The Complete Guide to Baby Sleep Equipment & Nursery Essentials - A Parent's Honest Take

As a mum of three, I've discovered (the hard way at times) that creating the perfect sleep environment for your baby isn't just about making the nursery look nice. It is about getting the basics right. The priorities are keeping your little one safe, and getting some sleep yourself while you prepare for baby's arrival. Through the sleepless nights, baby nursery redesigns for each new baby, and all the trial and error that go hand and hand with this. I have got some valuable insights to share with you, so you can skip the same struggles I went through.

Nursury Baby Furniture - What Really Matters for a Happy, Rested Baby (and You)

At the heart of any nursery is the baby furniture, and getting it right can make a huge difference in both your baby's comfort and your sanity. After raising 3 kids, I can tell you that quality nursery furniture in your baby's room can adapt to your child's growing needs is worth every penny. Stylish nursery furniture looks great and holds great resell value once you are finished with it.

Baby Crib and Sleeping Solutions

When it comes to bby cribs, I've got a soft spot for Stokke. Not only do their cribs look amazing, but they are also seriously useful pieces of nursery furniture that keep on working as your child grows. The Stokke Sleepi Bed, for instance, is a game-changer. The Stokke crib can start as a bassinet or regular baby crib and eventually adapts as your child grows into a toddler bed. Worth every penny of the premium price tag. Plus, the oval shape is a great space-saver. It still creates a nice cozy spot for newborns to sleep.

I know from experience how quickly you can end up with a piece of baby furniture that is obsolete. With my first child, I bought a regular rectangular baby crib that was useless after 2 years. With the next 2, I went for the convertible baby crib option that grows with your baby - and never looked back.

Baby prams are a great option too. Sign up to the baby registry to pick your favourite nursery furniture now! The link is at the bottom of this article.

Baby Bassinets for Those First Few Months

The first few months are a baby bassinet kind of time. You will want something like a baby bassinet that's going to help you and your baby get some rest. I've tried out a few from different baby brands, and each has its pros and cons. Maxi Cosi bassinets are great because they're so portable and cozy for smaller babies. The Thule's are brilliant if you're outdoor adventures and attach to the Thule stroller too. The Thule brand is made from super durable weather-resistant material. UPPAbaby bassinets have those lovely breathable mesh sides and a firm mattress that's just right for safe sleep plus they attach to the UPPAbaby stroller to make easier transistions from car to stroller. The Baby Bjorn bassinet is comfortable, easy to clean, and have a lovely airy mesh feel.

What I love most about Thule and Uppababy's bassinets is that they're so compatible with their respective strollers. You can just click the whole thing into the stroller and off you go. It is simple to use and keeps the sleep schedule going outside the home. My second baby would fall asleep in the stroller during walks and I could just transfer the whole thing from the stroller to the house without waking her. It saved a lot of potential meltdowns and kept us more rested.

Keeping Your Toddler Sleeping Soundly When Traveling

As your baby grows into a toddler, traveling can be more complicated. The Slumber Pod inflatable toddler bed has been a lifesaver for us. Especially visiting friends or going to the grandparents house. It sets up in minutes, provides a familiar sleep space away from home, and deflates into a tiny travel bag. With 3 kids of different ages, hotel stays used to mean begging for multiple pack and plays or squeezing everyone into one bed. Now our toddler has his own comfy sleep space that keeps his bedtime routine intact even when we're away from home.

Baby Bedding and Blankets - What Works and What Doesn't

Once you've got the baby furniture sorted, the crib bedding is the next big decision. After too many 2 AM sheet changes and crib bedding disasters, I've got some pretty strong opinions on what works and what doesn't when it come to nursery furniture.

Crib Sheets & Crib Mattress Essentials

The Crib sheet and crib bedding should be super soft, really durable, and in abundance. You should have at least 3 sets to account for the inevitable accidents and laundry cycles. I prefer fitted sheets with deep pockets and strong elastic that won't pop off when you're fumbling in the dark at 3 AM. Natural crib bedding fibres like cotton or bamboo blends are best because they breathe really well, reduce overheating risks, and get softer with every wash. Be sure to check for adjustable mattress heights in your crib bedding if applicable.

The crib mattress is your most important bedding investment. A firm one is a must for safety reasons, reducing the risk of SIDS, and providing proper spine support. I recommend dual-sided mattresses that are firmer for the infant side and a bit softer for the toddler bed side. The crib bedding can adapt as your child grows. Waterproof crib mattress protectors are a must, but choose ones that breathe so they do not that crinkly plastic sound that can wake light sleepers. I learned this the hard way with my first baby. Every move sounded like unwrapping candy.

Bamboo Baby Blankets - My New Favourite Thing

• Crucial reminder here - for safe sleep, it's vital that you don't use blankets in cribs with babies under 12 months. These bamboo blankets are perfect for supervised activities, or when your child is old enough to use them safely - or as a cozy layer once they've moved into a toddler bed.

• Baby Sleep Sacks are a good option for babies 0 month to 5 years old. Your child will wear them like pajamas and the Best Seller bamboo sleep sacks will adjust to their body temperature to keep them warm or cooler on the different nights from Belan J.

Belan J bamboo baby blankets have become my absolute favourite for numerous reasons that go far beyond just their obvious practicality. Bamboo fabric has natural hypoallergenic properties and it does not irritate sensitive skin. It is amazingly good at regulating a baby's temperature - whether that's keeping them warm or cool. This means no more wake-ups in the middle of the night because your baby is too hot or cold. Plus, the softness of these bamboo baby blankets is just incredible and gets even better with each wash. We used them for swaddling blankets, tummy time, a stroller cover on cold days, and nursing covers, so they really are a multi-purpose product.

When I was having my third child, I made a point of only using the Best Seller Belan J bamboo blankets and I can honestly say the difference in sleep quality was huge - much better than I'd ever seen with my older two kids, who'd had cotton blankets. The fact that these bamboo ones help regulate temperature has to be the main reason for that - less middle-of-the-night wake ups because baby was too hot or cold. They're a bit pricier than standard receiving blankets, but the durability and multi-use factor more than makes up for it. In fact, I still use the ones from my first child with my youngest - they've lasted years and are still just as soft as the day I got them.

Nursery Decor - Where Function Meets Style

When it comes to nursery decor, it's not just about taking cute photos - though, let's be honest, that's a lovely bonus for you and your baby to spend time in the room together. What really matters is that the right decorative elements make your daily routines that little bit easier and help to create a calm environment that encourages sleep.

Baby Sleep Sacks and Sleep Bags - Safe, Cozy Sleep Solutions

Sleep sacks completely transformed our sleep routines. They provide warmth without the risk of a loose blanket, can't be kicked off during the night, and become powerful sleep association cues.

Why Baby Sleep Sacks Matter - Important Safety Concern

Traditional blankets are a suffocation risk for infants and get kicked off by active sleepers - leaving babies feeling cold and miserable - but sleep sacks solve both issues and make babies feel all snug and secure, helping them get longer, better quality sleep. They're basically wearable blankets that zip or snap on, keeping babies at the perfect temperature all through the night.

Best Selling Baby Sleep Sack Brands

Belan J sleep sacks and  Kyte Baby's sleep sacks are beautifully soft bamboo rayon constructions that are just brilliant at regulating temperature. You can get them in all sorts of TOG ratings for different seasons and room temps, and have a really useful dual-zip design that lets you do a quick nappy change without having to yank the whole thing off - which is a lifesaver at 2 am. Plus, they're really generous in their sizing, so one of them should fit your growing baby for a good long while.

Belan J sleep sacks are basically just like their blankets, but designed for babies - they use bamboo's natural properties to keep the little ones breathing easily and at the right temperature. They're also really soft - and stay that way even after loads of washes - which is a big plus. And the best part? They last, so you can pass them on to the next little one.

Baby Monitors - That Give You Peace of Mind

After three kids, I have tried loads of different baby monitoring systems - and to be honest, the latest baby monitors models are just getting better and better. Nanit is in a whole different league - it's the latest and greatest in baby monitoring technology.

Sign up for the baby registry to pick your favourite sleep bags and sleeps sacks. Use the baby registry !