Purflo Breathable Nest review

Are baby sleeping nests and pods safe?

You may have read recent reports about the safety of baby sleep positioners, anti-roll products and baby nests.

The American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) issued a recent report urging parents not to use these products as they may cause suffocation.

However, we at MadeForMums spoke to the Lullaby Trust, who clarified the issue by saying sleep positioners are different to baby nests/pods:

"It is our understanding that sleep positioners are straps or wedges that hold a baby in place. The evidence shows that the safest way to sleep a baby is on a firm, flat, waterproof mattress in a cot or moses basket and we would not recommend any sleep surface that does not conform to these guidelines.”

As baby nests and pods do not have straps or wedges, they are safe to use.

Still, we always recommend you follow manufacturer instructions and check out the safety tips on co-sleeping, or the The Lullaby Trust's guidelines for sleeping safely and the NHS guidelines on how to reduce SIDS.

We all want a safe place for our babies to sleep, that’s probably why there are so many baby nests and infant sleeping pods on the market - everyone's making one!

And it seems like we’re falling over ourselves in the queue at various retailers to get our hands on them too.

As these bedtime aids grow in esteem among us safe-sleep conscious (and sleep deprived) parents, sleep aids such as the Moses basket are beginning to lose their appeal.

And there's a reason for this, bed nests like the PurFlo Breathable Nest have not only been designed with safety in mind but they are also very versatile.

The PurFlo Breathable Nest can be used as a sleep solution for nap times on the go, a travel cot, a crib or cot insert, a play pod, a lounger, space to change the baby and also for tummy time.

Why choose a PurFlo Breathable Nest pod?

I needed some safe solution for my daughter’s naps that could be portable and allow me to have her around during the day in a very small living room – usually on the sofa.

Unlike other baby pods on the market, the price of PurFlo Nest (£49.99) is quite low, which is why me and my other half decided on this solution rather than the more popular, but quite pricey, Enfant Terrible Sleepyhead Deluxe Pod

You can get your hands on a PurFlo at Tesco, KIDLY or Very

If you're looking for more baby sleeping solutions check these out...

• Enfant Terrible Sleepyhead Grand Baby Pod
• Miracle Baby Sleep-Trainer mattress by Jacqui Nancey
• 10 of the best baby sleep time aids
• 7 of the best co-sleepers

What’s it like to use?

As you might expect there’s no assembly required with the PurFlo Nest (you never know nowadays). You just need to take it out of its carrier bag - yep, it's as easy as that.

I used it from the first day my daughter was born and now I couldn’t imagine life without it. It's a great, safe, cosy area for her to nap in between the feeds – which fits perfectly on the sofa, and the breathable mesh is bouncy and adjusts to her body – she always looks very comfy.

Is it portable?

Yes, it’s very portable. You can also easily move the Nest, just by supporting your baby’s body from underneath it as the nest is very light (1.25kg). That also means you won't have a problem moving your baby inside the Nest anywhere needed to go.

Is co-sleeping possible with PurFlo Breathable Nest?

It is definitely an option - if your bed is big enough for 3 people or you don’t mind sending your other half to sleep on the sofa!

Safety-wise however, it's best when used on a separate, flat surface as per the The Lullaby Trust's (formerly known as the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths - FSID) guidelines for sleeping safely and expert safe sleeping advice.

And anyway, as the Nest takes up almost the same space as an adult person width-wise (58cm wide), there won’t be any space left on a standard double or at a very tight squeeze on a king size bed.

We did try it a few times in the very early days of our baby’s life and there was no problem, it was also much easier to get the baby for the night breastfeeding.

The Nest can also be used inside a standard cot. However, it’s not a magic sleep solution – and my little girl does not sleep any different in the Nest as she does in her Moses basket

Can it prevent flat head syndrome?

As the mesh base of the Nest is stretchy it adjusts to a baby's head shape and takes some pressure off from underneath.

Now not being a medical professional, I don’t know exactly how accurate the claim it fully prevent flat head syndrome (plagiocephaly and brachycephaly) is. I personally wonder if there is there anything that can completely prevent” Saying that, after 4 weeks of using it, my daughter hasn’t had flat head syndrome.

Is it comfortable?

Yes, it seems very snug. My daughter loves to sleep on her sides and appeared to be very comfy in any position we put her to sleep in the Nest.

The raised edges served well when she wanted to have her legs up and she often relaxed her legs on them whilst sleeping.

What other uses you can find for it?

There is definitely potential for the nest to be used as first playmat, especially for tummy time – my baby is still very reluctant and too small for tummy time over the edge of the nest. But in the next few weeks when she becomes more aware of her surrounding that might be more fun to her.

I also quite often support myself and my daughter’s head over the edge of the Nest when breastfeeding.

I think this nest will make a great transition tool when we move her from the bed to the cot for the first time.

How long will it last?

Depending on how active and wriggly your child is, I would assume it could be used to 5-6 months.

Also because the edges are not very high – around 10 cm tall and 18cm wide (my measurements – manufacturer doesn’t list them) – it could be easy for older babies to wriggle out of.

Unsupervised safe sleep and laydown times would be best for newborns and not very fidgety or older babies.

Is it easy to clean?

Yes, it is very easy to clean. According to the manufacturer, the breathable mesh is hypoallergenic and made of anti-bacterial features, which is definitely an added bonus.

The covers are removable and there are double sided zips for washing. It washes easily in 30-40 degrees – I bunged it in the machine with a whole week’s worth of baby washing and it was fine.

To put the cover back on is not very difficult but can be a little fiddly. I needed to figure out what to do with a long noodle of a cushion I’d removed from the cover but after I bested it, it was much easier to do again – like almost everything.

The only downside is that the nest doesn’t look that neat after the cover was taken off and put back on – there are few bumps and creases. They don’t affect the functionality, it’s just the perfectionist in me.

What’s in the box?

PurFlo Breathable Nest in a chosen cover design in a zipped carrier bag

Any additional extras?

Extra covers available to purchase separately. Available in Mushroom polka dot or Moss Green polka dot - £19.99

MadeForMums verdict:

The PurFlo Breathable Nest is a great value for money product that can last for a decent amount of your young baby’s life.

It gives me peace of mind and allows me a safe place to put my daughter, and as I breastfeed on demand it was a lifesaver when I had her next to me in the living room during the day.

However, it’s not a magic sleep solution – and my little girl does not sleep any differently in the Nest as she does in her Moses basket. But its portability and safety are its major bonus points.

Bedtime, we've got that covered….

• 14 of the best baby sleeping bags
• 10 of the best Moses baskets and cribs
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