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18th January 2023
Lucy Murray is a mama and founder of Olive & Pip, the company behind these sleep saviour PJs. Here's how Lucy's own sleep struggles led to a brilliant business idea...
"My daughter (now 8) has always struggled with separation anxiety which used to make bedtimes a real struggle- particularly in trying to get her to fall asleep on her own. It started when she was a baby and we used to co-sleep as it was the only way to get her back to sleep after a feed (she would wake when we tried to transfer her to her cot). I didn’t actually mind this, and as she got older when she no longer woke in the night we would lay with her in her own bed until she fell asleep after her bedtime story. The tricky times for us started when she was older and it took her longer and longer to fall asleep, leaving me and my husband without an “evening” together and exhausted- or having fallen asleep alongside her.
We tried (and failed) at so many different things to try and encourage her to fall asleep without us (I wish I knew about Little Sleep Stars back then!) and eventually at around 5 years old the thing that did the trick was introducing “Sunday Snuggles”. Every night she would get a very quick cuddle in bed after her story but on Sunday we would lay with her until she fell asleep. It became a lovely evening that both of us enjoyed and she was happy because she knew she wasn’t going to be missing out on her bedtime cuddles “forever”.
Eventually we reduced the time to shorter cuddles (around 30 minutes) which she was happy with as she had gotten more used to falling asleep on her own by this point, and then phased them out altogether with us now having a different bedtime routine."
"My daughter's struggle with separation has been the inspiration behind a few of my product ideas including my Love Note Patches; designed to help little ones feel close to you while they are at school, and my Together Always Kiss Pins for the same reason but also to help with “goodbyes”. These ideas and our previous struggles with sleep inspired my most recent product launch - Draw Your Own Pyjamas! Not only do they help little ones look forward to bedtime (because when you turn the lights off their drawings come to life and glow!), but you can also add a little glowing handwritten message on the sleeve from you to give them comfort at night as they fall asleep.
Our pyjamas are super soft and snuggly- my daughter is genuinely obsessed with them. She decided to draw a “magic sleep potion” for her design and has told me she thinks her PJ’s are helping her to fall asleep better! Now, while I can’t promise they will help your little ones fall asleep (that really would be magic!), I hope they will give them a bit of fun to look forward to at bedtime and the feelings of comfort, connection and safety while they fall asleep."
"We also offer glow in the dark Bedtime Patches which can be ironed/sewn onto pyjamas if your little ones already have a favourite pair of jammies but would really benefit from the glowing love note from you. They can also be added to a blanket or teddy that they can cuddle up to in bed."
- Our patches are recommended by Kimberley Bennett, Child Psychologist
"A young child’s greatest need is attachment. That’s why children can find being separated from their most important people really tricky! When we separate from our children, we want to support them to “hold onto us” while they are apart from us. To understand that their connection to us remains, even when we aren’t with them.”
You can find more about the Olive & Pip products designed to support separation anxiety over on their website, by clicking HERE.
