Time seems to be going so quickly, it only feels like yesterday that I was still pregnant. But my little man is now 6 months old and changing so fast. He’s mastering new skills so quickly now. My little baby is growing up and is my cheeky little monkey with his own little character. These last 6 months have really flown by.
It seems so unreal at times that I am a mummy. Like a dream that I am sure to wake up from soon. I love him more than words could ever say and the joy he brings me is immense. I cherish every moment I have with him. I would do anything for him. He is my special little man.
Happy 6 Months Birthday Bug. I love you with all my heart Bug and adore being your mummy ♥
After my review on the Explora Teether, Tommee Tippee sent me a few of their new Closer to Nature Hygiene productsto test and review.I was looking forward to test their hygiene products as being a mummy to a little baby, like other parents, I understand the importance of hygiene.
Now that I am a mummy I want products that not only are powerful in killing germs but are also importantly gentle and safe to use so that little man is protected. Finding both powerful germ killing action and gentle protection in one product is difficult, particularly with so many cleaning products containing bleach and alcohol.
Thankfully Tommee Tippee has provided a superior solution to this dilemma with their Closer to Nature Hygiene range. Their hygiene range provides gentle protection that is long-lasting and powerful against bacteria and viruses so you can be reassured that not only is it safe with your precious little ones but powerful in killing bacteria and viruses too.
This range is perfect for parents with babies, in particular for creating a safe and clean feeding routine. A newborn’s feeding routine can be a stressful time for parents as they try to continuously ensure everything is clean and germ free. The Closer to Nature Hygiene range is perfectly designed to make things easier by helping with good hand hygiene, sterilising feeding equipment, cleaning work surfaces and equipment. They make it easier for parents at home and on-the-go, giving peace of mind and helping keep the clean routine stress-free.
The Steri-Fluid, Surface Spray and Hand Serum contain Byotrol, which is a revolutionary UK-made ingredient that is currently exclusive to Tommee Tippee in the baby care market. Byotrol kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, destroying them by literally pulling the germs apart. Using Byotrol eliminates the problem of germs in a safe and gentle way instead of poisoning and destroying them with harsh chemicals like bleach and disinfectants do. The fact that the Closer to Nature Hygiene range contains Byotrol is beneficial in numerous ways; it provides “Hour by hour, longer lasting protection” with Byotrol actively killing germs even after it has dried which is longer than other products that stop working after they dry, it works quickly, harmless to people but it creates a invisible barrier that is lethal to bacteria and viruses. The Soother, Teat and Teether Wipes are designed for cleaning on-the-go.
I was sent the Steri-Fluid, Hand Serum and the Soother, Teat and Teether Wipes.
The Steri-Fluid contains Byotrol which as said above kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. It has been proven to kill MRSA, E.Coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus and Candida albicans (which can cause thrush) so by using this you can be reassured that these nasties are killed and you are protecting your baby. It is also alcohol, chlorine and bleach free. The Steri-Fluid is for use with cold water sterilising and can be used to sterilise teethers, soothers and bottles within 15 minutes and the solution is active for 24 hours. It is simple to use, you just wash what you want to sterilise, add two capfuls of the solution to every 3 litres of cold water and then immerse the items to be sterilised in the water solution and wait 15 minutes. It is quick and easy to use and handy that items remain sterile in the solution for up to 24 hours. I think this product would be particularly useful when away on holiday as instead of taking a big, bulky steriliser with you all you need to take is this solution and you can still be sure things are sterilised and safe for your baby.
The Hand Serum also contains Byotrol so also kills bacteria and viruses in a gentle way. It keeps hands germ-free for up to 6 hours giving wash-to-wash protection. It is described as being gentle on the skin as the serum is alcohol, bleach and fragrance free. You can get the Hand Serum in two sizes, 50ml for on to go and 150ml for use at home.
I have really sensitive skin and a touch of eczema on my hands and wasn’t sure if this hand serum would irritate my skin like a lot of hand cleansers have done. I really like this hand serum it didn’t dry out my skin or irritate it, in fact it left my hands feeling soft and moisturised, which is a nice change from other anti-bacterial gels. It leaves my hands smelling clean and fresh. It’s ideal for cleaning your hands before feeding baby and after changing their nappy, great if when you’re out and have to do an emergency change somewhere where you can’t wash your hands. It’s not runny, it’s a great consistency. I found it dries quickly, leaving no residue or wetness, I think it’s great that you don’t have to dry your hands after using especially when dealing with your little one. I was sent the 150ml Hand Serum for at home and I really like the dispensing top that twists to open and close. The 50ml bottle seems a great size to pop in your changing bag for use out and about.
The Soother, Teat and Teether Wipes have been designed for cleaning on-the-go. They kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, having been proven to kill E.coli, Staphylococcus and H1N1. They are alcohol, bleach and fragrance free so they are totally safe and can be used on soothers, teethers, bottles, teats, small toys and weaning equipment. They are also 100% bio-degradable.
I think that these wipes are a brilliant idea. At home it isn’t a problem if one of Tristan’s soothers or teethers is dropped on the floor as I can clean them easily and we have plenty of other soothers and teethers already clean about the house but when out and about it isn’t as easy. I try and have spare clean and sterilised soothers in a travel box in my changing bag and I use a soother clip but sometimes I forget and his soother ends up on the floor and I am somewhere I can’t clean it. His teethers end up on the floor often when out and about. These wipes are the perfect solution. They come in a handy pack of 30 wipes and the size is great as they fit in my changing bag easily without taking up too much space. The wipes are very moist and quite big so you do feel like the dropped soother/teether has had a good clean and makes you feel reassured that it is uncontaminated before putting it back into your baby’s mouth. We have used them on Tristan’s soothers, teethers and his plastic spoons. We have also used them to wipe down the surface of a highchair tray when eating out just to be sure that it’s really clean before he had his food. The wipes do sometimes leave a soapy residue but I have found as long as you quickly wipe over the object again the soapy residue is no more. I like that there is no need to rinse afterwards, simple and quick to use. Using these wipes gives you peace of mind that what has been dropped on the floor then cleaned with the wipes is safe for your baby yet again. I like the fact that they are 100% bio-degradable as it makes me feel better about using them. You get peace of mind from one quick wipe.
The Closer to Nature range also has a Surface Spray that also provides 99.9% protection against germs and viruses for up to 24 hours by forming an invisible barrier that not only destroys gems but prevents them from growing too. I will get a bottle to try as I am impressed with the rest of the range.
I like the packaging; it has distinctive and nice colours which reflect the gentle nature of the products. They are thoughtfully designed and a great size. I think they are great value for money, especially as they are powerful yet gentle. I highly recommend the range especially for anyone with babies or young children. I love the hand serum and wipes most, ideal for when out and about; I will continue to use them.
The Steri-Fluid is £2.99 for 500ml bottle.
The Hand Serum is £1.99 for 50ml bottle for on-to-go and £2.49 for 150ml bottle for use at home.
The Soother, Teat and Teether Wipes are £1.99 for a pack of 30 wipes.
The Surface Spray is £2.49 for 500ml bottle.
The closer to nature range is exclusively available in Tesco, Toys R Us and Asda. You can find out more about the range and other Tommee Tippee products on their website. Tommee Tippee can also be found on theirfacebook page and you can follow them on twitter.
* Tommee Tippee kindly gave us these Closer to Nature Hygiene products to review for free, despite this I have written a honest review that contains my own words and opinions and is 100% my own *
We have been using cloth nappies with Bug from birth but we don’t currently use reusable, washable wipes. I have thought about making my own wipes but so far thinking about it is as far as I’ve got.
I was thrilled when Helen from Cheeky Wipes offered one of their washable wipes kits for review. As I already use cloth I was sent the Cheeky Monkey kit that’s aimed at existing cloth users.
I have been breastfeeding Bug since birth and I am used to having to feed him in numerous places including in public. During the early stages of feeding on demand and feeding extremely often I got used to feeding anywhere, overcoming my nerves about feeding in public as my baby needed feeding so I just had to get on with it. I decided early on if I was nervous and self conscious I would attract more attention, and I wouldn’t get unwanted attention if I looked confident. I tried using muslin squares and blankets to save my modest but they were more hassle than what it was worth and I would end up showing more trying to cover myself with them. I have also bought and tried specially designed tops for breastfeeding and never really got on with them well, they aren’t always easy to feed in and limits my wardrobe. With being a busy new mum dealing with a little baby I never thought about looking for a product specifically designed to cover yourself when breastfeeding.
I recently came across the Mamascarf and the lovely Keira O’Mara sent me a Cream Mamascarf to test and review. According to their website the benefits of using the award winning Mamascarf are that it covers you before and after feeding, it covers your post pregnancy belly, by using it there is less distraction for baby whilst feeding and you can still maintain eye contact with baby. It provides crucial support without the need for a cushion but it is not designed for carrying a baby. The Mamascarf is made from 100% soft tactile cotton and as it is textured fabric any creases are disguised. You don’t have to worry if it will fit as one size fits all and it can be used to feed any age baby. When not in use it can be either folded away or worn as a scarf, and it even comes with a handy hidden pocket to store your breastpad.
We have been weaning Bug for about 6 weeks now and it is going brilliantly. He loves his food and it’s so lovely to see him enjoy it. He’s always got a big smile on his face, a lovely messy smile. I had hoped to wait till he was 6 months old and try baby led weaning but he was ready a little earlier than expected. We started his weaning with baby rice and took it slowly moving on to porridge then other foods and tastes.
We have been using baby food in pouches and jars, he loves them and I am pleasantly surprised with the quality of the baby food. I have always planned on making my own, homemade baby food and stocking up on what I make by freezing it. I haven’t got round to do this until now, between Bug’s teething keeping me busy and going away it just hasn’t happened.
I love crystals, semi-precious stones, gemstones; whatever you want to call them I love them, and believe that they all have their own properties and power. I have semi-precious stones through out the house, for particular purposes and because I also think they look beautiful. I even had certain ones to help during my pregnancy and a selection of ones for during labour too. For some reason though it never crossed my mind to look into what ones would help Bug’s teething…. I am going to blame it on baby brain and exhaustion. I have a great belief in alternative and natural therapies and whilst searching online for something natural to help with teething I came across amber teething necklaces and could have kicked myself for not thinking about amber before now.
Amber is a fossilised resin and even though it technically isn’t a semi-precious stone it is considered as an organic gem. Baltic amber (succinite) originates from Northern Europe and is highly sought after and it is uniquely known for its quality.
Bug is changing all the time and achieving new milestones and skills frequently. It’s so lovely to see him master a new skill. His cute little face lights up with pride of being able to do something new.
He is very nearly able to sit up unaided, has the odd wobble but otherwise sits there with a big grin on his face. Babbles away more and more each day. A new little trick he loves is when he is in his Jumperoo he can now move around it 360° all by himself. For a few weeks now he has also been rolling over and he loves to do it at every opportunity he can. He does get very frustrated though when he is on his tummy as he wants to move forward but just can’t….bless him.
Bug is currently teething and suffering with it. He is constantly dribbling and chewing on anything he can get his hands on. I am constantly on the look out for anything that will ease his pain. We have numerous different teethers, but I was very interested in Teething Bling as it’s not just a teething aid for Bug.
I was over the moon when Lynne Churchill from Smart Mum offered a Teething Bling® Pendant for Bug to test for a review. As stated on their website, Teething Bling is the original teething jewellery and their teething jewellery allows mums who have stopped wearing jewellery because their curious babies love to grab and chew to have some beautiful jewellery to wear again that is safe for babies to handle and chew.
As I was catching up on facebook earlier I saw a link on Mothercare UK’s page for an article on the daily mail’s website. Intrigued by the headline "Facial expressions such as smiling or crying develop before birth, new study shows". I decided to give it a read. The article explains how scientists examined 4D scan footage which helped them discover that facial expressions are developed whilst babies are in the womb during the later stages of pregnancy. Researchers said how "This research has for the first time demonstrated that in healthy fetuses there is a developmental progression from simple to complex facial movements, preparing the fetus for life post birth."
It is amazing to me how science and technology is improving and progressing over the years and how it said in the article that “The discovery could help potentially identify health problems, since there is a link between fetal behavioural patterns and the development of the fetal brain. Looking at differences between normal and abnormal fetal facial developments may indicate problems with brain development."
I posted my first ever blog post a week ago tonight, I have really enjoyed my first week in the blogging world. It has been so good to have something awaken my mind.
A couple of days ago I received in the post my first item for a sponsored review….felt like a little girl again on Christmas day opening up the parcel. I owe a big thank you to the lovely Lynne Churchill from Smart Mum for having the faith in me and giving me the opportunity to review one of their Teething Bling products. Tristan and I are really enjoying testing it out. Watch this space for the review in the very near future.
Seeing as it’s my 1 week anniversary I have some exciting news to announce…..a fabulous competition. I promise to do my very best to get the competition up and running asap, just have a very cheeky monkey keeping me busy.
I hope to improve my blog over time, to add more reviews and to attract more people who will hopefully like my blog and want to follow me. Thank you to those of you who are already following me and reading blog.
A few weeks back Lee came home from town with a little prezzie for Bug….a Bug-a-Loop Nuby Teether.
Nuby say that the Bug-a-Loop is ideal for back teeth teething and aimed at babies from 3months+. The Bug-a-Loop has teething nubs which massage baby’s gums, easing their discomfort, and it has multiple textured surfaces for baby to chew on. This teether is BPA free.
I know you’ll be reading this mummy told me that you do. I really wanted to write this letter, hoping it would make you feel better. You may be many miles away, but I think of you everyday. I can’t wait to come visit you, I promise I’ll bring mummy with me too.
For now though I’ll send you plenty of pics, showing you my antics. I’ve been bouncing in my Jumperoo, been having fun in my walker too. I’ve been enjoying tasty din dins, got lots of pics with messy grins. I have been enjoying a good babble, chatting with mummy makes me chuckle. Daddy makes me laugh when he’s being silly, mummy says we are both naughty. My toothy-pegs are hurting me; this teething lark is making me grizzly.
I miss you Aunty Boo, but hope this works out for you. Aunty Boo you are the best, having you as my aunty I am blessed. Can’t wait to see you for a hug and kiss, hope you don’t cry reading this.
I use cloth nappies with Tristan and absolutely love a bit of fluff. We use a variety of different nappies and love getting new ones. When I was exclusively breastfeeding Tristan I never really bothered with flushable, disposable liners but since we have started weaning Tristan they have been great and make a difference to keeping the nappies stain free.
Some times I am surprised with the generosity and niceness of people and companies. Yesterday I got a shiny red parcel in the post of way of an apology from Practical Parenting and Pregnancy Magazine.
A few weeks ago at the start of August as I was sat breastfeeding Tristan I was on Facebook and saw a post by Practical Parenting Magazine looking for scan pictures for a feature they were doing in the magazine. I decided to email them with one of the 4D scan pictures we had of Tristan when I was 28 weeks pregnant. I promptly got an email back asking to clarify some details and that his picture would be in the October issue on sale on the 7th of September. I marked the calendar on that date to remind me to buy it on the day it came out as I usually just get the magazine when I see it.
I was lucky enough to receive a MAM Anti-Colic Self-Sterilising 130ml bottle when I went to the Baby Show in Manchester. As I breastfeed the fact that MAM bottles have a silk teat which is supposed to make the bottles be the closest thing to mum and for baby to still feel the softness was very appealing to me. I also really like that the bottle is BPA free. I was very excited about using this bottle with my expressed milk.
I am breastfeeding Bug and had been exclusively doing so until a few weeks back. I always wanted to breastfeed if I was ever lucky enough to have babies and even though there have been a few difficult times I absolutely love it. I had planned on waiting till as near as 6 months as possible before weaning him and going down the route of baby led weaning but things didn’t go as planned. When Bug was 20 weeks old we saw the Health Visitor to get him weighed and after having a chat with her she advised starting him on baby rice because of how often he was feeding night and day and the frequency of him waking up during the night for feeds.
We are really enjoying weaning Bug, it’s so lovely and fun seeing him try new tastes and enjoy his food. Its so adorable to see him open his mouth ready for the next spoonful and demand more with his little babble and noises.
As my little man is teething I have always got my eyes peeled when I’m online for any mention of anything that will help ease his discomfort. So earlier on when I saw a tweet about a sponsored giveaway of Gumigem I was eager to put my name in the hat, metaphorically, in the hope of winning.
This lovely giveaway of a Gumigem pendant is being hosted by Clare on her blog accidentally, kle who has luckily for us teamed up with the creator of Gumigem, Jenny McLaughlan to offer us the chance to win one pendant.
I have never been to a baby show before, I really wanted to go when I was pregnant but just couldn’t make the show in London, was just too far to travel and hospital appointments got in the way too. I really couldn’t decide whether to go to the Manchester baby show or not, with it being 170 miles from where we live I thought it would be too much hassle especially with Tristan and I wasn’t sure if it would even be worth it. I looked online a lot for other people’s experiences to help me decide if I should go or not….and I hope what I write will hopefully help someone else know what to experience for further shows.
I was luck enough to win a pair of tickets, which made my mind up for me. As we were travelling quite a distance we decided to combine the trip with a visit to my boyfriend's family, we had a lovely few days spent with them and then on the way home we visited the show.
Before becoming a mummy I knew about Johnson’s baby products, I’m sure there are not many people who have not heard of the brand, but never really used them. Since becoming a mummy I now have a lot of different Johnson’s baby products in the house and I would like to share with you all my opinion of Johnson’s Baby Skincare Wipes.
Earlier today as I was trawling facebook I came across a lovely mumpreneur, Monica Strydom who is a new addition to ‘Baby and Children’s Markets’ and I wanted to help spread the word about this fabulous idea.
Baby and Children’s Markets was set up in the UK by Leanne and Steve Taylor. They set up the company after starting a family in Australia and trying to save some money. They managed to save a fortune and get all the baby equipment, toys and clothes they needed for less buying from pre-loved markets. This sparked the idea to run markets for selling pre-loved baby and children’s items.
Teething can be a difficult time for both baby and parents, as a parent all you want to do is take away the discomfort and it can be so difficult seeing your little one crying and chomping on anything they can get their hands on. Most parents can empathise with wanting to try anything to help their little ones during teething and will have tried numerous different teething gels, products and teethers.
There are numerous things you have to consider when pregnant, one of which is what pain relief you are going to use during childbirth. One of the many options available is TENS, which is a natural and completely safe, effective form of pain relief during labour that does not harm baby or mother and can be used with other pain relief such as gas and air and pethedine. As you have personal control of your pain relief, and you are drug-free and mobile; TENS is recommended by midwives.
When I was pregnant I looked at all pain relief options and decided to use TENS to help me cope during the labour. After looking at many TENS machines available on the market I decided to purchase the MamaTENS My Time. Like other TENS machines it is a form of controllable, powerful and natural pain relief. Both the regular MamaTENS machine and the My Time have 3 programmes for the different stages of labour and for use during contractions a boost button. Unlike other TENS machines and the regular MamaTENS, the My Time has 3 additional features -
So last week we made our first long distance journey as a little family and I must admit I was very apprehensive about it. As Lee would tell you I do worry about silly little things….leading up to our trip I was worrying how we would cope going 200miles in the car with Bug, how would he settle sleeping somewhere strange, how would I cope using cloth nappies away from home, would I remember to pack everything I needed…. Think I must have driven Lee crazy.
Our little trip was to go visit Lee’s family in Leeds so that they could spend some time with Bug and then on the way home to Wales we planned on stopping in Manchester for the baby show.
I was so proud of Bug not once during the journey did he cry or get upset, even though he is suffering with teething too. He was so good he played with his toys, munched on teethers and had a few little snoozes. It was a relaxing journey, we just took our time and stopped numerous times on the way….so pleased my fears of him crying all the way were totally unfounded.
We spent a few days with Lee’s family which was lovely and they really enjoyed having time with our cheeky little monkey. In spite of teething bothering Bug quite a bit, he was very settled and slept just as well as he does at home. And I was very pleased that we used cloth nappies during our trip away from home too. Bug did seem to have withdrawals from being apart from his Jumperoo though….he was jumping on everyone who held him instead, bless him.
Welcome to my blog Bumps 2 Babies Where Roots And Wings Entwine. I decided to start this blog so that I could write reviews of baby products and pregnancy products I used when I was pregnant. I aim to provide honest opinions of products tried and tested by myself and my baby toddler in the ‘real’ world.
I was in two minds as whether to start this blog or not….worrying if I would be any good at writing about my experiences and opinions, if people would like my blog, would I ever get any followers or not?? I spent many days thinking, ummming and ahhhhing about whether I should take the plunge into the blogging world or not. I have decided to ignore the little voice of doubt in my head and here I am writing my first post for my little blog.
I am a first time mummy to a cheeky little monkey and it’s only since having my son that I have entered the world of blogging and started to read and follow blogs. I have been inspired and can only hope to be half as good as the bloggers I have encountered. I am just finding my feet with all of this but so far am enjoying creating my blog.
Please take a look at ‘About us’ to learn more about myself and my little family. Many thanks for reading this and for looking at Bumps 2 Babies Where Roots And Wings Entwine. I hope you enjoy my blog and join me in my blogging journey x
