Mom, Dad, and Babes holy grail
This item is a SPLURGE, but boy oh boy was it worth it! It's funny, you have so many plans for you and your family before your baby comes. Where our baby was going to sleep was the biggest question for us. Before the baby came, we were beyond adamant about how he'll sleep in the crib from day one- we wanted absolutely nothing to do with co- sleeping. We would speak with friends and family and really couldn't even think about how they're still sleeping with there little's in their bed. We really wanted nothing to do with it, but looks like we jumped on the train and we've been co-sleeping this little babe from day one! (laughing emoji here, very hypocritical, I know) Special thanks to our DockATot!
Our DockATot really is one of our holy grail items- even hubby agrees, he loves it. When I was on the fence about purchasing this item, I couldn't believe the price point and how high it was (retail $185), especially because there are so many other co-sleepers out there. When I did my research, I looked into many co-sleeping items- Arms Reach Co-Sleeper, HALO Bassinest, Snuggle Nest, Serta iComfort, and more. I ended up adding the Arms Reach Co- Sleeper to our baby registry just because all of our family and friends recommended it and it had the greatest reviews from all the above. We were on the fence about the item, and I decided to return it. I wanted something more compact and easier to bring around the house. I felt like if I was going to have something so similar to a crib, I might as well just put the baby in the crib (which was inside of our bedroom and our two month old does sleep in there frequently!). I had been following DockATot on Instagram for a long time, and I fell in love with it more and more everyday- I just didn't want to pay $185 for it, and I knew my husband would ask why we needed something so expensive when there are items just like it. Because of the price point, I ended up settling on the Snuggle Nest and putting it in my online shopping cart.
Thank god I didn't click on check out, because that's when I went onto Facebook and saw that another mom was selling her DockATot Deluxe on our local Irvine Mom-to-Mom Sale site! I think someone was definitely loving me at this moment! When I saw she was selling it, I had to have it- like yesterday! I was able to negotiate with the mom (since it was used) and purchased the DockATot from her for only $90! It was such a steal, I could never pass that up. Now that our baby is here, we really can't go a day without our dock. Like I said earlier, we had planned on having our little one in the crib but after birth, but it was a game changer (I had no idea how painful post postpartum care would be) with that being said, this item was a life saver!
I love our DockATot because I feel like we're able to sleep easier- for some reason our baby sleeps longer in the DockATot rather than when we put him in his Pack n' Play, and mamaROO Swing. I really love the shape of it which is a reason why I feel like he sleeps great in it- It's wide at the top where his head is, and it gets slimmer down to the foot area. It's nice and cozy for our baby, I feel like the shape also has something to do with that aspect because it keeps baby tight (think the feel of mammas womb!). All sides of the DockATot resemble as bumpers, they're thick and round and we never worry abour the possibility of rolling over our baby. If our baby tuns a certain way while sleeping, we don't have to worry because every inch of the DockATot is breathable and safe. I'm an exclusive breast feeding mom, and our Dock makes it easy for late night feeds, I don't have to get up at night for the possibility of waking him up after being milk drunk. All I have to do is scoop him up, feed him, and lay him back in his Dock. At the foot end of the DockATot, theres a buckle you can buckle for a tight fit or let loose. The DockATot is meant for a tight fit, so I keep it buckled but when your babe get's longer you can unbuckle it and they'll still be able to use it before moving to the Grand!
Though there are so many positive things I have to say about our DockATot, there are also some things that aren't all happy and sunshine. I really don't like the cleaning aspect of the DockATot. It really is a pain. The Dock is separate pieces, it has the long bumper which is the outside of the dock, the center where the baby lays is a rectangular piece, and then you have the cover. The cover fit is very tight, so It's not easy to take on and off. Think about the possibility of a late night accident... since it's two pieces you have to have the cover to keep it together. You have to wash the cover, but luckily it does dry quickly! Which leads me to the next point- The brand is an expense. You have to be willing to purchase another cover which retail for $62-$85. In the beginning we didn't have a spare cover. We would wash during the day and have it air dry until night time. Until that one night where we had a blow out on our dock! We didn't have an extra cover but it would've came in handy. After that blow out, we invested in the extra cover and it's actually been very useful! It was completely worth the extra expense.
Useful tips about your DockATot:
Longer sleep
Unique shape to give a cozy feel
Interchangeable Dock covers
Light weight
Dries fast
Breathable
We can take it everywhere
High bumpers
Cute
Safe Co-Sleeper
Non toxic materials
Babes spot to relax
Usable up to 8 months (Deluxe)
Machine washable
Overall, I really can't say enough how much I love our Dock. We bring it everywhere. We bring it to hotels, vacations, and around our house- it has handles and also a carry around bag. I know there are similar products out there, but I really swear by this one and you can't beat the other useful reviews either! It really is a great product and I recommend it to all of our friends who are expecting!
