Replace Every 8 #crib2college

This post is brought to you by Mattress Firm as part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network.  All opinions are my own.

Around here, Emma Ramey's sleep schedule is a big deal.

I am kind of a stickler for making sure she gets enough sleep.  Not only does it improve her overall mood, but I think it's so important for her physical and mental development.  Did you know that school-aged children need 10-12 hours of sleep a night?

One way that we accomplish this is sticking to a pretty strict schedule.  I really try to get a 2-3 hour nap out of her each afternoon (I know I'm lucky that she actually sticks to that at almost 3 years old).  Her bedtime is a pretty consistent 8pm each night, and we usually get her to sleep about 11-12 hours each night.  She's been a great sleeper from the start!

Of course, another way we encourage healthy sleeping habits is by making her sleep surroundings as comfortable as possible.  Not only do we provide her safe blankets and pillows, but early on, we made the decision to invest in a quality mattress for her.  I was one of those crazy researchers when it came to baby products, but it actually paid off...we've been really pleased with our decision on her bed.  As a matter of fact, we're still using the one she used as a baby!

But, the time has come to start looking at big girl bed options.  We purchased a crib that can be converted to a full-size bed before she was born.  Honestly, I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep this one for her or use it for a future baby.  Either way, we will need to purchase a mattress for her when that time comes - and that's a decision I'm already researching.

This article from Mattress Firm has been great for gauging whether or not Emma Ramey's ready for her real big-girl bed.  Two big takeaways I took from this site:  the mattress needs to be firm for proper spinal development, and might need to be synthetic-filled, based on your child's asthma/allergy sensitivity.  This is a place where your child will spend almost half of their time - I want to make sure it's a quality purchase!

Not to jump too far ahead, but there's also another purchase to consider later down the road...the teenage bed.  Mattresses need to be changed out about every 8 years, so around the time your child becomes a teenager, you might need to consider another mattress purchase for them.  Adolescents need an average of 9 hours and 15 minutes a sleep a night, and they need a supportive mattress as part of this healthy habit.  This article is a great resource for parents out there that might be close to this purchase.

Mattress Firm is at the forefront of supporting every phase of sleep, from crib to college and beyond. Not only do they provide quality products for each age group, but they really are advocating for healthy, comfortable sleep in all stages of life.  They provide mattresses and accessories to make any sleep experience as comfortable and healthy as possible.

We recently received their Coconut and Lavender pillows from Mattress Firm, along with Lux Living Premium Elite mattress protectors from Protect-A-Bed to try out.  Let me tell you - they are both such great quality.  The pillows have just the slightest bit of a scent to them, and are made of memory foam.  Once you try memory foam pillows, you will never go back!  Amazingly comfortable and supportive.  And the protect-a-bed is so important for insuring that quality mattress purchase.  There's no sense in spending all of that money to have it ruined by normal spills and mishaps!  I've been so happy with all 3 of these products.

One of you is going to win a set of Coconut and Lavender pillows from Mattress Firm (valued at $129 each), along with Lux Living Premium Elite mattress protectors from Protect-A-Bed (valued at $79.99)!  To enter, visit this site and comment on this post with one fact you took away from it.  Please also include your email in your comment. 

I'll close the giveaway next Sunday night at 11:59pm (central) and pick a winner the next day.  Winner will be given 24 hours from time of email to respond, or I will go to another winner.  Winner must have a US, non-PO box shipping address and must be at least 18 years old.

Good luck!