Category: Baby Blog

1. Sometimes you just have to dive in ....

   Posted on 9:40pm Wednesday 2nd Oct 2013

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   Today I did something that is usually reserved for Nanny and my youngest daughter.

   Today I went to a Water Babies swimming lesson.

   Today I got very wet!

   Mum is on holiday and although the swimming lessons are their "thing", I didn't want the little one to miss out on her lessons, so I donned my swimming costume and took the plunge.

   We were one of the first ones there so had the pool to ourselves and the little fish was keen to show me how she puts her face in the water and kick kick kicks. I loved how interactive the class was and I knew some of the things that we were doing as they get repeated over and over again in our bath tub. I wasn't however prepared for Lindsey, our swimming teacher getting the little one to wash my face and wash my hair before we got started. Thankfully I wasn't going for the glamorous yummy mummy look!

   Mom had said only a few weeks ago how the little one was refusing to put her face in the water but this week she was happily blowing bubbles and swimming under water. Yes, actually swimming under the water. I was astounded.

   She didn't like lying on her back with a plastic duck on her tummy, she much preferred to throw the duck across the water, much to her amusement but her favourite thing is launching herself into the water. Firstly, she literally ran off a huge float and jumped into the water but again, I was astounded at her diving into the water from a sitting position on the side. I have seen her pretend to dive in the bath at home but seeing her dive into the water with no fear is a true testament to the Water Babies process.

   I am now even more envious of their weekly swimming lessons and am so pleased that I could take her today, despite being a little nervous that she would be upset that Nanny wasn't taking her. But in the end, just like the little one, sometimes you just have to dive in.

2. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Microwave Steriliser Review

   Posted on 8:02pm Tuesday 1st Oct 2013

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   As part of our baby blog series and after the safe and gorgeous arrival of our new nephew, we are delighted to show a review of the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Microwave Steriliser from our baby blogger, Suzi .....

   As a first time mum and having not been around many new born babies, I must admit that I did not have a clue about where to start when it came to feeding and sterilisation.

   My first reaction to the abundance of sterilising products on display at a baby show I attended was; does a little person really require all this equipment?! So I was extremely relieved when my sister in law asked me to review the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Microwave Steriliser and assured me it was all I needed to get started.

   I began motherhood breast feeding my new born baby boy and after a few days, also started to express and combine feeds with formula bottles. From this day on the Tommee Tippee steriliser has not left my microwave and I can honestly say it really does what it claims; sterilises in super quick time, is easy to load and provides a great sterile surface for making up the feeds. It took a few attempts at reading the instructions to work out the steps required to ensure sterilisation, but this was most likely to do with my ‘baby brain’ from lack of sleep than anything else, and once cracked the process is actually very simple. 

   

   A great feature of this product is that it keeps the items inside sterile for 24 hours and it can therefore hideaway in the microwave with all the sterilised bottles, saving on all important kitchen work surface space. Whilst it’s designed to hold four Tommee Tippee products, another plus is that it also works perfectly with other brands of bottles and accessories, including breast pumps. My only  wish is that it would hold more than four bottles, but in all honestly if the container was any bigger it wouldn’t fit into most microwaves and I think Tommee Tippee have probably used all the space possible for this type of steriliser.

   

   In summary, this steriliser is practical, efficient and is serving my baby’s need for sterilised bottles perfectly. To top it off Tommee Tippee include a soother in the package which came in very handy at 3am the other morning when nothing else seemed to be working! I will definitely be recommending this steriliser to my sister who is due in January with her first baby, and like me hasn’t had much prior practice!

3. Getting your little one ready for winter

   Posted on 6:00pm Thursday 12th Sep 2013

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   The summer has been glorious and none of us on the Lilypad have thought much past making sure we have enough sun tan lotion and where we put our flips flops! However, after such an amazing summer, the change in temperature means that we are all thinking about putting the heating on (I know it's only September but I feel the cold) and as the nights grow darker and the winter draws in, it might be time to think about some winter essentials for your little one. I was talking to my sister in law only this week about suitable clothing for my newest little nephew, so here are our top four winter must-haves:

   The adorable hat

   

    

   Investing in a hat for your baby is essential when winter hits, and there is no excuse for not taking this opportunity to up the cuteness with your choice. Knitted baby hats, such as this one from Babski Baby, are incredibly cute and will keep that precious heat from escaping their head. The lemon baby hat is knitted using 100% cotton. 

   The winter coat

    

   Wrap them up warm in a little coat that will see them through the colder months. We love finding things that are a little bit different and this personalised coat from notonthehighstreet.com is adorable, and will never get mixed up with other kids’ coats as your little one’s name or initials can be added to the item. There’s even little bunny ears and a bunny face embroidered on the hood, just to add to the cuteness.

    The little cardigan

   When it’s chilly indoors and your baby does not take kindly to being wrapped tight in a blanket, a knitted cardigan is the best option. If you don’t have a helpful relative who loves to knit, you can always find some gorgeous cardigans online, such as this adorable blue one from Emile Et Rose. From 1-18 months, your little one is sure to stay nice and cosy in this cotton cardigan.

   The wellies

    

   Whether a sprinkling of rain, or a torrential downpour, it is best to have a pair of wellies handy in the car or in the house to save you from soggy little feet. And, if your child is old enough to put them on themselves, Clarks offer this great pair of Doodles with handles for ease of use. Children’s shoes are expensive enough, so be sure to use the wellies as much as possible in the bad weather. We are big fans of Peppa Pig in our house and have recently just bought a Peppa Pig pair from Marks and Spencers, with the same handles, which my little one loves to use.

   So all in all, winter proofing your little ones wardrobe doesn't need to cost the earth, just some perfectly thought out essentials will see you through till spring!

   Would you add anything to the list?

    

4. Toddler Water Wobbles

   Posted on 10:05pm Wednesday 4th Sep 2013

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   The holidays are officially over. Everyone is back to school and this week we returned to our Water Babies swimming lessons. We have always blogged our way through our Water Babies journey but as it is Nanny who takes the little fish to her lessons, I always miss out on the fun so I have made sure that over the holidays I have taken the time to swim with her regularly.

   Now there is one thing I need to share with you, my youngest daughter is an independent little lady ( I have NO IDEA where she gets this from) and when she gets something in her head, there is not much chance of changing it. So one of our swimming sessions consisted of her jumping off the side and splashing into the water, whilst singing "humpty dumpty fell off the wall". This has done wonders for my arm muscles.

   I was amazed at how confident she was in the water and kicking her legs and doggy paddling with her hands and I was a little overwhelmed with pride when another mom commented on the little ones water skills in the pool. I can't take any credit for it but that didn't stop me raving about Water Babies.

   

   So today they went back to Water Babies and typically the little fish didn't want to go underwater, so she didn't. Her speech and comprehension has come on leaps and bounds over the past few weeks and she knows what you are talking about. So if you are talking about something she doesn't like the sound of, she will certainly vocalise it. At first I thought it maybe another of the possible "toddler water wobbles" but after the lesson she was putting her face in the water and laughing with Nanny. Lynsey the teacher caught her and chuckled at her cheekiness.

   The one thing that made me chuckle was Nanny telling me that the little one had "pooed" during the lesson and as we are toilet training at the moment, there was quite alot of conversation about the poo apparently, much to my moms embarressment. Thank goodness for the Happy Nappy!!

   Mom said that it was a strange start to the new term as the class had been joined with a younger group of babies. I think some of the parents felt disgruntled by this but having younger babies gave the older ones a chance to go over some of the basic techniques again, which is never a bad thing. So we embark on a new term and have a chance to make new friends, learn new techniques and find out how many ways little fish can find to be cheeky it seems!