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There aren’t many things cuter than a sleeping baby. But the realities of getting your little one down for the night are, well, not always cute. You want to make sure your tiny human is ready to sleep soundly until morning, but also feel confident that they're in a safe sleep environment so you can sleep as well.
The good news is, safe sleep and comfort are easier than ever with new innovations in sleep products for babies. We can now put our kids down for the night without sacrificing comfort, safety or even style.
Our gear experts rounded up their picks of the best baby sleep products to help you and your little ones have a good night’s rest.
1. Love to Dream Swaddle
Did you know swaddling has been around since 400BC? This practice involves gently wrapping baby in fabric to simulate the experience of being in the womb—promoting calmness at nighttime. This swaddle blanket allows babies to sleep with their arms up, giving them both the comfort of being swaddled and the freedom to put their hands to their face.
Key Features:
- Zipper for easy diaper changes
- Cut to allow babies to raise their arms
Things to Keep in Mind:
- The flexibility of this swaddle may be an adjustment for babies that are used to tighter ones—in this case, you’ll need to wean them onto it
- The material is thin, so your little one may need another blanket in the winter
- If your baby likes to sleep with their arms down, they may not like this swaddle
Size Options:
- Newborn: 5-8.5 lbs
- Small: 8-13 lbs
- Medium: 13-19 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
Our little ones can be picky, so our gear experts recommend buying a few different swaddle options to be prepared. If you’d like a swaddle that allows baby to put their hands down, we recommend the Happiest Baby Sleepea Swaddle.
2. Magic Merlin Sleep Suit
Transitioning from a swaddle to toddler sleeping clothes can be difficult. That’s where sleep suits—like the Magic Merlin Sleep Suit—come in handy. They provide similar comfort to swaddles while having the flexibility of pajamas. Think of them like weighted blankets for adults: comfort plus flexibility.
Key Features:
- Two zippers to help get your little one into the suit
- A layer of polyfill between the inner and outer layers of the suit to make it more comfortable and breathable
- Padded sleeves designed to muffle the Moro reflex
- Open hands and feet for temperature regulation
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Even with the two zippers, it might be hard to get your kid into the sleep suit. This can cause them to wake up during those middle-of-the-night diaper changes
- This is intended to be a transition product from the swaddle to pajamas, not a long-term solution
Size Options:
- Small: For babies 3-6 months or 12-18 lbs
- Large: For babies 6-9 months or 18-21 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
If you’re looking for a more breathable swaddle or more size options, the Love to Dream Swaddle (above) is a great alternative to this sleepsuit.
3. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine
Imagine: you finally get your tiny human to sleep, then a dog barking outside ruins all of your hard work. They’re up again. A sound machine is a great addition to your little one's sleep space because it can help cut down on some of that outside noise that keeps you and your little ones awake. The Hatch Baby Rest sound machine is our favorite white noise machine right now because it is a sound machine and night light all in one.
Key Features:
- Includes night light
- Comes with an app where you can adjust the colors, sounds and volume
- You can create programs for bedtime and naptime (we suggest setting a different color for each so your kiddos know when it’s time for bed and when it’s time to wake up)
- 11 soothing sound options from ocean to white noise
Things to Keep in Mind:
- It is pricier than other sounds machines
- If you have a monitor to keep track of your kid’s vocalizations at night, make sure it’s far enough away from the sound machine that you can still hear
- The app can be tricky to understand for some. We recommend automating as many things as you can (bedtime, wake-up, etc) to avoid having to manually do it every day
Additional Dimensions:
- 4"D x 4"W x 6.5"H
- 1.12 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
For a budget-friendly option, we recommend the Marpac Dahm sound machine. It doesn’t come with as many features (only two sound options), but it gets the job done.
4. Ingenuity Foldaway Rocking Wood Bassinet
A bassinet provides a safe place for your baby to snooze. Bassinets are specifically for little ones from the moment they're born until they’re about four months old. Typically, they provide a gentle rocking motion to help babies sleep. The Ingenuity bassinet provides that rocking motion, or can be turned off once your little one dozes off. This is bassinet is a great option for parents looking to spend less or who live in a city with smaller spaces.
Key Features:
- Can be turned on to rock gently or off to be stationary while baby sleeps
- Mesh walls provide airflow and allow you to see your little one while they’re snoozing
- Great price point when it comes to bassinets
- Foldable and portable, so you can bring it while you’re traveling
- It is great for storage in small apartments
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Bassinets are only for babies up to 3-6 months or 15 pounds
- It is more simple compared to other bassinets
- Doesn’t have a ton of different functions to it compared to other bassinet options
- To transition the bassinet from rocking to stationary, you flip the cross bars at the base of the legs. Doing this may wake baby up if you’re not super careful
- The weight limit is 15 lbs, which is lower than some bassinet options
Additional Dimensions:
- 38 x 21 x 41 inches
- Mattress size = 21" x 31.5"
- 10.41 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
if you're looking for more advanced features (nightlight, lullabies, etc.) and have a bigger budget to spend, check out the Halo BassinNest Swivel Sleeper.
5. Motorola Baby Monitor
As far as baby sleep devices go, baby monitors are really nice to have. They allow parents to check on their kids from afar without going into baby's room and potentially waking them up. Plus, it allows parents the freedom to cook, shower or catch up on the latest episode of their favorite show without having to worry about their little one’s safety. The Motorola Video Monitor provides a live feed of your little one while they sleep, and can even play lullabies.
Key Features:
- Can play five different lullabies for your child
- Features an intercom so you can speak to your kid through the monitor
- This baby monitor works offline, so you don’t need WiFi to use it
- Has night vision so no matter how dark it is in the room, you can always see your little one easily
- Temperature control feature that allows you to see the temp in your little one’s room
- Easy to travel with
Things to Keep in Mind:
- The camera has a range of 1,000 feet
- It is simple and does not come with all the bells and whistles that some baby monitors have
- The camera always needs to be plugged in
Additional Dimensions:
- Screen size = 5 inches
- 2.75 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
For a baby monitor option that comes with all of the bells and whistles and does not need to be plugged in, we recommend the Hubble Connect Nursery Pal Premium.
6. Lullaby Earth Healthy Crib Mattress
A good mattress is just as important for babies as it is for adults. This one is not only created with chemical-free, hypoallergenic materials but you also get more bang for your buck because the mattress is 2-stage—meaning it is dual-sided and can be flipped over for the different stages of your little one's development.
Most children are ready to flip to the toddler side of the mattress at around one year, however, you should always check with your pediatrician beforehand.
Key Features:
- One side is firm for 0-12-month-olds, and the other side is softer for older babies
- Will grow with your kiddo’s mattress needs
- Lightweight, so easy to change the sheets
- This mattress is waterproof to help clean up any accidents
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Though this is a lightweight, breathable mattress, your baby should still sleep on their back
- Make sure you get the correct mattress size before purchasing
- We recommend buying crib mattresses open box (a fraction of the price of retail, but hasn’t been used yet)
Additional Dimensions:
- 28"L x 6"W x 52"T
- 12 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
If you’d like a mattress that is more lightweight and you have a few more bucks to spend, consider the Naturepedic Organic mattress.
7. Chicco Lullago Travel Crib
If you have a long day out, you don’t need to worry about racing home for naptime. Travel cribs—like the Chicco Lullago Travel Crib—are easy to set up without sacrificing your little one’s comfort.
Key Features:
- Can be set up in under one minute
- Comes in a tote bag for easy carrying or storage
- Made of mesh and metal
- Is smaller than comparable travel cribs
Things to Keep in Mind:
- The crib can be set up quickly and easily, but you should still make sure you did it correctly before putting your little one down for a nap
- Maximum weight recommendation is 20 lbs
- It is not super compatible with accessories like baby mobiles
- You will need to order extra sheets for clean-ups
- The sheets are not 100% machine-washable
Additional Dimensions:
- 30 x 18 x 28 inches
- 12 lbs
An Alternative Option Consider:
For something that is easier to clean and set up, but comes with a higher price tag, we recommend the Nuna SENA Aire Travel Crib.
How to Pick a Safe Baby Sleep Product
Picking a baby-safe sleeping product doesn’t mean sorting through hundreds of Google results and spending hours searching for the right thing. Trusted retail sites that do quality checks (like us!) give you peace of mind and a good foundation for your bedtime routine.
A few things to do when shopping for safe sleeping products for babies include:
- Buy from retailers that have high safety standards and conduct quality checks
- Make sure the product hasn’t been recalled—especially important for cribs and car seats
- Read or watch reviews of the product online
- Choose a firm sleep surface with a fitted sheet
If your little one sleeping safely and soundly through the night is your dream, you don’t need to look much further than GoodBuy Gear. (Hint: it’s our dream, too). Shop our curated list of baby sleep products so you and your tiny human can get a good night's sleep and some much-needed rest.
Read More: Bassinets vs. Cribs
