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BabyLed Spreads Review – Healthy Food for a Fussy Toddler

20/08/2018/0 Comments/in Carla's Blog, Home & Lifestyle, Reviews /by Carla Lett

As you can imagine our email inbox is full of brands wanting to work with us to find out our honest feedback on products with a view to share them with parents using MyBump2Baby. Our time is very limited so we have to pick products and brands to review that we feel will be most beneficial to our readers.

Initially when I was first contacted by BabyLed Spreads, I thought it was a fantastic idea and I thought the BabyLed spreads were just for babies but after liaising with the owner he informed me they are also perfect for toddlers who can be a little fussy which was ideal for us and a lot of mums I have spoken to recently.

I am one of those mothers that often suffers with massive mummy guilt when it comes to meal times. George is not a “veg lover” which means a lot of my time is spent disguising vegetables by hiding them in the middle of mash or just giving him what he asks for which isn’t ideal as it is usually fish fingers, chips and beans. I was really excited to try these spreads and see if they made our lives any easier and healthier.

My Review of Baby Led Spreads

I love the fact that the baby led spreads are simply ordered online and they come straight to your door making it a completely simple and painless process. You can order either 18 jars for £12.00 (67p per jar) or 9 jars for £6.50 (72p each) You also have the option for dairy free jars which is fantastic if your little one has an intolerance.

At MyBump2Baby we are huge supporters of the Charity Bliss and seeing that BabyLed Spreads also supports the charity made me very happy! For every 9 jars sold, BabyLed spreads donates 30p to Bliss and for every 18 jars sold 60p is donated.

There are 6 flavours;

Ricotta & bean
Avocado, red pepper and tomato
Spicy pumpkin and chickpea
Red lentil and sweet potato
Green pea, rocket and dill
Carrot, Apple and Hummus

The great news about these jars is that they are small enough to shove in your handbag and there are literally no rules with them, they can be eaten warm, cold, mixed in with pasta, spread on toast, as a dip or whatever you fancy. These spreads can be as versatile as you need them to be and they can just become part of your everyday life without changing your routine, if anything these BabyLed spreads have only made my life easier.

Mealtimes with BabyLed Spreads

I wanted to make sure the week I reviewed the BabyLed Spreads was just a normal busy week in our household so I could see if they fitted in to our busy lives without spending time in the kitchen trying to make different recipes with them.

The owner of baby led spreads has kindly added recipes to our Baby weaning recipe section for you to have a look at and I will be making these once I get my next batch ordered but it was important to me that the BabyLed spreads are quick and easy as well as being healthy.

So what did I use the BabyLed Spreads for;

The week I used BabyLed spreads, I found meal times and ideas a lot easier and quicker. George had the BabyLed spreads mixed with pasta, spread on toast, as dips with carrot and cucumber and even with some crisps when he just fancied a snack in the afternoon.

Would I purchase BabyLed Spreads again?

100% yes, these spreads have taken the pressure off me trying to cook and hide veg within George’s dinners and George really enjoys them. There wasn’t one he didn’t like (or I didn’t like) and I am really looking forward to using them more.

Who do I think they would work well for?

I think these should be in every parent’s cupboards, you can use them as a go to when you are just wanting to whip something up quickly and the long life on them means that you can just use them to suit your needs.

I think these would be great to take on holiday too as they are small and compact and offer you that support with food should you need it. The pots work great on the go too which means you can stick some in your changing back and use them when you need to.

Order your BabyLed Spreads

If you want to order some of these fantastic BabyLed Spreads, visit their website by clicking here.

I would love to hear your feedback on this product and I will add it to this review.

BabyLed Spread Recipes

If you want to check out some simple recipes using these fantastic BabyLed spreads click here.

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

25/07/2018/5 Comments/in Carla's Blog, Carlas Favourites, Home & Lifestyle /by Carla Lett

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.

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A Teletubbies Playdate

25/05/2018/0 Comments/in Carla's Blog, Home & Lifestyle /by Carla Lett

“Tubbies” is a regular word we hear in our house; it is often screamed out with sheer excitement as George virtually face plants the TV screen every single morning. When I saw the opportunity to review the new Teletubbies Playdate pack – how could I say no?

Recently, I have felt really guilty recently about not spending enough time with George. MyBump2Baby has been incredibly busy (not that I am complaining) I never seem to get anytime off and when I do, I am often answering calls, replying to emails or setting up meetings for the days I am working. Those of you who regularly read my blog know that I find it really difficult to balance home life, being a mum and running my own business. When I saw the chance to review the Tubbies playdate pack and I saw it as the perfect opportunity for myself and George to spend some quality time together – just the two of us.

What does the Tubby Pack entail?

The Tubby playdate pack has been released to celebrate the brand new series of the Teletubbies coming to CBeebies on 4^th June. The Tubby playdate pack is a completely FREE downloadable pack. The pack is absolutely brilliant and includes crafts, games, activities and recipes.

The Invitations

Although, I decided it would be nice for George and I to spend some quality time together, I couldn’t help but notice the cute little invitations within the pack. The tubby playdate pack even took in to consideration the WhatsApp option where you can download a special invitation to send out via WhatsApp. WhatsApp is my lifeline to the outside world so I was impressed by this feature and would definitely use this option for our next playdate.

The Crafts

George and I decided that we would like to get the crafts ready for our playdate and decorate the house the night before so that we could concentrate on games, songs and stuffing our faces with food the next day.

We spent a good 40 minutes colouring in the bunting

Once we had finished the bunting, we stuck it to the front window in the porch to show off the fact we are going to be having our own tubby playdate. George and I went outside to check it looked ok and he was very excited that his colouring was on display to the whole of our street.

The next craft was the tubby antennas, George, of course wanted to be La-La and I wanted to be Po, but sadly I was told that I had to be Tinky Winky. I tried to convince George I would be a good Po but his mind was firmly made up. I cut out the antennas and stuck a lollypop stick and some cardboard to the back to ensure they would stay upright.

The day of the Tubby Play Date

George woke up and the first thing he shouted was “TUBBIES” he remembered it was our playdate which I thought was really cute. We had our breakfast, did a few jobs and then put Teletubbies on in the back ground, I put my phone on “do not disturb” and started we started our playdate.

The Food

There were some great recipe ideas in the pack and I decided to create our favourite healthy tubby inspired pizza wraps for lunch as George really enjoys helping me make them.

Tortilla Pizza Recipe

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees

Use Tortilla wraps for the base

Smother the Tortillas in Passata

We then made a face by adding a little cheese, spinach and mushrooms and stuck them in the oven for around 8 minutes.

The Games

There were plenty of different ideas for games in the pack, we firstly played “find La-La”, George covered his eyes, I hid La-La and then he went on a mission to find her. He really enjoyed that game.

We also played pin the SPLAT which involves a blindfold and sticking a sticker on your favourite Tubby. George wouldn’t wear the blindfold but enjoyed sticking the stickers on.

Then we finished off our Tubby playdate with some songs, bubbles and music in the garden.

I absolutely loved our Tubby playdate pack, we will definately be having another one!

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The One Minute Rule

21/02/2018/0 Comments/in Carla's Blog, Home & Lifestyle /by Carla Lett

I guess you could say our house can be a little messy on occasion. I have the best intentions believe me – I really do, but mess just seems to build up around me, it doesn’t help that my husband and I are both extremely last minute people, which unfortunately means that we both seem to think that we have all the time in the world and leave everything to the last possible minute before getting ready.
Believe it or not, this realisation only occurred to me the other day, we were due to meet our friends at 12pm and at 11:34am George was still in his pyjamas, my husband was sat at the computer in his boxers and I was finishing off some work on my IPad in my pjs.
I remember shouting “We have 20 minutes to get ready!!!” from that moment on until we stepped out of the front door it was complete and utter mayhem.

My husband was demanding to know where his clothes were whilst emptying his wardrobe, drawers and the washing basket on to the floor! George proceeded to scream constantly whilst repeatedly slapping me across the face like I was a human tambourine, all I was trying to do was get the little monster changed and then when I did dare to try and leave him alone for a few minutes to hunt for a matching pair of socks, he held on to my legs so tight that I couldn’t move. I was shouting “get off me!!!” Danny was shouting “where’s my pants?” And George was crying. Within less than 5 minutes we went from having a relatively tidy, calm and happy home to a scene of utter devastation, it look liked the aftermath of storm Katrina.

Just one simple change

I had been seeking ways to naturally become a little more organised in the home in an attempt to resolve our last minute, hellish experiences. I wanted to find one thing… just one simple change that could make our lives a little easier.

Housework and motivation

Now those of you who know me, know that when I want to focus on a particular area of my life, I listen to podcasts for inspiration, ideas and motivation. I love podcasts because they make me feel Iike I am utilising my time effectively, I often listen to them when I drive or whilst I am doing housework.

I was already a huge fan of Gretchen Rubins Podcast “Happier”. “Happier” is a podcast where Gretchen talks about happiness and good habits with her sister Elizabeth Craft. It was like fate that the same day as I was toying with ideas about how I can change, Gretchen Rubin began talking about her one-minute rule. The one minute rule is something that Gretchen has adapted to her life and swears by it so I thought I would give it a go.

So what is the one minute rule?

Do you ever feel like your drowning in jobs? Your to do list is becoming more like a “not to do” list? If so than the one-minute rule would be great for you. The one-minute rule works exactly how it sounds – if a task takes less than 1 minute to complete, you complete it straight away. I have applied this to my life for the last 2 weeks and I have noticed a huge difference both personally and in the home. Let me give you a few examples of how this rule has helped me.

Example 1

I was a nightmare at opening post and then putting the post that needed further action to one side – I have now cleared them all.

Example 2

I used to wash our clothes around 3 times before they actually made it out the washing machine – it was always an awkward time when the washing machine finishes

Example 3

My car used to end up in a state because George would take toys in each time and I used to leave the toys in the car – before I knew it my car resembled a mobile jumble sale and was highly embarrasing when I would give someone an unexpected lift.

The above examples are just a few examples of how “the one minute rule” has made my life easier and my mind a little less cluttered and more together. Of course, it doesn’t resolve the fact that my husband and I are last minute people but it does ensure our clothes are away where they should be which makes things a tad less stressful – I am still working on the rest.

My Autumn/Winter Bedding Haul

13/09/2017/1 Comment/in Home & Lifestyle /by Carla Lett

An Escape

Do you have a favourite place or hobby? A place where you go or something you do and all your problems seem to fade away? Everyone has an escape don’t they? For some people it’s a run… for others it is the gym or perhaps it is music? but for me… my escape is my bed.

To put it quite simply … I love my bed. It is most definitely my favourite place in the world. Whenever I have experienced a hard time in my life… I would close my curtains, get in my PJ’s turn my phone off and climb in to my bed… sometimes I would be in there for days. My bed is not just something I love when I feel sad but I love it even when I am happy. If I have an hour to myself, I will head upstairs, close my curtains and climb in to my bed… It is the one place I can go looking like utter crap, knowing I have 10p left in my bank and vomit in my hair and it doesn’t judge me, it treats me the same no matter what has gone wrong or right each day.

So I think you have gathered that I am a huge fan of my bed, from morning lie-ins to afternoon naps. I used to book days off work just to have a day in bed watching films, eating treats and dozing every hour or so…. They say the more dribble the better the nap and I would have to agree.

New Bedding for the Autumn/Winter Months

So after an extremely long and extra social Summer this year I am so ready to hibernate this Autumn and Winter with no plans to please anyone else but my little family. Now I don’t know about you but I absolutely love to buy new bedding ready for the Autumn and Winter period. No matter how much you love your bedroom it is so nice to have a change sometimes isn’t it?
Personally I love to completely change the look of a room by replacing a few little bits. Who says you have to get the paint out? Who says you have to spend a fortune? You honestly don’t! Over the years I have discovered the way to totally revamp a bedroom is all about the bedding!

Our bedroom is mainly Black with cream walls and a touch of silver here and there, my previous bedding was black and cream and I have decided that I wanted to freshen the room up with a brighter and cleaner look but I wasn’t quite sure what it was actually looking for.

Real life Customer Reviews

I was recommended to J D Williams and was overwhelmed with the amount of gorgeous bed spreads, not only were the prices reasonable but I loved the fact they had honest customer reviews on many of their items. I always find customer reviews a huge help when you are purchasing bedding. I have bought so many bed spreads in the past and when they have come I actually feel like I am sleeping in crate paper … SURE when I put the bedding on it looks great but rolling over in the night feels like I’m rolling in Tesco no frills toilet paper, I’m not quite sure it I trust it enough not to cut me….. So a good review on how the bedding feels and washes goes a long way with me.

After adding about 10 gorgeous and reasonable bedspreads to my J D Williams basket and thoroughly reading the reviews, I quickly recognised that my bank balance wouldn’t allow me to have them all so I decided to go for the Shimmer Embellished Duvet Cover Set in White it is encrusted with silver gems to add just enough sparkle to a normal white bedspread to take the edge of Grandma and add a slight sexy look, let’s face it the bed wants to see some kind of action… When the bedding arrived I was really happy with it, it has a silky yet soft cotton feel and is very comfortable to sleep in. It washes like new, I wash it on its own inside out to ensure that the silver gems don’t loosen.

Shimmer Embellished Double Duvet Cover Set in White was only £50

I then purchased the Shimmer Embelished Boudoir fill Cushion which matches the bedspread perfectly. The Cushion finishes off the bed nicely and I am really glad I purchased it. The Shimmer Embelished Boudoir Fill Cushion was £13
Now although I wanted to brighten the room up with crisp white bedding, I was also conscious that I wanted the room to look warm and cosy for the autumn and winter months. So I decided to add a fleece throw to the mix, I wanted to keep the bedroom look fairly neutral so I decided on the Grey Cuddly Fleece Throw 200×240.

The Cuddly Fleece Throw in Grey 200×240 was £20

I had seen pictures of throws on beds just kind of thrown on and they still look great so that was the look I was going for… any way I can get away with being messy gets a big thumbs up from me. I was really happy with the throw that arrived, it compliments the bedding very well and finishes it off with a really cosy warm vibe – great for an afternoon nap when you don’t want to mess the bed up after it has been made.

The total cost for the bedding from J D Williams was £83

Finally I noticed that Lorraine Kelly designs some fabulous homeware items and I saw another throw that was absolutely perfect for our front room film den. I honestly couldn’t resist the knitted look for the front room couch. I also purchased the Lorraine Kelly Chunky Knit Throw which looks even nicer in person than it does in the pictures and George loves having a snuggle with it when he has his bottle before bed with a bit of Baby TV. The Lorraine Kelly Chunky Knit Throw is £25

Overall I would give my Autumn/Winter Bedding shopping Haul experience a massive 10/10. Being a mum means it is not always easy to get out and go shopping for bits for the house with a little one. I was really happy with how well the items matched their descriptions, how quick the items arrived and also how reasonable and competitive the prices were. I will definately be using J D Williams again for homeware and now I am all ready for hibernation with my little family.