New Parent 101: How to Stay Well-Rested with an Infant

October 20, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It’s been a long time since I had a baby in the house, and I have to admit I had forgotten just how exhausting having a baby was when I gave birth to my new little bundle of joy.

As cliché as it sounds, I actually fell asleep in a bowl of cereal one morning! My husband was just as exhausted, sitting across from me at the table. We laughed and decided then and there that there had to be a way to get more rest.

Parenting is tiring…there’s just no way around it! But if you’ve got a new baby in the house and spend most nights in and out of bed wondering how much DO newborns sleep, these tips will help you get a little more rest when you need it!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You don’t need to do this alone. You and your partner shouldn’t feel like you can’t ask for an extra hand as you adjust to life as a parent. You know the expression: it takes a village! So, call on your village. You’ll be surprised how happy your friends and family will be to help. [Read more…]

Sleep Easy with the Comfortable and Eco-Friendly Douglas Mattress-Giveaway

September 11, 2017 by Kathryn 3 Comments

After trying a few different mattress types in my lifetime, I am now a lifelong fan of memory foam. The comfort, support and affordability are superior to any other mattress I’ve tried, and the Queen-sized Novosbed mattress I received to review last year even managed to convert my pillow-top loving husband to memory foam.

Now, the same company that created the Novosbed is back with an all-Canadian mattress that combines its eco-friendly design with unbeatable comfort and affordability: the Douglas mattress!

The timing couldn’t have been better for me to test out the Douglas. The Queen-sized bed we had was already starting to feel too small thanks to my pregnant belly and with a new baby on the way, I knew that wasn’t going to change. I’d been thinking about making the upgrade to a King mattress, so I couldn’t wait to see how the Douglas mattress worked for us. [Read more…]

Tired and Stressed? Try These 3 Tips to Help You Get the Sleep You Need

May 4, 2017 by Kathryn 20 Comments

When I was younger, I had some pretty serious issues with insomnia. Some nights, I’d drift quickly and easily off to sleep without a second thought. Other nights, I’d find myself tossing and turning for hours on end, finally falling into a light doze only to suddenly wake up unsure if I’d ever been asleep at all.

For the most part, the fun and exhaustion of children solved my issues with insomnia. After a long day of running after my boys, I’m sometimes lucky to make it into bed with my eyes still open! But there are still occasional days when the insomnia takes over again. And when that happens, these are the three tips I’ve discovered over the years that help me get the rest I need!

Find a Mantra

One of the best techniques I’ve discovered for those nights when I’m feeling tired but can’t quite make the jump from sleepy to actually asleep is repeating an easy mantra in my head while doing some deep breathing. Often, it’s a phrase as simple as “I’m falling asleep, I’m falling asleep,” repeated over and over as I take each breath. Within ten minutes, I’ll usually be fast asleep. And as an added bonus, I’ve found that adding a motivating goal to my mantra (such as plans to exercise or catch up on work) helps me tackle that goal with more energy the next morning! [Read more…]

Get Natural Baby and Child Bedding for a Great Price at the Dream Designs Baby & Kids Healthy Sleep Month Event

April 8, 2016 by Kathryn 5 Comments

When it comes to comfortable, breathable and beautiful cloth, there aren’t many fabrics that can top cotton. But did you know that growing three pounds of cotton, enough for a sheet set or a shirt and jeans, requires one pound of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides? Not only is that damaging to the environment, any residual chemical residue left in the cotton could be damaging to a person’s health too!

Luckily, there are plenty of great natural and chemical-free alternatives to purchasing conventional cotton these days and here in Canada, Dream Designs is a great place to find them! This fabulous store has been providing natural fabric home products to Canadians since 1981 and its products are stylish, comfortable and earth-friendly.

[Read more…]

Handle Spring Fever Restlessness with 3 Easy Tips #ONatural

March 17, 2016 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

In less than a week, the first day of spring will be here! And as a confirmed lover of sunshine, green grass and warm temperatures, I could not be happier. But at the same time, I’m also finding that I’m a little more restless than usual and have a much harder time getting to sleep each night. It’s a feeling that I think of as spring fever, and from the way my boys are acting lately, I’m not the only one that’s feeling it! But getting through the changing season is a lot easier with a few simple tips! These are the three ways I make sure my family is as calm, cool and relaxed as possible through the first few energy-filled weeks of spring!

1) Run it Off

In Saskatchewan, springtime doesn’t necessarily mean the snow has melted and the grass is green. In fact, there’s been snow on the ground until almost May for the last few years! This year we’ve had unseasonably warm weather, which means getting outside is easier. But even when the weather is nasty, burning off some of that extra energy with a brisk walk or jog does wonders to keep me calm and relaxed. On a nice day, I’ll take the boys outside and we’ll explore the neighbourhood together. When the weather is too cold and miserable, I’ll just put on some relaxing music, hop on the treadmill and walk for 30 minutes. But either way, I feel happier, healthier and much more relaxed when I’m done. [Read more…]

Enjoy Sweet Dreams Risk-Free with a Novosbed Memory Foam Mattress

February 2, 2016 by Kathryn 34 Comments

Growing up in a household that didn’t have a lot of extra money, I was raised with the mentality that cheaper is always better. But as an adult, I realized that some purchases just shouldn’t be budget purchases. Shoes, skincare and, above all else, a comfortable mattress, are always worth spending a little more.

Luckily, getting a great night’s sleep doesn’t have to cost a fortune, as I learned when I had the chance to review the Novosbed mattress. I used a memory foam mattress for the first time about fifteen years ago and loved it for many years. When I moved in with my fiance, I switched to his traditional spring mattress with a pillow top. It was comfortable, but I missed the way the foam had perfectly contoured to my body. So when I had the chance to review the queen-sized Novosbed mattress with Medium firmness, I leaped at the chance.

Novosbed prides itself on offering the ultimate bed-in-a-box experience and seeing how compactly it’s packaged really is impressive. The mattress arrived at the door in a box that was heavy, but no higher than about three feet. My fiance and I carried it upstairs together without a problem and then opened the box and cut the plastic off the mattress. Immediately it started to expand and within about four hours, it was a full-sized plush mattress. I couldn’t wait to sleep on it that night and see how I liked it. [Read more…]

Is Your Partner’s Snoring Making You Crazy? Request a Free RANA Snoring Consultation Now!

November 27, 2015 by Kathryn 54 Comments

This post was sponsored by The 7th Chamber. Opinions expressed belong to Mommy Kat and Kids and are not influenced in any way.

There’s not many things more destructive to a good night’s rest than sleeping with somebody that snores. In fact, it can drive a partner to take pretty extreme measures to get some sleep! Separate rooms, earplugs….in RANA’s comical little commercial, one woman even builds her own device to help shake her husband awake while she sleeps elsewhere!

But as bad as it can be sleeping beside somebody with chronic snoring, it’s even worse for the person doing the snoring…not to mention more dangerous. In fact, when sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure or diabetes! So how do you know if you or your partner has sleep apnea? RANA has made it easy to get started with a free snoring consultation! [Read more…]

Bedtime is More Peaceful with Cloud b Twilight Buddies

September 8, 2015 by Kathryn 2 Comments

Ever since my boys were just babies, Cloud b has been one of my very favourite toy companies. Its innovative products help encourage a peaceful sleeping environment while also helping children to feel safe and comfortable in bed. From the Mimicking Monkey to the Twilight Sea Turtle, my boys have had a Cloud b animal friend in their beds for years.

Now, the company has introduced a brand new line of plush friends to the Cloud b family…Twilight Buddies! These adorable and huggable animals feature a built-in projection light that creates a pattern of stars on the ceiling at bedtime. I received the Twilight Buddies Palomino to review and I fell in love with the cuddly creature as soon as I pulled it out of the box. [Read more…]