Product information and safety:
Suitable for use until the child tries to change his position in the nest (around 4 months). For use day and night for the first four months For use during the first weeks when baby is asleep, day and night. Later during “awake time” baby should also spend time out of the Cocoonababy nest for example on his tummy on a play mat.
Q. My health visitor says that babies should lie on a firm surface. The nest seems soft so I’m not sure about using it.
A. She is right in that a child should not be placed on a soft surface as his body will “sink” into it. However on a flat, hard surface a baby cannot lie in a cradled posture which reminds him of his mother’s womb and reassures him. The Cocoonababy® nest is neither soft, flat, nor hard: it is designed in such a way that its base is firm yet its surface soft. This ergonomic design has many advantages: it keeps baby on his back but cradles him, allows him to move his arms and head freely and to interact with those around him.
Q. After using the nest for a few days my baby seems to lie more deeply in it. Is this normal?
A. This is perfect - This means that the special fabric covering the foam has moulded itself to the shape of the foam. Your baby is really in his nest !
Q. I read that a child is able to move in the nest but you say that he can’t get out of it.
A. When we say that a child can move in the nest we mean that he can turn his head and move his arms allowing him to discover his hands. However, during the first months of his life he is unable to roll onto his side or turn over in the nest.
Q. You say that the Cocoonababy nest should be used day and night when baby is sleeping. Is that not too much?
A. In fact babies sleep most of the time during the first few weeks. Thanks to its shape and the materials used to make it, the Cocoonababy nest is the only product which can be used day and night for the first months. The posture adopted by your child in the nest has been studied in depth by medical specialists and is the best one for your baby’s comfort and development. So it is important that he should be in the nest when he is not in your arms, on a playmat or out for a stroll. It reassures and comforts him, gives him the freedom of movement which encourages his eye-hand development, and allows him to interact with those around him when he is not asleep.
Q. I am worried that my baby may slip between the bars of his cot and the sides of the nest?
A. There is no risk of this happening so long as you follow the instructions for use closely and stop using the Cocoonababy as soon as your child starts trying to change position when he is in it.
A. She is right in that a child should not be placed on a soft surface as his body will “sink” into it. However on a flat, hard surface a baby cannot lie in a cradled posture which reminds him of his mother’s womb and reassures him. The Cocoonababy® nest is neither soft, flat, nor hard: it is designed in such a way that its base is firm yet its surface soft. This ergonomic design has many advantages: it keeps baby on his back but cradles him, allows him to move his arms and head freely and to interact with those around him.
Q. After using the nest for a few days my baby seems to lie more deeply in it. Is this normal?
A. This is perfect - This means that the special fabric covering the foam has moulded itself to the shape of the foam. Your baby is really in his nest !
Q. I read that a child is able to move in the nest but you say that he can’t get out of it.
A. When we say that a child can move in the nest we mean that he can turn his head and move his arms allowing him to discover his hands. However, during the first months of his life he is unable to roll onto his side or turn over in the nest.
Q. You say that the Cocoonababy nest should be used day and night when baby is sleeping. Is that not too much?
A. In fact babies sleep most of the time during the first few weeks. Thanks to its shape and the materials used to make it, the Cocoonababy nest is the only product which can be used day and night for the first months. The posture adopted by your child in the nest has been studied in depth by medical specialists and is the best one for your baby’s comfort and development. So it is important that he should be in the nest when he is not in your arms, on a playmat or out for a stroll. It reassures and comforts him, gives him the freedom of movement which encourages his eye-hand development, and allows him to interact with those around him when he is not asleep.
Q. I am worried that my baby may slip between the bars of his cot and the sides of the nest?
A. There is no risk of this happening so long as you follow the instructions for use closely and stop using the Cocoonababy as soon as your child starts trying to change position when he is in it.
Q You seem to find it important that a baby can touch his face in Cocoonababy. Why is this?
A. In the womb a baby can touch his face and even suck his thumb. If he is on his back on a flat, hard surface a newborn’s arms will lie on either side of his head in a “3 branch candlestick “posture. He can’t touch his face as he hasn’t the strength to move his arms upwards – and it is said that in this posture babies suffer from "separation anxiety" as they are lying in a space too big for them and they lose their bearings. In the Cocoonababy nest baby can touch his face, mouth and body thereby feeling the limits of his own body which he finds very reassuring.
Q. Some mothers say that there are other products on the market made in visco-elastic foam (memory-foam) which are the same thing as the Cocoonababy nest.
A. This is not true. The Cocoonababy nest is not made in visco-elastic foam. It is made from two different kinds of foam, one used for reactivity, the other for comfort. The products made in visco-elastic foam maintain the child in the position in which he is placed on them and are therefore to be avoided until the child has gained his own motor skills (around 4-5 months). The Cocoonababy nest produces the opposite effect: it helps the child move his head and arms at an early stage thus gaining motor skills.
Q. Can the nest be placed in a carrycot ?
A. No because a carrycot is not deep enough. The sides of the cot or the cradle should be at least 20cms higher than the top of the nest (in conformity with the French safety regulations and bedding standard).
Q. Can my baby wear a sleeping bag in the Cocoonababy nest ?
A. Yes, he can – however, choose a small size suitable for a baby up to 4 months only. In fact we have designed the Cocobag sleeping bag especially for babies in the Cocoonababy – it is ideal for this purpose and is not at all bulky or too warm.
Q. My baby seems to be very hot in the Cocoonababy nest. What should I do?
A. It is normal that lying in a cradled position your baby will feel warmer than if he is lying flat on his back. Imagine if you yourself were to sit curled up in an armchair, as opposed to sitting on a straight backed chair with nothing around you. Just put less clothes or covers on him and by touching the nape of his neck you will be able to establish if he is too warm or not.
Q. Can I swaddle my baby when he is in the nest ?
A. Yes, it is possible to swaddle your child in the Cocoonababy nest. However, a child which starts life in the nest will most probably not need to be swaddled : in fact, the semi-foetal, cradled posture which his body adopts in the nest will help him to feel secure, prevent him suffering from startle reflex/Moro Reflex (sudden, uncontrolled arm movements which make baby wake up and cry) and reduce the chances of his suffering from colic. It will help him sleep better too.
Q. The Cocoonababy nest seems quite small to me. I don’t really think my child will be able to use it for four months.
A. If you have a big baby, when he gets to 4 months old he may be longer than the nest – but this is not a problem. Simply remove the wedge and allow your baby’s legs to rest on the bottom edge of the nest with his feet over the end. What is important is that at all times baby must not be able to push against anything with his feet and put himself into a hyper-extended posture.
Q. If I put my baby in the nest during the daytime, how can I distract him?
A.You could put the nest onto a play mat with a toy bar on it or put him in his cot with a mobile to look at - but ensure that the toys are level with his feet and not directly above his head. Contrary to usual practice, it is very important that a child lying on his back should have his gaze drawn towards his feet to encourage him to adopt a cradled posture. If his gaze is drawn above his head this encourages a hyper extended posture which is detrimental to his comfort and development. When lying in the nest, baby will also be able to watch the other family members – and he will be happy to participate in what is going on around him.
Q. Why do you have a Tummy Band with Cocoonababy ? What is its purpose?
We all know that the motor skills of a child less than 4 months old would not permit him to get out of the nest. This question, however, is one which is recurrent among first time parents. So we decided to include a Tummy Band which, thanks to its special design, does not restrict baby’s movements. It will reassure his parents … and baby will feel even happier as this small band has a calming effect! In fact, as does swaddling, it applies the same light pressure on baby’s tummy as your hand would in order to appease colic and it incites the child to adopt a ‘centred’ rather than an ‘extended’ position.
A. In the womb a baby can touch his face and even suck his thumb. If he is on his back on a flat, hard surface a newborn’s arms will lie on either side of his head in a “3 branch candlestick “posture. He can’t touch his face as he hasn’t the strength to move his arms upwards – and it is said that in this posture babies suffer from "separation anxiety" as they are lying in a space too big for them and they lose their bearings. In the Cocoonababy nest baby can touch his face, mouth and body thereby feeling the limits of his own body which he finds very reassuring.
Q. Some mothers say that there are other products on the market made in visco-elastic foam (memory-foam) which are the same thing as the Cocoonababy nest.
A. This is not true. The Cocoonababy nest is not made in visco-elastic foam. It is made from two different kinds of foam, one used for reactivity, the other for comfort. The products made in visco-elastic foam maintain the child in the position in which he is placed on them and are therefore to be avoided until the child has gained his own motor skills (around 4-5 months). The Cocoonababy nest produces the opposite effect: it helps the child move his head and arms at an early stage thus gaining motor skills.
Q. Can the nest be placed in a carrycot ?
A. No because a carrycot is not deep enough. The sides of the cot or the cradle should be at least 20cms higher than the top of the nest (in conformity with the French safety regulations and bedding standard).
Q. Can my baby wear a sleeping bag in the Cocoonababy nest ?
A. Yes, he can – however, choose a small size suitable for a baby up to 4 months only. In fact we have designed the Cocobag sleeping bag especially for babies in the Cocoonababy – it is ideal for this purpose and is not at all bulky or too warm.
Q. My baby seems to be very hot in the Cocoonababy nest. What should I do?
A. It is normal that lying in a cradled position your baby will feel warmer than if he is lying flat on his back. Imagine if you yourself were to sit curled up in an armchair, as opposed to sitting on a straight backed chair with nothing around you. Just put less clothes or covers on him and by touching the nape of his neck you will be able to establish if he is too warm or not.
Q. Can I swaddle my baby when he is in the nest ?
A. Yes, it is possible to swaddle your child in the Cocoonababy nest. However, a child which starts life in the nest will most probably not need to be swaddled : in fact, the semi-foetal, cradled posture which his body adopts in the nest will help him to feel secure, prevent him suffering from startle reflex/Moro Reflex (sudden, uncontrolled arm movements which make baby wake up and cry) and reduce the chances of his suffering from colic. It will help him sleep better too.
Q. The Cocoonababy nest seems quite small to me. I don’t really think my child will be able to use it for four months.
A. If you have a big baby, when he gets to 4 months old he may be longer than the nest – but this is not a problem. Simply remove the wedge and allow your baby’s legs to rest on the bottom edge of the nest with his feet over the end. What is important is that at all times baby must not be able to push against anything with his feet and put himself into a hyper-extended posture.
Q. If I put my baby in the nest during the daytime, how can I distract him?
A.You could put the nest onto a play mat with a toy bar on it or put him in his cot with a mobile to look at - but ensure that the toys are level with his feet and not directly above his head. Contrary to usual practice, it is very important that a child lying on his back should have his gaze drawn towards his feet to encourage him to adopt a cradled posture. If his gaze is drawn above his head this encourages a hyper extended posture which is detrimental to his comfort and development. When lying in the nest, baby will also be able to watch the other family members – and he will be happy to participate in what is going on around him.
Q. Why do you have a Tummy Band with Cocoonababy ? What is its purpose?
We all know that the motor skills of a child less than 4 months old would not permit him to get out of the nest. This question, however, is one which is recurrent among first time parents. So we decided to include a Tummy Band which, thanks to its special design, does not restrict baby’s movements. It will reassure his parents … and baby will feel even happier as this small band has a calming effect! In fact, as does swaddling, it applies the same light pressure on baby’s tummy as your hand would in order to appease colic and it incites the child to adopt a ‘centred’ rather than an ‘extended’ position.