Sleep is so important for baby and for mom & dad. The most important thing about newborn sleep is that it is safe! I am sharing my tried and true products that we used with Charlie and are now using with Effie to provide a safe and peaceful sleep. We love and swear by all of these items!
1. Halo Sleep Sack - We love halo sleep sacks. I have never been able to figure out how to do a tight swaddle with a blanket and I worry that it would come unraveled in the middle of the night. These are perfect for keeping baby warm and safe at night.
Click here for Halo Sleep Sack
2. Avent Soothie Pacifier - These pacifiers were a favorite of Charlies. We started using them when we were in the NICU and we would have to leave her at night. We wanted her to have some form of comfort while we were gone. We now use these with Effie and they are our favorite brand. Also, while we were in the NICU one of the nurses told us that pacifiers help keep babies mouth open and allow them to get more oxygen at night while sleeping which keeps them safe.
Click here for Avent Soothie Pacifier
3. Infant Optics Baby Monitor - This monitor has worked great for us over the years. We love the live monitoring, which we prefer over the new apps for smartphones. The apps for smartphones tend to have short delays which we do not feel comfortable using.
Click here for Infant Optics Baby Monitor
4. Pottery Barn Kids Lamb nightlight - We used this nightlight/projector every night when Charlie was a baby. It projects stars onto the ceiling and works amazingly to light up the room and create a peaceful sleep environment for baby.
Click here for Pottery Barn Kids Lamb Projector Nightlight
5. Baby Bjorn Cradle - We love this bassinet for the perfect safe sleep for baby. We used this for nap time with Charlie and kept it on the main floor of our house, while keeping her bedtime bassinet upstairs in our bedroom. What I love most about this basinet is that the fabric is a breathable mesh which you can actually see through, as well. It also has the ability to gently rock. I love that it looks minimalistic and modern.
Click here for Baby Bjorn Cradle
At night, we keep this bassinet next to our bed. We use this without the bumper for a safe sleep.
6. Baby Pajamas - At night, we have always put our babies in a onesie with jammies overtop. This pants and top set is easy for bedtime because you can just take of the pants and unsnap the onesie for a quick diaper change - versus unsnapping pajamas. I am not a huge fan of zipper jammies because I feel like unless they fit perfectly in length, the zipper always bulges and it just doesn't look comfortable to me having a big bulging zipper in baby's face.
Click here for Baby Gap Pajamas
7. LectoFan Sound Machine - As a family, we all sleep with sound machines and we have gone through a number of different sound machines to find the perfect sound. This is the best sound machine we have come across. It creates a deep sound, versus the high pitched sound that some machines make. We have one in every bedroom in our house.
Click here for LectoFan Sound Machine
8. The Owlet Smart Sock - If you have not heard of the Owlet, I am happy to be the first person to share it with you. This device was life changing for us! After Charlie was born, we spent two weeks in the NICU and we became used to seeing her oxygen level and heart rate regularly. When it was time to go home, we did know how we were going to be able to sleep at night without knowing her heart rate and oxygen level. At the time, The Owlet was just released and we were so thankful! The Owlet wraps around babies foot and monitors oxygen and heart rate levels. An alarm will sound if these numbers go out of range. This device gave us SO much comfort and helped us to get some extra sleep at night. I highly recommend this device for ALL parents and babies.
Click here for The Owlet Smart Sock
9. LifeFactory Glass Bottles - We bottle fed Charlie and currently are bottle feeding Effie. I love bottle feeding because I can see exactly how much milk our babies are getting plus, it allows for Greg and I to take turns at night feeding. I honestly do not know how I would function during the day if I did all of the night feedings myself! I also truly believe that being an overly exhausted parent is unsafe for your children. I am so thankful my husband and I share the feeding duties at night. This wouldn't be possible if we were not bottle feeding. I love the quality of LifeFactory bottles and of course, I chose them because they are glass and I am not a fan of warming up plastic. The best part about these bottles is they transition to toddler-hood because they have sippy-cup attachments.
Click here for LifeFactory baby bottles
10. Baby Hats - Newborns often have a hard time regulating body temperature. In those early weeks home from the hospital, we always keep hats on our babies. A lot of baby sets come with hats, but I linked an adorable baby hat from the Gap.