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How to teach your children how to behave round dogs!

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We teach our children how to behave around babies, other children and adults but do you teach your children how to behave around dogs? Teaching our children how to behave around dogs can sometimes be forgotten, especially if your child doesn’t mix with dogs…. and then if they don’t mix with dogs how do you teach your children to behave round dogs? Can you see my dilemma?

I am not going to lie, mixing with dogs doesn’t come naturally to George, sure … he says loves them and yes, he talks about them…. A LOT…. But, when it comes to interacting with dogs, George gets a little scared and when a dog is arond he can be found cutting off the circulation round my legs with his eyes tightly shut!! I love animals, especially dogs so it is really important to me that George isn’t scared of dogs and it is also important to me that George understands animals and how to treat them nicely. A question I have often asked myself was “if we don’t have a dog and we rarely come in to contact with dogs how do we teach him to behave around dogs?”

Thankfully, I have discovered a beautiful book series created for this very thing, it is part of the Zara DogDog club series and it is a truly lovely read for a night time story.  

how to teach your children to behave around dogs

 

What is the Zara DogDog Club

Anna, the founder of Zara DogDog Club was inspired to create this fantastic series based on her own dog – Zara. Anna noticed that when she was out walking her dog, people were often unsure how to behave around her dog. The Zara DogDog Club is designed to help children develop positive relationships with dogs by understanding why dogs behave in certain ways whilst encouraging them to behave safely around dogs. The first book in the Zara DogDog Club book series is called “Zara DogDog on the school run” and I am excited to share our reading experience with you.

 

Zara DogDog book review

The book is beautifully illustrated by the talented Siobhan Barlow and written by the equally as talented Anna Crichton.

In the front of the book you will meet Zara’s family, there is mum, dad, Isaac, Amelia and of course Zara DogDog.

This beautifully illustrated, educational yet straightforward story begins with the alarm going off and Zara DogDog is waking up in the morning ready for her walk. Zara DogDog is initially enjoying her walk until it was cut short as she arrived at Isaac and Amelia’s school. The school was noisy and Zara was scared and began behaving differently.

This book explains very simply signs to look out for when a dog is uncomfortable or scared and it emphasises that you shouldn’t go and stroke a dog without asking first.

The book is aimed at 3 years plus but George understood it and we followed the 3 action steps printed in the back of the book to make it more interactive.

Before we started the books I asked George how he felt about dogs and he said he loves them, I asked him why he is scared when he is around them and he said because they bite, I explained that he doesn’t need to be scared of dogs but he should always ask the owner before stroking the dog.

George loved all the pictures in the book and when Zara DogDog become a little uncomfortable the pictures were clear and easy to understand, they illustrated 3 steps to look out for if a dog is feeling uncomfortable.

Afterwards, I spoke to George about how he felt about dogs now and what he needs to do before he strokes a dog and he said “ask the owner”.

 

I will continue to read this book each week as George really enjoyed the story and we both look forward to reading

more of Zara DogDogs adventures.

How to teach your children to behave around dogs 1

 

This fabulous book is only £7.99 and can be bought by clicking here.

 

We have awarded Zara DogDog Club with our Recommended on Badge as we absolutely love the book and the whole concept.

 

 

You can purchase your book here

Follow Zara DogDogs adventures by visiting the website

You can also follow her on

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Boogie Beat Music and Movement Review

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As a parent, I am sure you will agree it can be a little difficult to choose the right baby and toddler group to suit your needs. In this day and age, we are truly blessed when it comes to baby and toddler groups and selecting the right one for you can be a little.. how do you put it… overwhelming. Many of us have only have limited time available to spend with the little ones in our lives and we want to ensure that in between daily tasks, chores and general day to day lives, that when we finally get out of the house for an hour (sometimes we don’t), the class we attend has been enjoyable for all involved.

Today, we are really excited to share our own personal Boogie Beat Music and Movement experience with you. Rachael, the owner of the Preston and Fylde franchise invited us to come to a local class and write up a Boogie Beat Music and Movement Review – and, of course we jumped at the opportunity.

Obviously, before I attended the class I looked in to Boogie Beat Music and Movement a little further and I was delighted to find that our local classes were free of charge for everyone, so whether you are a grandparent, friend, relative, carer or childminder – you can attend these classes for FREE!!!!

The venues are currently;

Wednesday 1pm (45 mins) at Water’s Edge, Lytham St Anne’s

Thursday 11am (45 mins) Plum Tree Farm, Blackpool

More to be confirmed very soon.

 

I was also delighted to find out that Boogie Beat Music and Movement also support the local community by holding intergeneration workshops which I absolutely adore about this franchise… in fact, I would go as far to say it actually melts my heart.

Boogie Beat Review

 

Boogie Beat was founded in May 2000, the groups are aimed to help babies and children learn to express themselves whilst developing their coordination, social skills and confidence whilst having fun.

 

Boogie Beat Music & Movement Review

After a few tantrums and slaps to the face (me.. not George), George was finally ready to get out of bed. He was very excited at the idea of attending a class and we headed to Plum tree farm in Blackpool at 11am on Thursday for our first session at Boogie Beat Music and Movement. We met Emily the class teacher who was extremely friendly and we instantly felt welcomed and included.

I was delighted to see such a wide age range in children, there were babies right the way up to 4 year olds and it was clear to see that the families at the class were big fans of the franchise, the excitement on the children’s faces was infectious and George was shaking with excitement (he does that a lot when he is excited)

The theme of the classes changes every 2 weeks to keep the suspense alive and the theme today was “The Snowman” which seemed very fitting as it was absolutely freezing that morning. The songs, stories, dances and games were all snowman themed… cleverly blended with the traditional timeless classic nurseries and fairytales that we all know and love.

The class began by saying hello to Giggles the monkey and singing the welcome song. The music and songs in the class were easy to sing along and the movement side of the class was very easy to follow. Throughout the class there were laughs, dancing, music and stories and the way all the children expressed themselves was beautiful. As well as being educational for the toddlers the class also had a sensory feel to it which was great for the little babies. The class finished with the goodbye song and George decided he wanted to stay and play in the kids area afterwards.

I am definitely taking George to this fabulous class again. These classes are suitable from birth right up to school. They offer parties and school and nursery workshops, if you would like your children to benefit from this fabulous class please speak to your nursery or school or email Rachael directly rachael@boogiebeat.co.uk or send her a message on Facebook

 

Intergenerational class at a local carehome

I was also invited to come to the intergenerational class at one of my local care homes. There are so many benefits when it comes to these types of groups and I was keen to see one for myself. I got there a little earlier and spoke to the guests who were very excited about the music class and little visitors. We had a chat about their day as we eagerly waited for the children to arrive. The guests were looking out the window and when the children started arriving their eyes lit up and I felt a shudder of excitement for them myself. The class started and the theme today was the Gingerbread Man so everyone could join in. Watching the two generations connect on this level was beautiful and if you saw my video on Facebook you will know that I did feel very emotional to be a part of it.

The local paper was also at the carehome and you can read the article here

 

We have awarded Boogie Beat Music and Movement with our “Recommended on MyBump2Baby” badge.

You can find Rachael’s classes on our directory or her website.

You can follow her pages for the latest news and updates below

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Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums Magazine

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Tell me… what is one thing you do for yourself each day? Just one thing for one hour a day? Perhaps it is taking an exercise class each day or maybe you opt for a relaxing bath? Or sit in the Jacuzzi at your local spa? What do you do for your self-care and positive wellness? Ah… Ah… Ah…. Social media with a coffee doesn’t count as that isn’t taking time for you!

Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums

Time for Self-Care and Positive Wellness

I don’t think people realise how important self-care and positive wellness is … especially when it comes to new mums. As a mum it is so hard to prioritize taking a bath when you have a bucket load of washing literally suffocating your personal space (story of my life) and a screaming baby.

You may not realise but self-care and positive wellness are both very important when it comes to beating stress. It has been proven that when you are too tired, eating a poor diet and generally run down you will be more reactive to stresses in your life, your poor reactions may even create more issues by not responding from a place of inner calmness and strength.

It could be that you have to take your hour of self-care and wellness in stages during the day, 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there and that is ok too but however you use your hour make sure it is built in to your day and you treat it as none negotiable. It is time to take care of you!!

What if I was to tell you that there is a magazine out there that focuses on you, your self-care and positive wellbeing? “Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums” has been created by the incredible Isabella and Us.

Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums 1

The graceful yet tranquil brand that is otherwise known as Isabella and Us promotes positive wellbeing in parents whilst raising awareness about important issues like mental health.

Positive Wellbeing Zine for Mums Magazine

As a fellow parent, I am sure you will agree that your time for self-care and positive wellness each day is either none existent or can be occasionally broken down in to slots and this beautiful magazine promotes numerous self-care and positive wellness ideas of how you can focus more on you. Packed with a mixture of real life short articles, humorous stories, interviews and advice this beautifully designed magazine ensures that even if you only get that 5 minute break you can read something from this fabulous magazine

The Positive Wellbeing Zine for mums is a calm and tranquil timeless book of positivity and includes plenty of information about positive self-care ideas and habits.

The beautifully illustrated magazine is A5 which means it slots perfectly in to your handbag, desk drawer and even your glove compartment in the car – why do babies always fall asleep in the car by the way?

As well as supporting mums, The Positive Wellbeing Zine supports small independent businesses that also offer support and services to parents, their children and their families. If you would like to advertise click here.

We love the fact that that Emma the Founder of Isabella and Us has collaborated with a great deal of inspiring mums and mums in business to bring you this uplifting and encouraging publication. This magazine is a fantastic resource to uplift your mood when times get a little tough as a mum and helps change your mind set for the better.

This particular magazine includes a range of topics from Mindfulness, Top Tips for Self-Care, Mama Boss Feature, a Self-Care Planner, beautiful illustrations plus much more. You can purchase this magazine for as little as £4.50 – that’s less than a large cup of coffee!!!  Click here to purchase.

I have always been open when it comes to speaking about my personal struggles with postnatal depression, anxiety and PTSD. Looking back, I didn’t take regular time for myself and as soon as George came along the gym stopped, the relaxing baths turned in to a rushed shower whilst I had 2 minutes and I no longer felt like I had time to read books especially when any spare time I had was working on my new business launch. Looking back, it is no wonder I suffered with mental health issues, I put far too much pressure on myself. I no longer had time to love myself, my body and my positive wellness. I only wish I had access to this publication when I was suffering with my mental health.

If you are thinking of buying a new mum a little something that they can enjoy or perhaps you want to treat yourself. I highly recommend purchasing this beautifully designed magazine. As a mum myself, I wish I had something like this to turn to especially on my darker days.

Click here to take your first step in to self care and positive wellness.

Have a look at Isabella and Us on their beautiful website

 

You can follow Isabella and Us on social media

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

 

Brum Baby – The “Must Have” Soothing aid for Babies and Toddlers

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MyBump2Baby is often described as “The one stop shop for all your pregnancy to pre-school needs” and I must admit that one of our favourite parts of being the one stop shop is finding out about the newest “must-have” products on the market. We love it when we find a product that is simply created to make families lives easier and let’s face it, we need all the help we can when it comes to balancing work, family life, never-ending housework and rest.

Now of course, we all know how important it is that babies and toddlers get their much needed sleep, not only to help them grow and develop but also so us parents can actually have some time to themselves to either rest or get on with the endless list of jobs we have to do.

From the day our son George came home from hospital, I began playing him lullabies from my phone to help soothe and settle him down when he was a little restless. It often worked well but the odd time my phone would ring just as he was nodding off which was a little frustrating to say the least. As George got older his temper when he was tired got a little worse (that is putting it kindly) which resulted in plenty of trips to the local phone shop to repair my smashed screen and as much as I “googled” the terms “soothing aids for babies and toddlers” – I couldn’t find anything suitable. I wanted something easy to use on the move.

 

BrumBaby Portable Soothing Aid

Now, imagine having a portable soothing aid that you can clip on your key ring, to your bag, to your pushchair or a portable soothing aid that you could even simply slide it neatly in to your purse so you know this amazing product is always accessible even at the most awkward times. This product is designed so it can be used at home or on the go. A soothing aid that’s whole purpose is to simply Sooth your child – nothing more and nothing less.

I have some exciting news for all the new and existing parents out there – THIS PRODUCT EXISTS!!!!

brumbaby portable soothing aid

BrumBaby is the must-have soothing aid for babies and toddlers. Lightweight, simple to use and affordable – we believe this product is something that EVERY new parent should add to their “must have” list. With a simple click of the button, gentle soothing rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” begins to play, you can then watch your child drift off in to a peaceful sleep.

It is clear to see that a lot of research has been made prior to creating this product. The BrumBaby portable soothing aid has been designed to ensure it reaches all parents needs with its sleek design, a simple on/off button and a charging cable to ensure you know you won’t run out of battery on the go.

brumbaby portable soothing aid

Brum Baby portable soothing aid has recently received a lot of media attention and has been praised by the likes of Fearne Mccann, Malin Anderson plus many more celebrities with little ones and I can see why.

At only £14.99, I am sure you will agree that the price for this Portable soothing aid is incredible. The benefits it brings both parents and young children are priceless. I mean, come on – who doesn’t want more sleep?

 

The great news is you can buy this product with an amazing 20% discount using the code “mybump2baby” when purchasing this product via the website.

 

You will not be disappointed!!!!

BrumBaby Portable Soothing Aid
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The Perfect gift for a baby – My Sensory Box Review

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Those of you who regularly follow my Instagram stories and blogs you will know that I absolutely love supporting mums in business and when we were given the opportunity to review a new sensory brand we were very excited.

When it comes to babies, we remember the bottles, cots, bouncers, video monitors and clothes, but we can sometimes forget about the importance of stimulating our little one’s senses. Sensory play helps with development, it improves hand eye co-ordination and can promote early language development.

Now, I am certainly no expert in this field, nor do I claim to be but this is why MyBump2Baby loves to work with the experts like Natalie, The Founder of My Sensory Box.

My Sensory Box is the perfect gift/purchase for expecting and new parents. The box is filled with magnificent, colourful props that will help stimulate your babies’ senses whilst creating memories that will last a lifetime.

My Sensory box currently has a unique family of 3, The Fidget Sensory Box, The Original Sensory Box and finally The Bumper Box which is the one we are reviewing today.

 

First Impressions of My Sensory Bumper box

I love how much effort went in to the packaging of the box, it came wrapped in cellophane with a neat ribbon on the right hand corner which showed it was ideal for a baby shower or as a gift when a new baby has been born. It is also ideal for someone last minute like me who often gets gifts on the way to the event

Upon opening the box, it was beautifully wrapped in green tissue paper. I was impressed with the amount of items in the box it was literally full to the brim of goodies.

 

Contents of the Bumper Box

An LED Bulb

3 Balls

Glow Sticks

Egg Shaker and Maraca

Scarf

Ribbons

Foil

Black and White Picture Cards

Feathers

Bubbles

Balloons

Now, you could be like I was and wonder “what the hell do I do with these items?”…. FEAR NOT, I can reassure you that Natalie, the founder of My Sensory box has literally thought of everything. Inside the box comes a fabulous little card with all the features and benefits of each prop so you know exactly what to do with each item.

What are the Benefits of the props inside My Sensory Box?

The Led Bulb provides your little ones with visual stimulation and helps with relaxation. The bulb can fit in to a main ceiling light or a table light and babies can enjoy the beautiful shapes and colours. George is 2 and a half and loved this, he is always asking for the magic light.

The Glow sticks are a great way to add fun to bath time, George and I used them and turned the lights down and put the shark song on he absolutely loved it.

The Egg Shaker and Maraca are great exploring sound; they can use whilst singing nursery rhymes.

What baby doesn’t love a game of peekaboo? The scarfs come in some stunning colours to drape of your babies face to stimulate touch.

The ribbons are a fantastic way to encourage movement and they are excellent for hand eye co-ordination.

What it is about foil and babies? Foil was Georges favourite items whenever we went to any sensory places, he still loves it now.

Did you know that Black and white is the first colours your baby sees? I didn’t until I read the information inside the box, the different black and white picture cards can be placed anywhere and help maximise early visual stimulation

Feathers are included to stoke over your little ones face, arms and legs.

2 lots of bubbles are included in the box and we all love bubbles

Balloons in line with first colours and includes and led light

The 3 balls are a great way to end the session with a gentle massage.

 

Overall Review of My Sensory Box

We love The Bumper Box from My Sensory Box. I can’t believe how much thought goes in to each box, it is clearly something that the founder Natalie is very passionate about. I feel that the price of £25.00 is very reasonable considering the amount of props in each box.

Although the box is aimed at babies, George really enjoys playing with the items from this box too.

I would purchase this box for a friend or family member and even myself if I was to have another baby. I love how compact the box is and the way that everything fits back in to the box neatly and can be stored away ready for the next play session.

**Please do not leave baby unattended with any of the items in the box. Must always be used under supervision of an adult**

 

Where can I purchase My Sensory Box?

The website is currently being built but in the meantime if you want to purchase this item you can click here

 

At MyBump2Baby we recognise how important sensory is and we have hundreds of local classes listing throughout the UK, you can find your nearest class here.

My Sensory Box Review

Moonlite Story Book Projector Review

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I am really excited to be sharing our Moonlite Story Book Projector Review with you. I must admit, bedtime can be a bit of a battle at times and I often hand over the IPad like it is a God given right, so I was really excited when I was asked to review the Moonlite Story book projector.

If I said my son wasn’t slightly addicted to his IPad, I would be lying. Running a business from home means that a lot of my time in the evening is spent on MyBump2Baby and what started as a perfect distraction now causes numerous issues in our house especially at bedtime. You see, Georges first word when he wakes up is IPad and the last words before he goes to sleep is IPad which is not ideal for a 2-year-old and I can’t help but feel a bit guilty about it but it is the only way I have time to do everything.

I have been thinking about different ways that I can put some magic back in to bed time without relying on Mr. Tumble, Peppa Pig or Waffle Doggy. I want to stimulate George’s mind at bedtime and calm him down so he gets the sleep he needs after a long day, I also want to embrace the fact that he is still finds me fun, as sad as it is, I am sure it is only a matter of time before I am locked out of his room whilst he plays his Xbox or Playstation.

The clocks are going back next weekend and with the evenings getting darker earlier – I am hoping this will be the start of a healthier bedtime routine for George. Moonlite has come up with an alternative way to read books, ideal for special occasions or when trying to wean your little one from IPad back to books. I am really excited to introduce the Moonlite Story Book Projector to George.

Moonlite Story reel projector review

Moonlite has a unique, wonderful way to bring story books to life. Moonlite uses a story book Projector which makes for a more exciting bedtime. The Moonlite projector is created by simply using the app on your smart phone. Creating a truly magical, immersive storytelling experience that fuels your child’s imagination like no other.

The projector is a small device that simply clips onto a smartphone and uses the torch to project timeless classics on to the wall, whilst projecting the images, the Moonlite app plays harmonic sound effects. Moonlite cleverly bridges the gap between traditional and digital books, offering a unique and memorable experience for both parent and child. Building story time, in whatever form it takes, into a bedtime routine is essential

Here are some of the incredible stories launching in the UK;

  • The Moonlite Starter Pack (SRP £19.99) featuring Eric Carle’s popular “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Very Busy Spider”
  • The Moonlite Gift Pack (SRP £39.99) featuring Mr Men and Fairy Tales
  • The Moonlite Story Reels (SRP £7.99 each) featuring Spot the Dog and Beatrix Potter The Tale of Jemima PuddleDuck, The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

We received the Fairy Tale Gift Pack and Spot the Dog story reel. Fairy tales were always my first choice at bedtime when I was a little girl so I was really looking forward to sharing some “all time classic magical stories with George.

Moonlite enhances that experience and makes children excited for bedtime, while promoting early literacy.

So How Does Moonlite work?

Moonlite is very quick and easy to use, you can follow the instructions below;

  1. Simply download Moonlite from the App Store or Google Play Store – it’s free!
    2. Pop one of the story reels into the Moonlite projector
    3. Attach Moonlite to your phone
    4. Open the app, unlock the story with the included activation code and start reading

The app goes through each step, showing you the steps to set it up.

Our Moonlite Story Book Projector Review

George was asking for his IPad initially and then as soon as we set up the projector and he could see the pictures, he was speechless. The music that plays alongside the story is magical and we all really enjoyed the whole experience.

I must admit that turning the story reel was a little difficult on my phone – a galaxy S8 which is a little slippy to the hand (my phone has more cracks than my foundation these days). It could be better for me if there was a device attached which you could click and it would turn the reel but I do think the issue is down to my phone and it didn’t take away from the fun we had.

We read 3 books in total that night including; Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the three bears and George has asked for the Moonlite story projector every night since so it was a definite hit in our house. I plan to buy plenty more story reels for the big C!

Moonlite Story reel projector review

I must stress that I am a huge book lover and I am in no way saying that these should be used as a book but perhaps as an alternative to books when you fancy a bit of a change.

Available From

The product is available at all good retailers including The Entertainer, Smyths Toys and Amazon.

 

The Best Advent Calendars for Kids this Christmas 2018

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The advent calendar market seems to be growing in to something MASSIVE. Whatever happened to the good old milkybar advent calendars for 99p hey? I guess times are changing!!!

Every December I end up wandering round my local B&M trying to locate a suitable advent calendar for George, whilst shouting at myself in my mind “not again, Carla you need to get more organised” whilst the mum guilt eats away at me, so this year I have decided to do some advent calender research to find THE best advent calenders  for kids this Christmas.

 

So here are (in my opinion) THE BEST advent calendars for kids this Christmas;

Playmobil 9264 Advent Calendar ‘Santa’s Workshop’ with Electronic Lantern

Product Description

The Playmobil Santa’s Workshop Advent Calendar has 24 boxes to count down to Christmas. As each box is opened it creates a wonderful scene, with father Christmas and his elves helping load the sleigh with toys, pulled by his trusty reindeer. The elves have their hands full to complete the many toys. Even late at night, in the workshop, in the light of the lantern, the presents are wrapped. Now Christmas can come!

 

Hatchimals Colleggtibles Advent Calendar

Product Description

Introducing the Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Advent Calendar! With 50+ surprises hidden behind 24 tiny doors, there’s something new to discover each day — including exclusive characters! Open your advent calendar and you’ll find a winter scene with pop-up snowmen, festive trees and more! Find exclusive characters and nests, accessories and more as you open up a door a day! With each new accessory or character, you can build up your 3D Christmas scene. And for the first time ever, these festive Hatchimals come with attachable accessories! Put a bow on your new friend or peg a character to a toboggan for winter wonderland fun! On the last day, you get to hatch a Hatchimals CollEGGtibles! This Christmas-themed egg features a blue ombre shell with a purple snowflake! Rub the snowflake until it turns pink, then gently press down to crack the shell and meet your new friend! You can even use the exclusive sparkly snow nests to keep your Hatchimals cosy! Have the hatchiest Christmas yet with the Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Advent Calendar!

 

Peppa Pig Advent Calendar

Product Description

Countdown to Christmas with Peppa Pig! Behind each door of the Peppa Pig advent calendar is a surprise toy! There are 24 pieces to collect in total including Peppa, George and their friends, and even Santa! There’s also a host of Christmas accessories, including a Christmas Tree! For ages 3 years and over. Styles may vary

 

PAW PATROL Advent Calendar 2018

Product Description

The Advent Calendar dedicated to Paw Patrol heroes! elements to assemble to make the experience more interactive! Many minifigures, including the 6 main characters in winter clothes! For children aged 3 years and above.

Playmobil Advent Calendar, Royal Ice Skating Trip with a Children’s Bracelet

Product Description

The Playmobil Royal Ice Skating Trip Advent Calendar is the perfect way to count down to Christmas. The magical scene is set for the King and queen to enjoy ice skating in the forest. Many of the forest animals have come out to see the royal couple glide across the pond, whilst the snowman keeps up his cheery smile. The Princess is getting ready for a thrilling sled ride. Includes three Playmobil figures, diorama, animals and lots of accessories including wearable bracelet. Each window has a surprise to build your Playmobil scene.

 

Play-Doh Advent Calendar

Product Description

Count down to the holidays, Play-Doh Style! Does door 5 hise a snowflake stamper? Is there a tree mould behind door 1? You’ll have to find out what’s hiding in the Advent Calendar. With a different surprise gift for each day leading up to the holiday, ther’s no knowing what festive creations you’ll be able to shape for the season…….and beyond. Not suitable for children under 3 years. Contains Wheat. Not intended to be eaten.

 

Mega Bloks TMNT Toy – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Xmas Advent Calendar – Includes 158 Pieces

Product Description

Celebrate the holidays in true Turtle style with your Turtle-themed Advent Calendar by Mega Bloks Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Add a little ninja-ness to your winter festivities when you open a new buildable, Turtles-themed surprise for every day of the holiday season. With 24 surprises to build, the Turtles’ Advent Calendar features four buildable, micro action figures with accessories, including one Turtle that you can equip to look like any of the four brothers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 List of our Newborn Essentials for Parents

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Becoming a parent can be a little what’s the word overwhelming, daunting, scary ….I could go on…. I mean honestly how much is there to think about? I for one, spent most of my pregnancy worrying and I began seriously worrying when my pregnancy app sent me an update announcing that my 12 week bump was now the size of a Grapefruit!!! Anyway, he is here now and all is well with the world so don’t worry about that part!!



As you make your way through pregnancy you will see that there are so many products and magazines out there that lure you and state “you need this, you need that” but in reality you don’t need everything they are throwing at you!!!

In todays blog I am going to be sharing with you my personal top 10 newborn baby essentials, the top 10 things that I personally bought, found really useful and would use again and I will also be sharing our comparison tables with each mini review so that we can ensure you find the best price across hundreds of retailers (this is updated automatically).

 

The Tommee Tippee Prep Machine

tommee tippee perfect prep machine

When you are pregnant, do you find that people keep telling you how hard it is being a parent? I did and I was like HELLLOOOO he is clearly inside me now, perhaps you should have told me before I had sex… unprotected, anyway that is another story!!  I would constantly get told about how difficult night feeds are and how you have to make up a bottle and then wait for it to cool down all whilst the baby is screaming. I was truly terrified!!!  Then like an angel my friend stood before me and whispered the sweetest words I have ever heard “Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine”.

Tommee Tippee is a well-known brand for baby feeding accessories and it is one of the most loved and trusted brands in the baby world. “So, what is this Machine” you ask? Basically this amazing machine makes up a ready-to-drink bottle in literally 2 minutes. Can you believe it…? “Impossible” you say??? I thought the same but ITS TRUEEEEEEE.

This is a great buy for any parent who want to make up baby’s bottles quickly and accurately. It is aimed at parents who are ready to make the move to formula milk.

Read our full review on this item by clicking here.

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The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterliser

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterliser is very quick and extremely easy to use. All you need to do is add 80ml of water to the bottom of the steriliser (there is an 80ml line marked on Tommee Tippee bottles) you then close the lid and then push the button on the front. The button glows orange when the steriliser is switched on and goes off automatically when the cycle is finished five minutes later. You must allow an additional 3 minutes cooling time before lifting the lid. The bottles then stay sterile for a full 24 hours as long as the lid remains closed – so you could turn it on before bed, and have clean bottles at the ready in the morning.

Read our full review of this product here

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The Shnuggle Baby Bath

The Shnuggle bath is a multi-award winning bath designed to grow with your baby and has been carefully created to be a safe and secure place to bathe your baby. This bath is very light and is easily transported it is very comfortable for baby.

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Chicco Next To Me Crib, Chick to Chick

This crib from Chicco is amazing and promotes side-sleeping and allows you to sleep close to your child without being in the same bed. This was really handy for me as I had a C-section and found it difficult to sit up and look in to George’s moses basket at first and then we saw the dropside which means I could keep an eye on George without having to move. A lot of the mums we have spoken to also loved this item for breastfeeding.

I kept this crib in my bedroom and used the moses basket for downstairs and to take out of the house, it was much easier for me to have both but you really don’t need both.

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Baby Elegance Bath Changing Unit – Grey Star

I absolutely loved The Baby Elegance Bath unit as it had plenty of room for Storage. I would but all of George’s changing bits in one place and it was really handy. It stood in the corner of George’s bedroom, we used this for changing nappies, getting him dressed and getting him ready for bed after his bath.

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Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottles

If you are going to be using other tommee tippee products like the Closer to Nature steam sterliser or the tomee tippee perect prep machine I would recommend getting these bottles especially to begin with. The sterliser fits the bottles in perfectly and they all work hand in hand really.

George still uses Tommee Tippee bottles and he is nearly 2 and half (oops) they have always been good for us, he did have a bout of Colic and we switched to Dr Browns for a short time but after that he was back on the Tommee Tippees.

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The Video Monitor – Motorola MPB36S

The MPB36S baby monitor is amazing and does everything you would need. The great news is you can take it away with you or if your little one is sleeping at the grandparents one evening they will be able to set it up easily too. There are tons fantastic features including lullabies. The image and sound quality is brilliant. The monitor also has built in infrared night vision, and the video remote, tilts and zooms to ensure you can see and hear your baby even if they have wriggled out of view.

Read our full review on this product here

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Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play, Play Mat & Activity Gym

Yes, we all love newborn baby snuggles but once hubby goes back to work and the visitors have died down you have no choice but to snap back in to housework and jobs mode (I know its horrible) but the 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym from Bright Starts is amazing with walls that can be adjusted up or down to stop your little one travelling too far. The 35 balls means that this gym isn’t just for newborns and can be used during the toddler years too as a ball pit! Engaging toys include an electronic toucan that entertains baby with lots of lovely tunes. Your little one will love this and so will you!!!

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Pram – Bugaboo camelion 3

I could talk about this pram for ages, from the moment I saw it I fell in love with it. I am not going to lie the price was a little out of my budget at the time at £1300 from Mothecare but since then the price has dropped. The maxi- cosi pebble car seat was used with this pram for the first few weeks which was ideal (I just had to buy the adapters) and then we enjoyed long walks in this pram over the summer and Autumn months. I never had any issues with this pram and would 100% buy it again.

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Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat

When it comes to safety, Maxi Cosi is definitely one of the most reputable brands parents can depend on. A few years ago, they introduced the widely popular Maxi Cosi Pebble car seat. With the desire to improve features and design, they revamped the Pebble car seat and introduced the Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus. This infant car seat carrier is light, easy to install, and comfortable. The new baby-hugg newborn inlay is certainly more comfortable than the previous model’s newborn insert.

Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus is part of the 2wayFix family, which meets the new i-Size regulations. This means that your child can continue to be in the car seat facing rearwards while using the same base for a longer time, which is approximately up to 4 years old. This certainly simplifies the transition from one car seat to another, as your child grows. Not to mention, a little less heavy on the wallet.

Read our full review of this product here.

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So there you have it, my 10 absolute must-haves for new parents!!!

 

 



Fisher-Price Jumperoo Baby Bouncer Review

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Ok, ok ….I hold my hands up, perhaps I was a bad mum for Googling “how soon can my baby go in a Jumperoo?” obscene amounts of times per day for the first 6 months of George’s existence but let’s face it we all have busy lives, meals to prepare, chores to do. Sure, being a new mum is great – it is… but when are we meant to get jobs done? I mean, Seriously?



I bought George’s Fisher Price Jumperoo and set it up well before he could hold his head up and yes I couldn’t wait for him to sit in it so I could get some jobs done (there I said it).  Now of course the child inside of me was also just dying to watch him bounce … I felt giddy just thinking about it – I wanted to be the mum cheering from the side-lines (the couch) “HIGHER HIGHER”

The Fisher Price baby bouncer Jumperoo was a real life saver in our house and allowed me so much more time to do things that needed to be done and George absolutely loved it, there are so many different features that George never got bored. He played in happily it until he was 13 months old and he would have stayed in it longer but I was keen to see it go after an influx of presents from George’s birthday.

I decided to share our honest Fisher-Price Jumperoo Baby Bouncer review with you so you can decide if this item is worth buying or not.

Fisher Price Jumperoo Baby Bouncer Review

Fisher-Price Jumperoo Baby Bouncer review

I was delighted when I got my hands on the Fisher-Price Jumperoo and even though George wasn’t ready to go in it right away I made sure we set it up ready for the BIG DAY! I asked my husband to put it all together and it was very straight forward.

When the big day arrived we sat George in the Jumperoo and he was a little nervous at first, I mean wouldn’t you be? look at it!!! George stayed in the jumperoo a little longer each time as he discovered new sounds and lights and got very excited when he could turn himself around.

George often tired himself out in the Jumperoo, jumping up and down like a kangaroo and was always very excited when I put him in it. I moved the jumperoo from room to room so I could get on with my jobs whilst keeping an eye on my crazy child.

What does the Jumperoo do?

The Fisher Price Jumperoo allows your little one to turn 360 degrees, play music, watch lights and lay with different toys. The jumperoo is the perfect play apparatus for a full sensory play within one product.

Age restrictions and Safety

The Jumperoo play gym is designed for babies from 6-15 months
(max weight of 11.3kg and height of 85cm).

I felt like George was completely safe in the Jumperoo and there were never any accidents (apart from some poo accidents of course…. HIM not me, just so we are clear), I rarely left him unattended at first but as I got more confident in the product I did occasionally leave him whilst I made myself a cup of tea.

Style and comfort

This fabulous play gym is full of different stimulating features which ultimately means that the item is bulky and take up a lot of room, however the new design enables you to collapse it easily which means it doesn’t take up too much room.



The seat did seem really comfortable for George, although his time spent in the Jumperoo increased with age, I made sure I would take him out for a bit every 20 minutes but more often than not he would scream to go back in.

Cleaning the product

The item is easy to wipe down when necessary, we did have a few exploding nappies in the seat and the material can be removed and washed.

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________________________________________________________________________________

Would I get a Jumperoo again?

I would 100% get another Fisher price Jumperoo again, I felt that it gave me the chance to get things done in the house and actually made me feel like I had some normality back in my life again.

I felt that George became stronger and more alert from using the jumperoo

Time spent in Jumperoo

In the beginning George spent around 5 minutes in the Jumperoo here and there but as he became more confident he would often spend 20 minutes at a time in the Jumperoo which was great for me because those 20 minutes allowed me 20 minutes for jobs (you would be surprised how much you can do in 20 minutes).

Is it easy to clean?

The removable seat fabric is machine washable and safe to use in the dryer.

_______________________________________________________________Overall Review from MyBump2Baby

Yes, the product is a little bulky and a little on the expensive side, for me personally, the Fisher Price Jumperoo saved my sanity (to a certain extent) I could move it around the house and get on with my jobs and for the use George got out of this product made me feel the price is definately worth it

Reviews from our MyBump2Baby mummies

At MyBump2Baby we love hearing honest feedback from parents on products, here are some MyBump2Baby mums who wanted to leave honest reviews on the Bumbo multi-seat

“This was a life saver in our house, I have 5 children so as you can imagine I spend all my time doing jobs the Fisher Price Jumperoo was a God send” –  Amy from Withenshaw

“I used my baby shower vouchers on this and I am so thankful as I had no idea how useful it would be” Keely from Manchester

“The Fisher price Jumperoo was brilliant for us, Sophie still uses it now and is 1 years old” – Jacky from Grimsby

“The only problem with this item is it is not easy to transport, I love it and I honestly don’t know what I would do without it, Hattie was so needy as a baby and wanted attention all the time, the jumperoo slowly broke the neediness and in the end she liked being in that more than cuddles with me haha” Angela from Kendal

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Review of the FitBit Charge HR 2 from a Busy Mum’s Perspective

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If you are a fan of my Instagram live videos and can sympathise when I talk about the diet that started on Monday ended on Tuesday and will be continuing the following Monday, then you will appreciate this post.

I was approached by Fitbit to write an honest review on the Fitbit Charge HR 2. This came at the right time for me as I was scoffing my face but not really exercising. I go through phases where I am either addicted to the gym or addicted to food.

Me addicted to Mcdonalds Hash browns

As a mum, it is so hard to find time to actually get to the gym and for me I wanted to see if the Fitbit is a good way to keep me on track with my fitness and eating habits with a view to lose a few lbs and generally feel healthier and happier without the hefty gym membership fee each month.



Ok, so before now, I was very much an indoor type of person, sure I went to the gym but if someone asked me to walk somewhere I would ask “why?” I was the type of person that couldn’t understand why people would want to walk when they drive but since getting my Fitbit walking is now one of my favourite things to do.

The Fitbit has been extremely beneficial for me at work, I work from home and just as I reach that 2pm “how am I going to keep my eyes open” slump, I stick my trainers on, pop the headphones in, press play on my favourite podcast and way I go!!!

Since using the Fitbit I have been a lot more aware of my overall health. I quickly released the reason why I am always tired is due to lack of sleep and I wasn’t dying from an undetected illness (I am such a Hypochondriac). I also wasn’t drinking enough which often made me think I was hungry rather than thirsty. I soon realised that I wasn’t moving enough throughout the day.

So what is the FitBit Charge 2 great for?

 

  • Motivation
  • Challenging yourself
  • Comparing your movements
  • Losing weight
  • Getting fitter
  • Calming Anxiety
  • Being Healthier
  • Logging food and water intake
  • Tracking menstrual cycles

 

What features does the FitBit Charge 2 have?

  • Heart rate monitor
  • Sleep Tracker
  • Activity Tracker
  • Breathing sessions
  • Steps taken
  • Distance covered
  • Calories burned (total)
  • Active Minutes with strenuous activity
  • Floors climbed
  • Move Reminders

 

 

The Fitbit Style and Appearance

Ok, so the fitbit Charge hr 2 is never going to look like the latest Michael Korrs watch, I mean, COME ONNNN it’s an exercise tracker. It is made to withstand the sweatiest of arms and it certainly looks that way. The good news is the strap can easily be changed from “Gym wear” to “office wear” with a simple adjustment. I have a brown leather band for when I am attending an important meeting or conference and my purple band for general day to day wear.

I much prefer the look of this fit bit to other fit bits, the screen is easy to see but not too big either. I did find the watch a little bulky to wear to begin with especially at night but within a couple of days I was used to it.

 

The FitbitCharge2 Hr App

The Fitbit app is fantastic and a great place to go to check out your health dashboard in more detail. In an instant you can see steps taken, floors climbed, activity, your sleep tracker and you can also use this dashboard to input your food and water intake if you want to maximise its use.

I love the fact that in this area Fitbit recognises that everyone is different and everyone has different goals so you can use this section to your advantage to allow Fitbit to help you with what matters the most whether it is drinking more water or getting more sleep.

 

 

Accepting Challenges

I love the fact that you can connect with other fitbit owners and set challenges and competitions. I often take on a weekend or weekly challenge and compete against other fitbit owners. If you want to add me my name is Carla L and my email is info@mybump2baby.com

The Heart Rate Monitor

The heart rate monitor works great for me when I am exercising at home or at the gym and I am trying to reach my fat burning zone. I really like this feature and I do notice a big difference when I exercise with my tracker as I always push myself to meet the zone I need to be in.

Sleep Tracker

My friends think I am lazy because I like to have a nap when I get the chance but lone behold since owning the Fitbit charge 2 I noticed that I only get around 5 – 6 hours sleep a night which is definitely not enough. I often work in to the early hours of the morning. I have now set a minimum sleep target of 7 hours to ensure I feel better – I am struggling to stick to it but I have definitely improved.

Activity Tracker

I love the fact that you can track different types of activity and not just steps. You can now track running, walking, hiking, biking, elliptical workouts and weight lifting sessions. You can select which ones you are more likely to use on the app.

Step Tracker

I did have a slight issue one day with the step tracker, I decided to do an extra-long walk which was around 7 miles in total, however I noticed that during the walk some of my steps weren’t recording. When I got home it said I had only walked 3,000 steps all day and I really wasn’t sure what had happened, after some research I did notice that my band wasn’t as tight as it should have been and I had worn the fit bit charge 2 in the shower that morning which is also a big NO, NO!!! THE FITBIT IS NOT WATERPROOF, I REPEAT THE FITBIT IS NOT WATERPROOF!! It never did it again – I did the same walk another time and it measured around 12,000 steps that day which seemed right.

Breathing

As some of you know, I get the occasional bout of anxiety and I have been told numerous times “it’s all about the breathing”, it often occurs at night and is tied in with over thinking and worrying about things I have zero control over. I have started using the breathing feature at night and it has been brilliant at calming me down and just chilling me out.

Battery Life

The battery life on the Fitbit Charge 2 is supposed to be 5 days but for me it needs to be charged every 4 days which is still a good amount.

 

Fit Bit Charge 2 review summary

I actually love this Fitbit so much and I am so glad I got the opportunity to try and test it. I was gutted that it was not waterproof but I know there are other Fitbits out there on the market that are. I did have that one day with the Fitbit where my steps didn’t tally up but as mentioned, I had been in the shower with it and I didn’t have it on as tight as normal, nonetheless it was bloody annoying. I didn’t experience any other issues with the FitBit charge 2 and it hasn’t happened since.

I do find it annoying that the fitbit is not shower proof, I have often forgot to put it back on and missed a whole day or tracking.

Has the Fitbit Charge 2 been successful with my goals?

Yes, I have lost 7lbs using the Fitbit and simply walking more. I haven’t really been to the gym much whilst I have been walking due to lack of time and how busy I have been but walking has been great for my mind as well as my body.

Would I cancel my gym membership?

No, walking is great and I really do enjoy it but I still love going to the gym for a good spin class. I love the fact that I can use the Fitbit to track other exercises as well as walking. If you are happy exercising out of the gym you could definately cancel your membership and I do feel the fitbit is a great way to monitor your health and progress.

 

MyBump2Baby Score
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