Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play sleeper: Miracle soother . . . or dangerous crutch?

Miracle soother! I cried the day I realized they were outgrowing them. They kept sitting up and trying to get out. I cried hard. I was right to do so - they hated their cribs and told us so for three excruciatingly long months. There was no flat head. There were just beautiful moments of silence. And then it was over.

We used them. They worked really well for us, too. I will say, our daughter got some flat head, but our son did not. The problem was less the rock and play and more to do with the tight muscles in her neck making my little girl favor one side more than the other when sleeping.

If you're wondering, we did not do the helmet. They're 2.5 now and you can't tell at all.

Amazing fucking devices. Do not feel bad about using them ALL THE TIME. They will grow out of them soon enough and it will pretty much happen overnight.

It was the only way our boys would sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time for the first 3 months or so.

We didn't use them, but I certainly do not fault any parents that do. No matter what you do, there's a risk of SIDS.

The flat head syndrome can happen in regular cribs, too. We just made sure to move the babies in as many different positions as possible during the day.

The mold problem is from spilt milk/formula from bottles. If you feed them in any kind of seat, you need to clean up regularly and thoroughly to prevent mold.

Parents should be aware of the risks, but the risks are still very very small. Our pediatrician was very clear that a crib bumper, sheets, or tummy sleeping was a much bigger danger for suffocation than a rock and play.

We started with these during the day for naps. At night they were in their crib. They worked awesome. One of our twins got a flat spot, but it had a lot to do with the fact his soft spot was easily 2 inches around. It was and is still huge. The flat spot is gone now at 10 months and he had an ultrasound at one point just to see if everything was ok.

I'd swear by them, but if this is a concern then our method of crib overnight was a good idea.

We used them. We loved them. We had very little trouble transitioning them! They slept in the RnP's until about 5 months old, at which point we put them in the cribs for naps, RnP's during the night. About 6-7 months we transitioned to crib. They are 13 months old now and sleep exclusively in cribs for all sleepytimes.

Edit: we also had the "plain" ones that just vibrated when switched on. Some actually have an automatic rocker on them now. Ours just self-rocked and vibrated..it worked.

Best purchase we made by far. I pumped and bottle fed, and the Rock and Plays made it easy to switch between babies without getting up or bending over.

One of the boys had a flat spot on one side, but the other didn't, and it never even occurred to me that it might have been due to the rock and plays. He did not need a helmet and grew out of it.

we used something similar. it worked great for the first 8 months and then our twins hated it. they didn't need it to fall asleep but saved our butts so many many times. if you do get one, make sure its not battery powered. then you'd just go through batteries like crazy. get one with an ac power cord.

I would be a mess with out them. My boys are 13 weeks. In the next month I plan on transitioning to their crib, but for now these are worth it. Yes they both have flat spots, but that can be corrected with time. They don't sleep in them all day. Just at night.

I also use them to feed them in at night. I pump exclusively. So while they eat, I sit between them and monitor them. I've gone from an hour or more for feedings and pumping to just about half an hour at most. Including diaper changes. That means more sleep and a better mom for them.

Used with all 3 of mine and they ask slept so nicely in them! 1 slightly flat head but nothing that needed medical attention.

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