The Baby Blog

Sleep is important for your new baby. You know this because that’s probably how they’re spending most of their time — sleeping. But you want to make sure that not only are they getting sleep, but that they’re getting good quality sleep, especially at night. 

As your baby gets bigger, those bedtime routines actually have an impact on their wellbeing because it can mean that they’re getting good quality sleep. 

When Should You Start a Bedtime Routine for Your Baby?

A newborn baby isn’t going to follow a set routine or a sleep schedule. They sleep when they sleep. Make sure that they’re getting enough sleep. 

As you help them fall asleep, try to observe and notice cues of things that you do that help your baby relax and fall asleep. Is it music? Do you have a rocking motion? Or are they bundled up nice a warm? These are things that you can incorporate in a bedtime routine that are familiar to your baby and can help them fall asleep faster.

When your baby is about 6-8 weeks old, you can start to put together a bedtime routine. 

What is a Good Bedtime Routine for My Baby?

Every baby is different. There isn’t one right bedtime routine for your baby. It’s going to take some experimenting to find the right elements for a good bedtime routine for your baby. 

As I talked about before, you want to incorporate habits that you formed with helping your baby sleep during their first few weeks of life. You don’t need to incorporate everything. Good habits are ones that are easy to repeat and shouldn’t be demanding for you or anyone else to do. Especially as your baby gets older, the repetitive nature is what actually matters. Those repeated steps help cue your baby’s brain and body that it’s time to go to sleep. 

Remember, your bedtime routine can start 1 hour before your baby needs to go to sleep or 15 minutes. Consider some of these ideas to incorporate into your baby’s bedtime routine:

• Give baby a bath
• Put on a clean diaper and apply lotion
• Dress in clean pajamas or a knotted gown
• Swaddle baby in a blanket
• Dim or darken the room
• Nurse or feed your baby
• Turn on ambient noise
• Burp baby
• Gently rock or snuggle

Before you put your baby in their crib, he or she should be very drowsy. Once you’ve put your baby in your crib, you can try and leave the room. 

How Do You Get a Baby Into a Sleep Routine?

This is the hardest part of the bedtime routine — knowing when to start implementing the sleep routine. Should you start doing everything at once? How do you know what time to start the routine? Here are a few ideas.

Notice Your Baby’s Sleep Tendencies.

As you start to fall into a pattern for night time, start taking note of when your baby goes to sleep for the longest stretch of the night. Jot a note on your phone or maintain a sleep log as your baby starts to develop patterns. Once you notice the pattern, plan on starting the bedtime routine 30 to 45 minutes before that time. Maybe your baby starts to go to sleep around 8:30 p.m. and will be asleep for a long stretch in the night. You’ll want to start the bedtime routine around 7:45 or 8 p.m.

Adopt Rituals Slowly.

Start with some rituals that you’ve already done for your baby when you’ve put them down. A bath. A favorite blanket. Try to be consistent so that these are always associated with going to bed. If you want to introduce a new ritual, only incorporate one new bedtime ritual at a time. Make sure that your baby is still going to sleep and waking up at about the same time before introducing another ritual. Changes can disrupt the routine so be conscious of that. 

Incorporate Routine During the Day.

If there’s a naptime during the day, trying to modify it to fit for naptime. Incorporate those sleep associations to help your baby fall asleep during the day. This will also help reinforce this routine for better periods of sleep at night.

Put Your Baby to Sleep in the Same Place.

Speaking of having consistency, try to put your baby down for naps and bedtime in the same place every time. While it might be tempting to put your baby in the car seat and drive around to run errands while he or she is asleep, you’re also training your baby to sleep in his or her car seat while the car is moving. You don’t want to have to manage that at night or for every nap. We know that it’s inevitable that your baby will fall asleep on a car ride or in their stroller, but try an 90/10 approach – 90% of the time baby should be sleeping in their bed. 

There Will be a Learning Curve.

Setting a bedtime routine requires a bit of trial and error. Sometimes it will work. Other times it won’t. As your baby gets bigger, you may have to remove some of the rituals because they no longer provide the same cue of bedtime. A bath that was once relaxing can turn into rowdy playtime as baby gets older. This is a process so don’t stress when you need to change things.

Master the Baby Drop-Off.

You will be so grateful that you did. What this means is to try to make sure your baby isn’t completely asleep when you lay her or him down in their bed. Try to get them to a calm, relaxed state that some call “drowsy by awake.” Your baby is probably starting to nod off a little but hasn’t gotten completely to the sleep stage. By putting your baby down at this point, you actually help train your baby to fall asleep without someone holding them. 

A bedtime routine isn’t just for your baby. It’s also something that you will be grateful for. Following a routine can help you prepare for your own bedtime but also give you the peace of mind that your baby is ready to go to sleep too. 

Christmas is such a fun time of year, especially when you’re buying Christmas gifts for kids and most importantly, babies. For most, it’s also time to pull out all of the stops… Baby’s first ornament? Yup! How about photo with Santa? Uh-huh! Fancy new Christmas day outfit? Absolutely! 

What about baby’s first Christmas gift? If you’re struggling to figure out what to buy your newborn for Christmas, fear not, we’ve done the hard work for you. Below is a great little round-up of 10 gifts your baby will be going gaga over.

Cute Holiday Colored Clothes

What mom or dad doesn’t want their new bundle of joy to be dressed up in holiday colors? During December, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a baby, not in holiday gear. Our knotted baby gowns come in three different colors, two of which are very great colors for the holidays. Our maroon and olive green gowns are a great gift for the festive newborn.

Developmental Play Mat

Developmental play mats aren’t anything new. These great mats are designed by child development experts to give newborns and growing babies engaging activities to develop. This particular mat has five playful multi-sensory hanging toys and lots of loops to hang other toys high, low or on the mat.

Animated Stuffed Animals

These animated stuffed animals are anything but boring. They flap their ears, play peek-a-boo and sings songs to keep your little one in awe. These Baby Gund animals are one of the best baby Christmas gifts of 2019.

Plush Security Blanket

If you are thinking about getting baby a stuffed animal, you might want to consider this cute little lamb security blanket. This super soft and comfy blanket will see your little one through the first few years of his/her life.

Wubbanub

If your newborn is in love with their binky, a cute and fun gift to give them for Christmas is a WubbaNub. What makes these pacifiers different than the norm is that on the end of them is attached a cute stuffed animal. You can choose from lots of different types of animals including giraffes, dogs, unicorns, ducks, etc. The big bonus for you as a parent is that these are really hard to lose, so it’s a win-win for a Christmas gift this year.

Soothing Sleep Owl

As you already know, a good night's sleep is one of the best gifts you can give a baby, and also yourself. Getting your baby to calm down and get back to sleep in the middle of the night can be much easier if you have the right tools. One of the tools we recommend is the Bubzi Co soothing sleep owl. This cute, plush owl plays ten different lullabies and has an optional night light that projects a soothing starry light show. So if you need the gift of sleep in your life, this is definitely a gift to add to the list.

Oball Shaker Rattle 

One of the first gifts that parents usually purchase or get at a baby shower is a rattle. The Oball rattle will not only help baby develop the sense of sound with it’s rattling noise, but it also helps them learn how to grab onto things since the ends have really cool gripping balls on them.

Sassy Floor Mirror

Another tummy time gift that babies absolutely love is these Sassy Floor mirrors. Once your baby gets their eyes on this mirror, they will forget what they are doing and be mesmerized by their reflection. This toy was developed to help strengthen neck, shoulder and upper arm muscles and promote visual development.

Spiral Car Seat Activity Toy

Baby is going to be spending a lot of time in their car seat for the first few months of their life. As they get older, you’ll want to give them something that can encourage them to use their hand and eye coordination. A spiral car seat toy wraps onto baby’s car seat handle and makes it easy for baby to reach, pull or squeeze the objects. This toy can also be wrapped around baby's crib for some naptime or night time entertainment.

Soft Baby Book

I’m a big fan of books and this one is just perfect for baby. I believe that you’re never too young or too old for a good book. This soft baby book introduces baby to animals, but it has plenty of peek-a-boo surprises. It also has songs, melodies and sounds that it can play so the book grows with baby.

We hope that this list has given you at least a few good ideas. We hope you have a very Merry Christmas with your little one.

It’s your first night home and you go to lay your baby down in their bassinet or crib for the first time and then you realize that you’re not sure what they should wear. Do you put on the too big pajamas you received during the last baby shower? Do you keep them in a onesie and swaddle him in a blanket? How are you going to change her diaper in the middle of the night?

Bedtime outfits for your baby shouldn’t be a mystery. It’s all about safety, temperature, and comfort – for both you and your baby! 

Safety

Newborns have very little control over their bodies and tend to have lots of reflexive movements. That means that she can move around and since her body is still growing, she needs lots of support and to just rest. 

There is also the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) which is most likely to occur during the first four months of a baby’s life. The best thing you can do is dress your baby in clothing that isn’t loose and doesn’t have tops that could ride up and cover your baby’s face. She doesn’t know how to remove fabric from her face to keep her breathing. 

Our knotted gowns are made to not be loose on your baby. They’re all made from a stretchy rayon and spandex blend so that it fits comfortably on your newborn.

Also, make sure that your baby’s sleeping space is free of any blankets or accessories — even pillows, mattress toppers, crib bumpers, stuffed animals. Rest your baby on a firm crib mattress with one sheet. 

Temperature

Your baby’s body doesn’t yet know how to regulate changes in temperature. The room your baby is in should be between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s cooler than that, add a few layers. You don’t want to have a loose blanket wrapped around your baby since that could come undone and suffocate him. 

If it’s warmer than 75 degrees, consider bringing in fans or air conditioners to help keep your baby cool. If he’s wearing an Orchid knotted gown, you don’t have to worry about keep him tucked in. Knot the bottom of the gown so that his feet are snug and tucked in for the night. It will help his feet stay warm and cozy all through the night.

Comfort

Your baby may not remember the feel of her clothes, but for sure you will! Make sure you’re dressing your baby in something comfortable and soft. Itchy fabric may irritate your newborn baby and keep her awake when you really want her (and need her to sleep!) 

It’s not just about comfort for your baby. It’s also about comfort for you. When you’re looking at baby pajamas, you’re not thinking ahead to those middle-of-the-night feedings or diaper changes that await you. You don’t want to be trying to fumble with buttons and snaps when you’re half-awake and want to be back in bed. Luckily, your knotted gown makes it easy for you so you can get back to sleep as soon as you can.

Frequently Asked Questions

These guiding principles will help you as you pick out good outfits to dress your baby in during the first few months of their life. But you’re probably more worried about the more specific questions. 

Should a Newborn Wear a Hat to Sleep?

Your baby should not wear a hat to sleep. Hats are loose fabrics that can move around and potentially suffocate your child. It’s best to remove the hat and make sure that they’re swaddled to stay warm. 

You may be confused since the nurses in the hospital usually place a hat on your baby. This is to help them stay warm and acclimate to the colder world than they have been living in before their arrival. Also, there is always someone there to observe and prevent situations. Once you return home, you will find that the times that baby goes to sleep is when you also take a nap or are able to do some of the things around the house that you have been neglecting. 

You can give them a hat to wear if you are holding them while they sleep and your attention is on him. Or when you’re heading outside to take a trip, this is also a good time to have your baby wear a hat when they’re sleeping. 

Should a Baby Wear Socks to Bed?

Do you like to sleep with socks on? Your baby probably likes it too. Not because they’re so comfortable, but because your baby likes to be warm. Babies are extremely sensitive to temperature because their bodies aren’t able to regulate their own internal temperatures yet. 

You should gauge how the temperature in a room feels for you. Do you feel comfortable? Or are you rubbing your hands on your arm and reaching for a sweatshirt? If you’re cold, your baby is probably chilly as well. Some good advice is to dress your baby in one more layer than you are wearing. 

What Type of Baby Nightgowns are There?

You might be looking at all the options for baby nightgowns and wonder which is the best one. Truthfully, until your baby is 4-6 months old, you’re going to be up in the middle of the night for diaper changes. It’s important to consider that when selecting options for your baby’s pajamas.

Here is a quick summary of the different types of nightgowns for your baby to wear:

Knotted Baby Gown

We’re big fans of the knotted baby gown because these nightgowns are perfect all year round. With long sleeves and soft material, your baby will be comfortable in the warmer months and the cooler months. You can purchase your own knotted baby gown here.

Sleep Sack

Essentially, a sleep sack or bag is a blanket that your baby wears. You put them in a onesie and then zip them in and you don’t have to worry about loose blankets that could suffocate your baby. Our personal favorite is Ergobaby which you can buy here.

Sleeper Gowns

These gowns are different from knotted gowns because the gown is open at the bottom – there’s no way to knot the end. The bottom may have elastic, but it’s still open. You’ll need to put socks on your baby to prevent their feet from getting too cold. Our favorite is Simple Joys by Carter’s that you can purchase here.

Footed Baby Pajamas

Do you remember rocking the footed pajamas as a kid? I do! Maybe you rock them now. But these pajamas are good options once your baby is a little older and especially if they’re prone to the cold. You don’t have to worry about them kicking off their socks in the middle of the night or only losing one (which is the worst!). The pajama is one piece. The only issue is during those late-night diaper changes, you’ll wish you have something a little more simple. So hold onto this pajama set until your baby is sleeping more through the night. There are plenty of options, but Leveret has some beautiful pajamas that you will definitely want to purchase here.

Your baby is going to be sleeping for up to 16 hours a day during the first few months. To help her get the best sleep possible so that you can get the rest you need, make sure you follow these guidelines to keep your baby safe and comfortable.

One of the more common questions that new moms have is “what clothes should I buy for a newborn?”. Having a baby is exciting and you might be tempted to buy any and every outfit that you see, but keep in mind that babies grow fast… like really fast, so don’t overdo it. 

Before jumping in headfirst and spending a small fortune on clothes for your baby, here are a few things you should think about.

Laundry

How often are you planning on doing laundry? 

You might need more or fewer clothes for your baby if your laundry routine is different than others. If you plan on doing laundry once per week, you’ll want to double the clothing listed below. If you wash every day, you can cut the numbers in half.

Sizing

As mentioned above, new babies grow really fast. Most babies will outgrow newborn outfits within a few weeks to a month. You should also know that most newborn sizes cap out at around 8 lbs, so if you have a bigger baby, she might not even fit into newborn outfits.

When considering which clothes to buy, it’s recommended to pick out a few newborn items and then put most of your budget toward 0-3 month sizes. These outfits will fit babies up to 12-13 lbs.

Seasonal Wear

You’ll also need to consider when you are going to have your baby. If it is in the middle of summer, you might not need sweaters, sweatshirts or pants. You’ll probably want to substitute those things with summer outfits and vice versa if you are having her in the winter months.

These things said, here’s a pretty good guide on what type of clothing to buy for your baby.

2-4 Infant Gowns

Infant gowns are probably the best thing you can dress your baby in until their cord stump falls off. It’s the very best way to keep their cord stump clean and not irritated. These gowns also make it really easy to change diapers during the day and in the evening. Our knot baby gowns are a great option here.

4-8 Bodysuits or Onesies

Bodysuits and onesies are an easy, no-fuss outfit in the summer or a basic layer during the cold winter months. When shopping for these, make sure to buy the ones that have wide head openings and loose legs. This makes putting them on and taking them off of baby easy and seamless. Our favorite bodysuits are the good, old fashioned Gerber onesies. You can get them here for a pretty good price.

3-5 Pants

Really, babies don’t need to wear pants, but having a few on hand makes it really easy to pull over a onesie or bodysuit to keep baby’s legs warm when it starts to get cold outside, or when you’re blasting the A/C during the hot summer months. The Simple Joy pants by Carters are some of our faves. You can get them here.

4-8 Undershirts

Undershirts are very similar to a onesie, but the bottom half is missing. As mentioned above, make sure to look for the ones that have a wide head for the opening. Like above, we really like the Simple Joy side-snap shirts. You can get them here.

4-8 One-Piece Footie Pajamas

We grew up wearing one-piece footie pajamas and they are just as popular today as they were 30 years ago. In the summer months, you can go with a nice cotton material and in the winter, fleece is a great option. We really like the Burt’s Bees footie pajamas. You can get them here.

2-3 Blanket Sleepers

Blanket sleepers are definitely safer than traditional blankets at night time. Make sure to avoid anything with drawstrings. Our favorite blanket sleeper is the Halo Sleepsack, which you can buy here.

1-3 Seaters, Sweatshirts or Jackets

In the cooler months, you’re going to want to make sure to stock up on sweaters, sweatshirts or cute jackets. If you go with sweatshirts or sweaters, make sure they button or zip on the front. Babies hate when things are pulled over their heads, especially big, bulky items.

1-3 Rompers or Other Dress Up Outfits

If you’re one for getting your baby all dolled up each day, then you’re going to need a few cute rompers or other outfits. Some of our favorite rompers we’ve seen can be purchased at Rags.

5-7 Pairs of Socks

Most new parents don’t even realize that babies don’t need shoes until they start walking. This said, get some cute and comfortable socks that she can lounge in during the day and while sleeping at night. We’d recommend picking up a few packs at Target or Old Navy.

2-3 Hats

When shopping for hats, you should at least get your little one a broad-brimmed sun hat and a soft cap that goes over baby’s ears in the wintertime. You might also add in a fun ball cap if baby is a boy. If you’re into ball caps, you might check out Jack & Winn.

2-3 Swaddles

Swaddles aren’t really clothes, but many babies spent a ton of time in them. For the first few months after birth, babies really like being wrapped uptight, so you’ll find most newborns either wrapped up tight with a blanket or with a swaddle. If you’re looking for some super cute swaddles, you should check out Milkmaid Goods.

2-3 Lightweight Blankets

Small, lightweight blankets are always great to have around the house to wrap baby up with or to lay on the floor for your baby to lay on. Two or three is probably enough, but if your baby spits up a lot, you might want a few extra so you have enough if they get soiled quickly. For these, we’d also recommend heading over to Target to pick some up.

Mittens

Guess what, even in the summertime you are probably going to want to get some mittens for your baby. Mittens not only help keep baby’s hands warm, but they will also keep them from scratching themselves when their nails start to grow. Obviously, you won’t want to put on winter mittens in the summer, so get a nice pair of cotton mittens so you don’t cook their hands. You can get some really inexpensive ones here.

Bunting Bag or Fleece Suit

Winter babies need to stay warm when outside, so you’ll want to purchase bunting bag (this is like a sleeping bag) or a full-body suit that goes over baby’s clothes. JJ Cole has a really awesome Bunting bag that you’ll want to check out here.

Here are also some general tips to consider when looking at different clothing options:

Fabrics: Always lean toward soft, breathable fabrics like cotton. Fleece is a great choice for colder months. It’s also a good idea to avoid (or remove!) bulky and scratchy tags that could irritate your baby’s skin.

Fasteners: When shopping for clothes, make sure to look for fasteners that close easily. Nothing is more annoying in the middle of the night than not being able to put things back together and get back to bed. 

Prewash: It’s always a good idea to wash new clothes before your little one wears them. This will make sure that she doesn’t develop a minor rash or skin irritation. Baby's skin can be so sensitive for the first little bit, so do her a favor and wash everything.

So there you have it! Do you feel a little more prepared? You can do it! If you think we missed anything or have any other ideas or tips, please feel free to share in the comments below.

* Please note that some of these links are Amazon affiliate links and we make a small commission if you purchase the product.

It’s your first night home and you go to lay your baby down in their bassinet or crib for the first time and then you realize that you’re not sure what they should wear. Do you put on the too big pajamas you received during the last baby shower? Do you keep them in a onesie and swaddle him in a blanket? How are you going to change her diaper in the middle of the night?

Bedtime for your baby shouldn’t be a mystery for your baby. It’s all about safety, temperature, and comfort – for both you and your baby! 

Safety

Newborns have very little control over their bodies and tend to have lots of reflexive movements. That means that she can move around and since her body is still growing, she needs lots of support and to just rest. 

There is also the risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) which is most likely to occur during the first four months of a baby’s life. The best thing you can do is dress your baby in clothing that isn’t loose and doesn’t have tops that could ride up and cover your baby’s face. She doesn’t know how to remove fabric from her face to keep her breathing. 

Our knotted gowns are made to not be loose on your baby. They’re all made from a stretchy rayon and spandex blend so that it fits comfortably on your newborn.

Also, make sure that your baby’s sleeping space is free of any blankets or accessories — even pillows, mattress toppers, crib bumpers, stuffed animals. Rest your baby on a firm crib mattress with one sheet. 

Temperature

Your baby’s body doesn’t yet know how to regulate changes in temperature. The room your baby is in should be between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s cooler than that, add a few layers. You don’t want to have a loose blanket wrapped around your baby since that c ould come undone and suffocate him. 

If it’s warmer than 75 degrees, consider bringing in fans or air conditioners to help keep your baby cool. If he’s wearing an Orchid knotted gown, you don’t have to worry about keep him tucked in. Knot the bottom of the gown so that his feet are snug and tucked in for the night. It will help his feet stay warm and cozy all through the night.

Comfort

Your baby may not remember the feel of her clothes, but for sure you will! Make sure you’re dressing your baby in something comfortable and soft. Itchy fabric may irritate your newborn baby and keep her awake when you really want her (and need her to sleep!) 

It’s not just about comfort for your baby. It’s also about comfort for you. When you’re looking at baby pajamas, you’re not thinking ahead to those middle-of-the-night feedings or diaper changes that await you. You don’t want to be trying to fumble with buttons and snaps when you’re half-awake and want to be back in bed. Luckily, your knotted gown makes it easy for you so you can get back to sleep as soon as you can.

Your baby is going to be sleeping for up to 16 hours a day during the first few months. To help her get the best sleep possible so that you can get the rest you need, make sure you follow these guidelines to keep your baby safe and comfortable.