Hey Tara!

Sleep is a crucial component to overall wellness. Sometimes as parents we get desperate for sleep and are willing to try anything that might help. Trends come and go. There are a few sleep trends to know about right now! Do they work? Are they safe? Read on to find out!

1. Loungers

The Boppy Newborn Lounger, DockATot, and Snuggle Me are some of the more popular baby loungers on the market right now. While these can be a great place to set a baby down for a short time, they are not intended as a place for a baby to sleep. Babies should not be unattended in these products (this includes letting babies sleep in them while a parent sleeps nearby). These products are also not meant to be put inside a playpen or crib for sleeping. Putting a baby lounger on soft surfaces like mattresses or couches increases the risk of suffocation. Please make sure that when you put your baby down to sleep you are following the American Academy of Pediatrics' ABC guidelines for safe sleep: alone, on back, in a crib. Other acceptable safe places for sleep are anything labeled as a play yard, such as a Pack N Play, or anything labeled as a bassinet, which leads me to the next trend...

2. SNOO

This smart bassinet was created by Dr. Harvey Karp, who is most known for his Happiest Baby on the Block book. The SNOO gently rocks your baby while playing white noise. If your baby cries or wiggles, the bassinet responds by increasing the rocking and noise to help your baby fall back to sleep. It has five different levels of sound and motion, which intensify as your baby gets more restless. However, if your baby needs you because they are hungry, have a dirty diaper or they've already had enough sleep for that rest period, the SNOO will send you a push notification to your phone that your baby needs your attention. Then it will shut down—it won't continue to rock them if they are really, really cranky. The SNOO combines three out of the five S's from Karp's book: swaddling, shushing, swaying. Parents also get a daily sleep report on the SNOO companion app. 

Some sleep consultants really don't like the SNOO because they feel like it keeps your baby from learning any independent sleep skills and hinders parents from learning what to do to help soothe their baby. However, I really like the concept, and it's not just because I am a Happiest Baby on the Block Educator. I most likely would have used it for my newborns if they were an option when I had babies. Sometimes we get desperate when we get sleep deprived in those early months and at least it is a safe place for a baby to sleep. You really can't put a price on knowing your baby is safe and getting more sleep in the meantime! As long as you wean out of it by 6 months, I say go for it if your budget allows! It is expensive but you can also rent one. 

 3. Weighted Blankets and Weighted Sleep Sacks

While weighted blankets have been around for years now they have gained in popularity over the past couple of years. Weighted sleep sacks, on the other hand, are a pretty new product.

Weighted blankets can be a good option for some children with anxiety, depression, ADHD symptoms, autism or sensory processing issues. If used correctly, the idea is that weighted blankets provide a deep pressure sensation, which can have a positive effect similar to being held or hugged. Deep pressure from the weighted blanket helps release serotonin (mood hormone) and serotonin is important in the creation of melatonin (sleepy hormone). The key words here though are "if used correctly" and many times I don't see that happening. Weighted blankets are only for children age two or older. A child should be able to move easily underneath it and get it off independently. It is so important to make sure the blanket is the correct weight for your child. Before trying a weighted blanket, I highly suggest an evaluation by an occupational therapist who will not only tell you IF a weighted blanket will help your child but can tell you the exact size and weight their blanket should be, which is crucial. My preference over weighted blankets is to use a compression sheet, which is not as hot and still provides the same positive input.

The weighted sleep sack was designed to increase relaxation through deep pressure stimulation in the form of a wearable blanket, and therefore thought by many to be a safer option for babies. While they haven't necessarily been proven to be unsafe, I don't recommend using them once a baby can roll from back to belly unless you know for sure they can roll back over to their back in the sleep sack. Also, most babies who can roll over will move into all different positions during the night so you don't want a bunch of fabric or weight in one area or it may be uncomfortable to a baby. To summarize, a weighted sleep sack may help a baby sleep better but I only recommend them for babies who can't roll from their back yet, unless you know they can roll both ways in the sleep sack AND you aren't using a weighted sleep sack where all the weight is in one area.

Questions? Just reply and ask!

Sweet Dreams,

Tara

P.S. If you have a 6 month- 6 year old and you are exhausted, I can help! You can schedule your free Discovery Call HERE.