Toddlers are some of the most difficult people in the world to be patient with when trying to get them to sleep. They fidget and toss and turn all night long, keeping themselves awake, and cry and throw tantrums when not stimulated and interacted with to their satisfaction.
One thing I've noticed about our toddler, at least, is that he generally runs out of steam and goes to sleep pretty quickly when swaddled. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it's a method of tightly wrapping a child in a blanket to immobilize him/her, thus preventing them from building up fidgeting momentum and allowing their body's requirement for rest overcome their desire for engagement and rest their over-stimulated mind. It works wonders... provided they can't get out of it.
We've reached the point where swaddling is no longer effective because the little bugger's strong and stubborn enough to get out of it, even when wrapped in several layers. I'd like to just tie him up. That worked the one time I lost all patience and did it, but CPS apparently doesn't like that method... nor do mothers who like to remind us of this (rubs back of head rememberingly).
So this idea is to combine traditional full-bodysuit pajamas with the concept of a straitjacket. Thick, double-stitched denim loops on the sleeves, down by the cuffs, and strong Velcro straps on the sides allow complete immobilization of the arms without cutting off any circulation, and are wriggle-proof so Mr. Toddler can't get out of it and keep himself awake.-- 21 Quest, Oct 27 2009 Sleepsack https://www.halosle...oduct_category_id=9Arms in, arms out. [bdag, Oct 30 2009] Why not get him one of those sleepingbags for todlers. They are safe and warm. They give the child room for movement but they don't come of. Moving around in bed is an important part of development. They like to do it before they fall asleep and they do it while they sleep. We too have done the swaddling, it makes the baby feel snug and secure but I do believe it is not good for older babies or todlers. So a fishbone for the idea but an encouraging slap on the shoulder for you to have enough patience not to try any of the extreme parenting again.-- zeno, Oct 27 2009 I love this. I had to swaddle my daughter so tight she looked like a mummy most nights. And I recall when she out grew that trick, we had difficulty getting her to go to sleep. Just like you, old 21er, you good father you.
So I think this is great, though I would change the name to something cutesy. Like Mummy-Baby. Get it, mummy like in mommy, boy. Wait, no. That's not so grand either.
Cocoonies? Hmmms me go think, it's early here.-- blissmiss, Oct 27 2009 The sleeping-bag is excellent.-- wagster, Oct 27 2009 I find this idea a little disturbing. More so if we have the same definition of toddler (infants become toddlers at about 12 months).
Swaddling should only be done to 4 months. After that: a) it's not good for them, and b) they're not startling themselves awake with movement (they're waking for other reasons).
If the baby is wriggling out of the blankets and getting cold, that's Ok, get a Grobag®. If the baby is still active, it's not time for sleep (yep, it can be exhausting, but that's parenthood).
Babies need to use their arms when they sleep (just like us big people). They use their arms to turn, to comfort themselves and cushion their head (watch your baby when he's asleep).
I'd hate to be put in one of these devices, and I think that's reason enough not to put a baby in one.-- xaviergisz, Oct 27 2009 Copro, thanks for the spelling correction. I've adjusted the title accordingly. And this is a last-resort tool, Xavier. When you're at the point where you're either going to tie Baby up or make a trip to Wal-Mart's sporting goods section for earplugs (gotta love 'em for being open 24 hours), you pull these out of closet and change Baby into them.-- 21 Quest, Oct 27 2009 Yeah, and not every night, just when they are feeling out of sorts and insecure with their surroundings. It surely helped my daughter, and she turned out great.-- blissmiss, Oct 27 2009 21Q has a toddler? This explains it. I take back everything I've ever said about you.-- RayfordSteele, Oct 27 2009 Baked. Snugglies. Go look around your local Mall*Wart a little harder. Do you really mean toddler? Because toddlers toddle. If you're still swaddling your pip then he must still be a baby.-- bdag, Oct 30 2009 If you're going to cry 'Baked' on an idea, bdag, the customary thing to do is link to your evidence. And I've never seen a child of any age toddling in his/her sleep. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but come on. The idea here is to overcome their restless desire to toddle when it's naptime, because a child is supposed to adhere to a well-defined schedule, whether they like it or not, for the sake of crucial consistency.-- 21 Quest, Oct 30 2009 I didn't say toddle in their sleep. The implication is that toddlers have reached a point where they don't need to be wrapped tight to sleep anymore. Babies do, yes, but toddlers are a different story. Either your child is not really a toddler, or you have sadistic tendencies. Read [xaviergisz]'s comment.
Sorry, not a Snuggly, a sleepsack. See link. We used this with our kids for their first several months. After that they slept like, um, babies.
If you're going to post an idea, 21Quest, the customary thing to do is research that it's baked first.-- bdag, Oct 30 2009 And when you post a link that you claim is prior art, the customary thing to do is ensure that it is the same thing as what you are fishboning, dbag. The sleepsack, while being a wearable blanket with a swaddle feature, is not the same thing as what I proposed. Did I mention anything about blankets? No. Does the Sleepsack have loops on the sleeves and Velcro (or indeed, any hook and loop material) straps on the sides with which to restrain the arms? No. So it's not Baked at all. None of the features I mentioned in the post are available in your linked product. Methinks someone should learn the meaning of the term "Baked" before using it.-- 21 Quest, Oct 30 2009 I see what you mean 21 and I'd have to vote against it for 2+ year olds. MIne would have just had more temper trying to fiddle with the velcro. both of those links are papoose type swaddling, which is not this idea.-- dentworth, Oct 30 2009 This was intended for our little bugger, who's 18 months. I don't suppose it'll be as much of an issue when he gets older.
(By the way, I fully respect your decision to disagree and vote accordingly. I appreciate the explanations and good-natured let- downs, zeno, xavier and dentworth.)-- 21 Quest, Oct 30 2009 I boned on the idea of child abuse, not the near-bakedness. I'm not sure what's going on with your 18 month old, but mine has slept sans tie-downs for a year now. Maybe cut the sugar and/or morale beatings?
Seriously, it sounds like there might be a deeper problem than sleeping. As one father to another, please have him checked out.
The sleepsack that we have uses hook and loop to confine the baby.-- bdag, Nov 02 2009 How is it any more abusive than a sleepsack, bdag? The child is just as restrained in a sleepsack. The difference is that straitjammies can be undone, the straps fastened flush against the child's sides, and worn free of restriction when it's time for him to get up. In addition, my idea doesn't add the extra layers of a blanket, trapping lots of heat, which can be undesirable and dangerous during the summer months in homes that lack air conditioning. In the cooler seasons, my jammies can be used in conjunction with a regular blanket to restrain and insulate the child. In the summer, do away with the blanket when it's not needed. My idea is thus more versatile than a sleepsack, yet no more harmful or abusive. It's entirely win-win.-- 21 Quest, Nov 02 2009 what [xaviergisz] said. swaddling is for small babies to remind them of the comfort and security of the womb. with a toddler, you now need to be lulling them to sleep with peaceful activites like reading them a story or even singing a lullaby. a warm bath is soporific to humans of all ages.-- po, Nov 02 2009 Sounds like an attempt to circumvent potential child abuse allegations. CPS won't let you tie him up, so maybe you can get away with this instead.-- tatterdemalion, Nov 02 2009 The child abuse has nothing to do with the idea. As I and others have repeatedly said, it's the age. 18 month olds should not need to be restrained to sleep.-- bdag, Nov 02 2009 But they should learn to sleep on a schedule, and one that the parents set. This is to help overcome the reluctance to do as they are told and take naps when it is naptime, as opposed to when they feel like it. I don't believe in spoiling children by letting them make their own decisions on things they are too young to understand.-- 21 Quest, Nov 02 2009 perhaps you are too young to be a father! calm the kids down when you want them to sleep - don't expect a stimulated child to kip on cue. give them a warm milky drink and a cookie not a pint of coke. they're not giving *thought* to their sleep cycles its a natural event for pete's sake.-- po, Nov 03 2009 Try talking to him almost as if he were an adult friend to whom you wanted to explain things. On the one hand, the sound of your voice and his awareness of your attention will soothe him. On the other hand, the fact that he doesn't understand most of your words will make him first stretch his mind trying to keep up, then switch off and sleep. Well, it sometimes worked for mine.
After a few years, he'll start annotating your explanations - a few years more, and he'll learn to fishbone. It's a miraculous process.-- pertinax, Nov 03 2009 random, halfbakery