Military life comes with a lot of twists, turns, challenges, highs and lows. As we undergo separations caused by deployments and TDYs or the complexities of picking up our lives and PCS'ing every few years, we find ways to overcome these as military families; it's just what we do! As Moms, we know that these hardships trickle down to our littlest family members and how valuable stability is!
Enter, SlumberPod.
As moms, we all know the look on our kids' faces when they are just simply overtired. And it's easy for them to become overtired with all the changes they experience in their little lives! Knowing this, we both couldn't snag a SlumberPod fast enough when we had our first babies, and they quickly became one of our favorite, most-used baby items!
The craziest places we have ever used a SlumberPod
If you haven't experienced this yet yourself, let us be the first to tell you that military life = adventure! Whether that's adventuring in a camper in the Arctic or on a trip back to see family and friends, we regularly find ways to get out of our comfort zones and environments. A lot of aspects of life change when you have babies, and being able to be flexible with sleep environments because you can rest easy knowing your little one is in a safe, consistent space is everything! We have set up our SlumberPods everywhere, from a closet to a bathroom, the foot of a set of stairs, the aisle of a camper, a laundry room, and the living room of a cabin.
Who knew babies could be low maintenance?
We know that babies come with A LOT of equipment needs. Having this one piece of equipment has allowed our little additions to be one of the least complicated parts of our lives as we travel, visit family, and move. Just recently, Jen had to fly back to her current assignment in Alaska after visiting her hometown in Arkansas; this requires long travel days (yes, plural, days!) and, often, very unfortunate flight options. Thankfully, it was no issue at all to accept a 21-hour layover in Dallas, TX, requiring an overnight stay in a hotel that went through nap time with her 1.5-year-old and three-year-old. Her baby was able to get a full night of sleep right beside her bed AND a great nap before completing the rest of the journey back to Alaska! All that was required was to include her SlumberPod and sound machine in her carry-on and a quick call to the hotel front desk to request a pack 'n play!
PCS'ing has never been easier!
We became SlumberPod owners before we PCS'd with children and honestly have scaries thinking about what that transition would have been like for our littles (and us!) without it. Whether the move requires a long drive with multiple stays in different hotel rooms, a long stay in a TLF (temporary lodging facility), or even just a period of time before your HHG (household goods) arrive to get your little one back in their normal sleeping environment, the SlumberPod can bring so much peace. We like to view ours as our kids' little security bubble where all their senses are able to calm down and give them the space they need to unwind from the craziness that is PCS life and get proper rest. Kirst's latest PCS experience was with her two-year-old and fresh two-month-old. At a time when her littlest was just starting to become more aware of his surroundings, it put her postpartum heart at ease, knowing that she could ensure that he would be in a stable sleep environment as they transitioned to a new location. Not to mention, that sweet boy was born weeks before they started packing up their house for the move. So, his "nursery" was the bassinet and SlumberPod set up in the master bedroom.
If we could say anything to military mamas, it would be that you are exactly what your littles need, and having tools like the SlumberPod in your back pocket can make tough seasons easier for you!
Meet Jen + Kirst:
After experiencing their first few years of military life, Jen and Kirst found that the doom and gloom they read about it online was not entirely what they were experiencing. While they experienced lots of trials (missing their spouse, PCS'ing while being "just" a girlfriend, and periods of unemployment), they also were having a lot of fun and decided to set out to change the narrative and create a community of milso's looking for encouragement, reassures, and a way to connect with other like-minded people in the military community. They started Wives of the Air Force in 2018, rebranded to Wives of the Armed Forces in early 2023, and have been honored to be serving military spouses, fiancés, and significant others the entire time!
