Things to Help Your Baby—and You—Sleep Better
We’ve added some new picks, and now all recommendations are current as of this date.
A good night’s sleep and the right amount of naptime can make a big difference to you and your kid. As parents, we’ve collectively endured countless sleepless nights, talked to renowned experts such as doctors Harvey Karp and Bill Sears, and tested dozens of sleep options and aids for newborns and toddlers to find out what you can do to increase the chances of a restful night for all.
Essentials
Restful nights and easy naps begin with a safe, comfortable place for your baby to sleep and the right gear to keep your child calm.
Co-sleeper
The AAP suggests that parents sleep in the same room—but not the same bed—with a new baby. A co-sleeper lets you do just that. It’s helpful for breastfeeding moms, but some families will find that everyone sleeps better in their own room.
This bassinet-like bedside sleeper is easier to adjust and to move than similar models that cost twice as much or more.
The Best Bassinets and Bedside Sleepers
This bassinet-like bedside sleeper is easier to adjust and to move than similar models that cost twice as much or more.
Crib
Whether you’re starting out with a crib or switching to one from a co-sleeper, you’ll get the most out of a model that converts to a toddler bed. All our picks do.
This sturdy, versatile crib comes with a toddler bar and converts to a full-size bed.
The Best Cribs
This sturdy, versatile crib comes with a toddler bar and converts to a full-size bed.
This bare-bones but attractive option generally functions as well as cribs that cost twice as much.
The Best Cribs
This bare-bones but attractive option generally functions as well as cribs that cost twice as much.
This distinctive-looking crib has (removable) wheels, includes a toddler bar, and is fast and easy to assemble and convert.
The Best Cribs
This distinctive-looking crib has (removable) wheels, includes a toddler bar, and is fast and easy to assemble and convert.
This pricier crib, made of solid poplar, has a sturdy design that’s likely to repel nicks and dings better than our other picks.
The Best Cribs
This pricier crib, made of solid poplar, has a sturdy design that’s likely to repel nicks and dings better than our other picks.
Crib mattress
A good-quality crib mattress can take your child from the time they’re a newborn to the day they outgrow their toddler bed. Look for one that provides firm support for small babies and a comfortable surface for bigger kids.
This firm, comfortable, easy-to-clean mattress offers the best balance of performance and price of the dozen crib mattresses we tested.
The Best Crib Mattresses
This firm, comfortable, easy-to-clean mattress offers the best balance of performance and price of the dozen crib mattresses we tested.
For a certified-organic mattress made without fire retardants, the Naturepedic is a nice mattress at a reasonable price.
The Best Crib Mattresses
For a certified-organic mattress made without fire retardants, the Naturepedic is a nice mattress at a reasonable price.
This mattress is firm, lightweight, easy to clean, and roughly half the price of our favorite mattress—but it’s one-sided and unlikely to last as long.
The Best Crib Mattresses
This mattress is firm, lightweight, easy to clean, and roughly half the price of our favorite mattress—but it’s one-sided and unlikely to last as long.
Bedtime reading
A treasured part of many families’ evening rituals, bedtime stories can help kids wind down for the day and settle in for (hopefully) a full night’s rest.
On a cold, moonlit night, a father and child walk into the woods to go “owling.” The book’s rhythmic verse lends itself to a slow, hushed reading, and the wintry illustrations create coziness; it’s hard not to feel a shiver when the owl appears.
On a cold, moonlit night, a father and child walk into the woods to go “owling.” The book’s rhythmic verse lends itself to a slow, hushed reading, and the wintry illustrations create coziness; it’s hard not to feel a shiver when the owl appears.
This classic is full of beautiful pictures, with a rolling, flowing rhyme about houses and the things that live in them, from ants (which live in anthills) to duchesses (castles), ham (sandwiches), and reflections (mirrors).
This classic is full of beautiful pictures, with a rolling, flowing rhyme about houses and the things that live in them, from ants (which live in anthills) to duchesses (castles), ham (sandwiches), and reflections (mirrors).
Ida Pearle’s gorgeous paper-cut art illustrates this simple story about the moon following siblings from a playdate in a city home to their own beds in the country. The effect is both whimsical and calming.
Ida Pearle’s gorgeous paper-cut art illustrates this simple story about the moon following siblings from a playdate in a city home to their own beds in the country. The effect is both whimsical and calming.
Like many Seuss classics this book is a long cascade of rolling, rhyming language and curious creatures. Every one of them—zillions!—is going to sleep, so how about you, the book asks.
Like many Seuss classics this book is a long cascade of rolling, rhyming language and curious creatures. Every one of them—zillions!—is going to sleep, so how about you, the book asks.
Nice-to-haves
In addition to a safe, comfortable bed, a dark and cool room free from disturbances and distractions can also help your kid sleep better.
Baby monitor
A baby monitor can bring you peace of mind by allowing you to keep an eye—or just an ear—on your sleeping infant.
Better video and image quality, range, battery life, and other important factors set it apart from every other local-video baby monitor available.
The Best Baby Monitors
Better video and image quality, range, battery life, and other important factors set it apart from every other local-video baby monitor available.
With a simple interface and acceptable image quality, it has worked well for thousands of parents, although its design is dated.
The Best Baby Monitors
With a simple interface and acceptable image quality, it has worked well for thousands of parents, although its design is dated.
The Arlo easily beat all competitors in range and image quality, and smartphone access is appealing—but it’s harder to use than simpler options without a Wi-Fi connection.
The Best Baby Monitors
The Arlo easily beat all competitors in range and image quality, and smartphone access is appealing—but it’s harder to use than simpler options without a Wi-Fi connection.
This well-made audio monitor offers the best value for a limited budget and can also reduce obsessiveness—and stress.
The Best Baby Monitors
This well-made audio monitor offers the best value for a limited budget and can also reduce obsessiveness—and stress.
Blackout curtains
Like everybody else, babies sleep better in a darkened room. Minimizing disturbances from outside light can help improve a kid’s quality of sleep at naptime and at night.
These block out light better than almost all other curtains we looked at. They come in five colors and seven lengths, so they should fit a range of window sizes.
The Best Blackout and Room-Darkening Curtains
These block out light better than almost all other curtains we looked at. They come in five colors and seven lengths, so they should fit a range of window sizes.
These come in only two colors and one length, but they’re easily hemmable and they blocked out plenty of light in our tests. They’re among the least expensive curtains we tested.
The Best Blackout and Room-Darkening Curtains
These come in only two colors and one length, but they’re easily hemmable and they blocked out plenty of light in our tests. They’re among the least expensive curtains we tested.
Humidifier
Kids get sick frequently as they build up their immune systems. A humidifier can alleviate some symptoms and also help babies breathe easier in drier environments.
The Honeywell is one of the top performers in our tests, and it’s a strong choice for a baby’s room—it’s easier to clean and maintain than competitors, and it’s less likely to require an adjustment or refill in the middle of the night.
The Best Humidifier for a Baby
The Honeywell is one of the top performers in our tests, and it’s a strong choice for a baby’s room—it’s easier to clean and maintain than competitors, and it’s less likely to require an adjustment or refill in the middle of the night.
White noise machine
White noise not only masks ambient sounds but can also become something that a kid associates with sleep, helping them snooze through all kinds of distractions.
With its electronically generated sounds, the LectroFan masks shrill noises (such as screeching cats) better than other machines, and it takes up less space on a nightstand.
The Best White Noise Machine
With its electronically generated sounds, the LectroFan masks shrill noises (such as screeching cats) better than other machines, and it takes up less space on a nightstand.
The Marpac Dohm DS produces a different type of sound than the LectroFan, and in tests its tone didn’t mask shrill noises as effectively. It’s also bulkier on a nightstand.
The Best White Noise Machine
The Marpac Dohm DS produces a different type of sound than the LectroFan, and in tests its tone didn’t mask shrill noises as effectively. It’s also bulkier on a nightstand.
Wearable blanket
Using a wearable blanket ensures that your baby stays warm and safe, as unlike regular bedding a sleepsack can’t cover their face or wrap around their neck.
This cotton blanket is thicker and warmer than many others we’ve tried yet still breathable, and you can put it on your kid two different ways.
This cotton blanket is thicker and warmer than many others we’ve tried yet still breathable, and you can put it on your kid two different ways.
Air conditioner
Babies (and adults) sleep better at cooler temperatures.
This LG is a similar performer to other window ACs at this price but is easier on the ears and equipped with a few additional convenience features.
The Best Air Conditioner
This LG is a similar performer to other window ACs at this price but is easier on the ears and equipped with a few additional convenience features.
Things to skip
The AAP and other medical groups warn against placing any loose bedding or other items in a baby’s crib, as they can present a suffocation hazard.
Crib bumpers
Modern cribs have closely spaced slats that eliminate the need for crib bumpers (which were originally sold to prevent head entrapment). Although medical groups strongly urge against using these, many crib and bedding companies continue to sell them.
Pillows (and bedding in general)
Your kid won’t need these until they reach toddlerhood. Did your mother-in-law make your infant a lovely quilt? Consider hanging it on the wall or draping it over a chair in the nursery rather than using it in the crib.
