When someone asks me what the most important purchase I have made for looking after babies, the answer is always the same – our King bed. Riley slept in there off and on until she was about three or so (and still comes in now in the cold weather for early morning snuggles) and Piper still sleeps in there. She usually has her first sleep of the night in her cot and then when I go to bed I take her in with me because I am not keen on getting up in the middle of the night, in the freezing cold. NOT KEEN. Often all four of us will be in there, quite comfortably. And I am grateful for the extra snuggles and the extra body heat.
There’s only one problem with this scenario. Piper rejects all form of bed covering. Doonas, blankets, sheets. EVERYTHING. She kicks everything off and when you have one doona covering four people and she’s in the middle this is a problem. It also causes me concern that she is not in fact related to me at all. Riley exhibits the kind of doona love that demonstrates our genetic connection rather beautifully.
I had a few sleeping bags with Riley when she was a baby. They helped when the coverings came off in the middle of the night and kept her nice and toasty. I also used them when I was helping her get to sleep on her own because I would lie next to her, tuck the bottom of the sleeping bag underneath my body so she couldn’t crawl away and lie there until she finally went to sleep. Creative, yes? I hope it is considered creative and not some form of baby torture. But I always disliked that the sleeping bags were polyester. I’m not rigid about a whole heap of things but I am a bit particular when it comes to bedding. I sent my mother on a mission to find a wool doona for the cot and I’m pretty sure she went to every baby store known to man. Now if I’d known about The Sleep Store then, I think everything would have been much easier. And cheaper!
Woolbabe sleeping bags are Australian designed for babies and toddlers and it is the only sleeping bag made with a wool filling. The outer fabric is 30% merino and 70% cotton and I assure you it makes babies extra snuggly. I am a bit devastated that they don’t make them in adult size. A discerning reader might tell me that the adult version is called a snuggie. And I would inform them that I will purchase a snuggie when I have given up on life and not a minute sooner.
I was given a front-zipper sleeping bag (great for wriggly toddlers who are excellent escape artists) which was great because it’s a double zip and Piper likes to be able to touch her own belly button to self settle, so I was able to open the zip a little for her to do that without sacrificing the warmth. But you can also get a side zipper version. They come in two sizes – 3 months to 2 years and 2 to 4 years.
And the result? A very warm baby who was happy to be above the doona for a change, and I think she even slept a bit more soundly than usual too.
I’m really excited to be giving one away too! A big thank you to The Sleep Store and Woolbabe for giving me one Woolbabe duvet weight sleeping bag to give away, valued at $129!
To Enter:
1) Like Good Googs and Woolbabe on Facebook.
2) Leave me a comment telling me what your baby (or toddler) does when they are tired or to self-soothe themselves. I am prepared for a cuteness overload!
3) Entries close on the 6th August, 2012 and you must be an Australian or New Zealand resident to enter
4) A winner will be chosen based on the most creative or unique or entertaining response.
5) And finally, use the form below!
I received one Woolbabe sleeping bag to keep and one to give away in return for this post. All opinions are my own.
My son comes up and gets cuddly then goes ahhh on my shoulder.. letting me know its time for a nap
My baby just loves my boobs. She strokes them, pats them, kisses them. <3
My little sis rubs her eyes
Blankey ang pinky ( her teddy) then off to bed!
nice blog
http://goo.gl/J3vdI
Amy’s never had a “thing” to self settle, unless you count shouting and flailing. I don’t, for the record. Isaac however rubs his hair between his fingers. It’s not a big deal when his hair is shortish, but he did tangle the sides pretty badly when his hair was longer.
Congratulations! You’ve won the sleeping bag. I’ll email you shortly.
My little Miss M will always stroke something when she is comforting herself before sleep time. She prefers to drink her cup of milk on my lap and lean back and use her other hand to stroke my arm
In her cot she will cuddle and stroke her comforter, there was a time it was her hair but I was getting really worried she was going to start pulling it out! That is when I introduced the comforter and she LOVES it 
We are in desperate need of a new sleeping bag for Miss M in the bigger size as she is starting to get too big for her current ones, so this Woolbabe one would be amazing 
The boob seems to be my baby’s dummy but I don’t mind. She has just found her hands and realised they go in her mouth and I have found her trying to get her thumb in. However, once I put her in an inferior brand sleeping bag, she knows it is time for boob and sleep.
Wish I could show you a video!My wee Addi has had these “monkey”s since she was born; I slept with it (yeah we had a few incase we lost one..) when I was pregnant, so incase she needed NICU then she’d have something that smelt like me.
Anyway, she grabs him and bites his face and grunts “MONKEY MONKEY MONKEY” and shakes with satisfaction when she bites him. it’s so cute. without fail; when she’s tired, or needs comforting she will go hunt for Monkey.
Here’s the latest pic I have… but so wish I could get a video on here.. Her first ‘two syllable’ word was of course Monkey!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/149477_10151609225315604_1648592176_n.jpg
I write this as I have the monitor beside me listening to my 19 months old sing her self to sleep. She has a favourite teddy and friends that have to routinely be in the cot but normally I hear her sing… then mummy mummy mummy maybe 5 times (which always makes me smile) and then she is asleep
. I think this is because when she was little we opted not to use a dummy but sing to her. Sometimes it would drive me mad listening to my partner sing the same song over and over again.. but it worked.
My 22 month old has a bear blankie with a rattle in it. Each night she talks to it and kisses it as she winds herself down to sleep. My 11 week old is a boobie sleeper. Pop her on the breast for a suckle and a snuggle and she falls asleep when she’s finished drinking. On the rare occasion that she is still awake after a feed we get to witness those gorgeous milk drunk eyes, a quick koala cuddle and she sighs that gorgeous big relaxed sigh and she’s asleep.
My toddler will stroke my face, twirl my hair, mumble some non-sensical noise and stare into space before dozing off.
When my 11 month old is tired, she will lay down on her belly wherever she is- be it on the floor or in our arms- and she sticks her thumb in her mouth. When she does this we just pick her up and put her straight to bed and she always snuggles down (thumb still in mouth) and goes to sleep happily.
I have a 7 month old little thumb sucker… Must be getting mighty crowded in there with those 4 new teeth though
When my 3 year old feels very tired then he lies down on the bed and put his hand on his head by saying “My body is tired brain – i want to sleep”. and he falls asleep within 10 minutes.
My 11 month old has a rather ratty looking duck that she fancies and it follows her everywhere in her cot! Combined with the thumb it seems to do the trick at night … enough time anyway for me to contribute to this blog uninterrupted…
My little one plays with her ear when shes tired.