If you read my blog you already know that we've been having sleep issues around here lately. The 4 month sleep regression hit us hard and we are still battling the 45 minute nap intruder. (I didn't come up with this phrase, but I kind of wish I had.) When I mentioned our sleep woes to a friend in an email, she suggested I try the Merlin Magic Sleepsuit.
What? What was this contraption that I hadn't yet come across in all of my hours of googling phrases like "sleep help" and "I think my 4 month old hates me"?
When I first saw the suit, I was skeptical to say the least. (It looks like a big, puffy snowsuit.) But, the more testimonials I read, the more I became convinced that we desperately needed this magic suit in our lives. I was fascinated by the reviews on their website as well as Amazon. One woman wrote that she would pay $39 a
day for this suit. Several reviews stated that after using the suit, their babies took much longer naps. SOLD! Of course, not every review was magical, but we were desperate and have free shipping through Amazon, so I thought, "What the hell?".
According to the website, the puffy suit design allows freedom of movement while at the same time providing a safe, calming sleep environment. I was drawn to the fact that it helps babies transition to swaddle-free sleep. Rory was beginning to resist being swaddled and we didn't want to create another unsustainable sleep association. We tried putting her to bed unswaddled, but she only lasted a few minutes because her limbs kept flailing and waking her up. The puffy Merlin Magic Sleepsuit safely muffles babies' movements and prevents flailing and premature wake ups. The creator of the suit is a mom of four and a pediatric physical therapist. Apparently her first child was not a good sleeper and she began experimenting with ways to improve and prolong her sleep.
I'm embarrassed to say this, but even though I received the suit less than 48 hours after ordering, it sat in the box for several more days. Rory had never slept with her arms free and I was terrified that using the suit would only worsen her sleep. Marcos and I tried the suit on a weekend so that if we had to get up every few hours, at least he wouldn't have to go to work the next day.
Before using the suit, Rory was waking at least twice a night, usually around 10:30 and 3:00. The pediatrician told me that she should only be waking once and should be doing a 6-8 hour stretch in the beginning, so I was determined to eliminate the 10:30 feed.
The first night we used the suit, we went through our normal bedtime routine (bath, feed, books, bed) and decided to place Rory in the crib wide awake because we were feeling
crazy brave. She fussed slightly and it took her awhile to get comfortable, but amazingly she fell asleep on her own within ten minutes. No rocking, no singing, no patting. Hold on....it gets better. She only woke up once that night! Once!
I was convinced that this was simply beginner's luck and we would not be so fortunate the next night, but for the past week, we have been able to put Rory down awake in her crib and she falls asleep on her own with minimal fussing. She has been waking up once a night between 1-3 for a feed and then sleeps again until 6-6:30 every morning. I feel like a new person!
Although nights have been amazing, the suit's magical powers seem to be restricted to night time. Rory is still a victim of the 45 minute nap intruder, despite wearing the suit during the day. Every once in a while we'll get a 1.5-2 hour nap, but these are rare. I'm trying to be patient and I'm praying that she'll consolidate her daytime sleep soon, but for now, I'm grateful for more nighttime sleep. My only complaint is that the puffy sleeves make it difficult for Rory to put her thumb/fingers in her mouth.
So, would I recommend the Merlin Magic Sleepsuit? Absolutely. Rory's night wakings have decreased and she has transitioned out of her swaddle successfully. If you're on the fence about spending another $40 on a sleep aid, look on craigslist or Ebay for a cheaper used version.
