There are so many sleep products out there that it can be overwhelming, especially if you are a first-time mom. While no one sleep product can make your baby sleep through the night, some things can definitely help.
I have two kids now, and as a mom of two and a sleep coach, these are the 5 essential sleep tools I recommend. Nothing too fancy or expensive, just the basics to help you build a healthy sleep foundation and have peace of mind that your little one is safe.
Swaddle and/or sleep sack.
I cannot repeat this enough, but swaddling is a powerful tool! It might take a few days for some babies to adapt, but most babies love it and can benefit from it. Swaddling helps babies sleep longer because it replicates the feeling of being tightly held inside the womb.
You can never have too many swaddle blankets. As your baby grows older, you will have to transition from swaddling to a sleep sack. You can start by using ones that still apply pressure on their chests but have their arms out, like this one. Then move to a sleep sack that acts like a blanket.
Here are some of my favorites:
Night light
We recommend that babies sleep in a completely dark environment and use a nightlight only for feedings or diaper changes. As babies grow older, they might start asking for a nightlight, and that is fine (it won't mess with their sleep). However, we recommend using a red, orange, or warm-colored light.
There are many options (and a huge variety of prices). I used one that I could move around the room when my baby was a newborn. This allowed me to bring it to the changing table, move it around for feedings, etc. Later, we switched to a doggy nightlight just for fun because he started being afraid of the dark, but that didn't happen until he was about 2.5 years old!
Around that age, they can also benefit from an "ok to wake up" light. If you're not familiar with the concept, it's a light that glows one color at night but then changes when it is time to get up. This helps toddlers stay in bed longer or at least until an acceptable time (no more 5 a.m. wake-ups!).
My recommendations:
Blackouts
Sleeping in a dark environment is beneficial not only for babies but for adults too. Darkness promotes the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. It might be hard to get the best blackouts that really make the room pitch dark.
I use some velcro in my daughter's room to attach the blackout curtain to the wall, and that works well. If you don't want to invest a lot, you can use black trash bags on the windows.
White Noise Sound Machine
This sound replicates what our babies heard in the womb, so it is reassuring for them and helps them sleep longer. I recommend using white noise for bedtime and naptime; I have found that it works well, at least during the first year.
White noise can also help block out noises coming from outside the room, such as a toddler running around the house while your baby is sleeping. Additionally, when your kids go to bed early (as they are supposed to), white noise can prevent them from waking up while you still have things to do around the house.
A few options:
Baby Monitor
This might be pretty obvious, but I want to emphasize that it will help you, the parents, get more sleep. Once you transition your baby to their room, this is a great tool to see what your baby is doing during a partial wake-up instead of running to get them.
I used a Motorola monitor with both my babies, but now that they are older, I use Wyze cams. You can access them through your phone or iPad from anywhere, and I'm really liking it.
There are so many new products out there, and I think you can use a lot of them to support your motherhood journey. However, when it comes to sleep, these five are enough! You don't have to spend a lot on new fancy things. Before you know it, with a healthy sleep foundation, your baby will be sleeping in their own crib through the night.
To learn how to build a healthy sleep foundation from the beginning, let's chat! I can guide you through the first chaotic but sweet months with my Newborn Sleep Masterclass.
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