Things I Wish I'd Bought Earlier: Infant Sleep Tools

My swaddling skills could be improved. I rely on the Halo Sleep Sack now.

What to buy before baby arrives? It can be tempting to over-prepare and stuff your home full of brightly colored, battery-sucking objects. We leaned towards the "less is more" side and have since discovered a few things we wish we'd bought earlier to help with his sleep. Infant sleep can be difficult and perplexing. Here are a few things that have helped him, and us, to sleep better:

Halo Sleep Sack: A nifty "blanket you can wear" that zips up and has (straight-jacket-like) wings that secure with velcro to keep baby's arms down. I thought it seemed cruel at first, but by keeping the baby tightly swaddled, he doesn't wake himself up when his legs or arms swing around (seemingly) on their own. Thanks to an experienced mamma-friend for giving us our first one.

Dr. Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block video: It seems goofy at first, but his "five Ss" really, really work. So many friends recommended this and they were right.

Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Portable Bassinet: Keep the baby next to the bed - or anywhere - to reach in and sooth him. In fact, it is next to my desk right now and I'm rocking it with my foot as I type. Perfect for a tiny apartment since it easily folds up.

Philips Avent BPA Free Soothie Pacifier: Our bambino really likes pacifiers. And, happily, pacifiers have been found to help protect babies against SIDS. This one is a single piece that is easy to clean and cannot hold water (or germs) inside of the part that goes in his mouth. Yes, it does look super weird when he is sucking on it, but... at least it is clean. Our other (even the fancy "orthodontic" pacifiers all collected water and started to quickly discolor.

There are lots of lists out there with recommendations about what to buy. And, of course, there are all kinds of surprises and nifty modern items that weren't around when I babysat X years ago. I didn't realize that many infant shirts have fold over sleeves that serve as mittens (cross mittens off your list!)

Of course, every family and baby is different. What worked best for you?