For any parent who has a child struggling to sleep through the night or who suffers from any sort of separation anxiety, you know that it can be exhausting and emotionally taxing for both you and your little one.
The makers of “My Little Beating Heart” appreciate that and set out to help parents and children everywhere with their newest addition – a child-sized version of their classic “My Beating Heart.” The purpose of this “beating” heart is to calm children and help them relax by syncing their own heartbeat to that of the Little Beating Heart.
When in utero, a baby hears its mother’s heartbeat; once they’re born and sleeping in a crib, that calming and familiar sound is gone.
The concept and technology behind the product is simply stellar. And the heart itself is fuzzy and comforting. As a parent with a baby who’s still not sleeping through the night, I was anxious to try it out in hopes of getting a full-nights rest. The folks at Banana Design Labs were kind enough to send me a My Little Beating Heart to review.
When the product arrived, it was much larger than I had anticipated, especially given the marketing of the product which eludes to its use on the sides of cribs. I expected it to be small enough that my baby could hold it with both hands, but it is quite big and she was unable to even get her arms around it; on the other hand, the 2-year-old who lives next door was able to snuggle it right up with no problem at all. In addition, the “beating” of the heart terrified the baby, while the toddler thought it was fantastic.
I also surveyed other children in the neighborhood and all thought it was fantastic (as long as they were between the ages of 2 and 9). Outside of that age range, it was not as big of a hit.
In short, I would recommend My Little Beating Heart for toddlers, but not for babies. I’d be interested to hear from parents of babies that have successfully used the product and get their thoughts on it.
Photo Courtesy of Banana Design Labs
