There are so many different products and things you will want to consider before having your baby. But don’t worry! You don’t need a lot if you choose good quality, sustainable products that will grow with your little one.
What You Need Those First Few Months of Life:
1. A safe sleep space.
You want a firm flat surface for your baby to sleep in. Either a crib or a bassinet. A bassinet can be helpful because it takes up less space so you can keep your baby closer to you for ease of frequent night feeding in those early weeks.
Some sleep products we love are:
Snoo Smart Sleeper: You can buy or rent this bassinet.
- It has a flat, firm surface
- Can purchase compatible swaddles
- Provides motion to help baby fall asleep and will respond in the night if your baby cires
- It can be rented or purchased
If you don't want a smart bassinet, then this Halo Bassinet is a good choice
- Breathable mesh
- Slides over your bed to get close to your baby
- The bassinet is removable for easy transportation to other rooms
- You’ll supply your own swaddle
- A swaddle that will help to hold your baby’s arms down and minimize the startle reflex that is present at birth and until at least 4 months of age
- 100% cotton so it’s very breathable to avoid overheating
2. Room environment. Some products that we love to help create a calm environment are:
Blackout curtains
- These help to minimize visual distractions
- Can help with training of circadian rhythm
- Helps to provide a cue that it is time to sleep
I often hear from parents that they don’t want to “train” their baby to only sleep in dark, but it doesn't really work that way. The purpose of darkening a room is to minimize distractions to help them fall asleep more easily. How sensitive a baby is to light or noise is something innate and not really something we can train them out of. Adults are the same way. Do you have trouble falling asleep in a bright room? I do unless I’m exhausted.
- A specific type of blackout curtain
- Great for travel
- Has suction cups
- Can be moved around to fit different sized windows
- Use our code helpingbabiessleep10 for 10% off
White Noise
- The purpose of white noise is to help block out household noise that might distract or wake a baby
- In the first few weeks it could mimic the sounds of the womb but after that point I don’t think it’s particularly soothing, I think it blocks out other distractions
- It can be really helpful if you are room sharing or trying to blockout other household noises
- Maybe helpful to use while they are falling asleep, and then turn off once they are asleep
Hatch Rest Smart Lamp
- Has a clock
- Is a nightlight that you can control from your phone
- Plays with noise and lullabies
- “Ok to wake clock” to let your older child know when it was okay to get up.
3. Many babies outgrow bassinets around 4 to 5 months of age. You’ll need a crib. Here are our some of our favorite products:
Cirb that can transition into a toddler bed
- Babyletto is a great choice that can transition with your child
- Greenguard, tested for over 10,000 chemicals and VOCx cleaner air.
Organic mattress
- Naturepedic Organic Mattress is a great choice
- Not toxins in the mattress
- No off-gassing
- Use code helpingbabiessleep10 for a discount
4. Feeding.
Feeding is another huge component when it comes to preparing for a baby. Somewhere around six months your child will be ready to start solids. Some products we love for starting solids are:
- It grows with your child.
- Has add on attachments so that you can use it during infancy
- Is great if you live in smaller spaces or want to reduce the amount of baby items you have
- Sippy cup with a straw which is recommended by feeding and speech specialists
- Is glass so eliminates the plastic
- Promotes musculature of the tongue and mouth
- Easy for little hands to hold
5. With your growing babe you will want to think about playtime and how to nurture your child mentally as well as physically. One playtime products we love is:
- It grows with your baby from infancy up to 12 months
- Has a variety of attachments
- Wooden toy that provides many opportunities to play
6. Traveling with your little one can seem daunting, but with these products it can help ease that struggle. A travel crib we love is:
- Has a side zipper which allows you to lay by you child
- Can help when in a new environment
- Very study for travel
- Easy to put up
- Has a slightly thicker mattress
- Can sleep in this crib until age three
More questions about baby sleep? Take our simple 6 question sleep quiz for more answers!
