Our Story: How We Helped Our Baby Sleep

“Necessity is the Mother of All Invention”

In 2004, my son Luke was born and at 6 weeks was diagnosed with Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as infant reflux. During the first few months of his life he had round the clock colic. He cried often, especially after eating.  Sleeping was particularly difficult for him. Needless to say, his distress was our distress too! We needed help! We were advised to raise his crib for sleeping and keep him upright after feedings. We tried to raise his crib, but of course, he would slide down to the bottom and wake up. Our sleeplessness as a family continued.

To address our dilemma, we eventually purchased a product to hold him in place in his crib. After we would successfully settle him to sleep, we would attempt to  place him in this apparatus in the crib (which required us to fasten multiple straps), resulting in his waking up. We would have to take him back out and start all over; all our efforts to calm and settle him were undone - this was not the solution!    

As a Licensed Occupational Therapist, I finally designed my own swaddling system for use in his crib when it was raised. I felt we needed something that allowed us to settle him to sleep and put him in his crib without having to do any adjustments. Best of all, he  slept more that first night then he had in 3 months!  And so did we!   

Encouraged by conversations with other occupational and speech therapy professionals who work with parents of babies with GERD, I took my idea to a professor of Engineering at Tufts University. He collaborated on the design to ensure the safety of the product. After the success with my son, I want to share this product, so that other babies and parents could get some much needed sleep!