Merlin Magic sleep suit for naps?

[Anonymous]

My 3.5 month old sleeps really well at night, but his naps are abysmal. They range from 10-30 minutes, and sometimes he has a late afternoon nap of about an hour when I have time to hold him for the whole nap -- or even longer. It seems like he can get into a deep sleep cycle if I hold him for long enough, and then he is out for up to 2 hours, even if I put him down.

At any rate, he is sleeping well at night so I don't see the need for the Merlin suit then, but I'm curious if anyone uses it for naps only. He doesn't need to be sleeping for hours at a time during the day or anything, but it seems like it could help lengthen the naps from 15 minutes.

[Anonymous]

We only used the Merlin Sleep Suit for 1.5 months and did use it for naps as well as night Honestly, I don;t think it would help for naps and it isn't health to restrict movement for a baby who is 3.5 months.

Try black out curtains and a sound machine?

[Anonymous]

People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

[Anonymous]

I don't see why you couldn't try it for naps. DS slept like a rock during naps but needed it at night, but I know lots of people who used it for all their baby's naps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

The recommendations for swaddling and sleep suits have changed recently. Our pediatrician advised not using ANY movement restriction past the one month mark. However, just based on time-in-restriction, I suppose if you needed a physical restraint, use for a nap would be better than use at night.

I would try everything else first, OP. If your baby is sleeping well at night, there is something in his daytime environment or routine that is throwing him off during the day. Make sure he is held upright for at least thirty minutes after feeding (might be gassy or refluxy) and try the black out curtains/blinds and a sound machine to drown out noise (there are most likely noises that you are so used to during the day that you don't even hear anymore - like traffic).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

The recommendations for swaddling and sleep suits have changed recently. Our pediatrician advised not using ANY movement restriction past the one month mark. However, just based on time-in-restriction, I suppose if you needed a physical restraint, use for a nap would be better than use at night.

I would try everything else first, OP. If your baby is sleeping well at night, there is something in his daytime environment or routine that is throwing him off during the day. Make sure he is held upright for at least thirty minutes after feeding (might be gassy or refluxy) and try the black out curtains/blinds and a sound machine to drown out noise (there are most likely noises that you are so used to during the day that you don't even hear anymore - like traffic).

Why? no movement restriction? My crawling 7 month old is the most active and athletic baby I know and is in a Merlin every single night. She sighs when I put her in the Merlin and she finds it comfortable.

No help on the naps. I think my baby just doesn't need much in the way of naps. 30 minutes is all I get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

The recommendations for swaddling and sleep suits have changed recently. Our pediatrician advised not using ANY movement restriction past the one month mark. However, just based on time-in-restriction, I suppose if you needed a physical restraint, use for a nap would be better than use at night.

I would try everything else first, OP. If your baby is sleeping well at night, there is something in his daytime environment or routine that is throwing him off during the day. Make sure he is held upright for at least thirty minutes after feeding (might be gassy or refluxy) and try the black out curtains/blinds and a sound machine to drown out noise (there are most likely noises that you are so used to during the day that you don't even hear anymore - like traffic).

Why? no movement restriction? My crawling 7 month old is the most active and athletic baby I know and is in a Merlin every single night. She sighs when I put her in the Merlin and she finds it comfortable.

No help on the naps. I think my baby just doesn't need much in the way of naps. 30 minutes is all I get.

I wouldn't keep an active 7 month old in a movement-restrictive suit at night either, PP. Humans need to move at night - that's why we do it. It is also bad for respiration and circulation. Being an athletic baby during the day doesn't mean anything.

A good nap routine also might help, OP.

[Anonymous]

The magic sleep suit saved our lives! Seriously. DC would break out of swaddle but the soft suit helped keep his involuntary movements from waking him up over and over. It does not prevent the baby from moving at all, just helps keep safely on their back and prevent their arms from flying up into the air.

[Anonymous]

We used the Merlin for 7.5 months. I think it's fine to use for naps for a 3.5 month old.

[Anonymous]

I suppose I understand those people expressing concern about restricting a baby's movement, but honestly, at some point I'm in the camp of you do what you have to in order to get your baby to sleep. If you think the Merlin will help your baby take longer naps, I think it is worth a try. I really don't think using it will negatively affect your baby's development at all.

We used the Merlin for our DD for about 2 months when DD was 3.5 months old. We used it for naps and overnight but it never really helped extend naps. DD is a good night sleeper, but still doesn't take long naps (at almost 8 months).

[Anonymous]

We used the Woomby for a few months when DC2 was an infant. it was a godsend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

The recommendations for swaddling and sleep suits have changed recently. Our pediatrician advised not using ANY movement restriction past the one month mark. However, just based on time-in-restriction, I suppose if you needed a physical restraint, use for a nap would be better than use at night.

I would try everything else first, OP. If your baby is sleeping well at night, there is something in his daytime environment or routine that is throwing him off during the day. Make sure he is held upright for at least thirty minutes after feeding (might be gassy or refluxy) and try the black out curtains/blinds and a sound machine to drown out noise (there are most likely noises that you are so used to during the day that you don't even hear anymore - like traffic).

My ped was totally cool with me swaddling my 6 month olds arms. I admitted it all guilty style "um, we are still wrapping her arms at night because she sleep so well" and the doc was all "whatever gets everyone some rest! she's totally healthy". She started rolling WHILE swaddled a few weeks later, so we ditched it then. She promptly became a stomach sleeper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People don't use them for 3-5 month olds?

The recommendations for swaddling and sleep suits have changed recently. Our pediatrician advised not using ANY movement restriction past the one month mark. However, just based on time-in-restriction, I suppose if you needed a physical restraint, use for a nap would be better than use at night.

I would try everything else first, OP. If your baby is sleeping well at night, there is something in his daytime environment or routine that is throwing him off during the day. Make sure he is held upright for at least thirty minutes after feeding (might be gassy or refluxy) and try the black out curtains/blinds and a sound machine to drown out noise (there are most likely noises that you are so used to during the day that you don't even hear anymore - like traffic).

My ped was totally cool with me swaddling my 6 month olds arms. I admitted it all guilty style "um, we are still wrapping her arms at night because she sleep so well" and the doc was all "whatever gets everyone some rest! she's totally healthy". She started rolling WHILE swaddled a few weeks later, so we ditched it then. She promptly became a stomach sleeper.

Your baby could have rolled while swaddled before you realized that she could - she could have suffocated. Your pediatrician gave you bad advise - "whatever gets everyone some rest" is not a reasonable or safe answer.

OP, look up the new AAP guidelines for swaddling and sleep restriction. Decide for yourself. I risk it for naps. Your baby will get the hang of the longer nap soon without any devises.

[Anonymous]

Try a ZipadeeZip.

[Anonymous]

The new AAP guidelines for swaddling are to stop when the infant can roll over. No one month old is rolling over. And while some ped's may not be fans of swaddling, plenty of others are.