It can be grueling to get a baby to sleep through the night, but certain items can help significantly. Whether you’re a new mom or have many children, sleep is crucial for you and your baby. Read on for some tips and tricks that might make all the difference in aiding your baby to sleep soundly through the night.
Jordan Nacalaban
A Swaddle Blanket to Help Them Feel Secure
Buy good swaddle blankets or swaddle sacks for newborns up to two months. When babies are swaddled at this stage, they’re less likely to get easily startled and wake up. Practice safe swaddling techniques for babies to help them sleep soundly and securely.
There’s an inexpensive white noise sound machine to lull them to sleep. The device will help babies fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Bassinets Allow You to Keep Baby Close
When your baby sleeps, you get to sleep a little bit too! That’s why it’s essential to have the perfect bassinet, swaddle, and sound machine combination.
For a bassinet, I love recommending a co-sleeper because you can tend to the baby right from bed. A swaddle muffles the Moro reflex and helps the baby sleep through the night.
Kristin Hood
Chrissy Lawler
3 Essentials to Help Your Baby Sleep
Swaddle Blanket
Newborns love when their external environment mimics the environment of the womb. They like to be snug and warm, and a good swaddle blanket will help with this.
Car Seat Cover
A well-ventilated car seat cover helps to keep your baby from becoming overstimulated when they are on the go. Just make sure it is well ventilated and that you can see a baby at all times.
White Noise Machine
White noise is a must-have for great baby sleep. Bonus if it is a portable white noise machine! Portable sound machines are another great way to help babies take a nap on the go, or have some downtime, so they don’t become overstimulated from the hustle and bustle around them.
Sleep Swing to Avoid Sleep Interruption
Sleep-related items for mom and baby are interchangeable. After all, if the baby is getting good sleep then the mom should be getting good sleep. Without question, the most impactful sleep-related item for my wife has been our powered sleep swing.
Having a swing that runs on battery is key, as having to manually rock the swing back and forth defeats the purpose as a sleep aid. Our newborn hates being still. While she will sleep at night in her crib, during the daytime she prefers to have some type of movement. We purchased the sleep swing when she was around two months old and it has been a godsend.
The swing is pretty standard; it rocks back and forth and has a light-up mobile overhead. When it comes to nap time, the swing is where our newborn takes the majority of her naps. Her being able to consistently take longer naps has been equally as helpful for my wife’s sleep. When the baby goes down for a solid two hour nap then that means mama can also get a solid two hour nap.
Regrettably, it took us longer than it should have to realize just how much of an impact the swing could make. Our first child didn’t have any problems taking naps in his crib without movement. So it was an important reminder for us that each child is different and adding the swing for sleeping has been a tremendous help.
Derek Hales
Derek Hales is the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of NapLab.com.
Hassan Alnassir
Humidifier to Keep the Moisture in Room and Avoid Allergies
One of the most underrated but useful tools to help baby sleep at night is a humidifier. A humidifier is used to put moisture in the air which can help clear your baby’s nasal passages and provide them with better sleep.
Babies do not do well in dry air and it can cause dry, itchy skin and lips which will cause them to become irritated and cry through the night. A humidifier can help to diminish these things and give them a more comfortable sleep. You can also add essential oils to humidifiers, which can also help to calm your baby. Scents like lavender are known for their calming effects and can help your baby to relax.
A humidifier is definitely a must for new moms and their babies!
Night Light for Gentle Light
I’d recommend every new mom purchase a night light for their baby’s nursery or their own bedroom if they’ll be sharing a room with their baby for the first few weeks. Night lights are a wonderful tool to ensure your baby sleeps as much as possible during the night. If you have a night light on when your baby wakes up for a diaper change or a feeding, you’ll have enough light to take care of them, without harsh light that will potentially wake them up.
Turning on a bright light in the room can be jarring to both you and your baby, and you’ll both be wide awake because of it. A night light throws off enough gentle light that you’ll both be able to get right back to sleep after you’ve given your baby what they need.
Shannon Serpette
If you would like one-on-one help for cultivating healthy sleeping habits in your infant or toddler, contact us at Tiny Transitions. We’ve helped thousands of families create sustainable sleep solutions and can do the same for you.
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