Weighted Glove Helps Baby Sleep

Despite the classic phrase “I slept like a baby” meaning that you got a great night of sleep, babies are notoriously terrible at sleeping through the night. And depending on what phase of development they’re going through, some babies prefer to have a parent touching them as a means of comfort while they slumber. One new mom tried resting a weighted glove on her baby’s stomach as a substitute for herself, and the little one was able to get in a quality nap. (1)

Australian mom Melissa Dykstra’s one-month-old daughter, Olivia, was having sleep problems. “She’s going through her first ‘leap’ (in her mental development) so she’s been extra clingy the last few days, and makes it so hard to even go to the bathroom,” Dykstra told news.com.au. (1)

Necessity is the mother of invention, so Dykstra got creative. She filled a rubber glove with sand, tied it off, and set it on Olivia’s tummy when she went down for a nap. This gave Dykstra the freedom to get a few important things done. (1)

“It gave me enough time for a shower and to finish my coffee while it was still hot,” Dykstra said. (1)

Although Olivia did notice that something was a little different, she didn’t seem to mind. “I did sit with her and she wasn’t upset when she woke up, just looked a little confused.” (1)

Parents Rave about Weighted Glove Idea

After her success with the weighted glove, the Gold Coast mom knew she had to let others know about this parenting hack. She posted a photo of Olivia sleeping soundly with the glove on her tummy to the Facebook group Baby Hints and Tips. Dykstra wrote, “Going on 20 minutes now, and she hasn’t realized. She will crack it when she wakes up, but for now, I actually get to finish my coffee!!” The post took off, and it now has more than 17,000 comments and has been shared more than 4,300 times. (1, 2)

Many of the parents in the Facebook group raved about Dykstra’s idea. Some wondered why they hadn’t thought of it much earlier. Others shared objects they had used to mimic their presence with a sleeping baby in the past. They mentioned shoes, bean bags, and unheated hot water bottles. (1, 2)

Safety Concerns

However, one mom raised concerns about the safety of the weighted glove, writing, “Don’t do this! I have taken many safe-with-you trainings and trainings on SIDS. Babies need to be flat on their backs with nothing in the crib but the baby. You never think it will happen to you and it still can happen, doing everything right. Don’t take the chance.” (2)

While disappointing, this mom’s comment is in line with the Safe Sleep recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. They say, “ Keep soft objects, loose bedding, or any objects that could increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation out of the crib.” (2, 3)

As ingenious as the weighted glove is, your baby’s safety is the always first priority. Check with your pediatrician before using this or any other object to help your baby sleep.