You love your little bundle of joy more than life itself. But dear God, when oh when will she learn to sleep more than three hours at time!? First calm down: We promise she won't be getting up to eat four times a night in a couple of months. Secondly, invest in these five things, all vetted by our panel of moms as absolutely essential newborn sleep items.
The 5 Things You Need to Get Your Baby to Sleep
And get yourself sleeping, too
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Published Sep 2, 2016
A Quality Bassinet
It seems obvious, but your baby needs to learn to sleep on his or her own on something flat and bedlike. Some parents go straight to a crib (and that's totally fine). But we like the cozy nature of a bassinet you can keep right next to you for easy nighttime nursing. The Halo Bassinet Swivel Sleeper is particularly great, since it can swing as close to (or far from) your bedside as you like.
Halo Bassinet Swivel Sleeper ($200)
A White Noise Machine
We won't get into all the mechanics of sleep training, but suffice it to say that most experts agree that a quiet shushing sound simulates the noises of the womb and helps infants get into a healthy sleep routine. Turn it on every time baby goes to bed and she'll come to associate it with shut-eye.
HoMedics MyBaby SoundSpa Lullaby ($26)
A Swaddle Or Wearable Blanket
You might love sleeping with your legs flapping wildly across the bed, but babies want to be snug and cozy. If you've mastered the by-hand swaddle, a simple blanket will do. If your crafty imp keeps breaking free, buy a couple of Halo SleepSacks with Velcro, which can help baby transition to unswaddled sacks as he gets older. (And remember to always place your little guy flat on his back.)
Halo SleepSack ($23)
Blackout Shades
Want your kid to sleep past 5 a.m.? Then don't let the morning sun leak into his room. We're big fans of super-dark blackout shades, which, again, will serve as a cue to your child that the time has come to go to dreamland.
Blackout roller shades ($26)
A Rock 'n Play
This one's a hair controversial because, yes, technically vibrating chairs and swings aren't officially approved by pediatricians for infant sleep. But we've yet to meet a mom who hasn't used one in a moment of desperation... Or a baby who doesn't love the soothing rocking motion. Plus, how cute is this this Fisher-Price Jonathan Adler collab?
Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play ($150)
