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What are the Best Baby Sun Creams for Babies and Toddlers?

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Perhaps you are jetting off abroad or maybe you are staying in the UK, wherever you are this Summer, it is important to remember to use sun cream on your little one’s skin whatever the weather. You would be surprised how strong the sun can be even on the gloomiest days. Did you know?  up to 80 percent of UV rays can pass through clouds. With a wide variety of sun creams out there it is often difficult to know which are the best baby sun creams for babies and toddlers?

How often should you reapply sunscreen to a child?

Apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before you and your toddler go outside – in the summer months we would suggest putting it on each morning. Reapply every two hours and more often if your little one is playing in water.  Regardless of whether the sun cream states it is water resistant or not, we would still suggest you reapply more regularly.

 

We decided to ask some parents who follow our page to vote for their favourite sun creams;

Please note there are some affiliate links within the article and we may earn a small commission from any purchases

Top 5 Sun creams for Babies and Toddlers

what are the best baby suncreams for babies and toddlersfor

Child’s Farm 50+ SPF Baby Sun Cream – Fragrance Free

£22.99

Childs Farm new formulation 50+SPF suncream for very high protection, is water resistant and protects young and sensitive skin from UVA and UVB rays, whilst keeping skin moisturised and hydrated. So you can relax while your children enjoy the sun safely. Suitable for babies and upwards. Dermatologist and paediatrician approved as suitable for sensitive skin and safe for people who may be prone to eczema.

MyBump2Baby mum says;
Sophie “We have used child’s farm on my daughter since she day dot, she has eczema and a friend recommended it to me. We wouldn’t use anything else”

Buy the sun cream here

 

 

besy sun cream for babies and toddlers

Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Anti-Sand Kids Sun Cream Spray SPF50

This clever sand resistant formula is non-sticky and easily absorbed to avoid that sticky feeling. It’s water resistant and has a high SPF factor. It’s also a great choice for fussy babies, as it’s quick and easy to apply with the continuous, any angle spray. It’s also a good one for school-aged children to apply to themselves thanks to the mist spray application.

MyBump2Baby mum’s say

Sarah “We fell in love with this sun cream years ago, we love the fact is it none sticky which is great for my toddler and 6 year old sun as they love going to the beach”

Buy the sun cream here

 

 

Riemann P20 SPF 30 Children Sun Cream Spray

A once-a-day sunscreen, P20 has a five star UVA protection and factor 30 SPF. It’s a good choice for school-aged children, or little ones who hate having sunscreen put on and its water resistant and quick drying. It’s got more of an oily texture than most of the creams on this list, and it’s very quick and easy to apply with the spray action.

Stacey “My little ones hate putting sun cream on which is why I chose this one, just be careful putting your little ones in white clothes afterwards”

Buy the sun cream here

sun cream baby

Green People Organic Children Sun Cream Lotion SPF30

This sunscreen from Green People is a natural sun lotion suitable for children with sensitive skin, or those prone to prickly heat. Offering 97% UVB protection (the rays that cause burning) and high protection against UVA and UVB rays. It’s made from 78% organic ingredients including Aloe Vera, beeswax and avocado, sunflower and olive oil and it’s gentle on eczema and psoriasis. It’s thicker than some others, but it rubs in well.

Martha “my little one is prone to prickly heat which is why we have always used this, my friend also uses this one on her little one that suffers with psoriasis”

Buy the sun cream here

 

ultrasun

UltraSun SPF50 Extreme Children’s Sun Lotion Once a Day

£21.99

Another one-a-day sunscreen, UltraSun’s Extreme lotion only requires one application in the morning, although reapplication is recommended for complete protection. A good option for tots who hate having sunscreen applied, it’s got a thick consistency and an easy to use pump dispenser. It can take a while to rub into the skin, but it’s worth it for the long protection.

Fiona “We first used this last year, I really love it”

Buy the sun cream here

 

Tips for protecting Babies and toddlers from the sun

If you are planning to be outside a lot with your little one, protect them from the sun by following the steps below:

Stay inside during peak sun hours, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as much as you can.

Look for  shaded areas where possible, or break up your sun exposure with time out in the shade here and there. Use sun umbrellas where possible.

Remember to put sunscreen on underneath your toddler’s clothes, light-colored clothing and loosely woven fabrics allow the most UV rays through.

Choose sun-protective clothing that has SPF built right into the fabric where you can.

Put on a sun hat or cap with a forward-facing brim that shields the face from the sun.

Have your child wear toddler-sized sunglasses with at least 99 percent UV protection.

If you’re pushing your toddler in a stroller, use the stroller’s shade or a parasol that you can attach to the side rather than tossing a blanket or other heavy covering over it, which could make your child too hot. You could even look at a liner for the pram to help keep them cool, use a Nowa baby liner.

The Savvy Little Monsters Ltd – Taking Pre-loved Buying to Another Level

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How much do we all love pre loved buying, or buy sell sites though?

I know I do, there is always a bargain to be had and always something in my house that is unused and worth some money. There is sometimes however, the downsides to buying preloved items because you can never really know exactly what quality of goods you are going to get.

You know that awful feeling…. you know….  when you buy something on the local buy, sell, swap sites and you either go to collect or it is delivered and it is faulty or unclean and you think “whyyyy!!??” …. it is actually like throwing money down the drain!!! When you collect in person you can often feel a little awkward saying “sorry I don’t want to give you my money anymore because the toy you are about to sell smells a lot like cat wee”.

Now don ‘t laugh…. but this has actually happened to me

I handed over £20.00 for some toys that definitely once a cat’s litter box, I had to stop at the nearest bin and throw them away, as I couldn’t stand the smell in my car. So that day I basically I threw £20.00 plus petrol money in the bin because I didn’t want to offend the seller. I am sure I won’t be the only one that this has happened to.

Wouldn’t it be great if a person could vet all the toys before we buy them and make sure we don’t waste our money on “cat wee” smelling toys? 

The Savvy little monsters taking pre loved to another level

Great news!!!! There is such a site…. The Savvy Little Monsters Ltd was set up by a husband and wife duo and in essence is a pre loved selling site, but boy do they ensure quality and cleanliness. The Savvy Little Monsters Ltd ensure each product is fully safety checked and cleaned before you buy so it really is like buying brand new without the “brand new” prices.

The Face and mascots of the business are the ‘The savvy little monsters” themselves. These cartoon monsters represent the real life members of the family run business from the daddy monster to baby monster.

 

Meet The Savvy Little Monsters

The Safety Monster (Dad) is responsible for the safety of each product. He ensures all products are checked for missing or broken parts and passed to, The Earth Monster (Mum) for re-sale once passed through quality control.

The Earth Monster is responsible for deep cleaning each product before re-sale. Ensuring any unsuitable products are taken out of circulation and sent to Terracycle for recycling. To look after the companies’ green footprint and to help make the Earth happy (yeah they also have a handy zero waste policy ensuring no unsafe products return back into the selling market).

The Insta Monster (Teenager) is responsible for making sure they are active on Instagram. To ensure products are promoted and that their followers grow and interact with them and the teenager also looks after their brand awareness.  This actually makes me feel proud like I could have my little monster help grow our business one day.

Then there is The Fun Monster (baby) who is responsible for having fun and to oversee that the toys are drop, dribble and most of all Monster proof! I mean adorable overload and just amazing to include the whole family.

These monsters draw you in and relating them to the family makes the service that little bit more personal and relatable. You really feel like the second hand pre loved items you buy from them will be top quality, safe and clean as they come directly from a family who care and want to ensure the safety and cleanliness of each item. It really feels like the ethos of the business is ensuring high quality. If they would buy and use the product, then that is the only way they will sell it.

The Savvy Little Monsters Website

Their website is easy to navigate and hassle free saving you lots of time. You can shop by category, brand or even characters, so with my toy story mad son I can head straight to that section. Not only that, they give you the option of monthly packages and my word you get some incentive for your money!! Savings of 25% every month, a free session at a toddler group, up to 50% Cash Back on toys bought from them and the choice of any pre loved toy up to a certain amount on their site every month!! I mean what on earth could be stopping you from saving this site to your favourites.

We at MyBump2Baby absolutely love The Savvy Little Monsters, for their strong quality and zero waste ethos, for their incredible pre loved products but most of all for their fun family orientated business smart idea. Go now and check them out it’s a must in my book.

Recommended on MyBump2Baby

The Savvy Little Monsters Ltd have been awarded with our “recommended on MyBump2Baby badge” check out just some of their fantastic reviews.

 

Gemma says “Friendly and willing to go the extra mile. I’m so grateful for all the help that was gone into finding a toy that my baby loved to play with at the family centre. Highly recommended and will be going here again for all his toys. Thank you for being so friendly and wonderful x”

Jade says “Fabulous service and great customer service very friendly and kindly donated to our up and running baby group! X”

Charlotte says “Amazing little business, toys as good as new will define you be ordering more! Great service and quick delivery highly recommend Thankyou xx”

 

 

Arabella Chi from Love Island has been a Maternity Model – Whattttt?

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Many of us parents, plan our lives around the hit reality show otherwise known as Love Island.

In our house, we actually have a rule in place that all household chores must be completed by 8:50… if there not they get left till the morning, so that we can sit back, whilst my poor husband watches me stuff my face with my favourite co-op salt and vinegar crisps at the same time as whining about why my body doesn’t look like the girls in the Love Island villa…. After he reassures me that he loves me no matter what size I am, we then intermittently shout at the TV, continuously shaking our heads in disbelief at some of the conversations and decisions that the Love Island reality stars make. I can’t be alone in this process surely?

Personally, I cannot deny that when I chat with friends about Love Island, the conversation is a lot more entertaining than “poo and nappy chats”, Love Island gives me a new lease of life in the summer months and I can’t deny that I am a massive fan (I have even ordered at love island water bottle…. Shhhhh)

Now, of course with our website being a pregnancy – pre-school directory, I am always intrigued to hear about pregnant and celebrity mums….

 

Maternity Wear Scandal

Is it me or did the rest of you believe that when you are scrolling through maternity wear the maternity models were actually pregnant? Perhaps it’s just me… perhaps I have been out of the loop for all these years.

Can you believe that some maternity models aren’t actually pregnant? The love island fans have been in uproar since it has been discovered that Arabella used to be a maternity model for ASOS.

An eagle-eyed Love Island fan came across the familiar face on ASOS, posting the screenshots on Twitter with the question, ‘So, Arabella does maternity modelling?’

The tweet rapidly went viral, with many people expressing their shock that models actually wear fake bumps – instead of companies actually using pregnant women.

‘I never even considered that maternity models wouldn’t actually be pregnant,’ one user Tweeted, while blogger Grace Victory said, ‘WHY DID I THINK ACTUAL PREGNANT MODELS WOULD MODEL MATERNITY WEAR? OMG!’

One Twitter user was less shocked with the news ‘I’m laughing at everyone expecting maternity models to be pregnant. Yep, making a woman who’s pregnant shoot upwards of 50 outfits in a few hours is logical.’

Retweeting the piece, model Sophie Porley revealed that it was actually normal practice in the industry.

‘Most of my model friends only got booked for maternity modelling when they had slim faces and arms, then would wear the belly bump,’ she wrote.

‘As soon as models get pregnant, they don’t work anymore. Craziness. And totally unrealistic to all pregnant women. I did maternity when I was 21!’

Another model, Chloe Lloyd, replied to Sophie, adding, ‘Yep and I did maternity once when I was 18! Hated every minute & haven’t done it since but all of us did at one point. Modelling industry is a savage one.’

 

 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this, did you think maternity models were pregnant? Do you think they should be?

So What is this Hypnobirthing All About Then??

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We are really excited to share an expert article with you from the amazing Alexandra Gould a Hypnobirthing Practitioner for the amazing Mindful Mamma in Lincoln. She has an incredible 14 –  5 star reviews on her listing with us. Click here to read some amazing testimonials. Today Alex shares an article on a question many expectant parents have “What is This Hypnobirthing All About Then?”

So What is this Hypnobirthing All About Then??

 

A bit about me…

My name is Alexandra Gould and I am a Mindful Hypnobirthing Practitioner with award winning Mindful Mamma.

I’m also a qualified Midwife, Rebozo Practitioner and currently studying a Clinical Hypnotherapy Diploma.

Enough about me!

Now, let’s get down to busting a few myths about hypnobirthing shall we, and explain what its really all about?

Firstly, you don’t have to be a hippy, worship the moon, wear sandals, baggy clothes and listen to monks chanting (although what’s wrong with that? Personally I love a good Tibetan singing bowl).  Hypnobirthing, especially combined with Mindfulness can work wonders for preparing women and very importantly partners for childbirth. I want birth partners to also feel confident and view themselves as a well-equipped birthing coach.

And I mean ANY birth, not just home birthing. Even if you are having a planned caesarean section the techniques learnt in a workshop will help enormously. Before, during and after childbirth, especially breastfeeding.

So What is this Hypnobirthing All About Then??

In fact, the skills you will learn are transferable and can be adapted to just about any and all areas of daily life.

I have often heard women report that they felt as if they’d failed and that has to stop. For me that’s heartbreaking. I want couples to elevate their birth experience. To have as gentle a birth as possible with positive memories. After all its the most important event in a couples lives.

I want couples to feel awesome about their birth, because women are awesome and their physiology is awesome. I want a newborn to have as gentle as birth as possible. Calm Mamma equals calm baby and Hypnobirthing mums very often report back that little one is “so chilled out”.

Practitioners don’t swing a watch in front of you or ask you to “look into my eyes, not around my eyes, but deep into my eyes”, least I hope not!

It’s NOT stage Hypnosis, it’s a therapy that uses simple gentle elements of SELF hypnosis, along with other therapy techniques and effective breathing techniques, so no-one is controlling anyone. Techniques used depend on the practitioner, but will usually also involve aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Techniques (CBT), Neuro Linguistic Programming Techniques as well as visualisations. I want couples to have a variety of tools and skills to enable them to find out what works best for them, so it’s not at all prescriptive. Ultimately women deserve to feel safe and respected.

Empowering women to make the best informed choices for themselves, their baby and partner, so they no longer feel as if they are a passive by stander. This is what motivates and is it at the heart of my work, life and passion.

It’s not just deep relaxation although that’s obviously beneficial for a birthing mamma. There is so much more to it.

There is no universally agreed upon definition of Hypnosis and practitioners are likely to explain it in slightly different ways.

Some will explain it as reprogramming unwanted automatic, unconscious, autonomic responses. And I’m mainly talking about the fear and anxiety response here.

Fear is not a good bedfellow with childbirth. If fear and adrenalin kick in then we can get stuck in a fear-tension-pain cycle.

We’ve been programmed and conditioned to be fearful around birth.

As a midwife I have seen, all too often, women who are scared and tense.

It puts a brake on the production of Oxytocin which is the primary hormone to start and progress birth.

Oxytocin is referred to as the ‘Love‘ hormone as its produced by the body when we hug, when we feel safe, secure and private. And yes it’s produced when we make love.

So we absolutely want a woman to feel a `whole lota lota love’ I’m sounding like Cilla Black now!

The other aspect of Mindful Hypnobirthing is to remember it is a skill set. When these simple yet very effective techniques are used, it develops a really strong `Mindset’ in terms of positive attitude, self-efficacy, expectancy, excitement and focus so that a woman is able to be CALM, CONFIDENT AND RELAXED. When this achieved your body takes over and muscles work harmoniously and comfortably.

So if you’re an expectant Mamma, seriously consider committing to a One Day Workshop with me, it may well be the best thing you ever do in preparing for the journey towards childbirth and parenthood.

Remember….You are enough! You have the innate strength and resources to birth your baby.

Mindful Hypnobirthing helps you to access these abilities.

And I thinks that’s a good place to end this blog!

Nameste as they say ; ) Alex xxx

You can visit Alexanda’s website here.

Follow her on social media;

Twitter

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Top 5 Family Attractions In Surrey

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Today we have a fantastic guest post from the lovely Claire from Fairy Cakes Babysitting and Childcare services in and around Surrey. Claire has written an article on her top 5 attractions for families in Surrey. As you know we have lots of pregnancy to pre-school groups and classes within our directory in Surrey.

Surrey’s Top 5 Family Attractions

Here in Surrey we have so many wonderful places to explore and lots of history to learn about and of course the River Thames. If you love history, being out and about, taking a stroll along the River Thames or if you are thrill seeker, Surrey has something for everyone of all ages. It is very hard for me to pick just 5 places in Surrey as there are so many, but I would like to share with you some of the best places my family and I have been to and have made amazing memories along the way.

#1 Top Attraction in Surrey Hampton Court Palace

top-5-family-attractions-surrey

My number one has to be Hampton Court Palace, I have been so many times with my children, with children I’ve looked after, with my Mum and I never get bored neither do the children.

The Palace itself is amazing with so much to see and historical information to take in. During school holidays they have activities going on around the palace for the children to take part in and actors dressed up doing bits of re-enactment. There is the maze to get lost in or to lose the children in !!

Amazing gardens and grounds to walk through, have picnics on whilst looking at the beautiful surroundings. Many cafes and restaurants to try too.

My favourite part of Hampton Court by far is The Magic Garden, it’s a magical wonder for the children, well and for me !! We often go to Hampton Court just to go to The Magic Garden.

Each part of Hampton Court Palace can be paid for separately,but I for the last two years have bought a palace pass which last for 15 months and can get you into the whole palace, grounds, maze, and magic garden.

The palace pass also allows to visit other palaces such as Kensington Palace,Kew Palace, Tower of London and many more.

Opening times –

Monday to Sunday 10 am to 6 pm

Prices for all attractions

Gate price

Adult £23.70

Child £11.90

Family two adults and up to 3 children £59.10

Prices vary please check the website individual prices available for magic garden and the maze.

 

#2 Top Attraction in Surrey – The Discovery Lookout Centre

The discovery lookout Centre. Part of the lookout Centre is a science exhibition with lots of hands-on science activities for children of all ages it’s a great way to have fun and learn at the same time.

We love it here and have been many times I also love trying all the experiments pushing buttons, playing with the water and so much more. They also have daily shows that run at weekends and school holidays.

Outside in the grounds of the lookout discovery Centre is an adventure playground set in Bracknell Forest which also provides a lovely walk and we many a time I’ve played in the forest making our own tepees out of branches that have fallen from the trees.

Caution- there is so much to see and do here that as the parent/child carer you need eyes in the back of your head and octopus arms!!

Opening hours – daily 10 am to 5 pm.

Entry price of the discovery Centre

Adult £7.90

Child £5.40

Under4’s free

(See website for saver tickets)

Car park £2 for 4 hours

£4 for the whole day

Adventure playground/forest free.

 

#3 Top Attraction in Surrey –  Runnymede Pleasure Grounds,

I love it here it’s a great day out for not a lot of money and making your own fun, especially during the warmer weather.

Situated on the River Thames with lovely views and lots of open grassy spaces for the little ones to run around, play games, have picnics and maybe even an ice cream!!

There is a playground and also a splash pool for the kiddies that is open in the warmer weather, also feeding the ducks and swans is an option.

A little further up but still in the grounds of Runnemede you can jump on a boat which you can soak up the beautiful views all the way to Windsor.

I have spent many days at Runnymede with my children and the fluffy child!

 

Car park prices

For all day parking £6

(Varying times and charges)

 

#4 Top Attraction in Surrey Bocketts Farm

Bocketts farm is a wonderful place for a day out and is hugely popular. It has got better and better over the years, with many more attractions added since I first went many years ago when it was a simple petting farm.

Bocketts farm is situated in Fetcham, not far from Leatherhead and the M25.

The form is a working farm and of course has many lovely animals to visit and some you were able to feed and hold, they even have pig races in a tractor ride.

They have a huge outdoor space filled with multiple adventure playgrounds for the children to all run off in different directions as there is just so much for them to do!

And as if that hasn’t exhausted you enough , there is also an indoor play area (soft play).

and yes you guessed it the only way out to the exit is the very lovely souvenir shop, where usually I do a quick march through saying the car park ticket is about to expire!

All in all this is a fantastic day out for the whole family.

 

Open daily 10 am to 5 pm

Standard prices

Adult £11.95

Children 3 to 17 years old £12.95

Children 2 years £10.95

Under 2’s Free

There are optional extras see website for other special deals.

#5 Top Attraction in Surrey Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington world of adventures review

Last but not least is Chessington world of adventures theme park. You can read MyBump2Baby’s review here.

We are very lucky here in Surrey we have many theme parks to choose from Thorpe park, Legoland and of course Chessington.

I have chosen Chessington as age range wise I think it has something for everyone, where is Thorpe park is really aimed at adults/older teenagers and Legoland for much younger children.

Yes it is a very expensive day out and maybe a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. My children and I have been very lucky and have had Merlin passes many times and they are well worth the outlay, but for a cheap day out at a theme park you can buy a day ticket using your Tesco vouchers if you’re good at saving them up!

Obviously there is so much to do and many different rides and shows to see, but can also be extremely busy. Always an amazing day out.

You can also visit the zoo with many different animals, my favourite is the little penguins and sea lions and you can also take a look around the sea life centre.

 

Average day price- £50.50pp

Car park- £3 per car

There are also lots of online deals check out their website.

 

Thank you for reading my name is Claire a mum of two girls aged 16 and 12 years and I am a nursery nurse/nanny to many wonderful families for over 20 years and this is my top five days out in Surrey.

I am the owner of Fairy Cakes Babysitting and Childcare Services providing ad hoc, emergency childcare, evening babysitting and Proxy Parenting to many families in and around Surrey. And coming soon Fairy’s wedding and events childcare services.

Email: fairyclaire1979@icloud.com

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If Only You Could Rent Baby Clothes | Baby Clothes Subscription Box 

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baby clothes rental subscription box

 

 

“Have a baby “they said…. “it will be fun” they said… but they never said how many sleepless nights you have when you have a baby.

Regardless of whether it is the numerous night feeds or the amount of thoughts on your mind when you are trying to balance everything that comes with being a parent, there is always a little bit of stress attached when it comes to running a household.

We simply cannot deny the increase in outgoings when it comes to starting a family. The fact is, our babies are always growing which means clothing purchased that initially fits like a glove, regularly need to be replaced with new clothing.

When it comes to babies, growth spurts happen at different stages and sometimes you can end up buying a whole new wardrobe and within weeks the clothes have gone from loose to bursting at the seams and new sizes are needed. Before you know it, you are haul-assing your way to the local shop on an urgent shopping spree at a time that is totally inconvenient for everyone not to mention expensive.

Now what if this problem could be fixed? What if this problem could be fixed with one simple change? What is you could rent baby clothes via a monthly subscription….. wait a minute….. YOU CAN!!!!!!!!!!

baby clothes rental subscription box

Baby Clothes Subscription Rental Service

Troberg Baby Box is a subscription rental service that allows you to rent clothes for your baby rather than purchase them, ultimately saving you money and creating a simple delivery service to ensure you receive your new clothing ready for the next growth spurt. The old items are simply sent back, quality checked, washed and sent to a new family. This is a great way to recycle baby clothes.

The Björk Box is a subscription renting service that brings 16 baby clothes items right to your door. Use them for 3 months or until they no longer fit and swap them for the next size up. The box is based on a simple brand to match the simple life we are trying to create for you. By having a subscription box, you can rest easy knowing when you need clothes most they will be delivered to your door.

The Clothing Inside the Baby Box

There are no time restrictions when it comes to the items, simply return and swap as and when suits you and your baby. The baby clothing is 100% cotton, 100% soft. All the clothes are machine washable and each box is designed to get you through one week.. Just throw it all in the wash and you will be ready for another 7 days – it is that simple!!!!

Our Review of the Troberg Subscription Box

The box was delivered and came in a beautiful box.

Inside the box there was some lovely items which comprised of;

Baby Grows x 2

Baby Vests x 5

Tops x 5

Trousers x 1

Bibs x 3

Hat x 1

The clothes are good quality and the outfits included in the box cleverly match up together no matter what top or trousers you choose.

Why We Recommend Troberg Baby Box

Let’s face it, as parents we long for an easy life. When I think about the most difficult times of the day with George they often involve trying to locate something to wear and match it up with something else. I personally would have loved this box when George was a baby, I think it would have saved a fortune.

The whole concept of the baby clothes subscription box is fantastic. In the first 2 years of parenting we spend lots of money on new items and our babies barely have a chance to wear everything before we are replacing it with something else.

Based on our experience we have awarded Troberg Baby Box with our Recommended on MyBump2Baby badge.

 

If you would like to get started with your own baby box click here.

You can follow them on Facebook too.

Items to Remember to Take to a Haven Caravan Holiday

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Wahooo…. the Haven caravan season is finally upon us!!!

There is honestly nothing better than driving away from your normal life to spend quality time with your tribe…. away from chores, jobs and that awful thing that we call “laundry”. Regardless of whether you are heading to Presthaven Sands, Riviera Sands or Lakeland Holiday Park you will need a list of items to remember to take to your Haven Caravan holiday.

You may be intending to be in the caravan for a very short space of time or you may plan on being in the caravan a lot…. Either way it is important to make sure you pack all the essentials.

Essential Items to Remember for your Haven Caravan Holiday

Where on earth do you start when it comes to what you need to take with you? What Essentials do you need for a Haven Caravan holiday?

Perhaps your new to caravan life or maybe you have been a dozen times, either way… I am sure you will agree that a “caravan list of essentials” is absolutely necessary when packing for your well-deserved break.

We have only started going on caravan mini breaks since having my son and believe you me, unless you have a list of what to take on a Haven holiday you WILL forget something. The reason I have created this list is mainly so I can use it myself (I always forget something when we go on our caravan holidays).

You see, packing for a caravan break is a little different then packing for your usual hotel break. Hotels often supply you with towels, bedding and all the extras you need but caravans don’t. You need to think about washing up, cooking etc. which are things you don’t need to think about in a hotel. The reason I have created this list.

Sure…. Haven Caravan Parks have shops on site should you forget something but the cost of these items can be a little on the expensive side. To make sure you swerve any additional charges follow our caravan essentials list and you will be all ready for your break with no hiccups and unexpected surprises.

Caravan Break List of Essentials

Here are my list of essentials (items I have most probably forgotten to take myself before)


Kitchen Items

Washing up liquid

Antibacterial handwash

Sponge

Dishcloth

Tea Towel

Kitchen cleaning products

High chair (unless pre-ordered)

Bin bag

Tea and coffee.

Sandwich bags if you are planning on a picnic

Foil for cooking

Kitchen roll

Laundry Items

Bags for dirty washing

Washing powder

Hand washing

Iron

Bathroom Essentials

Towels (hand, beach, bath and swimming towels)

Shampoo

Conditioner

Body Wash

Hand wash

Hairdryer

Hair products

Makeup

 

Bedroom

Bedding (take your own bedding to save additional costs)

Extra blanket

Travel cot and bedding

 

Entertainment

Tablet (remember wifi may be limited so download from BBC IPlayer or Netflix before you go)

Laptop

DVD player and DVDS

Camera

Chargers

Board games

Books

Colouring

So hopefully this list has given you enough guidance to ensure you have the perfect break. To save money we always find a local supermarket nearby and get some yummy food and drinks with plenty of treats too so we aren’t constantly spending money.

 

Easter Fun Craft Ideas

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Oh I do love Easter…. The chocolate, the eggs and the bank holiday – come on what is not to love! If you have older children who are off school it can be an expensive time, especially if you are at a loss for things to do. A simple cinema trip can cost over £20.00 and that isn’t including the sweets and drinks.

We decided to put together some fun craft ideas that you can do with your little ones this Easter that don’t cost the earth and should keep them entertained without driving you insane. Now I am not going to pretend that I am a crafty mum – I am useless at all that stuff but I have asked some of my super crafty bloggers friends for some simple crafts you can do with your children this Easter.

 

Crafty Easter Fun Ideas

 

Easy Peasy Bunny Ears from The Bear and the Fox

 

Easter Fun Craft Ideas

 

“Last year around Easter, my big boy and I went to an Easter family event at one of our local Berlin museums. Amongst other things, we made some colourful, feathered bunny ears, which we recently rediscovered during a big tidy up. No sooner found, than he was jumping around the house with them, putting on his best bunny face (see above) – and, as to be expected, his little brother wanted some bunny ears too!…..” Read more….

 

 

Washi Tape Easter Egg from The Gingerbread House

 

Easter fun craft ideas 2

 

“As my washi tape collection grows bigger and bigger I thought it was about time I used some of them up. My Pinterest boards are full of Easter and Spring crafting and I wanted to make something with my 3 year old who is currently exploring eggs at his nursery. We decided on pretty washi tape Easter eggs”… Read more…

 

Pom Pom Spring Garland from The Rose Tinted World

 

Easter Fun Craft Ideas

 

“Is it me or is it feeling like Spring is in the air? The temperatures have definitely been unseasonably warm, some of the spring flowers are blooming, and I have even seen some frogspawn appearing in local ponds. So with all this in mind, I was inspired to make a Pom Pom Spring garland.” ….Read more..

 

Eggcellent Painted Eggs from Hodge Podge Days

Easter fun craft ideas

 

“When I got an email from school reminding me that entries for the Easter Egg Painting competition needed to be handed in this week, I went into a slight panic. Although we love doing crafts together, he can be a bit easily distracted if something isn’t done and dusted in one session. We chatted about what we could do and between us we came up with three easy ideas for painted eggs.” … Read more

 

Easter Egg Colouring Pages from Messy Little Monster (FREE PRINTABLE)

 

Easter Fun craft ideas 3

 

“Toddlers and preschoolers will love colouring these free printable Easter egg colouring pages. The simple design is perfect for younger kids. If you are looking to make Easter cards with your children then these would be perfect to stick on the front of the cards. Simply download, print and colour. Don’t forget you dont have to just colour, painting or adding collage would look amazing too!” Read More…

 

I Spy Game from Jan’s Family Notebook (FREE PRINTABLE)

 

 

“I Spy games are a fantastic way to help young children develop various skills including vocabulary, comprehension and maths skills. Little Miss loved the bright colours in this Spring I spy game and had great fun counting the different pictures. I spy games are great for rainy afternoons or for taking on long journeys. This I spy game would be a fun addition to a Spring unit study. The sheet can be laminated to use over and over again. Children can use pom poms or buttons to place over the pictures once they are counted.” Read more

Potty Training Essentials | Recommended Items for Potty Training

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If you have stumbled across this post it must be nearly time for the BIG task of potty training!!! You are probably in a good routine and it is scary thinking about changing that – I mean let’s face it, getting out the house is not an easy task with nappies let alone without.

From the day your little one is born nappies very quickly become part of your daily life. As parents, we can tend to put potty training off for a while as the task can be a little daunting. There is a lot to think about when you start thinking about potty training. We have created a list of potty training essentials to support you through your journey.

Once you feel your little one is ready to make the change the next thing you need to do is thinking about what you need to begin your potty training journey.

Here is our list of our Recommended Potty Training items for 2019;

Potty Training Pants | Bamino Mio Training Pants

We were keen to get out of nappies altogether during the day but we also didn’t want to be secluded to the 4 walls in our house so we decided to switch to a trusted brand. After plenty of research and trawling through lots of reviews we decided to make the switch to the fantastic Bambino-Mio pull up cloth pants which we would highly recommend.

There are 13 beautiful designs to choose from which encourages your little one to wear them. My son is dinosaur obsessed so it made it very easy for us to switch over. There is a concealed water resistant layer inner pad, it allows toddlers to feel the wetness whilst minimising clothing changes which means your life doesn’t have to change too drastically during the changeover. The Bambino-Mio are machine washable and can be tumble dried and are very soft against your child’s skin. These training pants are reusable and a great way to be kinder to the environment.

We would highly recommend the Bambino-Mio Potty training pants. You can purchase them by visiting their website or via Amazon.

Potty Training Essentials Must have potty training items

 

Summer Infant My Size Potty, £29.99

There are lots of different kinds of potties to choose from and it can be a very difficult choice. We do love the Summer Infant my size potty.  This looks and acts like a real toilet which makes it an easier transition to the real thing. The Summer Infant my size potty features a realistic flushing sound. The clip-on splash guard and flip-up lid helps boys in the potty training process, and the built in wipe dispenser is perfect for promoting good hygiene. You can purchase this in white or pink by clicking here

Reviews from MyBump2Baby Readers

“I loved this potty, it made the transition to the big toilet very easy” Amanda, Liverpool

“I loved the potty had the training wipes in the pack to help teach my little one the importance of hygiene too” Gemma, Croydon.

must have potty training essentials

 

A Potty Training Book

In the lead up to your little one starting potty training, I recommend purchasing a couple of books around potty training. It is a great time to make it a little more fun instead of a chore. We read a couple of books around this including; No more Nappies and Pirates Pete’s Potty.

Trousers with a stretchy waistband

Definitely avoid any pants with drawstrings or zippers as that is where accidents can happen.  Initially there will be a small time between needing to go and going so you don’t want to waste any time. We recommend purchasing some elastic trousers to make things a little easier, you can purchase some here.

 

Progress Chart

Although it is easy to get frustrated when there are accidents we must remember how important it is to reward your little one when they do well. Rewards are an absolute must. We used a progress chart with George and at the end of each week he got a prize. There are lots of different progress charts you can purchase but here is the one we used. You can purchase it here.

 

Protective Mattress Cover

The protective mattress covers are great for protecting your little ones mattress. We got a couple of these, we haven’t cracked the night time potty training yet so these are great for extra protection whilst you practice and afterwards. This particular option is Eco friendly and has raving reviews. You can purchase one here.

Extra Bedsheets

There is nothing worse than being greeted with a wet bed at the wrong time with no extra sheets. I recommend having a change of bedsheets at the ready so that the bed can be changed within a couple of minutes. There are so many to choose from, you can purchase some here.

 

 

 

Baby/Toddler Sustainable Bath Sponge – Koha Kids

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Bath time in our house is George’s time to flick between becoming a super-hero Shark hunter saving lives by selflessly pulling screaming children from the depths of the ocean to Finding Nemo as he swims around the bath desperately searching for his parents.

As with most things when you are a parent of a toddler, there does of course tend to be a negative side to anything you do and the negative side of bath time in our house is the tears and tantrums that come along when he has his hair washed. We have tried numerous methods when it comes to washing George’s hair including the pre- warning countdown with a jug “3,2,1”, the zero countdown when we think a countdown won’t go down well and the singing cheery bath songs as we try to wash him down with a smile on our face – none work and every time we try, it results in tears followed by us reassuring him he isn’t actually blind!!!

Eco-Friendly Bath Sponge

Recently, after reading some scary articles about what is in our bath products, I swiftly changed Georges bath wash to ensure we are using more natural products. The next job on my list was to start looking for toddler sustainable bath fun sponges that we can use. I bought a few sponges that are a little “different” but sadly I quickly noticed that they were a little harsh on George’s skin, so I decided to go back to the usual sponge, jug and dreaded countdown routine. That was until I recently tried Koha Kids!

Koha Kid’s is a collection of eco-friendly, cruelty free and ethical items to help make caring for your children fun and sustainable. Koha Kids have gone above and beyond when it comes to caring for your family with both the present moment as we use the product and the future, ensuring we protect the earth for our children’s future.

Koha kids offers a range of products including their bamboo toothbrushes. The bamboo toothbrushes have been carefully made using naturally antibacterial Moso bamboo. Moso Bamboo is panda-friendly, sustainable and biodegradable. These easy to grip toothbrushes are a positive change from a regular plastic toothbrush with soft bristles to ensure your child’s teeth and gums are looked after in the cleaning process. The toothbrushes are only £2.50, which is not dissimilar to the price of a regular toothbrush but allows you to make positive changes to the world in which we live in whilst educating your child on the importance of being environmentally friendly.

About Koha Beauty

The KOHA Beauty Company began as a simple idea with a view to simplify cleansing naturally, without compromising on quality. KOHA Beauty stands for cleansing simplified.

Koha Beauty recognised that skin care doesn’t need to be complicated, but it has to be right for your skins needs. Koha Beauty have created something incredible based on their passion for simplicity and their respect for nature to ensure your skin stays beautifully nourished using their incredible range.

Koha Beauty pride themselves on creating ethical high quality beauty products. It is refreshing to see a company keen to contribute towards a cruelty free world.

Baby Toddler Sustainable Bath Sponge – Koha Kids

 

The Koha Collection – The Konjac Sponges

Today I am excited to share my experience of the new Konjac sponges especially designed for children. Koha Kids recognises the importance of gentle bathing when it comes to washing children’s delicate skin. The Konjac sponges are specially designed for the most sensitive skin, in fact the first Konjac sponge was actually created for baby’s skin.

The KOHA Kids Konjac sponges are entirely free from chemicals, additives and preservatives, as well as being PH balanced, non-toxic and 100% natural ensuring they are the ideal partner for babies at bath time.

There are 2 different Konjac sponges available, one is the “Pure White” sponge which is designed specifically for skin that is easily irritated. The alkaline in the “pure white” sponge helps rebalance the skins PH whilst gently cleaning the skin without causing irritation.

The ‘Blue Konjac’ sponge is cleverly infused with blueberry, which works to calm and soothe the skin, the “Blue Konjac” is the ideal partner for a little one who loves exploring and using their imagination at bath time.

 

Our Experience of the Blue Konjac Sponge

The initial feel of the blue Konjac sponge had a very unique feel to it, it was hard and very lightweight.

I held the sponge under the tap for around 15 seconds and the sponge became soft and supple. The sponge swelled up but still kept its starfish appearance.

 

George’s thoughts on the Konjac Sponge

When we eventually threw the sponge in to the bath George was mesmerised, he loves anything to do with fish and sea creatures so he was in his element and he quickly became Nemo in search of his parents once again.

Washing George with the Konjac Sponge, George seemed to be more accepting with us squeezing the starfish over his head as we played with him. We managed to wash his hair with a lot less fuss as we played with the starfish.

George’s skin was beautifully soft as it usually is but I was impressed to see that this particular sponge didn’t irritate his skin.

We love this product and would definitely recommend it to other parents who are looking for an eco-friendly fun sponge for bath time.

 

Where Can I purchase Koha Kid’s Sponge

You can purchase the blue Konjac Sponge directly from Koha Beauty’s website for £7.50.

 

 We awarded Koha Kid’s with our recommended on badge

You can check out Koha Beauty on their fabulous website

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