We are so excited to share our full Dock A Tot review! If you’ve followed us for at least a little while, you know that we are huge Dock A Tot fans! The DockATot is one of my must have baby items (as seen here) and I am a firm believer that everyone needs one if you have a baby.
We didn’t purchase the Dock A Tot deluxe (which is the size for newborn to eight months) until Madison was about two months old. I hesitated because of the price tag, but my only regret was not having it sooner! It paid for itself because Madison slept like a dream since we got it. We used the deluxe size until Madison started to roll over.
If you’re not familiar with the Holy Grail that is Dock A Tot, let me explain a little more about it. Dock A Tot is a multi-functional lounger, co-sleeper and playtime lounger. It comes in two sizes. The Deluxe is for newborn to 8 months of age and the Grand is for 9 to 36 months of age.
The Dock A Tot is designed in Sweden and made in Europe. It has extensively been tested for breath-ability and is OEKO-TEX certified. It is designed to make the baby feel like they are back in the womb. Genius!
Blanket / Mocs c/o Freshly Picked
We were lucky with two great sleepers, but I really do credit a lot of our success with Madison’s amazing sleep to the Dock. One of my best friends who is a sleep consultant at Sleep and the City, highly recommends the Dock A Tot. Babies thrive on consistency and love having a familiar place to sleep. The Dock is great to bring with you if you go out of town. It’s perfect to take with you to a friend’s house so you can have safe and familiar place to let your baby hang out. Another one of my favorite features of the Dock A Tot is that the cover is washable! I have washed the cover many times, and it comes out beautifully every time.
We were recently gifted the Dock A Tot Grand and we are in love! The girls love lounging in it outside, in the family room and sleeping in it. Technically, it’s for Madison but McKinlee sure seems to enjoy hanging out in there. We are excited to use it for transitioning Madison to her toddler bed (whenever that day comes, definitely not rushing it!). It will be the perfect spot for her to still feel cozy in the larger sleep environment.
image via DockATot
Madison looks a little concerned because she really doesn't want to share the Dock with her big sis!
Blanket / Flower headband c/o Fancy Free Finery
The DockATot gives your baby a sense of security which in-turn helps them to sleep better. It also grows with your baby. Eventually, you can have them practice tummy time in the DockATot. Make sure you're always supervising them though! The grand provides a nice transition for your baby to their toddler bed. The cover can easily be washed, which we had to do often! It's portable and we could easily take it with us to Grandmas house or on a vacation. We didn't have a hard time taking it away once it was time. I was afraid she'd be too attached to it, but we just phased it out and she seemed ok!
The colors and prints are endless! I love that you can mix it up or even match it to your decor.
image via DockATot
I grabbed some helpful safety tips from the DockATot website and wanted to share them with you here!
The DockATot is pricey, but to me it was worth it. Our baby slept so well, and that is just something you can't put a price tag on! It has a short shelf life. You can use the Deluxe version until baby starts to roll or 8 months of age. This is pretty typical of baby products though. The nice option is to pass it on to siblings or friends. You can purchase a new cover to make it feel new. Those are really the only negative pieces of feedback I have!
Our Most Used Nursery Item // Nursery Transformation
I hope this post helped answer questions that you might have about the Dock a Tot! Please let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below, or feel free to DM me on Instagram!