Oh my goodness. The children go back to school after half term, the temperature drops ten degrees and your mumdar is flashing. You can sense it in the air. There are bugs about. You’ve got a bit of a tingle in your throat. The kids sneezed twice yesterday after they got home. Your husband woke you up with a cough on Thursday night. It is upon us. Our first dose of autumnal death is about to strike.

5 tips for beating winter bugs

Try as you might, keeping every single sniff and snivel at bay over autumn and winter is unlikely. That being said, there are precautions you can take to keep your family fighting fit while coughs and colds are at large. Here are just five of my best tips on how to ward off those pesky bugs this winter. From one mother to another mother.

1.    Get the vitamins in

Seriously, vitamins are oh-so-important. Whether you have to pop a chewy gum on the side of their breakfast bowl, or your child loves their five a day, vitamins all the way. Some fruits and vegs pack more of a vitamin punch than others.

Build up your bodies’ natural defences with fruits such as berries, citrus, and kiwis, as well as green vegetables, sweet potato, and mushrooms. 

2.    Don’t forego your 40 winks

It’s such a simple solution, yet so many of us don’t allow ourselves the sleep our body needs or deserves. Plenty of people have researched the effects that lack of sleep can have. And yep, you’ve guessed it, when you miss out on sleep your immune system takes a huge hit. Sleep!

Those with babies and toddlers, I can only apologise. Perhaps just sleep when you can?

3.    Keep things clean

This is just common sense isn’t it, really? Tell me it is? Wherever bacteria harbours, you’ll find bad bugs and nasties. Bad bugs and nasties equate to a plethora of health issues.

In autumn and winter when we perhaps cook rustic, hearty meals with meats, be a bit OTT and Dettol every single surface in sight. Forget the battle with the soap, let the kids use handwash in the bathroom, and the kitchen too – make it easy. Have antibac gel in your bag. Go full neurotic mum. Go there. Banish those bugs.

4.    Use aromatherapy

No, it’s not just for hippies. There’s actually plenty of scientific research into aromatherapy and essential oils. The only problem is, it’s really hard for pharmaceutical companies to patent it, so it doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

Add a few drops of Clove Bud essential oil to your diffuser. You will find loads of blends online if you want to create a seasonal scent. Clove Bud oil contains pretty exceptional antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. Used in the air, as a preventative step, it can ward off any horrid airborne bugs. (This isn't always appropriate for asthmatics like our little one but worth considering for others).

5.    Ginger is king

Looking for an excuse to tuck into a pack of ginger biscuits? Well, here it is. Ginger is king when it comes to fighting winter health complaints.

Whether you take ginger supplements, eat ginger in stews, or drink ginger tea/hot water with honey, ginger's properties can help keep down fevers and soothe sore throats. The oil of ginger is packed with anti-inflammatory goodness, meaning if you are feeling under the weather, it can help ease common sinus complaints and other infections.

What are your top tips for keeping the bugs at bay?

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Anyone with an (almost) teenager will know that with the teenage years brings disagreements, attitude, lack of conversation and the delights that are hormones. The hormones don't just manifest themselves in a change in attitude but changes in their skin too! So teenage skincare brand SkinGenius are committed to helping youngsters return to school fresh faced and confident by helping them clear any spots, pimples and acne from their skin. 

My daughter has "found" makeup this year, so in addition to the changes in her skin, she is also caking putting on makeup on a regular basis, so making sure that she cleanses her skin has never been more important but finding the right products has been an ongoing challenge. I often urge her to use organic cleansers and scrubs for better and healthier skin!

The SkinGenius products are jam-packed full of natural and organic ingredients which are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and will also soothe and calm the skin. They really can make a difference to teenage skin and the results are lasting as the products address the cause of acne, pimples and spots and don’t just mask the symptoms.

The no junk SkinGenius range comprises of three products – key active ingredients are listed below.

SkinGenius Clarifying Treatment Lotion (£19.99, 100ml) is packed with 98% natural ingredients. It takes just one minute to soak in too! 

SkinGenius Facial Wash (£17.99, 150ml) is specially formulated to help restore harmony to oily skin troubled by pimples, spots and acne. 

SkinGenius Moisturiser (£18.99, 100ml) is rich in nut oils which work in synergy to soften the skin, manage excess sebum production and calm inflammation caused by acne or break outs.  

Our "almost" teen got a chance to try the facial wash and clarifying lotion and the delighted look on a usually non commital face, meant that it was a winner!! Parenting win right there!!

So if you want to gain parenting bonus points, why not enter below to win a set of Skin Genius products for your teenager worth £49.99

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms & Conditions

The Prize: Skin Genius natural skincare set
The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 7 working days by email
By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
There is no monetary equivalent.
Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
End Date 19/11/2017 at 12am

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A few weeks ago I held a friends newborn baby and my ovaries ached (shhh don't tell my husband) and whether is your first, second, third or twentieth thanks to Britain's largest family The Radford's, I don’t think the feeling of excitement, joy and sheer emotion of having a new baby ever changes. However, just as you can feel excited about the prospect you can also feel overwhelmed and worried about it. It’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions that is for sure. Once you are over the initial excitement, you can start to think about the future and preparing yourself for the arrival of your new baby. But what do you really need?

If this is your second child or beyond, you may be blessed with things you have kept from your first born. The most popular things to keep tend to be push chairs and car seats, even nursery furniture and clothing. So if you do have their benefit now would be the ideal time to sort through the loft or storage areas and see exactly what you have. It can also help determine how much you need to invest in for the new baby. But for some, you are starting from scratch and so you may feel like you have a big endless list of things to buy or consider for your new baby, but actually there are not as many essentials as you possibly once thought.

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Somewhere to sleep

Baby’s need a place to sleep, after all, they tend to spend those first few weeks sleeping a lot. So you may want to consider what sort of arrangements you are going to have in place for this. Of course, there are moses baskets that offer great flexibility for sleeping. But you could also consider the more permanent arrangements such as a cot that will potentially live in the baby’s nursery. There are all sorts of accessories to consider when it comes to sleeping arrangements, particular mattresses and sleeping aids, so it’s always advisable to do your research to ensure that the products you think you might not will actually be beneficial.

The feeding arrangements

Some people choose to breastfeed, others choose to bottle feed. Whichever route you decide to embark on is a decision only you can make and it is personal to you and how you feel. Sometimes you may have plans to feed in a certain way and things just don't go to plan. There are, however, essentials that could work with each type of feeding possibility such as breast pumps for breastfed baby’s or bottles and sterilisers for the bottle fed ones. Make the choice and then ensure you have what you need to embark on the feeding journey you choose.

Clothing for those first few weeks and months

We can often get a little carried away when it comes to buying clothes for a new baby. It’s all those cute little outfits you see in shop windows or websites like Next or Zara. The truth is, in those first weeks and months the chances are your new baby will live in rompers and sleepsuits. Cute outfits are great, but don’t have too many where you run the risk of your baby outgrowing them before they even have a chance to wear them. Be careful with your purchases, and instead, by a few months ahead to ensure you have a steady stream of clothing from newborn size onwards.

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Dealing with siblings

It can be hard to handle siblings when you are expecting a new child. You run the risk of feelings of jealousy creeping or feeling left out. It can be hard to remember at times there are other feelings to consider, especially when you are exciting and concentrating on taking care of yourself through pregnancy. The essential factor here is to ensure that you involve your child in the process of welcoming another baby. That might be a surprise gender reveal or making it a big event to announce the new sibling. It might just be arranging a private scan so that they get to meet their new sibling, a 4D scan could be a great bonding experience.

Getting out and about

You might need to consider the getting out and about arrangements for you new baby. Which could mean doing research on travel systems, push chairs and car seats. The car seat essentially is something you need for the hospital to get you home safely, so that may become your priority if you are planning on spreading the bigger purchases. There are options to suit all budgets in this field, and the best advice would be to go out and visit them and try them out and see how they feel. People have opinions from the top end of the budgets right through to some of the cheaper options available on the market.

Finally, make sure you take care of your own well being. Taking time out for yourself, enjoying a nice book and a relaxing bath. They may not be essentials that cost much, but they can make all the difference to how you feel.

Do you remember being a child and having a bike with a bell? You know the most painful sounding bell you can imagine and you rang it and rang it and rang it? Yep, I was that child. A bell or a horn isn't something that is intentionally designed to drive the neighbours bonkers but it is also a safety accessory, although it is an uphill struggle to try and convey that to small children.

Not any more!

The Mini Hornit is the world’s most fun accessory for children’s bikes and scooters and we are told that it is fast becoming a craze in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. It comes loaded with 25 sound effects from bells and trumpets to racing cars and animals, and has bright lights (white AND green!) for safety.

It is loud without being defeaning and some of the sounds are hilarious .... especially when people are not expecting to hear a police siren in the park. The mini hornit has an attachable remote trigger you can activate these lively, attention-grabbing sounds without ever taking your hands off the handle bars. Using a pair of large rubber wings, this nifty little device also easily clips onto the frame or handlebars which makes it is the perfect accompaniment to a child's bike or scooter.

The tech bit is:

Product Features:

• Rubber wing-clips lets you attach it to any bike or scooter
• Packed full of 25 fun and attention-grabbing sound effects (85 - 90 decibels)
• Super bright 12 lumen white and green lights, with constant/slow flash/fast flash modes
• Dedicated "lights off" switch so you don't have to scroll through all of the various settings
• Shower-proof (IP33 rating)
• Batteries will last for 7 hours on constant light mode and it needs 2x AAA batteries

Oh it also looks like a super big eyed turtle ;-) 

The mini hornit retails at just £14.99 but we are excited to be able to give you a chance to win one! All you need to do is enter below.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Prize: Mini Hornit - colour of choice.

The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Rafflecopter and notified within 7 working days by email
By entering this competition, you understand that your details may be retained for future mailings. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.
There is no monetary equivalent.
Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.
End Date 12/11/2017 at 12am