travel-trends

Review: Snuzpod Bedside Crib

Arrow Discover more

SnuzPod Bedside Crib

In a nutshell:

A bedside crib that allows direct access to baby thanks to zip-down side panel. Converts into transportable bassinet.

Key features:

  • Three crib functions: bedside, bassinet and standalone
  • Rocking function
  • Zip-down mesh wall for direct access
  • Storage shelf below bassinet

Price: £179.95

Pros:

  • Allows for safe co-sleeping
  • Comfortable mattress, which comes with crib
  • Slatted bassinet base for increased breathability
  • Stylish design and range of colour options
  • Compact, great for smaller bedrooms

Cons:

  • Bassinet is hand-wish only and fiddly to clean
  • Removable bassinet is heavy and cumbersome to transport
  • Rocking function is clunky on thick carpet
  • Doesn’t have incline feature like other co-sleeping cribs
  • Baby will probably have outgrown by five or six months

Best for: Parents who want baby close and like the idea of co-sleeping, but want to minimise the risks. The compact size is great for smaller bedrooms while the minimal design and range of colour options are perfect for parents.

What is the SnuzPod bedside crib?

Understandably, many parents want the intimacy of having their baby at arm’s reach during the night, but NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines recommend that the safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back in their own crib. Thanks to its zip-down side panel, the SnuzPod bedside crib allows for the closeness of co-sleeping without the risks associated with actual bed sharing.

There are other cribs on the market that allow baby to sleep next to the parents’ bed, but what sets the SnuzPod apart is its 3-in-1 functionality that means it can also work as a standalone crib and a portable bassinet, which you can carry into the living room for daytime naps.

Style

The SnuzPod has an understated, minimalist design which fits well in my Scandi-style bedroom. It comes in a range of colours in a muted palette of white, grey and beige. I chose dove grey and it looks great against my whitewashed bedroom walls.

Size and storage

The SnuzPod is smaller than a traditional cot, but not as dinky as some other co-sleeping cribs on the market. Still, what sets it apart from the competition is its storage shelf, which is the same size as the mattress. I find this handy for storing muslin cloths for night feeds and it could easily house nappies and wipes, should you choose to use the SnuzPod as a changing station too.

3-in-1

The SnuzPod’s three functions are as a bedside crib, a standalone crib and a transportable bassinet. To turn the bedside crib into a standalone, you simply insert a metal rod in the side panel – easy.

Now my daughter is down to only one feed a night (hoorah!), I use the SnuzPod as a standalone crib, simply lifting her in and out when I need to. As a standalone crib, it’s great (plus it looks cool in our bedroom) and I plan to continue using it until she’s outgrown it. As for the SnuzPod’s function as a portable bassinet, I’m afraid this is disappointing. At 18kg, its beach wood frame is some 10kg heavier than others on the market, making it very difficult to lift and carry – impossible if you’re recovering from a C-section.

What’s it like for parents?

One of the SnuzPod’s USPs is the lift-off bassinet. Before my baby arrived I imagined myself carrying the bassinet into the living room for baby’s daytime naps. However, I only ended up doing this a couple of times, since the bassinet is pretty heavy and I found it too cumbersome to cart around the house.

The SnuzPod’s main feature is of course the zip-down side panel, which allows mums to have baby right next to them, without the associated risks of bed-sharing. The SnuzPod can be adjusted to seven different heights, so that baby is lying level with mum’s mattress. Unfortunately, since our bed is homemade by my husband (and therefore not a standard height) it doesn’t quite fit with any of the SnuzPod’s seven height options.

Since there is a gap between baby’s mattress and mine, I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping with the side zipped down. Despite not being exactly level with my daughter’s mattress, when lying down in my own bed I get a clear view of what she’s up to through the mesh panel. The side is easy to zip down – it can even be done one-handed and while sleep-deprived!

As well two child-friendly zips, there are velcro tabs at the top of the zip-down panel to keep it in place, but I found these to be rather noisy to use so close to a sleeping baby.

What’s it like for baby?

My daughter has slept in the SnuzPod since we brought her home from hospital so we don’t have a great deal to compare it to. She has always seemed comfortable on the quilted mattress and compared to other babies her age, she sleeps very well. Now eight weeks old, she has enough room to wave her arms and legs around without touching the sides, but not so much space that she looks lost. The SnuzPod has a rocking function – great for my daughter who often needs a bit of motion to get to sleep – but on my thick carpet the rocking motion isn’t particularly smooth and fifteen minutes of rocking can be quite tiring.

Value for money?

SnuzPod claim their 3-in-1 crib is suitable for babies up to six months. Most mums I know you’ve used one said their little ones had outgrown it by five months. I’ll have to wait and see, but so far Annie seems very happy sleeping in the SnuzPod and I intend to keep it for as long as we can.

Summary

If you’re looking for a compact, stylish and comfortable crib and want to sleep safely next to
your baby, the SnuzPod is a smart choice – but remember it will only see you through baby’s
first six months.

Find out more and buy a Snuzpod 3-in-1 bedside crib

[soliloquy id=”37592″]

Snuz Baby Bath & Bed Set

A bath and bed set from the creators of SnuzPod that includes an absorbent cotton towel and wash mitt, plus a cotton sleepsuit. Price: £36.95.

Snuz’s new bath and bed set comes in an attractive box that would make a lovely gift for a baby shower or new parent, not least because of it comes in a choice of five gender neutral colour palettes. As a mother of two-month old, I’ve quickly discovered a parent can’t have enough sleepsuits or towels, so it’s a practical present as well as a pretty one. The towel, wash mitt and sleepsuit are all 100% cotton so they’re soft on baby’s skin and easy to wash. Although my little one loves her bath, she often grizzles when she’s being dried.

However, once I started wrapping her in the soft Snuz towel, she’s been much more content. The hood, with ears, is a cute addition to the towel but is far too big for my 10-week old’s head.

I’m sure she’ll enjoy it when she grows into it though. Likewise, the sleepsuit is still too big for her, despite being size 0-3 months. This is no bad thing though.

Most new parents find they are swamped with newborn clothes, only to find they run out of options when their little one hits the three month mark. Whether you buy this set for yourself, or for a friend who’s expecting, it’s a practical and quality set that you and baby will enjoy using.

Get travel news and competitions sent to your inbox