Counting Sleep Sheep

Have you ever heard that if you find something you love to do, your life will become immensely improved? I believe that this piece of advice along with “you need 8 hours of sleep a night” to carry on in this world is the best advice I have ever been given.

After my first child, there was no such thing as 8 hours of sleep a night. My daughter did not like to sleep. She cried on her back and fussed on her front. She hated being upright and wasn’t too keen lying down either. We tried a baby swing, a pacifier, a night light, a special blanket, a pillow. I could go on. Nothing soothed her and she wouldn’t sleep. Until, one day a friend recommend Sleep Sheep.

When our Sleep Sheep (a sleep machine with 4 soothing sounds) arrived the next day, I can honestly say that our life changed for the better. Sleep Sheep was (and still is!) the perfect nighttime companion for my daughter. The little plush sheep has a sound box tucked safely inside that lulls you to sleep with four soft sounds – A Mother's Heartbeat, Spring Showers, Ocean Surf, and Whale Songs. Sleep Sheep’s soothing sounds are an audio pacifier that was able to calm my fussy little daughter and allow her to sleep. And you know that if she was sleeping, of course we were too. Using a Sleep Sheep is now number 3 on my list of the best advice ever given.

If you have a baby who isn’t sleeping, you need to try the Sleep Sheep. This way, everyone can have a good 8 hour sleep.

No More Fans!

As soon as the summer was over and we no longer needed the ceiling fan in my daughter's room, she couldn't fall asleep. You see we live in a small, cozy apartment and there is noise everywhere. She started staying up later and later and couldn't get to sleep until late in the evening when the apartment noises got quiet. I started to panic. She's only 4 so she needs at least 10 hours of sleep a night to be able to function the next day.

Then it dawned on me; she slept all summer without a problem. Aha! The ceiling fan lulled her to sleep. But, it was September and was too cold for the overhead fan. Once I had this aha moment I immediately began my search. I went online and found Sleepwellbaby.com and discovered there is a whole world of white noise machines that I never knew existed. There are white noise machines with the sounds of waterfalls, thunderstorms, crickets, heartbeats, white noise etc.

I found a product called the Marpac Marsona White Noise Machine - SleepMate 980 and ordered it right away. The Sleepmate 980A white noise machine is a miracle worker. It has an actual fan inside and creates a consistent whooshing sound, like rushing air, the sound a fan makes to help lull my daughter to sleep. From the very first night I put the machine in my daughter's room she was out like a light. I keep the Sleepmate 980A plugged in all night and the sound of my daughter's fan is replicated. The sound is adjustable for tone and volume and has two frequency levels for broader range. The tone and volume are controlled by simply rotating the "cap" and "collar" of the Sleepmate 980. This white noise sound effectively masks unwanted noises and helps my daughter fall asleep. The Sleepmate 980 hums all night and now we can all sleep again!

Massaging Baby

Massaging your baby is a great idea! Throughout ancient times, babies were massaged and it is still practiced at this time all over the world. You may be wondering if there are any real benefits in massaging your newborn and the answer is YES!

Recent studies have shown that newborns that are massaged regularly thrive better, gain more weight, and grow healthy. Premature babies even have shorter hospital stays if they are massaged.

Other benefits of massage include:
Soothes and calms
Helps the baby relax
Helps the baby sleep better
They are more alert when awake
Promotes motor activity
Promotes emotional security
Results in a healthy body and proper muscular development
Stimulates digestion
Aids in ridding the body of gas
Increases blood circulation
Strengthen immune system
Relieves colic
Aids in parent/child bonding

Massaging your newborn for the first time can be a bit scary for many parents. They are so afraid of doing something wrong or massaging too hard. The best way to ensure you do everything right the first time is with a Baby's First Massage Kit.

The Baby's First Massage Kit provides you with everything you need including a step-by-step guide with various techniques and the basic strokes you need to learn. You will love the cuddle time and the great benefits you are providing for your baby with just a few simple minutes of your time each day.

The kit comes complete with a cotton-hooded towel; lavender scented Vitamin E and chamomile massage oil, 26 pages easy to understand pictorial guide, and tips for beginning the massage routine.