If you have been following my blog you may remember that my mum recently won a Bambino Merino sleepsuit for baby Lara.
Ever since Lara was a bump, I've had my eye on a Bambino Merino sleeping bag. They look so snuggly and super-cute; in fact I even went as far as to invent a new word to describe how they look - “snugglycute”. I was getting as excited about it as I would about Dolce & Gabbana clothes or other designer items that I would get for myself. I was over the moon when Mum's prize arrived and couldn't wait to give the sleepsuit a try but when I saw the special insert which explained the washing instructions, it dawned on me that merino is a type of wool, and as such, needs some special care. Eeek.
Merino wool is a super-fine wool which is incredibly light weight (much lighter than any of the cotton and synthetic sleepsuits I own) and if you didn't know, I bet you wouldn't guess it was wool! It is soft and breathable and is the ideal fibre for helping your baby to regulate their temperature during the night because it can keep in heat when its cold, and allow heat out when it is warm.
The other great thing about merino wool is that it is odour-resistant which means that unless the suit is soiled, it does not need to be washed as frequently as other sleepsuits. My concerns about what to do when it does need a wash have been largely unfounded; the wool is machine washable so long as you run it through a wool wash with a detergent that explicitly states it is suitable for wool. I have put mine through the washing machine a few times now with no ill effects.... phew, I could never have faced hand-washing it.
During the last few weeks of chilly weather, when Lara has been wearing her Bambino Merino sleepsuit she has still looked all snuggly and warm and yet the outfit feels so light and summery! I wish I had owned this sleepsuit earlier in the year when we went to the Med, it would have been great to have a long-sleeved sleepsuit to protect from mozzies, but which would have kept her cool during the sticky nights.
Ever since Lara was a bump, I've had my eye on a Bambino Merino sleeping bag. They look so snuggly and super-cute; in fact I even went as far as to invent a new word to describe how they look - “snugglycute”. I was getting as excited about it as I would about Dolce & Gabbana clothes or other designer items that I would get for myself. I was over the moon when Mum's prize arrived and couldn't wait to give the sleepsuit a try but when I saw the special insert which explained the washing instructions, it dawned on me that merino is a type of wool, and as such, needs some special care. Eeek.
Merino wool is a super-fine wool which is incredibly light weight (much lighter than any of the cotton and synthetic sleepsuits I own) and if you didn't know, I bet you wouldn't guess it was wool! It is soft and breathable and is the ideal fibre for helping your baby to regulate their temperature during the night because it can keep in heat when its cold, and allow heat out when it is warm.
The other great thing about merino wool is that it is odour-resistant which means that unless the suit is soiled, it does not need to be washed as frequently as other sleepsuits. My concerns about what to do when it does need a wash have been largely unfounded; the wool is machine washable so long as you run it through a wool wash with a detergent that explicitly states it is suitable for wool. I have put mine through the washing machine a few times now with no ill effects.... phew, I could never have faced hand-washing it.
During the last few weeks of chilly weather, when Lara has been wearing her Bambino Merino sleepsuit she has still looked all snuggly and warm and yet the outfit feels so light and summery! I wish I had owned this sleepsuit earlier in the year when we went to the Med, it would have been great to have a long-sleeved sleepsuit to protect from mozzies, but which would have kept her cool during the sticky nights.
The sleepsuit I have is suitable for 6-12 months which is quite a wide age range; however, because the fabric is so light and flexible, I have no doubt that it will last Lara well into the new year. As well as the pink suit that Lara has, you can also buy it in blue and ivory.
We were also sent one of Bambino Merino's iconic hats which I admit is incredibly cute, but despite the fact that the merino wool is supposed to be breathable, I just can't bring myself to use it for anything other than making Lara look snugglycute (if you want to know how I feel about baby hats read this article).
If you've read my blog series on Free Baby Stuff then you will understand why, when Lara is 7 months old, I have only ever bought one pack of sleepsuits and that it cost me £1 at an NCT sale! I've had so many gifts and hand-me-downs that I just haven't needed to buy any, and if I had, I certainly wouldn't have spent £24.95 on one – it just doesn't seem like an item of clothing that I should splash out on. The Bambino Merino sleepsuit is very expensive but if you were looking to buy just one or two very high quality sleepsuits, that would last you more than a couple of weeks, and which didn't need washing every night... then you may be able to justify the expense; after all, it is snugglycute!
The Bambino Merino sleepsuit can be bought online for £24.95 including free delivery.
