Co-Sleeping | Sweet Pea Families

Sleep. Glorious sleep.

We just did our cry-it-out talk in our Bradley class on Saturday. We do encourage our students to co-sleep with their infants, for at least nine months after their sweet pea’s Birth-Day, based on Ashley Montagu’s theory of “nine months in, nine months out” as the completion of the human gestation cycle (read more HERE). We offer several reasons why it’s important to consider other sleep strategies besides Cry-It-Out (CIO). You can check out our VLOG and blog tomorrow on SPB for more on that 😉

One of our students who is an avid reader pointed out that she had read that it is best to put infants in their own room between 6-9 months, or else the transition to separate sleeping quarters may be more difficult. My only response to that is that each family needs to choose what is right for their situation.

Ha. Ha. Inside I am laughing as I said that. Our own family is a perfect example of waiting too long. And…I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I like being able to hear our children sleep, and I don’t want electric monitors interfering with the re-charging their body is doing every night.
The quality of their breathing helps me assess who is well and who is on the brink of an illness. If I hear them snoring or sniffling in their sleep, I can adjust their diets and take more care with their dressing to try and head off any illness. (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but at least I am aware!)
I sleep better knowing that my children are not likely to be kidnapped out of their rooms in the middle of the night. The Elizabeth Smart story ruined me for ever wanting to have our children sleep alone.
It makes my husband and I creative to keep our intimate life alive and well…and as I will occasionally point out in our classes, our co-sleeping arrangement did not serve very well for birth control. We do not engage in our intimacy when our children are around…so I will leave other options to your own imagination.

Are these great reasons for continuing to co-sleep with all of our children? Maybe not for you, however, they work for our family. Our bedroom is large and we have a king bed, two oversized chairs, a recliner, and a toddler bed in our room. In addition, sometimes the children like to make their own nest on the floor – we are open to any kind of arrangement that lets everyone sleep comfortably.

I will close with saying that all of our children have their own “regular” beds in rooms that are separate from ours. During the day, those beds are used for naps. Every once in a while, they want to sleep there overnight and we honor that as part of their exploration of growth and independence.

Otter wants me to sleep with her when she wants to be in her own bed at night, and that’s okay with me, too. I have never understood why adults, who like to sleep together and are supposedly “emotionally mature” adults, expect emotionally immature children to be okay sleeping alone. It makes sense to me that our children crave our company during waking or sleeping hours, until their confidence grows and they are ready to strike out on their own.

I won’t lie – I enjoy the occasional nap when I have the bed all to myself, and I’m not struggling to find a pillow or a blanket that I can use just for me. However, snuggling a sweet child who is going to spend the majority of their life away from me is a “memory treasure” to store for the days when we are empty nesters and our children are off building lives of their own.

Collaborative post by Krystyna (writing & photos) & Cassandra (photos – lots of them!!)

We had such a wonderful time at Mommy Con LA. It would be nice if everyone who wanted to go could make it there…just in case you were one of the families that did not make it, here is a recap for you…here are all the vendors we visited…I think we saw them all…and even did a little buying!!

Consolation prize…at least you did not have to stand in these lines…

Map of convention hall:

Our little disclaimer: just because they are on our list is not an endorsement. All the info in quotes is directly from info on their marketing materials we picked up on the day of the event, or that the vendor provided for us. I did add a few comments here and there, just to liven up the post a little 🙂

I included the vendor name, marketing blurbs and contact info if you are interested. They are not linked because I didn’t want to “break” the page with 80+ links.

Enjoy this “virtual” Mommy Con LA experience…later this week…the Babywearing World Record & Fashion Show photos 🙂

Red Tricycle
Event and life-style magazine for families

“Red Tricycle focuses on the “lighter side” of parenting, offering ideas for cool things to see, eat, make and do with your kids, in your neighborhood.”
“Our mission is simple: To help parents have more fun with their kids.”
www.redtri.com

MD Moms
Skin care products for baby + family

“We’re the MD Moms – Dr. Diane Truong and Dr. JJ Levenstein. We are nationally recognized, board-certified pediatricians and moms. We were inspired bt the needs of our patients and our own children to create Baby Silk, the first personal care line for babies developed by pediatrician-moms.”

www.mdmoms.com
sales@mdmoms.com
888.636.6672 (888.MDMOMS2)

MOBY
Showcasing their classic MOBY® and their new MOBY®GO

www.moby-go.com
info@mobywrap.com
888.629.9727

Motherlove®
Herbal products to support pregnancy and breastfeeding

“Motherlove is dedicated to helping women with low milk supply provide the best start for their babies. Our safe and effective herbal formulas, made with certified organic herbs help increase a mother’s milk supply. Low breast milk can be a result of many factors. We suggest you confer with a lactation consultant for help determining the cause of your low milk supply.”
Motherlove® also has products to support a mama in pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as other breastfeeding products. For a look at their whole product line and to find a store near you, visit their website at www.motherlove.com

Nüroo Pocket & Scarf
Promoting Skin-to-Skin and Breastfeeding

Daniella from Nüroo was demoing the blouse and the nursing scarf for us. These are made from super-soft fabric (think: soft yoga pants!) and designed with maximum practicality in mind.

The scarf can be used as an infinity scarf when it is snapped together, or as a shawl with creative snapping, or as a traditional scarf when it is left open.

The pocket is designed for skin-to-skin contact
“Skin-to-skin contact is a holding technique where baby is wearing only a diaper, positioned vertically on mom’s bare chest.
“An uninterrupted 60 minutes creates hormonal cascade that delivers these benefits and more:
Benefits to baby:
Accelerates Brain Development
Less Crying + Colic
Builds Immunity
Improves Sleep + Weight Gain

Benefits to mom:
Increases Milk Production
Reduces Risk of Post Partum Depression
Learn all the benefits of Skin-to-Skin at www.nuroobaby.com”

In8love Chiropractic
Chiropractic care for the whole family – here is Liz:

“Chiropractic care is more than just making the pain disappear. It is about learning, understanding and taking care of your body to improve your quality of life.” ~Dr. Tanya Reynolds, D.C.

Dr. Tanya Reynolds provides Prenatal Care, Pediatric Care, Pain Managment, Hormonal Imbalance, Low Back Pain, Sciatica, Numbness Tingling, back pain relief, neck pain relief to the following locations: Santa Monica, Brentwood, East Los Angeles, Westwood, Century City.

www.in8lovechiropractic.com
11340 W Olympic Blvd #204
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310.477-3335

Fertility Miracles
Where destinies meet and journeys begin

They were handing out these yummies as a thanks for stopping by – chocolate covered pretzels – yum!

“Through egg donation, as well as both gestational and traditional surrogacy, Fertility Miracles is redefining the possibilities of both modern medicine and the modern family.”

www.FertilityMiracles.com
info@fertility-miracles.com
888.898.8123

The 4^th Trimester Bodies Project
“dedicated to embracing the beauty inherent in the changes brought to our bodies by motherhood, childbirth and breastfeeding”

(L) Laura – photography assistant and hair & makeup artist
(R) Ashlee Wells Jackson – photographer
Their vision is to sell a book of collected images from their photo shoots with clients, and establish a traveling gallery that celebrates women
http://4thtrimesterbodies.com/

INFINITIFOTO
Crisanta is the photographer behind these beautiful images

www.inifinitifoto.com
infinitifoto@gmail.com
626.475.1415

Arms Reach Co-Sleeper
Providing options for families that want to co-sleep without bedsharing

“Many parents, aware of reports in the media about babies dying in adult beds, put their infants away from – from the very first day – to a full-sized crib. Unfortunately, babies put to sleep in distant cribs have a suffocating rate more than double that of babies who are co-sleeping. Parents are receiving dangerous advice from authorities that have been led to trust. Both James McKenna, Ph.D., and Dr. William Sears, experts on the sleep habits of babies, endorse the Arm’s Reach® CO-SLEEPER® bassinet as the ideal way in which to keep a baby safe and close for comfort and breastfeeding. They both state that an infant sleeping “within arm’s reach” of the parents’ bed dramatically reduces the risk of SIDS and leads to healthier babies and happier parents.”

support@armsreach.com
800.954.9353
www.armsreach.com

Orbit Baby
Modern, practical and green design for car seats and strollers
With snack tray:

Soft bar – great for teething according to the rep – the fabric also zips off for washing. Note that this is also their dual-seat frame design:

Recline to use as a pram (they also have an actual pram option!)

Genius for hot days – a vented back for air circulation:

All folded up! The seat fits nicely on top for compact storage:

Besides the fact they are beautiful to look at and use, we love that the Orbit products are green.
“We make the world’s first strollers and car seats with fabrics and foams certified clean by Okeo-Tex® Standard 100, which are easier on your baby’s skin. Our organic dual-layer fabric is made with organic cotton, and is free of harsh chemicals while still providing the safety of flame retardancy.”

www.orbitbaby.com
info@orbitbaby.com
877.672.2229 (877.ORB.BABY)

Sloomb
Sloomb provided the Cloth Diaper Resource Center, as well as offering cloth diaper products and accessories for sale.

“we care about what goes into our products. we care about what we leave behind for our kids. sustainablebabyish|sloomb♥tm was born out of the need for a better fit, softer diapers and covers, & the desire to bring earth-friendly baby products in great colors to your home. we are committed to offering you a low impact, durable product for you & your children to love and enjoy.”

http://www.sloomb.com/

Rock-A-Bums
The most fun table with a cloth diaper changing contest!

Cloth Diapers for your Little Rock Star – A 5-in-1cloth diaper your child can ROCK from birth to potty training.

www.rockabums.com
rockabums.ruby@gmail.com

Spray Pal
Cloth diaper cleaning product
Here was another game for attendees to spin the wheel and win prizes!!

“Frustrated with your cloth diaper sprayer because you’re forced to wipe down the bathroom every time you spray a diaper? Save time and keep your bathroom clean with Spray Pal, the cloth diaper sprayer splatter shield!”

http://spray-pal.com/

Jaq Jaq Bird®
Accessories for the real world

A machine-washable line of PVC, PBA & phthalate free products that are also CPSC certified. They offer chalk activity mats (and the chalk!), binky keepers, sippy catchers, toddler bibs, activity aprons, wet pouches, snack pouches, and tote bags.

www.jaqjaqbird.com
sales@jaqjaqbird.com

Clean Bee Baby
Eco-friendly car seat and stroller cleaning

Jennifer & Karen were there representing cleenbeebaby, the eco-friendly cleaning service for car seats and strollers. They offer stroller and car seat detailing and disinfection, professional car seat installation, and stroller repairs and tune-ups

www.cleanbeebaby.com
310.895.9983
info@cleanbeebaby.com

Episencial and Dr. Berlin’s Wellness Suite
Offered free massages all day long – pampering!!!

Info about Episcencial from their PR department:
Babytime! by Episencial is #1 in hospital birthing centers – the bestselling organic brand in hospitals in the US and Canada. They make a 3-step system for baby’s every skin need from basic care to eczema and even severe diaper rash. Available at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Pharmaca and www.Episencial.com.

Here are a couple quick videos to learn more about the brand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlzJo_zt3U0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVeOXBHePlY

http://episencial.com
info@episencial.com
800.690.1610 phone/fax

dōTerra
Purveyors of essential oils

“Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant. If you have ever enjoyed the gift of a rose, a walk by a field of lavender, or the smell of fresh cut mint, you have experienced the aromatic qualities of essential oils. In addition to giving plants their distinctive smells, essential oils provide plants with protection against predators and disease and play a role in plant pollination.”

http://www.doterra.com/
801.615-7200
productsupport@doterra.com

HUSH Pure Sleep
Organic sleep sacks designed for your baby’s comfort

These sleep sacks made their debut at MommyCon! It was an honor to meet the founder and hear the HUSH story. These sleep sacks have design features that Claudia intentionally made with you in mind. No tags to scratch or irritate sensitive skin, a zipper that zips from the top down so that you don’t have to take the baby out of the sleep sack to change their diaper, and a cloud logo to inspire sweet dreams imprinted at the base of the neck. The spring/summer sack is in production and ready for purchase…we also got to see the fall/winter sack that is in prototype…same delicious colors and soft fabrics with a layer of bunting inside to add extra warmth in the cooler seasons.

claudia@hushpuresleep.com
+31 238448061 Tel
+31 646727395 Mob
www.hushpuresleep.com

Belli Vita
Custom Belly Bowls and Artistry from Pregnancy, Breast and Torso Casts.

“BelliVita crafts breathtakingly beautiful pieces of art from body castings, with a focus on the pregnant form. Our pieces range in style, size, texture and color – from natural rough casts of the human torso, to hand-painted porcelain belly bowls and glass bowls that capture the precious moments of pregnancy. The result is an exquisite work of sculptural art that you can proudly display and cherish for life.”
Available throughout the US, Canada and Europe.

lauramarie@bellivita.com
855.235.5484 Toll-free
206.841.1891 Local
www.bellivita.com

líllébaby®
The only COMPLETE™ Baby Carrier

From their website:
“Behind the Scenes” of the líllébaby®COMPLETE™ Baby Carrier
We set out to make the best baby carrier in the world. It took years, lots of research, and old-fashioned hard work.
“COMPLETE” was originally the project name as we were making the next generation of baby carriers. Our mission was to design a baby carrier that was complete in every way; complete in comfort, functionality, safety and style.
We made a vow to not launch until every team member felt it was truly a perfect carrier – and that took a looooong time. After endless hours of studying parents, interviewing and observing, designing and changing it, the baby carrier has evolved to the finest generation yet.”

www.lillebaby.com
303.359.4700
annie@lillebaby.com
facebook.com/lillebaby

Nuna
Smart baby gear inspired by Dutch designers

HIGH CHAIR:

THE LEAF:

“Engineered with extreme endurance testing and real-parent problem solving in mind, our simple products take some work out of being a new parent.”

I think my favorite concept is that of the leaf baby seat, “inspired by the carefree float of a leaf on a breeze,” here is Cassandra enjoying the oversize display at the end of the day:

http://nuna.eu/USA/
infousa@nuna.eu

Crane and Rhoost
Humidifiers designed for better living

“Crane Cool Mist humidifiers provide the necessary moisture to relieve nasal decongestion. Running a cool mist humidifier in your baby’s room at night will not only thin your baby’s nasal mucus, but will help your baby sleep peacefully at night.”

www.crane-usa.com

Britax
“Thoughtfully Designed to Fit Your Family from Birth to Booster.”

“At BRITAX, our commitment to improving child safety through research, testing, design and community advocacy is unparalleled. We design our car seats to exceed safety standards set be the federal government and continually enhance our products with new technologies that distribute crash forces away from your child during a crash.”

888.427.4829
www.BritaxUSA.com
www.WinBRITAX.com

HIP MOMMY
“A Unique Collection of Beautiful Accessories for New Moms”

“We offer Babywearing classes and consultations by a certified Babywearing Educator.”

805.225.4476
hello@hipmommy.com
www.hipmommy.com

Hippilongstockings
Groovy stylin’ headbands, leg warmers, hats and more!

“With every purchase you make, Hippilongstockings.com will send a coordinating item to a child in need. Enclosed with your purchase will be a “Giving the Gift of Good!”card with the item that was donated on your behalf, and who will receive that item. Every single purchase you make will be a gift you are giving a child; a headband or hat to boost a child’s self esteem, blankets for long cold nights for kids who don’t have a home, along with jackets, warm hats and toothbrushes. Hopefully you can find something for a child you love and at the same time you will be bringing some love to a child you will never know! Thank you for helping us in “Giving the Gift of Good”!”

www.hippilongstockings.com

clek
WTF: what’s the foonf? the mother of all car seats

“Foonf was designed to international best practices for extended rear-facing use, which is to accommodate children in a rear-facing position until their 4th birthday. Foonf features an Anti-Rebound Bar for improved stability and performance in the event of a collision.”

http://www.clekinc.com/

Baby Hawk
“Comfort. Style. Freedom. Custom designed baby carriers.”

BabyHawk Mei Tai – newborn to 40 pounds – Front, Back or Hip carry
Oh Snap! Soft Structured Carrier – 15-45 pounds – Front or Back carry

Founded in 2005, BabyHawk Inc. is a certified woman-owned and proud US manufacturer of Baby Carriers. As a privately held company BabyHawk is proud to be the quality leader in the custom made Baby Carrier industry through innovative product design, merchandising and product quality. In order to facilitate the company’s ability to develop new accessories and accommodate on time delivery deadlines, BabyHawk manages it’s own sewing and manufacturing facility.

info@babyhawk.com
888.599.4295

Onya Baby
For children 15-45 pounds

“Onya Baby carriers are ergonomically designed to provide optimal comfort for both the parent and child. Onya carriers have unique quality features, such as cutting-edge performance fabrics, large storage pockets and a built-in seat harness. That’s what makes Onya Baby carriers stand out in a field of similar soft-structured carriers. You know that both your baby and you will be confortable and cool for long walks and, when you’re ready for a rest, you can stop anywhere knowing that, as long as there’s a chair nearby, you’ll have a safe seat for baby.”

www.onyababy.com
877.914.ONYA

Milkin’ Cookies
Delicious Lactation Cookies for Nursing Moms

“Created by two physician moms to support their own breastfeeding goals, Milkin’ Cookies are delicious, award-winning cookies packed with healthy ingredients to boost breast milk production.”
(Good luck keeping every one’s hands out of the cookie jar!! These are yummy!!)

www.milkin-cookies.com

CLUB MOMME
The place for moms + moms-to-be

“A social and educational community for moms, expectant parents, and families in Los Angeles: Expectant Parent Dinners, Lunch and Learns, MomMepreneurship & Working Moms Events, MomMe’s Night Out, Pre/Post Natal Workouts & Seminars, Holiday socials, picnic, playgroups and more!”

www.clubmomme.com

happy family
Organic Superfoods

“Happy Family was founded and is operated by moms. Shazi – our founder and CEO – started Happy Family to craft organic meals and snacks that nourish the most important parts of our lives: our families. She and the entire Happy Family team have grown the business by caring about healthy, happy children just as much as you do. That’s why we have moms all over the country to help spread the word about eating organic.”
Find a Happy Mama near you at:
www.happyfamilybrands.com

Bump Club and Beyond
“Where moms and moms-to-be connect”

“Bump Club and Beyond is the largest social company in the country where moms and moms-to-be connect. Check out BumpClubandBeyond.com and join us for an event including our Beautiful Bellies and Beyond FREE fitness!”
www.bumpclubandbeyond.com
info@bumpclubandbeyond.com

The Pump Station Nursing Lounge

The Babywearing Lounge hosted by Beco and Ergo

We hope you enjoyed the tour of Mommy Con LA!! If you have any pictures that we should add to our post, please send them!! We missed pics of the BabyHawks and the Onya carrier, as well as the Clek Car Seat Connection.

What was your favorite stop at MommyCon??