Sarah Birdwell, Author at babybay

How a Co Sleeping Bed Can Help You Get More Sleep

Posted on November 15, 2022April 12, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

It’s no secret: when your newborn uses a co sleeping baby bed, their body and mind benefit. (Don’t just take our word for it! Here’s what the studies have to say…)

But your baby isn’t the only one in the family who benefits from using a bedside co sleeper.

As a parent, you benefit too! Here are all the ways that a bedside co sleeper supports you as parents just as much as it supports your baby.

Do Co Sleeping Babies Sleep Better?

There’s nothing more nurturing than sleeping close to the ones you love. And while traditional cribs use bars or netting to separate you from your little one, the perfect co sleeper will let your co sleeping baby catch peaceful Z’s while sleeping within arm’s reach of you (no getting out of bed necessary!).

So do co sleeping babies sleep better?

Many parents find that their little ones get more rest—and are more easily calmed during the night—when their mattress and bed is right against yours.

That’s partly because co sleeping parents are able to more quickly and easily respond to their baby’s needs and offer comfort before those crisis cries become, well, a crisis.

The best co sleeping baby bed will make sure that your baby is safe and nestled in a space that’s made just for them, while giving you the ability to quickly soothe your little one without leaving your comfy mattress and bed.

Which will bless your night times with peace of mind, while making it easier to care for your baby’s every need.

Does the Perfect Co Sleeper Make Nighttime Nursing Easier?

For many breastfeeding parents, it can be a challenge to care for every nighttime hunger cry while still getting enough sleep to feel rested in the morning.

But co sleeping and breastfeeding are a perfect match—partly because the best co sleeping baby bed will make it easy for you to nurse without getting out of bed and fully disrupting your sleep.

You can practice baby care while still keeping your toes comfy under the covers, making it easier to get back into a sleep state when your baby is all full and ready for some rest of their own.

Do You Bond Better When Using a Co Sleeping Bed for Baby?

Though there are plenty of other reasons to love co sleeping, most parents agree that feeling close to your baby all night long is one of the biggest benefits.

When you’re no more than an arm’s reach away, you can practice baby care while being confident that your baby is safe. Which doesn’t just make it easier to get deeper, more restful sleep—it gives you the kind of peace of mind you need to focus your nighttime energy on what really matters: bonding with your baby.

In fact, choosing to co sleep can help you nurture the kind of deep bond with your baby that will make you highly responsive to your baby’s needs.

But not only that–it turns out that your co sleeping baby learns how to regulate their breaths by listening to your own inhale-exhale rhythm. This supports their physical health by helping them use energy more efficiently. It also supports their mental health by helping them feel closer to you, which can regulate their (and your!) stress levels in turn.

And though science agrees that co sleeping facilitates bonding (just look at the studies we linked above!), on a non-scientific level many parents discover that the perfect co sleeper helps them feel closer and emotionally connected through the night.

Does Choosing to Co Sleep Support Your Baby’s Independence?

Many parents want their children to grow up to be independent—and we don’t blame them! But as the research shows, co sleeping actually promotes independence in babies.

That’s because independence arises when a baby feels nurtured and supported, with all their needs consistently being met.

When a baby is safe and has a loved one nearby, they can perform the kind of exploring and decision-making that supports a healthy confidence in their own independent abilities.

Which means you’ll support the healthy development of independent habits while choosing to care for your baby by co sleeping with them when they are young.

So Then What’s the Best Co Sleeping Bed for Newborns?

The best co sleeping bed for newborns will offer the kind of safety certification guarantee that you need to comfortably rest with full peace of mind.

The babybay bedside sleeper has been safety-certified through ASTM International, the TÜV Rheinland Group, and has been given a Confidence in Textiles certification. The all-natural and non-toxic babybay bedside sleeper is made of sustainably-sourced beechwood, making it the stylish and safe perfect co sleeper for your family.

To take advantage of all the benefits of co sleeping—for both you and your baby!—explore babybay’s safe and nurturing co sleeping baby bed, designed to give you and your little one full nights of sweet rest.

Our Favorite Baby Shower Games (That Your Guests Will Love Too!)

Posted on August 29, 2022November 22, 2022 by Sarah Birdwell

Ah, baby shower games — the perfect way to celebrate the soon-to-happen birth of your little one while testing your friends and family on their infant know-how!

(While giving you a break from all the baby prep work you’ve been doing as you seek out baby products, baby-loved bedside sleepers, and the cutest baby clothes out there…)

Of course, not every family will feel like baby showers are the best way to celebrate their pregnancy and upcoming delivery. But if you’re a parent-to-be who can’t wait to gather your nearest and dearest for an afternoon of baby shower fun, here are our top picks for the baby shower games that you and your guests will actually want to play.

A Unique Baby Shower Idea For When You Want to Get Sentimental: Guess the Age

Though there’s nothing wrong with daring your guests to eat baby food or melting candies in diapers for your guests to sniff (both are a common baby shower activity and entertaining ways to spend an afternoon!), there are plenty of ways to add a sentimental touch to your baby shower instead.

This one requires a little prep, but the walk down memory lane will be worth it!

Start out by searching your old photo albums for mom and dad’s cutest baby photos. You’ll want to choose one photo that represents mom and dad at every age—ideally from 1-15 years old.

(If 15 baby photos seems like too many to collect, you can shrink the game as much as you need to by shortening the age range and looking for photos that represent ages 1-12 or 1-8 instead.)

Lay out the chosen baby photos on a poster board so that your guests can see them. Then, when the time comes to show your guests your unique baby shower idea, have your guests guess mom and dad’s age in each of the baby photos.

A picture of mom or dad in their bedside sleeper as a newborn might be an easy one to guess…but not every age will be quite so easy to figure out!

You can make scoring easier by having your guests write their guesses down on sheets of paper. Then tally up the final results, determine who has the most correct answers, and hand out some hard-earned prizes!

Turn Your Baby Shower Games In To a Game Show

You may have heard of the classic game show “The Price is Right.” But if this game show is a new one for you, let me give a quick overview of the rules: contestants play a series of fun games while guessing the exact for-sale price of common items. They earn prizes as they go, while learning a whole lot more about how good they are about guessing the sales price down to the cent.

As far as fun and modern baby shower games go, this one is perfect if you’re one of the first in your friend group to have a baby, or are inviting plenty of family members who haven’t purchased things like diapers or baby food in a few years or more. (But don’t worry if you’re inviting a crowd that’s full of baby know-how: this favorite among modern baby shower games will still be plenty of fun!).

Prep ahead by writing down a list of baby products on a sheet of paper. Include specific quantities when doing this (by saying, for instance, “Huggies Little Snugglers, 120 Count” or “babybay Maxi Tall bedside sleeper“).

Give a list of baby products to each of your guests and then give them time to make their guesses. The guest with the closest guess wins.

Fun tip: It’s always fun to include a few wild cards into the mix when doing this game, especially if your friends and family are well-versed in the running rate of common baby products (how much does a burrito-themed swaddling blanket cost? Your guests will just have to wait and see…).

A Fun Game that Helps You Get to Know the Preparing Parents: Most Memorable Moments

This tends to be a favorite among all the unique baby shower games out there, and for good reason! It gives your baby shower guests a little extra insight into who you are, which makes it a fun way to celebrate your baby while also deepening bonds with the people around you.

But it requires some prep. Before the day of your shower, try to think of a few “I can’t believe that happened!” moments that you’ve had (either individually or as a couple).

Then think of a few stories that are just as odd and intriguing—but aren’t at all true. Have your guests guess which are the real memories and which are the fake, then enjoy the excitement of reading the correct answers to the crowd.

Baby Showers Games Ideas that Engage the Whole Crowd: Baby Bucket List

This one requires no prep (we love a low effort classic!), and engages all your baby shower guests in a game they’ll actually want to play while getting everyone excited for the adventures you and your newborn will soon have together.

Ask your guests to think of one thing they would add to your “baby bucket list”—a list of things that you absolutely want to do and experience with your little one.

To get things started, you can ask your guests to think about one memory from their childhood that they cherish, or something that they always wanted to do when they were a kid but never got the chance to.

Invite each guest to share their “baby bucket list” item as an end to the fun game, making sure to write each answer out on a piece of paper as you go. Then save those responses—you’re going to want to look back on these and plan some new adventures as your baby grows!

Create a Keepsake with Well Wishes From Baby Shower Guests

If unique baby shower games aren’t quite your thing, this baby shower activity will help you engage the crowd without needing to think of a game to play.

Set up a station with sheets of paper nearby. Then write down a few prompts for your guests to respond to, ones like:

“I hope your baby grows to be…”
“I hope the baby always remembers to…”
“I hope your baby makes the most of…”
“I hope your baby really loves…”

Ask the guests to leave their responses in a special jar or box, one you can keep for a long time (because these are the kinds of memories that you’ll want to keep around for a good long while). As your baby grows, you can look back at this collection of well-wishes from your nearest and dearest and reminisce about your shower with your little one.

Are Baby Shower Games Necessary?

No, of course not! If you find yourself asking Are baby shower games necessary? then it might be a sign that you’d like to enjoy a different kind of baby shower, with a slightly more formal baby shower theme.

Rather than doing what you think you’re “supposed to do” when choosing a baby shower theme or planning events for the day, always do what feels best to you. If you’re enjoying yourself the day-of, your guests will enjoy themselves too. And if you’re still putting together your baby shower wish list, take a second to discover how bedside sleepers can help the whole family get better nights of rest–so that you feel fully prepared to welcome your little one!

[Get Better Nights of Sleep with a Newborn]

How Many Baby Crib Sheets Do I Need?: Your Bedding Questions Answered

Posted on August 8, 2022April 19, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

From spit-ups to much needed diaper changes, your little one is going to go through a lot of loads of laundry every month. And while some parents have no problem setting their washing machine into overdrive and doing a load of baby crib sheets every few days, others would prefer to spend those hours in a state of R&R instead of keeping cooped up in the laundry room.

We’re about to break down the answers to some of the most commonly-asked questions about baby crib sheets, including:

How many baby crib sheets do I need?
How do I find crib sheets with the right fit?
What will the right fit look like?
Is there a material that’s given the gold star for being more comfy-cozy for my baby?

So that you can enjoy peace of mind. While your baby remains happily snoozing the night away in full comfort.

How Many Baby Crib Sheets Do I Need?

Babies are cute, snuggly, and oh-so-loveable. But they’re not always the cleanest. (We can all agree on that, can’t we?)

Between drool, spit-up, sweat, and leaky diapers, it’s likely that you’ll have to change the sheets of your baby’s sleeping space at least once a week, if not every day.

Deciding how many sheets for crib you’ll need depends on your needs and habits as a family.

If you expect to only change your little one’s sheets around once a week, you’ll probably only need to purchase two or three sets of crib sheets to keep your baby’s sleep space clean without having to do laundry every day.

But for parents who like to change sheets more often—or who have a baby a little more prone to making messes—plan to stock up on 5-7 sets of organic cotton crib sheets.

This will give you a little extra leeway when it comes to getting the wash done, allowing you to catch some much-needed Z’s during the quiet moments when baby is happily sleeping (instead of spending those quiet moments sprinting to the laundry room!).

But no matter how many baby sheets for crib you end up needing, doing your due diligence to choose the right ones will be what sets you and your little one up to enjoy better and safer rest all night long.

Finding Crib Sheets with the Right Fit

If you’re like most of the adults in the United States, you choose to spend your nights surrounded by the plush comfort of warm bedding, fully-fluffed pillows, and soft-as-a-cloud sheets. And while all that extra bedding might be just what you need to sleep happily all night long, these bulky and super-soft materials are not the best choice for your little one.

When it comes to preparing the perfect sleep environment for your little one, finding a fitted sheet set that fits perfectly on your bed can be the difference between sleeping with one eye open at night and resting peacefully with full mind.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) asks parents to choose bed sheets for crib that fit snugly to the mattress and can’t easily be dislodged by pulling on the corners.

By making sure that your crib sheets fit snugly, you can prevent any safety concerns that arise when sheets come undone from the corners of the mattress and gather by your sleeping baby. (Concerns, for instance, like your baby becoming tangled up and stuck in extra bedding as they rest.)

You should make sure that your fitted crib sheets have an elastic finish that tightly hugs the mattress, and follow the manufacturer directions when washing them so that they don’t shrink and lose their skin-like fit.

To have full peace of mind, test your new fitted crib sheets out before leaving your baby to sleep in them for the first time.

Leave your new sheets on your baby’s mattress for several hours and check back in to see if they have popped off the corners. If they have, choose a fitted sheet set better designed for the mattress you have, or attach extra elastic before leaving your baby sleeping on them for a full night.

Choosing the Right Material: Polyester, Flannel, Wool, or Cotton Sheets for Crib?

Your baby’s crib sheet can be made from many different materials, but not all of them will offer the same level of breathability and comfort. Cotton remains the most popular choice for most bed sheets for crib because of its breathability and hypoallergenic status.

That’s because other materials like wool may lead your baby to experience unwanted allergy symptoms. While cotton (especially organic cotton) is a natural option that won’t irritate the skin. Its fibers are also free from common chemicals that you might find in other synthetic options, and the material naturally allows for a level of temperature control that minimizes the risk of overheating.

However, it’s important to stay focused on baby’s safety even when buying fitted crib sheets that are made of cotton or a cotton blend.

When seeking out cotton sheets for crib, look for natural or organic options that use only the highest-quality hypoallergenic materials. Though it comes as a surprise to many parents, manufacturers of baby sheets often use harmful dyes, formaldehyde, and toxic bleaches that can lead to health concerns down the road.

Which is why this final tip is so top-of-the-priority-list important: don’t be afraid to be picky about what baby crib sheets you buy.

Only choose baby products and cribs that avoid many of the major chemicals, glues, and finishes that have been proven to be toxic to your baby. You can do this by seeking out companies committed to making baby products that care for your little one’s safety just as carefully as you do.

And take that extra few moments to make sure that you’ve stocked up and covered all your bases in advance. So that the only thing you have to focus on when your baby comes is spending every extra second with them.

Do Babies Dream When They’re Asleep?

Posted on July 19, 2022May 1, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

You see your baby’s eyelids flutter as they sleep. They smile. Their breathing changes, their breath catches, and you can’t help but wonder: Is my baby dreaming?

According to the Sleep Foundation, newborn babies need between 14-17 hours of sleep a day, and infants between 4-11 months of age need upwards of 12-15 hours.

With all the time babies spend sleeping, it makes sense to assume that their minds are actively working during the night. Not only that, but 50 percent of the sleep they’re getting can be classified as REM sleep, which is the stage of human sleep cycles when the body is most relaxed and the brain is most active (which provides perfect conditions for dreams to occur).

But despite spending all this nurturing time in REM sleep, dreaming does not seem to be the top priority for your baby’s brain. So what is going on in your newborn baby’s brain as they get rest? Let’s find out…

Do Babies Dream When They Sleep?

Leading pediatric dreaming researchers have concluded that children can only dream once they’ve developed the ability to process the world around them and imagine things visually and spatially. Babies’ brains develop as they age, leading them to make use of this skill around age 4 or 5.

If these research claims are true, then the answer to the question do babies dream when they sleep? is no—babies do not dream. However, we might never actually know for sure if this is the full and real answer to this question, since there’s no way to ask babies directly whether or not their sleeping brains are filled with sugar plums and fairies. (Their verbal skills just aren’t good enough for that yet!).

But many of these leading researchers believe that babies spend their time in REM sleep concentrated on doing a more important task than dreaming.

During these deep rest moments of their sleep cycles, researchers claim, your baby’s brain is busy building neural pathways that will boost their cognitive function and eventually help them learn language.

Building those neural pathways takes up all their brain energy, leaving dreaming as the last priority.

When Do Babies First Dream Then?

The answer to the question when do babies first dream? partly depends on your little one’s developmental milestones. Most children are actively dreaming by the age of 3, though they experience these dreams very differently than adults do during their sleep in REM.

While adult dreams might feature a full narrative arc with a cast of main characters and complex visual images, infants and toddlers report having dreams that lack a full story structure. The story aspect of dreams arises between the ages of 5 and 7, when their brain development and maturity allows them to experience themes, characters, and actions.

Do Babies Have Scary Dreams?

Because young babies don’t dream, parents don’t have to be worried that their child is experiencing scary dreams during their sleep time.

Nightmares can be a frequent occurrence for children between the ages of 6 and 10, and there’s a biological reason for this. Though babies aren’t dreaming, the brains of older children come alive with images. Their amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for emotions like fear—becomes activated during their sleep in REM, while the part of the brain that tempers emotions goes dormant.

Though children are able to experience nightmares as soon as their brains develop the maturity to dream, these become more frequent as they age.

Luckily, this stage of frequent nightmares is short-lived. This tendency toward nightmares often disappears as the brain develops and reaches maturity, around the age of 11 or 12.

How Do I Help My Newborn Baby Get Better Sleep?

Setting up the right sleep environment is key when you’re helping your little one sleep soundly. Even though babies aren’t having nightmares through the night, they can still have a hard time getting to sleep or can have trouble falling into the deep rest sleep cycle they need.

Whether you’re caring for a newborn baby, an infant, or an older child, best advice for helping your little ones sleep through the night remains the same.

Prepare a bed that’s cozy, but provides the support they need to stay safe while they sleep. Establish a calming bedtime routine that settles them down and clues them in that it’s time to close their eyes. And stay aware of when your little one is sleepy so they can get rest when they need it most.

That way you’ll help make your little one the happiest baby they can be, while making every moment of their sleep count.

The Best Baby Sleep Positions for Nighttime Comfort and Safety

Posted on July 12, 2022May 1, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

When it comes to safe sleep positions for newborns, there’s one that reigns supreme: putting babies to sleep on their back (as opposed to having baby sleeping on side or stomach).

But up until late in the 20th century, there weren’t firm recommendations on what positions best supported baby’s safe and nurturing sleep. That all changed in 1988, when medical societies in the Netherlands began claiming that stomach sleeping could lead to health and safety concerns for newborns.

By 1994, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) unrolled the Safe to Sleep campaign, a sleep campaign that promoted back sleeping as the only safe position for newborn babies.

So do the initial findings of the Safe to Sleep campaign still hold up? And what happens if you just can’t get your baby to stay in one safe position during the night?

Find out everything there is to know about helping your baby sleep safely and soundly with infant sleep positions.

So What’s the Deal with Stomach Sleeping? Why Isn’t Stomach Sleeping Safe?

In truth, researchers aren’t sure why belly sleeping leads to health and safety concerns. Some studies suggest that when babies sleep on their stomach they are forced to breathe back in their exhaled breath, leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide in their body and a decrease in oxygen levels. This breath pattern could lead to overheating, since it becomes harder for your baby’s body heat to escape when they are taking back in their previously-exhaled carbon dioxide.

However, what is clear to researchers is that back sleeping is the position that best supports your baby’s healthy development.

As studies have found, newborn babies who sleep on their back are less likely to experience stuffy noses, fevers, and ear infections.

And while newborn babies who sleep on their stomachs tend to be less reactive to noise, experience less need for movement, and often drift into longer periods of deep sleep during the night (all of which might sound like welcome news to parents wanting to get some much-needed shuteye themselves!), this lessened responsiveness comes with risks.

When your newborn baby is less reactive while sleeping, they’re more likely to get stuck in an unsafe position when they sleep.

This is why putting your baby to sleep on their back offers a level of confidence in baby’s safety that other sleep practices and positions don’t allow.

What About My Baby Sleeping on Side? Is That One of the Safe Sleep Practices?

Experts recommend that babies steer clear of sleeping on their side for one simple reason: when your baby falls asleep on their side, it’s easier for them to roll onto their stomach.

Though there’s no way to prevent your newborn baby from side sleeping, you can start by ensuring that you’re always putting your baby to sleep comfortably on their back. If they turn over during the night, simply roll them back over and let them continue to rest.

Sleeping close to your newborn baby during their first months of life—by participating in safe co sleeping and room sharing—can help you keep a close eye on your baby as they fall asleep. It can also make it easier to recognize unsafe sleeping positions and adjust your baby’s sleeping habits throughout the night.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room sharing with your newborn baby for at least the first six months (and ideally the first year) of their life as a way to quickly respond to any concerns and ensure their healthy development.

When Can I Stop Worrying About My Baby Sleeping on Side or Stomach?

Stomach and side sleeping stops being a concern for babies once they are able to easily roll themselves out of an unsafe position. If your little one is able to easily roll back-to-tummy or tummy-to-back, then it may be a sign that you can ease up on your concerns about their sleeping position.

Babies usually develop this skill around 12 months of age.

Until it’s clear that your baby has hit the necessary developmental milestones, you should continue to promote back sleeping by putting them to rest in that position when they go in the crib.

I’ve Heard My Baby Might Choke While Back Sleeping. Is That True?

Some parents worry that back sleeping might promote choking or vomiting by making it hard for babies to clear their throat when fluids come. Fortunately, research has found that healthy babies are able to rely on their natural coughing reflex to easily clear their throat.

Because of the position of the trachea when babies sleep on their back, fluids also have to fight gravity to get from the stomach to your baby’s mouth. This actually makes choking less of a concern, since fluids have a more difficult path to follow when going up your baby’s throat.

What’s the Best Way to Support Safe Sleep Practices As Babies Grow?

It’s easier to be aware of your baby’s sleep position—and support safe sleep practices!—when you’re able to keep a close eye on your little one.

Sleep tools like a safe co sleeper, bedside crib, or bedside bassinet let you catch rest while being within arm’s reach of your baby, making it easy to shift your little one’s position if you see baby sleeping on back or on stomach.

So they are able to sleep safely–while you feel peace of mind all night long.

How to Make Your Babybay Bedside Crib Mobile

Posted on May 11, 2022May 1, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

It’s no secret that bedside cribs and co-sleepers offer a host mind and body-boosting benefits, while helping the whole family get more restful nights of sleep. (Like making nighttime nursing easy and giving baby a healthy psychological and physiological development jumpstart — just to name a few of our faves!)

But you can enjoy an even bigger benefit boost by choosing a bedside co-sleeper that isn’t just safe and supportive for your little one, but is versatile as well.

Because when your bedside crib can easily transform into a portable bassinet, you have even more flexibility when it comes to choosing how you’ll nurture your baby during their sleeping and waking hours— while also making things easier on you.

The Pros of Using a Portable Bassinet

A portable bassinet, a bedside crib, a bedside co-sleeper: there are plenty of options out there when it comes to choosing a place for your baby to rest their head and catch some Z’s.

But when it comes time to choose which will work best for your family, finding one that matches your lifestyle needs — as well as the needs of your little one — is key.

How to Make Your Bedside Crib Moveable

Though some families might decide that choosing a baby co-sleeper that securely attaches to their own bed might offer everything they need, others may find that choosing a more moveable option (like a wooden bassinet or bedside crib) is better for them.

For parents who have a nursery space that they’re hoping to move baby into when the time eventually comes to transition from co-sleeping, having a bassinet with wheels lets them roll baby back and forth between rooms, helping baby become well-accustomed to both.

A bassinet with wheels also allows you to move your baby to new rooms in the house without waking them.

This can be a much-needed feature for families who want to keep baby close throughout the day without needing to rely on a baby monitor, stock up on extra products, or feel confined to the bedroom to do it.

Your Baby Bassinet Makes It Easier to Offer Comfort

A baby bassinet for bed is also perfect for families who find that their baby prefers to be rocked or swayed to keep calm throughout the night.

Without needing to leave the warmth of your covers, you can easily reach over and comfort your baby with a rocking motion by gently moving your baby’s portable bassinet back and forth.

Meaning you’ll be able to keep resting, even as you give your little one the kind of comfort that lets them happily drift back to dreamland!

Take an inside peek at how one family made their babybay mobile with the bassinet conversion kit — and loves the flexibility it offers!

Your Wooden Bassinet Will Keep Your Baby Cocooned

Your baby has just spent 9 months in the womb. And though they might be excited to have all the adventures the world has to offer, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t going to be a transition period when they experience a little discomfort while getting used to their new environment.

Traditional cribs are big. And while this might sound like a good thing at first (it gives my baby plenty of room to grow, right??), having too much extra space can be disorienting for some babies.

But when you convert your babybay co-sleeper, into a wooden bassinet, you’re able to enjoy all the advantages of a bassinet or crib —while making it easier for your baby to sleep happily in the more familiar and comforting embrace of a smaller sleeping space.

All babybay co-sleepers (including ones that have been transformed into a portable bassinet) are artfully designed to mimic the half-moon embrace of a hug (a shape your baby will be all-too-familiar with after growing in the womb).

So while your baby is soaking up all the new things the world has to offer, they’ll feel fully loved and embraced in comfort while doing it.

How to Turn Your babybay Bedside Co-Sleeper Into a Portable Bassinet

The bassinet conversion kit makes it easy to turn your babybay co sleeper into a bedside crib or wooden bassinet with wheels.

All it takes is a few minutes to install the guard rail, and you have a safe way to move your baby’s sleeping space around the house with ease.

Your baby’s co-sleeper mattress is fully height-adjustable, which makes it easy to line up their sleeping space to the height of your own bed and reach over to care for them during the night without having to leave the comfort of your sheets.

And though our uniquely-designed guard rail is made to keep you comfortable as you care for your baby, that doesn’t mean that it’s not equally comfortable and safe for your little one!

They’ll feel snuggled in a sleeping space made-just-for-them, protected by a guard rail that will keep them safe through all sleeping and waking hours.

[Get a mobile babybay!]

How to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night (So You Sleep Better Too!)

Posted on May 4, 2022May 1, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

Here’s a fast fact that may surprise you (or may not surprise you, depending on how many newborns you’ve cared for over the years): by the age of two, most children will have spent more time asleep than they’ve spent awake.

But as any parent of a newborn baby knows, figuring out how to help your baby sleep through the night can be a challenge. Because though your baby might love escaping to dreamland, that doesn’t mean they’re good at catching Z’s on your schedule.

Luckily, there are a few tricks to put your baby to sleep that will help the whole family enjoy a better night of rest. Here are 4 of our sleep-giving favorites:

1. Discover Baby Sleep Cues

When your baby is tired, they’ll tell you.

Okay, it might not be quite that easy! But every baby has sleep cues that will clue you in that they’re in need of some rest.

Catching these clues is key. Because when it comes to how to make baby sleep at night, things can get tricky when your baby skips over “tired” and heads straight toward “over-tired.”

Though it might seem counterintuitive, it can be difficult to calm an over-tired baby down and settle into sleep. And by “difficult,” we mean 100% harder than if you catch your baby’s need for sleep right as it’s hitting the “I’m ready for bed” stage.

Not only is it often a challenge to put an over-tired baby to sleep, but over-tired babies can actually have a harder time staying asleep once they’ve finally closed their eyes.

Feeding will also become the last thing they want to do, often leading to a few more mid-night wake up calls than you want to take on as a sleepy parent. Which means both their sleep schedule and feed schedule could get disrupted when you miss their baby sleep cues, and yours could too.

How to recognize your own baby’s sleep cues:

Baby sleep cues can vary from kiddo to kiddo.

But if your baby is yawning, acting over-quiet or over-calm, is seeming fussy, is rubbing their eyes, seems disinterested, or is less social than normal, it might be a sign that they’re ready for sleep.

The most important thing is to start paying attention to your baby’s patterns and recognizing when changes in behavior are a sign it’s time for them to get rest.

Helping your baby get proper amounts of sleep during the day will also help them be less over-tired at night, while more easily cluing you in to whether or not those changes in behavior are just a little late-day grumpiness…or a clear sign that it’s time to get cuddled up in their baby bed.

2. Help Baby Sleep Through the Night With the Perfect Baby Bedtime Routine

During the first few months with your baby, it might feel like getting your baby to sleep at night is the top priority no matter what you have to do to make it happen.

If you’re feeling in “sleep survival mode” while running on just a few short hours of shut-eye yourself, it can be easy to rely on rocking baby to sleep as a way of getting your little one to snooze as quickly as possible.

However, these aren’t always sustainable ways of getting your baby to sleep at night. In the long run, your baby can become reliant on that pre-bedtime feed or pre-bedtime rock as a way of dropping off to dreamland.

And while this works fine for some families and some babies, other parents discover that their sleep is more interrupted and harder to get when their baby has a nursing-to-sleep association or depends on being rocked to sleep.

As your baby passes the 2-3 month mark, you’ll start to understand their sleep patterns better.

Which is why this is a good time to find other ways to clue your baby in that it’s time to get some rest.

Consider putting together a bedtime routine that soothes your baby through gentle cuddling, snuggling, singing, or quiet reading.

If you keep consistent about performing your chosen routine right before bedtime, your baby will begin to understand that these mean it’s time for them to get some sleep — so you can get some sleep too!

3. Get Baby to Sleep at Night By Helping Them Differentiate Between Day and Night

When your baby is first born, they don’t really know the difference between day and night. (And for good reason! They’ve spent the last 9 months in the womb, after all.)

They need to learn when the best time of day to rest is, and how to know when it’s time to be awake.

(In technical terms: they need help developing a healthy circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock that helps us know when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to be awake in the world).

One of the best tricks to get baby to sleep is to adapt their environment so that the difference between day and night is clear.

Leave the windows open to let light in during the day, and keep these daytime hours as the most energetic and social ones you’ll spend with your baby.

As the night comes, start to dim the lights, do calming activities like putting on light music, and hold off on giving your baby as much social time.

Over time, your baby will start to understand that there are differences between night and day, while feeling more encouraged to be calm and restful during those dark and quiet nighttime hours.

4. Use a Baby Co-Sleeper or Bedside Crib

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room sharing (or sleeping in the same room as your baby) for at least the first year of their life.

And that’s for good reason: the AAP recognizes how important close contact (including skin-to-skin contact) is for helping your baby feel safe and secure.

There are plenty of benefits that come from sleeping close to your baby with a baby co-sleeper or bedside crib.

In addition to giving your baby a feeling of nurturing support that lasts all night long (and keeps them happily drifting in dreamland for long, peaceful stretches of hours at a time), a baby co-sleeper can make nighttime nursing easier by helping you give baby what they need —without there being too much disruption to your own sleep.

And if your baby needs calming during the night, you’ll be able to offer them comfort and love without even needing to leave the bed.

Meaning you’ll help baby sleep through the night — without having to disrupt your own rest to do it (which is a definite win-win!).

Why Crib Safety Standards Matter (And Why Not All Cribs Are Created Equal)

Posted on April 28, 2022January 31, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

Babies spend a lot of time sleeping. And when we say a lot, we mean it. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that newborns get between 14-17 hours of sleep a day. Which is why crib safety standards are such an important thing for parents to understand.

Because your baby spends more time snoozing away in their bedside co-sleeper, baby bassinet, or crib than they spend in any other room — or on any other piece of furniture — in your house.

And though crib safety standards are something that are pretty important when it comes to ensuring your little one’s safety all night long, the truth is…

It can be difficult to understand how crib safety standards should affect your choice of bedside co-sleeper or crib model. Or to cut through all the formal-lingo to understand what’s really going on.

So we’re about to break down the importance of crib safety standards in ways that are a little easier to understand.

First Thing’s First: Who Sets Baby Crib Safety Standards and Guidelines?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is the head office tasked with overseeing the safety of cribs. This is the agency of the U.S. government that oversees the safety of consumer products (as their name suggests) and sets general safety standards for how and when products can be used.

There are a few general guidelines that all manufacturers of baby products must follow, as well as a few tests they must pass. These tests address things like lead content and phthalate content (aka: chemicals that make plastics more durable, but aren’t the healthiest for your little one).

But when it comes to baby cribs, things get a little more complicated when it comes to the mechanical and construction side of things.

Believe it or not, the Consumer Product Safety Commission didn’t set mandatory crib safety standards for manufacturers until 2011.

Up until then, there were recommended safety guidelines that baby crib manufacturing companies were asked to follow — but none that were considered set in stone, non-negotiable “must-dos.”

Though many parents are interested in how to make an old crib safe, the CPSC considers old and vintage cribs (no matter how beautiful or decorative they are!) one of their “Most Wanted” dangerous products.

And for good reason! One slight design flaw — like slats that are set too far apart or a decorative pattern in the wrong place — can easily become unsafe for babies. And any corner posts that aren’t well-constructed can easily catch on a newborn’s clothes and pose a risk.

This is why when it comes to choosing the best baby co-sleeper, bedside crib, bedside bassinet, or standalone crib for your little one, it’s a good idea to stop looking for how to make an old crib safe and instead seek out a crib or co-sleeper designed with safety as the top priority.

Are There Really Best Baby Cribs That Take the Top Spot for Safety?

Sure, safety standards might now be mandatory (thanks to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which we just discovered is the government agency who sets baby crib safety standards and guidelines). But that doesn’t mean that all baby crib or baby co-sleeper manufacturers think of safety the same way.

Many baby product manufacturers still consider safety as a “must do,” rather than a mission.

At the end of the day, there’s a big difference between checking off all the safety boxes and going above and beyond to give your baby a space to rest their head that is safe, secure, and perfectly built to support them through their many hours of rest!

One thing that sets different bedside co-sleepers or cribs strongly apart are the materials used in their construction.

It’s still common for cribs and baby co-sleepers to be made with toxic glues, paints, and plastics that can be harmful to your baby’s health.

Certain paint finishes and glues release gasses that include formaldehyde, benzene, phenol, phthalates (and plenty of other ones that are equally hard to pronounce!) that can cause irritation, cause cancer, or damage the liver, kidney, and central nervous system.

And though these gasses can be harmful outdoors, they can be even more concentrated and harmful (10x more concentrated, in fact!) when they’re found on products indoors.

So when seeking out the best baby co-sleeper crib, it’s not enough to just look for one that has checked off all the mandatory boxes, but one that has made smart and safety-centered choices when it comes to everything from engineering to construction.

How Does the babybay Baby Co-Sleeper Do Safety Differently?

At babybay, we believe that your family’s health and safety is what matters most.

We were proud when we received the gold star for safety from ASTM International, TÜV Rheinland, and Confidence in Textiles (some of the biggest names in safety certification!). But that wasn’t enough for us.

We wanted to check off all the safety boxes, and then go above and beyond in providing your baby with a made-just-for-them safe sleep space that doesn’t just give them security…but also you peace of mind.

That’s why we build all of our baby bedside sleepers using sustainably sourced and ethically manufactured 100% beechwood.

And our beechwood isn’t coated with chemicals. We keep it just as nature intended — non-toxic and pure.

This means you get to enjoy all the many benefits of co sleeping without worrying about whether the materials in your crib are hurting your baby’s health (because we’re always all-natural over here).

So if you’re trying to decide what kind of baby bed is best for your family, understanding crib safety standards is a good place to start.

But then seek out the cribs and baby sleeper options that are going above and beyond when it comes to safety — and are committed to giving you and your baby better nights of rest.

Just starting to explore co-sleeping?

Discover how the babybay has helped thousands of families co sleep safely.

How to Make Co-Sleeping Comfortable (For You and Your Baby)

Posted on April 20, 2022February 28, 2023 by Sarah Birdwell

In the United States (and much of the Western world), we’re pretty big fans of catching quality Z’s while cocooned in super-soft bedding. And while there’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfy and cozy through the night, it can be challenging to fit your co-sleeping baby into your bedroom equation when you know that the oh-so-comfortable bedding you love isn’t quite right for them.

But there have to be answers to how to safely co sleep with baby that don’t sacrifice your own comfort, don’t there?

**Good news: there are ways to keep your baby comfortable while co-sleeping that will prioritize your own comfort during sleep time just as much as they prioritize theirs.**

To feel super-comfortable all night long while your baby is safely co-sleeping close by, all you need is the right crib (and a little bit of know-how when it comes to common co-sleeping terms!). But we’re going to break all that down now…

How to Safely Co-Sleep With Baby: Why the Sleep Surface Matters

When you’re co-sleeping with your baby, the mattress matters.

Most mattresses made for babies would feel too firm to satisfy adults. But that firmness is exactly what your baby needs to breathe easily and feel like their body is properly supported throughout the night.

That’s why when it comes to mattresses for your baby, the firmer the better!

But as parents begin to explore co sleeping, they wonder whether taking advantage of all the co sleeping benefits means tossing out their much-loved mattress for one that their baby will prefer.

Parents who choose to bed share (the term used to describe the practice of inviting your baby to share your bed through the night) might need to put extra thought and consideration into which mattress they choose. Meanwhile, cribs like the babybay bedside sleeper make it easy to safely co sleep while keeping your long-loved mattress.

That’s because the babybay bedside co sleeper helps you prioritize safe co sleeping positions by practicing what is often called separate surface co sleeping.

Separate surface co sleeping is exactly how it sounds—instead of making room for your baby on your own mattress, you get to snore the night away on the bedding you love, while baby co sleeps on a mattress of their own.

You get to take advantage of all the co sleeping benefits that come from being no more than an arm’s reach away from your baby, while being filled with the peace of mind that comes from knowing baby is cradled in safe co sleeping positions that will keep them rested and happy.

Co-Sleeping With Baby Comfortably: Why Separate Surface Co-Sleeping Is Best

The truth is, no matter how careful you are when setting up your shared sleeping space and preparing to bed share, it can be incredibly challenging to set up an environment that works equally well for both you and baby.

You’ll have to meticulously strip away all your memory foam mattress pads, soft quilts, comfy bedding, plush pillows, and take care to make sure that there are no gaps between the mattress and headboard or mattress and wall that could be dangerous if your baby gets stuck.

But bedside sleepers like the babybay fit flush against your bed and cradle your baby in their own nurturing cocoon—so that you can rest easy and comfortably while knowing they’re doing the same.

And rather than wondering how to co sleep with baby while still feeling comfy-as-can-be yourself, you can be confident that baby has everything they need to sleep safely through the night…on a co sleeper mattress made just for them.

Co-Sleeping Benefits: How Does Separate Surface Co-Sleeping Affect the Benefits You’ll Get?

There are plenty of cosleeping benefits to love (like better bonding between you and baby, better support for baby’s developing body and mind—the list goes on!).

And luckily, you and baby can still experience all those benefits while choosing to sleep in safe co sleeping positions with the help of a baby crib like a bedside sleeper.

Though you might be moving baby out of your bed and into a made-just-for-them space of their own, you’ll still be close enough for them to feel the positive effects of being by your side—and take advantage of the benefits that come from that kind of closeness.

Which means you never have to worry again whether discovering how to safely co-sleep with baby without giving up your own comfy mattress means that baby won’t be enjoying all the positives that co-sleeping has to offer.

Because you’ll know that during all the nights that you’re sleeping happily, comfy as can be…

Your baby is feeling comfortable, nurtured, and supported during every second of their own sleep.

Choose Your babybay

How to Break Co Sleeping and Move Baby into a Room of their Own

Posted on April 13, 2022April 28, 2022 by Sarah Birdwell

There’s a reason why co sleeping has been one of the most-loved sleeping practices throughout history (and continues to be the bedtime norm for over 70% of children in the world!). Sleeping close to your baby gifts the whole family with better nights of rest, while promoting deep bonding during waking and sleeping hours.

But there inevitably comes a time in every co sleeping family’s journey when stopping co sleeping seems like the right next step. And when that time comes, it can be difficult to know how to break co sleeping and move your baby to a room of their own without it causing baby (or you!) extra stress.

Luckily, all you need to ease the transition from co sleeping is a little planning—and a little patience!

That’s why we’re breaking down some of our top tips for smoothing the transition from co sleeping to a room of baby’s own—so that you can help your baby feel comfortable in their new space, while taking all the stress out of stopping co sleeping.

Know that there probably will be a transition period when stopping co-sleeping

Though you might know that it’s the perfect time to transition your baby to a room of their own, that doesn’t mean that your baby will be immediately on board.

That’s because babies—just like adults!—are creatures of habit, and getting used to a new setup after so many months spent catching shuteye co sleeping safely by your bedside will take a little getting used to.

Even if you just know that your baby is fully ready for this next milestone in their co sleeping journey, you should still be realistic that getting baby comfortable with the change might involve a few nights of frustration (for you both!).

If you’ve been practicing safe co-sleeping positions for a while now (like catching your Z’s with a bedside co-sleeper!), then baby has gotten used to having you close and easily accessible if they want love, cuddles, or nursing during the night.

Though we have every confidence they’ll get used to their room soon—and you should have that confidence too!—it doesn’t mean that you won’t have to put a little work in to showing them that you’re still there to care for their every need (even if you’re no longer sharing a room!).

When deciding when to stop co-sleeping, choose the right time

If it’s deep in the holiday season and you have a few dozen family members roaming your hallways and sleeping on your couch, it’s probably not the right time to decide to stop co sleeping.

When deciding how to break co sleeping, choose a time when all is calm in your household and there aren’t any major life changes or stresses—like big work projects or family events—that could make it difficult for both you and baby to focus all your attention on the task at hand.

During this time of transition, you should be focused on helping your baby get comfortable with their new sleeping arrangement. If life is feeling a little on the crazy side, consider waiting to transition from co sleeping until things have settled down.

Don’t just stop cosleeping cold turkey! Have some sleepovers

Just because it’s time to stop cosleeping doesn’t mean the transition from cosleeping to a room of baby’s own has to happen all at once.

You can help your baby get used to their new room by planning to spend a few nights on a mattress or sleeping bag on their floor.

If you’ve been practicing safe co-sleeping positions with the help of a bedside co sleeper bed, then your baby has gotten very used to having you within arm’s reach.

You can get them used to sleeping alone—while also helping them feel comfortable, confident, and nurtured in their new room—by showing them that you’re still physically there to support them.

Ease the transition from co-sleeping by finding other ways to bond

One of the biggest co sleeping benefits is how much time your baby gets to spend with you.

When baby is sleeping by your side with the help of a tool like the babybay bedside co sleeper, your night hours are full of deep moments of bonding.

As you make your plan and consider how to break co sleeping so that the transition is as stress-free as possible for the whole family, consider putting a new cuddles-filled nighttime routine in place before you make the transition.

Finding ways to show baby your love before they go to sleep—and getting them used to that routine before they move into a room of their own—will help them feel physically and emotionally supported in their new setup.

So that during the nights when they’re getting used to sleeping in a room all their own, they know that your love is still close by.