SLUMBERPOD - my honest review
I've been ranting and raving over this new baby item called the SlumberPod. It's this small, portable, blacked out pod that fits perfectly over a playpen. I had set it up twice in my house before actually using it, just to test out the level of darkness inside, and also to see if it fit over a Joovy playpen (which is a larger playpen for bigger children).
ANYWAY, I have compiled a list of pros and cons, and then a final "would I buy this again?"
PROS:
This pod is COMPLETELY dark. The level of darkness inside this pod is a 10/10. I literally just snuck my face in there to peek on my sweet, sleeping boy, and I couldn't see a thing. I then proceeded to try and take a picture of him, but I didn't know where his head was...so safe to say, it is dark enough to be asleep even if you're in a brightly-lit room.
Light-weight & portable. This Slumberpod is basically a small, floor-less "tent." That being said, the fabric of the actual pod is very different than that of an actual tent. Considering the fabric feels like thick jersey knit cotton, it is very light. The bag the Slumberpod comes in can actually fit into a carry-on luggage if you were to fly with it. It folds up to be small and compact, which I LOVE and need more of in my life. Baby stuff is always so massive.
Quick set-up/take-down. Setting up the pod is relatively quick. It is easier if you have 2 people, but I've set it up alone every time and that works too. When you have a busy baby, "quick" anything is a yes in my books. I don't have more than 5 minutes to set something up before D is elbow deep in toilet water, or at the bottom of a Kleenex box with tissue paper scattered over the carpet.
Breathable Fabric. I have never been more concerned about someone's well-being until my son was born. Is he too hot? Too cold? When did he last eat? Did he poop today? Is he dehydrated? Is he sweaty? Like literally everything I think about. SO, I felt very happy knowing how breathable this pod really is. Drake was not at all sweaty when I got him up in the morning, and he is generally a warm sleeper.
Room-Sharing WIN. This is for the mamas who love to room-share, but are worried about baby waking in the night and making eye contact. This SlumberPod IS FOR YOU. I don't room share unless on holiday, but this pod has made a world of difference in the 2 short nights I have used it so far. I am now looking forward to our longer vacation this summer, when normally I dread sleeping in the same room as Drake.
It fits over WHAT?? This fantastic pod fits over not only the large Joovy Playpen, but ALSO a toddler bed. It has to stretch a little to fit over both, but seriously, it fits. It worked beautifully when transitioning my son from his crib to a big bed. He was a little freaked out by having full roam of his room now that he was out of the crib, so he opted to sleep on his crib mattress instead of his big bed. We then decided to put the SlumberPod over his crib mattress on the floor, and tada! It fit.
It also fits over a toddler bed with a small frame. I seriously LOVE this baby product.Not only for babies. The SlumberPod isn’t only for babies, but for toddlers too. It can be used as a play tent for hide and seek, it fits over a toddler bed, a portable toddler cot, and obviously a playpen.
Resale Value. Not only does it totally pay for its weight in gold by saving every vacation, but the resale value is incredible. There are always parents looking for SlumberPods, and since they are sold out, people are paying top dollar for a used pod. Has your child outgrown yours? Sell it! Or better yet, RENT it!
CONS:
Hard putting baby in. I am a taller (5'8) girl, so I found bending over and putting my baby down in his playpen through the window opening was quite difficult. It would have been easy if I slipped him in while he was standing, but that's not what we normally do. He's always awake when I put him to bed, but generally I lay him down. This was hard because the zipper doesn't come up super high, so my face was going into the fabric when I bent over to place him in the crib.
Tent Poles. This isn't a deal breaker, but when I had assembled the poles and started to set everything up, I realized HOW LONG they were lol. I was hitting the walls and the roof because of the length. That being said, I do like that this has height rather than being flush with the top of the crib. There is room for baby to stand.
Price. While the SlumberPod is on the expensive end for a baby item, I do think it’s worth it. The resale value is high and the Pod is such great quality that it lasts through multiple children. I do understand it being a large cost up-front that not all parents can afford.
Finally, after having used the SlumberPod for numerous vacations around the world, I would HIGHLY recommend you get one. I now have 6 pods for my 3 kids and we use them weekly. Whether for a play tent, a sleepover at grandma’s house, or simply a toddler wanting to sleep in a ‘fort,’ I LOVE our SlumberPods. Don’t wait, just get one (or 2 😉). I also started renting them out nightly for parents who just want to try test out a SlumberPod for a night before committing to the price.
Honestly, I used to love travelling as a childless young adult (selfish, I know), but once we had a baby, I realized how hard travelling really was and it made me dread vacation-time. My oldest, Drake has been sleep trained for a long time now, but I always felt like travelling messed him up. I can truthfully say that this has been our most successful travel experience yet. He is used to sleeping in a dark space at home, and this provided him with exactly that. Let alone having it be so compact and portable, it's definitely a win in my books.
Although this pod is expensive...$260.99 CAD or $179.99 USD, it's definitely something worth investing in. If taken care of properly, it will last many babies and many trips.
I had contacted the owners of SlumberPod saying how I loved their product, and they set me up with a "discount" code for any of my friends/clients who wanted to buy one.
You can visit their website(us) & website (ca) and enter in the code: midnightmama at checkout to get a 10% rebate off your order.
Anyway, if you do end up buying one, let me know how it works out for you & if you love it just as much as I did!!
**bonus - I have done a FULL product review of the SlumberPod VS. the Snoozeshade on my Youtube Channel - check out the video below.
Bailey
