Must-Have Products to Help You (and your baby) Get Some Sleep
1. Video Monitor. Friends scoffed at me when I registered for a video monitor saying it was "unnecessary", but I am so glad I stuck to my guns. When we moved our baby to his own room, it eased my mind to be able to peek at him without getting off the couch. We quickly learned there was a big difference between fussing while standing and fussing while lying down, and we could tell the difference quickly without opening the door. And with our 2-year-old, we still use a video monitor to see what he's up to during independent play, and we catch him doing some pretty silly things first thing in the morning (and occasionally in the middle of the night). In the end, it allows me to spend a little more time in bed, and gives peace of mind as well.
The best on the market right now is the Summer Infant Baby Touch Monitor. It has a smart phone-like touch screen, the ability to pan, scan, and zoom, and the long-awaited talk-back feature allowing parents to talk to their baby through the camera ("Go back to sleeeeeeeep.") If you are a smart phone addict, you'll love the WiFi Baby Monitor which streams video and audio right to your phone or iPad.
2. White Noise. When we brought our first son home, someone wise told us to get him used to sleeping through noise right away so that we wouldn't have to live in silence. We ran the vacuum, used the blow dryer, played music, and the boy slept. With baby #2, I wised up and used a white noise app on our ipod. It is easy to find apps in itunes or the android market. When it was playing, he almost always slept longer. It was our savior!
3. Swaddle Blankets. I love Aden + Anais! The nurses at the hospital showed us secrets to a tight swaddle, and there is just something about a little baby burrito that is hard to resist. And they sleep so soundly! Aden + Anais also make adorable sleeping bags for when baby outgrows the swaddle.
by Kimberly Huber
As a dancer turned teacher turned stay-at-home mom and blogger, Kim has a keen interest in how moms develop their own businesses and use social media to connect with other women. Kim spotlights inspiring mompreneurs and favorite products as a contributor at NY Mom's World, the go to destination for busy New York moms, and tells her family's story at Try It, Mom!
