Life
9 Gadgets To Help Baby Fall Asleep On Their Own
For most babies, sleeping through the night doesn't come naturally. During pregnancy, they're used to being close to their mothers, hearing the sounds of her womb, and being gently lulled in and out of sleep. So learning how to sleep in the "real world," without being held or nursed, can be hard. Although all babies will eventually sleep through the night, there are gadgets to help babies fall asleep on their own that will get you there faster and be life-savers for both your sleep and your baby's.
As with all transitions, it's best to take it slow when it comes to your baby's sleep. You shouldn't force them to sleep through the night right away. But there are lots of things you can do to establish positive sleep associations, create routines, and slowly help them learn how to sleep on their own. These tools, in one way or another, are all aimed at helping your baby sleep better and longer at night, and by default, help you get more sleep too.
Whether your baby sleeps in bed with you, in a co-sleeper next to your bed, or in a crib in their own room, these tools will come in handy each night.
1White Noise Machine
White noise machines ($24), like this one from Target, are perfect for minimizing outside noise and helping your baby relax.
2Baby Shusher
The Baby Shusher: The Sleep Miracle ($35), has been called "revolutionary" in the way it draws on natural instincts and techniques proven to put baby to sleep. Namely, the "shushing" sound the machine makes mimics noises in utero noises to helps relax and quiet fussy babies.
3Lulla-Vibe Mattress Vibrator
It's an amazing concept, but does the Lulla-Vibe mattress vibrator ($21) really help sooth babies to sleep? Most of the parent's reviews say it works wonders and is the perfect size to fit where ever your baby sleeps.
4Room Darkening Blinds
If your baby's room has a lot of natural light, it can make calming them down even harder. Although newborns can sleep through almost anything, as your baby grows, sensitivity to light may wake you child from their sleep too early. Purchasing some rom darkening blinds ($21) is a simple solution.
5Swaddling Blanket
From calming the startle reflex to increasing their sense of security, the benefits of swaddling your baby are numerous, according to Baby Sleep Site. This miracle blanket ($30) is recommended by doctors and will help keep your baby secure at night.
6Calming Sleep Balm
Sleep balms ($15) are specifically designed to sooth babies. They don't induce sleep, but rather helps children and babies wind down with essential oils like lavender and chamomile.
7A Nightlight
No matter how basic or high-tech you choose to go, a nightlight, like this Aurora Borealis night light ($21), can give baby something to look at, plus ease their fear of being alone in the dark.
8Some Quiet Distraction
Baby mobiles are great distractions for babies learning to sleep on their own. Some mobiles, like the Circo Musical Crib Mobile ($25), are musical, while others are just fun to look at.
9A "Lovey"
Older babies will often latch onto a stuffed animal, blanket, pacifier or some object that helps calm them and go back to sleep. Ewan the Dream Sheep ($37) is a great choice that also plays music and can even play heartbeat sounds and mimic in utero noises.
