There isn't a mama out there that doesn't love her sleep, right? I mean if there is, I haven't ever met them. My first daughter had serious reflux and gas that really interrupted her sleep for the first few months of her life. So, when my second came along and slept like an angel, I was feeling like I had won the lottery! Until...the first few weeks of deep, deep newborn sleep wore off.
She (like a lot of other newborns) slept, ate, pooped, and slept some more for her first couple weeks. We swaddled her with traditional swaddles and she never fought them or seemed to have a problem with them. After about four weeks, she started to really fight her swaddles. I would wake up to her grunting and squirming because she was trying so hard to get her hands out so she could touch her face! So I tested leaving her unswaddled and her arms flailed so, so bad!
We went from having four hour stretches between feedings to her waking up every hour. That was not flying with me so I spent a sleepless night, in between wakings, doing a bit of research. What I discovered was the Love To Dream Swaddle!
Looking back I really should not have been surprised by the fact that she wanted to sleep with her arms up. My husband, our daughter Penny, and now our baby girl all sleep with their arms up by their face or above their head. Clearly, our household isn't the only one with the "arms up" sleepers if this product exists! Let me tell you, I absolutely love this thing!
After reading about this in the middle of the night, I bought it the very next day so the first time we used it was for a nap. She slept great for all naps that day, but the true test was going to be the nighttime sleep. The first night was exactly what I was hoping for!! Hallelujah!
The LTD swaddle lets their little hands be up, but keeps them from flailing around. They can also use their hands to self soothe, which becomes much more important as they get older! A few other reasons I absolutely love this sleep sack are the double-way zipper (for super easy diaper changes at night), and the design that keeps baby tight and secure around their body but loose in the hips for healthy hips! Baby can be in this swaddle until they roll. To help the transition to them having their arms not swaddled, you can use the 50/50 Transition Swaddler. Both the little arms zip off so you can release one arm at a time, and then eventually use just the body of the swaddler as the perfect sleep sack!
Obviously, some babies love their arms swaddled. But there have got to be a group of babes out there just like mine that just want their tiny little hands to be up by their face too! If you've got a swaddle squirmer but you aren't fond of being up all night, do yourself a favor and welcome a LTD Swaddler into your house! It worked miracles for me!
Written by: Alyssa Liston
2 comments
So happy to hear this! :)
I bought one of these after a friend suggested it. It has done wonders for my two month old. He went from sleeping 2-3 hours, to sleeping 5-8 hrs. It has saved my sanity and my nerves! I’m not the easiest person to be around when I lack sleep. Our house is a much happier place to be now that momma is getting good sleep again! This product is a great suggestion!!!!!