Hi friends! Today I want to talk about sleep products that I love and some that I am not a fan of. As a sleep consultant I am asked all the time what are the best sleep products. Many of the products on the market are actually not safe for sleep but are marketed to be the solution to your sleepless nights.
Let’s start with the good! I always recommend 3 things for every ideal sleep environment:
A sound machine, blackout curtains and a swaddle or sleep sac.
Sound machines not only block out other noises in the home but can also serve as a sleepy cue for your baby that it is time to go to sleep. Make sure that the sound machine you choose has a consistent sound that isn’t changing as this can wake a baby up.
Some recommendations:
I personally used this sound machine for my daughter for years. We used it on the white noise setting. It’s portable and can be plugged into the wall or used with batteries. Yes sound machines are technically sleep props that help your babies sleep but they aren’t bad sleep props that they will need to be weaned off of. How many of us as adults still sleep with a fan, or some type of white noise?! It's comforting and helps us sleep! Stay away from any sound machine with lights, projectors or music as this can prevent them from getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Blackout curtains are a necessity if you want to prevent those early morning wakings and so your baby can nap well. Even just a small amount of light can prevent melatonin from being produced which is also why I don’t recommend any night lights. If you need light to get to your baby's room in the middle of the night, put one in the hallway.
Blackout curtain recommendations:
We have these “temporary blinds” in my daughter’s room and they block out every inch of light. You can find them at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's and they are under $10. I recommend getting them in black as the other colors don’t work as well. You can still put decorative curtains up to make the room look cute!
Let’s dive into newborn swaddles. My favorite swaddle, “the original wearable sleep blanket”, is the halo swaddle. They often give you one at the hospital. The velcro is strong so your baby won’t wiggle their out of it and they are found in many stores like Target, Walmart, Buy Buy Baby, etc. They come in a variety of different materials like muslin, cotton or fleece.
Once your baby is showing signs of rolling over and it is time to stop swaddling (check out this blog for more info on swaddling), I absolutely love, love, love the zipadee zip! This is the best product I have found for transitioning out of the swaddle. Your baby’s arms still feel secure but they can safely move them around and safely roll over.
You can use the zipadee zip for as long as you want but if at some point you think your baby would like their arms out you can try the halo sleep sac without arms.
This serves as another sleepy cue for your baby and will keep them warm. The AAP recommends not using any blankets until your baby is at least 12 months for safety reasons. You may choose to keep a sleep sac longer than 12 months. As your baby grows and learns how to crawl, stand and walk, sleep sacs can prevent them from climbing in the crib and getting their feet stuck.
Now let’s move on to some NOT so great products. When you get pregnant everyone is going to tell you oh this product helped my baby sleep so much better! Most of the time those products are 1- not safe or 2- something else you are going to have to wean them off. The best thing you can do to help your baby sleep better is to teach them to go to sleep independently. (No this doesn't mean you can’t snuggle your newborn to sleep).
The merlin magic sleep suit. So many people recommend this and I will just say do your research. This weighted suit poses an overheating risk and although it says it’s safe to roll over in I feel like the weight of it would be hard for a baby to move around in.
The doc-a-tot. The doc-a-tot and products like it are not safe for sleep and pose a suffocation risk if your baby turns their head to the side. These were made for supervised lounging and not made to be put in a crib, pack and play or on a parents bed.
The SNOO. This VERY expensive “bassinet” automatically "rocks" your baby if they start crying. While this might sound convenient it 1- it is more of a shaking motion and may be too hard for a newborn, 2- it has them strapped in which could prevent them from moving, learning the skills they need to roll over and sleeping comfortably, 3- it is another sleep prop that prevents them from learning how to get back to sleep on their own. It may be okay for the newborn stage but honestly who wants to spend that much money on something you are only going to use for a few months?! In my opinion it’s not worth it and I wouldn't be comfortable with it.
As always, do your research! Safety should be #1 when it comes to sleep. There are many unsafe products out there and many that have been recalled. Feel free to reach out if you need any help!
As always, feel free to reach out to me with any question doulasandbeyond@gmail.com
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Happy sleeping!
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