Researching on cribs as an FTP or First Time Parent was SO OVERWHELMING! OMGosh it’s crazy how many options we have for newborns – moses baskets, bassinets, co-sleepers, etc! – to toddler beds with railings, extendables. bunk beds, and so many more! And they aren’t cheap!
So this specific post is for people who have the possibility of moving homes – whether it’s in the same city or to a different country altogether. As Diplos we move every 2-4 years and I really need to choose a crib that can weather the moves. After much research and after almost 5 years of happily using it, I think the Stokke Sleepi Crib is the best option for expats, diplos or urban nomads. You can see why below!
Choosing a crib and mattress for newborns is one of the most important choices we make as parents because it is a matter of safety.
What Is SIDS? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby younger than 1 year old. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep, which is why it’s sometimes still called “crib death.”
kidshealth.org
WHY WE CHOSE STOKKE SLEEPI CRIB
After talking to fellow expat mamas, we decided to get the Stokke Sleepi for DiploBaby because we wanted:
- A bed that would grow with him from the time he was a newborn until he was 10 years old with a Junior Bed extension kit. I don’t want to get stressed with replacing and shopping for a new bed each time he out grew a bed. The Stokke Sleepi comes out cheaper and simpler in the long run.
- A solid wood bed that could survive the rigors of packing and furniture pressure of shippping. I have a friend who moved with an expensive designer MDF crib and one of the legs broke – it’s difficult to repair.
- A bed that can easily be dismantled and assembled without fear of damage, each time we moved. Stokke Sleepi is meant to be reassembled as the baby grows so CHECK!
- Baby-safe paint. This is important because teething babies tend to bite bed rails.
- The wheels made it move around from our room to the nursery. During the day I would move it to wherever I was working so can see baby when he is using it as a playpen or napping.
- A bed with good resale value and can be used for generations to come. Win for the wallet and win for the environment!
- Last but not the least the beautiful and timeless Scandinavian design is hard to beat. I love that it’s slatted all around so it’s visually light and you can see baby from all angles. I find that beds with a solid part are a bit scary because you can’t see what’s going on in their SIDS is a real fear for parents.
I am just so happy to support and promote products like this which are also better for the environment and don’t end up in the landfill after a short period of use.
Always remember to ask what material a bed is made of. Many MDF/compressed wood/plywood cribs aren’t cheap but break easily, are very hard to fix and have a low resale value.
BUY THE STOKKE SLEEPI PRELOVED IF POSSIBLE
My friend Deepa was lucky enough to find a preloved Stokke when she was living in Amsterdam. It was a great score and a testament to how sturdy this bed is that the entire set can be passed on to another child! It’s important though to examine thoroughly so that all parts are complete and that everything is in good condition. Incomplete or damaged beds are not safe to use.
RELATED READ: RISKS OF SECONDHAND BABY GEAR
I loved the way she styled her nursery! Isn’t it beautiful? I love the idea of a mosquito net and a pretty basket for additional storage underneath.
In Berlin, I checked Craigslist and eBay Kleinanzeigung and found that the resale price was a bit higher than in Amsterdam. In fact, it was the same as the sale price of a brand new one in BabyWaltz. The preloved ones available were not in the white color that I was looking for, so we felt very lucky that they were on sale at BabyWaltz!
Whether you get it with a discount or preloved, it comes out cheaper than multiple baby/toddlers beds over the span of 10 years. And it’s really so high quality. The mattress is also super breathable!
USING STOKKE SLEEPI WITH NESTS
We loved using our Stokke Sleepi with nests that make baby feel snug so they sleep longer – which means more sleep for mama and papa! For babies it is not recommended to have any pillows or blankets that increase the risk of SIDS. Luckily I was able to find these products that are the holy grail in terms of breathability, safety and design! Based on my experience, they are even more breathable than the already breathable Stokke Sleepi mattress.
Cocoonababy
On DiploBaby’s first few months we co-slept using the Cocoonababy (Available here in the Philippines). It is so worth it for FTPs that are anxious about co-sleeping and afraid to roll on the baby like us!
It also prevents SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome because of how breathable it is and how the belt prevents baby from rolling over.
The only thing is that the Cocoonababy can only be used until baby can roll over which is 3-4months. Always use with supervision.
You cannot leave baby alone in the Cocoonababy on an elevated surface without supervision. Just in case the baby suddenly turns over and falls.
During day naps we would place DiploBaby with the Cocoonababy in the nursery inside the Stokke Sleepi. We loved that the bed had wheels so I could roll the bed to wherever I can see him while he was napping or playing inside the crib.
WHERE TO BUY COCOONABAY: USA | Philippines | UK
Sleepyhead/DockATot
Most people are familiar with DockaTot, but it all started as Sleepyhead of Sweden in Europe where it was originally designed. When they launched it in the USA, they launched it under the DockaTot brand. So if you are in Europe you should search for Sleepyhead instead of Dockatot. I think it comes out cheaper in Europe too because it’s where it’s made.
Using this with the Stokke Sleepi really helped DiploBaby sleep longer, because he felt more snug. I also noticed that our sweaty warm baby wasn’t sweaty at all when he used the Sleepyhead when he used the pod. As a parent of a baby that liked to sleep on his face, it lowered my anxiety because of how breathable it’s designed.
Though DiploBaby was only 4 months when we moved from Berlin to Manila, I ordered the Sleepyhead Grand (for 9-36 months) instead of the Deluxe+ (For 0-8 months) because I knew it was not available in the Philippines. I consulted with Sleepyhead of Sweden first and they were very responsive. I am very happy with their customer service. They coordinated with me the whole time it was being shipped to Berlin by train from Sweden to be sure it arrived before we moved away.
WHERE TO BUY: dockatot usa | sleepyhead eu | sleepyhead africa
READ MORE: STYLISH BABY NESTS
ANOTHER OPTION: LEANDER BABY COT
There is another beautiful baby cot that grows with kids into a Junior bed just like the Stokke. It’s called the Leander Baby Cot. A friend and fellow diplowife bought it for their child, however during their move one of the legs got damaged. It looks like it is made with compressed plywood (see pic here) which makes it harder to repair than solid wood.
If we did not move every few years, I think this is a beautiful option. However I because we move a lot I need to be sure that our furniture can withstand the great pressure of shipping on furniture, which can literally break furniture if it’s not so solid.
Whenever possible I also like furniture that can be taken apart so it doesn’t take up so much space in our limited shipment volume. If something is made with plywood, it’s not advisable to keep taking it apart and putting it together because the holes will become loose faster. But if you ship plywood furniture whole, there is big likelihood of breaking versus solid wood. This is why we try not to ship any IKEA wooden furniture. I try to sell them before we move.
In conclusion
There is no need to buy the Stokke Sleepi Mini (for 0-6months only) because this is so easily outgrown. You can go straight to the Stokke Sleepi Bed (for 0-36 months) to save money. This is the full set:
Optional but super nice to have:
Though optional, I highly recommend the Drape Rod with Canopy so you can hang a mobile with crib mobile motor. It entertains baby and during naps and sleeptime makes the space so relaxing and magical! Part of the secret of good baby sleep is setting the mood for the baby. We prefer relaxing colors for the mobile because if you use high contrast color, it wakes the baby up instead of putting them to sleep.
Btw if you are in Manila, I’m selling my preloved the drape rod with the canopy and crib mobile motor! Message me on Instagram
If you are moving countries and you don’t know if you can find Stokke in that country. Or Scandinavian products might be very expensive (like it is here in Manila) you should buy the Junior Bed Extender, Junior Mattress and the Junior Fitted Sheet.
WHAT YOU CAN SAVE ON & DO WITHOUT
What you can save on, which I was advised by the practical store person in Babywalz that there is no need for. I also saw that the rating for these products were not very high on Amazon:
- Crib bumper Better without for breathability and visibility of the baby
- Mattress protector This only lessens breathability.
- If you don’t want to buy the round organic fitted sheet you can buy sheets from IKEA that are as long, and then fold the corners under. We did this and it was okay until we converted to the Junior bed. Ikea did not having anything that fit the Junior Mattress.
Where to buy Stokke Sleepi: USA • UK • Germany • Philippines
This is not a sponsored post and we purchased each item with our own money. I am an amazon affiliate, but all opinions are my own. Proffessional product photos are credited to their respective brands.
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