The Mommy Bunch disclaimer

If you are expecting, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve had children before or are looking forward to your first child; you will want to provide the best sleeping conditions for your new baby. Every baby is different, but one thing is for sure, if they are not comfortable you might not get a great nights sleep yourself!

Every baby is different – but great sleep is key!

My son was a great sleeper from the start. We tried a bassinet in our room for a week but that didn’t really work out well for him, or for us. We ended up being able to move him directly to his crib after a couple weeks and he started sleeping through the night pretty well . Of course, not every baby is like this….case in point: our daughter.

I don’t think my daughter slept more than two or three hours at a time, ever. She hated sleeping in the pack-n-play when we were staying at my husband’s folks house for a few weeks before we bought our house, and we didn’t really have a sleeper so she ended up sleeping in bed with me.

This time around I want to make sure my baby is comfortable, and can be nearby without my having to move around too much after my planned C-section. One thing that I planned on adding to my baby shower list was a sleeper. The Taggies Baby Sleeper was a great option because it offered so many great features, plus it is designed to help baby sleep more comfortably. I was thrilled to receive one to review, and after checking it out, I can already tell it will be super comfy for baby!

Taggies Snuggle Me Sleeper

The Taggies Snuggle Me Sleeper Features:

  • Perfectly positioned breathable mesh
  • Peek-A-Boo blanket to provide emotional security
  • Inclined seat to help baby sleep more comfortably
  • Delux plush fabrics and removable bolster cradle to comfort baby
  • Lightweight folding frame to store or move from room to room

Taggies collage

Inclined Sleepers and reflux

Reflux is the word used to describe what happens when the stomach contents – food (milk) and acid – come back up into the gullet or into the mouth. Most babies have a degree of reflux because the muscular valve at the end of their food pipe, which acts to keep food in the stomach, hasn’t developed properly yet. This means that when your baby’s stomach is full, milk can come back up. (source: nct.org.uk)

According to nct.org, there are several things you can do to help ease reflux:

  • Frequent, small feeds may help prevent your baby’s stomach getting too full.
  • Keeping him upright during and for at least half an hour after a feed can help to reduce reflux by using gravity to keep the milk down.
  • Try to keep as still as possible and have quiet time after feed. Formula fed babies may require longer periods to settle because formula is digested at a slower rate than breastmilk.
  • Avoid tight clothing, particularly clothing that is tight around your baby’s stomach, as it can make reflux worse by increasing pressure on the lower oesophageal sphincter.
  • Think about how and when you travel. Most car seats and travel systems have a deep ‘well’ for one static seated position where baby can be slumped in an uncomfortable position. When baby slumps and slouches over like this added pressure is placed on their tummy and the baby will feel the pain of rising acid. This pressure can be very painful and can increase reflux episodes.
  • Gentle movements, perhaps being worn in a sling or being pushed in a buggy, may work well too. Try carrying baby around as much as possible in a baby carrier throughout the day. Carried babies tend to cry less and crying will make reflux worse, plus, it keeps baby upright. Consider different baby slings or wraps and decide what works for you and baby.

AboutMe.sidebar.160Rachel, from Roastedbeanz.com, shared her experience with her newborn and reflux.  She told us, “I had a c-section with Otis and he had horrid reflux – he was born right at 37 wks and not only acid reflux was our issue. We’d burp him constantly but, like most babies, he would spontaneously need to spit up. Unfortunately, unlike most babies, it seemed to get stuck, and he’d choke. The acid reflux seemed to perpetuated this. While in the hospital even, at one day old, a nurse called the “code blue” cord in the hospital and 10 nurses charged into my room to get him breathing again.
So I found that he needed to sleep inclined like this and never laid flat. The portability also helped to camp out on the couch with him as I healed. I would definitely get a sleeper like this one, especially if you are having a C-section!!”

Photo courtesy of Taggies

Ready for baby

I can’t wait for baby No. 3 to get here and try out this new sleeper. If you are pregnant, or know someone who is, this might make the perfect gift to add to the list. One of the things I really like about this sleeper is that it is easy to clean. I also like that it folds up making it easy to move, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space to store.

Check out the Taggies Baby Sleeper at Babies “R” Us and let us know your thoughts!

Tell us….

What type of sleeper did or will you use? Has reflux ever concerned you?