The pacifier is arguably the best baby product of all time. It’s the ultimate soother for a fussy baby – in the car, at the dinner table, and most importantly in the crib at bedtime. I hear occasionally from parents that their baby refuses to take a pacifier.

This leaves me aghast! First, because I feel very sorry for parents who aren’t able to use this incredible tool. And second, I can’t shake a sense of disbelief that a baby would drink from a nipple but then not take a pacifier.

It is quite clear, though, that all pacifiers are not created equal. Here, I’ll break down which ones I think I are best.
Contents:
Which Pacifier Is Best for Newborns?
Best Pacifier for Older Babies
Pacifier Clips
Teething Pacifiers
Why Use A Pacifier?

Which Pacifier Is Best for Newborns?

At baby showers, expectant mothers receive all manner of adorable pacifiers: pink ones, baby blue ones, with sleek shapes and cute cartoon characters on them. The unfortunate truth from my perspective is that the cute pacifiers are rarely the ones that our babies will take. For most babies, when it comes to pacifiers, the uglier, the better.

Have you ever seen the pacifier that’s used in hospital nurseries and NICUs? It’s an awkwardly shaped monstrosity that seems far too big for a newborn. The color is a hideous blue-green that hasn’t been popular since the 1980’s. It looks nothing like the pacifiers you see in Babies R Us. But newborns take to it like nothing else.

This may be because the hospital Soothie is, well, realistically shaped.

Not so long ago, you could only get Soothie pacifiers at the hospital. At the urging of the nurse who taught our baby classes, I “accidentally” dropped several into the diaper bag while we were at the hospital. It’s a good thing I did.

For the first couple of months, our babies wouldn’t take anything else. Not that we haven’t tried lots of different colors and space-age shapes and Sesame Street character pacifiers. Nothing outperformed the Soothie.

Pacifiers for Older Babies

The Soothie fell out of fashion at around 3 months for my children, though I sometimes see other, older babies still taking them quite happily. We went through a lot of pacifiers that we received as gifts or bought on our own, looking for the next hit. It came in a somewhat surprising form: the low-profile silicone pacifiers that are made by MAM.

These are smaller and lightweight compared to most pacifiers, and they seem to stay longer in the baby’s mouth. Another nice feature is that there’s not a large shield section, so they’re easy for baby to breathe and make noise even when he has a pacifier in. They also prevent skin-saliva-silicone contact that sometimes can make babies break out.

If your baby gags on larger pacifiers or has broken out, the MAM pacifier is for you.

Pacifier Clips

Another reason that we love MAM pacifiers so much is because you can get a pacifier clip (also from MAM) to clip the pacifier to your baby’s clothes or blanket or car seat. This is one of those types of baby gear that you don’t appreciate until you start using it.

A pacifier clip basically ensures that there’s a pacifier within reach of your baby’s mouth at all times. It also keeps you from losing pacifiers or having them fall on dirty sidewalks, store floors, bathroom floors, etc.

The MAM clip is nice because you can fasten and unfasten it one-handed, and it’s got an excellent grip. They fit MAM pacifiers quite snugly, or you can use the velcro strap to connect just about any pacifier.

Teething Pacifiers

Sometime after the age of 2 months your baby will become unusually fussy, refusing to eat, refusing to take a pacifier, and waking up screaming in the middle of the night. Yep, your baby is teething. This is a rough period for your baby, torturous enough that I’ve written entire articles about babies and teething.

When it comes to pacifiers, there’s an interesting option in the form of the Razbaby teething pacifier. This pacifier’s design is stimulating and multi-textured to soothe a baby that’s teething. Thus, it’s two good things in one: a form of teething relief and a pacifier that they’re less likely to spit out.

Why Use A Pacifier?

Pacifiers have many benefits, and there are lots of reasons why you should encourage your baby to take one. They offer a non-food form of relief for the car or the crib. They give your baby something to play with that you don’t mind them sticking in their mouth.

Pacifiers even reduce the risk of SIDS, though it’s not understood why. One last piece of advice: you can never have too many pacifiers. If you liked any of the ones above, go buy a couple and stick them in the stroller or the crib. Do it now, and at some point in the middle of the night or in a crowded store, you’ll thank me!

Buy A Pacifier Now

They’re small, they’re light-weight, and they’re usually cheapest on Amazon. Here are six more bestsellers that you might prefer: three serious, and three fun ones.

Dr. Brown’s Pacifier by the world’s leading bottle maker.	Natursutten Pacifier provides orthodontic comfort.	Philips Nighttime Pacifier helps your baby breathe easy at night.
Princess Pacifier for your little princess.	Baseball and Football Pacifiers for your little future athlete.	Mute Button Pacifier is guaranteed to get a laugh wherever you go.

What To Read Next

Newborn Sleep Wear covers the six things that your newborn should sleep in every night.	Learn about the benefits and bestsellers of baby sleep sacks and sleeping bags.	Projection Night Lights keep your baby entertained while in the crib and help soothe him back to sleep.	Visit our sleep training section for strategies and tips for teaching your baby to sleep through the night.

The baby swing is a critical piece of baby gear, especially for parents of newborns. The rhythmic back-and-forth rocking motion of swings is an ideal soother for fussiness or just to induce a little nap. Fair warning, though: some babies love swings, some babies just tolerate them, and some will wail any time you try to put them in. Occasionally it’s just a phase, and you can acclimate your little one to a swing over time.

It’s important to find the right swing. We’ve owned three of them, two full-sized and a portable one. There are dozens upon dozens of different swings, in various sizes, with a wide range of features. Fisher-Price and Graco are the market leaders; it’s hard to find a swing in the top 20 bestseller list that’s not made by one of those two companies.

Here we review a few of the bestselling models of different types of baby swings.
Contents:
Important Features of Baby Swings
Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing
Fisher Price Space Saver Swing
Graco Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center
Fisher-Price Tree Party Cradle Swing

Important Features of Baby swings

We’ve been through a few baby swings, and there are a few important features to consider.

• Swing size. Because baby swings have moving part and nobody wants a lawsuit, they have very solid bases. This translates into a big space “footprint” in your house when you have the swing set up, so plan accordingly.
• Swing options. The more speeds, the better. A newborn will usually be fine with the lowest setting. You can slow it down even more by adding weight (such as a swaddler or receiving blanket under the baby). Also, a swing that pivots or otherwise swings front-to-back and side-to-side is a nice feature.
• Power source. More than any other type of baby gear I’ve encountered, baby swings eat batteries. Usually we’re talking C or D batteries, too, which are expensive. Taking AA’s is good. Having an A/C plugin option is even better.
• Music and sound. Most baby swings come with built-in baby lullabies, music, or soothing sounds. These are a nice feature but I personally don’t find it critical, since you could always keep a soother or sound machine nearby.

Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing

The current #1 bestselling swing on Amazon is your all-around, fully featured swing from Fisher Price. The My Little Snugabunny Cradle ‘n Swing has all of the bells and whistles: a bird mobile and mirror ball to keep your baby entertained, 16 songs and 2 nature sounds, and three different swing positions to offer your baby a range of motions.

It folds up for storage, but this is a big piece of baby gear even folded up. Prepare for that. The footprint for a swing in your home (while not folded) is probably 3 feet by 3 feet. My favorite feature of this swing is the A/C adapter power option, which lets you run it from a plug rather than batteries. Swings eat batteries like no other device I’ve ever seen, so this is a real advantage.

Features:	3 swing direction positions Mirror globe and bird mobile Plays 18 songs and sounds 6 speeds A/C adapter option
Reviews:

Fisher-Price Space Saver Swing and Seat

Next up is the portable Space Saver Swing and Seat, also from Fisher Price. We bought one of these and found it incredibly useful due to its smaller size. It’s about half the size of a full swing when set up. It has handles for moving the swing even while your baby is in it, which is good for moving room-to-room. The Space-Saver Swing is exactly that: because it folds up almost completely flat, you can throw it in the car and bring it just about anywhere.

Even though it’s small, the bucket seat really holds the baby well. You must use the harness, though; an active baby can otherwise find a way out. That little clip on the bottom lets you convert the swing to a stationary seat. The only down-side is that this runs on 4 C batteries and goes through them rather quickly. Over 6 months I probably changed the batteries 5-6 times. I still think it’s worthwhile.

Features:	Lightweight and folds up flat Bucket seat with 6 speeds Plays 7 songs to entertain baby Machine washable pad
Reviews:

Graco Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center

Next up is a unique-looking swing, the Graco Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center. This swing benefits from a patented “Mommotion” rocking motion that simulates the way that a mother rocks her baby. It also has a removable seat with vibration, so it can be used as a floor rocker as well. You can even swap in most Graco car seats (if you have one) to provide an easy transition between car and home.

There’s a good selection of natural sounds, white noises, and upbeat songs; you can also plug in your iPod or MP3 player. The swing itself plugs into the wall, which I love, but the seat vibration takes D batteries.

Given all of these soothing features, this is my recommended swing for a fussy baby.

Features:	4 seating positions, 3 reclines Removable seat with vibration 15 sounds and lullabies Swap in most Graco car seats A/C adapter + D batteries
Reviews:

Fisher-Price Tree Party Cradle ‘n Swing

How cute is this Tree Party Cradle ‘n Swing from Fisher Price? This butterfly-themed swing is the ultimate soother: a comfy bucket seat, six different speeds, and it rocks either front to back or side to side. Probably the most important (and rare) feature is a quick-release power cord so that you can save money on batteries while at home.

Additional soothing features include bullfrog or cricket sounds, eight lullabies, and a little projection butterfly light display that dances on the canopy, entertaining your baby as she rocks off to sleep.

Features:	Rocks front to back or side to side Six swing speeds and 8 built-in lullabies A/C adaptor included for plugging it in Folds up easily for storage
Reviews:

What To Read Next

If you like this article, you might want to subscribe by e-mail or RSS so that you’re notified when new content is posted.

Newborn Sleep Wear covers the six things that your newborn should sleep in every night.	Baby Sleep Sacks & Bags reviews the benefits and bestsellers of baby sleep sacks and sleeping bags.	Projection Night Lights keep your baby entertained while in the crib and help soothe him back to sleep.	Visit our sleep training section for strategies and tips for teaching your baby to sleep through the night.

Baby monitors are incredibly useful tools for sleep training a baby. Like many types of baby gear, there are many options out there for baby monitors. Unfortunately, the quality of different baby monitor products varies widely, and price isn’t always a great indicator. We’ll walk you through the features to look for, and then review three of our favorite baby monitors.

Contents
Benefits of Baby Monitors
Features to Look for in a Baby Monitor
Our Favorite Baby Monitor Reviews

Benefits of Baby Monitors

1. Peace of mind. Baby monitors let you monitor a baby’s sleep without being physically in the room.
2. Quick response time. It’s easier to hear when your baby They allow you to respond quickly when your baby starts waking up.
3. A bit of freedom. Perhaps most importantly, they give mom and/or dad a chance to sleep or get things done around the house while the baby is asleep.

Important Features of Baby Monitors

There are lots of numbers and acronyms thrown around on the side of baby monitor boxes. When push comes to shove, however, there are a few features that you should care about.

• Frequency. In general, higher is better. That’s because a higher frequency usually means a stronger transmission signal, allowing your baby monitor a greater range. Don’t settle for less than 900 MHz; the high-end models usually have 2.4 GHz.
•  Channels. Multiple channels are useful if you have neighbors using baby monitors, or notice interference with other electronics. Otherwise, they’re good to have but you probably won’t use them.
• Voice activation. This is actually one of my favorite features. Rather than just being “on” all the time, the monitor only transmits when it picks up noises. It’s pretty sensitive (on the Sony, at least) and saves battery power.
• Baby movement sensor. Some monitors, like the Angelcare, come with a sensor pad that picks up baby movements and sets off an alarm if it doesn’t detect movement for a certain period of time. This is a good idea for the overly safety-conscious, though I’ve heard that occasionally they give false positive alarms.
• Temperature sensor. This, I admit, is a nice feature if your baby’s nursery fluctuates in temperature. It transmits (remotely) the ambient temperature in the nursery to give you an idea of if it’s too warm or too cool in baby’s room. If the nursery is on the cooler side, a baby sleep sack or sleeping bag is a good idea.

Favorite Baby Monitor Reviews

Here’s our review of three of the most popular and well-reviewed baby monitors, which happen to be made by Sony, Angelcare, and Motorola.

Sony Baby Call Nursery Monitor	Angelcare Baby Movement and Sound Monitor	Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with Color LCD Screen
Best value: a solid, durable, basic voice-activated baby monitor	Peace of Mind: Baby sound, movement, and room temp monitor	Best features: Night vision camera with color LCD screen
Features: 900 MHz frequency 27 channels Voice activation Rechargeable receiver Water-resistant (receiver)	Features: 927 MHz frequency for sound 8 channels Voice activation Baby movement sensor Room temperature monitor Built-in night light	Features: 2.4 GHz FHSS technology Data encryption for privacy Two-way communication Room temperature monitor Night vision infrared camera 5 built-in lullabies Additional camera capability
Review: We’ve used this exact model for all three kids and it worked quite well. The voice-activation mode is excellent; it picks up baby noises but ignores the fan. These are fairly durable too; we’ve taken them to family gatherings and on trips without any problems. I do wish that they had longer range, but this is a pretty good baby monitor all around.	Review: The Angelcare is one of the best reviewed monitors on Amazon. The temperature and baby movement monitors offer some extra peace-of-mind that your baby is sleeping snug, warm, and healthy. And the night light is a practical feature that I really like; you can never have enough night lights.	Review: Imagine being able to watch your baby sleeping via secure, remote video feed. Sounds great, doesn’t it? That’s probably why this is the #1 bestselling baby monitor on Amazon. The two-way communication feature is especially nice; you could even try soothing your baby remotely. Just about everyone who buys (and reviews) this monitor loves it.

What To Read Next

If you like this article, you might want to subscribe by e-mail or RSS so that you’re notified when new content is posted.

Baby sleep problems takes you through the most common sleep issues and how to address them.	Our video monitor reviews compare the latest cutting-edge wireless color video baby monitors.	Visit our sleep training section for strategies and tips for teaching your baby to sleep through the night.	Check out our reviews of Essential baby gear for helping babies sleep at night.

As your baby gets older, he’ll spend more of his daytime hours awake. Newborns sleep up to 18 hours a day; a three month-old sleeps 16 hours, and by six months, most babies sleep around 14 hours per day. They’re getting stronger, too, and have more energy for moving around. You may notice that your baby has trouble falling asleep because he’s keyed up and wide awake, even at night. It’s time for some baby exercise!

There are two types of baby gear specifically designed for this purpose: activity gyms and baby jumpers. We have twins, so of course we have one of each. In this review, I’ll discuss the different advantages they offer.
Contents:
Baby Play Gyms
Fisher-Price Play Gym
Tiny Love Music Gym
Infantino Twist and Fold Gym

Baby Activity Jumpers
Fisher-Price Zoo Jumper
Baby Einstein Jumper with Music
Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumper

Baby Activity Gyms

A baby gym is a frame-work thing with two parts: (1) arched “arms” that reach about two feet off the floor and have toys dangling from them, and (2) a soft cloth bottom for your baby to lay upon. I received one as a gift from a co-worker and I admit that initially I thought I wouldn’t use it. How wrong I was! When the boys were about three months old we set it up, just as a place for one to lay while the other was fed or changed. They loved it, and I quickly realized that a baby activity gym has some key advantages:

Good for tummy time. The cloth bottom is undoubtedly softer and probably cleaner than our berber carpet. Our boys like the feel of it; they do most of their “tummy time” and rolling practice in the play yard.
Comfort and protection. Babies don’t seem to like open spaces, so the enclosing arms offer a bit of comfort. They also happen to get in the way of older siblings or visiting relatives who mean well, but want to pick your baby up all the time. The bright colors and criss-crossed arms make it more visible, too, especially in the peripheral vision.
Entertainment. Activity gyms have dangle toys, mirrors, and other things to keep your baby entertained. Don’t be disappointed if your baby doesn’t reach for these right away – it takes time to get the strength and coordination.
Portability. The arms are narrow plastic rods, and the cloth bottom rolls up, so this toy is easy to pack up and stick somewhere or take along with you. It’s handy if you want your baby to play on the floor at someone’s house, but in a defined and clean area.

Fisher Price Play Gym

The current best-selling play gym is the musical light-up gym from Fisher-Price.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Deluxe Gym
Reviews:
Features:	Brief movement-sensing play or continuous 20 minutes of music Lots of things to catch baby’s attention: a spinner, rattling beads, spinning butterflies, a mirror, and a crinkly leaf. Runs on two “C” batteries
Baby Gym Review: This bright and cheery activity center features a quilt with a silky border and colorful arches supported by an adorable giraffe. A variety of links let you attach toys up above or down below to capture baby’s attention. A cushy monkey, jingly toucan, cute elephant, and parrot with spinning paddle invite baby to bat them around, an action that helps develop gross motor skills.Or, you can put your baby on his belly for some tummy time on the soft quilt bottom.

Tiny Love Play Gym

Tiny Love makes a stimulating baby play gym with lots of activities, lights, and musical sounds.

Tiny Love Lights and Music Gymini Activity Gym
Reviews:
Features:	Folds up and travels easily Runs on three “AA” batteries Padded mat is machine-washable
Baby Gym Review: Tiny Love’s award-winning activity mat folds out into a 32″ by 32″ square. The padded arches are loaded with cute safari animals to engage your baby’s hands. One especially nice feature is that this mat’s hidden music box plays classical music (Mozart). The giraffe’s tail and the zebra’s mane offer interesting textures for your baby to touch, and the elephant’s ear is perfect for peek-a-boo!

Infantino Twist & Fold Gym

The most portable baby play gym is the Twist and Fold from Infantino.

Infantino Twist and Fold Gym
Reviews:
Features:	Dangle toys can be used as teethers and stroller toys Mat is machine-washable, which is good for spit-ups. A good all-around baby play mat.
Baby Jumper Review: The Infantino provides a travel-friendly gym that’s a soft, safe place for baby playtime and tummy time. The patchwork quilt design features gender-neutral colors. The portability of this gym is its strength: it folds flat, has a unique twist-and-fold breakdown, and the dangling animals are removable. All told, this fits nicely into a suitcase.

Baby Activity Jumpers

Baby bouncers have come a long way since the hangs-in-a-doorway model of years past.These days, jumpers are bigger, self-contained, and decked out with toys, sounds, and lights. We have the Fisher Price Laugh-N-Learn Jumperoo and our boys absolutely love it. I recommend a bouncer for your infant for several reasons:

• Protection and safety. Our jumper has a very solid metal frame, a cloth/polyester saddle seat, and a plastic platform (tray) at baby’s chest level. The ring base and wide platform keep your baby fairly well ensconced, away from pets and over-eager siblings. Less supervision is required than a play yard because the baby can’t go anywhere.
• Muscle development. My boys get a good workout from this and I’m sure it’s been helping strengthen their legs, which is important for when they start crawling and then walking.
• Keeps baby upright. When a baby has recently eaten, we might put him in here to prevent reflux.
• Lights and sound keep your baby pretty well entertained. There are two different modes (songs or alphabet) and two volume settings.
• Durable toys. The toys on the platform are built in and of sturdy construction, so I’m not worried as much about losing or breaking them.

The minimum age/size is probably higher for a jumper than for a baby gym, since your baby must be able to hold his head up. We put a pillow under the feet area until they’re heavy and tall enough to reach the floor comfortably. You can also adjust the height of the platform if you turn it over. Our boys usually tolerate the bouncer for 20-30 minutes, a few times a day. One caveat to the jumper is that it’s big. It has a 3′ x 3′ or so “footprint” on your floor. Not ideal for traveling, but perfect for keeping at home.

Fisher-Price Zoo Jumper

The Fisher-Price Zoo jumper is very similar to our own. It has a safe design and lots of activities to keep your baby entertained.

Fisher-Price Luv U Zoo Jumperoo
Reviews:
Features:	The seat spins around to let your baby reach all of the toys Height adjusts so you can keep using it as your baby grows No doorway required; this is free-standing
Baby Jumper Review: This jumper offers a lot of entertainment for a baby – flashing lights, melodies, and lots of movable toys. Your child will love being able to spin and jump in the Luv U Zoo Jumperoo. A bright and cheery zoo-themed tray plays music, makes animal sounds, and lights up with every movement. He or she will learn to pull and tug on the hanging mobiles to discover cause and effect. Whether your baby is turning, jumping, or grasping, the Jumperoo encourages gross motor development, hand-eye coordination, and introduces baby to a variety of textures, shapes, and colors.

Baby Einstein Musical Jumper

Currently the #4 bestseller on Amazon.com, the Baby Einstein Musical Activity Jumper has a lot to like about it, and over 130 5-star reviews.

Baby Einstein Musical Motion Jumper
Reviews:
Features:	2-in-1 stationary jumper and entertainer with 12 activities to grow with baby Secure support seat with high back provides added comfort and support
Baby Jumper Review: The Musical Motion Activity Jumper is designed to grow with your baby with a 5-point height adjustment on seat. It also features padded toy bars and covered springs for added safety and folds for storage and portability. There are four activity stations and an electric piano with 7 lights and melodies.

Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumper

I saved the best for last: The Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo is the #1 bestselling baby jumper on Amazon.com, with more than 1,100 5-star reviews.

Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo
Reviews:
Features:	Designed to help encourage healthy development. Moving, spinning, and jumping in a baby jumper enhances large motor skills Perfect for babies not yet able to crawl or walk
Baby Jumper Review: The Rainforest Jumperoo is a safe and comfortable place for baby to sit and play, whether he stays for just a moment or for several minutes. Two soft leaves extend from the frame to create an overhead canopy with soft toys that dangle down for fun bat-at play. It also features a rotating seat with soft spring covers that keep little fingers safe from pinching, and three-position height adjustment for a custom fit.

Reading books to your baby at bedtime is a wonderful and intimate way to spend time together and mentally prepare him or her for bed. Right away I can think of at least five reasons to read to your baby before bed, and no doubt you can think of plenty more.

Here, I’ve assembled a collection of my favorite books to read to babies at bedtime. Choose a category, or click any of the titles below to see details and my review of the book. Please, use the comments section to add your own favorites!

Classic Bedtime Baby Books
	I Am A Bunny by Richard Scarry	This is one of my favorite books of all time; I remember it from my own childhood. Nicholas the bunny, who lives in a hollow tree, goes through each of the seasons and then curls up in his hollow tree to dream about spring.
	Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown	Perhaps the best-known bedtime book of all, about a bunny saying goodnight to all of the things in his room. Great illustrations and a near-hypnotic cadence to it (“Goodnight light, and the red balloon. Goodnight bears, goodnight chairs…”)
	Home For A Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown	Another excellent book by Margaret Wise Brown, also featuring a bunny, but this time he’s hopping along trying to find “a home for a bunny, a home of his own. Under a rock, or a log, or a stone.” He’s turned down by various creatures and (spoiler alert) eventually shacks up with another bunny.
	Good Night, Little Bear by Patricia M. Scarry and Richard Scarry	This book is by Patricia M. Scarry, the wife of Richard Scarry, who illustrated it. It’s about a little bear who doesn’t want to go to bed, so he “hides” on his dad’s shoulders and the father goes around looking for him.
	Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak	The book I cherish most from my own childhood. A boy misbehaves and is sent to bed without supper, where he takes a journey to become king of the wild things for “almost a year” and then comes home to find his supper. And it was still hot.
Feel-Good Bedtime Books
	A Night Night Prayer by Amy Parker	Shh! It’s time for sleeping. For snuggling in so tight. But first I say my night night prayer, and to God’s world, goodnight! This is a quick read with unique and soothing illustrations as a little child says goodnight to the trees, the sun, the birds, and so on.
	You’re My Little Bunny by Claire Freedman and Gavin Scott	This is a cute little book about a little bunny’s relationship with his mommy, following them for a day as they wake up, hop around, and eventually find their way home to go to sleep.
Beautiful Illustration Bedtime Books
	The Very Special Valentine by Maggie Kneen	Talk about absolutely stunning illustrations. In this book, Little Bunny Gray searches for a valentine to give to Rosie. Every page is an exquisite oil painting with glittery cut-outs and a lift-up flap revealing that each “jewel” Bunny Gray finds turns out to be something in nature. “Are those sparkling diamonds? What a fine gift they would make… But they’re dewdrops on a spider’s web, which bunny dare not take.”
	It’s Time to Sleep My Love by Eric Metaxas and Nancy Tillman	Nancy Tillman illustrates this lovely book in which the animal parents are soothing their children for sleep. There’s one page where a little girl is sleeping with a panda, another one where a baby snuggles a swan. The writing has a nice rhythm to it… later you find yourself wanting to say “It’s time to sleep, my love, my love, it’s time to sleep, my love.”
	While the World Is Sleeping by Pamela Duncan Edwards and Daniel Kirk	In this book a little girl flies on her owl’s back over various nighttime scenes, wonderfully illustrated by Daniel Kirk. Lots of animals are visited — deer, fox, mice, porcupine, and others — before the owl flies the girl home to rest her head.
Fun Bedtime Books
	Honk Honk Beep Beep! by Daniel Kirk	In this book, a jeep drives around a boy’s room at night, picking up various passengers and stopping to honk the horn. There’s nothing fancy about the writing or story line, but the illustrations by Daniel Kirk are excellent, and your babies will love the repetitive “Honk Honk Beep Beep!” on every other page.
	The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton	Sandra Boynton is one of my favorite children’s author-illustrators; she has several books that we love, most of which feature a similar cast of barnyard animals. All of them have cute illustrations and are quick, easy reads. In this one they all run upstairs to bed as the moon rises.
Bedtime Books about Mommy and Daddy
	Daddy Kisses by Anne Gutman	A short but sweet book about a bunch of animal “daddies” kissing their babies, ending with “My daddy kisses me all over, like this!”.
	Mommy Hugs by Anne Gutman	Another short but sweet book for mothers who feel “left out” by Daddy Kisses. Similar concept, except a bunch of animal “mothers” hug their babies with cuddles and squeezes.
	I Love You, Daddy by Jillian Harker and Kristina Stephenson	One of my daughter’s favorites, a book about a little bear who’s getting big enough to climb a tree, eat some honey, and help his daddy pick out a place to hibernate for the winter (spoiler alert: it’s a cave). By the end of it all he’s so exhausted he can’t quite finish telling his daddy, “I love you, D-…” before falling asleep.
Nursery Rhyme Books for Babies
	Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Sanja Rescek	A collection of short nursery rhymes, many of them bedtime/nighttime themed, and accompanied by colorful illustrations. Star Light Star Bright, Jack Be Nimble, Wee Willy Winkle, and others are joined by a few of the author’s own little sonnets.
	Nursery Tales by Mary Engelbreit	The talented Mary Engelbreit re-tells and illustrates (in her own style) some of the classic nursery rhymes, including Goldilocks, the Three Little Pigs, and others. We have the hardcover, which is a very high-quality book with dust jacket.
Bestselling Books for Babies
	Time for Bed by Mem Fox and Jane Dyer	Lovely paintings and a soothing, repetitive prose make this an excellent book to read just before bed.
	Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld	One of the most popular books on Amazon right now, this one follows all of the machines in a construction site as each one goes to sleep.
	Counting Kisses by Karen Katz	A fun book where Mommy gives her baby “ten little kisses on teeny tiny toes,” and “nine laughing kisses on busy, wriggly feet,” ending up with a last kiss on her sleepy, dreamy head.

Screenshot

Pin It