Sweet dreams
Love to Dream is the brand new smart swaddle. From day one mom and baby get a better night’s sleep since this swaddle is designed to allow baby to sleep in their natural position, with their arms up. As they grow, the arms zip off, allowing baby to transition from a swaddle to a wearable blanket. $29.95, lovetodream.com.
Connected momma
The Mimo Baby Monitor is the smartest baby monitor on the market! Get real-time info about your baby from anywhere in the world. Through the sensor worn on the kimono, mom and dad can listen in, check if baby is awake or sleeping, track breathing, know baby’s position, check the room temperature and more. $199, Galt Baby, galtbaby.com.
Bliss for tired parents
The super soft and comfy Monte Como Pure Latex Glider is perfect for those 3 a.m. feedings. Starts at $1,795, Sprout San Francisco, 1943 W. Division, Chicago, (773) 489-0009, sproutsanfrancisco.com.
Room to grow
The Stokke Sleepi Crib grows with your baby, from a bassinet to child-size bed. The bonus? It has wheels, making it a cinch to move. $799, Buy Buy Baby, stokke.com.
Here comes treble
Nothing makes a nursery more peaceful than beautiful music. Add these Chicago-born recordings to your playlist:
Chicago violinist and mom Rachel Barton Pine’s Violin Lullabies is a can’t-miss. Amazon, iTunes, cedillerecords.org, $7.99-$18.99.
Baby needs music as unique as she is, making Chicago Harp Quartet’s debut, Soirées d’été, a perfect pick. Downloads through CDBaby and iTunes for $9.99.
Expert pick
When it comes to the crib mattress, The Baby Guy Jamie Grayson suggests going as organic as possible since your baby (hopefully) sleeps a lot, and you don’t want the flame retardants and toxins found in regular mattresses close to their face. His pick: Naturepedic, which is waterproof, uses organic cotton and offers a 2-in-1 option that flips from a firm infant side to a more cushy toddler option.
“Your mattress is an investment and you’re going to be using it a long, long time,” Grayson says. “People spend $1,000 on a crib, $600 on a stupid stylish diaper bag, but you want a $100 car seat and a $40 mattress. The priorities are backward.”
