Sleep Essentials for Baby

Everyone always tells you when you're pregnant that once the baby comes you have to say good-bye to your sleep. I knew it was going to be hard, but I was not really ready for all the lack of sleep. The first 2 weeks it got to a point where I was ready to go to the store and buy every single swing and rocker and whatever else I needed to put him in to sleep. But I don't think it would have mattered because most babies just need that time to adjust and eat and no swing is going to change that. It gradually got better and now at almost 5 months he sleeps from about 10 to about 5 or 6 in the morning. He still occasionally wakes up some nights hungry and as soon as he eats he falls back asleep. This works because both my husband and I wake up around 6. It took some trial and error, but up to this point we've figured out what he needs to sleep.

1.  Swaddle - I wasn't a fan of swaddling him so tight that he couldn't move. I know some people swear by it, but it wasn't something I wanted to do. I found these swaddles where his feet are free and you also have the option of leaving his arms in or out. And it also acts as a blanket. I did put his arms in at first because he would flinch while sleeping and hit himself and wake himself up. After a while I did notice that he liked to sleep with his arms up so I started leaving them out and that's how he sleeps now.
2.  Pacifier - I was totally against pacifiers, I felt like I didn't want to deal with having to wean him off it later on. But I noticed that he liked to suck on his bottle and not actually eat. So I decided to try giving him a pacifier and it was a good fit for him. It helps him self sooth and fall asleep and after he falls asleep he spits it out. He doesn't always want it just sometimes and I'm ok with it now as long as he's happy. I did try a few pacifiers and some he actually didn't like. 
3. Pack and Play - this is where he sleeps at night. It took a little adjusting and training, but now he seems to have gotten used to it. We have the pack and play next to our bed,
4. Swing - We chose this particular swing (Graco DuetSoothe Swing + Rocker) because it's also a bouncer so if he falls asleep and we need to go to another room we just pick it up and go because the bouncer comes off easily. He naps in here during the day.