This day I love.......: sleep

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“This post was created in collaboration with Leesa, who provided a Leesa Mattress for review, but all views and opinions expressed are my own. In addition some links in this post are affiliate links. This means I may receive a small percentage of a sale if you click these links and purchase a product”.

If you’ve been following my blog for some time you will know that this year I am aiming to complete 12 Marathon/Ultra runs within the year. This is no easy achievement. One marathon along takes months to train for, and the recovery afterwards is just as important. To put the body through 12, and with some been of distances greater than a marathon is a very big ask. Whilst there is no exact formula to how many days it takes your body to recover fully from a marathon, some experts say 1 day for every mile and others 1 day for every kilometer. Therefore that’s between 26 and 42 days of rest just to recover. I am therefore asking a lot of my body and as a result need to make sure I do everything I can in both training and rest days.

There are only so many external factors I can control. I can, to some extent control my training. Of course I have ‘off days’ and days when I could do more. I can control my nutrition, although I tend to make very bad food choices and it is something I am working on. To some extent I can control my sleep too. I say to some extent because I have three small children, and my youngest rarely sleeps through the night. With this in mind I therefore need to make sure the sleep I am getting is good quality and I wake up feeling rested ready to tackle the day ahead.

Unfortunately for me this wasn’t happening. I would struggle to get to sleep at night, unable to get comfortable. Our mattress had dropped in places, causing you to roll into a groove that you became stuck in. Any sleep I did get was poor quality, and I would randomly wake up in the night as I turned over to find a new sleeping position. Let’s not mention the aches and pains every morning would bring as I desperately did my stretching and foam rolling to alleviate them. A new mattress was needed.

I searched high and low for a new mattress. Read countless reviews and watched several videos. Probably in the same way you are reading this now. Trying to weigh up what would work and what would meet my needs. As far as mattresses go I prefer one with support and a medium firmness. My search brought me to the Leesa mattress.

The Leesa mattress is a luxury mattress with 3 foam layers that adjust to your body to provide optimum support and comfort for each individual. The Leesa mattress on paper seemed like it would meet my need for a mattress with support and given there is a 100-night risk free trial I was keen to give the Leesa mattress a try.

First challenge was taking the old mattress off the bed. This was a lot easier said than done, but I got there in the end. The next challenge was getting Little Man off the box that the Leesa mattress was in!

He kept curling up on the box to go to sleep. This was a promising sign surely? I was now more keen than ever to get the Leesa mattress out of the box and on the bed. It was really easy to do so. I had no issues unrolling the mattress and removing the plastic outer. The Leesa mattress had come vacuum packed in the box and so was now unfolding in front of my eyes. I had lined it up wrong on the bed, as the stripes go at the bottom, so a quick move around and I left the mattress to air and unfold.

A few hours later and the Leesa mattress was ready. I had read in several reviews online about a slight odour when the Leesa mattress is first opened and used. I will admit to noticing a really slight odour, nothing unpleasant, when I first removed the plastic but leaving the Leesa mattress in the air for a good few hours and the odour had disappeared by the time I came to put the bedding on to it.

I remember the first time I sat on the Leesa mattress and my immediate thought was ‘oh, it is very soft’. I was worried it might not give me the support I needed. Then I laid down. ‘Ah’ was my next thought. I did not want to move. The Leesa mattress was providing the right amount of support in the areas I needed it. The areas I would normally suffer pain the next morning, including the base of my back. I could even feel the Leesa mattress gently supporting my calf muscles. My legs were for once rather happy with me.

The first night on the Leesa mattress was the first night in memory that I remember sleeping. I wasn’t woken up as I tried to get comfy during the night, in fact I didn’t move. I wasn’t woken up when my husband sat on the bed to get ready for work. The Leesa mattress had given me back good quality sleep and if it wasn’t for Little Man waking me then it would have been a perfect night sleep.

I was keen now to see how my recovery process would progress. I had a week before Berlin marathon using the Leesa mattress and I felt great leading up to the run, in fact I started the marathon feeling the best I have felt in a long time and had a really good run. I had no aches in my back, shoulder or neck where I used to suffer with them, and I think it is down to finally having a supported and well rested nights sleep. Then came the real test. Could I run another marathon within 7 days?

Three days after running Berlin marathon I went to club and ran a very comfortable 6 miles. I was shocked. It would appear having good quality sleep was really helping speed up my recovery times. 3 days later I ran another marathon. I ran this marathon 20 minutes faster than I ran Berlin. I hadn’t changed anything else in my training or recovery except from the mattress. My children's sleep habits haven’t changed. Yet it would appear something is making a difference. The only thing that has changed in this time is my mattress. Changing to a Leesa mattress has helped improve my quality of sleep which is helping with my running.

Leesa as a company believe in better rest for everybody, and that has certainly been the case for me. Leesa donate one mattress to charities supporting the homeless, as well as those seeking refuge from domestic abuse and human trafficking, for every ten sold. To date Leesa has been able to donate or pledge over 30,000 mattresses to charities worldwide including 30 charities in the UK. The only negative for me is that they don’t mean dogs when they say everybody. I wish they would make a Leesa dog bed because one certain J keeps sneaking upstairs to sleep on mine!

I am actually really surprised by the Leesa mattress. I have managed to run two marathons in a week and am preparing for my next at the weekend. I am actually really looking forward to Little Man sleeping through the night, as now that is the only thing stopping me from getting a good night's sleep! If you want to experience the Leesa mattress use code THISDAYILOVE for a £100 discount!

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When Little Man decided to start climbing out of his cot bed I made the decision to remove the side for his own safety. Falling from a small height much safer than the top of the side. Only with it has brought about new challenges, he falls out of bed. The girls never fell out of bed. Tell a lie my youngest fell out of bed once, but never after that. Little Man however falls out several times a night.

This unbroken sleep is no good for him or for me. I hear him not only fall out of bed but then scramble around on the floor in his half asleep state. I have found him under the cot before and whilst I put cushions to help pad his fall he always seems to end up somewhere random in his room. I knew if I put up a side he would climb over it but I needed something to stop him falling out of bed.

Purple Daisies got in touch at just the right moment and asked if we wanted to try one of their bed bumpers. The email could not have come at a better time and of course I said yes. I opted for an original bed bumper and shortly after responding to the email a long package arrived at my house.

Inside where two foam wedges. Incredibly light weight and soft and with full instructions of how to place on the mattress. There is no assembly required and this also makes them fully portable. The bed bumpers whilst made of foam are also firm so they retain their shape. Given how lightweight they are I shall be taking them with us on holidays too.

I placed one of the bed bumpers on the mattress and pulled over the fitted sheet. It created a side that looked just enough to stop him falling out but not too tall so he couldn't get out of bed on his own. He never noticed the bed bumper was there and climbed into bed as normal that night. I was pleasantly surprised he was able to do so and even more happy that is stayed in place. He went to sleep and I waited.

I waited for a bang

I kept waiting.

I hardly slept as I kept waking up and checking he was still in bed.

For the first time Little Man slept through. I did think it might be a fluke but sure enough he now sleeps through the night.

Purple Daisies bed bumpers are not only award winning they are life changing. I now have a Little Boy who can sleep in his own big boy bed without falling out. I shall soon be removing the other cot side and placing a Purple Daisies bed bumper here too. They are really discreet so I tried to take a photo from a different angle to show you it in place, but both Little Man and I are really happy we can finally get some sleep!

Product mentioned was sent for review, all words are my own opinion

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Ever since Little Man learnt to roll over he has slept on his tummy. He would instinctively roll over the second you put him in his crib/cot/bed and there he would stay, that was until he could crawl. Once crawling began he would wake in the night crawl round for a bit before going back to sleep. Only he started getting tangled in his sleeping bags. He would twist, roll and try to crawl before getting frustrated and crying for us to rescue him. I searched the internet looking for a solution when a very well timed email came from Ergo Pouch.

Ergo Pouch offered something different to the traditional sleeping bag, it gave us the option of legs! I will openly admit I had not heard of the brand prior to the email but I was very impressed by what I read:

'ErgoPouch is the no.1 Australian sleeping sack brand and is renowned for the design and manufacture of high quality baby swaddles, sleeping bags and sleep suits made from skin-friendly natural breathable fibres, offering a diverse range of fashion forward designs and prints. The entire range is 'hip-healthy' and the ErgoCocoon has been acknowledged by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute for their ergonomically designed bell shaped bottom, which provides extra leg room for healthy hips. Ergo Pouch products are made from the softest fabrics and create a mirco-climate for babies and little people so they don’t sweat!'

I was impressed not only that the sleep suit had legs but also it had sleeves too, making it much more versatile.

The first night Little Man slept in his suit he slept from 8pm until 4am. This he had never done before and my fitbit shows the only night with a star as I hit my sleep target!

Since then he wakes up once in the night, usually around 2am before sleeping until 6/7ish but I think his waking is more down to the fact he has a cold and a very runny nose than anything else.

The Ergo Pouch has zips in the middle which I can either zip together to form a more traditional sleeping bag or zip apart to form legs on a sleep suit. When zipped to form legs the Ergo Pouch can be used in a pushchair, which means it is perfect when I take Little Man running as he is kept lovely and warm.

Should he fall asleep in the pushchair I can then transfer him straight to his cot without disturbing him and having to put him into a sleeping bag/ sleep suit. There are also no hoods which is something I worry about with sleeping babies, as a hood could become tangled.

Little Man is almost 11 months old but on the smaller percentile for height, he is currently wearing the 8-24 month size Ergo Pouch. The whole sleep suit has plenty of room for him to grow into, but without it drowning him. The sleeves fit comfortable, but roll up to give him growth, and whilst the bottom of the suit is long he has no problems standing up in it.

I have been really impressed with the feel of the Ergo Pouch. At 2.5togs I usually expect something very padded and bulky but this isn't the case. It is light weight, soft and feels like there is next to no padding inside, yet I can feel the warmth escape every morning when I open the zip.

The placement of the zips also mean that I can change Little Man in the middle of the night, should he have a full nappy, without removing the whole sleep suit or disturbing him too much. He can wear the sleep suit in his high chair for breakfast on cold mornings too, as the harness fits easily and securely over the sleep suit.

Little Man seems very comfortable in his Ergo Pouch. He no longer gets tangled up in his sleep and he is kept just at the right temperature for sleep.

I love that he is comfy and can get a good night sleep. The Ergo Pouch Sleep suit is certainly going to last him until he is two, and I love that there are grips on the feet for when he does start walking. For now, at least, he is content and happy sleeping, playing and exploring in his Ergo Pouch Sleep Suit.

We received the Ergo Pouch sleep suit featured in the images in exchange for a review, all words are my own opinion.

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On the 2nd March 2016 our baby boy arrived into the world. He made a dramatic entry arriving at home and back to back. We had not planned on a home birth and were completely taken by surprise, later learning that an ambulance was on stand by. Baby boy, known as Little man, has spent every night of his life next to me and every night holding my hand and looking into my eyes as he drifts to sleep.

Little Man is such a good sleeper, a very happy and content baby. Now his reflux and colic are under control he sleeps from 7pm - 10pm and then again after his feed until around 4/5am. He will then go back to sleep until 7/8am. I think the reason he sleeps so well is he can see me, smell me and reach me. He feels comfort and reassurance that I am there, knowing I have always been there. Without our SnüzPod none of this would have been possible.

I remember the day the SnüzPod arrived. My Dad rushed over eager to assemble the crib ready for his new grandchild. I filmed assembling the crib but thanks to a corrupt SD card have lost the footage. In what seemed to be no time at all I was looking at the place baby would sleep, and as my bump peered over it all became very real.

A few weeks later and Little man arrived. The SnüzPod became the first place he rested his head, after skin to skin. It has become his space and the only place he has ever known at night.

The first week flew past. Waking every few hours to be fed, but having him right there next to me made it much easier.

In the early days as he started to stir, I would reach across and gently stroke his cheek sending him back to sleep. The open side of the SnüzPod allowing me direct contact without having to sit up, or my arm hurting as it dangled over the side.

As he got older he began to like his hand holding as he drifted off to sleep. The SnüzPod is height adjustable meaning I could have him on the same level as me. Perfect for holding hands, as I can lie down next to him and watch him fall asleep.

Should I desire I can zip up the side and still see him through the mesh panel, but to be truthful I prefer not to do this. I like having the side down so I can watch him whilst he sleeps. I enjoy the closeness it brings and the security it gives him knowing I am there.

I love that we hold hands as he sleeps. I love that I can provide him comfort with ease

The SnüzPod fits securely to the side of the bed, so it will not move away which gives peace of mind when the side is down.

As babies under 6 months should sleep in the same room as their parents, even during the day, the SnüzPod can also be lifted and used in another room. The crib can be used with or without the stand, and has a gentle rocking action off the stand. Although the stand can also act as a rocker. Whilst easy to carry, it can sometimes be a little fiddly putting the SnüzPod back onto the base.

Dependant on where I am in the house, I either carry the top part of the SnüzPod downstairs for Little Man, or place him in the SnüzPod as it is attached to my bed if upstairs. Either way he always wakes up happy.

The SnüzPod has given Little man his own space, and a place for him to feel secure and at the same time a space for him to still be a part of everything. His sisters love to lie on my bed next to him, they can talk to him and play with him and he is in a much safer place than just on the bed or the floor.

I was always really nervous of co-sleeping, scared I would roll over onto him or suffocate him with my pillow or blankets. Worried he would overheat or get hurt. The SnüzPod allows me to have the best of both worlds, Little Man is in his own space and yet he is close to me like co-sleeping. He has his own blanket or sleeping bag and we hold hands most of the night.

Both girls were incredibly bad sleepers, and I simply cannot believe the difference with Little Man.

The SnüzPod gives Little Man a safe place to sleep and somewhere he feels secure and he knows that at any moment he can reach out and touch me. We love the portability and that it can be attached to any bed. Everything has been thought out with peace of mind from sleeping to storage, everything is close by and to hand.

The past four months have simply flown by and we are ever so thankful to have been part of the Snüz Momma project. I only wish they made a SnüzPod as a cot because I am going to miss my Little Man next to me as I sleep

It would appear that the girls have taken a liking to the SnüzPod too, and have tried to create their own! I wonder if they could make one for dolls?

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When little man was a few weeks old I wrote my newborn essentials list. Little Man is fast approaching 3 months old, the time is just flying past, and with it we have discovered a few more items that we now could not be without. As with the newborn list these are things we probably would never have thought about but have really made our lives easier.

Poddle Pod / Toddle Pod

Neither of my girls would nap, and my eldest dropped all day time sleep from 6 months. Little man however seems to like sleep but like the warmth and security of cuddling. Whilst this is great and I have no objection giving him as many cuddles as he wants, I do also have 2 other children who equally need my love and attention. There are times therefore that Little man has to nap when not held.

We had been really struggling with this, as understandably Little man wanted holding. The security and closeness was something he needed. Poddle Pod has given Little man the security he needs whilst giving me the freedom to play with the girls.

Poddle Pod gentle cuddles Little man whilst he is taking his naps. We don't use it over night, as it is only recommended for day time use, but it is perfect. It is really light weight so we can carry it around the house. The Poddle Pod is available in two sizes, the Poddle Pod is designed to be used with babies aged approximately 0-6 months. The Toddle Pod is then used with babies approximately 6-36 months of age. We have the Toddle Pod as I wanted it to last a little longer, but Little man would have equally been as happy in the Poddle Pod.

The size is great and it fits neatly into a moses basket/crib. This means we can carry the Poddle Pod to the room we need it in and then place it in the moses basket if we need to. We also use our Poddle Pod for tummy time. Little Man loves looking at the pattern on the Poddle Pod when it is tummy time. There are a great selection of designs to choose from and even a new wipe clean, which is great if you have a sicky baby. The covers are also machine washable.

Poddle Pod has made a huge difference to us. I know Little man has a safe and secure place to take his day naps and he seems only too happy to drift to sleep.

Knee Pal

I simply cannot believe how something so simple has made so much difference to us. Knee Pal is quite simply a cushion for your knees. It is made of a fully waterproof polyurethane, which means it can be used almost any where.

In a single day to day, I use it for changing nappies when I am kneeling on the floor, at bath time as it is water proof and when kneeling on the floor to get the dog food out the cupboard. I take it to the swimming pool with us so I can kneel on the floor to dry the girls feet after swimming lessons. I even carry it with us if taking photos so I can kneel down on the ground to get closer to the girls level.

It really has made such a difference. Knee Pal is incredibly soft and ergonomic for your back too. There are so many uses at home, from gardening to DIY and playing with baby, but because it is lightweight it is also portable so you can use it when out and about too. Knee pal is easy to clean and dries really fast. There are currently 4 colours to choose from.

Cosy dream

For the first few weeks Little man would only settle when held upright. When laid flat he would scrunch, twist and arch his back. He would then be sick. A few times he started choking and we had to really pat his back to get him breathing again. Sleeping was therefore a really scary time, either lie him down and risk choking and sick or pick him up and try and stay awake to sleep upright. The Dr diagnosed him with both colic and silent reflux.

The Cosy dream really helped us transition him from sleeping in our arms to sleeping in his own bed. The Positioning roll is made from micro bead and can be Velcro into the correct position for your baby. Placing under babies bum and the arms form a support along babies side. Baby then feels like they are still in your arms. The great thing is his legs are then kept in a slightly lifted position, as if they are over your arms.

Little man finds the Cosy dream really comfortable and since we have introduced it sleeps the majority of nights from 10 until 5/6. His colic seems to have disappeared, and his startle reflex is reduced. He is kept in the optimum position on his back and because the cosy dream is really light weight I can easily move it to be where we need it.

Swoon bubble

I never had a swing chair with my eldest daughter, instead we had a rocker and a baby bouncer. Both girls loved these. Little man however is sick in the bouncer, I think due to the reflux but I needed something for him. Somewhere where he could practise focusing and reaching out for objects. A space for him to get a different perspective on the world and somewhere where he can watch us all. I love holding him, and placing him in a sling but sometimes this is not practical, when cooking dinner for example.

The swoon bubble is a swing chair. It can be operated via mains or with batteries and there is very little assembly. What assembly there is is really quick to do, takes less than 5 minutes.The chair has 5 swing speeds, but Little man is more than happy with the first two settings. The timer can be set for 8, 15 or 30 minutes. There are 8 lullabies with 3 different volumes and it scrolls through each lullaby in turn. When not in use the Swoon bubble is easy to fold and store away.

Little man loves his swing, It seems to soothe his tummy, perhaps this is because he feels supported and snug or that the position of the chair can be adjusted to give a more reclined seat for short naps. The seat does appear to be lovely and deep. The head rest can be removed and the 5 point harness moved also, making it perfect as he grows.

I love watching how fascinated he is with the hanging animals on the toy arch. He watches them and I know he is working out how to play with them. The feel of the swoon bubble is really elegant and it is also soft to the touch. I am not sure where we would be without our swoon bubble. It has made such a difference to both Little man and to us, and is certainly a must buy item.

Some items in this list have been send for review, others purchased. This list is my honest opinion.

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