Ash & Alys Babes Blog
SlumberSling Safety August 1, 2013 13:57 14 Comments
UPDATED:May 13, 2014
The SlumberSling has been professionally crash tested by MGA Research, an independent company that provides crash testing services to major car seat manufacturers. MGA Research, having conducted the test with a child dummy in a current market car seat found that "All of the requirements for child seat testing
were met. The addition of the SlumberSling did not cause the dummy to fail requirements."
This is the validation that many of our consumers have been seeking - confirmation that the SlumberSling is in fact safe according to current car seat testing requirements. Please feel free to contact us at customerservice@ashandalysbabes.com with any further questions.
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Former post from 2013 regarding safety concerns:
We have been seeing increased interest in our SlumberSling in recent months, and are very excited about the positive feedback and enthusiasm parents around the world are showing in this product. In addition to the great reviews we are getting, we certainly also receive questions about safety. I wanted to say a few words about this.
Because this product is used on young children and as a car seat accessory, safety is typically the first thing a parent will question. There are a few factors that we have incorporated into the design of the SlumberSling to achieve safety.
First and foremost, the entire product is made of fabric and soft materials; the band that supports the child's head and loops around the car seat is elastic, which gives it a lot of flexibility and absolutely no rigidity. It is fastened with adjustable hook and loop fastener (i.e. Velcro), further ensuring the appropriate amount of 'give'. The child has plenty of freedom of movement when the product is in use given its design using only soft materials. Moreover, because there are no hard materials on the product, it ensures that if it were to come off or be stressed in an accident, there would not be any hard piece that could come off and hit the child or any passengers in the car.
Secondly, when a child is properly secured in a car seat, his/her shoulders are snug against the back of the car seat, meaning that the child's body can't lean forward in any way. Therefore, if the SlumberSling were to slip down from the forehead to the neck area, it would no longer be pulled taut, and would simply rest slack around the neck and shoulder area. When a child is properly secured, there is no possible way for his/her body to lean forward into the product and cause any pressure on the neck.
As you can see on the product page, we indicate that this product is not designed for nor suggested for use with reclining infant car seats, and is intended for use only on convertible car seats and booster seats. It is not intended to be used as a safety device, and as always, parents should rely on the advice of their doctor for all child related products.
We welcome ongoing feedback and can be reached at customerservice@ashandalysbabes.com with specific questions. We love seeing new reviews on the product, and take all of our customers' comments into consideration. We are a small, family owned business, and I created the product for use on my own children who have been using it for years. The photo below is of my oldest son using the SlumberSling years ago when we first launched it into the consumer market.
Safety is a top priority. Please stay in touch with us!
-Ashley
Product Review: Squooshi February 18, 2013 15:49
I haven’t gotten this excited about a new product since we dreamed up the SlumberSling. Squooshi is my new favorite thing for so many reasons – which is why we’re now carrying them on the site, and including them in one of the few product reviews we do here on our blog.
I’ve always been frustrated with finding healthy, affordable on-the-go snacks for my kids. String cheese, apples, fruit leather and homemade fruit/nut bars tend to be my standard choices, but none of those are typically filling enough to make a full snack for my big eaters. Reusable sandwich and snack bags started to make packing snacks a little easier, but I still feel like I’m always lugging around 10 pounds of food everywhere we go.
My kids love the food pouches and applesauce pouches from the grocery store. The problem is they are not cost effective, and every snack just creates more trash for the landfills. This is where Squooshi comes in and saves the day.
According to the Squooshi founder, over 2 billion single use food pouches end up in landfills every year. So, facing the same snack challenges most moms are familiar with, she was inspired to create an affordable, reusable version.
Some of Squooshi’s awesome features: BPA-free, Phthalate-free, PVC-free, and Lead-free, money saving (pre-filled pouches cost $1.50-$2.25 each), save energy (pre-packaged food travels over 1,200 miles before it reaches you), less mess and less for mom to tote around in her bag.
Here are a few snack ideas I’ve used in our Squooshi pouches.
· Strawberry-banana puree
· Green smoothies (which can be frozen in batches)
· Applesauce
· Plain yogurt (SO much better than the sugary, artificial Go-Gurts)
· Mashed avocado
· Peanut butter, cooked oatmeal and banana mush
· Hummus to squeeze on crackers packed in a reusable snack bag
I think you’ll love Squooshi as much as I do! And please share your favorite Squooshi recipes with us on Facebook!
-Ashley
Shopping for Kids Threads: Why We Love Our Brands January 23, 2013 10:35
Long before Ash & Alys Babes became a reality, I had a strong affinity for certain brands of baby/kid items. A combination of my personal style preferences, green living values, eye for a good deal and love of shopping led me to a few brands that I believe everybody should love.
Working in the role of buyer for our site has been a great outlet for me to exercise my shopping muscles without going overboard on buying my boys way more than they need. It’s also given me a chance to ‘shop’ for adorable girl’s clothing despite the fact that I have limited occasions to purchase anything pink or ruffled.
I’m convinced that everyone must love these brands as much as I do. In case you need a little persuasion, read on for some really good reasons why you should stock your babe’s closet with these fashionable and functional lines.
Not only is this line quirky and creative, it pairs casual comfort with ultimate style. The dresses are what any mom would want for herself: designed to wear for any occasion with a fit and feel that will appease even the pickiest fashionistas. The denim pants are literally the only ones I can get my son to wear. The boy will not wear jeans; except these. They look and wear like premium denim, but with the softness of sweats. The clothes are durable, comfortable, long lasting and 100 percent organic to boot.
Few fabrics can beat the softness (and sustainability) of bamboo. This line excels when it comes to pajamas, with fun prints for both boys and girls. I have yet to find another line of pajamas for babies and toddlers that I like more than these. My kids wear them religiously, and I swear they sleep more soundly on the nights they wear their Kicky Pants. The footies come in sizes up to 4T, so even your big kids can enjoy the classic pajama look.
Their daywear collections don’t fall short either. Dresses, hoodies, t-shirts, shorts and more all with the same softness, light weight and comfortable fit as the footies and long johns.
Winter Water Factory
This organic, funky line is coming soon to Ash & Alys Babes. We love the simplicity and distinct look of this line’s prints and use of color. The fabrics are organic and there is something for everyone. Graphic and print tees for the boat, car or construction lover and sweet dresses for every season. Everything is made from durable organic cotton and we are so excited to introduce them to the store in the coming months.
Everybody knows that Egyptian cotton is as soft as cotton comes, which is one of the reasons why this line can’t be beat when it comes to baby basics. This is one of the first organic cotton clothing companies I discovered when I decided to go green. Ever since my first child was born, I’ve been relying on Under The Nile for quality, affordable organic cotton essentials. If you need baby hats, onesies, sleep sacks, long johns or outerwear, Under The Nile has it. We especially love their organic cotton sherpa fabric for winter warmth. They also have essentials for bed, bath and play, so you can get virtually everything you need for baby in super-soft organic Egyptian cotton.
Here's a little cutie in an adorable bodysuit from Kate Quinn Organics.
-Ashley
Top 11 Must-Have Baby Registry Items November 3, 2012 20:40
Most expectant parents are clueless when it comes to preparing for their first child. The amount of information out in the universe is overwhelming to say the least, and can be excessively confusing and stressful to try to navigate. Add to that a desire to raise the baby ‘green’ and new moms and dads could be feeling on the verge of a full-on meltdown.
While pregnant with my first child, I became obsessed with what car seat, or stroller or diaper bag we needed. I agonized over what to do about plastic toys we would receive as gifts, or non-organic clothing that well-meaning relatives would expect to see outfitting our new bundle. As the birth neared and some research was conducted, I was able to relax a bit. But I always wished there were more resources available to help us determine what we really needed and what natural products we just could not live without.
Every family is different, and there are dozens of items that your baby will need that didn’t make this list. In the interest of narrowing things down slightly, Ash & Alys Babes has compiled the following list of must have (natural) items that should be on every baby registry.
1. Blessed Nest Nesting (Nursing) Pillow: This is the most amazing product we’ve found. It is far superior to the popular ‘Breast Friend’ and ‘Boppy’ brand nursing pillows. This unique nursing pillow is 100% organic, super soft and just makes you want to sit in a rocker and cuddle your babe all day long.
2. Angel Baby Bottom Balm: From Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics, this diaper salve is the best on the market in our opinion, and it won’t ruin your cloth diapers. It smells amazing, and can be used to treat just about any ‘owie’ under the sun, as well as it’s designed purpose as a diaper rash and barrier balm. Personally, I’ve been through just about every diaper rash product out there, and this is by far the favorite.
3. Smiling Planet Hooded Towels: Every baby needs a hooded towel. Both for functionality and the cuteness factor. These towels, which come in prints to suit boys and girls, are luxuriously soft, very high quality and big enough to grow with your baby for years. Made from organic cotton and designed by a mom.
4. Cloth Diapers: Cloth diapering is so much easier than general opinion, and provides a more sustainable (and toxin free) option to using disposable diapers. We will be offering FuzziBunz on our site beginning next week, but also love BumGenius and Thirsties.
5. Organic Cotton Baby Body: We love the long-sleeved, side snap baby body from Under The Nile. Organic, soft and sized just right to grow with you baby a bit, these are a great everyday essential item. Under The Nile also offers adorable striped options as well as their warmzy and bunting bag for bundling up your bundle.
6. Eco-Conscious Diaper Bag: These are hard to come by, but important for parents who want to limit their consumption of goods to brands that are socially responsible, sustainable and utilizing natural materials. Lassig does a great job of combining an eco-conscious foundation with great design and function. Their diaper bags will be arriving on our site in time for holiday shopping.
7. Organic Lovie: Every baby needs a lovie to stimulate their senses and provide a sense of familiarity to soothe them during fussy times. There are so many loveable lovies. Our favorites include the super soft organic security blanket from SwaddleDesigns, Sneakle Fox from Eco-Leeko and the striped giraffe from Under The Nile.
8. Wood Teether: Babies put everything in their mouths, causing worry and dismay for parents far into the toddler years. Rock Love Peace makes sustainably harvested wood teethers that provide a safe option for your babe’s mouth—and they come in fun shapes making them stimulating for your baby to grasp and hold.
9. Soft Sleepwear: We love Kate Quinn Organics infant saques for bedtime dressing. Another favorite? Kicky Pants bamboo footies. Stock up on these – you’ll never want to dress your babe in anything else!
10. Story Album: Capturing the magic of your baby’s birth and early life is priceless and something you will treasure for a lifetime. Collard Story Albums are the perfect gift for sentimental expectant parents who want to document every little detail of this special time in life. They save mom and dad the time of creating a handmade baby book, and have endless possibilities in price and customization.
11. The Basics: Of course you can’t go without burpies, washcloths, bibs and body products. We love organic burpies and washcloths from SwaddleDesigns and Under The Nile, muslin bibs from Aden + Anais and silky soft baby lotion from Earth Mama Angel Baby.
-Ashley