When I saw Dreamland Baby on Shark Tank, I wondered if it was too good to be true. However, after just one night, my son’s sleep improved substantially. Here is our review (and proof) of how well the Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack worked for my son! Use the code TBM for 15% off your entire purchase!
I’m not sure there’s a topic more talked about (or should I say, obsessed over) when it comes to babies than sleep. Especially for a new mom, a baby’s sleep is more important than anything.
Which is understandable – they sleep a lot. And when they don’t sleep, it makes life a little more tricky for everyone involved.
My approach to sleep is different than most – I don’t believe sleep training is the right choice for my children. I believe that babies don’t need to be taught to sleep – we just need to make the environment in which they sleep conducive to good habits.
But it can be hard to do that – especially because they can’t talk and tell us what they need. Calm babies tend to sleep more often and there is no problem with their nap time or routine. But if you have a child like mine, you surely need some solutions.
- My Experience with Infant Sleep
- Swaddles and Sleep Sacks We’ve Tried
- Our Experience with the Dreamland Sleep Sack
- What is the Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack?
- Dreamland Baby Price
- Dreamland Baby Coupon Code
- What Size?
- Is it too hot?
- Is it Safe?
- My Thoughts as a Lactation Professional
- Pros
- Cons
- Alternatives
- Other Infant Sleep Posts You May Enjoy
My Experience with Infant Sleep
All of my children have been different – my first was a horrid sleeper, which was due to uncontrolled acid reflux. My second slept MUCH better from the day he came home from the hospital – in fact, we had to wake him because he slept so much!
And my third has been up and down. Sometimes he’s a good sleeper, other times he wakes up every 1.5 hours.
However, with all of my children, I have found that really tuning into their personal needs and a little trial and error goes a long way.
With Andrew, he needs a very dark room (any bit of light distracts him – it’s been that way since he was born), it can’t be hot at all, and he loves to be snuggled uptight.
Swaddles and Sleep Sacks We’ve Tried
When he was born, and we were in the hospital, I found that he just was not settling when I would put him down. He was so squirmy and just seemed squirmy. Then a brilliant nurse double-swaddled him nice and tight…and voila – he was so much more comfortable and slept much better.
Over his first year, we’ve gone through different swaddles, sleep sacks, etc. Swaddles that worked brilliantly with Oliver were a big bust – especially because Andrew didn’t like his hands constrained (understandably so). But he still liked to be swaddled, and when he wasn’t, he’d constantly wake himself up with his hands…it was a tricky situation to navigate
I had gotten a Nested Bean swaddle when he was a newborn, and it helped a lot. I found that the gentle weight in it made a big difference. However, he grew quickly, and he’s just a chunky boy – my baby’s body weight in the swaddle and even in their sleep sack just didn’t seem effective.
After we realized swaddling wasn’t going to work for him anymore (he would always get himself out of it), I tried various things to help him sleep – including sleeping just in a diaper, soft cotton sheets, even loose blankets! But his nighttime sleep got worse and worse, and he just seemed so uncomfortable at night…unless I was cuddling him in really close.
The things we tried we either too warm (Merlin Sleep Sack) or he hated because he couldn’t feel things with his hands (Zipadee). As I mentioned, the Nested Bean sleep sack really didn’t do much – though it was probably our best option.
I was watching Shark Tank one night a few months ago, and there was a pitch from a company called Dreamland Baby. My attention was instantly piqued as the owner of the company shared a similar tale of a baby who would not sleep – and she sewed up a weighted swaddle.
As I listened to her, I knew I had to get one and try their dreamland baby products for the first time. I gasped a little bit at the price, but having made a weighted blanket for my son, Oliver, in the past, I knew that it wouldn’t be cheap to make.
I had it in my cart to buy when I reached out to the company for a discount code for my readers, and they offered me sleep sack in exchange for a review. Although I did get this product for free, my experience is 100% authentic. If it was a flop, I would have admitted to that, too.
Our experience has been life-changing – and I mean that. Below I’ll share my experience, along with a little bit of “proof” for how well it’s worked for our family. I don’t think this product is probably for everyone – but if you find yourself with a child-like mine, well, it might be a miracle for you, too.
Our Experience with the Dreamland Sleep Sack
I wasn’t expecting dramatic results right away. When it comes to sound sleep, I really believe that children need time to adjust to any changes.
But I was blown away by how quickly the Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack transformed Andrew’s sleep.
I have an Owlet Baby Care Monitor, and it tracks his sleep every night. Here are a few screenshots from the days leading up to when we got it:
And here is a screenshot from the night we used it the first time:
Just for kicks and giggles – here are a few more. We went out of town a few times, so we don’t have data from those days. But I think the proof is in the pudding:
Andrew immediately started sleeping SO MUCH LONGER. And not just that – he slept so much more soundly. No other sleep solutions worked like this. I’m okay with my baby waking up in the night – I believe night wakings are very normal. But when they don’t seem settled at all while they are asleep and have trouble falling back asleep? Well, I think it’s worth investigating.
Before we started using this, he would just squirm around through the night. He just seemed uncomfortable. He would wake up in the middle of the night and just not want to go back to sleep.
Now he sleeps more peacefully. He gets at least one big long chunk of sleep in, and I think it makes a huge difference.
I would pay for this product time and time again for these results. I am singing it’s praises everywhere I go, and it will definitely be a gift I give to other parents (well, people I’m really close to. It is more expensive than I would normally spend on a baby product!)
In fact, we actually left it at a hotel, and I was so sad. At first they said they couldn’t find it, so I put one in my cart and was about to buy it. Forrest convinced me to wait a day – and after a night of very poor sleep – the hotel thankfully found it the next day. So, you can imagine how effective it was for a good night’s sleep.
Andrew seems to get so excited when I pull it out at night. He knows it’s for sleepy time, and simply just putting it on him seems to settle him quickly.
I am sure this won’t be the case for everyone, but it has worked really well for my son.
What is the Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack?
The Dreamland Sleep Sack is a weighted sleep sack that is designed specifically to help babies sleep more soundly at night. In my experience, it doesn’t prevent them from waking up when they need to, but it helps to calm the natural startling and restlessness that many infants and toddlers experience.
What I love about this product is that it’s made of high-quality materials, it’s not too heavy, and it works. I also love that it zippers from the top and bottom!
Dreamland Baby Price
Dreamland baby sleep sack is basically a wearable blanket.
Regardless of the size that you get, all of their products are $79.99. You can do a bundle deal, which saves you about $20 and you can get two products of any size. This would be ideal for anyone who knows they want more than one, or if they have twins!
In addition to the sleep sack, they have a weighted blanket, pajamas, and weighted swaddle, which sot:
- Weighted Blanket – $99-104
- Weighted Swaddle – $89
- Pajamas
Yes, they ARE expensive. But for me, it’s worth investing in one of these than a million different pajamas and other sleep sacks that don’t work nearly as well.
Dreamland Baby Coupon Code
You can use the code TBM for 15% off anything on the Dreamland website!
What Size?
As with weighted blankets, these are most effective when you select based on your child’s weight, rather than their height or age. You should choose the less weighted blankets if your baby has less body weight.
The Weighted Sleep Sack is available in:
- 0-6 months
- 6-12 months
- 12-24 months
- 24-36 months
Andrew wasn’t even eleven months when we ordered ours. However, because he was 24 pounds, we went with the weight-appropriate one, which was 12-24 months.
It is REALLY long, but it should last quite some time. Because this is an expensive product, you will want to pick one that will last the longest (but you MUST pick the one that corresponds with their weight). Apart from the price, weighted blankets have been a game-changer for many.
They have a swaddle that is meant for younger babies and then the weighted sleep sacks for older babies and toddlers. The gentle pressure of the blanket on the nervous system creates a feeling of a safe sleeping environment, resulting in a great nap time. Honestly, I don’t think I’d get one of these for a newborn, because it’s important that they don’t sleep too long uninterrupted at night. Plus they’ll likely outgrow it fast. I think I would suggest getting this for an infant 6+ months.
Is it too hot?
This is the most common question I have gotten – isn’t it super hot?
And you know, it’s really not. It is heavy, but the material is lightweight and breathable. I actually don’t even put a onesie on Andrew with it – he just sleeps with the sleep sack – and he seems to love it. As I mentioned earlier, he sleeps much better in a cool environment.
However, during the winter, I probably would put another thin layer on. But despite the weight of it, it does not appear to be hot at all. Just make sure you dress your baby appropriately underneath.
Is it Safe?
There’s a lot of talk about the necessary measures that must be taken in order to ensure the safety of a weighted product.
Weighted blankets are not recommended for infants or toddlers, simply because they are heavy, and if the child gets trapped under it, they can’t remove it – so it poses a major safety risk.
With this sleep sack, it’s been tested and is considered safe, so long as you use it as directed. Because it’s a sleep sack and not a blanket, it won’t go over your baby’s face. It’s specifically designed for certain weights, so as long as you follow those recommendations, you should be a-okay. Additionally, there are no harmful substances that could hamper your child’s health.
It has been designed to allow your baby to roll, sit, and stand – so long as you are using the right size. Here is what it says on their website:
Yes! As a mom of four, safety was my # 1 consideration during the development of our wearable weighted blanket. Dreamland Baby was developed in partnership with pediatricians, NICU nurses and certified sleep consultants. We pulled research from a clinical study demonstrating weighted blankets are safe weighted blankets are safe for newborns, significantly increase calm feelings and improve sleep patterns. Our products are safety certified, have passed all Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, doctor approved, and the International Hip Dysplasia Institute acknowledges the Dreamland Baby Weighted Swaddle as a “hip-healthy” product when used as directed.
You can read more about safety on their safety page. and here is another article they wrote.
With that in mind, there are professionals that recommend against any and all weighted sleep products, so definitely do your research to make sure you are comfortable with the testing that has been done.
My Thoughts as a Lactation Professional
I am a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist and will be soon an IBCLC. There is a lot of debate on whether infants should be swaddled or not, especially when it comes to breastfeeding.
I have always used swaddled with my babies. I do think that overuse can be a problem.
With that said, this is why I love the sleep sack – because it’s not a swaddle! I mean, they do sell swaddles, which I definitely would not be opposed to using. But I love sleep sacks for babies because they allow them to move around but still provide a comfortable and safe place for them to sleep.
My kids always love to get their arms out of swaddles, anyways, so a sleep sack is a good way to let them “be free”.
I love this sleep sack for breastfeeding because it does give them more movement, but the gentle weight of the sleep sack can help them to not wake as much. I am 100% NOT against night waking and feeding, and I believe it’s important. But I do think there is nothing wrong with encouraging more sound sleep.
Pros
It works
I mean, what else matters, really!? For our family, it works, and in my opinion, that is worth everything.
It’s very soft
The material is very high quality. It doesn’t look or feel cheap, and I feel like my son really loves it.
Two zippers
It has a zipper at the top and bottom. The two-way zipper makes it easy to change a diaper without taking the whole thing off. I like this, because sometimes I need to adjust Andrew’s Owlet sock, and easy diaper changes make it less clumsy.
Cover over the zipper
There is a little cover that goes over the top of the zipper to prevent irritation.
Easy to put on
It’s very easy to put on. I have the most wiggly baby ever, and I have about 3 seconds to put any item of clothing on him. This just slips right on!
Machine Washable
It is machine washable, which I was concerned about at first. I’ve had trouble washing weighted blankets in the past, so I was happy when I saw this. Here are the care instructions.
Cons
Expensive
This is the biggest hurdle to getting this product – the price. It’s so hard to justify the expense! I have purchased way more sleep sacks and swaddles that I care to admit, and it adds up fast.
Seems to dirty easily
It seems like it picks up dirt pretty easily. Andrew only wears it in bed at night, and it seemed to pick up dirty really fast.
No Guarantee
While you can return the product within 30 days to get your money back, it’s only for unworn products.
For something that costs as much as this sleep sack does, it makes it a little riskier of a thing to buy just to try out. I am sure you could recoup some of your cost
It’s heavy
This sleep sack is heavy! It makes it more of a pain to bring places with you (I just flew, and I swear it took up half my suitcase!)
It also makes it so your baby can’t crawl around as easily in it. Andrew can roll over just fine, but he looks kind of funny when he tries to crawl in it.
Alternatives
In case you are looking for some other options, here are some popular infant sleep sacks or swaddles that are pretty popular. I believe that these are good products that can work for different children.
- Nested Bean
- Zip a dee from Sleeping Baby
- Ollie Swaddle
- Merlin Sleep Suit
- Woombie
- Halo SleepSack
Overall, The Dreamland Baby Sleep Sack has truly changed my son’s sleep. I don’t claim that everyone will have this experience, but if you were looking for an in-depth review, well, I hope this met your expectations!
Don’t forget to use the code TBM for 15% off your entire Dreamland Sleep purchase!
WHat are your thoughts on the Dreamland Sleep Sack? Let me know in the comments below!
Destiny Humphrey says
Hi there! That discount code does not work. Was it only good for a certain time?
Katie says
Hi! It must have expired – I will reach out to the company and see if we can find a new one!
Ramsha Ghanchi says
Hey!
What about tummy sleepers?
Katie says
They say it’s safe for tummy sleepers!