Every sleep-deprived parent needs this doll

A baby snoozing in your arms is lovely, but the ability to actually use those arms for something else once in a while is pretty nice, too. That's the idea behind the Lulla doll. Lulla imitates the closeness of a caregiver with lifelike breathing and heartbeat sounds, and a soft material that can even absorb your smell. It's as close as a doll is going to get to a parent's loving cuddles. The unisex toy was created by Eyrún Eggertsdóttir, a mom and psychologist from Iceland.

Today's Parent featured the Lulla doll in our March 2016 print issue, but interest in the doll is now suddenly skyrocketing. Sleep-deprieved parents are apparently willing to shell out big bucks for Lulla. The first release of 5,000 dolls sold out instantly with a bidding war on eBay that pushed the already-steep price of $71 US to $300 US. (That said, lucky Canadians can buy the dolls from hestiainternational.com for $100)

Perhaps parents' lack of sleep directly correlates to a willingness to spend money? That would explain the brisk sales of white-noise machines, room-darkening drapes and the Gro Clock. But hey, it's all in the name of a good night's sleep, right? To be fair, the doll has promised some major benefits: Your baby should fall asleep sooner, and stay asleep longer, which ought to make for a happier baby all around. Downsides: The doll supposedly sounds a lot like Darth Vader. But if it lulls your little Jedi to sleep, who's complaining? After all, if an expensive little doll that sounds slightly creepy is the only thing that stands in the way of you finally being free from your sleep-destroying angel, then pull out that credit card and charge your way to freedom.

One caveat, though: This doll is best used on sleep-hating toddlers. To prevent SIDS, researchers say babies under the age of one should not sleep with anything in the crib, including bumpers, loose blankets and, unfortunately, dolls.

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