My Infant Sleep Tips

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This post is in partnership with DockATot.

I didn’t get good sleepers. My middle child wasn’t so bad, but the other two? They were refuse to close my eyes – I’m going to cry for hours – why do you torture me by putting me in this crib? – kind of sleepers. We did everything that the baby books told us and have even worked with an expert to help us with the youngest. Bedtime/naptime still isn’t perfect, but we have made lots of improvement this time around and these are my favorite infant sleep tips for staying sane and getting sleep. 

Bedtime Routine – Diaper change, pajamas, quiet play, books in the rocker, lights off, drink a bottle and into bed. At the same time. Every night. I’m not a type A person, but I get a little particular about bedtime. Even though our baby is young, having a set bedtime routine helps him recognize that we are getting ready to sleep and calm him down, as opposed to laying him down wide awake in his crib. 

Read – Yes, it may seem silly to read books to a baby, but I promise you it’s not. We started reading regularly to all three of our kids when they were around six months old. There are many benefits of reading to your little one. We read the same Goodnight story to him (routine!) every night, he loves the pictures and turning the pages and it lets him know it’s almost time for sleep. 


Favorite Products
– As parents, we get bombarded with the latest and greatest of products that will supposedly change our life. I can’t promise that these will work for your tiny sleeper, but these have helped everyone at our house get a better night of sleep. 

  • DockAtot: This is a place for babies to rest, play, and lounge. I love how the rounded sides help him feeling snug and secure. It is made from hypo-allergenic materials that are breathable for baby. We used the smaller DockAtot Deluxe when he was a newborn and it was perfect for co-sleeping. Now we are using the larger DockAtot Grand that he will be able to use until he is 3 years and 40 lbs, and as he gets older the DockAtot Grand can help him transition to a toddler bed. For now, we love that he can use it to calm down and relax or play quietly before bed, we love that it is portable so it can easily be used upstairs, downstairs or at Grandma’s, and I love that it is machine washable (because we know that white cover stays white for approximately 10 minutes). 
  • Sound Machine: I didn’t get all the hype behind sound machines with my first two, but now that the brothers are bigger and LOUD when I am trying to get the baby to sleep, the sound machine has proved quite useful. Not only does it block out sound, but babies like the white noise sound because it mimics the sounds in the womb. I like the myBaby portable sound machine because it easily moves from room to room (if needed) and has different sound choices, so we can play music during play time and ocean sounds at night. 
  • EcoPacifier: I do like that this is made from natural rubber, but the reason it’s one of my favorite products is the large handle! The handle makes it easy for baby to find and grab on their own and soothe themselves when they wake up in the middle of the night. 


Does anyone else have difficult sleepers? What are your infant sleep tips?