I never really thought much about sleep, until February 8th, 2009.  Before then, sleep was something routine that I did at the end of the day, during the day (if I was lucky enough to find time for a nap), and a couple of times a day every year after large turkey dinners.  However, following my son’s birth this past winter, I find myself obsessed with shut-eye (like any new parent).  Thankfully, there are some useful tech toys and tools on the market to help our young babes drift off into dreamland (so we parents can sit back and relax!).

Sleep Sheep
When my friend Mikah, also a new mom, wrote on my Facebook Wall that the Sleep Sheep helped her newborn doze off on a regular basis, I knew I had to find one.  This battery operated stuff toy produces four different sounds, including rain showers, ocean waves, whale noises, and a mother’s heartbeat.  My only complaint about the furry little Sheep (approx. US $27) is that he only has two settings, 23 and 46 minutes, which often isn’t enough time for a fussy baby.

Philips DECT Baby Monitor
There is no easy way to accurately tell if your baby is too warm or too cold at night.  Thankfully, the DECT Baby Monitor (approx US$130) has a handy digital temperature gauge to ensure your little one has a comfortable sleeping environment.  Better yet, this device guarantees zero interference from other devices in your home (so you don’t have to worry about your cordless phones or cellphones getting in the way of hearing your child's cries).  Finally, the sensitive mic allows worried parents be up to 330m away and still hear their baby breathe, which is something my partner and I do on a regular basis.  Oh, and let’s not forget the talkback feature.  With the click of a button your baby can hear your voice as you make your way to their room, or you use it like a walkie talkie and tell your partner to get some more diapers.

Mozart at Midnight
My mom finds it hard to believe that our son truly loves classical, but when we buckle little Connor into his carseat and throw on Mozart at Midnight there is no doubt in her mind that he truly adores the famous composer.  Play this CD (Approx. US$10) on your next family road trip or copy the songs on to your iPod.  After a while, like us, you’ll probably find that the music is relaxing and a perfect distraction for a crying baby.