Toddler & Crib Size Wool Duvet by Sleepy Sheep

We are VERY excited to announce that Sleepy Sheep has recently come out with a Toddler and Crib Size Wool Filled Duvet Cover.

Sleepy Sheep is an online company, which is owned and run by a couple, Justin and Chelsea. All Sleepy Sheep products are manufactured in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The new Toddler and Crib Size Wool Filled Duvet Cover is made with New Zealand Wool and is covered in a natural cotton. It retails for $90.00 CDN.

The many benefits of wool are:

• It is an eco-friendly fibre. It is a renewable resource that is biodegradable and recyclable.
• It is inhospitable to irritants such as dust mites, mold and fungi, which have been linked to respiratory conditions.
• It is chemical free, which means it does NOT off-gas as poly-filled bedding does.
• It is a breathable fibre, therefore, it regulates temperature. It keeps babies warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer.
• It is proven to be flame resistant.

WOW!! Natural wool is the safe choice for your baby and for the planet.

Sleepy Sheep carries a wide range of wool products. Currently, their Organic Cotton Covered Wool Duvets are on sale for the same price as their regular wool duvets. For more information, check out their website: www.sleepysheep.ca.

Developing good sleep habits starts with providing our little ones with a healthy and safe sleeping environment, which encourages them to sleep deeply and peacefully.

~Sleepy Sheep

Our New Prints Are Organic & Very Local

There have been some exciting changes at Snug as a Bug Organic Baby Bedding. This month we are launching our new prints that are exclusive to Snug as a Bug.

We are extremely proud of the fact that we are a Canadian company and we strive to make as small of a carbon footprint as possible. Our new prints are even more local than our previous designs. It has been our mission to do as much as we can in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. We purchase our beautiful organic and natural fabrics from a BC company and our prints are designed, printed and made in BC.

The new Snug as a Bug prints come in crib duvet covers, blankets and sleep sacks. As well, we have new fresh and vibrant colours in our fitted crib sheets and cradle sheets that coordinate with the prints.

Here are some pictures of the new Snug as a Ladybug (blue) print and the Sleeping Green print. Please let us know what you think of them.

H1N1: To Vaccinate Or Not To Vaccinate

Being a mom comes with enormous responsibility. Little lives are in your hands. Even the smallest decision has a huge impact. Needless to say, a huge decision such as to vaccinate for the H1N1 or not to vaccinate is extremely overwhelming. Everyone, the news, magazines, Internet, family and friends, are all talking about the H1N1 vaccine and everyone has something different to say. I feel as though I am being told that I should vaccine my children, yet the same people saying that are sending mixed messages. For example, Dr. Mehmet Oz stated in an interview that “everyone is encouraged to get the vaccine to stop the spread of H1N1″then continued to say that his wife will not allow their children to be vaccinated. People are playing tug of war with my brain!

People seem to be on two totally different pages - those who strongly agree with the vaccination and those who strongly disagree. Is there anything wrong with sitting on the fence? There are insinuations that because I have not decided right away to vaccinate my family that I am a terrible mother. For me, I take the responsibility of being a mom very seriously. I do not want to rush into vaccinating my children before I know all the facts and before some questions I have are answered. It's shocking to me that in a time where people seem so concerned about toxins in their house and in the environment that they are rushing out to get vaccinated without doing their homework.

Are you as confused as I am about the H1N1 vaccine? If so, here are some links that I have found helpful in possibly leading me towards a decision for my family:
www.vran.org and http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/21/Special-Swine-Flu-Update.aspx .

I simply want the best for my two adorable children, as all moms do. Maybe we are not on a different page after all....

We Enjoyed Meeting You!

We had so much fun at the Bellies to Babies Celebration. Thank you to every one who came by our booth to purchase our products and to talk to us.

Keep checking our blog to find out where you can find us next!

Bellies to Babies Celebration

Snug as a Bug will be at the Bellies to Babies Celebration taking place on Sunday, September 27th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver. Entrance to the show is free with a donation to Basics for Babies.

We will be at booth 18. Please come by to talk to us, view our products and enter into a draw to win free product.

For more information about the show check out their website www.belliestobabiescelebration.com or email us at info@snugasabug-organic.com.

Hip & Modern Baby Bedding that is Eco-Friendly and Eczema-Friendly

Most of us don' t think much about how what we put on our bodies or what we lay our head on affects our skin. We know that cotton is a natural fabric yet there is nothing natural about the way conventional cotton is grown and processed.

Conventional cotton growers use genetically modified seeds, insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. When cotton is getting ready to be made into something, it is treated with chemicals for preparation. It is common for cotton to be bleached or coloured with harmful dyes. Finally, it is finished with formaldehyde, which is known to be cancer causing. All of these chemicals can persist on cotton fabric indefinitely.

All this can be extremely irritating to the skin, especially a baby’s skin. A baby’s skin is thinner and more porous than an adult’s skin, which makes babies even more vulnerable to all these toxic chemicals.

Organic cotton bedding is beneficial to babies with eczema because it ensures that their sleeping environment is pure. Organic cotton is grown without the use of harmful chemicals and, if coloured, is dyed with low-impact dyes and inks. It is softer and more breathable due to the fact that the cotton fibers are not broken down by chemicals.

Organic cotton is better for our planet, better for your baby and better for eczema!

Other Things I Have Found Useful for Managing My Son’s Eczema:

1. Clothing

Avoid unnatural and synthetic materials. It can be difficult to purchase all organic clothing. If you can only purchase a few organic pieces, I suggest buying sleepers/pajamas. Investing in organic cotton or bamboo sleepers/pajamas is the most important as babies spend 60% of their first year sleeping. Use an unscented, non-toxic and biodegradable laundry soap.

2. Bathing

Bath your baby only once or twice a week. Keep baths lukewarm and short so not to dry out their skin. Use a natural soap. Check the ingredients for anything toxic (rule of thumb: avoid products with a really long list of ingredients).

3. Moisturizing

Use a natural moisturizer with Calendula. I love Natural Healing Cream with Calendula from baby DermaMed. Moisturize your baby’s skin twice a day – morning and night.

4. Diet

If you are breastfeeding, consider eliminating diary, citrus, sugar and peanuts from your diet. If your baby is on solid foods, or is about to start on them, closely monitor them for any reaction to the above foods.

What You Put On is as Important as What You Put In

It's been almost a decade now that I have been concerned with what I put in my body. I have been making a conscious effort to purchase organic food and eat healthy. Yet, most of that time I was oblivious to what I put on my body. The skin is the body's largest organ so how did I not realize that what goes on is as important as what goes in?

I finally made the connection about two years ago when my then three month old son got eczema. I knew I did not want to slather my son's beautiful pure skin with cortisone cream so I began to look for options. I searched and found natural creams (which work wonderfully!). I was so thrilled with these natural products that I decided to "purify" his environment.

My search to purify his environment eventually lead me to organic cotton. I was horrified to learn about all of the toxins used in the production of conventional cotton and the damage it inflicts on cotton workers, our planet and our skin. After learning that a baby's skin is five times thinner than an adult's, their skin is more porous and vulnerable to harsh chemicals and they spend 60% of their time sleeping, I became aware of the importance of organic baby bedding.

I knew that I wanted to have my son surrounded with naturals materials but I still wanted something hip and modern and Canadian. When I could not find what I wanted I decided to create it... and eventually create my own company. I hope you love the Snug as a Bug Organic Baby Bedding as much as I do.

For the well-being of your baby and the planet, go organic!