LOVE TO DREAM SWADDLED UP REVIEW

When we finally got the OK to bring Max home from hospital, it was 8pm on a Monday night. We decided to bring him home that night once the hospital finally did their discharge and referral paperwork (knowing what we know now, we should have savoured one last night of decent sleep!)

The first few nights were horrible. He didn't stop screaming, he didn't settle and he definitely didn't sleep. I was desperate for ANYTHING that might help.

That's when I found his Love to Dream Swaddle Up that I had won via their Facebook page. I had heard great things about these... Apparently their arms being up is more of a natural position for most bub and promotes self soothing. 

The Swaddle Up is so soft, and really hugged Max's body. I think he did prefer his arms up, especially since his arms were not often "wrapped" in while he was in the NICU due to his IV lines.

It has a zip which opens both top and bottom which is super handy for late night nappy changes where I don't want to disturb him too much. 

The purpose of bottom opening zip, along with a clever opening in the back, allows for baby to be strapped into a 5 point harness (in the car seat or pram) whilst wearing the suit.

Was it the magic answer to get Max to sleep? No! But really... He is not going to be a great sleeper (I've come to accept that). 

It did help him settle a bit easier, and it great because I don't have to try to wrap him once he has already dozed off in my arms... I can simply pop him in his bassinet and hope and pray he stays asleep. 

Daddy Mummerina loves it because he could not, for the life of him, ever remember how to wrap him properly.

A few of the mums in my birth group swear by the Swaddle Up and say as soon as they started using them their babies were sleeping 5-6 hours at a time (yes, I am jealous!)

You can get the Love to Dream Swaddled Up from their store here from $39.95

Does your little one sleep in a Love to Dream suit?

Disclosure: I was not compensated or remunerated for this review, I'm just a fan who wan this product in a competition. This review is my own and honest opinion. For more information see my disclosure policy

WARDROBE CLEAN OUT

As much as I hate to admit, I have been living in trackies and tshirts since giving birth to Max. However, I am in the process of cleaning out and revamping my wardrobe, which means I am selling some pre loved items on eBay...

Check out my items for sale Here at my eBay store

OUR BIRTH STORY

One month ago, our lives changed. We knew the date that our little man would be welcomed into the world (thanks to a scheduled c section). What we didn't know was just how much a seven pound package could turn our world upside down several times over.

Little baby Max's birth was as planned and fairly uneventful. It was exciting & emotional for us, as it was our first full term baby (and the first which Daddy Mummerina actually made it to the birth). We had plenty of skin-to-skin whilst in the operating room and he breastfed right away. He came out crying and we both joked how loud he was compared to his older brother who was born at 31 weeks.

Soon after, whilst being weighed and checked, the midwife noticed some slight bruising (which was so light I hadn't even noticed). She mentioned this to the doctor once we got back up to the ward who suggested he go down to the NICU to get his blood work checked & rule out any infection. They told me he should be back up with me that night.

It wasn't long before my hospital bed was surrounded by nurses, obstetricians and the neonatologist who were rushing to take an epic amount of blood from both Daddy Mummerina & I. No one could or would explain what was going on but I knew something wasn't right.

I was finally wheeled down to the NICU to see Max and was bombarded with the news that he has Neonatal Thrombocytopenia. All I heard was snippets of the information that he had virtually no platelets in his blood, was at risk of fatal bleeding on his brain or vital organs, that he would require several transfusions and would remain in the NICU for quite some time.

This is when I came apart. The thought of going through another NICU journey broke me. This wasn't meant to happen this time... I carried him full term. I thought that is all I needed to do!

Once I was discharged from hospital, we spent the next week going to the hospital every day. Every day I would cry and just pray he could come home. We were told he may be there for up to 6 weeks.

Thankfully, Max only required the one transfusion and he slowly started "making" his own platelets. At 8 days old, the doctors allowed us to take him home, providing we return every 48 hours to have his blood checked. I was so happy I cried. Everything was going to be OK now. I would be happy again, and life would feel complete.

Except it didn't. Max came home and things got harder. Alot harder. Harder than I ever imagined.