If you’ve been following along over on Instagram, you know that Logan has been an extra fussy baby. Since birth, she’s had feeding issues, which ultimately resulted in belly issues too. This swirl of circumstances has made her a little colicky. Desperate to try all the things, I think we’ve finally found our groove with her as best we can. She’s not completely fuss-free (b/c what baby actually is!?) but she’s one thousand times better.
I always thought babies were intuitive nappers. I thought newborns napped when they felt tired — in the swing, in their car seat, on your shoulder, during walks, etc. For some babies, that is totally the case but not for Logan. It took me a while to figure this out. I had a friend tell me about sleep training for infants and I was immediately curious if that would help her rest. I researched “Moms on Call” and “Taking Cara Babies” tips and tricks. Now I have her on a more “scheduled” routine where she eat-play-sleeps. I offer her naps every 60-90 minutes and feed her every 2-3hrs. The goal is for naps to be 2hrs long but her naps mostly last 1hr or a little over. She goes down in a dark room, in her bassinet, swaddled with her sound machine and almost instantly she’s sound asleep. Not only is she much happier during the day when she’s awake, but she’s also sleeping LONGER stretches at night. WIN/WIN!
We’ve tried a lot of other things to help with the colic too (gripe water, colic bottles, nightly bedtime baths, low stimulation, chiropractic, craniosacral massage therapy and more) but the babocush was something I found to be super innovative and NEW. I’d never heard of it. So when I got the opportunity to test it, I was really excited. I geek out over tech that has health benefits.
The main two goals for babocush is soothing and comfort. The tummy time cushion creates a peaceful, womb-like condition, to ensure your baby experiences the next best thing to being held in your arms. The babocush relieves gas, colic and reflux discomfort. It features soothing vibrations and a gentle heartbeat sound to simulate being held by you which means less crying and a settled baby. Soothing vibrations with heartbeat sounds replicate the sound of your voice and beat of your heart. Overall it helps support tummy time, which is great for strengthening your baby’s neck, back and trunk as well as helping prevent flat-head syndrome and promoting cognitive development. And last but not least, babocush allows airways to remain open and relaxed, reducing the time taken to burp baby.
The control panel allows you to choose how intense the vibration and heartbeat noise is. This is great because it allows you to customize the experience for your baby. Logan is not always a fan of vibration so I put that on the lowest setting and sometimes I don’t even turn it on at all.
This product is great for babies 0-6 months old. The pillow-like cushion is lightweight, versatile and easily transportable. It is very easy to carry room to room and up and down the stairs. This entirely new concept is great because it allows babies to be soothed on their stomach safely. Logan is really particular in the positions she likes to be in. She dislikes her car seat, the stroller, and sometimes even her swings. She digs rested tummy time and this new soothing technique makes that super peaceful for her.
Obviously calming your newborn yourself is the ultimate route but holding a fussy baby 24-7 while trying to navigate the rest of your day-to-day life is definitely challenging. It’s clear to see why some parents see the benefits of the babocush. I definitely do see the benefits myself. I’m a fan of any contraption that supports Logan and helps her feel more comfortable during this tough 4th trimester. She’s coping with colic, belly issues/gas and possible silent reflux. It’s nice to know that I’m able to give her some relief with this cushion.
It’s important to note that the cushion isn’t made for sleeping (specifically nighttime sleeping). Kids safe sleeping guidelines state that parents should sleep babies on their backs from birth, not on their tummy or side, and that tummy time should be on the floor and fully supervised. We follow all the safe sleeping guidelines at night.
BUT you do you! Logan likes being on her belly, so I let her take 1-2 naps during the day in her crib on her belly under my full supervision. Personally, if Lo nods off on her babocush during the day while I’m right there beside her, I’m okay/comfortable with that too. Logan was tongue and lip tied so I’m overly preventative when it comes to flat head syndrome. She also had some birth trauma due to our long labor. She had a lot of body tension in her neck, shoulders and back. Long spurts of tummy time, even while resting, help loosen those muscles up. This advice was given to me by our LMT who is amazing.
I can’t guarantee that your baby will like the babocush or that it will make tummy time easier for them. A lot of things with kiddos are hit and miss — trial and error, but Logan sure likes hers. I know that this cushion has been a lifesaver for many parents. We dig it as a soothing option for Lo. It’s also one that is most convenient for travel too. As parents who are always on the go and down to adventure that’s pretty crucial.
You can purchase the babocush here.
Sweat Adventures 