Don't Forget....

The coupon code for my blog readers expires tomorrow 3/31. In addition, for extra savings, I've put our standard size blankets on sale for a limited time so people can buy/try them using the new swaddling technique in my last post. Thanks for making March an incredible month...looking forward to welcoming April.

Swaddling Technique from Mr. Bobbles' Blankets

After the birth of both of my sons, it took quite a while to get good at swaddling. Even with a ton of practice, I was never able to get the wrap as tight as the nurses at the hospital. These days, there are a lot of special swaddling wraps and blankets out there (I tried a few with my second son), but I still think a good old fashioned cotton blanket works the best and is the most practical since it has so many other uses after those swaddling days are over.

I frequently hear from parents about how wonderful our standard size blankets were for swaddling their infants. They are larger than most so they work out great for larger babies. I've also heard from few parents of smaller babies that our blankets worked out great for them as well because they could double wrap their child as instructed by their pediatricians.

I recently found out about a swaddling technique that works really well with our standard size blankets, so I thought it would make a great post. This technique is sometimes called the Aussie Swaddle (it was posted by an Australian mom on a baby forum a while back). There are a few variations to this swaddling technique, but you'll get the general idea. This technique works best with a rectangular shaped receiving blanket (just like our standard size blanket) in a lightweight all-cotton fabric (double-sided or thicker blankets, and some synthetic fibers like polyester, don’t breathe as well and may generate too much heat). This swaddling technique is more comfortable for many babies because it keeps their hands/fists up next to their face rather than straight down by their sides.

1. Lay blanket out on a flat surface lengthwise as shown. Fold down a flap of fabric at the top and place baby in the middle of the blanket with shoulders on the fold.


2. Place baby’s right hand under the folded flap (or you can start from the left side).

3. Keeping your baby’s hand covered with the flap (at about shoulder height), pull down the top corner of the flap and tuck under baby’s right leg.

4. Take the outer edge of this new flap of blanket and wrap it around your baby’s body and tuck under at the left side.


5. Now place baby’s opposite hand under the first original flap.

6. Flip up any extra fabric at the bottom of the blanket to create a flap at the bottom.


7. Keeping you baby’s hand covered with the flap (at about shoulder height), pull down the top corner of the flap and tuck under baby’s body.


8. Take the outer edge of this new flap of blanket and wrap it around your baby’s body to create the swaddle.

Swaddling generally works well for the first couple of months. Some people say you should stop swaddling around the time your baby starts to roll over, but I remember stopping before that milestone - it all depends on your baby. As always, check with your pediatrician for advice and resources. And please become familiar with and follow all current SIDS recommendations when putting your baby to sleep, including:

· Place infants to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress with no other objects in the crib/bed
· Avoid overheating the baby
· Keep baby’s environment smoke/tobacco free
· Ask your pediatrician for more recommendations and resources

I hope that this swaddling technique works for some of you! I'd love to see any photos or feedback.

About Swaddling: Swaddling your newborn baby has many benefits including making your baby feel secure, similar to being in the womb. Swaddling also helps to control the sudden arm/leg movements caused by the startle reflex. It is best to use a lightweight, single-sided, all-cotton blanket to avoid overheating your baby. Heavier fabrics, double-sided or thick blankets, and some synthetic fibers (like polyester) don’t breathe as well and may generate too much heat. Please become familiar with and follow all current SIDS recommendations when putting your baby to sleep, including:

· Place infants to sleep on their backs on a firm mattress with no other objects in the crib/bed
· Avoid overheating the baby
· Keep baby’s environment smoke/tobacco free
· Ask your pediatrician for more recommendations and resources

For this type of swaddle (sometimes called the Aussie swaddle), a single sided rectangular shaped blanket works best. This swaddling technique is more comfortable for many babies because it keeps their hands/fists up next to their face rather than straight down by their sides.

1. Lay blanket out on a flat surface lengthwise as shown. Fold down a flap of fabric at the top (about x inches) and place baby in the middle of the blanket with shoulders on the fold.
2. Place baby’s right hand under the folded flap (or you can start from the left side).
3. Keeping you baby’s hand covered with the flap (at about shoulder height), pull down the top corner of the flap and tuck under baby’s right leg.
4. Take the outer edge of this new flap of blanket and wrap it around your baby’s body and tuck under at the left side.
5. Now place baby’s opposite hand under the original flap.
6. Flip up any extra fabric at the bottom of the blanket to create a flap at the bottom.
7. Keeping you baby’s hand covered with the flap (at about shoulder height), pull down the top corner of the flap and tuck under baby’s body.
8. Take the outer edge of this new flap of blanket and wrap it around your baby’s body to create the swaddle.

Coupon Code for Blog Readers

We just started our blog recently and have lots of good information coming up about babies, toddlers and preschoolers, as well as other topics of interest to parents. In the meantime, if you happen to stumble across our blog and want take a peek at our products, I'm posting a coupon code for our blog readers to use at http://www.mrbobblesblankets.com/

BLOG15 - save 15% of your order, applies to sale items but not to gift certificates, cannot be applied to an existing order. One use per customer. Expires 3/31/2009

Top 10 Reasons to Use a Toddler Pillow (plus one extra for mom)...

Top 10 Reasons to Use Toddler Pillows (including one for mom)...

In my previous post, I discussed how to choose a toddler pillow and when to start using one. I hear lots of input from parents so here are some of the best uses that I've heard for our toddler pillows:

1. Use with kids (2+ years old) prone to ear infections or sinus troubles, or during cold/flu season
   Pediatricians sometimes recommend a toddler pillow for a little extra elevation of the head during sleep to help promote drainage (please check with your pediatrician first!).


2. Send a toddler pillow to child's daycare/preschool for naptime
   Your child will feel special and have a comfort object from home. Also, the fabrics are unique so the pillow won't get lost.


3. Use as a special pillow for overnight stays at Grandma's house;
   Purchase a special extra pillowcase just for use at Grandma’s house – your child will see it as a special treat and have fond memories. We heard from one customer whose children visit their grandparents on their farm so she purchased our farm-theme pillowcases for her children to use at the farm house.


4. Use as a travel pillow for toddlers (or adults!)
   Our travel sized toddler pillows are a must for long rides in the car seat or airplane trips. Don't use those flimsy and dirty/germy airplane pillows - bring your own. Also great to use once you get to your destination. I don't know about you, but they never seem to have enough extra pillows in the hotel rooms.


5. Use with our satin pillowcases to reduce tangled hair
   Using a satin pillowcase helps the hair glide easily over the fabric thus reducing tangles during sleep;


6. Great gift idea for big brother or big sister
   Paired with a sweet goodnight book, stuffed animal or decorative nightlight. Or create a "theme" gift and give a toddler pillow with a pillowcase to match the theme, for example Pirates or Frogs.


7. Give as a baby gift along with a matching receiving blanket or burp cloth set
   Before baby is old enough to have a baby pillow while sleeping, a toddler pillow is great for extra support when nursing or bottle feeding. Also great for padding when baby is learning to sit up.


8. Perfect size to use as a toddler bed pillow
   Helps to make the transition to the toddler bed easier and more fun!


9. Help soothe child at night
   We’ve even heard from parents that they used our toddler pillows to help convince their toddler that he/she is now a big boy/girl and to give up their binkys (pacifiers) at night!


10. Okay, now for mom’s turn - Great for mommy too - even before baby arrives!
    Place toddler pillow behind mommy's lower back or neck for extra back support while rocking, feeding, driving, etc. I took one to the hospital with me for comfort during labor and delivery, and also used it in the hospital while nursing. I also use one with a satin pillowcase as my travel pillow.

Toddler Pillows - When to Use?

With all the safety concern regarding soft bedding items in cribs, a lot of parents wonder "when is the right time to give my child a pillow to sleep with?" I also get asked this question frequently at http://www.bobbleroos.com/. There are a lot of opinions to sift through, but currently, most of the official guidelines (from organizations like The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) are relevant for infants under 12 months of age. So does that mean a 13 or 14 month old can start using a pillow? Probably not.

In fact, we typically recommend our toddler pillows for 2 years and up and even then, it's best to check with your pediatrician. Your child's pediatrician will be up to date on changing safety recommendations and will also know your child's heath history including any issues that may impact sleeping, allergies or asthma, etc. Many leading child developmental experts agree that it's best to allow young children to sleep on a flat surface, and when you do introduce a pillow, choose one that is firm, yet flat - nothing too poofy or fluffy. Pick a pillow that is the right proportions for a child, like a 12 x 16 toddler pillow. If you think about it, giving a small child an adult sized pillow is the equivalent of giving an adult a twin or crib mattress as a pillow!

Sometimes, introducing a pillow is a great transitional item when the child is converting from the crib to a toddler bed or twin bed - but it all depends on age. With my two children, I waited as long as possible to move them out of the crib and it was usually around 3 - 3 1/2 years old. However I have friends with "climbers" who have moved their kids out of the crib before their first birthday. I also have friends with 2-3 year old children who had frequent ear infections or sinus problems and the pediatrician recommend the use of a small pillow to help elevate the child's head. I've had many customers also tell me that they knew their child was ready when he/she bundled up blankets under his/her head at night to sleep on, or slept on a stuffed animal. But PLEASE check with your child's doctor first.

If your child or baby is not yet ready for a pillow, our toddler pillows still have a ton of great uses during the daytime - your child may still enjoy cuddling up with it during playtime, or using it for a "seat" to make that wooden chair more comfy, or for playing house with dolls. It also makes a great travel pillow - even for adults. I took one to the hospital with me during labor and delivery - great to put behind your lower back or neck for extra support. I also used mine frequently during nursing. We also use ours for traveling as they squish up easily inside a suitcase, can be carried on a plane, and great for making the car seat ride more comfortable. Just make sure to keep that pillow and loose items out of the crib until they are ready.

So the bottom line is that many children are ready for a pillow around 2-3 years of age, but check with your pediatrician first and educate yourself on the current safety recommendations and pros and cons. When you do choose a pillow, choose one that is in proportion to your child (12x16 is perfect!) and pick out some fun printed pillowcases that will allow your child to get attached to the pillow and make sleeping time fun! I can't tell you how may parents have told me that our Mr. Bobbles' Blankets toddler pillows have helped restless sleepers (which is great for the child and the parents!!) Feel free to post your ideas and opinions about using a pillow with children.

Toddlers and Comfort Objects

Did You Know? About 60% of toddlers use comfort or security objects – most choose an item with silky and nubby textures to provide sensory satisfaction. Child development experts agree that a comfort object is a great asset for children and parents. Attachment to a “lovie”, usually beginning around 8-12 months, represents a big leap in intellectual and emotional development for a child - they are learning to understand symbols and to "invent" something of their own – the lovie becomes a symbol of love and comfort that is tangible. Children who have learned to use lovies can find comfort anywhere and can take control of their own comfort."A lovie has real emotional importance to a child. Like a true friend, a lovie is familiar, accepting, and faithful. It is the guarantee of safety and security; it promises a parent’s return.”

As mentioned above, toddlers enjoy the tactile stimulation of a soft, fuzzy, or nubby items like stuffed animals, blankets, or even our toddler pillows, while other toddlers may choose something like a pacifier. Whatever the choice, it is not uncommon for toddlers to give their comfort objects names and talk to them, carry them around everywhere - much like a true friend. It can help them work through problems or challenges in their everyday life and have unconditional acceptance. And as any parent with a child attached to a lovie will understand, when that lovie is lost, put in the wash, or left behind, it's like losing one's true friend and cannot be replaced.

As parents, one challenge is attempting to anticipate which animal, blanket or other object will be "the one" and we all rush out to buy duplicates just in case it is every left behind or lost. At one point, my youngest son was starting to develop an attachment to a particular green stuffed animal so I ran out and bought a handful (as well as a few in different colors - thank goodness they were inexpensive). But that phase didn't last long, and both of my boys eventually settled on blankets as lovies (which is great considering my business!). So I created the Bips - a smaller version of a favorite blanket that is easier to pack, carry, wash, etc. Plus that single satin corner to make the blanket feel special and provide that spot of interest to touch and rub. I've heard from many parents with children that are attached to our blankets, bips, or toddler pillows. I've also heard stories about special lovies getting damaged, lost, or just plain worn out. In the best cases, we still have fabric available (or can find it somewhere else) and can try to replace that item. In other cases, we have successfully helped parents replace the item with a similar theme or color fabric - yes, sometimes it does work!

Once toddlers are growing up into preschoolers and school aged children, the question becomes what level of attachment is appropriate and how do you handle it? If you have any fun stories to share about your toddler and lovies, post them here. I'm curious to hear what objects, what age, and if your child is older now, when/how did they give them up?