To take care of the baby, parents have to purchase a variety of items that greatly facilitate the processes of feeding, carrying, and transporting the baby. These products include a baby cocoon.
What a cocoon looks like for a child
What is a cocoon mattress
A cocoon for a child is an orthopedic mattress that completely repeats the anatomical shape of the baby's body. There are different types of cocoons. The size of the fixture may vary. The design allows the baby to be in the position in which he was in the womb. This, of course, is a plus and the opportunity for the baby to calm down and stay in a good mood.
The cocoon reminds the baby of the womb
Important! If there are disputes and doubts about whether it is worth taking a cocoon for a baby, why is it needed, you can take into account the fact that, thanks to him, the baby goes through the stage of adaptation to the outside world much easier.
History of origin
The idea of creating a unique device was put forward by a French kinesitherapist who specializes in pediatrics, Daniel Salducci. For 10 years, he has carried out observations and research in the areas of positioning of babies and has been looking for an ideal design. His goal was to create such a device in which premature babies will adapt to the conditions of the outside world as painlessly and comfortably as possible. He invited to work together:
- Doctor Fabre-Grenet,
- Neonatologist Pali,
- The team of professionals from the Northern Hospital of Marseille,
- The Red Castle company.
Thanks to their efforts, French clinics and maternity hospitals were the first to receive the necessary item. Subsequently, doctors tracked a positive trend in the use of cocoons for term babies as well.
Why do you need
Several sources give information that it was popular in France to create cocoons for babies by hand by nannies. The nest made gives the baby a sense of safety and security - what he felt while in the mother's womb. As far as the nanny possessed skill and experience, the psycho-emotional and psychological state of health of the little man was harmonious. In the old days, such devices were made from improvised means and only vaguely resembled those that exist now. Since the structure will have to be used for the first six months - the most serious and important time, both for the baby and for the parents, now the density of the filler is strictly developed by professional specialists.
Being in a cocoon, the baby feels complete safety
Additional Information. Cocoon-nest for newborns can be sewn by hand. Olga Maksimova designed her master class on creating a device. The author attaches a pattern to it, according to which each mother can embroider a unique cradle for her baby at home.
Pros and cons
There are many advantages to cocoons for babies:
- Children in them feel calmer, fall asleep faster and sleep deeper,
- The work of the digestive tract improves, the soreness of colic decreases,
- Flat head syndrome is excluded,
- The baby's hand-eye coordination improves,
- Some models are made with high sides, which provides greater safety for the child,
- The mattress can be installed in bed with parents and not be afraid to crush your beloved child, as well as place a cocoon in a stroller,
- Can be used as a changing table with a softer surface,
- In some models, the device can be used for up to eight months,
- It helps premature babies to develop better and "catch up" with their peers faster.
There are also disadvantages:
- The term of use is too short, while the price is high.
- If the baby was born in the summer, then it can be very hot in the cocoon. For premature babies, this quality is a plus, for those who were born on time, it can interfere.
- Models without sides do not provide an opportunity to leave the baby unattended, even if they have seat belts. Although the small weight of the product does not interfere with transferring it with the baby to another room, all the more it will give the baby a lot of pleasure and plunge into the world of motion sickness.
- Convenience, along with comfort, can bring discomfort. The cocoon does not in any way implore that the baby needs to be picked up, pumped, and done gymnastics.
- You should not start using it until all the information has been studied.
Note! Babies in the first months can sleep up to 20 hours a day, so the choice of a comfortable and comfortable sleeping surface is very important. In modern cocoons, high-quality materials are selected that contribute to the creation of comfort and support the health of the baby.
Opinions of orthopedists
Many orthopedists speak positively about cocoons for newborns. The most important point in the study of a device before buying is the type of filler. For health and comfort, coconut coir is best suited - with its use, the mattress will be firm and anatomically correct. In the first year, the baby's spine is just being formed, therefore, during sleep in the cocoon, the fragile vertebrae will be in the right position. Also, on such a mattress, it will be easier for the baby to group, the head will be slightly higher than the body, so the colic will pass unnoticed by all family members.
Especially orthopedists highlight the cocoon-crib, which can be easily placed in the crib itself. After four months, the baby will sleep in its stationary product, the cocoon will begin to serve as an excellent "portable" device.
At what age to use
As a rule, the purchase of a cocoon is timed to coincide with the very birth of the baby, since parents will use it immediately after returning home from the hospital. It is designed for ages from 0 to 4 months. More often they take him to maternity hospitals if the baby was born prematurely. The instructions often indicate that this device was created just for such children.
Cocoons can be used for premature babies
Additional Information. The cocoon is placed in a crib to calm newborns, so that the baby feels safe and not afraid of the huge scale of the world around him. Therefore, in the very first months, a cocoon for a baby can create all the conditions for consistent cognition of the space around.
Types of cocoons
Varieties of cocoons
| View | Features: |
|---|---|
| Pillow | Suitable from the very first days of life. It is used when feeding, playing and sleeping. |
| Nest | Very similar to the carrycot used to protect babies. The bottom of the device must necessarily be strong and correct anatomically. |
| Mattress | You can even put it in a baby cot. The baby sleeps on it comfortably, conveniently and comfortably. |
| Diaper | It is made according to special patterns that take into account the structure of the body of the newborn. For fastenings, Velcro is taken, sometimes you can find models with zippers. |
Important! A prerequisite is that the cocoon must be sewn from natural materials. All information about him must be indicated in the product passport.
Before buying, you should ask yourself what exactly you need to get from the cocoon, and what type is most suitable for the implementation of this idea.
Comparison of the main models
The most popular models all over the world are:
- American cocoons from "woombie",
- Swedish - from "sleepyhead",
- "Babynest" - also Swedish,
- French - from "babymoov",
- cocoon-bed for newborns cocoonababy from the French company "Red castle",
- Russian baby cocoons "Ascona".
Babynest - nest cocoon
There are many manufacturers, it will not be difficult to choose the required option. Domestic products are in no way inferior to foreign counterparts.
All types of cocoons from "Red Castle" are considered premium class. This is a kind of standard for quality and comfort. Various little things are taken into account when creating a device:
- Such mattresses can be used everywhere: for travel, travel, going to the clinic, sleeping and feeding,
- The set includes an instruction manual,
- Instead of a blanket and bedspread, which pediatricians do not recommend using at first, there is a special bag in the kit,
- There is a fixation belt that does not interfere with the baby,
- The sheet can be removed, it is made of highly environmentally friendly materials,
- The cover does not allow water to pass through,
- Filler material - polyurethane foam, hard and dense,
- There is a popliteal cushion that promotes good digestion in the infant,
- The angle of inclination of the bed is 20 degrees,
- Pear-shaped pillow, helps to group the baby.
How to choose the best
Initially, you should get to know the desired species better and find out what qualities they carry in themselves.
For example, if the choice fell on a mattress, then it will help to completely protect and secure the baby's body. Such a cocoon seems to envelop the baby when he is inside. So the baby feels complete safety and is not afraid of the effects of irritating external factors.
Reviews of experienced owners of the device will also help in choosing the best look for the baby. Many people recommend taking a carrier cocoon or a mattress cocoon. Most moms speak negatively about diapers.
When buying, you can always ask for the necessary consultation, show how to use the device correctly, what difficulties may arise, and which option is most suitable for the implementation of the necessary tasks.
How to use
The first step is to adjust the size of the device, taking into account the dimensions of the baby. For this, the pillowcase is removed from the product, the baby is placed with his head towards the tapering area. The restraint should be located directly under the crumbs' buttocks so that it cannot slide down. The legs are raised up so that the child does not start pushing off the sides. Then you can put on a pillowcase and start using the cocoon.
Complete set: an adjustable cocoon, an additional mattress for an older baby, a blanket, a pillow
Additional Information. Only special underwear is laid on the cocoon. Other fabric may change the slope of the product. The limiter should be checked constantly. At 3-4 months, the legs of the crumbs can go beyond the device, but this does not interfere with operation. Covering a baby in a cocoon is not worth it.
Size adjustment
There are three types of cocoon sizes:
- The first one is used for premature babies in maternity hospitals. Such babies are transferred to it immediately after the incubator.
- The second is for children weighing 2 kg or more. There is a safety strap. At home, it is used for children who were born early. These cocoons are more common in hospitals.
- The third is for babies from 2800 kg. Popular at home. In hospitals, it is used during the period of vaccination of babies in the first months of life. If a child is older than 4 months, one cannot be left unattended in it.
Some models, especially the nests, can be adjusted and used for up to eight months. To make the size larger, it is enough to "dissolve" the edge of the product, which is narrowed. As a rule, in the narrowest place there is a special tape that can be untied and then laced up as needed.
Safety measures during operation
When the baby begins to try to roll over (this happens by 3-4 months), then this is a signal that the baby should not be left alone unattended. That is why such products are intended precisely before the onset of four months.
The baby should not be in the baby cocoon for transportation for more than 1.5 hours
If a carrier cocoon is used to transport a baby, then the baby should not be in it for more than 1.5 hours. The baby's fragile spine is not ready for a longer stay in such devices.
According to children's doctors, a cocoon designed for a newborn's sleep is a good ergonomic item that completely replaces a baby's cradle. Most parents find it useful to use a cocoon mattress at home. The most important thing is to carefully study which one to choose and how to use it before buying. In the future, a small "baby cradle" will please the baby more than once and make mom and dad smile.
