A question I get asked a lot by families who’ve just discovered Sleep by Steph is:

“What’s the best sleep product I can buy to help my baby sleep well?”

Step into any baby store and you’ll see product after product that promises to solve all your baby and child sleep problems. Storybooks that lull your child off to sleep, sound machines, light machines, sleep nests, hammocks, rocking bassinets – I could go on! There’s so much out there, and when you’re an exhausted parent of an even more exhausted little one, it’s easy to believe that one or more of these “magical” products will be the answer to your struggles.

Can these items help in the short term? Yes – and that’s why parents often call them “miracle” products and give them rave reviews. But will they help your child sleep soundly in the long term? Unfortunately, no, they won’t. What WILL happen is your little one will get used to sleeping with them to the point that they won’t be able to sleep without them, and you’ll end up spending a small fortune on product after product, convinced that it’s the only thing that can help your family.

All humans – and that includes new babies! – are creatures of habit. Whatever sleep conditions you set for your baby or child will soon become familiar and “normal” as long as you recreate them consistently. If that’s being rocked to sleep to the sound of artificial rain, that’s what will become normal. If it’s going to sleep on a firm mattress in their own safe, pitch-black sleep space, that’s what normal will come to look like.

Many baby sleep products are so popular because they claim to help infants feel secure by replicating conditions in the womb. The thing is though, creating womb-like conditions OUTSIDE the womb isn’t sustainable, and much of the time, it isn’t safe either. The safest position and place for your baby to sleep is flat on their back on a firm, clean mattress in their own sleep space. Products like hammocks and sleep nests do not replicate these safe conditions, so while they may help soothe your baby initially, using them comes with safety risks.

So if buying these magical sleep products is out, what SHOULD we be investing in?

I so passionately believe that baby and child sleep should be simple, straightforward and safe, and what I want you to remember is that sleep is a basic need and something all humans are wired to do. All that you really need to invest in are items to create a safe sleep space and simple, sensible advice to support your own child. When you empower yourself with the right information, you are more than capable of supporting your baby or child to get the sleep they need. The more you intervene by introducing different “magical” sleep items, the further away you take your little one from being able to follow their body’s natural cues and sleep when they’re tired – whether they’re a brand-new baby or an older child.

The information in this Blog Article relates to healthy babies and children with no undiagnosed, untreated medical issues or concerns. If you have any concerns about the health of the baby or child in your care, please see their GP or paediatrician.

For more sensible, straightforward, safe advice and resources on getting your family the sleep you all deserve, explore my website – sleepbysteph.com.au