The Benefits of the DockATot for Baby Sleep

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I love the DockATot so much that I just have to share with you how it can help your baby sleep!

The truth is, we need babies who sleep. The more sleep they get, the more sleep and down time we get. And all us mamas need that.

In fact, did you know that maternal depression is linked to having babies who don’t sleep well? It is!

So, in addition to sleep being a must-have for mamas, we also need our little nuggets to sleep because it is so good for them, too!

Also, there is their physical growth. Amazing growth is directly related to sleep, so we definitely don’t want to deprive our babies of this.

Here are the top four reasons our babies need to get their sleep:

First is their brain development. During sleep, our kiddo’s brain is recharging and processing all the new info they have been exposed to. This is so important as they go through all the amazing milestones of their first couple years as well as into their school years.

Next is attitude! Oh boy. This is a big one. I know I’m grumpier when I haven’t gotten enough sleep. Our sweet little nuggets are the same. Simply put, babies who get more sleep are happier. They are also much more easily able to adapt to change (this truth follows them all through childhood and has a profound affect on their ability to do well in school!)

Finally, sleep encourages more sleep. You read that correctly. The more sleep babies get, the more they want. They learn how to fall and stay asleep on their own and they know how good it feels, so they just keep doing more of it!

Also, a startling reality to consider is that sleep deficits cannot be made up for. So the hours of sleep they miss as a baby or toddler can never be regained, no matter how well they develop in that area later down the road (though studies show they may not ever become good sleepers if you don’t deal with it as a baby). It is sleep that is lost forever.

I say this not to scare you, but to help you realize the importance of sleep for your baby. Apart from keeping your baby fed, keeping them well rested is of paramount importance.

If you really want to dive into learning how to get your baby all the sleep he or she needs, you’ll find everything you need to know in my newest ebook, Every Mom’s Guide To Nap Time. This book will not only help you get your baby to sleep during the day, but I’ll share how I got my babies to sleep through the night as early as 5 weeks. It’s good stuff!

Click here to learn more about the book

So, what do we do about it?

I think that baby sleep seems like a mystery to so many new and seasoned mamas. While it is true that we cannot force our babies or children to nap if they don’t want to, we can have so much influence over it.

One really simple way to influence our baby’s sleep is to make a great choice about WHERE baby sleeps. Your sweet little thing just spent 9 months in your tummy. Ain’t no way she is ready to quit you cold turkey! In fact, she would absolutely love it if you never put her down for several months. This, however, would not work out very well for your back, your sanity, the state of your home or your baby’s ability to soothe herself.

So, I just had to share with you the amazing thing I used to help my newborn sleep after I could see that the wide open spaces of her crib were causing her some sleep anxiety. As mentioned, baby has been used to being very cozy in your tummy. During the fourth trimester, when baby is 0-3 months old, recreating as much of that environment as possible makes a HUGE difference! We try to mimic the sounds and feelings baby had when she was so happy to sleep easily.

The DockATot

I did this with the DockATot. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe not. Either way….GAME CHANGER. This, my friend, is a must have and let me tell you why:

my baby was close to me during the night, which made changes and feedings go quickly and smoothly

I could use it in my bed as as safe co-sleeping option* OR simply put it in baby’s crib for the first months

I did not have to buy a bulky bassinet that would take up more room and need to be stored somewhere when not in use (potentially, years in between babies)

as soon as I began using the DockATot, I saw a dramatic change in my baby’s ability to sleep through the night and nap

when used with a baby who had trouble swallowing liquids and choking, I could use blankets underneath the DockATot to elevate her head slightly, which dramatically helped her and relieved my anxiety about her choking (which would happen randomly during naps and night time sleep after eating and then spitting up. Yikes!).

I was able to go back to sleep after night time feeds with my hand on baby so she felt comforted and was able to go back to sleep so. much. quicker. I had tried bassinets before and ended up with long term pain due to trying to lean one arm over the side of the bassinet and be close to baby while she fell asleep.

in the beginning weeks when my baby needed a pacifier to suck on for comfort, I could easily replace it without having to stumble to her crib in another room in the middle of the night, many times a night.

So, my mama friend, as my dad always tells me: if you have the right tool, the job becomes easy. Well, for my sleep job, the DockATot was my absolute fav! I used it to keep my baby super close to me, which we both loved. And it got both of us A LOT more sleep. I literally could not have helped my baby sleep so well without it. That is the truth. So, I just had to share it with you, of course!

These little beauts are worth. every. penny.

Right now, you can get free shipping, which is always helpful. I also love checking the DockATot out directly on their site here. They have so many beautiful covers that make picking out a dock so incredibly fun! The floral print, their black or white marble options as well as the buffalo prints are all so fun. I have a hard time choosing just one at this point!

They also have sun shades as part of their Cabana Kits. These come with a pad to go under the dock so it doesn’t get dirty or sandy when used outside. I think that is genius!

So, do yo’ self a favor and get one!

I promise you won’t regret it.