Blog : Little Lilypad Co

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The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad or by one of our baby bloggers. Occasionally we accept guest posts too. There is frequently talk of sustainable living, saving money, lifestyle and travel. It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.

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Category: Reviews

  1. Pregnancy Exercise : Deep Freeze Pain Relief review

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    I was determined to remain active whilst I was pregnant, although SPD slowed me down considerably in my second pregnancy but our baby blogger is now struggling with similar symptoms during her third trimester so when Britmums said that they were working with Deep Freeze Pain Relief, we knew we wanted to be involved.

     deep freeze pic

    A recent study from Deep Freeze revealed that 26 per cent of pregnant women exercise twice a week, with a further 16 per cent exercising once a week. However, of the 36 per cent of those who choose not to exercise, 20 per cent choose not to due to back pain. This is a really interesting statistic and one that both myself and Lynette, our baby blogger can relate to. Here is her story ...

     

    I have always been keen to keep myself fit and active from an early age, Having attended many clubs for exercise over the years, and taking part in different activities. When I was pregnant with our first child, I took things very easy due to a complicated start to the pregnancy. Although I tried to keep myself active, to be honest I didn't want to do anything that may cause a problem. As a result I put on a lot of weight. 

    After a 4 year gap, and getting back into a good exercise regime I am now 38 weeks pregnant with our second child. Apart from morning sickness in the first 15 weeks, I managed to keep myself very active and busy. However, as the middle of the second trimester approached, I started to suffer with pain in my middle back. I found sleeping exceptionally difficult, and sitting for long periods of time was almost impossible. As the third trimester approached, the pain had moved to my lower back and into my pelvis.

     Baby bump

    As you can see, I have a beautiful baby bump but exercise was now practically impossible and even getting in/out of bed was painful. I was extremely disappointed that I was not able to do a lot without having to rest. Exercise was a no go. Walking was a struggle, so how would I be able to go to Yoga or walking in our village, so you can imagine that I was thrilled to test the Deep Freeze Cold Patches. 

    The box contains a foil pouch which is resealable with grip seal. The pouch contains 4 patches and although they have quite a medicated smell you don't notice this once the product is applied and under clothing (although they do stay on better if you wrap something around it like a bandage). The patches are a good size and I found them easy to use, although given my discomfort it is a shame that they don't last more than a few hours as I would really like a full night's sleep before the baby arrives.

    With back pain affecting three out of four mums to be and the barrier of taking oral painkillers when pregnant being an issue, most mums to be just stop keeping active during pregnancy despite the health benefits. Thankfully, the Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch offers initial, effective drug-free pain relief from muscular back pain during pregnancy*, just like an ice pack, and provides long-lasting cold analgesia to the site of pain. The adhesive patch is applied simply and easily, and can be worn without restricting movement or needing to be replaced frequently to maintain the cooling effect. Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patches are great news for muscular back pain during pregnancy. 

    As a final (and slightly humorous note) the patches have also been found to help our baby bloggers husbands back after he fell through the ceiling during their extension work on the house (I kid you not - here is the picture to prove it) and he is now a huge fan of the pain relieving properties of the Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch.

    Ceiling

    I'm working with BritMums and Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch, writing about pregnancy and muscular back pain. I was provided Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch and have been compensated for my time. All editorial and opinions are my own. Visit Deep Freeze for more information.

  2. Can you resist a summer sale?

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    There is no question that I love shopping and the bargain hunter in me loves sale shopping even more. In my mind, if something is half price I can buy twice as much! I am terrible when my favourite shops email me with sale notifications but I am not so much a fan of standing queuing in shops, so when Vertbaudet emailed to tell me about their BIG sale with up to 60% off, I had to go and check it out online. Surprisingly for me, I was not all about the clothes (which is most unusual) and was quite taken with their home collection, which is perfect for children's bedrooms and fantastic prices in the sale.

    Vertbaudet Sale Shopping

    Sale shopping can give you a thrill like no other, especially when you find that dress you have been coveting or a pair of shoes at a price that you simply can't resist. There are obvious pitfalls too, so here are our top tips for sale shopping!

    Do you really need it?

    Do go with a VERY level head. Yes, your eyes will be on stalks at all those reduced tickets – but with everything you pick up, consider whether you really like it. Would you have considered saving up for it if it hadn't been reduced?

    Buy bigger sizes for next year

    Children don't stop growing but that doesn't mean that you can't be savvy about their clothes. Buy bigger sizes this year in the sale and put them away for next year.

    Check the returns policy

    Clearance buys are often a great deal, but it’s important to read the fine print. Finding a top for £2 is great, but not if you can’t return it if it doesn’t fit.

    Shop online to save more

    Shopping online can sometimes means even more savings – websites like KidStart offer members money back for their children on online shopping from loads of major stores, so it is worth checking out prior to clicking buy now!

    And finally ....

    Set a budget

    It is worth making a list of the things you actually need and want to look for and decide in your mind how many more you’re prepared to buy so you have something to aim for. Getting a bargain is great but not if you can't actually afford it in the first place so set a budget and decide how much are you prepared to spend in advance.

     

    With sales popping up everywhere this summer, it is a great time to grab a bargain. Now I really must go and look at that Vertbaudet sale again ......

     SALE

  3. When should a child stop believing in fairies and magic?

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    The tooth fairy had a little problem last night. She couldn't find the tooth and was left with the dilemma of leaving a note asking for the tooth tomorrow night or just simply leaving the money without taking the tooth. Now I think there is a reason that the tooth was "missing" as a certain 10 year old is challenging the simple magical characters that have always been in her life.

     

    tooth_fairy_004

    She knows in her heart that the tooth fairy is not real (I think she just pretends now for her little sisters sake and for the £1 coin) and she has openly laughed about the validity of the Easter Bunny but as we get closer to Christmas, do I need to finally give in and accept she may no longer believe in Father Christmas? Most psychologists will suggest that children need to know they can trust their parents to tell them the truth, even about things like this. In other words, when your kids ask if Father Christmas, the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny are real, you should tell them the truth.

    That's obviously easier said than done.

    What age should you tell them the truth?

    This really depends on the parents, and to a very large extent, the child. 

    Last year she asked me if Father Christmas was real as one of her classmates had said it was his mum (they were 9 years old). It was one of those moments where I held my breath for a minute. I had hoped and wished this day would never come. But it did. And so with it brought another phase of parenting. It’s that phase where my baby girl is no longer a baby, she is no longer naïve and I have to accept that a part of her childhood innocence is a thing of the past.

    If I am honest, I may have dodged the question last year but I know that I have to face it as much as she is going to. I don't want her to be ridiculed at school and whilst the age of every child is different, the truth about her childhood magic will be as much as loss to me as her. 

    How to deal with their new knowledge?

    Encourage your child to help younger siblings, cousins, and other children keep believing in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas. This can be an great way to build nurturing skills in your own child, and help them feel more grown up. By having her join us in teaching her younger sister about these magical creatures, can hopefully help make the transition into a world where magic can still exist but in a more realistic context.

    Let's be honest, everyone needs a little magic in their lives don't they?

    When should children stop believing in magic-

  4. Play by Dr Amanda Gummer : Review

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    I love reading and I love being a parent, so why wouldn't I want to read a parenting book that is going to encourage fun time with my child?

    Play is a practical and inspiring book for all parents who want to support their child’s development in a fun and pressure free way. Written by Dr Amanda Gummer, child development expert and play psychologist, it’s packed with activities and insights to help parents support their child through the critical first five years of life.

    I read ALOT during my pregnancy with my eldest daughter and when she was little and I was convinced that I was the "perfect parent" until my youngest daughter arrived to remind me that not every child conforms to what a book tells me she should and shouldn't be doing. I found my usually composed exterior flapping and despite assuring everyone that this "experienced mum" knew what she was doing, I struggled to find the right balance of mental, social and physical activities to keep everyone happy. I wished that I had had this book then.

     Dr Amanda Gummer Play

    Play looks at those early baby days right through to starting school, which makes it a refreshing change to many books that stop at the toddler years. 

    My favourite parts of the book are:

    • The ability to make notes at the end of each chapter regarding your baby's progress.
    • The easy reference sections makes it easy to pick up when you need guidance with something specific.
    • The way you don't need to read the entire book to know "everything" you need to know.
    • The book gives you both practical and simple ideas

    Despite being eternally broody, we are now past the baby stage *sob* but I know that our baby blogger will be coveting this book when I am finished with it!

    If you want to see more of Dr Amanda Gummer, you can follow her on Facebook here and her website is www.fundamentallychildren.com 
     
    Play is available to pre-order though Amazon , the paperback version is £10.68 and kindle £5.03, so would make a great gift for a baby shower or new baby present.
     
    Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.