Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit Review

I stumbled across Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit the way most mothers do… In a MOMENT OF DESPERATION in the middle of the night…  Frantically Googling “How to get my baby to sleep?” ?‍?.  

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This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through one of these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for the support!

It had been three weeks since we’d gotten a good night’s sleep (despite many hours of singing lullabies). So, it wasn’t the first time I had searched for a solution for my 6-week-old baby and had read about Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit.

I thought, “What do I have to lose?” I ordered it that night on Amazon. Thank goodness I did!

The sleepsuit brought my son and me peaceful four and 5-hour stretches of sleep. Something I didn’t think was possible before. My son wore the Merlin Suit every night until he eventually outgrew it. It was honestly a lifesaver. 

When my second son came along, I expected him to love the Magic Merlin Sleepsuit as much as my first. To my surprise, he wasn’t a fan. But he was also a great sleeper from day one.

It goes to show that no one product is going to work for every single baby. But if you’re a tired parent struggling to get your 3-month-old to sleep, you have nothing to lose. Only sleep to gain. 

When To Start Using The Magic Sleepsuit 

The Magic Sleepsuit is designed for a specific developmental window between swaddling and sleepsacks. Once your baby shows signs that it’s time to stop swaddling (like breaking out of their swaddle or rolling), it is time to transition to the sleepsuit.

This time strikes fear into the hearts of parents everywhere. Babies love to be swaddled–it reminds them of the womb and helps them sleep longer. Transitioning from the swaddle is often tricky for babies. They miss the coziness of the swaddle, and they are often still woken up by their startle reflex (the Moro Reflex). 

This swaddle transition period can be very challenging for babies and parents. But it’s crucial to transition out of the swaddle once your baby is ready to prevent unsafe sleep positions. My pediatrician said it’s really common for babies to struggle when transitioning out of swaddled because of the Moro Reflex. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do as a parent… Your child needs to outgrow that reflex.

Maureen Howard is the mother behind Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit. She set out to solve this problem. She is a pediatric physical therapist. She created the suit to make this transition period easier for her babies. She saw so much success for her babies that people started asking for her sleepsuits, and the Magic Sleepsuit was born. 

The suit’s long sleeves, legs, and padding muffle the started reflex, providing a more snug environment than a traditional sleepsack, increasing the chances of uninterrupted sleep. 

What Makes Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit Unique? 

Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit is not a sleepsack or swaddle.

It is in a class all on its own.

It looks more like a snowsuit than a traditional wearable blanket. It has open hands and feet to help regulate your baby’s temperature. The suit’s polyfill layer makes it cozy and squishy, setting it apart from ordinary sleep sacks. With long sleeves and legs, it provides the snugness of a swaddle that babies love while allowing them to move their arms and legs freely. 

Pro Tip: How should you dry the Magic Sleepsuit? Drying the sleepsuit was a bit of a learning curve because it is thick, and the arms and legs would take a long time to dry—my advice: dry the suit until the body is 90% dry. Then, flip the suit inside out to finish drying. This will help the arms and legs dry faster. 

Materials and Care 

The Magic Sleepsuit has three layers: 

• Outer layer: Cotton or microfleece. 
• Inner layer: Jersey Knit Cotton. 
• Middle layer: Soft polyfill. 

The inner jersey cotton layer is soft and breathable, perfect for baby’s sensitive skin. It can be worn alone or with a light cotton layer (like a onesie) underneath. The sleepsuit is in cream, blue, pink, yellow, night-sky, lavender, and sage green. It is machine washable and dryer-friendly, so it’s easy to maintain. There were many nights that I was actually envious of my son all cozy in his sleepsuit ?

My first used the same sleepsuit (we only had one small and one large!) every night from the day we got it until he outgrew it. It was still in such excellent condition that we could sell them to a baby consignment shop, Once Upon a Child, when he was done with it. 

Pro Tip: Because Magic Sleepsuits hold up so well, you’ll often find them in donation and consignment stores. The store where we sold ours typically has a few in stock at any time! 

Cotton vs. Microfleece 

You can choose whether the outer layer is cotton or microfleece. Microfleece is going to be puffier, warmer, and more plush. Microfleece is great for colder rooms and climates. The cotton is more breathable and flexible–making it easier for your baby to move around–but it is more likely to shrink in the dryer. Make sure to follow Baby Merlin’s instructions for washing and care. 

Age, Size, and Fit 

The Magic Sleepsuit is designed for babies aged 3-9 months with a weight between 12 and 21 lbs. 

Not all 3-month-olds are the same size, so it’s essential to check Baby Merlin’s fit guide to ensure it is safe for your little one. Here are some of their fit requirements: 

• The scooped neckline should lay flat on the chest and away from the face. 
• No gap in the neck area. The baby should not be able to wiggle out. 
• Hands and feet are visible. 
• Cozy fit through the torso. 
• Snug enough in the hips that they can’t pull their legs up but roomy enough to rotate their hips externally. 

The company offers a free Visual Sizing Assessment to check for proper fit. Email them a picture of your baby in the suit (info@magicsleepsuit.com), and they will give you their assessment and guidance.

I did a Virtual Sizing Assessment with them, which was very easy. They got back to me within an hour, letting me know my son was too little and I should try again in a few weeks. That’s precisely what we did! 

Transitioning From Swaddling to The Magic Sleepsuit

When it’s time to transition from swaddling, use the sleep sack during nap time, this lets your baby get used to the new fabric and sensation. If the nap goes well, move on to bedtime. If not, try again tomorrow. 

Follow Your Bedtime Routine 

​When starting the Merlin Suit, keep the bedtime routine as consistent as possible. Don’t introduce the sleepsuit when you’re traveling or going to have significant changes in your schedule. 

Create a Safe and Comfortable Sleep Environment 

Maintain a safe sleep environment while using Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit. Your child should sleep on their back, on a flat surface, with no bedding or positioners in the crib.

Check for Overheating 

​The sleepsuit is heavier than traditional sleep sacks and swaddles. There are specific recommendations that Baby Merlin gives to ensure that your baby doesn’t get too hot in the suit–which can be a serious problem. 

1. ​Make sure their bare hands and feet are exposed to regulate temperature. 
2. Dress them in only a diaper or a diaper and a single light 100% cotton layer (like a onesie). 
3. Check them for signs of overheating. 

​The first few times my son wore the sleepsuit, we checked him for overheating about an hour after he fell asleep, when we went to bed, before his night feed, and before waking him. After that, we only checked his temperature when there was a change of season or when he was sick. 

Pro Tip: It’s normal for baby hands and feet to get cold when they are sleeping (think icy!). Don’t rely on hands and feet to tell you if they are warm enough. Instead, check the back of their neck or their torso. It should be warm but not sweaty or clammy. 

Safety Features 

Baby Merlin’s is just as focused on safe sleep for babies as I am, making them one of my favorite brands! They have resources for parents to answer all of your safety questions.

1. ​Double zippers for easy diaper changes: Two zippers- one on either side of the suit- allow you to get the baby in and out of the suit easily. I never had any trouble with diaper changes or getting in and out of the suit because of this handy feature. 
2. Open hands and feet: Designed specifically for temperature regulation. I know from first-hand experience how worrisome it can be to feel your baby’s hands and feet at night and then be ice cold. Remember, it’s normal. As long as the back of their neck or torso is warm and they sleep comfortably, they are comfortable! 
3. Extensive testing: Each Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit undergoes safety testing and quality control inspections. They are members of the Safe Sleep Guardians–dedicated to making baby sleep spaces safe.
4. Logo: Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit is patented. Ensure you are buying a genuine Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit to ensure it has all the safety features. 

Is The Magic Sleepsuit Weighted?

​The sleepsuit creator, Maureen, clarified the misconception that the Magic Sleepsuit is weighted: “A patent can include multiple possible variants of a product, but that does not necessarily mean that the product that reaches the market contains all those features. When we filed our patent we casted a broad net on possible variations since it was written well before our product reached the market. Our patent includes features that are not included in the Magic Sleepsuit on the market today. Again, there is no weighting or weighted material of any type in the Magic Sleepsuit.” 

Although the wording in the patent leads consumers to believe the sleepsuit is weighted, Maureen assures us that there is no weighting or weighted material in any of their sleepsuits. 

I can personally vouch for this. Although the sleepsuit is “heavier” than a traditional swaddle or wearable blanket, it is because there are two layers of fabric and a layer of polyfill, not from any added weight. 

Transitioning Out of the Sleepsuit

As your baby grows and gains strength, there comes a time to transition out of the Magic Sleepsuit. The sleepsuit is designed for back sleeping only, so the recommendation is to transition them to a regular sleep sack or wearable blanket once they can roll themselves into other sleeping positions while wearing the suit. This typically happens between 6 and 9 months. 

It can be a challenging phase, and I’ll share my experience to help you through it. 

Mom to Mom: You might wonder if it’s worth trying the sleepsuit if you can only use it for a few months (we used it for about six months). In most cases, yes, you probably should! Oddly, you are reading this because you are struggling with your baby’s sleep. Even if it takes some work to transition in and out of, you’re still going to benefit from teaching your child how to sleep in longer stretches AND get yourself some sleep.

The only time I would say it’s probably not worth it is in the case of my second child. He was a good sleeper from day one. We tried the sleepsuit with him, but he didn’t like it. He fussed and squirmed. In a regular sleepsack, he slept fine. We decided for him it wasn’t worth trying to get him used to the sleepsuit and then having to transition back out of it because he was already doing fine with sleep.

The hardest part about transitioning from the sleepsuit was finding a wearable blanket that mimicked the coziness of the sleepsuit without being overly hot. We tried several different sleepsacks and found they were all too hot (fleece, microfleece, quilted, etc.) or not snuggly enough (thin cotton fabric). At the time, Baby Merlin’s didn’t have any of their transitional products like they do now. 

Eventually, we did find a sleepsack from Ikea that was a double layer of cotton and terrycloth that he liked until we were gifted a Magic Dream Sack Walker that he took to right away! 

New Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep System

Since my first was born, Baby Merlin’s has launched a line of sleepsacks to help parents make the transition out of the sleepsuit easier ?. 

This line of sleepsuits is unique because they are made of the same materials as the sleepsuit, just without the polyfill. So you can choose from a cotton outer layer and an inner layer or a micro fleece outer layer and cotton inner layer. 

I think having the consistency of the double layers of fabric is key. The familiarity of the fabric is also comforting to babies during the change. 

Here are the recommended sizes and milestones to look for when deciding which Baby Merlin suit is right for your baby: 

Stage 1: The Magic Sleepsuit 
Small (3-6 months): 12-18 lbs 
Large (6-9 months): 18-21 lbs 
Milestone: For babies who are breaking out of their traditional swaddles. 

Stage 2: The Dream Sack 
Ages (6-12 months): 16-24 lbs 
Milestone: For babies who start to roll in the Magic Sleepsuit 

Stage 3: The Deam Sack Walker 
Ages (12-18 months): 22-28 lbs 
Milestone: For babies standing, walking, or ready for complete freedom of movement in their sleep. 

Transitioning out of the suit should be similar to transitioning into the suit. Start at nap time, check for movement and temperature, then gradually introduce the new sleepsack to nighttime sleep. 

Pros and cons 

Getting Even More Sleep

The Magic Sleepsuit was indeed magical for me and my family. It got my son to sleep in manageable four and 5-hour chunks, which eventually helped him sleep through the night. Don’t get me wrong, there were some isolated sleep regressions–that made me question my sanity ?‍?–But we never went back to waking every hour at night like before.

While using the sleepsuit, you can maximize its benefits by establishing a good bedtime routine, maintaining a consistent nap schedule, paying attention to wake windows, and keeping a safe and comfortable sleep environment.

If you’re struggling with baby sleep, give the sleepsuit a try. The worst that will happen is another bad night of sleep. The best will be some consecutive sleep to recharge your batteries. Good luck, mamas! I hope that some restful nights are within reach.