Intro

All content of this blog is my own opinion only. It does not represent the views of any organisation or association I may work for, or be associated with. Nothing within this blog should be considered as medical advice and you should always consult your Doctor.

Win with Merino Kids!

We've talked lots recently about bedding - too much, too little, what type!

One thing I think most agree on is that natural fabrics are typically the best way to go at night.  We first discovered this when my youngest was born at 34 weeks and in a heated cot.

After the first few days he became better at regulating his own body temperature without the heater, when suddenly one evening out of the blue it started becoming unstable again prompting concern - so much so they had to flick the heater back up to earlier levels.  Whilst I sat the next day waiting for the doctor, one of the lovely SCBU nurses came on shift - the old school type.  I explained what had been happening and she immediately checked his bedding; under the top fleece layer was not a wool/cotton blanket (the white layer you can see in the photo), but a second fleece.  She explained that standard bedding was one cotton or wool blanket on top of baby and another wool OR a fleece blanket on top of that (wool were in shorter supply!) When he had been sick the night before, I remembered the nurse swapping the soiled wool blanket for a fleece.  We swapped it for wool and within an hour they could flick the heater on his cot down again.

I then remembered visiting a mum recently who passed me her baby in the most amazingly soft sleeping bag, so much so I commented and discovered it was Merino wool.  Again I thought little more of this until recent discussion regarding the use of synthetic fabrics next to baby at sleeptime.

Fleeces and sleeping bags are now very popular, but if they're synthetic can this impact on how warm/hot baby is at night?

I contacted Amie at Merino Kids - a company specialising in Merino Wool items for babies and children.  We chatted about my SCBU experience and Amie explained why sleeping with synthetics can cause problems - baby gets hot, they sweat, the moisture can't escape and thus they end up cold (or in a cold sweat)
Benefits of sleeping on/in merino

OK so it's actually a bit more complex than this and it turns out there are a whole host of reasons to pick Merino, but this page covers it fully:


I was also quite excited to learn Merino make their own sleeping sack range!  "Standard weight" which covers 18-30 degrees and "Duvet weight" for temperatures 16-20 degrees.  No other sheets or blankets required!

What's more I discovered that agresearch, New Zealand’s largest Crown Research Institute – an independent government-owned research and development organisation has explored this very area!  Nifty!

"Product Comparison of Merino Wool and Polyester Baby Sleeping Sacks: Dr S R Collie, Dr A Tasker and M F Hnat."

You can read the full report here

Some quotes from the report:
"The Merino Kids sleep sack has moisture vapor absorption (MVA) that is approximately 80-times greater than the Halo"
"This intrinsic ‘breathability’ of the merino fiber, and hence the Merino Kids sleep sack, would better allow moist air to move away from the body’s micro-environment, preventing dampness and potentially chilling, while keeping the warm air around the body from escaping via convection."
"In the product comparison reported here, clear differences in thermophysiological comfortrelated performance have been identified between the merino wool Merino Kids and polyester Halo sleep sacks." 
and
"The Merino Kids sleep sack had much higher moisture vapor absorption, approximately equal moisture vapor transmission and much lower air permeability, all of which indicate a much more sophisticated level of ‘breathability’ of the merino system, with it likely to be better at transferring moisture away from the baby while reducing convective heat loss and mitigating the chilling effect of drafts." 
"These test results, coupled with the outcomes of previous research into sleeping comfort and the well-known low flammability and volatile absorption properties of wool indicate that merino is an ideal material from which to construct sleep sack bedding systems for infants."
It seems to me there is little point having natural flat sheets and top sheets, plus perhaps a blanket - if the item right next to baby is causing the problems discussed.

Instead why not use one natural item?


Merino kids have very kindly offered a gorgeous international award winning Go Go Bag for one lucky winner!!  

Choose either Newborn to 2 years or 2-4 years - further details below:



To enter share any article from this blog somewhere online and then post a message letting me know where.  Please only share somewhere you are a regular (ie please do not spam somewhere you don't normally visit)  Each share will get you one entry - the more shares the more entries.

Winner will be drawn Wednesday 31st August and announced on this page and on Facebook.  If the winner does not contact me within 16 days from date of draw, I will re-draw.

78 comments:

  1. Shared the paracetomol page on my Facebook wall. I do post the message to let you know here don't I?

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  2. Iseult Ní Dhomhnaill Clark11 August 2011 at 21:17

    Posted the calpol piece on the breastfeeding discussion board on www.rollercoaster.ie
    Really enlightening

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  3. Shared breastfeeding in public on Facebook xx

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  4. Shared 'lucky apes can't read' on FB. Hx.

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  5. Shared "The cause of your baby's reflux/wind/colic" on facebook. :)

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  6. Michele Kavanagh11 August 2011 at 21:40

    oooh I share stuff all the time..now what to choose today....ok shared "guilt if you breastfeed, guilt if you dont" on our local "mums network" page. Got some friends on there feeling the pressure to give up boobie feeding at 1 year, hope this will help them :D xx

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  7. I shared top ten tounge tie myths on facebook
    xx

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  8. Shared the one about breast crawl and waterbirth (long name I can't remember sorry!) and the Baby Gaga one...both on The Leaky B@@b fb page, The Mom:Informed fb page, Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths fb page and Instunctual Mamas fb page!
    Do they count as seperate ones if they're all on fb?? LOL! I don't go anywhere else! (sad really!) :o/ never mind! At least I've shared the information LOL!
    Hayley Hogan

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  9. Shared the breastfeeding and bonding piece on Facebook twice - my profile and my babycentre birth board page, and I emailed it to a friend. I loved that article it made me cry! I do share stuff quite a bit lol

    Liz Oakham on Facebook.

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  10. Shared 'Guilt' Pressure to give up breastfeeding on my facebook wall. x

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  11. Hmmm should probably say who I am! lol! ^ May Lovesherchild on facebook :)

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  12. Shared Why I'm concerned about Tizzie Hall's Breastfeeding Advice - PART 1 on facebook x

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  13. Also shared Win with Merino Kids! on my facebook too x

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  14. Shared:
    What an attached parent is, and isn't. on FB today x
    This is Nikki Norris btw lol x

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  15. I shared 'breastfeeding in public is offensive - see for yourself' on facebook!

    Love it.

    :o)

    (Was going to share 'baby taming' (one of my fave posts) but i think it might mortally offend my friend who swears by sleep training!!)

    (yeah i know, i'm chicken! lol)

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  16. Shared babysigning on Facebook :o)

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  17. Hi, I have shared the Attached Parenting blog on Facebook and Bounty, General Pregnancy forum -
    Preciouskezz

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  18. I have shared "The cause of your baby's reflux/wind/colic?" on FB.

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  19. Dear AA
    I enjoy reading your pages and the many valid points you make in your articles. I am sure you are providing this giveaway with the the best of motives, but given your recent discussions about whether other parenting writers might promote products to their own gain, perhaps you could write a disclaimer making it clear that you are receiving no benfit from this freebie promotion? Otherwise you may be making yourself a little vulnerable...
    Kindly meant, and I hope taken as such.

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  20. Of course I don't gain from a company offering a sleeping bag for a give away - how would I?

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  21. Shared the baby taming article on Facebook :)

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  22. Shared "Formula feeding mums, start shouting loudly" on Facebook.

    Cheryl M

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  23. Shared 'Dads/Partners' on my FB page. Lovely giveaway! Alice (can't get the blimmin' thing to post using my blogger page, grrrrrr)!

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  24. Shared "Paracetamol" on Facebook.

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  25. shared "the basic motivation" on facebook

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  26. I have just shared this article on my Facebook page and marked it for the attention of my SCBU colleagues! I am a Nursery Nurse and I work in SCBU, currently on maternity leave. We use fleece blankets on top of cotton blankets as they look pretty but they do occasionally end up directly on top of the babies. This is a great article as it explains clearly why this shouldn't happen. One of my colleagues has already commented to say what interesting reading it makes and how she is going to look into the unit's bedding policy!! The power of the Analytical Armadillo at it's best :)

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  27. shared Analytical Armadillo: Baby Taming - if it works, does that make it right?
    on facebook

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  28. My comment is the one above! Not sure how to comment as anything other than anonymous?! If I am lucky enough for you to need to contact me my email address is- gilliantaft@yahoo.co.uk
    Gillian :)

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  29. Thanks Anon :) There is also research showing prems who sleep with Merino gain an average 10g per day more (which as you will appreciate is a not to be sniffed at amount for a prem) They do a lot of work with Bliss and there's more info on their site x

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  30. Shared "Risk factors for early weaning from the breast" on fb.

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  31. i shared this article on fb after just discovering this blog today so ill be sharing much more!

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  32. I shared 'What an attached parent is, and isn't' on my FB wall. I've recently had a few discussions about smacking and have been attacked about my 'too relaxed' parenting style so thought it would fit.

    Olga Naden

    xxx

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  33. i have shared: "parents, give yoursellf a hug this christmas" (wrong time of year i know, but fab anyway!) and "win with merino kids" on fb, as its the only place i go frequently ;-)

    fab competition, thanks!

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  34. shared part 1 of the thing about Tizzie Hall's breastfeeding advice on my FB wall

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  35. also shared "how pain relief in labour affects breastfeeding" on my FB wall.

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  36. shared what AP is and isn't on FB. :)

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  37. Shared breastfeeding is offensive on my wall :)

    Kitty Wright

    Kittywright@live.co.uk

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  38. I also shared "breastfeeding & boozing" on FB & Google Buzz.

    Oh, and I'm Susan Miller

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  39. I am surprised that you are associating yourself with Merino Kids. Have you read the sleep advice on their website? eg " Put him into his cot while he is still awake. If he cries, stay away for a few minutes. He may settle down and go to sleep. If the crying continues, go back in and soothe him for a moment, without picking him. This may go on a few/many times until he figures out that the crying is not getting him anywhere. Expect that this may be a difficult exercise for you, simply because it's distressing to hear him cry. Try to remember that if you know he is safe, a little crying now, so that you can all sleep better later, is ultimately the healthier choice." etc

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  40. No *SIGH* I hadn't read that :| FFS is the whole world baby cry mad? I will email Merino.....

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  41. Sorry to put a damper on things. Those merino sleeping bags are very nice, I'm sure.

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  42. I Found it disturbing the above pic shows a baby sleeping with it's head covered by a beanie - sleeping ... As I'm sure your aware is a SIDS risk .. Not a good idea posting a photo like this on your blog ..
    And your into Tizzie Hall about the amount of blankets she advises parents to use ?? What the ...

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  43. QUOTE Anonymous said...
    I Found it disturbing the above pic shows a baby sleeping with it's head covered by a beanie - sleeping ... As I'm sure your aware is a SIDS risk .. Not a good idea posting a photo like this on your blog ..
    And your into Tizzie Hall about the amount of blankets she advises parents to use ?? What the ... END

    Don't be disturbed anon - read the text with it. That was my 34 wk preemie son in hospital where the protocol is ALL prems have hats, yes even when sleeping. The don't sleep with a hat information doesn't apply to prems (as I'm sure you're aware)
    Good job you're "anon" or I suspect you would look rather silly right about now....
    AA

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  44. Kirsten Richards15 August 2011 at 09:55

    Shared Attached Parenting on Facebook :)

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  45. I find it contradictory that you verbally bash others for endorsing products but here you are endorsing Merino ? A company that on their website encourage CC / CIO ... Something I thought you were against ? Please explain

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  46. I shared The complicated rules of breast coverage on my Facebook page :-)
    Do you happen to know what happens when a sleeping bag has polyester inside but has cotton lining? So the layer next to the baby is cotton (well, next to baby's clothes) but there is a synthetic layer right next to it?
    Thanks
    Martina K

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  47. If you share more than one post does it mean more entries in the competition?

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  48. Anon, please read the comments.

    " No *SIGH* I hadn't read that :| FFS is the whole world baby cry mad? I will email Merino....."

    Answer your question? Now stop nit picking.

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  49. Oh my comment has gone :-(

    I shared the bedding article on 5 friends Walls on fb and in a private group. To add to the breastfeeding and bonding one that I shared in several places previously. 3 places I think?

    And I may not like merinos sleep methods, but they do make lovely products!

    Liz Oakham on Facebook.

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  50. QUOTE I find it contradictory that you verbally bash others for endorsing products but here you are endorsing Merino ? A company that on their website encourage CC / CIO ... Something I thought you were against ? Please explain END

    Really "anon" (yet again the "anon" - so opinionated yet seemingly unable to own their views with a name) Show me where I bashed someone for endorsing a product please?

    I absolutely endorse a natural fabric like merino - 1000 times over, the science makes far more sense than the idea of spending a fortune on 8 blankets that absolutely MUST be cotton or bamboo, a cotton/bamboo protector and flat sheet, a cotton/bamboo top sheet and then baby sandwiched in-between all that with a synthetic fibre right next to baby that can't breath AKA polyester! LOL I find THAT hilarious!

    I've quite clearly stated that I didn't read the sleep tips because I never considered for a moment that a company selling bedding would feel a need to tell parents to cio/cc. I've confirmed I have emailed them and if things aren't resolved if needs be I will buy a merino bag from elsewhere as the prize!

    Ok? Have I explained that clearly enough for you? :)

    I confess to having a lil chuckle that the only issue that could be taken with the entire piece is that the company support CIO which I disagree with - nothing to do with the actual point of the blog post or the science behind the bedding. Fantastic LOL!

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  51. QUOTE Anonymous said...
    I shared The complicated rules of breast coverage on my Facebook page :-)
    Do you happen to know what happens when a sleeping bag has polyester inside but has cotton lining? So the layer next to the baby is cotton (well, next to baby's clothes) but there is a synthetic layer right next to it? END

    The study compared a Halo sack to Merino and I THINK the Halo has cotton inner and synthetic outer (check out the link with the study to verify) - as the layers are together as one rather than two separate pieces this may be why.

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  52. QUOTE Anonymous said...
    If you share more than one post does it mean more entries in the competition?

    YES

    ReplyDelete
  53. QUOTE Anonymous said...
    Oh my comment has gone :-(

    Hmmm I haven't deleted anything - let me check the spam box!

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  54. Merino and sleep sacks/ sleeping bags are all the rage in NZ where they are designed/made (and where I'm from) We have at least half a dozen companies that make merino sleepwear that is also made in NZ (Merinokids is now made in China), most are organic too and don't offer 'sleep advice'... Thanks for the great work AA :-D your advice is always up to date and well researched making me sound smart lol
    Gina EP in NZ

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  55. QUOTE Merinokids is now made in China

    Ah it gets better :| head - meet desk

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  56. I shared "The cause of your baby's reflux/wind/colic?" on my facebook.
    I find it very interesting. My son had his tongue-tie snipped, yet he is a lot more "colicky" and "sicky" than his sister was. May be just coincidence - or maybe his feeding is still not quite normal...
    Martina K

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  57. Why is it no longer possible to post anonymous comments? I had to create a blog now even though I have no intention of blogging so that I can reply here - yesterday I could post as anon
    Martina K

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  58. Hi, I've switched ANON comments off for the moment due to rude and frankly pointless posts from "anons" - it was this or switch it to moderated posts which I'm loathed to do but will if people would prefer?

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  59. PS you can sign in with a google account, OpenID etc not just a blog :)

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  60. OK, fair enough, I see you point.

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  61. I meant to write "your point" :-)

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  62. I have shared your Attached paranting article on both FBook and Twitter

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  63. I shared "top ten tongue tie myths" on my Facebook today.
    Martina K

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  64. QUOTE
    The study compared a Halo sack to Merino and I THINK the Halo has cotton inner and synthetic outer (check out the link with the study to verify) - as the layers are together as one rather than two separate pieces this may be why.
    END QUOTE
    Had a look now so I thought I'd just get back. In the study, it says 3 layers of fleece, no cotton is mentioned. I had a look on their website and they make 100% cotton ones, or microfleece ones - the way I understand it these are 100% fleece, no cotton layer. Most of the sleeping bags I've seen have a cotton outer and and cotton liner and polyester filling, shame they were not included in the study, would be quite interesting to see if they're different from the microfleece ones. Oh well.
    Martina K

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  65. I shared Why I'm concerned about Tizzie Hall's Breastfeeding Advice - PART 2. Another load of dangerous twaddle. She can compare herself to a cow if she likes but she ought to leave everyone else alone!

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  66. Shared lucky apes can't read on facebook too, love that one.

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  67. I'd had these worries about Calpol originally so was interested to read your take on it...so I shared that article on Facebook.

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  68. shared this one on my facebook today:
    Tongue tie, the hidden cause of feeding problems? (however you feed your baby)
    Martina K

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  69. And this one today: Formula feeding mums, start shouting. Loudly!
    Martina K

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  70. Shared about Reflux, cc/cio and something else (can't remember lol) on my FB page.

    Sarah Ashwell

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  71. shared http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2011/06/breastfeeding-mums-should-use-bottle-in.html on my facebook

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  72. I shared your baby show article on my facebook, because the picture is of my friend : )

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  73. http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2010/08/breastfeeding-q-ask-armadillo.html

    I shared this one as a lot of my friends are falling victim to follow on milks.

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  74. Posted Cry It Out: The Potential Dangers of Leaving Your Baby to Cry on facebook.

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  75. Shared the blog about reflux on Silent Reflux board on Baby Centre.

    Joanna B xx

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  76. Shared this one today on my FB:
    Breasteeding Top Tips - BabyShow Guest Blog Part 1
    Martina K

    ReplyDelete

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