In need of a good night’s sleep? – Yawn

How well do you sleep? Since the birth of Daisy sleep and relaxation have been something I have really battled with. For months she’d wake at 4am every night for her feed. My body became so programmed to getting up, that when she started to sleep through I still woke at 4am every night and couldn’t get back to sleep. Just when you think you’ve got it sorted and your child is sleeping text-book, Gina Ford (as if) style, 7pm -7am, they get a cold, start teething or the neighbours begin a renovation project.*  And to risk sounding like a whiny cat, it can be difficult to remember just to sit down and put your feet up. After all, once Daisy is in bed there is the food to scrape out of the carpet, the washing up to be done and toys to be retrieved from various random locations and, oh yes, my husband to speak to! In my head I want to sit down in front of Sex and the City (the oldies are always the best), paint my toe nails and drink bubbly. In reality collapsing into bed and falling asleep, head in book, is about all I can manage. You see, no one can prepare you for just how exhausted having a child will make you.

So when the lovely people at Yawn lent me these gorgeous PJ’s to shoot, it started me thinking just how important relaxation and sleep is.

Phone off, kettle on, pyjama time, Yawn was created by busy mum of three Alice who in search of a little TLC was unimpressed with the standard stripes and checks on offer and wanted something a little more special. My thoughts? Well the PJs are wonderfully luxurious; the cotton is super soft and a good weight but not brushed, which I always think is rather Grannyish. The prints are really pretty, but not in a Cath Kidston icky way, and the attention to detail surpasses any high street equivalent: with proper pockets, a collar button and thumb holes for chilly nights. Ok so at £95 a pair I won’t be buying a new pair every month, but isn’t that the point? Isn’t it better to buy a much nicer pair of PJ’s that are good quality and will last, than own several pairs of misshapen garments that have badly pilled? And if they remind me to take a bit of ‘me’ time, then so much the better.  

I chatted with founder of Yawn Alice to find out how she manages to relax:

Q: How do you juggle being a busy mum of 3 and running your own business? As best I can! There is no point pretending it is easy, I often find it very hard, and I am reliant on a fabulous team.  As the children get older and the business grows I’d like to think it will get easier. I try and keep a positive, ‘glass half full’ attitude as I think that is half the battle. I am extremely proud of where we have got to so far and am focused on enjoying the journey.

Q: What does a lazy morning look like in your house?  I am pretty good at relaxing (on the rare occasion I can) and find it extremely easy on a weekend off to have a lie in and a late breakfast.  My husband finds this amusing as he is definitely a natural early bird. I enjoy staying in my pyjamas until mid morning, chatting with my children, making a nice cooked breakfast and taking it easy.

Q: What book is on your bedside table? I borrowed Chris Evans’ autobiography “Memoirs of a Fruitcake” from my brother-in-law, last weekend, and devoured it this week! I found it inspiring, Chris Evans is such an unusual character, with so many interests and a massive enthusiasm for what he does.

Q: How do you make sure your lovely product is made in an ethical way? It is important to me to be proud of the way we make our goods.  We have been as careful as possible with our factory selection process and work with people we trust to make our products in an ethically sound way.  We currently work with highly regarded factories in Portugal and India.  However, I also recognise that ethics in manufacturing is a big and complex issue that requires significant resource to get right.  I am learning all the time and know that we will have to continually address how we work and hold ourselves to high standards.

*Please note I have super nice neighbours called Oli and Jono, who have to put up with us!