There's a little loophole in the rules for sleep props.
Good Sleep Props
There's a little loophole in the rules for sleep props. Below are a few sleep props that can actually help your baby to sleep without causing disruptions during the natural wakes in their sleep cycle. In fact, I do encourage these!
Lovey
An age appropriate and SAFE lovey (stuffy) or small blanket can be a piece of comfort and a strategy your child uses to help them fall asleep. I tell my toddler it's for the crib only and I would suggest you do the same so they're not dragging the lovey or blanket around. You'll find your baby especially at ease when they see their lovey in the crib if they take a nap at daycare or grandma's house. Take note, I wouldn't use anything you're not comfortable with and don't usually recommend anything in the crib till >6 months of age.
White noise
White noise can help to block out any environmental noise that might jar baby into waking up. Make sure you choose one with constant noises like steady rain or rustling leaves. Music, however, is not the same as white noise and can stimulate a full wakeup.
Keep it dark
For babies who are early risers, invest in some blackout blinds, they don't need to look fancy to do the job. Melatonin production is triggered by darkness while natural or artificial light sends a message to our brains that it’s daytime.
Crib
There is no better prop than for your baby to make the connection that the crib is for sleep and nothing else. I know we all love the look of a cute, elegant mobiles but they can be a real source of fascination for your little one when they're trying to sleep.
Sleep sack
Sleep sack (or swaddle for newborns) are an excellent props to help keep baby's body temperature consistent throughout the night without the drawbacks of blankets (see my blog for my sleep sack buying guide). What's even better is it can help deter toddlers from escaping the crib (note I never said prevent!)
If your little one is attached to a not-so-good sleep prop like rocking, nursing or patting to sleep, be sure to get your hands on my FREE 5-step sleep solutions (link here) and I offer a FREE 15-Minute Sleep Assessment call so I can get to know the specifics about your little one’s situation.
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