Gena
11-30-2011, 05:05 PM
DS has been having sleep difficulties for the past few months (since the start of the school year). Melatonin helps him fall asleep. But it doesn’t keep him asleep. So he was waking up every 2 hours crying that he needed a hug. It’s been kind of like having a 50lb newborn. So for a while, we went back to co-sleeping, because we all got more sleep that way. But DS is a very active sleeper and was kicking and hitting us all night, pushing us out of bed, etc. So we all suffered from fractured sleep.
DS has always craved deep pressure, so I started looking into weighted blankets to help him stay asleep. After researching several companies, I chose Dreamcatchers Weighted Blankets (http://www.weightedblanket.net/). I liked the amount of research they had put into developing their product and the fact that it is completely customizable. I could choose the size, weight, and fabrics for the blanket.
After talking with DS’s OT and the experts at Dreamcatchers, I decided to get DS a twin size (43”x 75”) 8 lbs blanket. I narrowed down the fabric choices (they have thousands!) and let DS pick the fabrics he wanted. DS decided on a train themed blanket (no surprise, but a map fabric was close in the running).
I wanted cotton on both sides so DS can use it year-round, but many families get cotton on one side and fleece on the other.
Since Dreamcatchers does custom work, it took a long time for the blanket to arrive – nearly 2 months. (They do have some readymade blankets that ship much faster.). But it was so worth it. The blanket came almost 2 weeks ago and DS loves it. It’s beautifully made and feels so good to rest under. DS has moved back into his own bed and has been waking up only once a night. He is getting more sleep and is much happier. DH and I are getting more sleep and are much happier. We even took it when we traveled to MI for Thanksgiving and DS slept great at the hotel. It's just been amazing for DS and therefore has helped all of us.
I wanted to share because I know many families here struggle with sleep difficulties too. So if your special needs little one is having sleep problems and you are looking for a low-tech, no-meds solution, I highly recommend Dreamcatchers Weighted Blanket!
DS has always craved deep pressure, so I started looking into weighted blankets to help him stay asleep. After researching several companies, I chose Dreamcatchers Weighted Blankets (http://www.weightedblanket.net/). I liked the amount of research they had put into developing their product and the fact that it is completely customizable. I could choose the size, weight, and fabrics for the blanket.
After talking with DS’s OT and the experts at Dreamcatchers, I decided to get DS a twin size (43”x 75”) 8 lbs blanket. I narrowed down the fabric choices (they have thousands!) and let DS pick the fabrics he wanted. DS decided on a train themed blanket (no surprise, but a map fabric was close in the running).
I wanted cotton on both sides so DS can use it year-round, but many families get cotton on one side and fleece on the other.
Since Dreamcatchers does custom work, it took a long time for the blanket to arrive – nearly 2 months. (They do have some readymade blankets that ship much faster.). But it was so worth it. The blanket came almost 2 weeks ago and DS loves it. It’s beautifully made and feels so good to rest under. DS has moved back into his own bed and has been waking up only once a night. He is getting more sleep and is much happier. DH and I are getting more sleep and are much happier. We even took it when we traveled to MI for Thanksgiving and DS slept great at the hotel. It's just been amazing for DS and therefore has helped all of us.
I wanted to share because I know many families here struggle with sleep difficulties too. So if your special needs little one is having sleep problems and you are looking for a low-tech, no-meds solution, I highly recommend Dreamcatchers Weighted Blanket!