Your Newborn Baby Checklist for the Best Sleep
Prepare for the most sleep for baby and yourself with this dedicated newborn baby checklist. It has the basic must-haves and must-reads plus ideas for optional comfort items, all reviewed by myself and other experienced parents.Of course don't hesitate to go and explore the online stores for you own preferred brand or model. Or take this handy free printable checklist (right-click to download) to your local baby store to compare brands, models and prices.
Newborn baby checklist must-haves
- A safe crib or a safe cosleeping arrangement
Safety is crucial to
protect baby from injuries and from the risk of
cot death
(SIDS).
A safe crib has a firm mattress and no pillow or toys lying in it. It is recommended to have baby in your room in the first 4-6 months.
My top tip is a sidecar crib or cosleeper, as in the picture. You have baby close for optimal supervision with all the benefits of safe cosleeping and without the risks of unsafe cosleeping.
Do make sure to get a convertible one, like the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Original
.
After the first months, you can then convert to a standalone crib when baby is ready to move to her own room. Then the Arm's Reach becomes a reasonable investment.
Review the crib safety and SIDS guidelines and the crib mattress guide to help you make the best choices.
(SIDS).A safe crib has a firm mattress and no pillow or toys lying in it. It is recommended to have baby in your room in the first 4-6 months.
My top tip is a sidecar crib or cosleeper, as in the picture. You have baby close for optimal supervision with all the benefits of safe cosleeping and without the risks of unsafe cosleeping.
Do make sure to get a convertible one, like the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Original
. After the first months, you can then convert to a standalone crib when baby is ready to move to her own room. Then the Arm's Reach becomes a reasonable investment.
Review the crib safety and SIDS guidelines and the crib mattress guide to help you make the best choices.
- A wearable blanket or baby sleeping bag
This is the safe option to
keep
your baby at a constant temperature.
It avoids the risk of suffocating under sliding covers. And it helps keep baby on her back, as per the SIDS prevention guidelines.
Most crucial when buying is to get the right size for your baby so it fits well and gives enough leg-moving space.
Halo Innovations has affordable prime quality. We love their Halo Innovations Sleepsack Swaddle
where you can
choose to use the swaddle feature or not.
It avoids the risk of suffocating under sliding covers. And it helps keep baby on her back, as per the SIDS prevention guidelines.
Most crucial when buying is to get the right size for your baby so it fits well and gives enough leg-moving space.
Halo Innovations has affordable prime quality. We love their Halo Innovations Sleepsack Swaddle
where you can
choose to use the swaddle feature or not.- Night light
As a newborn, most babies
don't really care about being in the dark or
not. A night light now has a very
different
function, for you.
With a good constant dim light, you can attend to your baby without switching on any extra light. That is so important to help get your baby back to sleep after the night awakening.
Light tells our body it is time to wake up, the brain starts to function to get ready for the day, ... not what you want in the middle of the night ...
With a good constant dim light, you can attend to your baby without switching on any extra light. That is so important to help get your baby back to sleep after the night awakening.
Light tells our body it is time to wake up, the brain starts to function to get ready for the day, ... not what you want in the middle of the night ...
Must-reads on your newborn baby checklist
- Newborn Sleep Book
That is why I have written The Complete Newborn Sleep Guide for you. It gives you all the facts to understand your baby's sleep and the techniques to get your baby in the right habits from the start.
Simple real-life key tasks to apply, no complicated "tricks", no crying it out "methods".
You also learn how to prevent and deal with most common newborn sleep issues such as short sleep cycles, difficulty settling, colic, common colds, acid reflux, sleep apnea, ...
- Breastfeeding Book
is the book
to have: Dr. Newman and Teresa Pitman (former executive director of La
Leche League Canada) explain
all you need to know about breastfeeding. It all starts on the first day with your newborn. How to latch well, how to deal with typical problems like too much or too little milk, sore nipples, colicky baby, jaundice, ... and goes all the way to how to wean from breastfeeding when you are ready to stop.
All of this is discussed in very clear, caring and understandable words.
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