Our Favorite Bedtime Helpers
Bedtime with six kids is a relay race of baths, books, sippy cups and one more trip to the bathroom. The one we'd buy again first is the Graco Benton 5-in-1 convertible crib: it's sturdy, it converts from crib to toddler bed and beyond, and one purchase covers years of bedtimes. Here's the one we'd buy again first, plus the rest of the list.
Graco Benton 5-in-1 Convertible Crib
This is the crib we'd buy again first, because it keeps working long after the baby stage. It converts from crib to toddler bed, daybed and full-size bed, so one purchase covers years of bedtimes.
Check price on AmazonWhat earns a spot on this list is simple: it has to make bedtime calmer or safer, and it has to keep working as the kids grow. We look for things that are easy to clean, that convert or adapt from baby to toddler, and that cut down on the middle-of-the-night wake-ups.
For the baby, there’s a convertible crib, a two-stage crib mattress, a wearable blanket in place of loose blankets, and a quiet electric nail file for trims while they sleep. For the toddlers moving to a big-kid bed, a bed rail bumper and a toddler pillow make the switch easier, and a sound machine with an OK-to-get-up light helps early risers. And for the whole house, plug-in night lights light the way to the bathroom without waking everyone up.
The Graco Benton 5-in-1 at the top is the one we’d buy again first. The rest of the list is below.
What else we considered
Also considered
Sealy Baby Flex Cool 2 Stage Crib Mattress and Toddler Bed
A two-stage crib mattress with a firmer infant side and a softer toddler side. A good fit for a standard crib that will later become a toddler bed.
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Also considered
L LOHAS LED Night Lights Plug into Wall 2-Pack
Plug-in LED night lights that turn on at dusk and off at dawn. An easy, inexpensive way to light a nursery or hallway for late-night feedings and bathroom trips.
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Also considered
Momcozy Baby Nail File Electric
A quiet electric baby nail file with gentle heads, so you can trim tiny nails while the baby sleeps. Worth a look if nail clippers make you nervous.
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Also considered
Hatch Baby Sound Machine and Night Light
A sound machine and night light in one, run from your phone. The color cue for when it's OK to get up helps toddlers who wake too early.
Check price![Hiccapop [1-Pack] Toddler Bed Rail Bumper](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZO8ntjmjL._SL500_.jpg)
Also considered
Hiccapop [1-Pack] Toddler Bed Rail Bumper
A foam bed rail bumper that tucks under the fitted sheet to help keep toddlers from rolling out. A low-profile pick for the move to a big-kid bed.
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Also considered
Utopia Bedding Toddler Pillow (White
A small toddler pillow sized for little heads and toddler beds. A simple, washable pick for when your toddler is ready for their first pillow.
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Also considered
Burt's Bees Baby Organic Cotton Wearable Blanket
A soft organic-cotton sleep sack that keeps babies warm without loose blankets in the crib. Zips from the bottom for easier night changes.
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