10 products the mamas of Motherly swear by to help baby sleep

Using the Hatch Rest is such a lifesaver. Not only is it a soothing sound machine, but you can create schedules for nap and bedtimes. Also, when your little is older, the time-to-wake feature is incredible. You can customize the colors so your child knows when it’s bedtime and when it’s OK to wake up and get up. We are actively using the Hatch for our 5-month-old and 4-year-old.  

–Leigh Weinberg, Senior Manager, Client Services

I had my daughter in 2018 and just gave birth to my son about six months ago, and this bedside bassinet cradled my precious cargo for the first 4-5 months of their lives. Not only does having this bassinet-on-wheels allow your babies to sleep in any room, the storage basket underneath the and on the sides helps store all the necessities for those late-night diaper changes. For mamas who want to co-sleep with their baby, but are hesitant to have them in bed (like me), this was a game changer. The side of the bassinet comes down for easy access to your baby for feedings, soothing and all the things that come with caring for your baby at night. 

–Leigh Weinberg, Senior Manager, Client Services

When my first baby was born I was a wreck. I was worried about the baby getting enough sleep and enough to eat on top of what I now realize was complete sleep deprivation. A friend recommended this class and it was a total godsend. Rachel’s expert tips and advice and her supportive delivery were exactly what I needed to figure out how to navigate forward. No two babies are alike and this class honors that. Highly recommend!

— Sasha L, Sr. Program Manager 

Where was the Snoo when my first three kids were infants? Launched in 2016, the responsive, magical baby sleeping device arrived just in time for my fourth birth. So when my son was born, I knew I’d try anything to get some extra ZZzzs. I’ll be honest: I was a big skeptic going in. (Internal dialogue: Are you really letting a robot take care of your baby?) But here’s the truth: YES I AM. The Snoo was a lifesaver for us in the sleepy postpartum months. I got 20-30 percent more sleep than I would have typically gotten by swaddle and bassinet alone. And to my surprise, the Snoo weaning feature actually helped my little one transition to a crib in his own room even easier than my other, non-Snoo babies transition from bassinet to crib. The Snoo’s soothing ritual of swaddle, shush and sway, coupled with app-based sleep insights made it a low-stress way for me to understand my baby’s evolving patterns. It’s not cheap, but if you can swing it, a better night’s sleep can be priceless. (You can also rent one for $159 per month!)

—Liz Tenety, Cofounder of Motherly 

Three words: portable, blackout curtains. My daughter needed complete darkness to fall asleep (still does, TBH), but not every space we went into could achieve that. But these portable curtains use suction cups to stick to a window, and they’re also lined throughout with velcro so you can adjust the length and width. I took my daughter to my parents’ house a lot on maternity leave and these were the only way to make the room dark enough to get her to sleep. We have two of them, and they are literally always in the car so we don’t forget to take them to Grandma’s or on vacation.

–Kathryn Little, Senior Manager, Sales Marketing

Both my kids started daycare full time when they were four months old. While I adored how much they loved their new friends and caregivers, I was not as happy with the germs they both brought home. We fought (and still battle) runny noses and while I tell myself they are building up immunity, one thing that has helped soothe their nighttime sniffles is the Levoit humidifier. This humidifier is incredibly easy to use: Simply add water into the top container and press one button to turn it on. And while it hasn’t prevented daycare germs from invading our house, it has helped both my kids sleep a bit more soundly when they are fighting a cold. 

—Erin Lem, VP Content Strategy

Sleep training isn’t for everybody, but when my once-amazing sleeper turned four months and hit the dreaded four-month sleep regression, I desperately, exhaustedly asked my pediatrician what to do. Sleep training was her answer, but she gave me no details on how to proceed. Luckily, I had a mama friend with a baby a few weeks older than me, and when I described my situation, she recommended the book that became a game-changer: The Happy Sleeper by Juklie Wright, MFT, and Heather Turgeon. With a gentle approach that’s easy to follow, the book became the sleep bible for my family. It solved our sleep issues at four months, and a few other times we hit speed bumps (colds, daylight savings, later regressions). 

—Shannon Vestal Robson, Editorial Director

The La Petite Chose sleep sacks are a dream, literally: Once my firstborn had outgrown the swaddle, we tried numerous sleep sacks that promised to keep my light sleeper cozy and asleep for long stretches. Nothing worked, until we tried this version modeled after traditional French sleeping sacks, known as gigoteuse. This soft-as-a-cloud pick was the one that finally did the trick—and granted us the rest we (all) needed. I can’t remember how I first came across this miracle product, but it’s now my go-to gift for all of my new mama friends. It’s pricey but super practical: The medium size lasted us from age 6 months until my son was nearly 2 years old, thanks to the adjustable snap design.

— Jessica D’Argenio Waller, Health & Wellness Senior Editor

My little one has always been a very active sleeper. In a single night, she’ll touch every corner of her crib. The constant shimmying and flailing arms often made her wake herself up. When she (very quickly) grew out of a swaddle, I was at a loss on how to help her body fully rest without letting her move to her “spot” in the crib. The Magic Merlin’s Sleep Suit allowed her arms and legs to be free while providing enough comfort and compression that allowed her body to rest. The suit also helped prevent her from fully rolling over before she was ready. And when she eventually grew out of the suit, it was a very easy transition to the Merlin’s Magic Dream Sack. 

–Hayli Craig, Editorial Operations Manager

One of my favorite nighttime rituals is moisturizing, so of course that habit became part of my babies’ bedtime routines as well. The lightly lavender scented baby lotion from Earth Mama quickly became a go-to because it absorbs easily (no one needs an extra slippery baby🥴) and is packed with natural, trusted ingredients. The extra bit of aromatherapy in a calming routine helped set the stage for a restful sleep for both of us. (Well, most of the time. It’s not a miracle worker.) Even a decade plus later, they still say the smell of lavender instantly makes them sleepy.

–Sara Goldstein, Commerce Editor