For the third post in the Sleep Series I’ll highlight all of the sleep gear we’ve loved (and haven’t loved) over the past 17 months since Wyatt was born. There are SO many brands and sleep products out there and obviously we haven’t tried all of them, these are just what has worked for us!
Click HERE for the first post in the sleep series: A Sleep Snapshot, and HERE for the second post in the sleep series: Wyatt’s Sleep Story.
To Rest Their Head
Bassinets
We bought the UppaBaby Vista stroller system (on sale right now!), it comes with this bassinet that your babe can sleep in for the first few months. You can get this bassinet stand to make it bed height, and then when the baby is out of the bassinet in a few weeks or months, you can use these inserts to make the stand into a hamper. We decided to wait to buy the stand and the insert until we figured out what Wyatt liked to sleep in and we’re glad we did because he did NOT like his bassinet. This is another popular bassinet that moms love.
A few days after Wyatt was born we ordered a DockATot because he wouldn’t sleep anywhere unless we were holding him or he was in our bed. The DockATot was a real lifesaver for us because it allowed us to co-sleep a little more safely. It provides a more snug sleeping environment for newborns (and older babies) because they’re used to being in such a small place (mama’s uterus), so it’s more comforting to them than a large crib or sometimes even a bassinet. It also made the transition for our bed to his own crib much easier because he was already sleeping in the Dock in both spots. The DockATot was also amazing for travel in those early months because we could fit it in our large suitcase and bring it along anywhere as a consistent bed for Wyatt, and it’s super portable around the house. Again, we waited until we figured out what kind of a sleeper Wyatt would be before we purchased this item, but I know a ton of moms that swear by this product. We used it until Wyatt was about 6 months old, when we sleep trained for the final time we transitioned him out of this as the same time. However, there is a larger size Dock for bigger babes.
A few friends used a Rock ‘n Play as a sleeper at the beginning and a lot of moms LOVE it. If we have another tricky sleeper, I’m considering buying one for round 2!
Cribs & Bedding
We have this crib. It’s been my dream crib for forever and I’m still obsessed with it. However, there are tons of cribs out there all at varying price points. I love all of the RH Baby + Child ones and here are a few of my other faves at different price points, this, this, this and this. Just be sure to stay away from drop-side cribs. We have this mattress and this waterproof mattress pad. There are so many options for crib sheets, just be sure to get a fitted sheet. Also if you have a newborn, it’s always a good idea to wash bedding in a gentle detergent made for babies like Dreft because their skin is so sensitive. Some other crib bedding safety things to note: no pillows, stuffed animals, thick blankets, or bumpers in the crib for infants to prevent SIDS. Now that Wyatt is over 1 he has a blanket and some stuffed animals, but we’re not using bumpers because he doesn’t really bump against the sides, stick his limbs out, and if he throws items out of his crib he throws them out over the top anyways…and I like the clean look of our crib without them.
TRAVEL. When we travel somewhere that doesn’t have a crib or pack ‘n play at the location we bring the BabyBjorn Travel Crib Light. It’s super easy to set and pack up and is really lightweight. It’s also one of the more attractive travel cribs out there.
Swings & Seats
Wyatt did not like napping anywhere except in someone’s arms or while in a carrier for about the first 8 weeks. Occasionally we’d get a few minutes out of our rockaRoo, but that was about it. Believe me I tried everything. When we had Wyatt we were living in a one bedroom apartment so we didn’t have a ton of space for baby gear. We wanted a swing-like item without the huge footprint so we got the midlevel 4Moms swing-chair called the rockaRoo. (There’s also the larger mamaRoo and the smaller bounceRoo, all are electronic and provide some type of vibration or swinging/rocking motion for baby.) But if you do have the space and you’d like a more traditional baby swing, there are tons of options. We also have the BabyBjorn Bouncer, Wyatt didn’t really use this for sleeping, but it’s worth mentioning while we’re on the topic of seats. We love this piece, he’s used it since birth and still uses it today as a toddler seat (you flip the cover around so there are no straps.)
We never put Wyatt to sleep for the night in any of these items, they were just to encourage napping…but that never ended up working anyways. Some moms prefer not using these methods for naps right off the bat because the motion of a swing can encourage sleep associations with motion, which can make sleeping harder for baby when they’re just in the crib or bassinet…but every baby is different!
Wraps & Carriers
Wyatt did love napping in carriers. I was a big baby-wearer for the first 6 months of Wyatt’s life (he got big quickly and it wasn’t as easy later on.) We have a Solly Baby Wrap which we LOVE. They come in tons of colors and prints and the fabric is super soft, we have the neutral gray stripe one. There are tons of wrap options out there, Amazon has a variety of affordable options, the Boba Wrap is another popular one. Wraps make newborns feel cozy like they’re back in the womb, they are close to your body so they can hear your heartbeat and they are nice and warm. We also own the BabyBjorn Carrier which is super easy to put on and get baby into quickly, I would keep this and the wrap in the bottom of my stroller during outings. We also have the ErgoBaby 360 Carrier, great for when they’re a little heavier, baby’s weight is distributed on your hips versus just your shoulders. We used the Ergo when we went hiking in the Grand Canyon with Wyatt at 8 months. Carriers and wraps make mom’s life so much easier, I was able to cook and clean during the first few months when Wyatt wouldn’t nap anywhere else but on me.
To Wear
Pajamas
0-2 months
We found it easiest to only use snap pajamas when Wyatt was a newborn. You could unsnap from the bottom to do diaper changes (there are so many) so you don’t have to undo or unzip the whole thing and get their bellies cold. This was especially important for the nighttime changes. Footie PJs also keep those little toes warm. We like the Kickee Pants pajamas, they’re made from bamboo so are super stretchy and soft. They’re a bit of a splurge, but they do stretch significantly so they’ll fit a little longer than other pajamas. For a more budget-friendly option we’d always go for the Old Navy PJs. They snap, have feet, and hover right around $10.
2-8 months
When Wyatt stopped needing diaper changes in the middle of the night…at around 6 weeks, we started using one-piece zip pajamas more often. (It’s way easier to do a zip than 10 snaps) He wasn’t standing or walking yet, so we still used footie pajamas to keep him warm. Our favorite zip footie PJs are these Burt’s Bees Baby ones and these Old Navy ones, both have good price points.
8 months- 17 months (present)
Once Wyatt started moving around a little more we ditched the footie PJs and went for the two piece sets. They’re easier for diaper changes, and they’re a little more grown up. Our favorites are these and these henley Burt’s Bees sets and Roberta Roller Rabbit sets– more of a splurge but they’re super soft.
For more info on my favorite pajamas for Mom + Baby check out THIS POST.
Swaddles
We swaddled for the first few months of Wyatt’s life, swaddling provides babies a secure environment like the womb did, it keeps them warm, and it prevents them from waking themselves up with their startle reflex. To read more on swaddling check out this article. We really only swaddled Wyatt with a blanket in the hospital, when we got home we used other swaddle products that held our baby much more snuggly and were much easier to put on.
1-3 Months
The day we brought Wyatt home from the hospital we used the Woombie and it has been one of our favorite baby products. Its the easiest swaddle and it zips from the top and bottom. We owned three (might have been excessive but we didn’t have in-unit laundry and newborns are messy) of the 5-13 pound size for when he was first born and then transitioned to the larger size later on. You don’t have to worry about blankets unraveling and not keeping the baby secure and there’s a little wiggle room for the baby to move their limbs around.
We also tried a super swaddle (a technique with a regular swaddle blanket) for a few weeks under the Woombie because Wyatt was so stubborn and strong that he would bust his little fists up through the top by his neck and we found that he definitely slept better when his arms were essentially pinned down.
Wyatt was not a great sleeper during this time so I ended up trying a lot of swaddle strategies and products because I was desperate. Nothing worked like a charm or really at all for us, but this is what we tried.
– Nested Bean Zen Swaddle. It has beads on the chest so it’s lightly weighted and feels like a hand on their chest. Wyatt could have cared less- we went back to super swaddling in the Woombie.
– Merlin Suit. This “astronaut suit” works wonders for some babies. It’s a padded suit that helps transition babies from the swaddle by providing them with a cozy and secure feeling. It’s supposed to help muffle their reflexive startles to aid their sleep. Unfortunately, it didn’t really muffle any of Wyatt’s movements, when he wore it it was like he was wearing nothing, but other moms do swear by this product.
Wearable Blankets
4 months- 17 months (present)
Once we made the decision to transition Wyatt out of a swaddle at around 4 months, we started using wearable blankets. They give baby lots of movement so they can learn more self-soothing strategies, and keeps them warm without a SIDS risk like a regular blanket would. Our favorites are: this heavy weight Baby Deedee one (like a little teddy bear), this medium weight Baby Deedee one, and this lightweight Aden and Anais one depending on the season. Some moms love the Halo Sleep Sacks, but we like that the Baby Deedee ones snap at the shoulders, when he was younger it was much easier to get him into it.
To Soothe
Pacifiers
We didn’t introduce a paci until week 2 of Wyatt’s life to avoid “nipple confusion.” I think next round I’ll introduce one right way though. Wyatt wasn’t big on a paci for the first few months even after trying many different kinds. Each paci brand has it’s own shape, some babies don’t have a preference and some like certain ones and not others. We tried him first on the soothies and he was iffy at best about them. The Wubbanub ones use Soothie pacis so we really wanted him to like that shape- the Wubbanubs are the little animal attached to the paci to help keep it in and soothe. We then tried the MAM paci which he liked a lot better, it’s the orthodontic shape instead and it’s much lighter-weight. We got this universal pacifier holder animal similar to the Wubbanub but attaches to any paci. That combo worked pretty well for a while. From about 6 months until now he has preferred the Gumdrop pacis.
Comfort Object
Wyatt loves his “puppy” which is a Jellycat lovey. We love the Jellycat ones because they’re super soft and the animal part is like it’s own little stuffed animal. Another popular brand of security blankets is Angel Dear. PRO-TIP: buy at least two of the same lovey and switch them out every time you wash them so if one goes missing you have an equally worn out back-up. Some babies just use an actual blanket as their comfort object, just make sure it is small enough or the child is old enough to prevent SIDS. We introduced a comfort object at around 4 months.
Sound Machine
Since Wyatt was born we’ve used this sound machine anytime he takes a nap or goes to bed. It’s an inexpensive option and more than gets the job done. Newborns are used to the noisy inside of the womb, so white noise makes their sleep a little more comfortable. As a sleep aid, white noise lets Wyatt know he should still be sleeping if he wakes up during sleep cycles and it also blocks out any noise from the loud NYC streets or from around our apartment. You can read more about the benefits of using a sound machine here.
Books
Part of our nap time and nighttime routine includes reading a book. You can read about our whole routine HERE. For the first few months, we read the same book before every nap and bedtime to help reinforce our bedtime routine.
To Monitor
There are tons of monitors out there, but having eyes and not just ears on Wyatt was important to us. We also wanted something we could look at from our phones instead of an actual physical monitor. We decided on the Nest Cam and really like it. Having a video monitor was especially helpful when we were sleep training we could see what Wyatt was doing and reassure ourselves that even though he had been crying for an hour he was in fact okay. Sometimes it cuts out if the wifi is bad, but it reconnects quickly. Because the monitor part is just an app on your phone we can access it even if we are out and have a babysitter (we always tell our babysitters there’s a camera in the nursery, the purpose is to make sure my baby is safe, not to catch my babysitter doing something wrong) or when Tim’s out of town. We don’t buy the subscription plan so it doesn’t record everything, but we’ve found that the live view and movement a few hours back is all we need. There are plenty of similar monitors out there, Amazon also now has this one at a better price point which I’m curious about because you know I love Amazon.
That pretty much covers all of our sleep gear so far, there are so many options out there for all of the above items, but these are what worked for us!
Next Sunday, for the fourth post in the sleep series, I’ll talk about our experience with co-sleeping. Click HERE for the first post in the sleep series: A Sleep Snapshot, and HERE for the second post in the sleep series: Wyatt’s Sleep Story.
What do you think?