Can this cozy lounger help fussy babies? Is it safe to use for co-sleeping?
This baby nest was an instant hit from the moment it hit the market. Desperate and frustrated parents took one look at it and thought “Yes! This has got to be good for my cranky newborn that never, ever wants to be put down!!”
From the comforting and cuddling sling design to the prospect of being a safe co-sleeping space, the Snuggle Me Organic sold like hotcakes.
But here we all are a couple of years later. This pillow still has major benefits, but it’s not as great of a co-sleeper as originally thought. That’s because of the suffocation risk that the sides of the pillow pose. You can still use it to co-sleep, but the company and even the AAP recommends against it.
It still snuggles around baby to keep them feeling cozy and secure during awake times. It’s made with all-natural materials, no chemicals, and the softest organic cotton. The Snuggle Me Organic is a fantastic piece of baby gear that can help your baby chill and rest easily!
Here is how Snuggle Me Organic Compares to Dock a Tot, one of the main alternatives.
Better Sleep for All
Sleep and new babies just don’t go together. I’m still not sure who came up with the phrase “sleeping like a baby,” because babies don’t sleep a lot and they don’t sleep soundly. You can get some good baby naps, though. And the Snuggle Me is here to help.
Co-Sleeping and Safety
There are some pretty vague guidelines when it comes to co-sleeping. They pretty much just say to be aware of baby and be safe.
One of the most obvious concerns is rolling over onto the baby during the middle of the night. Another big concern is baby getting their face trapped under a pillow, under a blanket, or against the mattress and running the risk of suffocation. As baby gets older and can hold their own in terms of getting comfortable and getting into a different position, or crying to let you know that something is up, it’s less of a concern.
But during those first few months, it can be useful to have a safeguard for baby, should you choose to co-sleep. That’s why a lounger like the Snuggle Me is a good idea. It was originally pitched as a co-sleeping lounger that creates a nest for baby in the bed. It was meant to keep a young baby from accidentally rolling over and suffocating on bed items or the bed itself. The raised edges all around them were meant to protect them from being rolled on.
But now, the AAP has come out with recommendations against infant sleep positioners, which is what the Snuggle Me is. If baby were to roll over to their side or their tummy, they could easily suffocate within the confines of the nest. Using these types of products unsupervised, aka during the middle of the night when you are out cold, is not recommended.
With that all said, you are the parent of your baby. You can choose whether or not to use this as a helper for co-sleeping. Just follow the safety guidelines from Snuggle Me and make sure that both you and your spouse are both comfortable with the idea of baby being in the nest in your bed.
One thing I will say about this pillow as a co-sleeper is that it takes up a considerable portion of the bed. It measures about 27 inches by 14 inches. Considering that the average queen-sized bed is only 60 inches wide, it means that each person in the bed will have less than 2 feet of width to sleep on. If you like to spread out while you sleep, this could be a problem. My husband sleeps on his back, and I only had enough room to sleep on my side when we used this co-sleeping pad. But, if you’ve only got one person in the bed, or if you have a king-sized bed, you should be fine.
A Well-Rested Baby is a Happy Baby
Beyond providing a possible sleep solution for parents, the Snuggle Me Organic can actually help your baby to sleep more soundly and for a longer period of time. No, it’s not a fix-all for baby sleeping issues. It won’t guarantee that baby will sleep for a 3-hour nap without a peep, but it can mean some better and longer naps.
Here’s how it promotes better rest:
- Prevents startling awake. You know how your baby does that thing where they suddenly get scared and look like they’re falling through space when you lay them on their back? Yeah, that’s the startle reflex, or Moro reflex. Once baby is out of that cozy womb, they feel a bit like they’re out in the open. Since this lounger snuggles them on all sides with padding, they’re less likely to get that startle reflex. That means that they won’t be startled out of a nap. For an added bonus, swaddle your baby and lay them in the lounger. They’ll be snug as a bug with no startling awake.
- Cradled sleeping position. The unique design of the Snuggle Me Organic means that it can truly hold your baby on all sides. It has a sling in the middle, and once you lay baby on the sling, it causes the sides to come up and around baby. It’s like padded arms hugging your baby. And it really does give a deep, padded little nest that feels as close to mom or dad’s arms as possible. This is a great solution for those babies who simply refuse to be laid down on a flat mattress to sleep alone.
- Safe spine position. You know that sling we just talked about? Well, it has more purposes than just bringing the sides up. First, it helps baby stay on their back. The sling gives them a little raised and un-padded spot to lay on, which prevents them from turning or rolling. Second, the sling helps keep their spine in a neutral position. Since they are raised up, it takes all the stress and weight off of their little spine, which is much more comfortable and good for them from a chiropractic standpoint.
- Recreates the womb. At the beginning, the whole point of using one of these loungers is to recreate how the baby feels in the womb. They feel cozy and secure in the womb, which is probably not how they feel splayed out on a crib mattress. Feeling cuddled and warm means that baby will sleep more soundly and wake more content, just like they did before they were born.
- Usable for many months. The design of this lounger will fully enclose most newborns inside the nest it creates. As babies get older, their legs will eventually dangle off of the edge. Snuggle Me says that this is part of the design and that’s how it should be. This position is still comfy for most babies, but safety becomes an issue once baby can roll off. I found that at about the 4 and half month mark, my long and rolling daughter couldn’t use the pillow. So while it’s advertised for up to 6 months, you may not feel safe using it for that long. But this pillow will still give you several months of glorious sleep!
Why the Snuggle Me?
Multi-Purpose Pad
Better sleeping during naps? Check. But what about all the other times baby needs to rest or lay down? This snuggly pad has got you covered at home, abroad, and everywhere in between. It’s lightweight and the perfect size for travel.
Resting on the Go
If you’ve ever traveled with an infant, you know that finding them a spot to lay and rest is tricky. You don’t want to pack up half the house with you, so bringing a crib or a pack n play is out of the question sometimes. That’s when one of these loungers comes in handy. You can make baby’s bed nearly anywhere! Put them in a hotel bed with you. Make them a little nest on the couch. You could even make their bed on the floor (gross if you are at a hotel, okay if you are staying with friends and family). The Snuggle Me takes on the firmness of whatever surface you lay it on because the bottom isn’t padded. So while a floor is the last resort, the bed and couch can become ideal lounging spots no matter where you are.
Not Just for Sleeping
We’ve thoroughly covered how the Snuggle Me can make naps better. But what about when baby is not sleeping? Well, you can still use this lounger for those times,too.
If you need to get something done and you need to lay baby down, consider this a really safe place to do so. They’ll lay comfy and content on the couch while you do what you must. But my favorite alternative use for this pad is for tummy time. My kids hated tummy time until they did it on an elevated surface. That extra padding under the chest and arms really helped them to enjoy the exercise and strengthen their neck. Need another use for it? It makes a great changing station. It will keep baby still and somewhat immobilized while you change their diaper. Works great in the car on trips! Rest assured (pun intended), the Snuggle Me is usable during the daytime, too.
Only the Best for Baby
My grandma likes to tell me that I’m being paranoid about what I put around my baby. I like to think that I’m keeping my baby safe by choosing only the best materials for my baby gear. It’s soft, natural, and organic materials and the finest workmanship are certainly reflected by it’s pretty steep price.
Quality
Having a high-quality place for baby to sleep is important. After all, it’s probably where they’ll spend the majority of the first few months of their life. So you want it to be both durable and good for baby. This lounger won’t disappoint. It’s made by hand in the USA. Each and every lounger is handled by a real person, not by a mass-production machine. It’s sewn and stuffed with only the best organic materials and lots of love. Each piece is inspected for any flaw. Snuggle Me offers a 30-night guarantee on all their pillows, but I would expect that from such an expensive pillow!
Comfort
Other than being top quality, Snuggle Me uses materials that are very soft. The organic cotton that covers the Snuggle Me is soft. None of the crinkly feeling that some cheaper cottons have. And none of the chemicals, either. The materials are GOTS certified organic and CPSIA regulated, which means that they are the real deal, since these are some of the world’s strictest standards. The cotton is sourced from reputable, family-owned companies. The polyester fiberfill is hand-stuffed into these cozy shells and provides just the right amount of padding for baby. Extra perk: the soft and organic cover is totally removable and washable, and so is the lounger itself.
Safety
The whole Snuggle Me Organic pillow is safe for baby. It’s made with none of this icky stuff: flame retardants, BPAs, phthalates, ethylene glycol, or other harmful chemicals. All of the materials are hypoallergenic. Besides the materials, the design of this baby lounger pillow is safe, too. There’s no buckles, clasps, clips, or ties for baby to become entangled in. There were a few times that I wished that I could buckle baby in so that she wouldn’t roll away as she got older. So the lack of securing straps of some kind is both a positive and a negative.
Pros
- Provides a co-sleeping option
- Cradles baby for better naps
- Great for travel
- Works for tummy time and changing diapers, too
- High quality with great materials
Cons
- SUFFOCATION RISK IF NOT USED WITH SUPERVISION
- Baby grows out of it quickly
- Expensive
- No way to secure baby to pillow
FAQ’s
At what age is it safe to co-sleep?
Due to the increased risk of SIDS, co-sleeping is not recommended before your child is 12 months, and certainly not before 6 months.
However, we know that life happens and sometimes baby ends up in the big bed! Always co-sleep as safely as possible by speaking with your pediatrician and following their advice.
If co-sleeping isn’t recommended, why buy a Snuggle Me?
The parenting gurus here at EM have found that the Snuggle Me infant lounger is an excellent substitute for a bassinet or a baby lounger. You can use it to help change baby’s diaper even! It enables your baby to nap more comfortably (and hopefully longer) than other options while being supervised, of course. It’s a great option when you need baby to chill or rest so your hands can be free.
How long can my baby use Snuggle Me?
Snuggle Me infant lounger is designed for babies 0 to 9 months. The Snuggle Me toddler lounger is for babies who:
- Are 9 months plus
- Are crawling
- Sit at least 21″ tall.
When should I stop swaddling my baby?
Swaddling keeps your baby warm and secure and helps to prevent her from rolling onto their stomach, which may cause suffocation. When they learn to roll over on their own, however (at around 3 to 6 months), they should no longer be swaddled.
Is Baby Delight Snuggle nest safe?
Unlike the Snuggle Me infant lounger, the Baby Delight Snuggle Nest sleeper bassinet is a safe place for your (immobile) infant to sleep, even when you are sleeping or not directly supervising them. However, it is not recommended for co-sleeping.
Is it safe for babies to sleep in Snuggle Me?
While the Snuggle Me infant lounger should not be used for co-sleeping because of the risk, it is certainly safe for your baby to sleep in as long as an alert adult is watching.
Final Take
Anything that promises such a good night’s sleep as the Snuggle Me Organic is worth a shot. If you want to to improve your baby’s rest, then I highly recommend trying this pillow. Whether that’s co-sleeping or just lounging next to your baby, you’ll feel better about baby being safe in the bed, and your baby will also get cuddled as if they were in the womb or your arms.
Probably the best and most life-saving use for this pillow is as a lounger if your baby always wants to be held and starts wailing when you try to lay them down. The organic cotton cover is nice, and the workmanship is fantastic, but I would pay less for the pillow design with just a regular cotton cover. Because the price of this lounger is steep. At the end of the day, take the financial plunge and give it a try. If you don’t find that it’s amazingly helpful (which it is during those first 3 months), you can return it under the 30-night guarantee.
