3 Stage Sleep System™
At Love to Dream™, we know how important sleep is – especially when you have young children. Our award-winning sleep solutions, suitable from birth to three years (NZ range goes up to size 3 not size 4), are designed to offer safer sleep for longer and have been loved by families around the globe for more than 10 years.
Sleep in 3 Stages – Newborn to Toddler
Stage One – Newborn & Swaddling
Suitable from birth until baby starts to roll.
The Love to Dream Swaddle Up™ is at the first stage of our award-winning 3 Stage Sleep System™. Designed to fit newborn babies From Day One™, the Swaddle Up™ offers all the benefits of traditional swaddling, with the ease of a zipped sleeping bag.
Medical research into babies' sleep has determined that they sleep better when swaddled, as it helps to reduce the natural startle reflex that often wakes babies during the night. In addition, studies have found that babies like to settle themselves by bringing their hands to their mouths and rubbing their cheeks – a natural Self-Soothing™ instinct, observed in the womb and beyond.
Self Soothing
Traditional swaddles wrap around a baby's body, with baby's arms crossed over their chest or down by their side, reducing the startle reflux but also preventing baby's ability to self-soothe. The innovation of the Love To Dream Swaddle Up™ is that it provides a safe and snug swaddle, which – like the utero environment – allows baby to move freely. The unique shape encourages them to sleep in their natural Arms Up™ position, with the ability to reach their face and mouth for self-soothing, without scratching.
Another advantage of the Swaddle Up™ is the the dual action zip, which makes it super easy to use – especially for those night time nappy changes. With the zip feature, you can also rest assured that your baby will be safely swaddled all night long, with no possibility of 'break-outs'. When a baby wriggles out of a traditional swaddle, they not only risk getting too cold but also have the breathing hazard of loose fabric in their cot.
So what are the results?
In a recent survey of 1242 parents, there was a reported average increase in sleep from 3.45 hours to 7.25 hours sleep a night when using a Swaddle Up™. That's almost three more hours of sleep for baby and a much better sleep for the whole family.
Stage Two – Ready to Roll
A hassle-free transition from swaddling.
From around three months old, your baby will start trying to roll over (commonly, this may be any time between 3 to 5 months). As soon as you notice the signs, it's time to start transitioning your baby from a swaddle to arms-free sleep.
We understand that transitioning from swaddling can be tricky if your baby loves being swaddled and protests when you attempt. However, both the Swaddle Up™ Transition Bag and Transition Suit have been specially designed to continue to provide a snug & secure swaddled feeling until your baby is ready to fully transition to independent sleep.
So, rather than disrupting baby's sleep routine by suddenly removing their swaddle, we recommend transitioning slowly, using the zip-off, 'winged' sleeves.
To do this, remove one wing first and allow your baby to adjust to it, and then when they are ready, the other wing can come off too. You can even allow baby to fall asleep swaddled up and then unzip a wing as they sleep. These options offer gentle but effective ways to transition your baby to independent sleep, whilst maintaining their established sleep routine.
Once your baby has transitioned, you can continue to enjoy the ease of a zipped sleep suit or bag for hassle-free bedtimes, and as with the Swaddle Up™, the two-way zip allows you to change nappies without removing the garment completely.
What a breeze!
Stage Three – On the Move
Suitable from 6 months when baby is sleeping independently.
The Love to Dream™ Sleep Bag or Suit are ideal options for babies and toddlers, from six months until three years old (some garments have size 4 too).
They eliminate the need for loose blankets in the cot or bed, which offers safer sleep for longer and will keep your little one cosy all night.
What are the benefits of choosing a sleep bag over a sleep suit?
Some children prefer sleep bags because they are similar to swaddles; this feels familiar to them, and they also may like how the roomy design feels like a blanket. Parents may also prefer sleep bags because the wider size ranges offer longer wear (sleep bags come in 2 sizes, while sleep suits come in 4 sizes to ensure a good fit). In addition, sleep bags may encourage a routine of the child staying in bed until they are taken out of the sleep bag; it may be relevant to take into account whether your child is walking and/or toilet training.
What are the benefits of choosing a sleep suit over a sleep bag?
The first advantage of sleep suits is that they allow walking/toilet training toddlers to get in and out of bed independently and safely; they can also be worn before bed time and after wake time around the home. For little ones that enjoy full freedom of movement, a sleep suit may be preferred over a sleep bag. In our Transition range, the sleep suits come with additional zip-on arms which can be used during the transition (with mitten cuffs folded over as an extra step) and then after the transition (unfolded cuffs) for extra warmth.
So there are benefits to both, and the choice is ultimately up to you!
If you want to know more about how to take your child through our 3 Stage Sleep System™, download our free PDF resource, The Essential Sleep Guide.
Happy dreaming!