What bedding do I need with an Amby Nature Nest?

[MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird]

My parents have brought us an Amby Nature Nest for our baby due in 4 weeks, which is lovely, but I am totally confused about what bedding to use with it.

I have seen some quite expensive fitted sheets online, which I guess I need as it is such an unusual shape. Will 2 be enough? 4? And then what? Top sheet? Blankets? What sort? Do I tuck them in the bottom? Our house is quite cold and drafty.

I don't know why but I find bedding totally confusing. Someone has given us a baby sleeping bag, but I think you can't use them with newborns?

Thanks!

[nubbins]

I use a normal cot sized flat sheet on ours and just kind of fold the mattress up in it. Just use normal moses basket sized cellular blankets on top.

I've never used sleeping bags before so have no idea about that. But I have found that the amby keeps my babies warmer than a flat cot, so you might need to watch their temp if you do use it.

[ThisIsYourSong]

I'm fairly sure you can't use a sleeping bag with the Amby (they say not to). We swaddled using a merino wrap, but am sure you can use whatever kind of blanket you want. Babies don't need a lot of blankets etc - I hated worrying about the temperature thing too but its better to be a bit cold than too hot.

We had a couple of fitted sheets but like Nubbins said, you can just use normal sheets too.

The Amby is absolutely fab

[AitchTwoOh]

i got a couple of the fitted sheets, the only time you'll need more is if there is a big vomfest, and you can stick a pillow case over the mattress then. worth having the fitted though imo.

we had a shawl that we wrapped dd in, i would agree that the amby keeps them pretty warm as well.

[boredwithfoodprob]

I bought the special Amby sheets as you have - 2 was enough. We also used a gro-bag, I don't remember it saying you couldn't use one with the Amby but perhaps advice has changed since I bought mine as it was over 2 years ago. DS slept with us for the first month and was then in a moses basket for a couple of weeks before my mum bought us the Amby when he was 6 weeks old. I guess that's why we were able to use a bag as he was the required minimum weight to sleep in one by then. Until then just use a normal blanket or swaddle as someone else suggested.

I agree the Amby is lovely - I remember bouncing DS to sleep in his and then staring at him for ages all tucked up and snoring!

[ThisIsYourSong]

Brain is mush very sorry, isn't it stupid how you get things wrong in your mind. You can use sleeping bags, but it is not recommended to swaddle in an Amby. We tucked the wrap around the mattress, under DS's arms.

What about when they wake up in the night, and you just reach out and give it a push and they drift right off - bliss

[MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird]

Thanks for the advice everyone. So sheet below, and cellular blanket/s on top then? You don't need a top sheet under the cellular blankets?

I brought a couple of mothercare cellular blankets but they seem very stiff and scratchy even after washing. Any recommendations for nicer ones?

[AitchTwoOh]

i don't know about everyone else, but i couldn't have made the hammock into a bed, with a blanket on top, iykwim? john lewis do some lovely stretchy shawls, dd used to get bundled loosely into that and from there she would make herself a little nest as she wriggled. oh god i love that hammock, you know. it makes me happy just to think of the dds in it... they slept so beautifully in it.

[ThisIsYourSong]

No top sheet, no. Try washing your blankets a few more times and see if that helps? Otherwise we did love the merino wraps, they are really thin so quite flexible as to what you can do with them and easy to shove in a bag but warm (supposed to be self regulating). Otherwise maybe invest in a Grobag as you will get good use out of that.

You might get given stuff like shawls, more blankets etc if its a winter baby. People love giving warm stuff so it might be easier to wait and see before buying too much.

[MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird]

Just googled merino wraps thisisyoursong but can't work out what you mean. Is that a blanket made of merino wool? Does John Lewis sell them?

I have brought grobags for all my friends who have had babies in the past few years. Tempted to buy one for us, but it does seem more sensible to wait and see what we are given.

[stclair]

I wrapped my baby in a swaddle in the Amby, I didn't know it wasn't recommended! I found I needed to use wedges to keep her from rolling to the side as we just couldn't get it balanced properly. I don't think the sleep deprivation helped! Other than that we found it a fabulous bed.

[ThisIsYourSong]

We were sent them from NZ - the ones we had were very similar to this (I think): www.naturalbabyshower.co.uk/nurtured-by-nature/hush-merino-wrap-blanket.html

You can get ones which are shaped like wraps rather than just squares/rectangles, but to me that limits the uses.

We've used grobags ever since they were a few months old though, they are excellent and I wouldn't use anything else now. Blankets or wraps are better for when they are tiny.

[MyThumbsHaveGoneWeird]

ooo those are lovely thisisyoursong...very tempted.

[AitchTwoOh]

'skin absorbs 60% of the substances it comes into contact with...' ? i'd like to let ben goldacre loose on that.

[Orangesarenottheonlyfruit]

I manage with two sheets and put DD2 in a sleepsuit, vest, thermal suit, grobag and blanket on top! But then our house is espeically cold.
DD1 just in a sleepsuit, vest and grobag in Amby at this time of year (different house!).

Have to say Amby was the BEST investment, up there with the wrap sling for most used baby item.

[MavisDavis99]

Hi, I know this is a dead thread, but I found it because I was searching for the answer to this question, so thought I'd update the answer incase anyone else comes across it too. I emailed Amby and this is the reply I got.....

"You can use any bedding that can be used in a cot or bassinet in the Amby hammock. Gro-bags and swaddling blankets are absolutely fine. Anything they can wear in a cradle, moses basket or crib/cot is also perfectly fine. Gro-bags can actually help prevent rolling over in the hammock if your baby is older.



I hope this helps but please stay in touch.



Mick



Mick Lowe MSc BA

Managing Director

Amby Europe Limited"