It would be unfair of me to start this review off without explaining what sleep issues I was having before trialling the Sleepytroll pram rocker out. My baby (first baby) Cecily, it became apparent around week 10 of life outside the womb, had become rather adapt to what I now know is called the ‘contact nap’. 

Having never done the ‘motherhood’ thing before it really hadn’t occurred to me that having a baby that likes to sleep in your arms all the time could and would become rather debilitating. Whilst the newborn cuddles are really rather beautiful, sadly life continues around you, including the endless household chores! Unfortunately for us mere mortals without housekeepers on demand, it’s likely that baby needs to be put down at some point. One of the many hard elements of motherhood- you want the luxury of endless cuddles, but sadly there are always things to do! Whether that’s tending to another child or getting your washing done. Throw in the fact that your baby is exclusively breastfed (in my case), and you’re going to find yourself needing to complete all of life’s mundane tasks in the fleeting moments where your baby is either not asleep in your arms, or asleep on your chest!

Something I personally wanted to work on was being able to get my baby to sleep in a pram, so when the offer of reviewing the Sleepytroll came about I jumped at the opportunity, having noticed that the only time my little one would happily sleep in one was when she was being wheeled about on shingle or gravel, creating a ‘jigging’ type of motion that a flat pavement did not provide. While there will be a huge percentage of babies who are very happy for the smooth ride, mine was clearly not one…

Admittedly, it took a while for me to see the full results of what the Sleepytroll pram rocker could do for me, but I now know that this is because my babies sleep issues were not isolated, and I actually had to create a sleep schedule which yep, you guessed it, I had not even thought about. The first baby really does the get the raw end of the deal from parents, you’re just learning on the job!

So our journey to better sleep began, and Sleepytroll became my right-hand man. The Sleepytroll pram rocker is such a useful tool to have in your back pocket when you’re out and about to help you to stick to your nap schedule. One of my biggest fears about leaving the house now that we have got to a point where we even have daytime naps, is Cecily missing one due to the excitement of being out and about. Having the Sleepytroll on hand for gentle pram rocking can be a lifesaver when you’re in a busy or loud environment, or don’t wish to carry, hold or rock your baby to sleep (my baby is now 18lbs so you really know about it when you have to hold her for long lengths of time).

If you’re reading this and thinking about sleep in the early stages of your new baby’s life then you might also want to look at the crib attachment that is available for the Sleepytroll which, when attached correctly to a rockable Moses basket or ‘next to me’ crib could come in really handy in the first few weeks of life when they just want to be held, rocked and cuddled.

Whilst I won’t claim that the Sleepytroll is the answer to all sleep nuances (babies have unique preferences and needs), I do believe that it makes an incredibly thoughtful gift, and if you can afford the luxury, a helpful piece of kit to make life easier. I started off my motherhood journey being avidly against any kind of ‘tool’ for helping me with day-to-day motherhood but 17 weeks into this period of life and I wish I had known about this little device sooner! As I have been told many times, there’s no awards being given out for being the mum who does it the hard way…

Buy the Sleepytroll at Sleepytroll.com for £126.99.