Baby Sleep Transitions

Navigating baby (and toddler) sleep can be a major challenge and source of stress. Whether you started out in a bassinet, co-sleeping, or something else, transitions can be hard. Going from contact to mattress is one of the hardest.

One of the best pieces of advice we’ve been given, is to start the transition with naps. It can often be easier to soothe baby at nap time, versus bedtime, when everyone involved is exhausted.

Sleep expert Marie-Eve Gagnon (Slumbertime Solutions) shares more:

This is a big transition and it may take some patience and time! When you make changes to naps, start with the first nap of the day, as it is usually the easiest time for baby to fall asleep. 

Newborn Options

Maxi Cosi Bassinet

While it’s true a bassinet is a nice to have and used for a short time, it can be very helpful during those early days of sleep deprivation. Keeping baby bedside gives you flexibility to bring them next to you, and to practice sleeping independently. The size and portability of a bedside bassinet also gives flexibility to keep baby nearby during the day anywhere in your home.

We love the Maxi Cosi bassinet for many reasons.

• It’s compact & stylish

• Adjusts to bedside

• Easily collapses down for storage or travel

Bassinets can also be helpful to help baby transition from contact to sleep, to mattress.

Snoo

The tech driven sleeper that can help soothe baby back to sleep. The Snoo is a great item to start with a rental. Beforing making the big investment, see if your baby finds the ultimate comfort in Snoo.

Transitioning to Crib

Marie-Eve shares some tips for a smooth transition:

When you are ready to move baby from a bassinet to their crib, start with playing in the crib during the day. Repeat several times before baby starts to sleep in the crib.

Next, start to do some naps in the crib, starting with the first nap of the day.

You can sleep on the crib fitted sheet for a few nights. That way your baby will smell you when they are in the crib! 

Babyletto Origami Mini Crib

As we navigated months 6-10 , sleep was very challenging. Being able to move baby around based on noise, light, and just the general chaos of the house, he came to truly love being in his sleep space, no matter what room he was in. He stayed in his mini crib until he sized out, around 18 months.

The Babyletto Mini Crib is:

• Safe & sturdy while also being very easy to collapse

• You can roll it from room to room on wheels

• High quality mattress options available to keep baby comfortable

The Delta Sloane 4-in-1

If you want to skip (or start) with the full size crib, the Delta brand is a great choice. They are affordable, stylish, safe, and many are convertible to toddler beds. This model is so beautiful, the Sloane, and can grow with baby thru all the stages.

Guava Travel Crib

Our all time favorite piece of baby gear is the Guava Travel Crib. While this is not recommended for an everyday solution, it can absolutely help with transitions as baby learns to sleep on their own.

• It’s lightweight

• Much more comfortable mattress than pack n plays

• The most compact and portable travel crib, we love using it at airport gates to keep baby contained, it stores as an overhead piece on flights

For more advice on baby sleep and transitions visit Marie-Eve’s blog.