Everything You Need to Know About the Dream Sack Walker
Oh baby, there are lots of baby products out there! How do you know what's worth buying and what's not? At Baby Merlin, we live by three rules:
- The product is safe and tested for quality.
- It makes your life easier.
- Other parents swear by it.
Opinions abound about how to get your baby the best possible sleep because that means the best possible sleep for you too. One product that checks all the boxes above is the Dream Sack Walker. This sleep solution was designed by parents who were looking for a better, safer way to help their baby fall and stay asleep.
Why Your Baby (and You) Will Love a Wearable Blanket
Designed to work like a wearable blanket, the Magic Dream Sack is sleepwear made with cozy cotton or microfleece that keep your baby cozy and comfortable. It's cozy to help your baby relax and drift off to sleep more quickly.
It's a bit like a sleeping bag with armholes, so your baby still has a free range of movement. Because loose blankets are not recommended in your baby's crib, Our Magic Dream Sack is an ideal alternative, providing all the comfort and security of a blanket without any of the risk of loose bedding in the crib. And instead of buttons or clasps, all the Magic Dream Sack products have two-way zippers for easy diaper changing.
But the Baby Merlin Magic Dream Sack isn't just great for babies. Parents love it too! It makes naptime or bedtime easier on everyone because you don't have to worry about loose blankets getting kicked off, your baby being cold, or any wriggling out of that well-folded swaddle. It’s the perfect product for a swaddle or sleepsuit transition.
Baby Merlin’s Magic Dream Sack vs. the Dream Sack Walker
Every parent looks forward to that first step, but it also comes with lots of extra movement from your baby. They learn how to really wiggle their toes, kick their feet, and make that much-welcomed transition from baby to toddler. So while you're probably excited about their newfound independence, you need a product that can keep up with them.
The Dream Sack Walker is designed for older babies and toddlers who are ready to take the next step, literally. It's the same design as the Magic Dream Sack but has foot openings so your baby can move around freely without being covered by any blankets. So if your baby has made the transition from crawling to walking, it's a great time for the Dream Sack Walker.
Sweet Dreams With Baby Merlin
We love simple products that help you and your baby catch some extra zzzs, so that's why we love letting parents know about the Baby Merlin Magic Dream Sack products! As parents, we know that getting your baby to sleep is crucial for everyone's sanity.
The Baby Merlin products have helped thousands of parents across the country get their babies to sleep and keep sleeping throughout the night. So if you're looking for a better way to help your baby or toddler sleep well, check out the Baby Merlin Magic Dream Sack collection today. We know you and your baby will love the results.
Also in Our Blog
What’s the Difference Between a Swaddle and a Sleepsack
Five Questions about Early Morning Wakeups for Baby
The team at NAPS helps you tackle the issue of early wakeups. *BONUS* NAPS is hosting a webinar on February 24th. Register here and use the extra-special code MAGICMERLIN and you can join the webinar FREE of charge!
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The sound of cheery calls of “MAAAAMAAAAA” from the next room may be lovely at 7am. At 4am, or 5 am, not so much. Your baby may be up and ready to start the day, but you probably aren’t.
Answering the questions below may help you get there.
- Is your nap schedule mucking up your baby’s overnight sleep?
This might seem like an obvious question, but your baby’s sleep needs will change fast in the first few years of their lives. A quick look at the average nap number and duration might give you an idea:
- For babies from 3-6 months old, it’s normal to take 3-4 hour-long naps per day.
- For babies 6-15 months old, expect 2 naps with 3-3.5 hours of total sleep.
- For one and two-year-olds, you should expect a single 2-hour nap.
Part of the reason you might be seeing earlier wakeups is that your baby has graduated from one nap cycle to the next.
- Does your baby have enough time between their last nap and their bedtime?
We call this an “awake window,” and it can make a big difference. It might seem strange that your baby went to bed fine the night before, and you’re seeing a response to nap scheduling in the pre-dawn hours, but if your kiddo’s sleep is disrupted at night, it will impact the morning.
- 3-6 months, at least 1.5-2 hours between final nap wakeup and bedtime.
- 6-12 months, at least 2.5-3.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- 12-18+ months, 3.5-4.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- Is the room staying dark after the sun comes up?
Black 0ut curtains can make a big difference here. Remember that our brains signal wakeup when the light changes. So if dawn is at 430am, and even a little bit of light comes into your baby’s room, their little brains will PING with wake up juice.
- Is your baby going to sleep too early or too late?
It might seem counter-intuitive, but a late bedtime can actually backfire on you. Overtired kids don’t sleep as well. If you made their bedtime later and it didn’t fix the problem, try an earlier bedtime and see if that helps. You might be surprised.
- How do you make it better?
Try to make one change at a time; just one. Stick with that change for 3-5 days to see if it impacts things. (One night is usually not enough to see substantial change.) Be as consistent as you can with the change you made. For instance, if you decide to increase the space between bedtime and final nap wakeup, make sure to stick to the wakeup time you planned.
If your baby is waking up and chirping happily to themselves, feel free to leave them there for a little while. Let them get used to being alone in the crib. If you can, try to delay the start of the day by 5-10 minutes each day. This can make a big impact.
Everything else aside, remember that this is a short time in your kid’s life; as they get older, their sleep will become more regular, and so will yours. Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Things are hard now, and you’re doing a great job.
