages/baby-sleeping-tips-sleep-safety

buffalove1211 · November 2017

doxiemoxie212 said:

@buffalove1211 looks like the answer to your dock a tot question is that it's not safe for "unsupervised" sleep: https://dockatot.com/pages/baby-sleeping-tips-sleep-safety

Thanks! I've read that as well and I was left confused.... What is so great about a $200 surface for lounging around that doesn't vibrate or have any bells and whistles? Not knocking the Dock a Tot... genuinely want to understand what is so great about it if the baby can't nighttime sleep in it.

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

@buffalove1211 I mean, I think people just use it for overnight sleep anyway. I've watched a ton of youtube videos of moms raving about how it gets their newborn to sleep through the night. So... IDK? And I guess supervised tummy time?

MoonOverGoldsboro · November 2017

I feel like I am the only person on earth who had our babe sleeping in his own crib from day one. We have a small house with tiny bedrooms, and his nursery is right across the hall, so it felt like he was practically with us...but I could have never, ever slept in the same room with him. I wake up to every shift and snuffle, and newborns are such freakin' noisy sleepers! We were all happy in separate rooms.

I'm not sure what we're going to do for this nugget. I am more tempted to room-share this time because I'm worried about my son's sleep being disturbed by any crying I'm not able to shush immediately. I guess maybe we'll play it by ear? And I assume that since my son was such a good sleeper, baby two is never going to sleep at all...I'll be running to this thread then, haha.

krash_ · November 2017

@MoonOverGoldsboro I may PM you regarding sleeping in the crib right away. See our post's in the FTM check-in. We also have a small-ish ranch and the nursery will be right across the hall from our bedroom. We also sleep with doors open. Our door will be wide open and I want to get a door monkey for the nursery so it can stay cracked open but not far enough for the dog or cat to get in.

BurlapandLace · November 2017

@buffalove1211 ~ It is a product that was created in another country and if you look at the safety guidelines for its country of origin, it is allowed for “unsupervised” sleep.

“Supervised” sleep just means they are in the same room as you and you aren’t passed out drunk or on drugs and therefore unresponsive to baby. And it is recommended that baby sleep in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months anyways.

The sides are completely breathable.

It is just a matter of different standards in America for sleeping. Kind of like how American standards will always warn against bed sharing when it is known that it is completely safe if done properly.

People use it for overnight sleep ALL the time. Just like they do the rock n play, which is also not recommended for sleep. So like most parenting decisions, you will just have to go with your gut and use your best judgement.

doxiemoxie212 · November 2017

I got more curious about the dock a tot overnight sleep thing, so I did some googling. This was one of the first articles that popped up, and I found it helpful to understand the risk. I also found it interesting to know terms like "breathable" or "sleeper" are not regulated in the US, but "bassinet" "crib" or "play yard" are. https://www.candokiddo.com/news/is-dockatot-safe

But yeah, as @BurlapandLace said, it sounds like it's probably in the RnP territory, and I think even some ladies on here have mentioned their pediatricians actually suggested the RnP for babies with reflux. And from reading about room sharing as @krashke mentioned, it seems like even the AAP is sort of all over the place in terms of what they're recommending.

Thanks for making it easy for moms, experts lol.

mytinc · November 2017

DS1 slept in the pack n play in our room for the first four months and then in his room in the crib. During the day he napped in the Rock N Play, which is really easy to move around the house. We never had any mold issues. If we noticed a diaper leak or large spit up on the material we just threw the cover in the washer and wiped down the plastic parts. Super easy.

DS2's sleep routine was the same, but he napped more often in his room in the crib since DS1 was only 16 months older, and on a different sleep schedule. It gave DS2 more quiet.

MoonOverGoldsboro · November 2017

@krashke Please feel free. I also did a lot of research on this because the AAP's statement about room-sharing was still pretty new when my son was born. Like most things, I came to the conclusion that it made the most sense to do what worked best for our family. Happy to talk more!

ETA: We also had pets to consider! We have two cats and a dog that jump on and off the bed all night--no way I was risking that waking a baby.

morristhecatmom · November 2017

Lifestyle (house, apartment, travel often, etc): four bedroom house, travel minimally, Family all lives within an hour and a half of me.
Favorite [sleep surface]: Rock n play
Link/picture: https://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-auto-rock-n-play-sleeper-aqua-stone/-/A-16792567?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=t&location=9017353&gclid=CjwKCAiA6K_QBRA8EiwASvtjZX3uZgasdHDAsNb4O84YGFsZZuF7lORRdzciXBsHvmkldNgWzzMW5RoC_d4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $65-$90 depending on model
What you like about it: I like that it's compact and fits nicely next to our bed. We got ours when we had our now four and a half year-old, so it isn't fancy and vibrates or rocks. It worked really well with the kids used it, although this time I think we are going to use it as a place to put baby down stairs versus a full-time sleeping space.
What you don't like about it, if anything: we didn't experience this, but I know several friends who had children that struggle to transfer to sleeping flat.
Is there a [sleep surface] you don't have but are considering? Why?: we are borrowing my friends halo bassinet swivel sleeper, I'm excited to try it before we transition to the crib in our room.
Is there a [sleep surface] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: I truly can't think of any. My kids really hate the bouncer, but we still have it because it matches our swing and rock and play, so we will see if number three likes it.
Additional thoughts on [sleep surfaces]?: my goal is to have baby in a room in her his or her own crib before the four-month sleep regression this time. The recommendations to keep baby in your room for 12 months or something new versus when I had my last child, I'm hoping we can keep baby as close comfortably for all of us as long as possible.

doxiemoxie212 · December 2017

Okay, question. Let's say we're traveling to a wedding out of state by plane the first weekend in November 2018. Baby will likely be... 5 months old give or take. What does she sleep in at the hotel? How does that work? Do I have to bring a travel crib thing?

dinodna3 · December 2017

@doxiemoxie212 Call the hotel and see if they offer cribs. We used to have them available at the resort I worked at on Palm Beach.

bkrahn · December 2017

@buffalove1211 I think a lot of things are not “intended for unsupervised use” but are still used for that. I think you just have to use your own judgement. DD slept in a vibrating bouncy chair (strapped in) for the first 3 months of her life. It was the only place she slept. She liked it and it helped wonders with reflux. We all got a full nights sleep. Obviously it’s not intended for overnight use, but we knew she was safe. And she slept beside our bed, so she wasn’t far. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

In Canada, we can’t purchase the dockatot, but I just purchased a very similar Canadian product & plan to use it overnight. Baby will be sleeping within arms reach of me so I’m not worried. It’s not completely unsupervised. I think once baby starts rolling, it might be more of an issue.. but by then she will hopefully be in a crib.

I have been considering purchasing the halo this time around, but like someone else said, the base is actually quite bulky and we have limited space. I might just be buying a basic bassinet to fit our babynest,and call it a day. if Baby hates it, we can look at other options. But I’d hate to spend all that money on a halo, just for baby to possibly hate it.

buffalove1211 · December 2017

@bkrahn I think you are totally right. We used the Rock n Play with DD so I'm not a total stranger to controversial products. I think my concerns and confusion are twofold.... there is the unsupervised sleep aspect and also the fact that it isn't a flat hard surface. At the end of the day you are right... we do what we gotta do.... and I'm likely buying a dang Dockatot lol.

marcus7676 · December 2017

@doxiemoxie212 you can call the hotel and see if they have travel cribs. Or, if you have local friends, see if they have a PNP to borrow.

We we have an ikea crib (sniglar) and a nice organic mattress. It’s natural wood and I love it. It held up really well with DS and we will use it for Two. For a $70 crib, it was well worth it.

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Product Spotlight Series: Sleep Surfaces (cribs, bassinets, travel cribs, etc.) week of Nov 13

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