Today, I’m reviewing Love to Swaddle UP, provided by SMT Distributors (based in Singapore). It’s a very innovative swaddle that we love and are excited to share with you.

My older boy, Vee, was a very fussy sleeper who had to be swaddled until 6.5 months old! So I was thrilled to review this swaddle on baby Jae, hoping that he’d sleep much better than his brother.

About Love to Swaddle UP Lite

These are the main features of the swaddle:

• Fabric: 97% cotton, 3% elastane
• Closure: Twin zipper
• Country of origin: Made in China (Designed in Australia)

The Lite version is made of material 30% lighter than the Original version. I chose this because of our hot weather all year round. It comes in 3 sizes.

First Impressions

The fabric is very thin and smooth, absolutely suitable for delicate baby skin.

I like the twin zipper design, which makes wearing and diaper changes very easy. The zip is also neatly covered up, so it doesn’t rub against baby.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Laundry: ★★★★ Jae has been using the swaddle every night since 2 weeks old. It can’t be tumble-dried, so I handwash it (in a mad rush) every morning. By evening, it’s usually dry for reusing.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★★ It’s probably the easiest swaddle around. Simply lay baby on it, slip his hands into the corners of the wings, and zip up.  Super duper easy. And best of all, baby can’t undo it!

(c) Fit: ★★★★ Size Small is recommended for 3 to 6kg. It has fit well since Jae was 3+ kg. He loves to put his hands to his face, so this swaddle’s design is perfect for him.

When Jae was about 4kg, the swaddle started to fit snugly. He’s now about 4,5kg. Hope it’d really last him till 6kg.

(d) Performance: ★★★★★ At first, Jae would wake up for milk after about 2 hours. The first night he tried the swaddle (at 2 weeks old), we’d to wake him up for feed at 1a.m. and 4a.m.! This miracle didn’t last though. (I wished it did!) Generally, he sleeps very well in this swaddle because it keeps his arms from “flying around” too much.

During breastfeeding, he prefers to cover his face with his hands, so he can feed in a natural position in the swaddle.

It also keeps his hands from scratching me. There’s no need for mittens that tend to drop off easily from his tiny hands.

Diaper changes are easy. Just pull the lower zip upwards. There’s no need to remove the swaddle even when washing baby’s bums.

After 1 month old, Jae started regurgitating milk often, so I bought another swaddle to rotate.

(e) Quality: ★★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After daily washings for 1+ month, the swaddle still looks and performs as good as new.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Love to Swaddle UP Lite retails at SGD55.90. The Original version is at SGD49.90. It seems pricey for something that’s used for a few months. Yet I’m all in for investing in baby stuff that facilitates a good night’s sleep, so this is still a good buy. (If you’ve read ALL my reviews on baby sleep products, you’d certainly understand where I’m coming from. Ha!)

A great choice for easy swaddling and for babies who love sleeping with hands up.

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What we like about it:

• Allows baby to be swaddled with arms up in a natural position
• Baby stays swaddled all night long
• Twin zipper design for easy wearing and diaper changes
• (Lite version) Very light single-layer fabric — prevents overheating in hot weather
• Facilitates breastfeeding even when swaddled up

What can be improved:

We’re very happy with the swaddle!

• 2 swaddles are usually needed for rotation, so do offer package deals

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Love to Swaddle UP, visit SMT Distributors (Singapore).

• Special Treat: 15% discount
• Discount Code: MUM-IVJ9L-99195
• Validity Period: Until 31 Mar 2012

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Sharing time: Does your baby love or hate to be swaddled? Feel free to share your experiences and reviews in the comments box.

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Disclosure: I received a Love to Swaddle UP Lite from SMT Distributors for review, and bought another one.

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

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Related posts:

1. Review: Bumble Bee Swaddle Blanket
2. Review: Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe
3. [Mummy & Baby] Year 2011 TOP 10 Favourite Items

Spinkie gave me the opportunity to review The Butterfly Pillow. I’ve fallen in love with it, so it forms Part 4 of the popular Stylish Mum’s Essentials series!

About The Butterfly Pillow

These are the main features of the pillow:

• Upper layer: Made of 100% cotton designer fabric
• Lower layer: Made of minky-dot fabric
• Contents: Polyester fiberfill is recycled, washable, and non-allergenic
• Country of origin: Handmade in the U.S.A.

The Butterfly Pillows are co-designed by Mutya (who co-started Spinkie) and are available in a range of lovely designer prints.

First Impressions

The Butterfly Pillow looks stunning and stands out among the mountain of bolsters and pillows on our family bed. One side is the same type of soft and plush dotted minky fabric as the The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket. The other side is made with beautiful designer fabric, which I adore.

There’s a little card explaining the various ways to use The Butterfly Pillow. And I’m happy that the laundry tab says it’s washable!

How We Tested It

(a) Uses & Effectiveness: There’re many ways to use the pillow and I didn’t simply follow what the little card mentioned. Here’s how our family has used it:

1. Relieve blocked nose when sleeping: Occasionally, my sinus problem returns and I get blocked nose at night. Placing The Butterfly Pillow on top of my pillow helps to lift my head up by the much-needed inches and I get to sleep soundly. Its firmness and contour supports my neck well, so I don’t get any stiff neck in the morning. Wonderful!
2. Neck / shoulder support when sitting on the bed: I frequently use the laptop on the bed and The Butterfly Pillow keeps my neck and shoulders comfortable while lying against the wall. There were nights when Vee had blocked nose and hubby had to carry him to sleep while sitting up. The Butterfly Pillow has been a total saviour for his poor neck through the night.
3. Neck support during long car rides: During our 4-hour road trips between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Vee loved using The Butterfly Pillow in his car seat. Since young, he prefers to sit up REALLY straight than recline on any bed, stroller, car seat or high chair. The pillow supports his neck, allowing him to sit up straighter, and he insisted on using it through the journey.

(b) Laundry: I was eager to try the pillow during our long road trip, so didn’t prewash it. Oops! At the end of the trip, Vee dropped it onto the floor in the car and I subsequently dropped it onto the car park. Gross! Finally, I handwashed it in cold water with a little mild detergent. It was heavy to wring the water off the pillow at the final rinse. Then I laid it flat to dry under the sun for a couple of days. And it looks as good as new.

(c) Overall Value: Each Butterfly Pillow is USD25. It’s multi-purpose, beautifully-designed and very well-made. Anyone in the family from young to old can use it, so I definitely find it value-for-money.

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What we like about it:

• Provides comfortable neck / shoulder support in various situations
• Beautiful design for stylish mums
• Washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Instructions suggest folding the pillow into half for neck support. I find it too stiff to stay in place after folding, and am happy to use it without folding.

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Win Your Own

To celebrate the launch of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. TWO (2) lucky members will win one gorgeous The Butterfly Pillow worth USD25 each!

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club (existing members counted)

2. To get 1 extra entry: ”Like” Spinkie Facebook page (existing fans counted)

3. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address worldwide (except in countries that don’t allow participation in lucky draws / sweepstakes).
• If you’re a winner, the colour / design of your prize depends on the stock available.
• It will run until 25 February 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT+8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck. Feel free to get your friends to join in the fun too!

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own The Butterfly Pillow and a wide range of stylish products for baby, visit Spinkie. Be prepared to drool at all the designer prints!

• Special Treat: 20% STOREWIDE discount
• Discount Code: 20MUMMYBP
• Validity Period: Until 15 March 2011

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Disclosure: I received one The Butterfly Pillow for review and Spinkie is a banner ad sponsor at the time of writing.

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P.S. If you’re a new reader, catch the entire Stylish Mum’s Essentials series HERE.

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Related posts:

1. Winners of The Butterfly Pillows (Giveaway #17)
2. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #1] The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket [Giveaway #13]
3. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #2] The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Wet Bag [Giveaway #14]

Welcome to Mummy’s Reviews™’ Stylish Mum’s Essentials series! In this series of 3 articles over the week, I’d be sharing with you baby products that up your style factor when shopping with baby.

Mutya, co-founder of Spinkie, approached me to review her store’s products. Spinkie is a Singapore based online store that specialises in stylish baby products handmade by designer Mums and Dads. Ooo… its store is full of blankets, bibs and dresses made from lovely printed fabrics! I chose to review The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket in Alexander Henry’s popular “Juicy Jungle” print.

About The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket

These are the main features of the blanket:

• Upper layer: Made of 100% cotton, printed, quilting fabric
• Lower layer: Made of minky-dot fabric
• Dimensions: About 30″ x 23″
• Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

The blankets are available in a range of lovely designer prints.

First Impressions

The baby blanket arrived in an adorable bundle, shown in the first picture above. After opening the bundle, Vee and I wowed at the attractive pictures of animals. He happily pointed out the elephant, lion and giraffe.

Alexander Henry’s popular “Juicy Jungle” print

The minky fabric felt very soft and plush, and I couldn’t help running my hands over the dots many times.

Soft, plush creamy minky-dot fabric

How We Tested It

Laundry: Before initial use, I handwashed it once, and it remained soft. In the middle of our recent trip, I washed it using the washing machine and dried it on warm. It remained as soft as before.

Comfort: It felt very plush and comfortable against my skin, when I used it to cover my tummy in case Vee wanted to nurse at night. When he didn’t nurse anymore, I used it to cover his feet at night, which usually lasts only a few hours because he kicks all blankets off. Initially, I thought this lovely blanket has a chance of being his comfort blanket. Hmm… no luck, he still loves clinging on to me in the middle of the night.

Size: Since it’s rectangular, it can’t be used to swaddle a newborn. Being smaller than our other baby blankets makes it the ideal stroller or travel blanket.

Each blanket is retailing at USD35, which is still reasonable as it comes in attractive designer prints, quality fabrics and excellent workmanship. It’s suitable as a stylish stroller blanker for outdoor trips. Or your fashionista girl-friend would love it as a beautiful baby shower gift.

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What we like about it:

• Trim — perfect as a stroller or travel blanket
• Unique minky-dot fabric, with irresistible texture
• Beautiful print that livens up the nursery or stroller
• Machine-washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Specify content of fabrics used (I found out the content from the sponsor, Spinkie.)

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Win Your Own

THREE (3) lucky subscribers will win a The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket worth USD35 each!

This is how to participate:

• Subscribe to Mummy’s Reviews™ in a reader or via email (existing subscribers counted)

• Send an email to me (MieVee [at] MummysReviews.com) with the following information:
  • Method of subscription: in a reader or via email
  • Your name
  • Your name in Facebook (to get extra entry mentioned below)
  • Visit Spinkie and tell me (in your email) your favourite print (among the blankets priced at USD35)
  • If you are a new reader, mention how you got to know of this Giveaway
  • Blog / Website URL, if any (to get extra entries mentioned below, indicate URL of your exact post)

• To get EXTRA entries:
  • 1 extra entry: “Like” Mummy’s Reviews™ Facebook page (existing fans counted)
  • 1 extra entry: “Like” Spinkie Facebook page (existing fans counted)
  • 1 extra entry (unlimited total): For each participant referred by you (e.g. through sharing the Giveaway on Facebook / Twitter / email)
  • 3 extra entries: Share this Giveaway on your blog / website

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address worldwide (except countries that don’t allow participation in lucky draws).
• It will run until 7 November 2010 (Sunday) 2359hr (GMT+8).
• If you are one of the winners, the print of your blanket depends on the stock available.
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Blanket and a wide range of stylish products for baby, visit Spinkie. Be prepared to drool at all the designer prints!

• Special Treat: 20% STOREWIDE discount
• Discount Code: 20MUMMY2010
• Validity Period: Until 31 December 2010

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Disclosure: I received a The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket for review.

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P.S. More articles in this Stylish Mum’s Essentials series:

• The Pat-a-Cake Baby Wet Bag
• Diaper Mat Clutch

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #1] The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket [Giveaway #13]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #2] The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Wet Bag [Giveaway #14]
2. [Stylish Mum's Essentials #4] Review: You’ve got to see The Butterfly Pillow [Giveaway #17]
3. Winners of The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blankets & Wet Bags (Giveaways #13 & #14)

Notes about this schedule:

• Since Vee was about 12-13 months old, he was more energetic and started taking one long nap a day. If he wakes up early, we have a long day out or he is unwell, he would take two naps.
• We follow his cues, that is why this is a child-led schedule. It is common that we shift 30-60 minutes away from it.
• Our diet is primarily vegetarian, which explains the lack of meat. With proper meal planning, Vee still gets his entire range of nutrition needed.
• He still wakes up to breastfeed several times through the night, especially at midnight and in the morning.
• This is a mock-up schedule based on our actual schedule.

8a.m. Breastfeed

9a.m. Rise and shine, bath

10a.m. Breakfast:

• Grains & cereals
• Milk & yoghurt (~4oz)
• Multi-vitamin & mineral

11a.m. Homeschooling lessons, including Shichida Method™ home practice

12p.m. Lunch:

• Porridge, pasta or starchy food such as sweet potatoes
• Vegetables
• Peas or beans
• Fruit

1p.m. Free play

1.30p.m. Milk feed (~4oz)

2p.m. Nap

4p.m. Wakes up from nap

4.30p.m. Tea break, includes milk & yoghurt (~3oz)

5p.m. Free play

6p.m. Dinner:

• Porridge, pasta or starchy food such as sweet potatoes
• Vegetables
• Peas or beans
• Fish and/or egg yolk
• Fruit

7p.m. Quiet play

8.30p.m. Milk feed (~5oz), change

9.30p.m. Sleep

11p.m. Breastfeed

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Related posts:

1. Beware: Do Not Let Your Child Play with Receipts Due to High Levels of BPA!
2. Baby V Turns 10 Months Old
3. How I Shape My Child’s Behaviour

My guest article on “Sleep Solutions for My Fussy Baby” for Today’s Motherhood has been published! View the write-up in the Jun/Jul 2010 issue, pages 22-23 or below.

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Introduction

During pregnancy, I prepared extensively for delivery day and breastfeeding, while missing out on one topic – sleep. What a major mistake! When Vee (the fussy, gassy, clingy light-sleeper arrived), I became nearly obsessed with ways to help him fall asleep and stay asleep. Sleeping problems that we faced initially:

• He demanded to be carried and rocked or bounced to sleep. Otherwise, he would cry forcefully.
• It took up to five hours to help him nap.
• When finally asleep, he fussed every 35 to 45 minutes in the day and every 1 to 1.5 hours at night.
• He refused to fall asleep in the car-seat or stroller, so outdoor trips had to be planned meticulously.

This article shares with you some ways that helped him (and I) sleep longer and better.

1. Tummy Massage

Vee has the reputation of the gassiest baby that my confinement helper has seen. He passed gas so frequently that it even shocked him into tears at times. My nurse taught me to do tummy massage for him and it was amazing how much gas he could pass out during each massage. Relieving the gas for him enabled him to sleep more comfortably.

2. Swaddling and Babywearing

Even as a newborn, Vee did not like to sleep in a cot. His startle reflex which continued for many months also awakened him easily. Swaddling enabled him to sleep more peacefully, and he self-weaned from it at 6.5 months old. We had to specially order two large swaddles from the U.S. to wrap up the 9kg dumpling.

On some days, even carrying did not settle him, so I wore him in a baby sling to calm him down and walked around the house until he fell asleep – a good way to exercise at home.

3. White Noise

This work marvellously and we are using it even today for the 15-month old toddler. When he cried miserably in the early months, turning on the hairdryer for a while would calm him down. Throughout his nap and night-time sleep, rainfall sound would be looped continuously to mask out household noises since he is a very light-sleeper. (Read reviews about products that produce white noise here.)

4. Co-Sleeping

Initially, I resisted co-sleeping. When Vee kept fussing after night-time feeds at four months old, I was spending entire nights trying to get him to sleep in his cot instead of resting. Finally, I gave up and let him sleep with us. Co-sleeping (done in a safe way) enabled me to breastfeed him lying down, tend to him easily and he fussed less. It may not work for everyone but certainly worked for us.

5. Eliminating Night-Time Diaper Changes

He is a heavy-wetter and easily pees through conventional disposable diapers. His sensitive skin also cannot tolerate most diapers for more than six hours. After a diaper change, it could take hours to settle him back to sleep again. Eventually, I found modern cloth diapers that are super-absorbent and breathable to last him up to 12 hours without any leak and rash. This was a big step to help us sleep more peacefully. (Read more about night-time diapering options here.)

6. Appropriate Clothings and Room Temperature

From about six months old, Vee has been suffering from eczema rashes on his face and inner folds of limbs which flare up when he is warm. Therefore, we experimented with the room temperature and found that a cool environment kept his rashes down and eventually enabled him to sleep soundly. He is dressed lightly during day naps and wears a T-Shirt and pants at night. We realised that not every baby needs to wear long sleeves, mittens and socks to bed; do what is most comfortable for your little one.

7. Sleeping at an Angle

Between four and seven months old, Vee regurgitated milk very often and had slight reflux problems which caused him to scream at night. Letting him sleep on a surface raised at 30-degrees eased the reflux and allowed him to sleep much better.

8. Bedtime Routine and Early Bedtime

Adapting a bedtime routine enabled Vee to tune down more easily for bedtime. At night, he gets a sponge bath, feed, bedtime stories, songs, massage and then encouraged to sleep. For naps, he gets the same routine without the sponge bath. He stays very alert when the surrounding is bright, so his sleeping environment must be dimly-lit. Even the walls near the bed have to be free of posters as he gets totally excited seeing them.

He also fell asleep more easily and slept longer when bedtime was brought forward to about 8.30p.m. It was only when he grew older that his bedtime shifted later and we started enjoying evening outings.

Sometimes, I wonder how many gassy, heavy-wetting light-sleepers with reflux and eczema problems are there. If we can get enough sleep, I am sure you can too. Explore to see what works best for you and your baby. Sweet dreams!

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Read these reviews on some of our favourite sleeping aids:

• Book: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
• Sound Oasis Sleep Bear
• Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe

If you are a Mummy-to-be, how are you preparing to sleep well when baby arrives?
If you are an experienced Mummy, how are you helping your baby / toddler to sleep better?

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Related posts:

1. Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
2. Review: Sound Oasis Sleep Bear

Vee, who is turning one-year old soon, has been a high-needs baby who needs help falling asleep. We have tried a variety of ways to help him sleep:

• carrying and bouncing (on the side of the bed till most of the springs have malformed)
• carrying and walking round the room with a bounce (very tiring on my arms; Daddy is better at this)
• rocking in his Fisher-Price rocker (reviewed here, worked for a few months)
• bouncing in his Amby Baby Motion Bed (reviewed here, worked until he weaned himself off the swaddle at 6.5 months. He decided on this: No swaddle = No Amby Baby)
• nursing (only when he is very tired or insistent on this because it is a very tough sleep association to break and I must be around)
• pacifier (only for a short while in the early months, useful to let him sleep in the car-seat since no one can nurse or bounce him. Then he decided one day that he does not want the pacifier anymore.)

At the end of his sleep routine (wipe clean, change diaper, breastfeed, story and songs, white noise, goodnight kiss), he would realise that it is bed-time and climb all over me, whining for help. He absolutely refuses to lie still and be patted to sleep. If no one helps him, his whines would quickly turn into hysterical cries. Since I am practising The No-Cry Sleep Solution (reviewed here), I would assist him when I know that he really needs help.

Recently, Vee has been learning things with ease, so I improvised an idea from the book and introduced a new part to the routine. These few nights, we would kiss his Sleep Bear (reviewed here) ‘Good-night’ and pretend to pat it to sleep.

Then we FINALLY see some hope over the past two nights:

Two Nights Ago: At the end of the routine, he insisted on nursing (again, even though he had nursed within the past half an hour). Since it was late, I granted his request and thought he would fall asleep while nursing. Instead, he did not — after nursing at both sides, he sat up, clapped his hands a few times, thumped his head on my body, sat up again after a few seconds, clapped his hands, thumped his head on my shoulder for a few seconds. He probably repeated the cycle a hundred times when suddenly, he thumped his head on my shoulder and did not sit up again. Oh my… he fell asleep by himself for the FIRST TIME. I grinned.

Last Night: At the end of the routine, he wanted to nurse (again!) He was very drowsy when nursing the second side and unlatched (perhaps by his mistake). I quickly took advantage of the situation, and covered myself up. He climbed onto me while I pretended to be asleep; he rolled a few times and whined pathetically until he let out a long cry. When I was considering whether to nurse him again, he suddenly thumped his entire 10+kg body on my chest and fell asleep. Oh my… I wanted to grin but felt breathless.

Thank you, Sleep Bear!

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How does your little one fall asleep at night?

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Win a copy of The No-Cry Sleep Solution at Giveaway #2 here.

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Related posts:

1. Review: Drybees Fleece Pocket Diapers (Night-Time Diapering Solution)

Many new parents are bothered by their newborn babies’ frequent night awakenings to nurse or crankiness at night. The lack of sleep adversely affects these parents, especially those who are working.

Recently, one parent asked in a forum whether it is appropriate to add baby cereal to his newborn’s milk feed to help him sleep longer at night. Another asked whether she should try the Cry-It-Out method on her baby.

It is time to share this long overdue review on The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley, which I read shortly after The No-Cry Nap Solution.

Sleeping Problems We Faced at Night

• At four months old, Vee suddenly started waking up about every 1 to 2 hours at night. Previously, he woke up for night feeds at about 3.5 hours apart. We ruled out growth spurt as this lasted more than a week and suspected discomforts from teething and minor gastrointestinal reflux.
• Vee started waking up to cry within 30 to 45 minutes after falling asleep at night. Previously, he would sleep for a few hours until his next feed. When I carried him upright, he felt more comfortable.
• It took 1 hour or more to feed, burp and settle Vee back to sleep in his cot at night. He kept fussing and sometimes I had to try up to FIVE times to get him to sleep soundly in his cot. Before I could sleep for long, he was up for the next feed.
• There were times when Vee was asleep after a night feed but I could not get back to sleep because I was stretching out my hand into the cot to rest it on his chest. Sometimes, I was so sure he would awake anytime to fuss that I unintentionally kept myself awake.

I was utterly convinced that Vee was a high-needs baby and a super-light-sleeper who woke up at the end of EVERY sleep cycle. My night-time sleep was extremely disrupted, and I felt tired and miserable. Fortunately, being a Stay-At-Home-Mum, I could take naps with Vee. (The nap problems were solved more easily.)

How The Book Saved Our Sleep

The No-Cry Sleep Solution explains why caregivers should not allow baby to ‘cry it out’ and offers a suite of gentle solutions to help baby sleep through the night. Some of the areas that I found most useful in our circumstances:

• How to co-sleep in a safe manner. Safe co-sleeping allowed me to continue nursing Vee on demand, with both of us falling back to sleep easily. In short, WE FINALLY GAVE UP USING THE COT.
• Ways to create a bedtime routine and condusive sleeping environment. Many sleeping aids that we tried were ideas from the book.
• How to gently wean him off from bouncing or sucking to sleep. The high-needs baby still needs either kind of help to fall asleep, but there were a few occasions when I could go through the bedtime routine and pat him gently to sleep. He’s progressing, albeit at a slow rate.
• Observing him during his brief awakenings at night and giving him opportunities to learn falling back to sleep by himself. If he seriously needs help, then I would carry or nurse him. Recently, on several occasions, he managed to shift his sleeping position and continued sleeping (erm… on my tummy / chest / pillow) while I pretended to sleep. Another major improvement!

Although I have implemented only some of Pantley’s ideas, Vee has been progressing. Even though he is not sleeping through the night yet (i.e. 5 hours straight), we are getting sufficient rest at night, he hardly cries at night, and he is sleeping for stretches of up to 4 hours. My new ‘problem’: there are times when I wake up in the middle of the night while he is sleeping soundly! I am absolutely pleased with the results.

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What I like about the book:

• Clarifies common misconceptions about baby’s sleep and related problems
• Offers a suite of gentle solutions to help baby sleep through the night
• Solutions produce visible results; timing of success depends on caregivers’ consistency and baby’s adaptability

As this is the first book in the ‘No-Cry’ series, there are less ideas in some areas than the newer books. If you have an older child, you may consider reading The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers*.

Has your baby slept through the night? Or are you struggling through sleepless nights? Do share your experiences and tips on helping your baby sleep better.

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Get Your Own

Pantley’s books are available in most major bookstores such as MPH, Borders, Times and Popular Bookstores. They are hot among parents and often out of stock.

You may also check the price at Amazon.com here: The No-Cry Sleep Solution*

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Before giving birth to Baby V, our baby shopping list consisted of a bouncer. From my understanding, babies from a few weeks old like to lie at a slightly inclined angle to observe things around them and interact with their family. However, a bouncer would only serve its purpose until the baby starts to roll over at a few months old, so I was hesitant to get one.

A few hours of surfing the Internet led me to the Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Portable Rocker, which could serve as a rocker (similar to a bouncer) and a chair. Bravo! When it was on sale, we grabbed one (cannot recall the price though) before it flew off the shelf.

For Play

When Baby V was about three weeks old, I placed him in the rocker for an hour of interactive play during the day. This helped to keep him awake for a while so that he can reserve more sleeping time for the night.

For Freeing Hands

In the early months, the rocker was a good place to keep Baby V entertained (with the toy bar) while being securely strapped up. This freed my hands to take a quick shower with him in sight, since the lightweight rocker could be placed just outside the bathroom. In such situations, I convert it into a chair so that it is more stable.

For Cosy Naps

Initially, Baby V slept in his cot — with natural light and household noise going on during the day. Then, he became as stubborn as a bull (suits his Chinese horoscope exactly) and INSISTED on being carried and rocked to sleep for every nap and at night.

From 10 weeks old, he became very alert and interested in EVERYTHING in the bedroom and started resisting naps (even though he was obviously tired) to the extent that I spent more than five hours coaxing him until he finally closed his peepers. It was extremely tiring carrying a fussy, screaming 5kg baby for that long since I was his sole caregiver. At times, I felt like going mad! After spending all those hours putting the Baby Bull to sleep, he woke up after about 45 minutes.

The No Cry-Nap Solution assured me that it was fine to rock as baby to sleep, as long as he (and I) rested. Therefore, I started rocking Baby V to sleep in the rocker (without the toy bar) for one nap a day. When he stirred during sleep cycle changes, I rocked him gently (using my feet while I read or surfed the Internet) or switched on the vibrator for a few minutes and he could nap for up to 2 hours! I finally had some freedom back.

Kept Away Until Baby Becomes A Toddler

After Baby V could roll over at five months old, he preferred freedom over being strapped up in the rocker. Thus, we kept it away; it’s foldable for easy storage. When the boy grows older, he could still use it as a recliner chair for reading. No wonder this rocker is so popular among parents!

Update on 27 Oct 2011: I took this rocker out before baby #2 arrives. Now, Vee loves to strap himself onto this “special chair” for his flashcards session. I certainly hope he’d share this chair with his baby brother!

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Pros:

• Long usage span: up to 18kg (40lbs) toddler
• Vibration function helps fussy newborn baby take long cosy naps
• Easy to wash: fabric is machine-washable
• Foldable for storage and portability

Cons:

• Legs of the chair may fold inwards easily when pulling it
• Cannot be used when babies start rolling over and prefer to sit upright over a reclined position (at about 5 months old)
• Battery for one of the toys in the toy bar cannot be replaced (Duh!)

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Get Your Own

Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Portable Rocker is available in major departmental and baby stores.

You may also check the price at Amazon.com here: Fisher-Price Newborn-To-Toddler Portable Rocker*

*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy’s Reviews™

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When I was shopping for baby stuff (at Kiddy Palace, Jurong Point, Singapore) during pregnancy, my best friend recommended the Moms in Mind sarong sling (listed price: S$45, without demo video) to me. I trusted her opinion and bought a cotton sateen sling in Lilac-Pink, which turned out to be one of my favourite buys.

Aesthetics

The cotton sateen fabric is super-smooth and soft; the beautiful colour-combination and modern sling design creates an attracive layering piece when I wear it outdoors. I am always thrilled when other mums ask me where I bought the sling from. (Yes, I am a vain-pot at heart.)

Functionality

The loop-design makes it rather easy to secure the baby correctly in the sling. Practice makes perfect. I certainly prefer this one-size sling over sized ones.

The little zip compartment is just the right size for a handphone, face cloth and pacifier. What a thoughtful design!

The sling is suitable for shopping in crowded or narrow places where the stroller is inconvenient — for instance, pasar malam (night markets) and supermarkets. When Baby V cannot fall asleep in the stroller, he would be happy to be in the sling. He used to take long naps in it while I shopped in peace, until curiosity took over at about 3 months old.

When no nursing room is nearby, I simply nurse him in the sling.

At home, the sling keeps Baby V calm while he watches me prepare food for my daily tea-break or do other light chores.

The sling has been so useful that I ordered another one (in Light-Blues) online to ensure that there is always a clean one available. (Baby V never spares my beloved slings from regurgitated milk or saliva!)

However, as the weight of the baby is born by only one shoulder, I found it too strenuous to carry Baby V in it when he weighed above 9kg.

Pros:

• Washes well (machine-washable, place in a laundry net) — looks new even after 6 months of frequent use
• Cotton sateen fabric is very smooth, soft and breathable (keeps baby cool)
• Versatile — several carrying positions possible
• Attractive modern design

Cons:

• For petite mums like me, the ‘tail’ of the sling could be too long
• Weight of the baby is born by only one shoulder

(Tip: Wrap the tail around the loop to keep it short and neat.)

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