why use a safety sleep?

When Jack was born DH's boss gave a basket of goodies that included a safety sleep. I have never even opened the bag! I never saw the need for it. Jack slept in a bassinette in our room till he was 5mths and had naps in the hammock in the lounge. Even though it was a gift I always saw it as one of those baby items that you were told you had to have but wasn't really necessary. I mean I slept on my tummy as a baby and I'm fine (well most of the time! )

So before I try and flick it off on Trade Me (have felt too guilty to do it before now) I would be interested to hear why other people have or haven't used them. Maybe I am missing something.

Edited by Linzy

I'm not using it in JJ's cot, but I found it useful when he was a little bit smaller - we took it to my parents' house and set it up on a spare single bed of theirs, meant we could put JJ down for a sleep there safely without needing to take and set up the portacot.

When he started rolling over in his cot I considered putting it in then but he only rolls over when he's not ready to go down, or he's had his sleep and is ready to get up. Plus he doesn't have one at daycare and I wanted to be as consistent as possible.

(I might have been more inclined to use it if I'd forked out for one, luckily we got handed down a couple, I didn't realise how expensive the jolly things are!)

ETA - but JJ doesn't seem to be very wiggly while he's actually sleeping these days, he's not wrapped or in a sleeping bag any more, and when he wakes up in the morning he's still lying where we put him and hasn't even kicked off his sheet/blanket. I can see why it would be useful for extra wiggly babies (like Ava!).

Edited by weegee

Its handy when they learn how to both sit and stand. As because it is such a novelty .. they do it instead of sleeping.

When they first learn to stand its a PITA because they havent usually worked out how to get back down.

So .. being able to strap them in is handy.

With Issy its also a sleep cue .. and I can usually get her to sleep anywhere as long as I have a safety sleep.

Oh and Issy always sleeps on her tummy, I just leave it loose enough so she can roll over if she wants to (I put her down on her back).

Edited by lilfatty

We used one of these with Caden when he went into the cot, but we ditched it about 1 1/2 months ago cos he kept rolling over and getting stuck. It was fantastic when he was smaller when he couldnt roll much cos it kept him on his back and safe.
But now, he just sleeps anyway he wants and if he gets uncomfy he moves, he sleeps on his tummy, side back, bum in the air, whatever lol I always go in and check him but he always has his head to the side and is old enough to shift if he cant breath.

I got mine off trade me for $60, I wasnt going to pay $100+ for them in the shop!

Edited by Sheza

I had the same problems Lisa, legs through the bars of the cot and moving out from the covers, a sleeping sack worked well for us.

So I get the impression that people have found them useful at times but not really a necessity. Is it worth keeping it for this baby 'just in case'? We are hopefully moving soon so was trying to reduce the amount of stuff we have

We used it when transitioning Eva into a cot. She was such a wriggler and would get caught in the bars and scream and scream. I think it you don't need it, don't use it. We found it quite difficult weaning her off it, but did so at around 10 months.

We stopped using our safetsleep when cath was able to take it off at about 16 months. So ours was incredibly good value for money.

It was also handy when we had a smaller car (couldn't fit portacot in) and went to other peoples homes.

It was good when at coffeegroup friends house and little miss c needed a nap, and their cot was occupied.

It stopped her from standing up in the cot for quite awhile.

Stopped her from wriggling up to the top of the cot and getting stuck in a corner. Meant I didn't have to worry about having the right kind of bumpers.   

It was easier to establish a sleeping time wherever we went because when it came out then she knew it was time for bed.   

Oh I am in two minds now as to whether to keep it. I am such a horrder and like to keep things 'just in case', I suppose it doesn't take up that much room