Best Baby Sleep Products 2020

Photo Credit: The talented 23rd Avenue Photography

Baby sleep. Ugh, what a struggle that has been for us from the very start. I’ve talked multiple times in Camila’s monthly blog posts about the struggles we faced trying to get a baby with reflux to sleep on her own, so I won’t get into it all again. The GREAT news is that Mila now sleeps on her own in her crib for 11-12 hours straight most nights! This has been life changing for us!

After a year of sleep struggles and testing out every sleep product we could think of, I feel like we have finally narrowed down the “best” baby sleep products on the market in 2020. These are must-have baby items that are perfect to add to your registry or buy for new parents expecting a baby. Without further adieu, here are my suggestions!

The Best Baby Sleep Products of 2020

1. Halo SleepSack Easy Transition Wearable Blanket: This is the wearable blanket that Mila is currently wearing (12 months old). We used it after the Magic Merlin Sleepsuit because it is supposed to help transition babies from swaddling and help prevent the moro (startle) reflex. Although Mila has outgrown this reflex we still use this product because it’s soft and keeps her warm at night without a blanket in the crib.
2. Owlet Smart Sock 3 Baby Monitor: We went back and forth on whether or not we wanted to use this item. During pregnancy I did a lot of research and I was worried about the EMF radiation since the sock sends alerts to your phone, so we held off. Yet, when Mila was a newborn her reflux was so bad it resulted in a call to 9-1-1 and after that none of us were getting much sleep. We gave in and purchased the Owlet sock when she was 4 months old and we were so happy we did! It gave us so much peace of mind to be able to see her heart rate and oxygen levels at night and we also appreciate it when Camila is sick so that we can make sure these vitals are all in safe ranges. For our family, this has been a lifesaver! They also now make a smart sock and video monitor combo!
3. Nested Bean Zen Sleep Sack: This sleep sack is extremely soft and has lightly weighted beads on the chest (they feel like a bean bag). This mimics a caregiver’s hand on the baby’s chest, offering a sense of security. Unfortunately, Camila’s startle reflex was so bad that it didn’t work super well for us because her arms were free. But, I have friends who had great luck with this product.
4. Nanit Plus Smart Baby Monitor: This is one of our absolute must-have baby items. The monitor connects to our phones, so we can watch Camila anytime from anywhere, it tells the temperature and humidity levels in the room, you can speak to the baby from your phone to the monitor, there is a nightlight, and the list goes on and on! We have this monitor with the wall mount, but they also make the Nanit with a Floor Stand. We also have the Nanit Multi-Stand, which allows us to bring the monitor on-the-go or even set it up in different rooms of our house. Nanit has recently added Breathing Wear Swaddles which allow the camera to monitor a baby’s breathing by watching the shapes on the swaddle, which is so cool and smart! If we were to do it all over again we would definitely go for the Complete Nanit Package, which includes all of these products together!
5. Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit: This was by far the very best “swaddle” product we used. Mila was never a huge fan of being swaddled, but she suffered from the moro startle reflex for what felt like forever. This was the only item that helped soothe her and prevent her from startling herself awake.
6. ErgoBaby Omni 360 Carrier: When Camila was a baby and she would need to sleep on the go this was our go-to way of getting her to sleep. It’s great anytime you’re out and about with a baby (shopping, hiking, etc.), not just for sleep!
7. Solly Baby Wrap: Similar to the ErgoBaby Carrier, I would use this baby wrap to get Mila to sleep while walking around. Yet, this product I used more often around the house, rather than out in public. It is very soft and lightweight and we used it every single day until Camila was about 8 months old! I would highly recommend for all mamas to have a wrap at home because nothing soothes a baby like being snuggled up with mama!
8. SwaddleMe Original Swaddle: These were our go to swaddles when Camila was a newborn. Swaddling with a blanket is no easy task and these velcro swaddles make it a million times easier! I also love these cute velcro swaddles for boys.
9. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine: This is another item we have used from Day 1 with Camila and I love that we can continue using it for years to come. This sound machine connects to your phone, making it easy to turn on/off, select the sound, adjust volume, etc. It also doubles as a nightlight. I recently read that you should use a sound machine until a child is 2 years old. Beyond that age we will still be able to use this product as a morning “alarm clock” by telling Camila she isn’t able to get out of bed and wake mommy and daddy until it turns a certain color (you can set this on your phone!)
10. Angelcare Breathing Movement Baby Monitor: As I previously stated, we were a little hesitant about using the Owlet Smart Sock at first. Therefore, this was the breathing monitor we used when Mila was a newborn. What I love about this monitor is that it doesn’t connect to wifi or your phone or have any cords attached. It simply sits underneath the mattress and detects whether or not there is motion (breathing). We still use this daily for naps (although it’s probably not necessary anymore) so that we can limit the amount of time that the Owlet is actually connected to her foot.
11. Newton Baby Crib Mattress: After extensive research during pregnancy this was the crib mattress I settled on and we have been very happy with it. This mattress is 100% breathable, so if your baby rolls onto her tummy while sleeping you can have peace of mind know she can breathe. It is also hypoallergenic, free of all harmful chemicals, and Greenguard Gold Certified. Plus, it’s comfortable!
12. Blackout EZ Curtains (not pictured): These are AMAZING! A completely dark room is essential for baby sleep (and for this mama’s sleep!) I’ve never seen a curtain do a better job than these do. They are wonderful not only for babies, but for anyone who likes sleeping in a dark room, works the night shift, etc. I will warn you, the website is old school and looks a little sketchy, but it is 100% real and 100% great! To see these curtains in action head to my Instagram and watch the stories titled “Baby Tips”.

What are your favorite baby sleep products? Do you have an item that you swear by or a sleep training trick that’s worth sharing? Please drop all of your suggestions in the comments below and help other mamas out!