The 10 Best Baby Sleep Products on the Market
When you bring your newborn home from the hospital, you’ll quickly find out that sleep is a precious luxury. Due to erratic sleeping schedules, and what feels like constant feedings, it’s not uncommon to feel burnt-out and sleep deprived during the first few months of your child’s life. This won’t last forever. Eventually, your newborn will begin sleeping for longer stretches of time and you’ll fall into a routine. To help encourage a good night’s sleep, for both you and your baby, there are plenty of great accessories available. Here, we’ll go over the 10 best baby sleep products on the market for newborns throughout their first year.
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Blackout Pleated Paper Shades
Even the smallest amount of sunlight can disrupt your circadian rhythm and throw your sleeping patterns into chaos. To avoid problems, your newborn’s room should be as dark as possible. While using a night light is okay, you want to make sure that your child’s room has a limited amount of sunlight in the morning and when they go down for naps throughout the day. The best way to achieve this is to invest in blackout shades. Right now, moms around the country are enjoying the Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade in black. Not only are they effective, but they’re also affordable.
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Humidifiers
Using a humidifier in your baby’s room is a great way to help keep their airways open and encourage a cozy climate. One humidifier that’s highly recommended to help encourage a good night’s sleep is the Honeywell Germ-Free Cool Mist Humidifier. This humidifier uses a UV light to kill any bacteria that comes out of the device through the mist, which is a common problem in many warm air humidifiers.
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A Reliable Baby Monitor
The first few weeks of your newborn’s life can be stressful. To give yourself some reassurance and help encourage healthy sleeping patterns for both you and your newborn, find a reliable baby monitor that has the features you need.
Hatch Rest+ with Audio Monitor
One of the most comprehensive baby monitors on the market is the Hatch Rest+ Sound Machine, Night Light, Time-to-Rise plus Audio Monitor. This baby monitor combines a myriad of technology and is considered an all-in-one solution to help improve your newborn’s sleeping environment. As a plus, it’s easily controlled by your smartphone.
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor
If you want something that’s more high-tech and gives you plenty of information about your newborn, the Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor is a great option. This monitor gives you an extraordinarily clear bird’s-eye view of your sleeping baby, providing you with peace of mind throughout the night. It also transmits information on sound, room temperature, motion data, and breathing statistics.
VTech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor
For those that like to stick to more basic technology, the Vtech DM221 Audio Baby Monitor is a great option. This monitor only relays audio sound and is simple and easy to use.
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Sound Machine
Your baby hears a lot while they’re in utero. They could hear your voice, the sound of the television, your blood pumping through your veins, your heartbeat, and even your lungs inhaling and exhaling fresh air. As a newborn, the change in sounds after delivery can cause unrest, which is why white noise machines are often so effective. Some great options include the Hatch Rest+, Marpac Hush Portable White Noise Machine, or the Baby Shusher.
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Comfortable Sleepwear
Making sure that your baby is comfortable when they go to sleep is a great way to improve the likelihood that they’ll actually stay asleep. There are plenty of different options for comfortable sleepwear for newborns, some of which include swaddles, sleepsuits, sleepsacks, and traditional pajamas.
Halo Sleepsack Swaddle
Swaddles are a great way to help your baby feel secure. They also prevent movement, which can help keep your newborn from startling themselves awake in the middle of the night. However, there is a specific way that you need to swaddle your baby to avoid overheating and having the swaddle come undone. One of the swaddles that women trust is the Happiest Baby Sleepea 5-Second Swaddle, which has an internal band, quiet Velcro, and a zipper to help secure your baby safely.
Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit
When your newborn gets a little older and swaddles are no longer viable, you can transition into Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit. It’s firm, but comfortable, and surrounds your baby with a plush material that mimics the feel of a swaddle without the restrictions.
Halo Sleepsack
Once your baby begins to roll over on their own, sleepsacks are a great choice for comfortable sleepwear. This gives your baby the freedom and flexibility to move around, without the risk of excess blanket material. The Halo Sleepsack is a great option and there are plenty of patterns to choose from.
Simple Joys by Carter’s
For a more traditional baby pajama, try Simple Joys by Carter’s. These are both affordable and come in plenty of adorable styles.
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Bedtime Stories
While your newborn might not understand every word of a bedtime story, the simple act of talking to them and introducing new vocabulary is a great way to prep their brains for future learning. Try incorporating a few of your favorite bedtime stories to help solidify your baby’s sleep routine from an early age.
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Lotion or Oil
Infant massages are a wonderful way to soothe your baby and get them ready for sleep. To avoid potential allergic reactions, use non-scented lotions or oils and make sure they’re free of any chemicals or unnecessary ingredients. Some great options for baby-safe lotions and oils come from Earth Mama and California Baby.
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A Safe Sleep Space
Providing your baby with a safe place to sleep is one of the most important things to do to help encourage good sleep habits. Safe sleeping spaces can also reduce the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Here are a few options to consider.
SNOO Smart Sleeper
Technology continues to advance, especially in the world of parenting. The SNOO Smart Sleeper is a safe sleeping space that actually responds to your baby’s cries by gently moving and emitting white noise. This helps to soothe your baby and gives you a few extra moments of peace and quiet. While it’s a little on the pricey side, many parents find it a good investment.
Snuggle Me Organic
Snuggle Me Organic is a baby lounger that contours around your little one, which helps comfort and hug them in all of the right places. This is a great option for daytime naps and traveling. It mimics the snugness of a swaddle, giving you the benefit of two products in one.
Halo BassiNest Swivel Sleeper Bassinet Essentia Series
The Halo BassiNest is an excellent bassinet that provides 360-degree swivel motion so you can manipulate your baby without waking him or her up. This bassinet can also be adjusted for different heights and has plenty of storage space. It’s a great option for safe sleep spaces on the go.
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Overnight Diapers
When your baby isn’t comfortable, they won’t be able to sleep. For a diaper that can last through the night, Pampers Swaddlers Overnights will get the job done. They’re designed for newborns for up to 12 hours of use and have a wetness indicator that can help parents determine if they need to change a sleeping baby.
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Pacifiers
Pacifiers can help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and even stress levels in babies. It satisfies the sucking reflex, which is a terrific way to get them calm and ready for bed. Just make sure that you wait until breastfeeding has been established to introduce your baby to a pacifier to avoid nipple confusion. For a great option, try Philips Avent Soothie pacifiers.
Helping your baby get a good night’s sleep is essential to developing healthy habits from the start. To make sure that you’re getting the sleep you need, supplement your breastfeeding with breast pumping. Breast pumping allows you to build a strong supply of breast milk so your partner or another loved one can help you with feedings throughout the night. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, new and expecting mothers across the country are eligible to receive an insurance covered breast pump. Byram Healthcare has plenty of options to help you find exactly what you need. Browse our product catalog and order your breast pump today.
