Sponsored | Rambling with Rose

Hi lovelies,

What a roller coaster ride with little Amelia it’s been since her six month marker and it’s both amazing and terrifying to realise she’s 9 months old today! From starting solids and splashing with glee at bath time to the sweetest baby gurgles and laughs as we mimic each other, to temper tantrums and tears when she hits over tired or has an eczema flare up, to her somehow still only sleeping for an average of 2 1/2 hours at any one time at night. Any other mama’s feeling the drain of sleep deprivation? Know any methods other than CIO?

Sleep deprivation aside it’s been a mostly fun ride, though learning how to keep her toasty through those cold, cold nights has been a bit of a challenge, especially because she just loves to kick off her covers. When I do grab some shut eye it’s usually fraught with worry and thoughts of ‘what if the blanket goes over her face’, or ‘what if she’s waking up because she’s cold and I haven’t dressed her warmly enough’. So on goes the light while I behold my little sleeping angel, who’s usually managed to kick off the blanket. I tuck the blanket in tightly around her again and sometimes she stays asleep through this, but usually she wakes up, and the cycle starts again (and again … and again). Because my baby has FOMO and once she’s up, she’s usually up for a while. **Sigh**

It’s enough to drive any new mom to insanity (the definition of which is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results)… and insanity is where I was definitely heading. Right up until I received a beautiful Baby Sense Winter Sleepy Sac.

Designed to keep little ones safe and warm this sleeping bag styled blanket eliminates the need to constantly check that your baby is safe and warm, and in no danger of suffocation. I’ve been using it for the past two weeks as part of her bedtime routine and after week one of use, it’s definitely made a difference in her comfort level at night. I’ve even been leaving her in it during those cold mornings and trips to granny, and can happily say I’m actually getting some shut eye now – for which I will gleefully insert a ‘whoop, whoop’ right here!

My favourite Sleepy Sac features:

Age range – the Baby Sense Sleepy Sac is good from around 5 months* up to 18 months (*5 months or when your baby hits 7kg / their head no longer goes through the neck opening … which for me was midway through the 8 month marker. What can I say, my little lady is still pretty petite)
Seatbelt / high chair opening – I can take Amelia from bed to the breakfast table, and from home to grannies, all while keeping her snug as a bug in a rug, and the best part is the fact she sleeps happily in it while in the car
Zip Closure pocket – the tiny pocket that goes over the zip means that when we snuggle in the early hours of the morning the zip doesn’t push into either of us like some closures do – and Amelia can’t see the zip so she doesn’t play with it
Organic Cotton – perfect for anyone who is trying to keep their baby in natural fibers for either personal or health reasons, it also washes incredibly well
Three layers of warmth – with three layers of organic cotton to help prevent cold seeping in, your baby looks cute and feels cosy – though I do constantly check when we’re travelling that she hasn’t overheated in the car
Baby’s Mobility – Amelia can still roll, move and play happily

Though this product was gifted to me by Baby Sense, I’ve been a big fan of their products since Amelia was born. In fact, if you’ve seen any pictures of Amelia from birth to three months, you’d have noticed that she was usually swaddled in a nice, big airy Baby Sense Muslin wrap (I bought 5 as they’re so handy!); when I’m out feeding her, she’s cuddled up beneath the Baby Sense Feeding Shawl (which has a handy sand weight so the shawl stays put on your shoulder). And have I ever mentioned how much she loves her tiny, trusty pink taglet? I had to get her two so she has one on hand while I wash the other (it gets very grimy while she’s teething).

After two weeks of testing I can say that the sleepy sac is a product I’ve come to love – so much so that our little family is going to be purchasing the Baby Sense Summer Sleepy Sac too! ^_^

Have you ever used a baby sleeping bag? What features do you love?

Kisses from Cape Town
Rose

I’ll admit it, I love autumn. It’s my favourite season of the year as it falls in the Goldilocks zone of temperatures for me, where I can wear thick socks and boots with sundresses, pair fluffy cardigans with tunics and jeggings, take long walks in the evenings and come home to drink hot chocolate with marshmallows. I even look forward to feeling more awake in the mornings because of the cooler, brisk air that wakes me up. It’s pretty much the perfect season, except for the fact that the summer months of sun and exposure to the elements start to show – most notably on my hands which dry out and flake quite badly, despite slathering on hand cream before bed nightly.

So when the lovely ladies from Skin Clays sent me a summer-scented green clay and lemongrass hand cream to try out and included a sensitive-skin friendly rose geranium body scrub, I was over the moon! ^_^

I love sampling all kinds of beauty and skin products and was doubly excited to try this fully South African range after learning that their products are created to beauty without cruelty standards, and are 100% natural (with some great benefits for the skin from the clay and essential oils). ^_^

As I had planned a weekend anniversary getaway in Elgin, I decided to test out the body scrub on hubby and myself, and after some mild persuasion on my part, he too partook in trying out the sandy-pink clay before washing as normal in the shower.

Though he wasn’t a fan of the texture (but he did admit he liked the smell) I can say I liked it – as you feel squeaky clean after using it – and that’s before applying your body wash as normal. The soft, soothing smell of rose geranium added a lovely, luxurious touch to my morning and evening bathing rituals, and the scent lingers for ages afterwards. The only thing I can say I was mildly surprised at was that once wet the clay (as it does in nature), took a bit more effort to apply and then wash off than I’d first imagined, though once you wash it off, your skin does feel quite toned and taut.

The hand cream I adore and it fits perfectly into the pocket of my bag to tote around with me during the day. Not only is the refreshing lemon grass scent a pick-me-up when I’m feeling lethargic, but I can honestly say that my hands have never looked this good after a summer of sunshine and outdoor activities. The skin is soft, my cuticles aren’t flaky, and there’s not even a hint of a hangnail in sight (which given the time of year is a miracle in itself).

All in all, these are products I can recommend whole-heartedly as they leave you with softer skin, and to me, smell like lazy summer days outdoors in the country.

I’ll admit, I’m waiting till payday to order the Hydrating Rose Clay Skin Cream online, as the small sample of it I received was a rich, luxurious, creamy delight, and went on like a dream! I cannot wait to get a full-sized product to add it to my autumn beauty arsenal. ^_^

You can check out the Skin Clays Facebook page to stay up to date and keep an eye out for specials, holistic and seasonal tips. Also, pop along to Wellness Warehouse in Kloof Street, Cape Town later today to chat to Karen, the lovely Skin Clays owner, otherwise, pop in to check out the full Skin Clay products and ranges – available in-store year-round.

Disclaimer: The full-sized products featured in this post were sponsored by Skin Clays in exchange for an honest review.

Rambling with Rose

Lifestyle blogger, South African travel writer, brand new mom.

Category Archives: Sponsored

Saving my Sanity with the Baby Sense Sleepy Sac

My favourite Sleepy Sac features:

Review: Softer Skin and the Scent of Summer with Skin Clays

My favourite Sleepy Sac features:

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