As any sleep-deprived parent will tell you, there's nothing quite like the joy of seeing your precious newborn drift off to sleep in a safe environment … if only because it means you might get a few minutes' rest yourself. As such, there are countless products on the market which promise to help you achieve this almost mythical state of sleep, and soon there could be one more - a hypoallergenic bowl-shaped baby bed.
Bubble Baby from designer Lana Agiyan is a vacuum-thermoformed and blow molded acrylic baby bed, which was inspired by a traditional Russian tumbler-toy called a Nevalyashka. The transparent bed can rock in any direction up to a 17 degree angle, but will return to an upright position thanks to a 15-kilogram (33-lb) plexiglass weight center.
The mattress itself contains a layer of buckwheat hulls - said to be ideal for babies because it's naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic, anti fungal, breathable, insulating and odor resistant - and is said to give the impression the baby is sleeping on a cloud within the acrylic bubble, allowing anxious parents to watch their child's every move.
One of the most unusual aspects of the Bubble Baby is the liquid polymer containing a nano-titanium dioxide coating, which the bed has been treated with. Created in conjunction with Estonian-based firm Nanoformula, it is claimed to improve optical transparency and to ionize the bed, making it self-cleaning and odor-eliminating.
The photocatalytic effect of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles means the bed begins to degrade dirt and air pollution when exposed to sunlight. The coating also "heals" potentially germ-harboring scratches in the bed, making it safer for little sleepers - it is also said to be eco-friendly, and certified for use in the EU.
The Bubble Baby - which can be used from newborn to five months and then used as toy storage or a swing - is currently being developed with an Indian furniture firm that hopes to take it into production soon. There's no word on how much it will cost.
Source: Lana Agiyan
Ventilation Holes in the bed base and around the outer "Acrylic shell should ensure adequate ventilation.... (Hey I'm sure this has been catered for... Who else finds it a little unusual to stick the baby in a fish bowl.)
It would take some pretty still air to allow the bowl to fill with CO2, and I suspect the baby would make a serious fuss before the concentrations became dangerous.
More and more articles get published showing how babies are on a huge learning mission even from before birth. Putting them in such a minimalist environment is cruel.
As close as possible to Mum, Dad, brothers and sisters, the family dog etc. That's where babies should be, not in some sanitised designer plastic shoe box.
Excessive build up of CO2 is a well-known cause of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndorme). Just becuase the Babycot does not have a Lid (response from 'Slowburn') is probably one of the most STUPID responses I have come across! MD pointed out the obvious fact that CO2 is "Heavier" than air - and so 'collects' in the 'Bowl' shape of this Cot. It is dangerous and I also believe not having Ventilation is against CE regulations. CO2 will cause the baby to lapse into an induced sleep - hence I doubt it will have the capability to 'influence' events as Slowburn 'thinks'.
There is also the well-known phrase "Better to be safe than sorry".... why even risk the life of a newborne Child when it is such an easy thing to introduce some form of ventilation mechanism (preferably one that cannot become blocked by movement of the sleeping mat etc.
And yes, Sk8Dad is correct as the system will invariably tilt as soon as the baby moves off centre. Laws of Physics here dictate that the weight of the infant will be multiplied by the fact that the baby's Centre of Gravity [CoG] is higher than the CoG of the Cot and hence will have more and more of an influence on the Tilt Angle as it moves nearer to the side (which would no doubt be further exacerbated by any current tilt).