When baby sleeps soundly, everyone’s happy especially mom and dad. So when news broke that a doll could put babies to sleep faster and for longer to almost miraculous results, imagine the clamor! This sleeping companion is called the Lulla Doll, and it has sold out even before it has reached distribution centers.
Based on research on the positive effects of the closeness of baby and caregiver, the doll’s creator Eyrún Eggertsdóttir, an Iceland-based mother of two who has studied psychology, designed the doll to stimulate the sound of a mother’s steady breathing and heartbeat. The sound helps little ones sleep longer and feel better by stabilizing their own breathing and heartbeat.
“Research tells us when babies hear these sounds, they tune into them and start following the rhythm that they hear,” Eggertsdóttir told Huffington Post. “When babies feel more stable and calm, it helps them to fall asleep and stay asleep for longer at a time.
It can sound a little like Darth Vader to parents, Eggertsdóttir jokingly told The Daily Telegraph, but added that babies and toddlers haven’t seen Star Wars so it’s alright. The heartbeat and breathing was recorded from a yoga teacher mom at rest.
The doll turns on or off by pushing a button on its chest. Left on, it will play for eight hours and automatically turn off afterwards. The doll was thoroughly tested for safety around babies, but as safe sleep recommendations advise that no loose items should be placed with a newborn during sleep, the doll also has hidden Velcro straps that can attach to cribs, car seats, strollers and carriers.
To ensure Lulla Doll is perfect for cuddling, it’s made from soft natural cotton and hypoallergenic, ultra-fine microfiber. Parents are encouraged to rub the doll against their skin, letting the doll absorb their scent, before giving it to their little one.
Eggertsdóttir got the idea for the doll when a friend gave birth to a premature baby and had to leave her little one alone in the hospital for weeks. “During that time the little girl frequently had apnea episodes and I thought of all the research I had read in psychology about how closeness can help stabilise babies heartbeat and how this might have been prevented if she would have been able to stay close to her mother,” she told Huffington Post. The doll is actually especially designed to help preemies and babies with serious illnesses who spend a lot of time separated from their parents.
Ever since news of the Lulla Doll’s magical powers got out, the dolls have been selling faster than Eggertsdóttir and her team can pack them. Last July, parents were even bidding up to $350 (P16,900) for the doll, almost five times its retail price of $71 (P3,400). Currently, they’re sold out again, and the company is accepting pre-orders for November production. Good news, they ship worldwide as well.
Want to see more bedtime innovations for babies and children? Click here to find out about the Suzy Snooze and MonBaby.ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWCONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now
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