The Nested Bean vs Love To Dream: Both The Nested Bean Swaddle and the Love To Dream Swaddle are great products. But, do you need both? Is one better than the other for your baby’s sleep?
In this blog post, you’ll learn about both products and which we recommend!
Love To Dream Swaddle
The Love To Dream Swaddle is a great product to help your baby sleep better. We’ve been recommending for years. This is a product meant to capitalize on all the benefits of swaddling but make it super easy to swaddle your baby. It also makes it hard for your baby to break out! Breaking out of the swaddle is a safety hazard.
In addition, the Love To Dream is designed to help you swaddle your baby with their arms up rather than down by their sides. This is typically more comfortable for your baby which can lead to longer stretches of sleep.
The Love To Dream Swaddle also has dual zippers, one at the top and one at the bottom. This makes middle of the night diaper changes easier and faster.
The really cool design of the Love To Dream Swaddle is that it has “wings.” But, these wings are meant to zip off when your baby is ready to be unswaddled. This will allow your baby to find his or her hands for self-soothing and allow them to push up if they roll onto their tummy.
Nested Bean Swaddle
The Nested Bean products are very innovative with the simple premise that sometimes you just need a hand on you to feel comfort. That’s what their products emulate: The feeling of a parent’s hand on your baby.
While Nested Bean has a few different products, the one you’d compare to the Love 2 Dream Swaddle Up would be the Zen One™ or the Zen Swaddle®.
The Zen One has a 2-way zipper and a strap to keep your baby’s arms down when their moro reflex is still strong. You can stop using it as your baby gets older and they can have their hands up.
The Zen Swaddle is meant to be snug enough for your newborn but flexible to allow your baby to grow. That’s why it has an inner pouch for when your baby is younger, or you can put your baby’s legs on top of the pocket once your baby is bigger. You can also leave your baby’s arms in or out, depending on whether or not you’re trying to stop swaddling.
There are many different colors and prints to choose from for the Nested Bean Swaddle. The winged design makes it very easy to use. No special folding, wrapping, or tucking!
Nested Bean vs Love To Dream – Which is Better?
Both the Nested Bean Swaddle and the Love To Dream Swaddle Up are great products. But, which is better for your baby’s sleep?
We have worked with families who have used both and clients love both products. As a sleep consultant since 2008, I can tell you that either product would be a good choice. However, the age of your baby may influence whether you buy one.
Newborns, Pregnant Moms, or a Baby Shower Gift
If you have a newborn, you’re pregnant and doing research, or if you’re buying as a gift, I recommend you purchase the Love To Dream Swaddle UP which is appropriate for newborns. The newborn size does not have zip-off wings but you don’t need them.
Once your newborn weighs 13+ pounds, I recommend the Love To Dream Swaddle Up Transition Sleep Sack with Zip-Off Wings. If you’d rather buy just one of them, go with the Swaddle Up Transition Sleep Sack with Zip-Off Wings. Simply use a receiving blanket until your baby is 13+ pounds. Babies go from their birth weight to 13 pounds practically in a blink of an eye!
The benefits of swaddling are clear. Your baby will most likely appreciate the snug feeling of being swaddled. The Love To Dream fits a bit snugger than the Nested Bean Zen Swaddle. And, your baby will likely be in the swaddle for at least 2-3 months, if not longer. So, your purchase will be well worth the added hours of sleep you will likely get!
And, when your baby is ready to move away from swaddling, you can zip off one or both wings for an easier transition to a sleep sack. Voila!
However, some babies don’t sleep well once their arms are free, of course! Try giving your baby a week or so to get used to it. If your baby struggles with having their hands completely free, you can then consider adding a sleep sack to your toolbox such as the Zipadee-Zip.
Now, if you are comparing the Zen One and the Love To Dream Swaddle Up then they are very similar products. Love To Dream has been around a lot longer. The Zen One product is a newer product and more expensive. I like the concept of the 2-way zipper and zip-off wings which they both have. If your baby happens to like a hand on their chest as they sleep, then the Zen One would give you that added benefit. But, if your baby doesn’t settle with a simple hand on their chest, then it’s simply unnecessary. The reviews are better for Love To Dream than Nested Bean on Amazon, though, in general. A few comments describe babies being able to break out of the Zen Swaddle which defeats the purpose and can be dangerous.
Other comments about Nested Bean talk about it “not working.” The “problem” with products with specific approaches to helping your baby sleep is that all babies are different. If your baby doesn’t respond to a hand on their chest, then the Nested Bean products may not make much of a difference. This isn’t a problem with the product. It’s simply not solving the sleep problem in a way that works for your baby. It doesn’t hurt to try, of course! Remember, these types of products are just tools in your toolbox. You just need the right tool for the right job!
4+ Month Olds and/or Baby is Rolling
If your baby is nearing, or older than 4 months old, we recommend you transition to a sleep sack with hands out. If you already have a Love To Dream, Zen Swaddle, or Zen One, all you need to do is zip off the wings or swaddle with your baby’s arms out. But, if you haven’t yet bought one of these products, you probably want to buy a traditional sleep sack. We share the Top 10 Best Sleep Sacks here.
Of course, your baby’s sleepwear is only one variable that impacts your baby’s sleep. And, that’s what we do here at The Baby Sleep Site!
