Newborn Necessities | Sleep Edition
Even though we have 6 kids between us now, we still feel like we have no idea what we're doing like 90% of the time (anybody else? can't be just us)!
However, we have been around the block a few times now and wanted to put together a little series called "Newborn Necessities" featuring the products and things we love the most for the newborn stage. If you are a first-time mom, forgot everything from the last time you had a newborn, or know somebody who is going to have a baby soon - read on for our very best sleep suggestions!
Swaddle
There is no question for us, the Ollie Jay swaddle is the world's best swaddle and the only one that our kids didn't get out of every single time! (P.S. at the time of publishing, there is a 20% off sale)!
Sleep Bag
Once baby's start rolling or get close to rolling, you need to keep their little arms out. Enter, the sleep bag! Our favorite sleep bag is Kyte Baby's (which is why we carry it). While we don't think it's some magical sleep bag that will make your baby sleep for 12 hours straight, it is so soft and comfy. The idea is that since babies cannot have loose blankets in their crib until they are over 1 years old, the sleep bag is a wearable blanket that will keep them nice and snuggly warm. My older girls still try to get into my newborn's sleep bag & they do make an adult one if you're one of the hundreds of people who feel them and say "I want this for myself!"
Sound Machine
We both have used the Hatch sound machine with all 6 kids. It's great because not only does it have multiple sound settings but also has multiple light settings so you can also use it as a nightlight for those late night feeding sessions. Plus, once they get older, you can set schedules and use the lights to communicate when they can get out of their bed and when they should stay in bed (i.e. red light means stay in bed, green light means you can get out). While the older model is great, we recommend the Rest+ because it is chargeable & portable! This is great if you live in TX and lose power from all the storms because the sound machine won't turn off with the power. And also, just makes it easier because you don't always have to have a plug!
Mattress
Sleep can be unnerving especially for a first-time mom (but even as a third time mom, tbh). You wake up what feels like every 5 seconds to make sure they are still breathing & once they start rolling over, you basically just want to have someone watching them all night. With Chandler, she could roll up onto her side almost immediately from birth and our pediatrician recommended stopping the swaddle because he said if she wanted to roll, she could. Since she was still so tiny and our old crib mattress was garbage and so uncomfortable, we decided to get a Newton mattress this time around and we love it! It is 100% breathable (such a relief) & washable (all the moms said amen!), and it is super comfy!
Monitor
We've been through a couple monitors each and the favorite is the Vava! Here's why: split screen capability, really good visibility, great mobility on the actual camera, ability to add up to four cameras, and it has a great transmission range and doesn't ever lose signal in our house. Plus, they have great customer service! When our monitor stopped working randomly, I reached out and they replaced it - super easy process!
Jammies
Soft, buttery jammies have become an absolute must in both of our houses! We highly recommend a pair of bamboo jammies which are great because they are breathable, great for sensitive skin, so very soft, and come in the cutest of prints! You can check out all of our jammies here!
We hope this is helpful as you are filling out your registry, trying to remember what you used in the newborn stage, or buying a gift for a loved one's baby shower!
XO,
Ashley
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