Baby and toddler Christmas gift guide

Eggy Wawa Bath Time Learn Surprise Egg

Learn and play with the Eggy Wawa Bath surprise egg. 

The egg comes with 19 surprises inside! Inside the adorable egg there are different animal shapes and bath toys to make learning fun.

Little ones can make a splash with the fishing net to fish out the sea animals which helps develop hand eye coordination skills.

Musical fun can also be had with the Eggy Wawa surprise egg, simply hold down the magical Eggy Wawa egg to hear fun musical tunes.

Continue the Eggy Wawa fun and extend learning by watching the Eggy Wawa show.

Baby and toddler Christmas gift guide

Toomies Bath Barista

Bring your favourite coffee chain to bath time with the Bath Barista from Toomies. Just like grown-ups, little ones can experience the fun of the café for themselves. There’ll be hours of chat and fun in the bath as they brew their very own make-believe cappuccinos. The fun starts at the top: on the left is a spinner they can set in motion simply by pouring water with the smiley-faced jug provided. Place a cup under the filter and give the yellow handle a twist to serve up a classic cup of Joe! Up top on the right is the handy foamer. Lift the lid, add in some bubble bath and water, then start pumping the yellow plunger to create oodles of frothy bubbles! It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! Turn the yellow dial and see the creamy foam plop, plop, plop into the cup below. It’s a foam-accino! Add a finishing touch with the shaker: the colourful hundreds and thousands won’t escape, but water sprinkles will!

Bath Barista encourages collaborative, imaginative play, enhances communication skills, refines fine motor skills and helps children explore cause and effect. Suitable for children 18 months and over, Bath Barista is a bath-tastic gift.

Brilliant baby products

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Glow Dreaming Sleep Aid

Bringing sleep to those who need it, the Glow Dreaming Sleep Aid (premium bundle RRP £184.40) is an award winning sleep aid.

Offering a unique combination of Red LED Light Therapy, Pink Noise, Aromatherapy, an Ultrasonic Humidifier, and one on one support from our team of Glow Sleep Specialists, the innovative Glow Dreaming has helped over 200,000 families get the sleep they need and deserve.

Why are onesies so popular and beneficial for babies

Whether you’re a parent, aunt, grandparent or just a close family friend of some new parents, you know there’s one piece of clothing that a baby will always be wearing: the onesie. Day and night, inside or outside, onesies are the most important item in a baby’s wardrobe. But what makes them so popular and why is this such a generally known fact? In this article we’re gonna talk about the benefits of onesies and the possible reasons why everyone loves to dress their baby in them. For a perfect onesie for your baby, check out this collection:https://www.shamrockgift.com/kids-irish-clothing/baby-onesies and read along to learn more about these wonderful pieces. 

The rhythm in which babies grow and how to adapt their clothes

If you’re a new parent you are definitely trying to figure out parenting, and we know it’s not an easy task. Parenthood comes with many wonderful things, but also with a little bit of stress, so don’t worry, every new parent goes through this. You surely know this already, but your baby will grow fast and that’s something you need to be prepared for when it comes to choosing their clothes. In this article, we’re gonna talk about how to prepare your baby’s wardrobe for their first couple of months. If you’re looking for some qualitative baby clothes, you should check out ShamrockGift. Read along and get ready to pick sizes, patterns and colors for your baby’s wardrobe. 

Perfect parent and child clothing

If you are looking for super cute and creative clothes to twin your look with your little one then look no further than baby & kids clothing store beepumpkin who specialise in designing parent-child clothing that is made with love and creativity. 

Offering fresh styles and clothing to showcase beautiful connections between family members, beepumpkin have an impressive range of parent-child clothing. 

H2: Cord Blood Banking: What is it and is it worth it?

There are many things a parent would do to ensure their child’s safety. You baby-proof your home when they are small and even as they approach adulthood, you’ll never lose that want to keep them happy and healthy.

How does this relate to cord blood banking, you may be thinking. It may be something you have heard of, but you may not know all the details about what it is, how it works or what it’s for. Within this blog, we hope to tell you everything you need to know.

Read on to find out more.

Christmas gift guide for babies, toddlers and preschoolers

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Aquadoodle Super Rainbow Deluxe

Let your creative imagination go wild with the new Aquadoodle Super Rainbow Deluxe (RRP £20.00) from Tomy. The toy supports STEAM learning as it allows children to be creative and develop their artistic skills.

Simply fill the Aquadoodle pen with ordinary tap water, run the nib over the magic mat and see the colours appear!

Any water that does run off the mat, runs clear. No mess, no stains, nothing to worry about. As your drawings dry, designs fade away, ready for the mat to be used again, over and over again. When you need to, just refill the Aquadoodle pen with water and go again!

Included in the set is a special paintbrush that lets you make broader strokes, as well as three stampers for added mess-free fun.

Chicco Next2Me Magic Crib review

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Sweet dreams with the Chicco Next2Me Magic Crib

During my most recent pregnancy in the midst of my nesting phase I prepared for the arrival of our third baby by creating a safe sleeping space for him. 

As we love co-sleeping but want to do so as safe as possible plus we wanted baby to be in close proximity for relaxed breastfeeding during the night we loved the idea of using a bedside cot. 

The Chicco Next2Me Magic side-sleeping crib suitable from 0 months+ was a dream solution for us to have baby close, safe, secure in his own space and within arms reach for breastfeeds and midnight baby duties.

As Chicco promote healthy and safe sleep for baby and parents and the Next2Me Magic crib is their most advanced side-sleeping crib which is designed to allow baby to sleep safely in close proximity to parents I had high hopes about the crib. Now that we have used it for a few weeks with our new baby I am delighted to say it has lived up to my expectations and wishes for a safe sleeping space for our baby.

3-in-1 crib

The award winning Next2Me Magic crib is a 3 in 1 solution for safer sleeping that can be used as a side-sleeping crib, stand-alone crib or as a travel crib thanks to the travel bag included.

Easy assembly

The crib requires self-assembly with detailed instructions on how to do so. The instructions not only detail how to assemble the crib but also highlight how to safely use it as a stand-alone or side-sleeping crib.

The crib was easy to put together thanks to its clever design. It was a simple matter of slotting pieces together until they securely clicked in place, securing the crib to the frame by closing poppers and zips then placing the mattress into the crib. I was impressed with the design of the crib and how easy it was to put up. Quick, easy and no faffing with screws!

Super stylish

The cool grey version (also available in white snow and sand) is a beautiful light grey design. The outside of the crib structure is grey with lighter grey piping and matching grey zips. The grey design of the crib matches the grey frame which safely holds the crib. 

The crib’s interior features a soft fabric that is adorned with a pinstripe detailing in subtle shades of grey and white. The gorgeous interior compliments the grey design of the outside of the crib.

I love the cool grey colour of the crib and I especially love the pinstripe fabric inside. It is a lovely design and colour scheme that gives the crib a luxurious, stylish look.

Easy to clean

As babies and sick often go hand in hand being able to easily clean their sleeping space is a must. With that in mind, I appreciate the fact that thanks to the zippers on the soft outer cover it can be removed easily for cleaning, making parenting that little less stressful.

Excellent air circulation

Providing comfort and safety the crib features two mesh side windows which ensures fantastic air ventilation for baby. The important mesh side windows are also brilliant for helping parents keep an eye on baby. 

I really appreciate the fact that the crib is designed with two mesh side windows so that air can flow through the cot for optimum air ventilation and love the fact that I can see my baby…...I’ve spent many a night gazing at him sleeping in his crib in awe of the little human we created.

I also love the fact that the mattress which comes included with the crib features a 3D mesh mattress cover which helps to generate extra air ventilation. Sheets do not come with the crib and mattress but are available to buy from Chicco.

The mattress feels comfortable and of high quality. It fits perfectly in the crib and our baby sleeps soundly on it. 

Sizeable sleeping space

The crib is quite large, being approximately 66cm deep, 92cm wide and 66cm in height. As it is roomy it will last our baby for along time from birth until he’s 9kg (max user weight). Thankfully for us we have enough room for it alongside our bed.

Easy to move

To make it easy to move around the house the crib features swivelling wheels. Even though it is a large crib I have found it a smooth experience moving it when needed.

For safety I love the easy to use secure brakes that ensure the crib stays safely in place when not on the move. To use the brakes each wheel has a small switch you have to push down on, minimal effort to secure the crib.

Rocking mode

When not secured to a bed and used in free standing mode the crib features a unique rocking mode. The manual rocking mode can be operated by unlocking the crib thanks to switches on either side of the crib.

The rocking mode means you can comfort your baby by manually rocking the crib to create gentle rocking motions to soothe, relax and encourage sleep. This an innovative and handy feature and I can appreciate how useful it is for helping make parenting that little bit easier.

Tilting feature

Providing optimum comfort for baby, the crib has been designed so that it can be tilted on one side up to four levels to help improve breathing, help baby’s digestion, manage reflux and ease congestion. I love this added feature which helps make parenting easier and facilitates improved sleeping. I also think it highlights the fact that Chicco have created a crib with baby’s safety and comfort at the forefront and showcase that it is very important to them.

Side-sleeping crib to fit any kind of bed

Thanks to flexible height adjustment that includes 11 different height levels and versatile legs with retractable feet the crib can be used as a side-sleeping crib with most types of adult beds, including divan beds.

It is easy to adjust the crib’s height with each side being adjusted separately and you can see what height level the crib is on by looking at the number showcased on the outside of the crib leg.

To safely secure the crib to the bed it comes with an easy to use safety harness kit.

Safe sleeping

We’ve mostly used the crib as a side-sleeping crib. Our baby loves being in the crib and sleeps safely and soundly in it. I have peace of mind that our baby is safely in his own space but is close by. It has made breastfeeding and soothing baby during the night a whole lot easier and has helped us settle into a great sleeping routine. Having my baby close by has also encourage baby-parent bonding.

One hand sliding side panel

One of my favourite features of this crib is the quick and easy to open one handed sliding side panel. You simply press a button to lower the side panel for easy access to baby.

This feature is a godsend when needing to breastfeed or soothe baby in the night. I love being able to reach my baby so easily from the comfort of my bed.

Sleeping like a baby

The crib has been a wonder for us and helped us all sleep soundly and enjoy sweet dreams - when baby sleeps happily I can sleep peacefully knowing he is safe and close. It has been amazing for supporting our breastfeeding journey and for being close to baby during the night when he needs soothing. 

We love the Chicco Next2Me Magic crib and as the name suggests it is a little bit of magic making parenting that little bit easier and helping us keep our baby safe, secure and comfortable when sleeping.

I’d highly recommend the crib especially for those wanting to use a side-sleeping crib with their baby. The Chicco Next2Me Magic crib (RRP £239) is available from a range of retailers including Argos and John Lewis.

* We were kindly gifted this Chicco Next2Me Magic side-sleeping crib for free in return for this review post *

Cocoon Babies car seat blanket - review

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Wrapping up warm and staying safe with the

Cocoon Babies Car Seat Blanket

With a winter baby it is important to consider how to keep them warm and cosy when out and about without impacting on their safety. 

A baby boy is born

2019 was a rollercoaster of a year. The most wonderful high of the year came at the end of the year with the arrival of our bundle of love, our third beautiful baby boy.

I just can't believe how quickly the weeks are flying by. Cherishing every moment.

Life as a family of five is bliss and our new addition is all we could have wished for and more. He is adorable and I am totally in love with my new little star.

Here are some top tips that will help you to prepare for the arrival of your new baby

If you are quickly approaching your due date, then you will know what an exciting time this can be. You may feel as though you can’t wait for what’s ahead and that you also have so much to plan. If you want to make things easier on yourself then you can find out everything you need to know, right here.

Birthing Plan

If you haven’t done this already, then it helps to prepare some notes so that you can fully explain to your midwife what kind of birth you would like to have. Tell them what pain relief you’d like and also tell them if you want to have a delayed cord clamp. Some people like to have skin to skin contact right after the birth too, so it’s worth taking this into consideration. Your birth plan does need to be flexible though, so if things change, it helps to be prepared for that.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Nesting instinct

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During the last few weeks of my most recent pregnancy my nesting instinct kicked in and I felt an overwhelming desire to get our home and family ready for the arrival of baby number three.

The nesting instinct had me wanting to prepare for my newborn and have our home clean and tidy so that it was a welcoming and safe environment that would help us protect our baby in a loving way.

I found myself giving the house a deep clean, getting all baby essentials organised, packing hospital bags with military precision and having a spring clean with items no longer used going to the charity shop. After noticing a few marks on one of the bedroom walls I even decided to re-decorate the whole room as the grubby looking paint was screaming at me every time I walked past it.

Gift ideas for babies

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Bounty packs - unpacking and review

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Read on to find out what's in the Bounty Pack being distributed in January 2020.

From the moment that you find out you are starting or expanding your family feelings of joy can be mixed with feelings of responsibility and a desire to do your best for your baby.

Pregnancy can a blend of excitement and trepidation. In fact expecting a baby can be daunting. Whether it is your first, third or a whole lot more; bringing a baby into the world can be a worrying prospect. What baby products are best for you and your baby? How will you cope with the extra expense that is connected to becoming a parent? What is the best way to ensure your baby sleeps safe?

Thankfully Bounty are on hand to help you through pregnancy and parenthood. They aim to offer parents to be and new parents on helpful information during pregnancy and beyond. 

The Baby Hamper Company - Really Useful Hamper review

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As we await the arrival of baby number three to help the boys bond with baby and be excited about their little brother we’ve been looking for the perfect baby gift that they can give him.

However finding the perfect baby gift they can give him has been tricky. To help them feel like great big brothers giving their new little baby brother a lovely gift we wanted to find an original, practical gift that looks and feels special.

Thankfully The Baby Hamper Company came to the rescue.

The Baby Hamper Company

Following the arrival of baby Harry in 2011, mum Chloe and granny Christine decided to fill the gap in the market for unique and cool newborn gifts that new mums would want and appreciate. A year later The Baby Hamper Company was born.

Le Petit Bola - arabesque heart harmony necklace review

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Pregnancy can be a wonderfully magical experience. I love being pregnant and cherish the fact that I've been fortunate to have been able to experience pregnancy. Having been told I may never conceive I feel especially blessed that I have two beautiful children and am currently pregnant with my third. 

Whilst pregnancy and its symptoms can be tough as I feel grateful that I've been able to experience it I've always celebrated each pregnancy and remembered the wonderful journey of growing a baby inside of me with scan and bump photos. 

With this third pregnancy likely to be my last it is even more important to me to celebrate and document it. To me bonding with baby also starts from when they are in the womb as you feel baby wriggle around inside, see bump grow as hey do and hear their little heart beating from inside of you. Also as we are welcoming a third child into our close little family of four I've wanted to encourage the children to begin to bond with the baby as he grows in the womb. 

Ways I have been celebrating and documenting this pregnancy and encouraging bonding with baby include a pregnancy reveal photo with the kids, taking photos of my growing bump, recording baby's heartbeat and having a 4D wellbeing scan which was an enchanting experience. 

I have also been bonding with baby with the help of a harmony ball pregnancy necklace from Le Petit Bola.

Snuggle Seat - review

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As we eagerly await the arrival of baby number 3 my nesting instincts have well and truly kicked it. Along with giving the house a good spring clean I have been getting all of the baby things out of storage and making room in our house for all the baby things. We have a bedside cot set up in our bedroom perfect for co-sleeping safely plus a baby bouncer chair and playmat as safe places to put baby down when not in the bedroom.

Whilst the playmat and baby bouncer chair are great as safe places to put baby down around home they only last a short while plus it is helpful to have a variety of safe, baby friendly options rather than be restricted to one place to let baby rest when not in the cot. Thankfully Snuggle Seat came to the rescue with a safe, baby friendly seat that provides long lasting use.

Snuggle Seat

Designed in Great Britain, Snuggle Seat is an award winning baby bean bag that is created to be used from newborn to 8 years!

Window to the Womb, Swansea Well-being and 4D Scan - review

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When I found out I was expecting our third baby I was delighted about experiencing pregnancy again. I love being pregnant and especially love having a bump, feeling the baby move inside of me and seeing it wiggle around on the screen when having scans.