Dockatot Review – An in Depth Look at the Dockatot Deluxe

Dockatot Deluxe+ Review Summary

To help give an overall view of the dockatot I’ve scored the Dockatot on four factors Value for money, Durability, Comfort, and Washability. I’ve given each factor a score out of 25 below.

Value for Money

Score 18 out of 25
The Dockatot Deluxe does seem expensive. Despite its high price tag, I do think it’s worth the investment for how much we used it.

Durability

Score 20 out of 25
Our Dockatot is soft and comfortable but has been very hard-wearing. E even had a tendency to chew on it when she was teething.

Comfort

Score 22 out of 25
The Dockatot Deluxe is very comfortable for our little one. She always seems snug and cozy. The materials are soft and breathable for her skin.

Washability

Score 20 out of 25
The covers of the Dockatot are removable by a zip and can be washed easily. Putting the cover back on can be a bit of a challenge.

Overall Dockatot Review Score = 80 out of 100

Dockatot Deluxe+ Review Contents

• Things to Consider Before Buying the Dockatot Deluxe+
• Presenting The Dockatot Deluxe+
• The Dockatot Deluxe+ Features and Benefits
• Basic Features and Specs
• The Dockatot Deluxe+ Owners Reviews
• Shortfalls and Alternatives
• Conclusion

Things to Consider Before Buying a Baby Lounger

Before I bought the Dockatot Deluxe+, I researched quite a few baby loungers. My main considerations when researching baby loungers were comfort, extra features, and budget.

Comfort

I wanted to make sure that the lounger I picked would be as comfortable as possible for my baby. The lounger should be suitably firm, but this may be affected by what surface the lounger is on. But I also wanted to make sure that the material the lounger is made from was nice and soft for little E’s delicate skin.

Size

I also considered the size of the lounger. I wanted a lounger that my baby wouldn’t grow out of too quickly. Some baby loungers are only suitable for little ones for the first few months. That’s why I carefully checked out the dimensions for each of the loungers I looked at. I found that Dockatot Deluxe+ can fit a baby until they reach 8 – 10 months.

Extra Features

We all know how much babies can make a mess, so I wanted to make sure it was easy to wash the baby lounger. Also, buying a baby lounger can be quite an investment. I wanted to check that I could buy different covers or replacement pads and foam parts

Safety

Safety was a key consideration for me when looking at baby loungers. At night time babies are in effect unsupervised and often in a different room. As a parent, when you’re asleep you don’t have the same awareness for your little one or ability to intervene if they need help. I wanted to make sure that by leaving little E in a lounger I wouldn’t be exposing her to any additional hazards.

Budget

The price of a baby lounger was a consideration for me. Buy my main focus was on the comfort size and other features.

Personally, I believe that doing some research on products before I buy them. This helps me to make sure I buy quality items that are fit for purpose. I do this for everything in my life not just for things for my baby.

Presenting The Dockatot Deluxe+

I read quite a lot of dockatot reviews before I decided to buy one. Dockatot offers two models, the Deluxe and the Grand. The Deluxe is designed for babies from birth, the grand is designed for older babies to toddlers. Whilst the Dockatot state that the Deluxe is designed for the 0-8 months age range, I think this is conservative. Our little one was still using the Dockatot at 12 months (But I do recognize that babies are different sizes).

The Dockatot Deluxe+ comes in over 12 different cover designs, so I’m sure there will be a design to suit your nursery color scheme. I opted for the pristine-white cover. The RRP for the Dockatot Deluxe+ ranges from $175 to $200, depending on which cover design you choose. This is quite pricey but the great reviews I had read from other mothers I felt this was worth the investment.

Our little one has slept so well whilst using the Dockatot Deluxe+. We’d cuddle her to sleep and then transfer her to the Dockatot. Usually, this worked well and we could tell she was lovely and snug. During the winter months when we transferred her sometimes she woke up. We thought it might have been because the Dockatot was cooler than being cuddled in our arms. We tried warming the Dockatot up with a hot water bottle before transferring her, this seemed to help her to stay asleep.

The Dockatot Deluxe+ Features and Benefits

Basic Features and Specs

Here’s the summary of the product’s features upon unboxing the Dockatot Deluxe

• • base pad
  •  pristine white doc comprising,     
  • cushion tube
  • pristine white cover.
• A waterproof carry case

Aside from everything in the box

• All parts of the dock can be bought as replacements
• You can order different color covers to suit your baby’s bedroom.

Portable and Easy to Use

The Dockatot Deluxe is very light and easy to carry. It even comes with its own plastic carry case. It is quite bulky and doesn’t collapse down very much.  We used it everywhere. It was really handy during maternity leave as I could take the Dockatot into whichever room I was in and E would have a consistent feeling place to sleep. We used the Dockatot when we first transitioned E from our bedroom to a crib in her own room.

It was also useful when we went to stay with family or friends. Its very light and easy to throw in the car. Again giving E a familiar comfy place to sleep away from home.

Extremely Comfortable

The Dockatot Deluxe+ has three major parts. The mattress pad, the cushion tube, and the cover. E seems to find the Dockatot very comfortable, We would put her in the lounger in her romper suit and keep her warm with blankets.

The mattress pad base is soft but provides E enough support. The surrounding cushion tube makes the Dockatot like a cozy little cocoon. The material of the cover is 100% cotton and nice and soft for E’s delicate skin.

Keeping Your Baby Safe and Sound

During my research, I found a bit of history about the Dockatot brand. The Deluxe baby lounger was first released in Sweden under the brand SleepyHead in 2006. Following a number of years on sale in Europe the Deluxe was released in the US under the Dockatot brand in 2015.

I found it a bit strange that the same product would be for sale under two different brands. Looking further into both products I found that the Safe Use instructions and marketing for the Dockatot and Sleepyhead were different.

Different Recommended Uses?

At the time of writing this article, the marketing material for the Dockatot states that is intended to be used for lounging, tummy time, cosleeping, playing and supervised napping. But it’s not intended to be used within a crib or bassinet. Whereas the SleepyHead marketing material states that it is intended for the same use as the Dockatot but can also be used as a crib insert and to help babies transition between a crib and a bed.

At first glance, I thought that this difference was worrying.  But the more I thought about it, I think that this just reflects how the Dockatot / SleepyHead product fits within the guidelines of where they’re sold. How could an identical product be recommended for use in a crib in one region but not be recommended for use in a crib in another?

Different Consumer  Guidelines?

E.g. in the US The Consumer Product Safety Commission has cautioned that babies should be placed in a bare crib without any additional bedding, blankets or pillows. This clearly means that in the US the Dockatot shouldn’t be used in a crib or bassinet.

The guidelines are different in the UK. In the UK a British Standard was developed for a specification for a pillow suitable for use in cots and prams etc. The standard is known as BS4578 and in summary, this specification ensures that any material the pillow is made from must be permeable enough for a baby to breathe through.

Sleepyhead states that “We have taken great care in selecting the most optimal materials with health and safety at the top of our minds. As far as we have been able to establish, it’s been tested above and beyond any other baby sleeping product out there… The sides of Sleepyhead DELUXE as well as the GRAND, which are in close proximity to the baby’s face, allow for relative easy breathing and comply with the requirements of BS4578.”

Dockatot Safety Testing

In addition, the Dockatot / Sleepyhead DELUXE & GRAND have both been tested in Europe and the US and proven to comply with the following:

• Oeko-Tex certification, Standard 100, Class 1
• All components Intertek tested for and proven free from harmful substances
• Tested for compliance with US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008
• Tension tested for ‘Normal and reasonably foreseeable use and abuse’
• Bumper air permmability according to BS4578
• Resistant to ignition according to BS5852
• 16 CRF 1632 flammability testing
• Phthalate testing
• Small parts and use and abuse testing under 16 CFR 1500.50
• Heavy metal testing
• ASTM F-963-11 • California Bulletins 116 and 117 flammability testing
• California Proposition 65

Dockatot Safety Conclusion

I think that the recommended guidelines for what’s safe for little ones can be an everchanging landscape. Different governments and leading bodies often provide different guidance to parents. Also, what’s recommended as safe today might not be recommended as safe in the future. Conversely, what’s regarded as unsafe today might not be viewed as unsafe given time.

I think that Dockatot / Sleepyhead have put thier products through a lot of safety testing. Little E slept in her Sleepyhead day and night for the first 9  months of her life. We would put little E in her Sleepyhead in a NextToMe crib. We also used the Sleepyhead when we moved E into her crib in her own room. I think parents should try to follow the recommended guidelines, but sometimes it’s about finding what works for you as a family.

Dockatot Reviews from other Owners

When I was researching baby loungers the thing that drew me most to the Deluxe was the dockatot reviews. There are plenty of dockatot reviews that give the deluxe full marks on both the Dockatot website and Amazon.

The reviews on the Dockatot website are clearly from customers as they have pictures of the precious littles looking very cozy and comfortable in the baby lounger.

Despite a large number of top marks dockatot reviews, there are some negative comments about the deluxe. The most common negative view of the dockatot deluxe is its price, and there are other cheaper alternatives to consider. Others complained that their baby had grown out of the lounger before they were eight months old. But, this could have been because they were just big babies.

The number of positive reviews vastly outweighs the negatives. A good proportion recognizes the products’ high price but feel that the purchase was ‘worth it’ for their baby’s comfort and better night’s sleep.

Shortfalls and Alternatives

The Dockatot Deluxe isn’t without its shortfalls, the price might put people off. Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives available.

• Snuggle Me Organic: Click here to read our Snuggle Me Organic Review
• Boppy Newborn Baby Lounger: Click here to read our Boppy Newborn Baby Lounger Review
• LeachCo Podster: Click here to read our Leachco Podster Review

Dockatot Review Conclusion

The Dockatot Deluxe baby lounger is clearly a very popular product for parents. We found that little E slept really well in the Dockatot Deluxe. She always seemed warm, snug and cozy. Which also helped give us a few more hours sleep. I would definitely recommend Dockatot Deluxe to other parents. It is expensive but I believe it was a worthwhile investment. If you have more questions about the wonders of this product, feel free to leave a question on the comments section.

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