Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a Miyo® Baby Hammock different from a crib or Moses basket?
The main difference between a hammock and cribs or Moses baskets is the way the baby is held and supported. Before a baby is born, they are held very tightly in the womb and experience a lot of movement as the mother moves around. Once they are born, flat and static surfaces such as a Moses baskets are completely unknown to babies - they are used to being held and supported with something around them combined with their mother s movement. The Miyo® Baby Hammock has been designed specifi cally to mimic the environment of the womb by holding the baby so they feel secure. The spring reproduces the movement of the mother, gently rocking the baby and giving them the sensation they love. These two design features give the baby a sensation of security and comfort, enabling them to relax and to sleep.

Why do babies sleep so well in a Miyo® Baby Hammocks?
The image of a parent walking the floorboards in the middle of the night, rocking their baby in their arms whilst they try to convince them to go to sleep is closely associated with being a new parent. It gives the baby warmth, comfort and reassurance and is one of the most natural things in the world to do. The cradling in the arms and rocking motion is simply recreating the environment of the womb, doing exactly the same job as the hammock. The difference comes when the baby falls asleep. If they are in your arms you still need to move them from their warm and comfortable position into a cooler and less snugly bed. Just as you do this, you can disturb them and wake them up and the process starts again. If they fall asleep in the hammock, they are already there &

What is 'self-soothing' and how does a Miyo® Baby Hammock help establish good sleeping patterns?
'Self-soothing' simply means the baby learns that they can relax themselves and fall asleep without having to be rocked asleep. The hammock helps them to do this as they are put down. If they make any movement the spring translates this into a gentle rocking motion, and so to sleep. It is the same if they wake, as is natural, during the night. Babies don t tend to go from deep sleep to screaming in a second, it is a slower process but one that parent s do not usually see as they are asleep until the screaming starts. Again, a slightly awake baby will move, this rocks the hammock, putting them back to sleep. The baby learns that sleep comes easily and just as importantly they do not become dependent upon somebody picking them up to cuddle them as this in itself is a reward for waking up and screaming. This is the very first step in establishing good sleeping patterns and is the basis for why over 80% of parents in our survey reported their babies sleeping through the night by 4 months old.

How long can the baby be in a Miyo® Baby Hammock?
From newborn up to 9 months (although size of babies may vary) for both day and night sleeps which means they will move straight into a cot so no other bed is needed. If you use the door clamp you don t even need a travel cot. Although an older baby can fi t in the hammock, the spine starts to strengthen at 9  10 months and research shows that for optimal spinal development they should be sleeping on a flat surface from this age.

Can the Miyo® Baby Hammock for day and night
Yes  you can use it for a full time bed for both day and night sleeps. The more a baby uses the hammock, the more they learn to self-soothe and go to sleep unaided.

How is the spine supported?
It is very important for babies' spines to be held in a supportive position. The Miyo® Baby Hammock is designed to ensure exactly this and has been confirmed by paediatric nurses, chiropractors and midwives.

Can a baby fall out?
The Miyo® Baby Hammock is designed to keep your baby very safe and secure. The way they lie in it means that whilst they have free movement of their arms and legs it is nearly impossible to roll onto their front, let alone crawl out. A good way to understand this is to imagine how difficult it is for an adult to sit up in a hammock!

How does a baby make the transition from a Miyo® Baby Hammock to a normal cot?
The quick answer is very easily. There are two aspects to this  the bouncing/swaying motion and the way the hammock cocoons  them. In the womb babies tend to fall asleep whilst the mother is moving around and then wake up when the mother stops moving (usually when she is trying to sleep!). This refl ex lasts beyond birth, which is why people rock a baby to sleep in their arms. The hammock simply allows you to do this without having to hold them; however the refl ex starts to fade around seven months old. This is good news because by nine months when they are transferred to a cot, they no longer rely on the movement to get them to sleep. The second part is the security they feel from being held within the hammock. Customer responses (and our own experience as parents) has shown that babies still love to have something close to them when they sleep so expect to see your baby snuggle up close to the side of the cot or their favourite soft toy.

How does the door clamp work? Is it safe?
The clamp rests over the top of a door frame. It is cleverly designed so that the greater the weight pulling down on it, the stronger it grips. They are fully safety tested for strength and include a door stopper to keep the door open. The combined weight of the door clamp and the Miyo® Baby Hammock is less than 6 lbs meaning it is one of the lightest and most compact travel cots available. Even more importantly, it means that your baby has their own bed that they know and love whether you are at a friend s house, grandparent s house or on holiday somewhere exotic!

How much space does the frame need? Can I travel with it? Is it easy to store?
The three legs of the frame mean it is very easy to position in a room and fi ts beautifully into a corner. If you find that space is limited, the hammock can be suspended by the included ceiling fixtures which must be professionally fitted. The curved wooden sections of the frame lie next to each other when taken down which allows it to be stored easily. Many people take the frame when they travel as it fits easily into a suitcase and weighs just 13 lbs (6 kg).

How does the Miyo® Baby Hammock prevent plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome)?
The bones in a baby's skull are very soft which helps them to come through the birth canal. SIDS prevention guidelines instruct parents to lay their babies on their backs. In some babies, if they do not receive enough play time on their stomachs, the bones start to mould to the shape of the mattress, giving them a distinctive flat head. The mattress in the Miyo® Baby Hammock is very soft and moulds to the shape of the baby's head, meaning beautifully rounded heads whilst still providing the correct spinal position.

SIDS/Cot death.
The causes of SIDS are still unclear however there are guidelines that should be followed to reduce the likelihood. These include keeping the baby on its back. One of the main benefits of the Miyo& Baby Hammock is that once you put a baby in it correctly, although they have free movement of their arms and legs it is almost impossible for them to roll onto their front. A highly significant finding in May 2008 showed that over 25% of SIDS deaths could have been prevented if babies' heads did not become covered with bedding. To avoid, simply ensure that any covers are tucked in under their shoulders.

Where are Miyo® Baby Hammocks and frames made?
We scoured the globe and selected one of the most technologically advanced factories in China. They work with some of the biggest brands in the world and employ highly skilled craftsmen and women, working in excellent conditions. No child labour here!

Is the Miyo® Baby Hammock made of all natural materials?
All the fabrics are made of 100% cotton. The mattress-outer is made of wool. Inside the mattress it is a synthetic polyfill, which has been selected as it is soft, does not compact, is easy to wash and dry and is aerated so is breathable for baby.

Is it washable?
Yes, all parts can be hand washed and ironed beautifully. There are care labels on the hammock and mattress, and also in the instruction booklet and website.

What is the recommended weight?
The maximum recommended weight is 15kg however it has been tested to 125kg. It is important to note that weight is not the main factor but for how long the baby uses a Miyo® Baby Hammock. As a brief overview, babies will stay in the hammock until they are about 9 months old and will then sleep in a cot. Please see the question 'How long can the baby be in a Miyo® Baby Hammock?' above as this gives full details.

Is there a warranty?
We have a 5 year warranty on all parts. The warranty forms are in the instruction booklet can be sent to head office or submitted online here.