Early this Sunday, the United States will change back to Standard Time from Daylight Saving Time. While many people savor the extra hour of sleep, those of us with small children often shudder at the thought of having to adjust sleep schedules.

The Sleep Store, an online resource for child sleep information based out of New Zealand, has a great article that could help you this weekend - “Adjusting To and From Daylight Saving Time.” The article contains specific suggestions on how to help your children adjust successfully, as well as small schedule changes you can make Wednesday through Sunday to spread out the transition.

Hopefully, the information can help you painlessly ease your children to the new time so you can catch a few extra winks, too! - Sara I.

Most babies love to be rocked, and if they had their way we would rock them from dusk until dawn. I’ve probably clocked a good hundred ours or so in our glider rocker, and though it was wonderful to bond with my baby, I often wished there were a better way to soothe my little one before bed and keep her sleeping soundly.

Well, I’ve found one, and although it’s a little too late for me to invest in the Kanoe baby hammock, hopefully this post will save someone else from those all-too-common sleepless nights. The Kanoe is a motion-sensitive baby hammock that rocks and moves in response to even the slightest movement. When your little one is snuggled in the hammock it is just like being snuggled and rocked in your arms. Babies nestled inside the Kanoe tend to rest better, sleep more soundly and even remain content once awake. The magic is in the hammock’s rocking and swaying motion.

The Kanoe baby hammock is made from 100% organic cotton with low-impact dyes and has a unique canoe shape (hence the name) that safely cradles and comforts a baby. Because the Kanoe is specifically designed to gently support your baby while conforming to her natural shape, no mattress is required. The Kanoe can accommodate different ceiling heights, and you can even set it at a tilt for babies with reflux or colic. (A much better alternative to propping up a crib mattress with soup cans…yes, we’ve tried it.) You can even move the hammock to different areas of your home by simply unhooking it and re-hooking it. I LOVE that feature!

The reviews are definitely a great selling point, but if you’re still hesitant about the $290 price tag, Kanoe offers a rental program where you pay a monthly fee to “rent” the hammock. After eight months, it’s yours! But from what I’ve read I have a feeling it will be yours long before those eight months are up… - Emily H.

Helping baby sleep soundly and comfortably is always a high priority for parents, as evidenced by the wide variety of crib soothers on the market.

Many parents find that baby will sleep soundly in a swing or bouncer, with motion or vibration. Why not allow the crib to use that same soothing mechanism as well? The First Years Gentle Vibrations 3-in-1 Crib Soother does just that. This system works underneath the mattress to provide three speeds of vibration, soothing sounds, and a night light. It is currently 10% off at Amazon for $36.

Cloud B offers several different types of "soothers", one being the Cuddle Cub. The Cuddle Cub has a heart shaped unit which vibrates and pulses in a heartbeat fashion. Vibration can be turned on for a two minute period of time manually, or activated with a simple hug. The Cuddle Cub is $21 at Amazon, 23% off the original price. Also from Cloud B is the Twilight Turtle & BabyLove CD. The Twilight Turtle is a night light which emits s night sky on the ceiling and walls, composed of actual constellations. It comes paired with the BabyLove CD, a compilation of lullabies from around the world. The Twilight Turtle is a great choice for baby's room because it can be enjoyed for years to come by growing toddlers and children to learn about the stars. This set is 29% off at Amazon for $30.
- Jenn

Cloth diapers have come a long way in the past few years and some even rival disposables in their ease of use. The bumGenius one-size, pocket diapers are a favorite of many families and were the top pick in Zrecs Cloth Diaper Showdown earlier this year. Amazon currently has the bumGenius 2.0s on sale for $12, 33% off of the original price.

Traditional crib mattresses have come under the gun recently because of the chemicals used in making them fire retardant, water-proof, etc. Wool and cotton crib mattresses, however, are safer and more eco-friendly alternatives. Wool is naturally fire retardant, so there are no chemicals used in its creation and none to off-gas. It is also naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial and antimicrobial. Amazon has the Organic Wool/Cotton Crib 242 Coil Mattress marked down 28% for $252. This mattress boasts 242 coils in a middle layer of naturally grown wool surrounded by organic, quilted cotton on the exterior.

If there are any readers out there using a natural mattress, tell us how they work! What if they get wet? Are there similarly "natural" covers available? - Jenn

For our family, cosleeping meant the difference between sanity and total sleep-deprived, brain-fog meltdown. Simply put, Sabine slept better when near us. I slept better when she was near us. Middle-of-the-night nursing sessions were easier with her in close proximity. It made for a happy family all around. The First Years Close & Secure Sleeper is a great tool for new parents with co-sleeping babies. It uses a soft "wall" around baby's head to prevent baby from rolling into parent, and parent from rolling into baby. The foot wedge can also be used as a sleep positioner and the Close & Secure Sleeper can be used until baby is able to roll over unassisted. It is currently 36% off at Amazon, on sale for $42.

The Honeywell Ultrasonic Humidifier is also on sale at Amazon for $34, 63% off the regular price. Cool mist humidifiers such as this one are really vital when you have a baby with a cold. The moist air helps baby breathe and, since the mist is cool, there is no risk of steam burns as with traditional vaporizers.

Nursing pillows can also be valuable. The CozyMe Retro Nursing And Infant Development Pillow is one such pillow that boasts a few added features. This particular pillow has a flattened area in the curve that aids with tummy time. It also comes with a wedge that can be placed in this flattened area to help prop up baby for self-feeding or assist with sitting. The pillow comes in several cute patterns and is on sale for around 40% off, or about $30 at Amazon. - Jenn