Category: Reviews

1. Lindam Stair Gate Review : Pushloc v Numi

   Posted on 8:10pm Thursday 26th Jul 2012

   When you think of baby safety, Lindam has to be one of the most recognised names in the industry so we were delighted to "road -test" two of their most popular stair gates against the perils of our little stair climber! At 10 months old, she is showing all the signs of a regular mountain climber so we needed to stop her in her tracks, the decision then is do we go for style over safety or can you really have both?

   Lindam Pushloc Stair Gate

   The Pushloc Stair Gate is easy to fit and features a nifty push-to-shut closing. It's one-handed opening is perfect as if you are anything like me and usually have your hands full, doing things one handed becomes second nature. It can be secured with the pressure fit or to be even more secure, it can be screwed to the wall. We particularly liked the fact that the bottom bar isnt too big, so you dont trip up or down the stairs over it!

   The Pushloc is reasonably priced at £29.99 and whilst it is never going to win any style awards, it is safe, practical and affordable.

   Lindam Numi Extending Aluminium Stair Gate

   Lindam says that the Numi is "Appealing to those with an eye for aesthetics as well as for security, the Numi Extending Aluminium Safety Gate displays a combination of fine design, advanced technology and unparalleled safety" So can we really get style and safety in one place?

   It makes claims of being Easy to Install and whilst my other half may not agree entirely with this statement, it was possibly more time consuming that difficult. If you want to preserve your walls, this may not be the stairgate of choice but what you gain from a few small holes in the wall is a beautiful design that is simply quite striking.

   With the Numi retailing at £60.00, it is not the cheapest stair gate you will find but when you combine in safety and style, can you really put a price on that?

   Lindam launches Safety Day campaigning for fewer accidents in the home
   “The Difference A Minute Can Make.”

   Lindam, the UK’s number one home safety brand is launching Safety Day to highlight to parents the number of accidents children are still having in the home. Today, more accidents happen in the home than anywhere else and, shockingly, more children die annually because of accidents rather than illnesses, such as meningitis. Lindam is committed to reducing childhood accidents in the home and is launching the first national Safety Day on September 6^th 2012. This year’s theme is ‘The Difference A Minute Can Make’ and looks at how time pressured parents could be risking their child’s health.

   Startlingly, a million children attend casualty departments every year due to accidents in the home and the majority of these are easily preventable by taking steps to ensure the home is the safest environment for a child. 

   The Difference a Minute Can Make ..... can you spare a minute?

2. The Pillow Fight : The battle of the maternity pillows

   Posted on 8:07pm Friday 1st Jun 2012

   I was very lucky to be offered a variety of maternity pillows whilst I was pregnant, some recommending benefits for the dreaded SPD, others talking about ease of breastfeeding, so we (and I mean the whole family) have put them to the test. So let the pillow fight commence ...

   Theraline Maternity Pillow

   The key points noted from Theraline is that this maternity and nursing pillow gives you stable support during your pregnancy, relief for legs, belly and a stressed back, easy to change sleeping positions, safely molds to baby’s body and it gives you amazing back support. I was genuinely surprised at how big this pillow is, it is definately the "daddy" of the nursing pillows and I really wanted to use it in bed at night whilst I was pregnant but dissapointingly my SPD meant that I couldnt get comfortable with anything, including this pillow, it was simply too big. This is not to say that the pillow hasnt been used, my eldest daughter has adopted it in her bedroom and it is great to sit her baby sister in, when we are all reading in the bedroom. It wraps around her easily, leaving her safe and comfortable. Verdict: Big Sisters favourite!For more details go to http://www.theraline.co.uk/ 

   Floppeze Support Pillow

   The Floppeze is a uniquely designed pillow that has multiple uses throughout the developing years from pregnancy support, feeding, sitting, travel and more.  I was extremely excited that the Floppeze claims to be an especially good support for women who suffer with SPD, so I was ready and raring to try this out! My pelvis however had other ideas and decided that it was going to be a complete pain (!!) and not be eased by anything. I have concluded that this is more a reflection on my body rather than the design or abilities of any of the pillows tested. We all absolutely LOVE the design of this pillow, it appeals to children (young and old) with its "cow" design and has been a godsend as the little one has got bigger as it has been used to support her development through tummy time and learning to sit unaided. I think out of all of the pillows, this is the one that will last after the baby stage, it will be a neck support on long journeys and with its cheeky face, its like having a new pet! Verdict : Daddy's favourite.

   For more details go to http://www.bibsandstuff.co.uk/

   Boppy Pillow

   The press release tells us that the award-winning Boppy feeding pillow creates an ergonomic ‘nest’ shape, which embraces and cuddles baby making them feel safe and protected and helps to aid the feeding process. A “Miracle Middle” which adapts to the shape of each and every mum guarantees a snug and secure fit and the exclusive fibre padding used in each pillow means it keeps its shape and is incredibly supportive and comfortable.  This was the pillow that I used in the early days of breastfeeding, it wrapped round me snugly and supported my baby girl well. It was fantastic for my eldest daughter to, as she could sit with her little sister comfortably, without worrying about her sliding out of her arms.  This is definately the "toughest" of the nursing pillows, so maybe this is actually the "mummy" of this group. Verdict : Mummy's Favourite!

   

    

   For more details visit www.boppyworld.co.uk

   The use of a maternity or nursing pillow isnt all about asthetics and whether it looks nice in your lounge or your nursery, there is medial research that we have been supplied, courtesy of Boppy Pillow, which explains how the pillow helps with correct positioning for feeding.

   Professor Guido Moro, Director at the Neonatology Operating unit and Neonatal Intensive Care unit at the Macedonio Melloni Hospital in Milan, explains: “At the beginning, it’s normal for the strong sucking of the baby to elongate the nipple and the areola tissues, which causes a certain amount of discomfort. When the baby is not positioned correctly, this will cause harsh tugging at the nipples which can lead to severe discomfort and pain to both the nipples and the breasts; over time this can even cause painful cracks and chaps,which take time to heal.” 

   The use of a feeding pillow makes it much easier to find a variety of comfortable feeding positions, whatever the circumstance or environment. Prof. Guido Moro says: “A feeding pillow can be a great help for mother and baby during nursing. Without a pillow, the mother’s arm muscles tire more easily and the baby can slowly slide downwards, which changes the way he suckles on the breast, something that can be rather painful for the nipples.”

    

   So in the end, I think it comes down to personal choice. I have been lucky enough to try 3 different pillows and each have their own merits - it really depends on what you need from your nursing pillow as to which one suits your needs best!