FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I hang it? There
3 ways to hang it:
1.
From a hook you screw into a beam in the ceiling.
2. By looping the chain
over or through an exposed beam.
3. From a stand which you can purchase via the optional extras page.
Every
ceiling has beams that can support the weight of an adult. If it is safe for
an adult then it is safe for your baby. A qualified builder will be able to
install a hook in several places in the house. For example the kitchen, the
lounge room, and the bedroom.
I found that my newborn wanted to sleep when my older child wanted to eat, so
we hung it in the kitchen for the first year. Then the baby was deeply sleeping
in the midst of our kitchen activity, bouncing blissfully whenever one of us
would pass by her.
When she was about one I found we used it mostly in the lounge room, and then
after that it was mostly on the verandah.
First, securely install a hook into a ceiling rafter. Alternatively, the chain may be hung over or inserted through a hole drilled through a solid support such as a beam. Ensure that your method is able to safely carry a load of 70kgs. We recommend you seek a professional builder’s advice for optimum safety. If you rent, most landlords will allow a properly installed hook in the ceiling.
Next, hang the chain from the chosen support. Suspend the Happy Hangup no greater than hip height from the floor to protect your lower back as you place baby in the hammock. We recommend that you hang it close to the floor when your baby becomes mobile.
Finally, open the movable link located at the far end of the chain. Attach this link to the chain at the required length.
What sort of hook is recommended?
We recommend a hook, either closed or open, with a thread to be screwed into the ceiling beam. If you choose a closed hook the opening has to be large enough to pass the chain through (15 mm diameter hole). The best way to think of it is to ask for one at the hardware that could support YOUR weight. That way it will be completely safe for your baby.
Is it for sleeping the baby in at night, or just during the day?
Lots of
people use them at night, especially those that have a very restless baby. It
can be hung beside or above the bed. If the baby begins to awaken it will bounce
itself or you can just reach out and bounce it to send the baby back to sleep.
This allows the parents more sleep and less walking around in the wee hours trying
to soothe a distressed baby.
Do we use it as is, or do we need to put a cushion in?
Placing a cushion in the hammock creates a level base with even support all the way along the baby’s spine. Some people leave the cushion out altogether for a more womb-like cradling effect, but most people (and babies) prefer to create a level base on which the baby can stretch out..
The versatility of the tied hammock with the cushion inside means that with colicky or reflux babies the position of the cushion can be adjusted to position the head higher than the rest of the baby’s body.
A cushion suitable for use in the Happy Hangup is available via the optional extras page.
How long can we use the Happy Hangup?
My three year-old still enjoyed deep sleeps in the Happy Hangup, as much as she did as a newborn. The cushion creates more room, which is important as the baby grows. If you imagine holding a 3 year old asleep in your arms, they are not stretched out; rather curled up. Due to the even pressure of the hammock shape, the spine is optimally supported. She continued to enjoy the Happy Hangup for the occasional daytime nap until she was four. It also became an exciting swinging toy for her to climb in and out of.
What is special about the hammock fabric?
The pattern is imbedded in the fabric and is enhanced by light coming through when the hammock is in place. Babies just love to look at the intricate design.
The hanger is made from Australian plantation pine and hand-finished with plant-based oils. It is easily restored to full lustre by wiping some vegetable oil over it once a year.
To the best of our knowledge, no SIDS cases in sprung baby hammocks have been reported in Australia. It is extremely difficult for a baby to roll onto their front in a hammock. So babies stay lying on their back.
The hammock is made from high-quality cotton, and thoroughly tied to the hanger in a special way which is very safe. We include a full photographic explanation of how to tie it in the instructions, so you can easily take it off and wash it.
What
is the cord in the spring for?
There is a very strong nylon cord running through the middle of the spring. In the very unlikely case of the spring breaking, the cord will prevent the hanger from falling far enough to reach the baby.
Can
the baby fall or crawl out?
It is not
an issue until the baby can move. If your baby becomes very active and you are
concerned, you can simply adjust the movable link so that it hangs down close
to the floor. It is still really difficult to get out of, like a normal hammock.
It is very important to be available to the baby so that you can take them out
when they wake up, then the baby gets into the habit of waiting for you to take
them out when they awaken.
Do
you have to make it bounce much?
If you
want to get the baby to sleep or just comfort them then you bounce it consistently,
engage eye contact with them and share their enjoyment or sing a reassuring
song. When they have drifted off you'll find you can leave it stationary. Then
when they move in their sleep it will set the spring bouncing again.
With older babies their weight keeps the spring bouncing longer. When the baby
is newborn or smaller, or you have a baby that will only stay asleep with constant
movement, I suggest you attach a sash to the hanger and then you can sit down
and eat your dinner, for example, while you are pulling on the sash.
I have a child that does not sleep and am keen to try a hammock, but have some reservations bout them.Can you tell me what your experience is when children migrate up or down the hammock as they do in a cot - how do they not fall out. Also when the child is able to sit and stand by itself, how dangerous is the hammock for the child to be able to fall out of it then?
To answer your questions
- depending on the age of the child, the hammock works to contain the migration
of a wriggling little sleeper. With an older, heavier child, such as my child
who is 3 years 8 months, the hammock fully cradles her and regardless of how
much wriggling or turning she does, her head is contained by the hammock end.
Occasionally her feet flop out but, similar to an adult size hammock, the side
come up and the buttock stays way down. With each wriggle or movement she does
the spring gets activated and the resultant bouncing sends her off to a deeper
level of sleep. I tend to lift her feet/legs back in, which cannot be fully
straightened now that she is almost 4. But she still loves it.
With a younger baby, there is more room, but the same principle is in place:
the hammock ends contain the movement, the bouncing sends them back to sleep.
It is very difficult to reach a sitting position in the hammoock for a baby
of suitable age. They tend to need to roll over and get on their knees first,
the whole time sending the hammock into a bounce which alerts the supervising
parent. I really recommend that parents only use the Hangup for sleeping or
be fully present if their baby is awake. If you get your baby accustomed to
being taken out upon awakening, they will come to expect this and likely call
you, as mine does (very loudly), upon awakening (if the bouncing of the hammock
isnt noticed by you already).
In the 2 and a half years I have been manufacturing and selling the Hangup I
have never known of a child to fall out. I have observed my daughter manouvering
herself into a position where she can now actually climb out backwards, and
this is partly due to me adjusting the chain so that the Hangup hangs closer
to the floor.
I always tell people, if they end up with a VERY active baby (often a boy),
and they are concerned, that they simply adjust the chain so that at the lowest
end of the bounce the hammock is almost touching the floor. Then if the baby
does manage to crawl out and you are not present, they are right there on the
floor. The inventor of this product had a child that would crawl in when he
was tired and crawl out again when he awoke. He used it till about age 4.