Managing infant sleep in a small NYC apartment can be challenging, but here are some tools to create a comfortable sleep environment and raise a healthy independent sleeper.
- Stick with a mini-crib or bassinet for the first few months.
- Room share for the first 6 months as recommended by the AAP.
- When room sharing, use a crib divider or curtain for some visual separation.
- Use blackout curtains to keep the morning sun from waking your baby.
- Use a white noise machine to mask city sounds (*see below for safe usage)
- Consider a foldable changing pad instead of a full changing table.
- Create a bedtime routine (dim lights, feeding, story, white noise) to establish helpful sleep cues.
- Establish a consistent bed time to accompany the routine and make sure you maintain appropriate wake windows during the day.