When it comes to getting babies to sleep through the night, parents are willing to try anything if it means getting a couple more hours of shut-eye. From the 100-second rule to using the soothing sounds of Alexa, no stone has been left unturned when it comes to baby sleep hacks.
Well, there’s a new #momtok trend on the horizon that has TikTok parents excited about getting a full night’s rest for the first time in months and it might surprise you.
Chances are you might even find them in your fruit bowl: limes.
You may be thinking that limes are best served in a margarita, not a baby’s room. Yet some desperate parents have turned to the fruit to get their baby to sleep a little bit longer.
Parents on TikTok have been cutting limes in half and leaving them in a bowl in their child’s bedroom out of the baby’s reach to try to get them to sleep better. As odd as it sounds, some parents swear by this new hack.
The trend was first started by TikTok mom Jessica Lynne. In her TikTok video, Lynne claims that limes “are an amazing cleansing agent that rid negative fear-based energies” that help create an ideal sleep environment for babies and adults alike.
Some research suggests that lime essential oils and other citrus fruits have aromatherapy benefits that may help ease stress and promote better sleep, according to research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
But before you start cutting up your limes, it’s important to note that this specific lime theory has never been scientifically tested.
Does It Work?
While there is no scientific evidence yet to support Lynne’s claims, many parents have taken to TikTok to express their surprise at the hack’s effectiveness.
“I’ve been doing this for 4 days and he has finally been able to sleep a stretch of 3-4 hours. Slept 8-3:30”, commented one mom.
While four hours of sleep may not seem like much, any parent will tell you that consecutive hours of sleep are worth a million bucks when it comes to raising kids.
Another mom shared her excitement about the hack’s success, commenting “It worked! My baby went from waking up 6 times to 2.”
Unfortunately, some parents have not been so lucky.
Fellow mom Dayna Miller also tried the viral hack in her own TikTok video, which received over 4.2 million views. However, Miller did not have similar results. Miller reported that her baby woke up crying two times during the night, but she noted that her child did sleep more deeply than he usually does.
She admitted that even though the hack may seem silly to those who are not sleep-deprived parents, she said that she was still willing to give it a try. “You will try anything to get your baby to sleep,” said Miller in a recent TikTok video. We know that many parents can relate.
Experts Weigh In
Even though some parents say the hack worked, experts are skeptical.
Rosey Davidson, certified baby sleep consultant and CEO of Just Chill Mama, recently sat down with Newsweek to discuss the viral hack.
“There are claims that the lime ‘calms the energy of the room’ which, in turn, calms the energy of the child. However, there is no scientific evidence to back up the efficacy of putting limes in your little one’s room,” Davidson told Newsweek. (1)
Turns out you might want to leave your limes in the kitchen, not in the nursery.
While limes may not be the best way to create a calming sleep environment for babies, other methods can help.
Creating a consistent bedtime routine can help calm babies down for the evening. This can include warm baths, lullabies, reading books, or any other activity that creates a calm environment for your child.
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Sources
- Gray, Daniella. “Parents Swear by Limes to Help Their Babies Sleep—Here’s What Experts Say.” Newsweek, 5 June 2024, www.newsweek.com/parents-swear-limes-helping-their-babies-sleep-so-we-asked-expert-1908585. Accessed 7 June 2024.
