Products To Help Your Baby Sleep

With sleep coming high up on a parent’s list of priorities, it is no wonder that many companies are offering products they claim help a baby to sleep. But do any of these products work, or are they just designed to help us part with our money? Let’s take a look at three products, from the traditional to the obscure...

Tapes and CDs

There are loads of sleep tapes and CDs on the market, from recordings of lawn mowers (a form of white noise) to womb sounds to specially composed lullabies. The idea is that you play these CDs at naptimes or bedtime to soothe your baby to sleep.

Could they work? White noise is believed to be an effective way of helping a baby sleep. It works in two ways: 1) True white noise (this sounds a bit like static) is said to give a baby something to focus on and help him stop crying. Experts believe that some babies cry to block out their thoughts, and white noise works in a similar way; 2) The white noise cuts out other sounds which may be distracting and stop your baby getting off to sleep.

Drawbacks: You will need to have a CD or tape-player in your baby’s nursery, and if this is the only way he will sleep, this will have to be taken everywhere with you.

Swaddles

Swaddling is an age-old way of confining and comforting a baby, and is said to aid sleep in distressed or colicky babies. A baby can be fully swaddled, with his arms contained, or partially swaddled to allow the baby access to his hands. For centuries, mothers have swaddled their babies with lengths of cloth or blanket. Now we can buy specially designed swaddles with names such as Snug and Tug, Swaddleaze, Cozy Cocoon, and Biz Muz.

Could it work? As swaddling has been around since biblical times, there is no doubt it works. These new swaddles are not overly expensive, and the designs do make it easier to master the art of the perfect swaddle.

Drawbacks: Not all babies like to be swaddled – some actively fight it. The swaddle must be done exactly right or there is a small risk of overheating. Swaddling so a baby can access – and suck – his hands is an art-form which needs practice.

Baby Hammock

The Baby Hammock is designed to mimic the motion and sensory deprivation your baby felt in the womb, and so aid baby to sleep. This unusual product is literally an enclosed hammock attached to a swing, and retails for an astonishing £170.00.

Could it work? There is no doubt that rocking a baby gently in a swing will send him to sleep. Whether this is the right way for a baby to sleep for every nap until he is 12 months old is another matter. There is no mention in the blurb for this product, however, about how to make the difficult transition from hammock to cot...

Drawbacks: Yet more expense for the already overloaded parent. Also the transitional problems highlighted above.

More Baby Sleep

You might also be interested in:

Read our Diary Of A New Mum and discover what happens when Jessica-Ann comes home from the hospital and during her first year at home. This fun read is perfect for new mums and experienced mums alike! New episodes weekly.
Diary Of A New Mum

More about Newborn Babies

Back to AV Baby home

	Don't miss...
	Thanksgiving
	St Andrew's Day
	Advent
	Hanukkah
	Christmas
	Kwanzaa
	Winter
	Shidonni

Dislaimer
AV Baby content is for information only. If you are at all worried about your baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.

A Small Publishing Website    Contact Us    Sudoku for Kids   Privacy Policy

These pages are property of Activity Village and are for personal, classroom and library use only