More Sleep For Better Learning?

Experts have been known to say that a lack of sleep can cause a lot of problems for children this can include poor academic performance. As a mum to four children I would tend to agree with this. My kids are less likely to want to get on with any school work if they are tired from perhaps simply a poor nights sleep or going to bed late. So does more sleep mean better learning?

My youngest daughter has always been my hardest child shall we say, she's certainly different from her siblings, including sleeping at night time. This one has always had a tendency to wake up in the night, a lot of the time ending up in bed with me and with her due to start school in September I can't help but worry how this will affect her learning. She'll be one of the youngest in her class with a late July birthday and she hasn't got the best concentration span as it is.

How Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Hinders Quality of Life

Image by Liz Zmuda via Flickr

Obstructive Sleep apnoea can affect you, no matter what your age group is. In fact, it affects around 4 % of the Australian population, and sometimes goes undiagnosed and untreated. I'm not surprsied by this statistic as I know of a fair few people suffering from forms of this and suspect my husband does, although he hasn't had it formally diagnosed.

Time To Wake Up Ready

It's a new year which of course means many of you have set yourselves some resolutions, things to improve or change. Well I didn't actually set myself any goals this year but one thing I knew could do with improving was my sleeping habits. So when I was asked if I would like to join in with Kalms Night 'Wake Up Ready' campaign I decided that I had nothing to lose. 

Turning September into Sleeptember

Sleep, it is something that we all need to enable us to function on a day to day basis. Some of us need more time in bed than others although research deems that we need around 8 hours or sleep a night to allow us to wake up refreshed. So time to turn September into Sleeptember.

What The Summer Holidays Does to Our Sleeping Pattern

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say the routine goes to pot when the kids are off school. We are far too busy enjoying the freedom of Summer holidays to be worrying about when to eat, what time to go to bed etc. I mean the late nights mean lots of lay ins, I've really been enjoying the peace and quiet each morning when I get time by myself as the kids carry on snoring longer than usual.

But this change in our sleeping pattern paves the way for some resistance when it's time to get back into routine ready for the children returning to school. Can't say I blame them because I'm not looking forward to the pile of clothes that awaits me, you know the ones that need labelling.

Magic Blackout Blind Review

Sleep, I love it but can never seem to get enough. Research has been conducted and shows that sleeping in complete darkness is actually healthier for people and helps to ensure a good nights sleep. But sometimes the black of night is hard to come by. For example when the clocks go forward and the evenings are lighter, or for people who work nights and have to sleep during the daytime hours. This is where Magic Blackout Blinds can help.

The Gro Clock Review

I have some children who like to get up just a little bit too early. Keeping them in bed has proved to be a struggle, now I don't mind sharing my bed but not before atleast 6am!! I was recently asked if I'd like to review a item from The Gro Company and immediately the Gro Clock sprang to mind, it is a product that a lot of people have recommended to me before so I wanted to see if it had enough magical powers to work on my children.

S is for….. Sleep

This weeks alphabet project sees the letter S taking centre stage.

I've decided that S is represented by sleep.

I don't know about you but sleep is something I crave.

I used to spend ours lying in my bed when I was younger or my pit as my mum used to call it.

Only rolling out of it when nature called or when my tummy refused to give up rumbling.

Now sleep is something I just can't seem to find.

I struggle to fall asleep on a daily basis and I think I know the reason why…

Sleep, where are you??

I have always been a firm believer of routine with my children. On school days I wake them up at the same time, they have meals at certain times (give or take half hour) and they go to bed at the same time every day. This may not work for everyone but it works in our household.

At bed time the kids go to bed in age order, from youngest to oldest. Layla is first at 6.15pm, Gracie is next at 6.30pm, then Freya at 7pm and lastly Elise at 7.30pm, this means they are all getting atleast 11 hours of sleep each night.

Most mornings they wake up happy and refreshed and I always find myself wishing I could wake up feeling the same. Instead I will wake up with a grumpy face and you probably won't get a proper conversation from me for atleast half an hour after that, caffeine is my friend. People always tell me how smiley I am in the mornings and how I look so awake, let me tell you make up works wonders, you would not want to see my morning face, think scary movie!!! Now if only I could have that afternoon nap, well if the baby is allowed too.....

Now I am my own worst enemy, I know if I were to get more sleep then I probably would wake up in a slightly better mood, not too much better though because lets be honest, as adults we know mornings really suck. This is is where the problem lies, I have always had a huge problem with falling asleep.

A normal night will see me going up to bed with Daddy Hazelden around 10pm. He is the complete opposite to me and has no problem with falling asleep, literally as soon as his head hits the pillow, he is out like a light, snoring VERY loudly. I am his opposite, it can take me a good hour to drop off to sleep, I find myself clock watching, it is like my brain won't shut down, this is my first hurdle.

The second hurdle, I can't seem to ignore the snoring, I don't want to wear ear plugs for fear that I a) wouldn't hear the kids b) I wouldn't hear the alarm in the morning, but what else can I do to drown out the dreadful noise??

The third hurdle, well that would be me. I am a massive book worm, I read atleast 5 books a week, I am one of these people that can't put a book down once I've started it. This can see me sitting up until 2/3 in the morning because I just have to finish it and with Daddy Hazelden's alarm going off at 5.45am I am left with minimal time to sleep.

And the fourth hurdle, I am a really light sleeper. This means that any noise wakes me up and then I am back to the initial problem that it takes me an age to get back to sleep, then I start listening to the snoring, oh and then I'll pick up a book in hopes that I will get sleepy. You get the idea, bit of a viscious circle sometimes.

It all has me wondering, dangerous thing that!! If I were to get myself into a routine like the kids, do you think that eventually I would settle into being able to just fall asleep instantly, could I train myself to sleep well?? Daddy Hazelden seems to think not, he thinks this is just how I am and that I can function on little sleep, in a way he is right because I do just get on with my day regardless of how much sleep I've had but I just always find myself needing to catch up on that missing sleep.

So what about you lovely readers, do you get a good nights sleep, do you have a bed time routine yourself, any top tips for a sleepy mum??

xxxx

The Toddle Pod Review

Poddle Pod UK is a company that has been developed in Rugby Warwickshire UK, it started in 2011 when the Poddle Pod was created.

The Poddle Pod itself is essentially a baby nest, somewhere where you can lie your babies safely when you don't have a moses basket or cot near by. This is made to be suitable for newborns up until they are around 6 months.

Then they introduced the toddle pod, this is the bigger version of the Poddle Pod. This is suitable for babies aged 6 months old and onwards.

Made from polyester hollowfibre filling, the Toddle Pod measures approximately 32inches by 19 inches on the outside and approximately 19 inches by 17 inches on the inside. A very generous size but still not taking up too much space.

The thing I love instantly is that you can pick which cover you would like for your Toddle Pod, you can also buy more than one cover, meaning that you can swap and change and because the covers are machine washable, it doesn't matter if your little one manages to get them dirty at all. I picked the safari design. This fabric is bright and fun and gives your little one plenty to look at. Each pod is handcrafted so you are essentially getting something unique because the fabric will be slightly differently placed with each cover that you buy.

Layla loved it instantly. It is lovely and soft and makes a great place for her to lie down. You can place the toddle pod inside of a cot or have it by itself on the carpet and because it is extremely lightweight you can very easily move it around, making it ideal not only for in the home but for taking out too, great if say your little ones are spending the day/night at their grandparents house.

The Toddle Pod has become one of the favourite items in my house. Not only can your little one sleep soundly in it, we have found many other uses for it. I have used it as a changing mat, with the raised sides it has meant that my little monkey hasn't been able to roll away so easily, meaning changing a nappy has become less of a challenge.

As you can see from the above picture Layla has also used it for many other things. We have placed it behind her to stop her from throwing herself backwards on the floor, making for a nice soft landing!! She has sat in quite happily to play with toys whilst mummy gets on with housework and we have even used it for her to sit and eat her snacks in.

Even her older sisters have found use for the Toddle Pod, each one of them have used it as a comfy pillow to sit and relax on. I think I made need to buy one for each of them to stop them from arguing who gets to sit in it.

As you can see from the picture above, the Toddle Pod is definitely made to chill out in. Even my lanky 7 year old fit in there nicely. I admit, I managed to squeeze my big old bum on there too (an adult size one would be nice!!).

Other ways people have recommended to use it for are : a place to do baby massage, sponge baths, as a photography aid and tummy time. I'm sure there are other ways parents will find to use the Toddle Pod with their little ones.

Priced at £29.99 for a Toddle Pod and one cover it is well worth the money, it is very versatile as it can be used for many different things and with all the children fitting in it, I can honestly say you will not disappointed. Extra covers can be bought for £9.99 each which I think is a very reasonable price to pay. 

This is one of those items that I think will turn into a must have baby accessory. I've already been recommending it friends and family.

Why not go and say hi to Poddle Pod UK over on their facebook and twitter pages, this is where you will see all the latest cover designs and news they might have to tell you.

Which fabric would choose for your Poddle/Toddle Pod, would love for to leave a comment and let me know.

xxxx

Disclaimer : I was sent this product free of charge for reviewing purposes however all thoughts and opinions are my own

The Magicbed Review and Giveaway

Introducing the Magicbed. This is a company and product created by two dads who like many other parents were growing tired of heavy, complicated travel cots when going on holidays and weekends away.

The Magibed is available in 5 different colours : blue, chocolate, black, pink and spotted pink. 

Seen as I have all girls, I was sent the Magicbed in the pink colourway, which I can confirm is absolutely stunning. The majority of the cot is a beige like colour that has pink around the sides and a beautiful butterfly either side of the cot.

What you get

In the box you receive :

the Magicbed itself

a self inflating mattress

a fleece sheet

a carry bag which all of the above are placed in

Before you can use the Magicbed properly you need to leave the mattress to self inflate for 12 hours, this is done simply by undoing the cap in the corner of the mattress. Once you have done this, then each subsequent time you use the mattress it will self inflate and deflate in under a minute. Deflating the mattress is very easy, just undo the cap, roll the mattress to squeeze the air out and do the cap back up.

Setting up the mattress takes next to no time. All you do is take the strap off from around it and it instantly pops open. The mattress is then placed in a hidden slot on the bottom of the cot, you can then fit the sheet inside which is cleverly velcroed into place, no struggling to reach down and tuck things in.

As you can see from the photo above, there is a pocket either side of the cot. A small one that you can pop your phone or mp3 player in so your little ones can listen to music whilst napping and a larger zip pocket the other side, I would use this to store the sheet in when not in use. 

Measuring approximately 100cm x 60cm inside, there is plenty of room for your child. Not only can you use it when on holiday or nights out, you can also use it as a place where your little one can play when you are trying to get things like housework done and you want to know that they are safe!! Layla was smiling the whole time she was in there and she slept soundly in there too, I'm taking that as a sign that it is very comfy inside!!

Folding the Magicbed is a doddle. You don't even need instructions to be able to do it. Simply place it on it's side, push near the middle and it will fold in on itself, fold over the other side, then hold it between your legs as you bring the straps back over to hold it in place.

Another great feature of the Magicbed is the travel bag that it comes in. The cot folds down very flat and to a fairly small 72cm wide, once placed in the travel bag, it only weighs 3.4kg so is light enough to carry around on your shoulder so you would be able to take it on public transport if needed.

The Magicbed truely is magical. It is as simple to set up as they say and is extremely sturdy for a pop up bed. I have been using it daily as means I don't have to keep putting Layla in her bedroom when she needs a nap, she can just sleep in her Magicbed in the lounge with me. It is very reasonably priced at £109, well worth every penny in my opinion. You can even purchase a sun canopy separately so that you can use it outside in the sunshine as well. I would recommend this to any parent.

Giveaway

Now the lovely people at Magicbed have kindly allowed me to giveaway one of their revolutionary Magicbeds to one lucky reader, all you need to do have a chance of winning is fill out the rafflecopter form below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everyone

xxxx

competition is listed on ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

We have a new family member

Recently Layla has decided that sleep isn't always necessary of a night time, 3am seems to be the preferred time to wake up!!

The lovely people at sweetdreamers.co.uk sent me a Ewan the dream sheep to review and I was really hoping he would help. And last Saturday the postman brought with him a big parcel.

It was Ewan!!!

All of my daughters were very excited and couldn't wait for me to get him out of the packaging.

Straight out of the box he is lovely and soft, just right for snuggles.

I was also pleased that it was so easy to get him out of the packaging.
So many toys etc these days are so hard to break lose of all of the plastic that they are surrounded in.


It was nice and refreshing just to be able to undo a bit of cellotape around the lid and out he came.
The only other thing I had to do was snip the tag that was holding his legs together.

This lovely sheep came a with a set of clear and simple instructions that even my kids understood.

The first thing I had to do when I got Ewan out was pull the battery tab out of the sound module, this can be found in Ewans' tummy, this allowed for the sounds to start. 

I then I had to switch it from "try me" mode to

"normal" mode.

There are two things you need to do to get him ready to work his magic.

* Firstly you have the option of adjusting the volume, there are 2 levels, I picked the quieter level.

* Secondly you have to decide whether you want him with his light on or off, we opted for off. 

Clever little Ewan has a tail that can be velcroed over the rails of a cot. I actually found the tail too short to do this on Layla's cot so I placed him inside of her cot but as the instructions suggested, not near her head.

Ewan got put to work the first night he arrived. Now in each of his legs is a button, each one when pressed plays a different sound for 20 minutes or until you hold the button down again to stop it. You have the choice of harp music, white noise, waves and sounds from a mothers womb. We quickly established that Layla much preferred the sounds of the womb but I was so happy to find that it worked!! Within 5 minutes she was asleep again, she never normally goes back to sleep, well not in her own bed anyway.

The next night was a little different it wasn't her waking up that we had to deal with, it was putting her to bed, she just didn't want to settle, well Ewan was up for the challenge. We popped on the womb sounds and again within 5 minutes she was sound asleep.

Admittedly on Tuesday night Layla just wasn't going to go back to sleep but all the while the sounds were playing she was quiet, it is just when they stopped that she started to cry but I think this just showed how soothing the sounds are.

A week on and this fluffy little sheep has become a much loved member of our family. We wouldn't be without him. You can buy him for £29.99 and I think that is a bargain for the peace that he brings.

Snoozing with snoozeshade

Have you ever struggled to get a parasol to fit your pushchair, or just get it to stay in the right position to block the sunlight?? I certainly have, I have had many battles with many parasols and I have to say the parasol has always won!!

Then I discovered SnoozeShade

If you haven't heard of them let me explain a little. This company sell a range of sun and sleep shades that can cover your pushchair,travel system, car seat or travel cot.

Now I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of their award winning snoozeshade original deluxe versions. It is made of a premium breathable silver fabric that protects your child from 97.5% of UV rays (UPF 40+) and they say that one size fits all pushchairs, travel systems and 3 wheelers.

I was able to give it a thorough testing as I am someone that owns quite a few pushchairs. I tested it on the iCandy cherry (pushchair and carrycot), the mutsy evo (pushchair and carrycot) and the maxi cosi noa and I can tell you that it fit every single one.

I really wish I had found SnoozeShade earlier. I had my 4th child in July 2012 and it was a god send last summer!! It comes in a nice small net bag which can easily be placed in your pushchair basket without taking up any space when not in use.

At this stage I had Layla in a carrycot and the shade was so easy to put on. It is elasticated so I literally just had to place it over and it stayed in place, no more worrying about the wind blowing the parasol off!!! It kept her in the shade and cool but best of all she slept!!!. Here is it fitted to the mutsy evo carrycot

There is a handy zip at the front which you can have open to allow your child to see or closed when you want them to nap.

Now the pushchair I thought I would struggle to attach it to was the noa, as following the normal instructions I couldn't get it to work. However they have a handy channel on you tube which shows many videos on different ways to attach the shade, using the 3 wheeler video I got it to work.

Here is Gracie in the Noa

I would recommend the SnoozeShade to everyone, I am looking forward to taking it on holiday with me this July! Prices start from just £17.99 for car seat sized and it would defintely be money well spent in my opnion, a must have for any parent. The particular version I have reviewed is available for pre order now, available in March this year, all other versions are available now!!!