Among all the responsibilities that come with parenting, getting your baby the best sleep is one of those ones. A better-rested baby is happier, healthier, and more likely to develop better sleep habits early in life. And the best way to help a little one to sleep peacefully is through introducing him to sleeping toys designed specifically for newborns. These toys can help calm, comfort, and even provide a better sleeping experience for your baby. But what are the criteria for the best sleep toys for a newborn? Here’s a guide to help you choose the correct sleeping neonate toys.
1. Softness and Comfort
Newborns are soft-skinned; so, the first and main factor that is supposed to be on the toy is that it should be soft and pleasant to touch. It is always better when the toy is soft with hypoallergenic and safe fabric, completely devoid of any chemicals. Organic cotton or other natural breathable fabrics are great options.
2. Safety Features
safety should be your first priority when choosing any newborns toy. Pick sleeping toys which are made for babies and endowed with strict safety standards. The toy should be free from small parts that could become choking hazards, and the materials should be non-toxic. Always ensure that the sleeping toy is marked safe for infants and has durable and safe qualities. Furthermore, keep off all toys built on batteries or other tiny devices because they could be dangerous in the case the toy is inadvertently damaged.
3. Enchanted Melodies or Songs
Most of the sleep toys meant for infants are provided with a feature to play soft lull abases, white noise, or other such sounds to help tranquilize the infant and get him/her to sleep. Such sound features are good because most babies love these artificial soft continuous sounds, which tend to have a repetitive pattern. It is advisable to source sleep toys that come with volume control features so that you can regulate how noisily the toys play depending on the baby’s tolerance. There are Also toys that offer softly a pulsing heartbeat sound or sounds of nature which are also very much like what the babies were listening to while in the womb and these can be quite soothing too.
4. Gentle Motion or Vibration
Moderate vibration or motion are very comforting measures especially to newborns. This, as a result, is the design of some sleep toys which are made to vibrate or move in a gentle way so as to recreate the feeling of being rocked or cradled in someone’s arms. These small adjustable activities will soothe your infant and help them drift off to sleep. Choose ones that include a soft vibrating function or gentle rocking motion whilst ensuring they are safe and comfortable for your newborn.
5. Nightlight or Soft Glow
A nightlight or soft glow can provide additional comfort to your baby during nighttime sleep. Some sleep toys emit a calming, soft light, which can help soothe your baby without being too bright or disruptive.
6. Size and Portability
There are various considerations when selecting a sleep toy for your infant, size, and portability included. A heavy sleep toy or one that is oversized may be difficult for your newborn to cuddle with, while a toy that is too small might get missing or may get easily misplaced. A medium-sized stuffed toy or pillow that can easily fit into your baby’s crib or bassinet is most suitable. In addition, lightweight, easy to pack and carry sleep toys are preferable especially if there is a need to travel or to move to different areas of the home.
7. Easy to Clean
Younger children are often very dirty; therefore, it is likely that their toys will get dirty with time. Thus, when it comes to the selection of a toy to sleep with, it is better to choose such that cleaning and care for it will not be a problem. Many plush sleep toys come with covers that can be removed and cleaned, or are washable, making caring during cleaning easy. Be cautious especially when reading the cleaning instructions that comes with the toy to determine if it can withstand frequent washing and cleaning without straining its texture or performance.
8. Breathable and Safe Filling
In case you are buying a sleeping toy or a sleeping pillow, opt for a filling that allows for airflow. This helps to avoid excess temperatures which could cause discomfort since it keeps the baby comfortable even at night. Avoid toys with hard or non-breathable materials that may cause risk of suffocation should be avoided.
9. The Importance of a Calming and Familiar Scent
Some sleep toys made for kids are made with calming scents like lavender, which are relaxing in nature. This might be beneficial in helping your toddler take a break but care should be taken not to allow young children play with toys that have been treated with harmful fragrances.
Conclusion
When you want to make your newborn’s bedtime routine relaxing and comforting, picking the right sleeping toy is a key factor. In the quest for the best sleeping toy, one should look for traits such as: soft and snuggly, safe to play with, makes all the right snuggly sounds but not too loud or irritating, nostalgic gentile rocking motion and the aspect of being washed.
