Ahhh bed time… It’s a time you look forward to but also a time you dread in those first few months. Here you’ll find a list of things that helped us get through those first few months!
Routine
The biggest thing I can recommend for night time is not an item but advice. Start a routine! Everyone loves a routine, even a baby. Once you get your own routine down (but be flexible of course), you’ll notice night time get easier. Our routine at night has always been bath, bottle, and bed. As a newborn, we didn’t rock our son but now we rock him every night before bed. It’s a great time to wind down from the day and spend 1 on 1 time with your baby.
Mattress
I love the Newton mattress. When our baby started rolling onto his tummy, this gave me peace of mind with its breathable properties. I also love how easy it is to clean and how firm but comfortable it is. It helps control your baby’s body temperature as well.
Night Light
We loved this night light (Amazon) specifically because it’s so easy to just keep on the night stand and flip it to turn it on. You can easily adjust the brightness and then just flip it upside down when you’re done to turn it off!
Swaddle
I’m very passionate about the LoveToDream swaddle. After trying multiple swaddles the first few nights I brought my newborn home, I finally found the LoveToDream swaddle which made night time so much easier! It gave me peace of mind that my baby couldn’t make his way out of this swaddle, and I can’t say enough good things about the zipper feature that makes night time diaper changes so much easier. They have everything from newborn swaddles to transition swaddles to toddler sleep suites.
Sound Machine
We didn’t use a sound machine when our baby was a newborn, but as he got older, it came in handy! We especially love this sound machine (Amazon) because it’s so easy to take/move wherever you want, and it has 10 soothing sounds including a “shhh” sound that our baby loves.
Pacifier
We love the MAM pacifier because the shape helps support baby’s oral development. We started our newborn out using a binki, and it was very helpful when it came to soothing him at night and showing him it was time for bed.
Caddy
A caddy is a must have for night time with a newborn! It makes it so much easier when you have everything right there next to you ready to go. See my Night Time Caddy Essentials blog for more info on what I put in the caddy!
Night Time Diapers
Another way to help your baby sleep longer and more comfortably at night is getting night time diapers that help absorb more liquid than regular diapers.
Low Stimuli
I think this one is very important. Don’t turn on lights or speak loudly when your baby wakes up at night. Especially those first couple months when your baby is waking up ever few hours to eat it’s really important to make sure they know it’s time to go back to sleep after their feeding.
Good Day Time Naps
Having good day time naps is essential for a good night! You don’t want an overtired baby when it comes to bedtime.
