When you have a young baby, you want to keep them with you all the time and you also want to keep your baby comfortable and comforted.
If your baby is hard to settle, or has a condition like colic that means they find it hard to rest, you may have days when you feel as if you get nothing done.
Here are a few simple ideas for how to keep your baby close to you, comfy and settled around your home.
Settled night times
Very small babies need lots of sleep – in fact, babies between birth and three months sleep for as much as 23 hours per day and in the first two weeks, are asleep more than they are awake. Even bearing this in mind, night times are very important and your baby should be put to sleep in your bedroom with you, on a firm, flat mattress with a waterproof cover and sleeping in the “feet to foot” position at the bottom of the cot or crib. Bedding should come just to the shoulders – or better still, choose the right baby sleeping bag for the time of year. Make bedtime and night time dark and quiet and never fall asleep with your baby in your arms in bed.
Find out more about your baby’s sleep in the first three months.
Travel with baby
If you are going away for a weekend with family or friends or for your first holiday with your new baby, it pays to be organised and to take all you might need with you.
A travel cot is a great addition to your home; not only can you use it when you are travelling but you can also use it as a safe and comfortable place for your baby to rest and play while you are at home. Portable, it can go with you from room to room (never try to move it with your baby in it).
Read our review of the Graco Contour Electra here
Spend time together during the day
If you want to get on with a few household chores and catch up with friends on your laptop during the day, you need to know that your baby is safe and happy while you get on. That’s where a baby bouncer such as the Graco All Ways Soother really comes into its own.
With its cradling seat and newborn insert, the All Ways Soother is the next best thing to having your baby in your arms. With just a gentle push, the seat will rock gently to help your baby to settle. Its inclined position also helps your baby if they suffer from reflux or colic, as the baby’s head is held above the stomach and helps prevent stomach contents from being pushed up into the oesophagus. Alternatively, it can be clipped onto the base which has a range of movements – see more below.
Read our review of the Graco All Ways Soother here
This is also great for play time, as the toys keep your baby entertained.
Don’t forget to give your baby some tummy time too, on a play mat on the floor!
Graco calms and comforts with its new all ways soother
Graco’s new All Ways Soother will move and soothe babies like parents do. The innovative All Ways Soother with removable rocker is a multi-use baby soother that offers 16 soothing motions for the most baby smiles. Moving from side to side and up and down, this replicates the motions that parents use to soothe their baby.
Suitable from birth to approximately nine months old (0-9kg), it features a multi-directional seat with eight ways to swing, in two directions. The All Ways Soother has six swing speeds and two vibration speed settings.
Parents will love that the removable rocker makes it a multi-use soother for use throughout the home.
Head to our Facebook page to win the Graco All Ways Soother
Little ones will find there is plenty to keep them entertained with 10 charming melodies and five nature sounds. A mobile with two soft toys will help to keep baby alert and attentive. For optimal comfort, the All Ways Soother has three recline positions and a plush seat pad with removable infant head and body support.
The All Ways Soother comes with an AC adapter for convenience.