Living / 11 January, 2018 / Ellie Thompson

Ellie’s Recommended Five Sleep Essentials for Your Newborn

My best friend is having her first baby in March and I didn’t want her to spend money unnecessarily so I thought long and hard about the first few products a baby needs. Baby sleep and all the products that surround it can get a little confusing – you should have seen the contents of my hospital bag – full to the brim of clothes she wouldn’t fit into for at least three months. It’s easy to get confused and carried away!

I think it’s very important to think carefully, and invest a little in your key products, the ones that will keep your baby calm, comfortable and close; after all, they’ve been tucked up warmly in your belly for nine months, the world is going to seem very strange at first. Of course, everybody is different, but here are my key choices when it comes to baby sleep, chosen from just two brands that I love and can whole-heartedly recommend.

The Snüzpod

First up, is the must-have 3-in-1 super-stylish Snüzpod. There are so many reasons I love this product over and above any other crib. For one, it’s beautiful looking, it really is. It’s neat, smart, and space saving in comparison to other cribs on the market that typically always have such wide legs. But don’t be deceived, there is the perfect amount of room for your baby to feel safe and snug from their very first day, up until six months of age. Maddie has just made that big baby transition from crib to her own cot in her own room, and I was so sad to pack away our Snüzpod. It served us well.

The Snüzpod is a timeless piece that can be used in three nifty ways, so you can make use of it around the clock for the first 6 months or so. The removable and rockable bassinet can be easily lifted off for use downstairs during daytime hours, so your baby can be comfortable in the same familiar sleeping environment.

The Snüzpod safely attaches to your bed, allowing you to sleep closely next to your baby, which will be a real comfort for both of you, especially in those first few weeks. Thirdly, it’s extremely convenient for breastfeeding, the un-zippable mesh means you can effortlessly access your baby and afterwards, zip them back up in their safe and secure crib with minimal disruption.

The crib comes with a luxury quilted mattress and is rockable on its stand, which came in handy many times last summer when Maddie was newborn. I have blurry sleep-deprived memories of reaching my arm out to rock the crib from my horizontal position in bed – which was brilliant after my c-section.

The Snüzpod is available in a variety of colours for you to choose from to suit your taste – my best friend has opted for the crisp white, another friend from my NCT group has the Espresso, while we opted for the natural frame. Find your perfect match here.

Snüz Bedding

There’s a variety of bedding available for your Snüzpod, from duvet sets to fitted sheets in range of stylish patterns to compliment your crib. I like the 3 piece crib bedding set, which includes a cute reversible blanket and two fitted sheets.

The next four products are all by one brilliant company, Grostore. For almost 18 years they’ve been busy working with The Lullaby Trust to come up with the safest and most comfortable products for baby – their products are beautiful, and you can trust completely in everything they do.

The Gro-egg 2

It’s important to keep your baby’s sleeping environment within the range of 16-20c for a safe and comfortable night’s sleep. The Gro-egg is a brilliant product that simply displays how warm the room is by glowing different colours to indicate the temperature. The brand new Gro-egg 2 is an improved version, a bigger and brighter soft-to-touch silicone egg. I know most mums swear by this product and we wouldn’t be without ours.

The Hip-Healthy Groswaddle

The new hip-healthy Groswaddle is brilliant for newborns, it has a pocket shaped design which keeps baby’s legs in a healthy position so there’s no need to worry about any pressure on their hips. The Grostore are experts in cute prints, and this product is no exception. There are lots of different designs to choose from to suit your baby’s personality. I like this cute ladybird print.

Ladybird Spot Hip-healthy Groswaddle

Light and Sound Sleep Aid

I looked high and low for one of these light and sound sleep aids that not only did the job, but looked cute too, ideally one that could be attached to a crib.  I came full circle and found myself back at The Grostore, cooing over Ollie the Owl, you’ll agree, I’m sure – he’s pretty cute. We used a combination of separate light and sleep aids in the first few days and weeks, but forget all of that – Ollie the Owl plays a selection of four comforting sounds, heartbeat, rainfall, static white noise, and the Brahms Lullaby.

You’ll probably find you try all of four sounds before settling on one that works best for your baby. What’s brilliant about this particular product is that it has a built-in sensor that listens in and reactivates if they stir. What’s also key is that it has a volume control, so you can set it at a level that works for you baby, but is not intrusive to you, or your sleep (should you get any!).

So there we have it! Besides your usual baby paraphernalia, musys, baby grows, scratch mitts and hats, these are the products I would recommend as a great place to start hoping for a peaceful night’s sleep. Good luck!