Sweet Dreamer

Wot no Blog?!

2010-10-03T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have reached the conclusion that I'm not too great at this blogging lark!! I go off at 'full speed' and then just lose pace... why oh why? It's not like there's nothing been happening in the world of easidream... I've literally been rushed off my feet. Tips please to get me back on track, urgently needed :o)

ewan's on his way to Bonnie Scotland

2010-04-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

ewan's taking the rest of his flock north of the border to Bonnie Scotland this weekend, where he's appearing at The Scottish Baby Show on the Cheeky Rascals stand 416C. He really can't wait and is already packing his suitcase ready for the journey! Come along to see him on the stand at The SECC Glasgow 23 - 25 Apr, where he's up for grabs at a Special Show Offer price. Be sure to grab your ewan at the show and you'll be sure to grab some quality sleep!!

All washed up at Harrogate!!

2010-04-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

Harrogate has come and gone in what seemed like a whirlwind!! We experienced what must have been the worst weather for years but did manage to squeeze in a trip to the famous Betty's Tea Rooms... an absolute delight!!

I met up with my old pal Clare from Coochico, we had a stand next to each other in Hall B and this made the whole three days an absolute pleasure.

Clare produces a fantastic range of baby hooded bath towels and aprons for when you are grappling with your LO at bath time. It really is a must to visit her site where you can all the beautiful products she has added to her range. The quality of the Coochico brand has lead to numerous well deserved awards ...... I only wish they had been around when my flock were little.

Baby Boom for September on the cards

2010-03-16T06:48:00.001-07:00

Heavens it seems that the long cold winter has sparked a baby boom for September 2010!!
It could be a busy time at easidream HQ, as we cope with the rush from parents needing that oh so precious quality sleep.

Cry it out - NO WAY BABY!!

2010-03-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is again......The controversial topic of controlled crying!

It seems that a 6 year Australian study recommends that doctors and health care workers advise parents to adopt controlled crying - allowing your baby to cry itself to sleep - as a method to beat sleep problems.

They have produced various statistics which show that it appears to work, saying that it does not harm your baby and that this should be reassuring for parents. All I have to say is yes, even though I hate to admit it, I did try this method ONCE with Bradley - I was desperate!! He was so strong willed that he screamed for what seemed like hours (although I'm sure it wasn't that long at all) and eventually vomited all over himself and the cot. I ended up like a complete nervous wreck, convinced I had irrevocably damaged my baby and wondered for weeks whatever had possessed me to inflict this ordeal on my poor defenseless baby. My advice... DON'T DO IT! There are so many other methods out there to encourage a healthy sleep pattern, that resulting to completely distressing your baby to a point where they are distraught, screaming relentlessly and gasping for breath, just isn't one of them.

Anyone out there tried controlled crying?

Cot death risk could be detected by a simple blood test

2010-03-15T12:32:00.001-07:00

A recent article announcing a possible break through in cot death makes interesting reading and if a simple blood test does help detect the potential risk, it could be the news that all parents have been waiting for.

French scientists believe their could be a link between a heart defect and the risk of cot death. The fault in the baby's heart causes it to slow down, in some cases stopping altogether and it is hoped that a simple blood test at birth could detect the presence of the heart default.

The Foundation of Sudden Infant Death are impressed with the research and even suggested that it could help explain why babies are at risk of cot death whilst apparently being healthy.

Let's hope that further research confirms the initial research findings.

easidream goes global..we're on the news in China

2010-03-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

Wow how cool is this?

easidream has been featured on the CCTV 9 News Network in China! It seems news is spreading around the globe and what's more, my pointing finger and 'kid's photo' has gone global too!! Bradley & Co...will you ever forgive me?!

Baby sling hazards in the spotlight

2010-03-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Serious warnings abound this week over the hazards linked to 'wearing your baby' in a sling. It makes stark reading and is a real wake up call to all parents out there over what has become an increasingly popular method of carrying your baby.

Early walker in the spotlight!

2010-03-01T01:24:00.000-08:00

It is, of course, astonishing when you hear of a LO who achieves a milestone a lot earlier than what is considered the norm. So please check out this baby who is walking at 6 months (my earliest was 10 months) and also the comments afterwards, which make interesting reading....

Sleep is essential... cue easidream!!

2010-02-28T04:42:00.000-08:00

To start the month off on a serious note and provide more evidence why easidream really could help your baby's start in life.... take a look at this link here, which again empasises the importance of sleep on the healthy development and well being of your precious LO.

I only wish I was able to attend Marcos Frank's presentation, but I think theUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine may be a wee bit too far of a jaunt!

The cutest sheep on the block...

2010-02-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

Check this out, Mums Sense Magazine index page and page 13... ewan really is the cutest sheep on the block!!

ewan the dream sheep IS the cutest one of all!

2010-02-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

Now what else has been happening??mmmmhhhhh!!!!

Oh yes, we spent a very busy, tiring and totally successful weekend at The Baby Show ExCel last weekend, where dare I say it ewan the dream sheep really was the star!! We met heaps of super cool parents, parents to be, grandparents and kiddies... it really was great chatting to you all. ewan was simply flying off the shelves and we went home ewan -less. Now, of course he's out there soothing all those LO's to sleep with his soothing tunes and super cute looks!

Here's the stand with our new backdrops created by the totally fabby Tom McCrorie at Atom Create.

On the Friday of the show, we were filmed by a TV crew for Associated Press, which was quite simply awesome! Click here for the footage that's currently being shown around the world.

I'M BACK!!!

2010-02-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

OK so it looks like I may have emigrated for the last month or so, either that or I fell down the back of the sofa and have only just been found by my youngest searching for his DS!!

Needless to say, I am now back and here to report on what's been happening.

First up.......I met up with the fabulous Nicky Chisholm, Suzanne Borrell and Antonia Chitty at a photo shoot for the Mum's In Business Conference due to be held this October in Brighton.

It looks like it's going to be a fabulous event offering a highly effective, inspirational and enjoyable day for mumpreneurs in the South of England. I really can't wait!!

Here's me with the lovely Suzanne and Nicky at the shoot.

And here's the whole crew!!!

The Wean and Dream Team!

2010-01-11T13:57:00.000-08:00

For those of you who may wonder just who 'The Wean and Dream Team' are, then look no further than the photo below...

The fabulous Tilly Beazeley of course adds the Wean... whilst I contribute the Dream.

We are available for bookings (be quick our diaries are almost full for 2010) and are the new Ant and Dec of the nursery world!!

'New Year Cheer' from our very first easidream cutomer!

2010-01-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all.. I had a marvellous email today that really has made a great start to 2010 here at easidream...

Dear Lynda,

Happy New Year to you - it is has started fabulously for us! I just cannot tell you how much joy Easidream has brought us. After a night of little sleep we received the package by post, ripped it open immediately and the Dad had it installed under the mattress in less then 5 minutes. We were surprised to see that the rocking motion was much less pronounced then we had expected and holding my ear close to mattress I could only hear a light purring sound.

Our 7 week old is absolutely startled each time when we put her on it and it is astonishing how it completely changes her mood in an instant. Being able to do so at will is the most valuable gift. It doesn't take 20 seconds and the beautiful rocking motion has her eyes glazed over with a contented face, without a dummy. Ewan, the sheep, glows gently and looks such a darling that he instantly became part of the family. With the different music and atmospheric noise settings he does much more than making sure the baby gets to sleep calmly and predictably. Before Easidream we used soft music toys as a sleeping aid, but sadly the music is simply too short to maintain sleep into its solid phase, so you end up going in and putting them on again and again. But Ewan has staying power and finishes his job off properly :)

During the day Ewan takes his place in the buggy about town and is great for a visit to the grandparents or the doctors. He is Easidream-peace on the go. He is fantastic!The Easidream unit with Ewan is a real joy to use and really, really worth getting.... in fact, truly, well worth having waited for!Thank you for your invention and getting it to market just in time for us.

Ann

What can I say Ann? Emails like yours really do make all the hard work getting easidream to market worth while.... thanks so much for taking the time to write to me.

Here's to a great 2010 for us all.

Very best wishes

Lynda

ewan at work...

2009-12-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

Just had to post this... here's another great snap of ewan at work!! Bless....

Rachel lends a helping hand!

2009-12-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are following me, I apologise for not being able to do any posts for the last week or so... my Internet crashed which, as you can imagine, was a complete disaster!! Anyway, we are now back fully up and running YEY!!

I recently attended a business meeting in Watford with the totally fab Rachel Elnaugh who I am fortunate enough to have mentoring me.

She was completely fantastic, extremely professional and incredibly adept in all things related to marketing easidream. I felt very privileged to have her at the meeting.

Rachel has spent the last few years helping entrepreneurs achieve their goals, positively energising them along the way. She really is an inspiration and after spending even a small amount of time with her you feel uplifted, empowered and full of positive energy.

I would thoroughly recommend any budding mumpreneurs out there to visit Rachel's website to find out more.

Thanks so much Rachel for all your positive input with easidream.

Hope you all have a wonderful week,

Lynda

ewan the wonder sheep!!

2009-12-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Just had to let you see the amazing effect that ewan is having on LO's all over the UK.

Here are a few pics showing just how effective he can be for a range of ages... thanks Natalie aka Soph4Soph, you are a star for taking these shots for me!

We need sleep!

2009-11-24T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here's another great article, this time from today's Daily Mail, highlighting the serious effects of sleep deprivation.

Even more reason to invest in an easidream maybe?

Good snooze guide to help parents of fractious babies
by JENNY HOPE, Daily Mail

Edited extracts appear below:

More than a million parents with babies endure months of sleep loss which can damage their health and threaten their marriages.

But three quarters could and should be getting a good night's rest, say experts.

'The tragic thing about parental sleep deprivation is that much of it is treatable and even preventable using simple and clinically proven techniques,' said Dr David Haslam, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners and patron of the charity Cry-sis.

Figures show that 1.2million adults with infants of under 18 months are regularly being kept awake at night. However, exhaustion is regarded as unavoidable by most new parents who simply 'grin and bear it'.

Dr Haslam said in persistent cases many parents suffer severe effects from sleep deprivation, including long-term health problems and even relationship breakdowns.

The NHS spends around £65million annually to provide support for new parents faced with infant crying and sleeping problems in children from birth to 12 weeks.

'An estimated 1.2million UK parents each year are being woken regularly but at least 700,000 are suffering needlessly,' she said.

'Prolonged sleep deprivation can have devastating effects --that's why it has been used in the past as a form of torture --and yet this problem is all too often regarded as a joke.

Jacqui McGreavey, coordinator of the Tayside Group of Sleep Clinics and researcher into sleep problems, said: 'The stress of long-term night crying in babies can lead to a range of extremely serious problems including child abuse, ill health, marriage and relationship breakdown and inability to function at work.

Serious stuff.... need I say more?

Nighttime waking vital for baby sleep

2009-11-22T14:27:00.000-08:00

I really think Dr Sears 8 Infant Sleep Facts is well worth a read as it pretty well sums up the underlying principle behind easidream and why we have developed it in such a way so as NOT to run continuously through the night OR have a remote control..... Why? Because

nighttime waking has major survival benefits.

In the first few months of a baby's life their needs are the highest, but their ability to communicate these needs are the lowest! So, you can see that it's vitally important for young babies to wake during their periods of light sleep, otherwise there is a danger that some of their basic needs could go unfulfilled.

Following one of these nighttime wakings, after checking that your baby's needs have been met, easidream is of course great for encouraging your precious little bundle to then drift gently back into a peaceful sleep!

Baa Baa Purple Sheep...

2009-11-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

So here he is in the flesh..... I have waited so long to finally meet him and low and behold the magnificent moment has come!

Meet ewan the dream sheep.

He has got to be THE cutest sheep around and what's more, with his sounds and soothing glow, he really is so much more than I had wished for. I am over the moon with how he has turned out and I can't wait for him to join the flock in your homes too.

I just wish I had created ewan in time for my youngest... but I guess at least he can help all of you out there get a quality sleep, together with the easidream soothing system.

Sleepless nights really are just around the corner now for you and your baby!!

We've got designs on you!

2009-11-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know we will be at The Designer Baby Show this Sunday 15th November and fingers crossed, we should have ewan there 'in the flesh'!

A very small batch of ewans are hopefully arriving in time for the show, then the rest of the flock will appear at the end of the month.

We are on stand 62...Hope to see you there for a demo of easidream together with ewan... he is so cute!

She's Ingenious! have done us proud

2009-11-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

Wow!!!

What a totally fab write up from Cally Robson at She's Ingenious!

Cally kindly asked both Tilly and myself to do a presentation... 'Launching A Baby Product With A Bang!' at The British Library last month and the recording is live on the She's Ingenious! website together with notes and powerpoint presentation. We basically talked about our 2 very different routes to market and the pitfalls we had encountered along the way... in fact I'm still encountering my fair share with easidream®!

It was great to take part in the event and both Tilly, aka The Wean Machine and I really enjoyed it. We hope that we have managed to help the 25 or so attendees (who were, in fact, a great bunch of people... budding entrepreneurs and inventors) in some small way and we both look forward very much to taking part in another presentation.

I would also just like to say that Cally has produced a fantastically inspiring website, where she not only offers help to budding inventors out there, but also provides constructive assistance by way of webinars, a forum and coaching. It truly is a fab website and well worth a visit.

Well done Cally!!

Tesco Club are so 'sleepy'

2009-11-04T02:44:00.000-08:00

Now here's something interesting.....

Recent research carried out by Tesco Parent Baby and Toddler Club showed that adjusting to a new baby is not always as easy as it may seem.

The top listed 'special item' couples miss the most when their new little bundle of joy arrives is 'having a lie in', with two thirds of the couples stating 'lack of sleep' as the main cause of arguments!

I guess I'd better rush a whole batch of easidreams to Tesco asap!!!

Baby Show.... here we go!!!

2009-10-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

WOW what a huge turn out for our launch at The Baby Show Earls Court, we took lots of orders for our second batch of easidream units and ewan went down a storm!

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who travelled up to see us at our stand; it was a pleasure to meet you all.

Sian from as Clear as did a fantastic job at organising our press call on the Friday...we had quads and triplets testing out easidream, much to the delight of the press!

We also had the official Baby Show photographer there and you can see from his shots just how fab the launch was for yourselves!

BPA Bonanza!!!

2009-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

What a totally fantastic time we had at the BPA Baby and Child Fair at London's ExCel. The BPA are a truly fantastic organisation and they put on a superb event which guaranteed that all exhibitors would benefit from three days of exposure to the most influential people from the child care industry.

Easidream had masses of interest from the trade, plus we got the chance to meet up again with inspirational inventor 'Tilly Beazeley' with her Wean Machine and share a stand with her.

A productive time was had by all and to add a bit of excitement, we all got the chance to socialise at the BPA's BACRA awards on Sunday evening at The Tower Hotel, where we eagerly awaited the announcements.

Tilly scooped two awards; one for Best Debut and one for Best Feeding Product, which was awesome! Here we are together with the totally fab Claire Mitchell from Chillipeeps, who was the Overall Concept 2009 Winner with her great invention - a pre-sterilised teat in a pod for use directly with cartons.

Are there enough hours in the day?

2009-10-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

I wonder if there genuinely are enough hours in the day?!!!!

OK, so I would like to ask why is it that there are 3 great shows all crammed into one week beginning this Sunday 11th October and then nothing taking place in London for months?!!!

So we start off with the BPA Baby & Child trade fair at ExCel 11th to 13th October, closely followed by The Baby Show Earls Court on 16th to 18th Oct. At the same time we have The British Invention Show 14th to 17th Oct at Alexandra Palace!!!!

So I had to make the tough decision of not exhibiting at the British Invention Show, which is a real shame, but I considered that the Baby Fairs were more targeted at easidream sales, which is of course now top priority after 7 years in development.

I really do hope I manage to get everything done in time, plus organise childcare for my brood whilst I am away...oh and by the way, Amy's birthday is the day after the final day of the Baby Show Earls Court.... now that's twenty 9 year olds for the party, pressies, cake, party food, party bags, balloons, Hannah Montana goodies and ...... and ...... HELP!!!

They certainly know how to do it in Cologne!!

2009-09-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Only just recovering from a trip to the Kind + Jugend Baby Trade Show in Cologne.... it has got to be THE biggest trade show in Europe and is attended by literally 1000's of buyers and distributors from all over the world.

Suffice to say we scoured the entire show, which was in two massive halls, each having three floors, to see if there was anything there remotely similar to easidream.... and there wasn't, so that was a huge relief!!

The BPA had organised the UK Pavilion, which housed a number of great products from the UK... Cuddledry, Buggysnuggle, Dream Tubes, Hippychick, Cheeky Rascals, Trunki, Sleepytot to name but a few...but the product that literally stole the show for me in the Pavilion was Tilly Beazeley's The Wean Machine...this fabulous gadget, which make healthy baby food on the go, generated a continual stream of visitors to the Jackson Beazeley stand. I think Tilly and Phil are probably due a holiday now to recover... they were quite literally rushed off their feet.

Well done The Wean Machine, a superb product set to become a global phenomenon and deservedly so.

Sleep deprivation is serious stuff!!

2009-09-13T06:30:00.001-07:00

Alot of people ask me just how bad it is for us not to get enough sleep and why I felt the need to go on to invent easidream®. If you click here you will see a short summary of the serious effects of sleep deprivation, which will hopefully persuade the most sceptical of you out there that lack of sleep is severely bad for your health.

Not convinced? Then try having barely any sleep for two and a half years, like me and see just how obsessive you can become about the need for quality sleep Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Now, does it mention 'obsession' in that article?!!!!!!!

Sweet dreams

Lynda

Nappies galore!!!

2009-09-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quick statistic to start off the month ..…

I recently read an article on just how many nappies you go through with your LO by the time they reach the age of 2years… well I multiplied it out for my 6 and the total came in at a whopping 28,200 nappies…. Now that’s some SERIOUS nappy changing!!!!

Car seat risk...

2009-08-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Perhaps another reason why parents of newborns/young babies should consider using easidream to soothe their baby, has been highlighted by recent research published in Pediatrics this week.

It suggests that parents who leave their babies in car seats, as a means of settling them off to sleep, are significantly increasing the risk of a possible SIDS incident occurring due to reduced oxygen levels. What really is alarming is that the level of oxygen dropped below average in as little as ONE hour! And what's more, is that the effects of reduced oxygen levels will be worse if your baby has a cold or is generally sick.

Please take heed and DO NOT leave your baby strapped in their car seat after your journey.. always transfer to a cot/crib/moses basket.

Hells Bells... no sleep for one month for newborn + mum!!!

2009-08-25T00:18:00.000-07:00

Just had to post about this...

It has been revealed that newborn dolphins and killer whales do not sleep for one whole month after birth and neither do their mums, who stay awake to keep a watchful eye on them.... and we thought we had it bad!!!

Five ways to help your newborn sleep at night

2009-08-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

At first your new little one will probably do nothing but sleep, waking for only short periods of time, up to two hours max and sleeping for longer periods of 3 – 4 hours. It is essential that your newborn does NOT sleep through the entire night while they are just as few weeks old, as they need frequent feeding to grow and thrive.

That being said, there is a wealth of advice out there explaining all sorts of different methods that can help you to get your newborn to sleep at night.

As sleep is so very dear to our hearts I just wanted to share with you all my 5 newborn sleep tips. Please feel free to adopt as many as you wish or maybe combine them with other techniques that you have tested… I do hope it results in happy sleeping babies with equally happy well rested parents. Of course, it goes without saying that using an easidream will guarantee a peaceful and safe sleep for your precious little one!

Step 1. Create the mood!
A great way, nearly always guaranteed to help ‘bring on’ those sleepy feelings, is to give your little one a lovely warm bath, preferably with suitable baby night time aroma bubble bath! Follow this with a clean nappy, and then a little baby massage. Any gentle caressing of the baby’s arms, legs, body and forehead will really help bring on those sleepy feelings… but hey DON’T OVER DO IT…. You need to make sure you slip in the next step first!

Step 2. Full tummy
Always make sure that your baby has a really satisfying feed at both the early evening and late night feeding times. Whether this is breast or bottle, it is essential that you really try to make sure that they take a full feed before they drop off to sleep. Of course, it is a ‘must’ that your baby is fully winded, so as to avoid griping tummy pains, which are certain to cause discomfort and a restless baby. A full feed almost always guarantees a longer, more settled sleep.

Step 3. Swaddling + dummy/pacifier
A great way to help newborns feel safe and secure is to swaddle them tightly. This offers them reassurance by reminding them of life in the womb and also helps with limiting waking caused by the startle reflex (Moro reflex - when a baby suddenly startles with their limbs outstretched). Swaddling is a fantastic technique to use for around the first 3-4 months or so.

A dummy is also great way to help babies to settle. Dummies satisfy a baby’s natural sucking instinct and a lot of babies find them really soothing, as the sucking gives them a feeling of security. Dummies have also been proven to reduce the risk of a sudden infant death incident occurring.

Step 4. Give a little love!
Who can resist that night time cuddle with their newborn and normally it only takes a short while before your little one has peacefully and contentedly drifted off to the land of nod! If you prefer to put your baby down while drowsy but still awake, a great way to help them still feel secure, is to give them a comforter that you have had next to your body (tucked down your top for around one hour) so they can still smell ‘mum’ on it. In fact, a comforter is great to use even if you put your little one down when they're already asleep; if they stir after a short while, the aroma of mum may be all that they need to help them drift back off to sleep. (Quick tip… make sure you have at least 2 comforters so that you can have one in the wash and one in use!)

Step 5. Make night feeds dull!!!
Always make night feeds subdued, with as little interaction as possible. Keep the room dimly lit and disturb your baby as little as possible. Don’t even change their nappy unless it’s a dirty one (No 2) or you really think it’s necessary. Just feed your baby, wind her and then place her back in her cot/crib with her comforter.

I would just like to mention here that an old favourite technique of mine is to angle the mattress; I have propped the head end of the mattress up slightly, for all my babies, by placing a folded up blanket between the mattress and the base of the cot. This is a great way to help relieve reflux/wind/colic. Be careful not over tilt the mattress, as you do not want your baby to slide down the mattress which would be dangerous…it is always best to check the angle first with your health visitor or doctor before using this technique.

Last and by no means least be aware of safe sleep guidelines (check out the full guidelines here) Always place your baby to sleep on their back with their feet to the foot of the cot, in a nursery that is not too warm.

Sweet dreams everyone

Lynda

Media Frenzy!!

2009-08-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

I really must apologise for the lack of posts in recent days, but it's all gone a bit crazy here at easidream!!!

In a great way of course.

Last week we were featured in the Brighton Argus and The Mail on Sunday, which then led to a flurry of interest from the media... radio interviews for BBC Radio Sussex and Radio 5live DRIVE plus filming for BBC South/East Today.

All quite unexpected, very exciting and very tiring!

If you click here you can watch the TV report and above is a pic of us all at the filming.

I promise to post my newborn sleep tips very very soon, for those of you out there who are waiting...

Sweet dreams

Lynda

We're in the Nationals now...

2009-08-16T05:06:00.001-07:00

I am thrilled to see that we have made the national newspapers today!

We are on page 35 of The Mail on Sunday and here is the link: http://ow.ly/kcfR

Thanks to all involved for getting the article to press and also to all of you who are registering... we have already nearly pre-sold all of our first batch of 200 units!!

Have a great Sunday.

Sweet dreams

Lynda

Sian... welcome to our flock!

2009-07-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

Just wanted you to let you all know that today Sian, from 'as Clear as PR' , has agreed to handle the PR for easidream® and I am truly excited by this. I am totally confident that Sian, who is extremely well respected in the nursery industry and renowned for helping create media coverage for new innovative products, will generate a huge amount of interest for easidream®.

I will keep you posted on all the exciting things 'in store'.... happy days!

New mums - sleep your way to a thinner you!

2009-07-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Just in case you need any more convincing about just how important sleep is for the whole family, I came across a recent article on SLEEPzine, declaring the startling news that, recent research has shown how getting a good night's sleep, can actually make new mums LOSE WEIGHT... great stuff, so there's hope for all new mums now - get your easidream® order in quick.... only kidding!

How I got my six little ones off to the 'land of nod'

2009-07-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

Quite a lot of mums have been contacting me to ask how I managed to introduce a sleep routine with my 6 babies - well 5, I'll just leave Bradley out........only kidding!

So for those of you who may be interested, I thought I would start by telling you the feeding plan that I gradually introduced as my LO's approached around 8 to 12 weeks.

Essentially, the Sweet Dreamers Feeding Plan (SDFP) is:

2am

6am

10am

2pm

6pm

10pm

The beauty of the SDFP is, when your LO is able to sleep through (around 3-4 months) ,then it is the 2am feed that is dropped, so they then go from 10pm to 6am (or as near as) and you all get a totally fabulous sleep!

Here's a few other tips to make the SDFP work:

Obviously if they do sleep through the 2am feed, when they wake at 6am they are going to be ravenous, so make sure you have a bigger feed made up, or if you're breast feeding, they could want a top up or have a longer feed.

To encourage them to sleep through, try to make the 10pm feed a larger feed than the 6pm one or if they seem hungry in between these two feeds, try offering water, so they get the full benefit of the 10am feed.

In between the 6pm and 10pm feed try to let them have a slightly longer period of time awake. If you don't mind giving your baby a bath later, then slip it in between these feeds (around 8.30 ish) or if you are like me, you could try it earlier (7.30 ish) and then let them have a short nap before the 10 pm feed.

The early evening feed (6pm) is a notorious time for bouts of crankiness, I remember all of mine crying continuously for about 1 hour around this time in the evening... and it can be really draining. So don't worry, you're not alone if your LO is prone to this and believe me, after speaking with 100's of parents, it is really common. Try to remain calm through out this time, as your anxiety will be passed on to your LO and perhaps try a little baby massage, a warm bath or hold your baby in a number of different positions to see which one is the most comfortable for him (laying on their tummy across my knees always seemed to help for mine). Your LO may be suffering from colic, in which case a visit to the doctor may be wise. I myself will cover my own 'Sweet Dreamers Colic Cures' in a later post.

If you are breast feeding, please consider giving your baby a bottle feed top up at the 10pm feed (I know you may not want to do this, but for a lot of babies, it really does seem more satisfying for them). If you prefer not to do this then the NCT are a great source of advice for breast feeding.

If your baby has gone into a deep sleep following the 6pm feed and you really can't seem to wake them up, you may want to consider giving your baby a 'dream feed' at 10pm. This is when you give your baby a feed, wind them etc. whilst they are still drowsy and then put them back to sleep.

One final tip.. the whole aim of this feeding plan is to try to drop the 2am feed, so while your LO is still waking at 2am, try not to disturb them too much. ie) keep the room dimly lit, don't change their nappy unless you really have to, make as little noise as possible (definitely don't put the TV on), so as to create a tranquil and peaceful environment. Also, try not to make your LO wait too long for their feed otherwise they may become too fully awake. This is easy when you're breastfeeding, but if you are bottle feeding (like I did) it's a little bit more tricky; try to perhaps take a flask of hot water up with you together with the milk (kept in one of those insulating zip up tubes) so you don't have to travel down to the kitchen to get the milk out of the fridge and wait for the kettle to boil . Or, you could try investing in a bottle warmer to do the job for you. I followed this plan with all of my children and everyone of them (with the exception of Bradley), slept through the 2am feed by the time they had reached 4 months.

I hope you find the Sweet Dreamers Feeding Plan helpful and I really would like to hear how you get on, if you decide to give it a whirl!

Please do leave me a comment with any questions you may have on this or any subject and I will be more than happy to help if I can.

Check out later posts for more Sweet Dreamers Mini Guides, including introducing a totally 'snoozetastic' bedtime routine.

Sweet dreams

Lynda

Cool Babies!

2009-07-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is definitely worth watching.... http://bit.ly/1Eun0v
mmmmmmmmm....I wonder if I can get the babies in the nursery to do this?

I’m a new mum…Help!!

2009-07-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, so you have arrived home with your precious little bundle and you are filled with an overwhelming multitude of emotions! Mum’s I know the feeling, I’ve had 6 little bundles of my own!!!

So how do you cope with adjusting to becoming a new mum and the reality of sleep deprivation?

Here’s a ‘Sweet Dreamers Mini Guide’ to help you on your way:

First and foremost, you just want to ENJOY the moment. There is absolutely no point in worrying about ANYTHING in the house, just spend this special time bonding with your baby. Try to sleep when your baby sleeps… I know it’s hard, because if you’re anything like I was, you want to try to get back to normal as soon as you possibly can, but hey, please DON’T, just go at your own pace. And really do take the opportunity to SLEEP WHENEVER YOU POSSIBLY CAN. There is so much to be said for allowing yourself to recharge your batteries, there’s plenty of time to get on top of that boring household stuff and at the end of the day, who really cares?

Make the most of this special time bonding with your baby. You have a whole lifetime to worry about whether your house looks up together and if friends or family pop round and you really don’t feel up to it, get your partner, or whoever is on hand, to say that you’re asleep and can they arrange a convenient time to pop round again? DON’T FEEL GUILTY and don’t be too eager to return to normal, this is a big mistake, as lack of sleep plus the general exhaustion can catch up on you when you’re least expecting it.

Watch out for the baby blues, these can kick in at any time, but normally around day 3 or so after your baby has been born. Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal to hit the depths of despair and these low feelings often rapidly disappear as quickly as they arrived. I found myself randomly crying over the least little thing after I’d had my first child. He developed severe jaundice and had to go under one of those big ‘sunlamps’ in hospital, so I wasn’t allowed to take him home or even go near him. I really felt like the odd one out on the maternity ward, as all the other mums had their babies beside them in a crib, on hand to cuddle whenever they got the urge. Not great at all and for a first time mum it was really upsetting… but, boy was I on a high when I finally got to take him home! If you feel yourself feeling low, try to take a bit of time out for yourself, focus on the positive things in your life right now.. your fabulous new baby, the fact that you are going to be a magnificent mum, the great family and friends you have in your life (or whatever puts you in a ‘happy place’) and it won’t be long ‘til you begin to start feeling more positive. However, if the feelings of depression are prolonged and go on for more than a couple of weeks, then please do seek medical advice as you could be suffering from postnatal depression.

Don’t feel embarrassed about calling for medical advice on any issue that may be causing you concern, either for you or your baby. It’s better to be safe than sorry. After I had my third child, I suffered dreadfully with mastitis when my milk came in and could barely sleep because of the pain. My doctor quickly prescribed me something and I wondered why I hadn’t called on her before… crazy eh? I guess I thought I could just put up with the pain and it would die down by itself. If this happens to you, DON’T do what I did, get the doc round ASAP, because it really isn’t worth putting yourself through that sort of pain; get it sorted out quickly and you will rapidly begin to feel 100% better. Then you can devote yourself to getting to know your amazing little one.

This time is so precious and will pass so quickly. Don’t let others take advantage because they see you doing ‘routine’ things and automatically assume you are back to normal. Tell them you are on maternity leave, spending these early days doing ‘new mum’ things.

Look after your HEALTH .Whatever you do, don’t put too many demands on your body, I remember overdoing it with George (# 3) and really paid the price. He was a very big baby for me 9lb 2oz (I’m only 5ft 4in) and was by far the largest baby in my flock. Basically, I assumed I was ‘back to normal’ far too quickly and went into ‘Supermum mode,’ BIG MISTAKE. I spent around two weeks recovering from a sudden bought of exhaustion combined with a viral infection, all because I had done too much too soon.

Finally, try not to become too overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. Just go at your own pace, enjoy the fuss that everyone makes of you and take time to wonder in the miracle of the new little life which is now in your hands.

I hope you have found this helpful and please do stay tuned for more episodes, as I will be covering newborn sleep in greater detail in my next ‘Sweet Dreamers Mini Guide’.

Sweet dreams

Lynda

The nifty fifty...

2009-07-04T07:19:00.000-07:00

The BFIIN awards, organised by Bola Olabisi, were absolutely fantastic. Fifty great women inventors all under one roof... what more could you want?!!

The range of inventions on show were amazing. I was alongside Sharon Wright who has invented MagnaMole, an ingenious device for enabling cables to be threaded easily through cavity walls and Emilienne Rebel, who had designed a stunning range of hats, Bold Beanies, for people with hair loss. Close by was Cally Robson, who has launched an innovative website, She's Ingenious!, aimed at coaching and supporting women with new product ideas and inventions. Their websites are definitely worth checking out as they are truly inspirational ladies.

The evening awards gala was a fabulous spectacle and I was honoured with a Special Recognition Award for easidream, which is superb.

The overall winner was Denise Anstey with Slik Stick, a revolutionary new concept based around the idea of a walking stick. Denise can be seen in the photo receiving her award from Bola....well done Denise!

I came away from Cardiff totally inspired, re-energised and buzzing with positive energy. I can't wait to get back to work on easidream and I have a whole host of new people I can now call on for help and advice.

Thank you Bola.

Off to Wales!

2009-06-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

I am so excited and stressed all at the same time... girls you know the feeling!!

I have been nominated for a Special Recognition Award at the British Female Inventors and Innovators Awards Gala in Cardiff on Tuesday 30th June for easidream, which is totally fantastic.

But, when all is said and done, preparing my flock for my 2 day absence requires the the same degree of expertise and skill that you would expect to employ organising a round the world trip!

Anyone would think I was going away for 6 months!

Anyway, I'm sure that it will all be worth the effort, when I am there mingling with the other great female inventors.

I will keep you posted as to how I get on... here's hoping I may pick up an award - fingers and toes crossed!

Lynda

This little piggy went to casualty!

2009-06-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

After an eventful and extremely busy Thursday, I rolled up at my local town car park, two children in tow, to go and see Amy perform at the Waterlooville Music Festival with the rest of the choir from her school.

Nothing too sinister you may think, but now consider the short walk of around 200m from car park to church with an extremely excited, SKIPPING Bradley..... no, don't think you'll guess this one, but with one reckless flick of a school shoe.... CRACK my little toe was broken!!

"Ahhhhhhhhhh, you've broken my toe Bradley!" was greeted with, "Ohhhhhh, but do you think we're going to be late now?" Kids eh?!!!!

So there I was administering first aid on the spot (good job we were next to a chemist) with shoppers busily racing by. I was soooo tempted to nip in and borrow one of those mobility buggies from a neighbouring shop to get me to the church on time!

Me thinks that #6 is not content with merely breaking me mentally - keeping me awake every night for two and half years - but has now moved on to phase 2 of his cunning plan......slowly breaking me physically!!

Anyway, if you see me hobbling through Waterlooville, you'll now know why.

Bless....when all is said and done, I do still love him to bits!

And so to bed......

2009-06-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

All new parents know that sleepless nights are definitely on the agenda when their little bundle of joy arrives, it goes with the territory. But when they go on night after night, week after week, month after month and in extreme cases, year after year, ‘BOY HELL’ are they a killer?!

With me, Bradley (#6) just plain refused to go off to sleep and it would literally take HOURS for him to settle and when he did ‘give in’ to sleep, he would normally wake up again within two hours max! Combine this with the fact that when he woke up he was full of beans, wasn’t at all hungry, but just wanted to play and I seriously began questioning whether he had been swopped at birth with a baby from a family of insomniacs!! Of course he couldn’t have been as he was a home birth, but yes, I was at the stage when a sale on eBay was imminent!

Now, I was in the fortunate position of knowing that I couldn't have been doing anything wrong. How do I know this? I had already been through the whole baby ‘sleep time routine thing’ with my five older children and they had all slept through beautifully, by around four months, using my tried and tested techniques. So what on earth was happening? Was it some sort of divine retribution for all those years of giving parents a ‘knowing look’ when they announced that they couldn’t get their baby to sleep through the night? Or was someone trying to tell me SIX was enough?!

Well, after around two years of no sleep, an incredibly simple thought suddenly entered my mind; every baby like every person is different! Bradley was a unique individual who had specific ‘sleep needs’ that just weren’t fulfilled by those age old 'tried and tested' methods; he needed something else… but that’s a later post….

So new Mums & Dads take heart, it could very well be that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with what you are doing, it just could be that your baby is, ‘a Bradley’!! One of those babies that needs a ‘sleep cue’ that is specifically linked to their own little unique ‘personality’.

Over the coming months I will be posting a whole host of ideas to help trigger ‘quality’ sleep for your little one and sharing with you my own keys to sleep success, together with revealing the secrets of why easidream® is so effective.

Tweets for my tweet!

2009-06-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

OK, so not only have I managed to launch my blog, I have now taken the plunge and gone active on Twitter... please do follow me at easidream to catch up on the daily shenanigans encountered by this mum of 6, together with a bit of serious business 'thrown in' for good luck!

She's only gone and done it!

2009-06-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well, after faffing around for what seems like weeks, I have finally managed to get this blog up and running!

I would like to thank my daughter Amy (8) for interrupting me on numerous occasions to show me an innovative house she had made out of a cardboard box, supplied by Nan, which had a whole host of gadgets to open doors and draw curtains (chip off the block maybe?), together with Bradley (6) and William (10) for their countless distractions resulting mainly from their ability to re-enact an entire WWE Wrestle Mania match in the middle of my lounge! Their combined efforts at prolonging my blog launch were superb and they are definitely a force to be reckoned with!

Enough said... it's here and I would like to thank Rachel Elnaugh, for encouraging me to 'get this show on the road', together with Thomas Mahon aka English Cut, who gave a great presentation at Rachel's Marketing Magician's Event which, to be honest, clinched the whole 'blog thing' for me..... fantastic blog Thomas, well worth visiting and definitely a hard act to follow... but I'll give it my best shot!