New Year, New Baby #Giveaway Hop: Slumber Sheet - ARV $129

Welcome to the New Year, New Baby Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama's Baby Cupcakes and co-hosted by So Easy Being Green and Viva Veltoro! Join us in celebrating the New Year and Michelle's new baby girl born this December, with this Giveaway Hop!

This hop is for all those little babies from newborn to 1 year.  I can't believe that I will have a 1 year old soon...when did that happen?  Whether its bottles, blankets, toys, or clothes, I'm sure you'll enjoy what the bloggers have to offer. After visiting my giveaway, you can use the linky below to hop around the other blogs! Each blog has a minimum prize package of $25 per winner.

My Jordanian Nugget has teamed with Swanling Innovations to get a Slumber Sheet into your crib.  Slumber Sheet is one of the brand new baby products that was showcased at the ABC Expo this year.  It takes the mattress protector, crib sheet and sleep sack and puts them all into one genius invention.  This sheet has helped my baby go from waking 10 times a night to sleeping through the night just about every night.  Please check out my whole review on the Slumber Sheet to see just how it works. One lucky winner will get a Slumber Sheet of their own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While you're hopping around the blogs, be sure to enter to win the Grand Prize for this Event too! A wonderful prize package worth $440 includes a SleepSack or Swaddle from Halo SleepSacks, a $75 new baby package from Baby Bump Bundles, a custom birth announcement throw pillow from The Pecking Order, winner's choice color of bath pillow from Blooming Bath, winner's color choice from Baby Bean Bags, winner's color choice of boots from Miss Amanda's Creations, the complete line of products from Live Clean (baby), and last but not least, a $50 gift card to Dream Diapers website. 

ENTER THE GRAND PRIZE HERE

Get Some Sleep with the Slumber Sheet

Disclosure: I have received the Slumber Sheet in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

When it comes to sleep, every mother has there own solution or way to deal with it.  If you follow my blog you know that I am an advocate for bed sharing and co-sleeping and up until very recently I could not imagine the thought of letting my baby cry for more than a moment.  I loved the cuddles and waking up to his smiling face every morning.  I never wanted him to hate me for making him cry.  Then there came a day when I was seriously so tired that I wanted to just drive my car off a bridge so I could get some sleep.  This wasn't your: I just got a couple of hours of sleep last night tired.  This was: I haven't slept in 8 months, 26 days and 2 hours tired.  The tired that makes marriages starts to fail and work starts to become a place where you sit at dreaming of sleep.  It was time to transition Nugget to his crib.  But how?  How was I going to essentially quit my extreme attachment parenting lifestyle and go a little more mainstream to give me my sanity back?  Nugget woke up about 10 times per night, every single night.  He turned on the breast milk at about 8pm and kept it flowing until 7am when he decided he was all done and ready to play, just as I had to get going to work.

Nugget has a crib...that he hated.  It wasn't always like this.  In fact right before I went back to work Nugget would go to sleep at 7:30pm and wake up at 4:30am like clock work.  Then it came.  All the mothers talk about it but you never know what it is like until you really experience it....the 4 month sleep regression...dun dun dun.  Except our regression was actually a 4-9 month sleep regression that only was worsened by the little fangs my Nugget was sprouting.  I am part of all the mom boards and I have participated in the controversial talk about sleep training.  I have even wrote some post directed specifically toward those awful parents who choose to not answer their baby's cry.  At this point, I had a lingering thought in the back of my head telling me to become one of those parents...and that is just what I did and this is how it changed my life:

Thanksgiving would give me a long weekend where I would be able to be without sleep and devote my entire being to teach my little one to sleep.  Nugget had a pediatrician appointment right after the holiday so if it didn't work we would touch base with him and see where to go next.  I had decided that I was going to use Ferber's method.  I couldn't even believe that I was going to let this man's name into my house.  I couldn't believe that I was going to remove Nugget from our bed cold turkey and make him sleep all on his lonesome.  I was going to do this using the Slumber Sheet.  It is very important to understand that yes, I was given this sheet to review but I assure you that this is my actual experience.  Usually I am able to test a product out quickly and write a review based on my experience.  I took over a month using the Slumber Sheet every single day to make sure that I was promoting something that really worked and that I really believed in.  This sheet would allow me to place Nugget in the crib and keep him centered.  It also makes it much harder for him to stand up (though he is able to) making it easier for him to lay himself back to sleep.  The snugness of the sheet would give him the touch to wean him from snuggling with his parents.  All of these things were what was making me put my sanity into the Slumber Sheet.  I didn't know if it would work for us though.  When I was sent it, they warned me of an adjustment period.  The told me to give it 5 days.  

Day 1:  I told  Dufda the plan.  We were going to let him cry, but not without letting him know we were there for him.  We started at nap time. Nugget was not use to being put to sleep drowsy and could be woken up very easily.  This makes laying them down and putting them in the Slumber Sheet something that they need to get use too.  Day 1 was a failure.  Nugget freaked, he was so mad that I put him in his crib and that he could not roll over onto his stomach.  You may be saying right now, "Wow, she is a really mean mom and she should not try that again."  Well, I was still really tired and I really believed in this sheet.  We aborted and figured that we would try again later.

Day 2:  We tried it again.  This time we were able to get him to sleep.

This was the first nap in the Slumber Sheet.  I sent the company this email: "I was expecting a much longer transition.  He is already napping in it, in his crib!  I haven't been able to zipper all the way because I'm still working on placement.  He always naps on us....I could literally cry I am so happy!"

A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulder with just that little taste of continuous, independent sleep.  I didn't know if it was a forever solution but it was helping us at this point.  The picture above shows that I didn't' zip it properly because I was still afraid to move Nugget once placed.  The night of day 2 was the first time we did Ferber's Method with the sheet.  We had decided that we would stick to the day 1 check ins of 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 10 minutes thereafter and would abort if he cried longer than 30 minutes.  We still have never reached that 30 minute mark.

I still rocked and nursed him to sleep and I placed him in the slumber sheet.  The first night he was asleep 2 minutes into the first 10 minutes check in.    Just that first time of putting himself asleep made him sleep longer than he had in months.  It immediately reduced his night wakings.

Day 3: By day 3, I was use to the Sheet and so was Nugget.  I was able to put him down to bed awake and he would grab a paci and put himself to sleep.  It never took the full 5 days to transition and remember we were bed sharing before this.

Every day after it has got easier and easier.  When I laid Nugget down, he knew I would put his arms in and zip him up and leave the room.  He would grab a paci and drift off to sleep.  I know that a lot of this success is due to the Slumber Sheet.  I don't think that I would have had the same results transitioning a baby that is used to being cuddled all night long to the crib without something to make him feel secure.  There is a ton of controversy over whether babies actually learn to self soother, if it just comes when they are ready or if self soothing really exists.  I know that Nugget wouldn't have just started to sleep through the night if it wasn't for teaching him how to put himself back to sleep.

So here are some things about the Slumber Sheet that may not be visible from the pictures:

The Slumber Sheet does not strap the baby to the bed.  The above picture make it seem as if the baby cannot move.  Your baby can move and sleep in what ever position they choose.  The Slumber Sheet definitely promotes back sleeping, but Nugget moves all around while he in it. Your baby can side sleep, belly sleep, sit up or stand up while in the slumber sheet.

The Slumber Sheet takes away the need for several other items that you would buy.

Sleep Sacks (I had two cotton, 1 micro fleece and 1 knit.) - $115.00
Swaddles (I need more of these because as a newborn we had more leak/throw up/needed change) - $70 for 4 swaddles and 2 swaddlepods
Mattress Protector (The Slumber Sheet already has one built in) - $26.00 for 2
Sheets (I had three to rotate) - $45 for the low end sheets
Bumpers (No need to worry about limbs getting stuck here): $25.00

That adds up to $236! The Slumber Sheet will keep your baby asleep and the cost is just $129.  Although that may shock you, there is one big thing to keep in mind:  The Slumber Sheet, unlike swaddles and bumpers, is not something that you will ever have to wean your baby from.  If you have a baby that loves to be swaddle, you know the fear of having to give it up.  Once they transition to a twin bed, you just get the twin size Slumber Sheet.  The quality of the sheet is incredible.  The fabric is soft and just feels very well made.  The elastic that holds it onto the bed is thick and provides an awesome fit.  Although the price shocked me at first, I would not hesitate to pay that now.

The Slumber Sheet has a Snap-in-Place™ system that allows you to safely add a lovey or a blankie to the sheet.  This system also allows for a swaddle to be added for newborns.

The extras Snap-in-Place™ eliminating the SIDS risks that would previously have been there by adding anything to the crib.

The Sleep Sheet will makes you never have to worry about your baby climbing out of crib.
I remember hearing stories of how babies scale the side of their cribs and end up getting hurt from the fall.  I always thought that it was inevitable.  Well, it isn't with the Slumber Sheet!

Now over a month later, Nugget is sleeping through the night with the occasional wake up.  The difference is night and day.  Even his last bout of teething only had him restless for two nights compared to about week without the sheet and sleep training.  Every baby faces his or her own sleep issues and what works for one may not work for another.  With the versatility of this product, the Slumber Sheet may be the answer for your baby's sleep issues.

Wonder why you haven't heard of the Slumber Sheet?  It is really one of the newest baby products available.  I really feel that the Slumber Sheet will replace all the other things you could buy to help your little one get a good nights sleep. Check them out on Facebook to stay up to date on this great new product.

You can enter to win a Slumber Sheet, too!

Disclosure: I have received this product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from that of yours.

Be #CartonSmart this Holiday Season

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Cookies! They are staple during the holidays. Growing up, my mother always made the best Christmas cookies...all different kinds...and everyone always wanted to take them home. Her cream waifers...to die for. Well, I may be my mother's daughter but I do not possess one ounce of her baking skill. When I need something baked, I send her the recipe and hope to pick it up the next day. Well with this being my first Christmas with Nugget, I wanted to bake. So what does any self-respecting new mom do? Well, I went grocery shopping in baker's paradise which is my mom's house. I got all the staples that we do not keep stocked in my home. In addition to the staples, I decided I was going to make cookies with a twist and add Pacific Foods Cranberry Sauce to my recipe.

 Pacific Food packs their ingredients in Tetra Pak cartons. These cartons are made with 70% less paper and use 1/3 of the packaging compared to cans. They are easy to store and will keep all of your ingredients organized. The packaging process allows for the ingredients to stay fresh without any additional preservatives. The cartons are also re-closable so you can use whatever you need and store the rest for later. Along with all these benefits of choosing a carton over traditional packaging, Tetra Paks are 100% recyclable.

So back to cooking? Today we are going to make a cranberry bars with a twist to help out the breastfeeding mothers. Here is your list of ingredients:

• 1 and ½ cups of oats
• ½ cup of flour 
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter 
• 1 carton of Pacific Foods Cranberry Sauce
• 1 tbs Brewers Yeast
• 1 tbs Flax Seed Meal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine together oats, flour, sugar, brewer’s yeast and flax seed meal. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Take half of mixture and distribute among a muffin tin. Plop a spoon full of Pacific Foods Cranberry Sauce on each. Top off with the remainder of the crumbly mixture. Bake for 45 minutes.

This super simple recipe gives you a healthy, lactation friendly snack.  The recipe works fine without the brewer's yeast and Flax Seed Meal as well. I encourage you to be carton smart and substitute out traditional packaging with recyclable cartons. Find out about all ingredients available in Tetra Paks by visiting Become Carton Smart. Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest and Tweet @CartonSmart to get smart recipes that use their ingredients as well as entertaining tips for your holiday party.

How can you be #CartonSmart this holiday season?

 

Snap and Go: Buttons Diapers

Disclosure: I have received this product in exchange for me honest review.  The opinions are 100% my own.

I feel like I have tried almost every cloth diaper there is because of my obsession with cloth.  Recently I was able to try a truly unique system that makes cloth easy and affordable.  Being a cloth mama, I am constantly asked about what diaper I recommend and how many diapers you need along with a bunch of other questions.  This is very hard to answer since every baby and family is different.  Buttons Diapers offers a simple solution that I think will work for many families and make cloth diapering a little less intimidating.

Snap and Go.  Really that is how simple this diaper is.  The cover is an amazing quality that I haven't seen among other brands.  It has the snap down rise to fit most babies.  Once you have sized the diaper to your little one, you snap in the insert (they have daytime and nighttime sized inserts) and put on the diaper just like a disposable.  When your baby needs their diaper changed, simply snap out the insert, wipe down the cover and replace with a clean insert. Switch out the cover once it is soiled.

With such a simple system, how many diapers will you need?  One of the biggest factors on this is how often you are willing to wash your diapers.  I like to wash every other day, so you will need enough to get your through that time frame.  This will most likely come out to 8-10 covers, 18-24 daytime insert/size, and 2-3 night time inserts.  This would make diapering your little one from birth to potty training for about $240!

Buttons Diapers really will make cloth diapering easier.  Their inserts are super absorbent and the covers are bullet proof when it comes to leaks.  I love the double gusset and always search for it when buying diapers...specially for that fun EBF newborn poo.  I feel like this system holds up to the ease that they advertise.  The cover is much more wipeable than most that I have used making it actually reusable from change to change.  The snap-in system makes for a much more trim fit over prefolds and covers.  To top off an excellent diaper, all Buttons Diapers have an adorable little embroidered button on the bum!

Buttons Diapers are worth checking out.  You can buy them through their website.  "Like" them on Facebook to stay up to date with deals, giveaways and what other moms are saying about these great dipes.

Introducing #ThePickleLadies: Miss Jenny's Pickles

Disclosure: I have received this product in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are 100% my own. Typically I love to get really great pictures of the product I am reviewing before I start to use it.  It was not possible with Miss Jenny's Pickles because they were so good that they disappeared before I could photograph them.

I am sure most of you are scrambling around getting ready for your Holiday feast.  Entrees, Appetizers and if you are at my parents house, lots of relish trays.  This seems to be a staple every time my family gathers.  In fact we wait for it.  These trays hold us over until the food is done. But who wants just a regular relish tray?  I have something that you can add to your relish tray this year to make it a little more exciting.  Miss Jenny's Pickles aren't your regular pickle.  The people who make them are special.  The flavors are special.  The pickles are special.

Miss Jenny's Pickles are made the same way that Jenny's, one of the founders, grandmother made pickles.  They started with some cucumbers from a field nearby and that tried and true recipe and now they have become "The Pickle Ladies."  They are now working on making Miss Jenny's Pickles a household name.  Already in several retailers you can even order these pickles online!

Miss Jenny's Pickles come in 4 flavors: Signature Salt and Pepper, Jalapeno Salt and Pepper, Traditional Bread and Butter and Habanero Bread and Butter.  The Traditional and Signature pickles are what you may be use to when it come to flavors.  The Habanero and Jalapeno are in their own category and it's called....AWESOME.  I was worried that I wouldn't like them because I am not that into spicy food, a jar a pickles and stomachache later...Habanero bread and Butter holds a special place in my heart.

With these great Habanero pickles I am going to bring you the simplest appetizer that will leave you with everyone asking, "Where did you get that pickle from?"  Here is what you need:  Ritz crackers....Pepper Jack cheese...and Miss Jenny's Habanero Pickles.  That's it.  Three ingredients.  Cut the pepper jack up into slices or crumbles, what ever tickles your fancy.  Place a pickle on top of the cracker and finish off with some cheese.  One bite and I promise that you will be sneaking the whole plate into a closet to consume on your own...does everyone do this or just people with grabby toddlers?

To make sure you are serving the best pickles around this holiday season, check to see if Miss Jenny's Pickles are sold in a store near you.  "Like" them on Facebook and you can follow The Pickle Ladies in making Miss Jenny's a household name.

Safe Babywearing with Boba #FreedomTogether

Before I had my baby I was not well versed in safe babywearing because our media is filled with parents practicing unsafe babywearing.  We all see it: Dads with their babies strapped to them forward facing, going about their day.  I thought that was the kind of carrier that I would have to carry my baby in.  In fact, I even went out and bought one.  After a little research I found that forward facing carriers and carries was not something that I would like to subject my son too.

Boba, one of our favorite carriers, is the only company that exclusively sells baby carriers that keep the baby facing inward. Research shoes that carrying baby facing inward helps baby attach in a healthy way to parents and prevents hip dysplasia, allowing baby to stay safe and healthy, both physically and psychologically. Interested in learning more about attachment parenting? Dr. Sears is a great source.

Why is facing out not recommended:

1.  Facing forward does not support your baby's legs.  This does not allow for proper hip development.

2.  Facing forward makes it tough for the wearer to carry the baby.  Babies curve out when forward face versus hugging your body when facing inward.  This creates an awkward balance and makes the wearer arch their back while the baby is facing forward.

3. Facing forward places unnecessary pressure on the spine.  Since this position stretches the naturally convex rounded curve of the babies spine into a hollow back position it can compromise the spine.

4.  Front facing places undue pressure on the groin and may chafe the inner thighs of your baby.  I always compare forward facing to the comfort you experience in those harnesses while jumping on a trampoline at the mall.  It isn't comfortable.  Think about your little boy with all that pressure on his groin...not good.



Check out more reasons to not forward face here.


When you babywear correctly you are creating a great bond with your baby.  That time is also allowing you to be hands-free to allow you to complete tasks you may not have been able to while simply holding your child.  Boba has not only stayed true to its mission to promote safe babywearing, they have also made a carrier that fits great and has added features.  I love the additional straps on the shoulder of the Boba 3G, I have used them to attached toys and keep my purse on my shoulder.  The sliding back strap allows for me to put my baby in the carrier without help and makes it easy to adjust for comfort.  Although my baby isn't big enough to need them, Boba includes foot straps for older babies to add even more support.

Follow My Jordanian Nugget's board Safe Babywearing with Boba on Pinterest.
To learn more and connect with Boba, "Like" them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Boba.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Travelin' Toddle Gift Guide Day 10: Little Passports + #Giveaway

Disclosure: I have received this month of Little Passports in exchange for my honest review.  I am also an affiliate of Little Passports, so I will be compensated if you make a purchase through any of my links.  The opinions are 100% my own and may differ from yours.

To finish up the giveaways for the Travelin' Toddler Gift Guide I am bringing you a little virtual advtenure for your kiddo.  So I know that time on the computer is something everyone tries to limit for their kids, but Little Passports offers an interactive and educational experience.  Little Passports is a monthly subscription that gives your children a global adventure via their mailbox.  First you will choose if you want a World or USA edition.  This will determine if you travel with Sam and Sofia (your new traveling buddies) to a new country every month or to two new states each month.

We are reviewing the world package.  Your first month your Little Passports suitcase come packed full of a world map, passport, stickers, your boarding pass and access to online games.  Subsequent suitcases will have specific country souvenirs, letter, stickers, photos and activity sheets.  You will be able to fill your passport with more each information after each country you visit.

You have a couple different options when it comes to ordering Little Passports: Monthly ($13.95/month), 12 month-plan ($12.60/month) or a 6 month plan ($16.45/month).  They will renew automatically and you can cancel at anytime.  My Jordanian Nugget has also teamed with Little Passports to give away a free month for the holidays.

a Rafflecopter giveaway