First Some Gross Stuff. Then A Giveaway to Make You Breathe Easier.
So who are you really sleeping with? You may think you’re only sleeping with your partner and your pets…maybe a child thrown into the mix every now and again. Oh yeah and that box of Girl Scout cookies you have been nursing for the last week while you watch late night TV.
But if you are also sleeping with your beloved pillow…the one you’ve had since you got married, let me clue you in on what and who else you’re sleeping with. In a small sample taken from a typical five year old pillow, analysts found: 180,000 skin cells, 1,200 pollen spores and 700 fungus spores. Gross. But oh yeah, there’s grosser on the way.
If you’re sleeping with the beloved pillow you’ve had since high school…in a very small sample from a 30 year old pillow, analysts find 170,000 skin cells, 9,800 pollen spores, and 8,200 fungal mold spores. Per sample! And wanna know why the skin cell count actually goes down? Trust me, you don’t, But I’m gonna tell you anyway. Because the dust mites eat them.
Oh yeah, you’re sleeping with them too.
But, let’s talk about ME. I recently went to meet Dr. Clifford Bassett, an allergy specialist here in New York, and the lovely people behind Aller-Ease products, and I (gulp) gave them one of my pillows. That had been on my bed until that very day. In the small sample they took from it, they found: 130,000 skin cells, cladosporium (a fungus that causes, among other things, tomato leaf mold) pithomyces (a mold often involved with eczema in sheep!) as well as what appears to be an herbal tea mix of pollens: birch, elm, grass, pine and sycamore! Then, under the mold category, there also is simply “other brown.” I can only assume that this is the dust mite poop which apparently can double the weight of your mattress in ten years! Let me say, I have had horrid tomato disease on my tomatoes the last few summers, and I have also recently developed equally horrid eczema on my hands. Is my pillow to blame for this? If so, it should be severely punished. Which I guess it was when it was eviscerated and studied in a lab. So there.
So this is allergy season. Ahhh April and May…the lovely months when it’s finally warm enough to throw open the windows, go jog in the park, and smell the flowers…only to wake up the next morning with itchy red eyes and a nasty runny nose. And don’t you dare mow the lawn without a level three containment suit and a mask. Allergies are weird. According to Dr. Bassett, most people become less allergic as they go through life. But it’s not uncommon for allergies to recur in adulthood, or even worsen, and no one really knows why. What they do know is that our homes are full of nasty little particles that can trigger these allergies. So the more we can do to contain and eliminate them all year round, the better off we will be.
So what about our kids? Two interesting things. First of all, there seems to be a genetic component to all of this. If you have asthma, hay fever or eczema and/or your husband does, your children are at higher risk of developing allergies. Also, Dr. Bassett also filled me in on a pretty interesting phenomenon called “The Allergy March.” I do not pretend to be an expert on this, and if you suspect your child is developing allergies, you should definitley talk to your doctor. But there seems to be a phenomenon in which the evidence of eczema in infancy can trend toward rhinitis (ie runny noses) and then to asthma in children. And I have learned that eczema, like runny noses, can be triggered by allergens. My baby has been diagnosed with mild eczema. My husband had childhood asthma. I have recently developed the nastiest hand mange eczema (more on that in a later post)…
Okay, dust mites, you have my attention.
Now just to confuse us more, there’s also evidence that the presence of some allergens in the home via dog and cat dander, can help prevent allergies. So that’s just another wrench to throw into this whole debate. But it’s complicated and there’s still a lot to learn, that’s for sure.
But I think we can agree that pillows and mattresses filled with dust mite poop and funguses that induce sheep eczema are a bad idea. So Aller-Ease has created a line of really nice products from pillow and mattress covers, to pillows themselves, designed to keep the nice fluffy comfy stuff in your pillows and the nasty cooties out. I have tried them. They are excellent. The cool thing that Aller-Ease has done is to make the covers primarily out of cotton! These covers are not plastic. They are not vinyly and wrinkly and crackly. They are cool, soft and quiet and honestly, I have completely forgotten that I put them on our pillows. Which I pretty much think is the deal. They’re like the non-flashy silent superheroes whom no one notices when they are doing their jobs exterminating monsters.
If you’re looking for waterproof mattress and pillow covers, they have them too. They are not cotton (cuz let’s face it, cotton is never going to be waterproof no matter how tightly you weave it), but they are a microfiber made from polyester and they are still soft and quiet. I’m definitely getting the waterproof mattress cover for my baby when she moves into a big girl bed.
So we can re-cover our pillows and mattresses to prevent us from inhaling these nasty things all night, but what else can we do to prevent allergies? Here are a few other suggestions:
- Don’t line dry your laundry in the Spring. (I know it totally stinks because that smell is so awesome, but if you’re really allergic, you’re just coating your sheets in pollen. Try a drying rack in the laundry room instead.)
- Wash your kids’ stuffed animals or (and I so love this) put your kids stuffed toys into those giant ziploc bags and stick them in the freezer for 3 - 5 hours. Bye bye dust mites.
- Make sure your vaccuum has a HEPA filter.
- No smoking in the house! (duh)
- Avoid strong odors and fumes in your home.
- Ged rid of roaches - a lot of people are allergic to roach poop too.
- Pull up that wall-to-wall carpeting.
- Wash your curtains (I know my grandmother did this regularly and I so never do).
That’s a start, anyway. And to get you on the road to an allergen-free good night’s sleep, the people at Aller-Ease have given me two Aller-Ease Cotton Zippered Pillow protectors that I’m giving away to you!
Also, cuz I know you have more than two pillows in your home, the Aller-Ease website is now up and the first 50 people who visit that site each day from March 30th - April 5th will win a free pillow cover. Click HERE for more info and to win!
To Enter the Aller-Ease Giveaway:
- Just leave a comment on this post. Yup, that’s it. Entering is that easy!
***Want extra chances to win? Do anything listed below and leave me additional comments for each one letting me know what you did! Make sure you include your email address with your entry. Maximum of three entries per person.
- Follow me on twitter (click the birdy button on the left to do so easily)
- Blog this giveaway (send me the url so I can enjoy your post!)
- Twitter this giveaway (I’ve even made it easy for you, just cut and paste): @BabiesGottaHavT is giving away 2 Aller-Ease Allergy Preventing Pillow Covers! http://tinyurl.com/dkxy3p
- Subscribe to my blog using the button on the left
- Email a friend about the giveaway and cc me in the message at babiesgottahaveit@gmail.com (I promise I will not spam you or your friends - cross my heart)
Giveaway only open to those with U.S. addresses. Giveaway begins on Tuesday March 31st and ends on Tuesday April 14th at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time. On Wednesday April 15th Random.org will select a winner, and I’ll give someone some nice news on tax day. After my baby called Larry the Cable guy the last time she did a drawing, we have decided to take a little vacation from her choosing the winner. Random.org is in no way as cute and unpredictable as my baby, but it is much more efficient and does not use any pieces of paper, even recycled ones. I am sure you will understand. Thanks for entering!
UPDATE: And the winner, as selected by random.org, is:
29
Congratulations Playground for Parents! Hope you rest easier from now on!
kristen said,
March 31, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
Husband would love this, since he has allergies up the wazoo! I also put this on twitter, username ikristen
susan said,
March 31, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
Thanks for sharing this information ~ scary! I’d love to have these kinds of products in our home too.
susan said,
March 31, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
I tweeted. http://twitter.com/susanlanai/status/1426921453
susan said,
March 31, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
I’m a subscriber.
joell aaenson said,
March 31, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
i would love to have somethign that i am not sleeping with multiple things that is just grosse
clenna in NH said,
April 1, 2009 @ 6:36 am
I have a lot of allergies so this would be great to have.
Mary L said,
April 1, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
I have a SUPER old pillow. It has feathers in it so this would be great!!
Carissa said,
April 3, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
Okay I was thinking I don’t need this I don’t have allergies.. but when you put it THAT WAY… who are you sleeping with??
UM.. NOW I want this case!!!!
Carissa said,
April 3, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
Here’s my tweet!
And Girl, I already Follow you!
dcorey33 said,
April 4, 2009 @ 1:59 am
WOW!! Is all I can say. I have had athsma all my life & got worse after my lung surgery 3 years ago. My daughter (now almost 2years) seems to have it as well. So could use this
Caryn B said,
April 4, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
I’ve had allergies for years..since I was a child. I didn’t know about pillow and mattress covers at that time. I’d love to cover my mattress/pillows to help with allergens!
Malaika said,
April 4, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
I need a dozen of these, my whole family has allergies! Winning two would be a great start, thanks for the chance.
amy p. said,
April 4, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
wow that really intersting.
amy p. said,
April 4, 2009 @ 8:02 pm
I tweeted. 1amypugmire
amy p. said,
April 4, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
I subscribe.
Kara Gott Warner said,
April 4, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
I believe in that there are no coincidences! I’ve been battling with the mystery of my eczema for a little over 2 months. The outbreaks occur on my neck and face, about every 3-5 days.
I’ve done everything– I’ve been through detox programs and eliminated the known 5 allergens: wheat, soy, eggs, nuts, milk, but to no avail. Today, I realized that each time I have an outbreak, it’s ALWAYS after a night’s sleep, but today I took a nap and woke up with yet another outbreak! I thought- “could it be my pillow?” So, I did a search on Google, using this phrase: “can my pillow give me eczema?” To my surprise I found your wonderful post! The pillow-eczema connection sure makes sense to me now. Thanks so much for sharing your wealth of information!
Mommy Daisy said,
April 4, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
These would be great.
Mommy Daisy said,
April 4, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/mommydaisy/status/1454776460.
Mommy Daisy said,
April 4, 2009 @ 9:57 pm
I subscribe in my Google Reader now.
Beth said,
April 4, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
My husband and I both have some allergies so this would be perfect!
valmg said,
April 5, 2009 @ 1:24 am
I’d love to win this for my bed.
valmg said,
April 5, 2009 @ 1:24 am
I follow you on Twitter, I’m valmg
valmg said,
April 5, 2009 @ 1:25 am
Tweet!
http://twitter.com/valmg/status/1455649959
Katherine said,
April 5, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
Ohh! Count me in! This post was very educational!
Katherine said,
April 5, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
Already following you on twitter!
http://twitter.com/ktkatherine
Katherine said,
April 5, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
Tweet! http://twitter.com/ktkatherine/status/1458830046
K. Smith said,
April 5, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
My daughter and I both have awful allergies and asthma! These would be wonderful to have for us!
K. Smith said,
April 5, 2009 @ 9:40 pm
I follow you on twitter
cherryblossbaby
Playground for Parents said,
April 6, 2009 @ 12:29 am
Allergies run in the family. Thank you!!
Love your writing style. Reminds me of…mine.
Carrie said,
April 6, 2009 @ 12:51 am
see, this is why i can’t stand to share someone’s pillow- my own germs and skin cells are scary enough! I’d love to have these for our bed, i think they’d help with my horrible morning congestion during allergy season.
andrea said,
April 6, 2009 @ 1:04 am
I’d love to win these. Maybe they will keep my husband from sneezing all night…
Danetta said,
April 6, 2009 @ 9:38 am
I would love this for my son. He suffers pretty bad from allergies this time of year.
Danetta said,
April 6, 2009 @ 9:38 am
I am following you on Twitter (talonsmom731).
Danetta said,
April 6, 2009 @ 9:39 am
tweeted: http://twitter.com/talonsmom731/status/1462803649
carma said,
April 6, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
this is such a useful giveaway. Please sign me up
Robyns Online World said,
April 7, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Would love to try this for my husband. He has always been an allergy sufferer and has asthma now as well. There are so many things on the market that say they will help, but many don’t. Always like to be able to try things for free first before investing the money in them.
Paige said,
April 7, 2009 @ 3:15 pm
Oh, ya grossed me out. Now I think I need a new pillow. Or a cover.
andrea v said,
April 8, 2009 @ 1:48 pm
Sounds great, I need one, two, three humm how many are in our house?
tuesday said,
April 8, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
I have terrible allergies & this would be great!
tuesday said,
April 8, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
I follow you on twitter: TuesdayGirl
lisa said,
April 8, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
Ick. Thanks for the info, I guess. Maybe I should forward this to my sister who sleeps on a 20 year old pillow… *shudder*
MommyAmy said,
April 9, 2009 @ 12:30 am
When I had to go off my allergy meds during pregnancy I went through and did all the things that you mentioned in your list. I try to keep up with it… but let’s face it… I have twin 2 year olds! I can barely keep up with what day of the week it is. lol Great reminder on what I need to take care of during my spring cleaning!
MommyAmy said,
April 9, 2009 @ 12:30 am
I follow you on Twitter.
MommyAmy said,
April 9, 2009 @ 12:31 am
I subscribe to your blog.
Leslie said,
April 10, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
Awesome! We are so allergy-prone in this house!!
Blessings~
Thank you for the opportunity!
Leslie said,
April 10, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
Oops- tweet tweet!!
http://twitter.com/oliveshoot/status/1491351542
Leslie said,
April 10, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
I follow you with Feedburner!
Blessings~
Vicki Wurgler said,
April 10, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
I’d love to win-my husband has asthma and I have allergies
reva skie said,
April 10, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
I often wake up with a sinus headache, I am sure it is from something horrific in my pillow triggering some kind of allergic reaction in my sinuses.
reva skie said,
April 10, 2009 @ 9:48 pm
I follow you on twitter, revaskie.
YEVETTE MARIE said,
April 11, 2009 @ 12:40 am
I am an allergy sufferer and would love to have this product. great giveaway:)!!!
Rajee said,
April 11, 2009 @ 4:30 am
Love to read ur way of writing about allergy. Too tired to subscribe. May be later I can subscribe or u can help me with my id
Lindsay said,
April 13, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
Great giveaway! I’m throwing out my grody old pillow now… yikes!!! Would love to win these to put on some new pillows!
Maureen said,
April 13, 2009 @ 2:11 pm
Wow, Thanks for all of the Great Information, So I am all ready for a great nights sleep in my bedroom now.. NOt.. Thanks!!! I would love these Pillow covers, Sounds like I need them for sure.
itsjustmerene2003 at yahoo dot com
Tiffany said,
April 13, 2009 @ 3:58 pm
I’m new to your blog, and I like what I see! Thanks for the giveaway and the useful info!
Tiffany said,
April 13, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
I tweeted.
Tiffany said,
April 13, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
I subscribe via Google Reader.
zmama said,
April 13, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
I just got allergy tested…and tested positive for allergies against 2 types of dust mites!! YIKES! This would be perfect!
Carol Jo said,
April 14, 2009 @ 5:41 am
I would love this…my kids and I have such a bad time with allergies…we are hoping to switch out our carpet to wood floors soon.
Thank you
CArol Jo
cvdmvega@yahoo.com
Dianad said,
April 14, 2009 @ 8:29 am
I suffer with allergies along with many others. Thanks for the opportunity to win this wonderful giveaway.
courtney said,
April 14, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
I totally need to have this. I hope I win