My husband and I were blessed with an adorable baby, but up until we decided to sleep train, he did. not. sleep. So you can imagine how many swaddles and sleep sacks we tried in an effort to make a difference in his terrible sleeping habits. Unfortunately; none were the magic solution, but we definitely found ones that Nate clearly loved more than others and that did help somewhat. 

Newborn: 

The Snoo - If I could go back in time, I would have spent the $$$ on the very popular Snoo. If you’re not familiar, it’s a smart bassinet that automatically rocks in response to your baby’s cries. The only reason I didn’t go for it is that we’re in a small apartment and the last thing I wanted was to buy an expensive, bulky item that we had no room to store when Nate switched over to the crib. Had I known Nate would be such a terrible sleeper, it would have been worth the hassle of figuring out storage or we could have rented one for the 5 months. All to say that if you do decide to buy a Snoo, you’ll need to buy the compatible swaddles. 

Love to Dream “Hands Up” Swaddle - Nate loved this swaddle for the first couple months of his life. We actually bought two so that we’d always have one available while the other was in the laundry.

Happiest Baby Swaddle - Happiest Baby, the creator of the Snoo, also makes a regular swaddle that we used and Nate loved. It actually did help Nate sleep better for a while and I definitely recommend. We switched to this one after Nate no longer seemed to want his arms up. I’m not sure I can explain how I knew it was time to switch, but I just did. Every baby is different though, so I guess it’s one of those things you’ll just have to feel out. 

Halo Swaddle - I sincerely wish we gave this one a try. We wasted so much time and money on blanket and velcro swaddles before moving onto the popular ones and this one comes highly recommended. I have no doubt it would have helped since the other ones we tried (before discovering the ones listed above) constantly became loose which would wake Nate up.

Transitional Swaddles: 
It’s recommended that you stop swaddling your baby once they start showing signs of rolling over. Some parents move straight to a sleep sack, but since the transition often affects sleep, a lot of people choose to start with a transitional swaddle, which lets your baby have one arm in, one arm out. 

Love To Dream Swaddle UP Transition Bag - If your baby is still loving his/her “hands up” swaddle, this is the perfect transitional swaddle for you. The sleeves zip off, so you can do one arm up, one arm out, until you’re ready to remove both sleeves. We bought it before we realized Nate didn’t want to have his arms up anymore, so it didn’t get used much as a transitional piece, but I love it now as a sleep sack. 

Nested Bean Zen Swaddle - This was an amazing swaddle until the velcro stopped sticking. I love how it can be used from birth until 6 months, but we didn’t start using it until about 3 months since it felt way too big for Nate prior to that. It was great though since it’s gently weighted and your baby can wear it 3 ways - arms in, arms out, or one arm in, one arm out. 
*We are comfortable using, but please note weighted swaddles are not recommended for safe sleep by the AAP.

Sleep Sack: 

Nested Bean Zen Sack - Absolutely LOVE this sleep sack. It’s gently weighted, which is supposed to feel like a hand on your baby’s chest. I especially loved it before Nate decided to start sleeping on his stomach, but I still use it and it’s been great. 

Ely's & Co. Baby Wearable Blanket - I’m starting to shop around for some new sleep sacks for Nate since he’s ready to go up a size and these stood out to me. Since our apartment gets pretty warm, even with the AC running, I only choose wearable blankets that are light and soft, and if they are anything like Ely’s & Co clothes, they will be incredibly soft. They are also very affordably priced and have great reviews.  

Kyte Baby - I also plan on getting Nate a couple Kyte Baby sleep sacks since they are light, known for their softness, and have a super convenient double zipper. 


At the end of the day, there are SO many options at every price point and it may take quite a bit of trial and error to find what works best for your baby, but these are the ones that worked for Nate and I feel comfortable recommending wholeheartedly.  

xx Esther