Ugh, the magic sleep suit issues

TJ1979 · October 2013

So for those following along at home, E is now 14.5 months, and STILL sleeping in Merlin's magic sleep suit. Call me a bad mom, call me lazy, whatever, it works and she loves that suit. Two nights last week, she finally started fighting me when I tried to put on the suit. I had a 3 day weekend, so I thought I'd go ahead and see how she did without the suit.

Thursday night: Not bad. Woke up at 11:30 screaming, turned on her music, she went back to sleep. Fussed off and on from 4-5, was up for the day at 5.
Friday night: Terrible! Was up from 11:30 - 1:30 fussing off and on, finally gave up and put her back in her suit, slept till 6:30 without a peep.
Saturday night: Gave up, back in the suit. Still up multiple times, turns out poor thing is sick again.

She is very quickly outgrowing the suit. I'm not sure how much of Friday's terrible night was related to her cold coming on, and how much was related to not having the suit. But it was awful! Her sleep was awful all weekend, and I am flat out exhausted, and I know she must be too. How are we ever going to get her out of this suit? And to make matters more complicated, we are moving at the end of the month, and I am just positive this is going to mess up her life. New house, new daycare, possibly entirely new routine as I may have to change my hours to accommodate the new day care and commute schedule.

So I guess this is mostly just a vent. But has anyone moved with a one year old? How did they do? What should I expect? What can I do to make it easier? What about the sleep suit - any ideas? Any suggestions for how to get her out of it? Should I hold off even trying until we get into the new house?

kaf7 · October 2013

I think you might just need to be strong and not give in for a few nights. I would leave it up to you about whether to do it before or after the move though. We are moving in 4 weeks too and LO just started crawling. Packing is going to be tough now! No advice about it, just that I sympathize.

ELF4321 · October 2013

No help on the move issue, but for the sleep suit, how about taking her shopping to pick out some cute "big girl" jammies? I would start with flannel footed jammies because it'll be the closest thing you can find to the snuggly feel of the sleep suit (plus it's almost winter anyway). Maybe if she picks out the jammies herself she'll be more excited to wear them at night. You might also put a long sleeve onesies on under it to give that snug fit feeling she's used to from the suit, and maybe phase that out after awhile. I don't envy you. DD outgrew thw large size sleep suit when she was 8 Months and it was a rough week or so transition.

Cwhitaker27 · October 2013

Yuck! I hate these transitional periods. Sorry you've had a few rough nights TJ! Does she wear the sleepsuit during naps? If so I'd suggest starting there. Try putting her down for naps without it. Then transition to bedtime when she can nap without it.

Also does she have a favorite blankie? When we were transitioning DS from his swaddle at like 11 months, mind you only because he outgrew all swaddles we could find, we would wrap him like an egg roll in his favorite blankie. Sounds crazy but it worked!

All of this being said though I wouldn't do any of it until she's feeling better but ideally before you move IMO especially if you think she'll outgrow it in the next month or so. She might be more successful in transitioning in a familiar place, otherwise it might be a few months before you'll be able to transition her in the new house. But this is not from experience.

TJ1979 · October 2013

Thanks girls. Hopefully it was just a rough weekend because she was sick. I'm afraid if I keep putting off the transition, I'll be hand-sewing her a magic sleep suit to take with her to college. (They don't come in any bigger sizes, I've checked.

)
Maybe we can try again this weekend, even though it's a short weekend, and see what happens.

jesselayne8 · October 2013

We moved when DD was 6 months old and it was no biggie. I still get nervous everytime we travel that she won't sleep in a new place but she does fine. I think even at 1yr old the moving to a new house won't be an issue. Daycare on the other hand may take some adjusting to.

Does your daughter have a comfort item she sleeps with like a special blanket or stuffed animal? DD can sleep anywhere as long as she has her special blankie. It's one thing that is always consistent.

TJ1979 · October 2013

Thanks @jesselayne8, gla to hear it wasn't too rough on your LO. She doesn't seem to have any sort of emotional attachment to anything. No binky, no lovey, no blankie, nothing. But I do like @ducky719's idea to let her have it in her crib but not wearing it. We will try that next weekend. Thanks again!

jesselayne8 · October 2013

The suit in the crib is a good idea. At this age you can probably pick a comfort item for her. I picked DD's blanket and her teddy. By putting them in her crib every night it became part of the "routine". Just a thought

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Ugh, the magic sleep suit issues

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