Our natural bedding
We followed a strict bedtime routine quite early on with our daughter and we were lucky that she began sleeping well from around 3 months old. However, I believe that our choice of natural bedding and clothing made a difference as well.
Where possible, we chose/choose organic cotton or wool bedding and sleepwear. Organic materials and wool allow for a much more natural and comfortable sleep environment. Wool also helps regulate body temperature which means little ones (and us adults too!) are less likely to wake in the night due to a change in temperature (babies struggle to regulate their body temperatures). Organic and wool materials are also more sustainable, which is an important factor for us.
Our daughters bedding
When our daughter was born, we swaddled her. There are many debates surrounding this topic, and a lot of research to read! We just went with what felt natural to us, especially as when in hospital, using a hospital blanket (we weren’t prepared as our daughter was born prematurely) we didn’t even think, and lightly used this to swaddle her. We therefore naturally just carried this on at home. However, I was very conscious of my daughter overheating and wanted natural materials around her. We decided to go down the merino wool route as I know this is a natural, temperature regulating material. My mother gifted us a couple of Merino Kids swaddle wraps, so we decided to give these a go and they worked really well for us. You can find them here. Merino Kids also offer sleeping bags from newborn as well.
Our daughter slept in a moses basket to start with, mostly in the living room as we pottered around or I breast pumped! We adored our moses basket from the Little Green Sheep. We bought their organic cotton sheets too and the mattress protector (we had two so could switch them in and out between washes).
By around 3 months old our daughter was fighting the swaddle, so we moved to merino wool sleeping bags. Again from Merino Kids. You can use these from birth if you prefer not to swaddle, or as mentioned above buy newborn specific sleeping bags.
At around 6 months old our daughter moved into her cot (bed). She had a mattress and mattress protector from The Wool Room. The mattress protector has been incredible. We have had the inevitable sick and wee accidents, and the mattress has always been protected and the cover washes well, with no stains or smells. Also, because it is wool, unless there is an accident, it barely needs washing. It also adds a nice layer of comfort and regulating wool. The mattress is the perfect level of firmness (mattresses for babies and toddlers should not be too soft and/or squishy). We loved the Little Green Sheep organic sheets, so purchased some for the cot bed as well.
When our daughter was around 1.5 years old we got a toddler pillow from The Wool Room. We put a silk pillowcase on which has been a game changer for bed hair! We love the merino wool pyjamas from Merino Kids, which are so cute.
Our bedding
I recently took advantage of The Wool Room sale and bought a mattress protector and duvet for our bed. They are wonderful! We went with the all year round duvet which is great. It is two duvets which popper together during the winter and then we can remove one of them during the summer. The protector is great for adding that wool layer between you and the mattress.
If you decide to choose wool for clothing or bedding, you need to make sure you look after it properly not only to ensure its longevity (it is a delicate fabric), but also it’s performance. Check out one of my other blogs on how to care for and wash wool fabrics.
Your Eco Roots 