How to save space, money and sanity while traveling

With Christmas holidays nearly upon us the boot of our car is suddenly looking a lot smaller than normal. It is amazing how much extra gear you need when traveling with kids. It was one of those topics that didn't seem to get covered in anti-natal class. We were all focused on the best exit strategy rather than the size of our boot but really I think it should be mandatory to include an upsize your car topic as part of preparing for baby or invest in a trailer.

It is also interesting to see how much more relaxed about gear you get as time passes. My first baby bag was always packed to the brim with every possible item I thought I might need on my trip to the shops. By the time my son arrived I would often just pop a nappy in my back pocket and wing it.

For many people the Safe T Sleep is just awesome for traveling. It is tiny enough to fit in a small bag and the travel size can be used on anything up to a king size bed. When travelling, it’s literally “a bed in a bag”. But don't take my word on it, here's what Brenda Newdick says:

Brenda Newdick

Advertising Manager

Little Treasures

2 July 1998

Miriam Rutherford

Safe T Sleep

Advantages of Safe T Sleep

As we all know with the introduction of our new family members comes the influx of baby paraphernalia!

For me I travel light at the best of times so you can imagine my horror when attempting to leave the house with baby and all the gear in tow. Yuk!

Safe T Sleep has been one of the most valuable and sensible purchases I made, it not only allows me to travel without a portable cot for weekend trips but provides flexibility when out just for the day.

The simplicity of the product allows the Safe T Sleep to be used either around a single bed mattress or on the cushion seat of a couch.

My child finds Safe T Sleep not at all restricting and due to her familiarity with the product will settle into her afternoon sleep without any problems no matter the environment she is in.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Safe T Sleep as one of the must have products due to the flexibility and peace of mind it offers parents.

Happy marketing such a wonderful product!

Brenda

The world’s most practical alternative to the portable cot. A space and money saver!

Happy Holidays and Safe Traveling from Maria and the Safe T Sleep Family

Using a Sleepwrap on a boat......tell us your story!

It's nearly holiday time, and for many people that means travelling. You may have bought your Sleepwrap for safety reasons, but there's a hidden bonus - the Sleepwrap is a great "bed in bag" that you can use anywhere with minimal fuss. It fits in the car easily around the dog, BBQ and chilly bins.

Diane Ladd's Story:

The Safe T Sleep performed very well on the boat and was attached to Anna’s bunk which is head high on me and I am 5’7”. The real test came on a trip back from Waiheke in very rolling seas which were uncomfortable for me to stand up and Anna slept safely cuddled in her Safe T Sleep for two hours.


I will be singing the praises of Safe T Sleep on the high seas this summer.
Kindest regards


Diane M Ladd RGON
http://www.safetsleep.com/boating/

Is Swaddling still in Fashion?.

I recently recorded a series off the Living Channel called “Bringing up baby” which follows 6 sets of British parents as they follow 3 different parenting gurus – Truby King from the 50’s, Dr Spock from the 60’s and the Continuum concept from the 70’s. The huge differences in the approach to parenting was really interesting as the programme followed the couples in the first 3 months of their babies lives. It is amazing that in just 3 decades there was such a huge difference in techniques and advice. I don’t know about you but I found there is a lot more acceptance nowadays of being able to choose the approach that works best for you and your family. In fact this show seemed to reinforce this attitude with all of the babies settling after 3 months but the degree to which the parents social and love lives got back on track really differed!
It seems swaddling/wrapping babies is one of several techniques that have been in and out of fashion right throughout history.


There is well researched and documented evidence to show that babies and toddlers respond well to the reassurance of boundaries and ‘nesting’. For centuries children in different cultures have been lovingly swaddled and wrapped in gauze, slings and in materials of different kinds.
Wrapping helps maintain womblike conditions and helps contain sudden involuntary movements which can often startle young babies awake, promoting safer and more restful sleeping.. It can become part of the pre sleep association for babies; they associate being wrapped with the security of sleep. This is particularly the case if the wrapping experience is a pleasant one, accompanied by quiet soothing sounds of singing or shushing or soft music. It can be an empowering settling technique for both mother and baby.
However new research out recently from the UK advises caution with swaddling especially with over heating and having the swaddling on too tight it may interfere with breathing. Therefore make sure that the swaddling is not too tight around the baby’s chest – with the Sleepwrap you should be able to get your hand between the wrap and the baby, but make sure the wrap itself is secured very tightly around the mattress so it doesn’t move. If you choose to use a traditional swaddling wrap, like a muslin cloth, be careful that it doesn’t come loose and end up around your baby’s face and you don’t bind the legs and arms too tightly as this can cause hip and breathing problems. I liked to wrap my children in Muslin for the first 3 months but they were little houdinis and I found that the Sleepwrap helped to keep the muslin swaddling in place which meant that I didn’t need to be as firm with my swaddling technique.


From Maria at the Safe T Sleep family


Frequently Asked Questions

Safe T Sleep Story - Share your own with us!

As one of the Safe T Sleep staff I thought I would share my own story regarding Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap. I have 2 children and both have been big babies, early crawlers and walkers. My daughter rolled over at 3 1/2 months onto her tummy while sleeping but was not strong enough to get back over so would either wake me with her crying or I would find her face down in the morning which scared me. I did not know of  the Sleepwrap then and so tried several methods with rolled up towels etc. I used to wrap her quite tightly too in muslin but she would always seem to wriggle out and I would find it all bunched up around her face in the morning. It didn’t seem to matter what I tried I still could not get a real peace of mind while she slept.


7 years latter my son arrived and by this stage I had met Miriam and helped her with some marketing so I did not hesitate to get a Sleepwrap. The peace of mind was instantaneous especially from the 3-4 month period on when he again started rolling and moving. The other benefits I found were that he didn’t get his arms and legs caught in the cot bars as much and in fact because the Sleepwrap is a wrap I didn’t need to bind him in the muslin wraps which are very restrictive for movement. I could also position him better so he didn’t develop a flat head – had to keep him looking cute for those kindy girls!


We have received many other testimonials from grateful parents over the years and we would love to hear about your stories too and how the Sleepwrap has made a difference to you and your family – send them in to us at sales@safetsleep.net


Warm regards
Maria Lovelock – part of the Safe T Sleep Family.

Dangers of Homemade/Copy-cat Versions

The Safe T Sleep® product was originally designed by a mother, in order to help prevent: falls from cots, beds and bunks; creeping and suffocating; babies getting cold, uncomfortable, discomfort and experiencing restless sleep. The Safe T Sleep® Sleepwrap® product is not just an anti-SIDS device, it is simply an aid to be used alongside positive, nurturing parenting skills and safe bed making practises. In conjunction with good supervision it can help with all of the above, and more. The Safe T Sleep® Sleepwrap® product is also wonderfully practical when visiting and travelling it is compact, light and portable.


DANGERS OF HOMEMADE/COPYCAT VERSIONS of the Safe T Sleep® Sleepwrap®
You could be tempted to make your own Sleepwrap or buy a ‘copy cat’ version. You may ‘get it right’ OR you may also be playing with baby’s safety.
The Safe T Sleep® Sleepwrap® has a 100% success record since 1992 with no injuries or fatalities. Consider that with a homemade, copycat you do not have the Peace of Mind that the original, tested and proven product can give. If something did happen you may find it difficult to come to terms with that. Consider that as the safe product life span is four years, over four years the cost works out at less than a cup of coffee a month! Is it worth the risk? It is always wise to use only TESTED/PROVEN baby safety products.
The main concerns include: incorrect, untested fabric, fastening strips and dimensions all of which may place babies at risk.


• The Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap product fabric was tested alongside five other types of cotton for a specific rating, measuring the strength and breathability of the weave. This is especially important for young babies in the high SIDS (cot death) risk period, especially in hot climates.


• Extensive trials and dimension testing ensures that babies limbs cannot become entangled and that the product cannot bunch up into a narrow cord, which could cause localised pressure around the baby’s torso or chest. This could cause breathing restriction.
• Weave testing and Hospital laundry testing also established the durability of the fabric and the length of safe product usage. This is established to be 4years.

COPY OF SAFE T SLEEP SLEEPWRAP: Press Release (Sept. 14, 2009)

"I want to let you and your viewers know that a copy of our products will be introduced to the Las Vegas Baby Show later this month. The name of this product is the Snooozz. The story is that the distributor we had in Netherlands simply made a cheap copy of the Sleepwrap and tried to introduce it to retailers already stocking our Sleepwrap. Their action took place in Holland first and then to Europe. Luckily, our retailers know about the quality of our Sleepwrap, the improvement that we made during the years in order to provide a secure sleeping environment for babies. Their presence is therefore not really strong in Europe and we can only thank our loyal retailers and parents for trusting our products.

We’ve been on the market place for almost 20 years from now and are really proud of the accomplishment made in term of security (falls from cot, prevent tummy sleeping, prevent flat head syndrome) and comfort (Sleepwrap can be used summer and winter as made with 100% cotton) that the Sleepwrap is providing. The testimonials from our website and the comments from different blogs can prove it. The Snooozz on the other hand hasn’t been on the market for so long, and even though the fabric might have passed all the tests required, the design and quality / resistance of their product can’t be proven. American parents are not aware of this situation as both the Sleepwrap and the Snooozz will be launching at the same time."-

Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap or Sleeping-Bag? How about both?

This is a question many parents ask us.

Here's what Louise from The Sleep Store said:

“I highly recommend using a Safe T Sleep combined with a baby sleeping bag – it’s the perfect combination for babies once they are no longer swaddled. It means your baby is warm and won’t wake up cold, or under the covers, plus it’s great to have the peace of mind that your baby is in a safe sleeping position all night. We always recommend the Safe T Sleep & sleeping bag combination to parents looking to teach their babies to sleep settle, and learn to sleep through the night”.
Louise Tanguay, Director of The Sleep Store & Baby Sleep Educator.
See more Testimonials
What do you think? Share your experience with us!