How to prepare
I always recommend the book On Becoming BabyWise: Giving Your Infant The Gift of Nighttime Sleep to new moms. In addition to guiding you through the basics of sleep training, it also gives you a sense of what to expect day by day in the first few weeks at home with your baby. As someone who was completely and utterly clueless about babies before having my own, this was my bible. I also read The Happiest Baby on the Block, but instead I usually recommend just YouTube-ing “The Happiest Baby on the Block” to quickly learn about Dr. Karp’s Five Ss for Soothing Babies.
Bassinet and Crib
One of the great features of the UppaBaby Vista stroller is that it comes with a bassinet that can be used for strolling or overnight sleeping. We registered for the UppaBaby Bassinet Stand to go with it, and Wyatt slept in this next to our bed for his first two months (for most babies, this likely to last quite a bit longer. Wyatt has been 95th+ percentile height and weight for many months!). At that point, I wasn’t quite ready to transition him to his own room, so we used our Lotus Travel Crib in its place for another month until he moved into his crib full-time. We repurposed the bassinet stand as a laundry basket in his bedroom using the supplementary hamper insert. I talk more about our crib and bedding in The Nursery post here. In addition to his crib, we opted for the Naturepedic Lightweight Organic Cotton Classic Crib Mattress, and the American Baby Company Waterproof Organic Quilted Mattress Cover (I bought two – and I recommend you do the same!). I also highly recommend hanging a mobile over the crib – Wyatt is mesmerized with his from RH Baby & Child. For sleeping on the go or co-sleeping, many friends loved the Dock-a-Tot Baby Lounger. I was deterred by its steep price point ($175), but I’d likely spring for it in the future as it’s so universally loved.
Wyatt loved to be swaddled for his first 3 months. I think I tried every swaddle on the market, and my favorites are definitely these two velcro options: HALO SleepSack Plush Dot Velboa Swaddle and SwaddleMe Original Swaddle. (Be warned: use a laundry bag like this to wash the swaddle or anything with velcro, which will destroy the rest of your laundry!) I found the HALO had a bit more longevity as you could also swaddle with arms out, which was Wyatt’s preference after a few months. A portable sound machine is also helpful for soothing baby – we love the Cloud b Sleep Sheep (its portability is very convenient too!). If you’re looking for an OCD analysis of all baby monitors on the market, see my post here for my recommendations.
Any pajamas will do, but I find options with zippers are best for late-night delirious diaper changes. Some of my favorites come from Hanna Andersson – their high-quality organic fabrics look and feel great. For a cheaper option, we bought these Old Navy Footed One-Piece Sleepers in every size for Wyatt and used them nightly until he outgrew them all. We did not end up using the Magic Merlin Sleepsuit as I felt it was too hot in the summer time (it’s made of fleece), but many friends swear by this for babies who persistently wake up during the night.
For sleeping, soothing and general parent sanity, these MAM Newborn Start Orthodontic Pacifiers were my best friend (pack some in your hospital bag!). While the WubbaNub Infant Pacifiers adorable, I found they were too big for Wyatt’s tiny newborn mouth and would fall out all the time. Wyatt stopped taking a pacifier around 4 months (shocking, as he was very attached early on), which I was frankly disappointed by because it was a helpful aid for naptime and bedtime. Some parents are against pacifiers, and I don’t really understand the fuss. All kids will have to wean off of different things as they grow (from breast to bottle, bottle to sippy cup, milk to solids…), so I don’t see pacifiers as any different.
I hope these recommendations are helpful to plan for your baby! Any questions? Leave them in comments or send me an email – I’m happy to try to help. Good luck!