5 Totally Genius Dad Sleep Hacks

5 Totally Genius Dad Sleep Hacks

Dads aren’t just the innovators behind tree houses, pillow forts and, um, “unique” hair-braiding creations. They’re also pretty genius when it comes to getting their little ones to fall asleep (case in point, two of Nanit’s founders are dads!). Here are five entertaining baby sleep hacks from fathers who channeled their creative sides to get their kids to sleep.

  1. The Dream Truck

You know how your baby instantly falls asleep in the backseat whenever you’re driving? Well, this dad found an ingenious way to bring the soothing motion of the car into his home via a remote-control truck that doubles as a sleep space.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sgh0clSHxg

  1. “The Most Awesome Bed Ever”

Moving on up from a crib to a big kid bed can be tough. But dad – and Stanford medical professor – Eric Strong managed to make the transition unbelievably fun. Over the course of two months, he built his son basically the most amazing bed known to mankind, complete with a slide, secret door, pulley system and bookshelves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj-Ht19_qis

  1. The Piano Man

When it doubt, go for a lullaby. David Motola’s 5-month-old son couldn’t fall asleep because of an earache. So David took to the piano. His amazing rendition of “Brahms’ Lullaby” did the trick in no time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lbyPkpnU

  1. The Tissue Wave

Nathan Dailo of Sydney, Australia wowed the parenting world with a technique that got his 3-month old sleeping in less than 60 seconds. How did he do it? By simply waving a tissue over his son’s face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmf7IUHa18E

  1. The Oompa Loompa

This hack doesn’t involve a chocolate factory, but it does require channeling your inner Oompa Loompa. One dad found that his newborn daughter drifted off to dreamland in a matter of seconds if he rocked her and repeated the words “Oompa Loompa.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HkRETo-7mo

In search of more genius sleep solutions? Check out how Nanit is revolutionizing the way babies get their zzz’s here.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Natalie Barnett, PhD serves as VP of Clinical Research at Nanit. Natalie initiated sleep research collaborations at Nanit and in her current role, Natalie oversees collaborations with researchers at hospitals and universities around the world who use the Nanit camera to better understand pediatric sleep and leads the internal sleep and development research programs at Nanit. Natalie holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of New England in Australia and a Postgraduate Certificate in Pediatric Sleep Science from the University of Western Australia. Natalie was an Assistant Professor in the Neurogenetics Unit at NYU School of Medicine prior to joining Nanit. Natalie is also the voice of Nanit's science-backed, personalized sleep tips delivered to users throughout their baby's first few years.

Kristy Ojala is Nanit’s Digital Content Director. She spends way too much time looking at maps and weather forecasts and pictures of Devon Rex cats and no-cook dinners. A former sleep champion, she strives to share trustworthy somnabulism tips with other parents—praying for that one fine day when no tiny humans wake her up while it’s still dark out. Her kids highly recommend 3 books, approximately 600 stuffies, Chopin’s “Nocturnes,” and the Nanit Sound + Light for bedtime success.

Mackenzie Sangster is on the Brand and Community team at Nanit. She supports content development and editing for Nanit’s Parent Confidently blog as well as other marketing initiatives. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her friends, cooking, being active, and using the Pro + Flex Duo to keep an eye on her fur-baby, Poppy!

Holly Hays is a contributor and writer for Nanit, channeling her years as a mama and former magazine editor to create fun, useful content for fellow busy, trying-to-do-their-best parents and caregivers. Holly has written for a wide range of brands and media outlets (Ergobaby, HGTV, Manhattan Toy Company, OXO), loves to cook and read mystery novels, and leans heavily on her two daughters to keep her up to date on all the latest slang.