31 January 2012

Valentine's Day Gift Guide Part 2

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Well since there are just so many brilliant gifts for Valentine's Day this year I had to split the gift guide in two! Read on for more fantastic gift ideas:

Cosatto Yo! Go Lightly
Now you can't forget your little one on Valentine's Day so what better way to make them feel special than by getting them this beautiful Cosatto Yo! Go Lightly. A brilliant pushchair with a very cute design. RRP £230.00 and for stockists please visit www.cosatto.com.


Ethical Superstore
For the more ethically minded of us out there why not pop over to www.ethicalsuperstore.com and take a look at their ethical products for beautiful Valentine's Day gifts. I love the one above, it's a gorgeous multi-coloured heart of bells. Perfect to hang in your home. RRP £6.95.


ChapStick Lip Kit
Well I think you all know us girls love a ChapStick and we also want kissable lips so what better way than to treat your other half to these brilliant ChapStick Lip Kits. You get 3 sticks in each and there are 7 kits to choose from. RRP £3.99 and you can purchase these from Tesco and ASDA.


Giant Hip Flask
What can I say, it's a giant hip flask that can hold 1 litre (yes you heard right) of alcohol. I'm hoping that alcohol of choice will be a nice malt whisky to warm the cockles on these cold winter days. Perfect to show the man in your life just how much you love him. RRP £36.50 and can be bought from www.bouf.com.


Hearts Doormat
I just love the look of this multi-coloured hearts doormat. There's something so appealing about it and it's completely different to anything else out there. Maybe not the first thing you would think of getting your loved one but why not treat the house for Valentine's Day? Freshen it up a little and greet your guests with love, awwww! RRP £15.95 and can be bought from www.bouf.com.


I Love... Juiced Up Blackcurrant
This fantastic range of juicy fruity beauty products will have you frothing at the mouth this Valentine's Day with the brand new I Love... range just launched. Juiced Up Blackcurrant is bursting with flavours and just needs to be poured into your bath for the warm fuzzy feeling. RRP £2.05 and can be bought from www.superdrug.com.


Green People Gifts
If your other half is the kind of person that likes to look after their skin (not that we all don't but some poeple have more time!) then these Love Organic gift sets for Her or Him are the perfect way to turn giving that extra little bit of luxury. RRP for Her £18.95, RRP for Him £14.95 and both can be bought from www.greenpeople.co.uk.


Classic Loafers
Another great gift for that little person in your life and just look at how cute they are! Classic mini loafers for the mini person. In keeping with Valentine's Day they come in a lovely shade of pink however they also come in blue if you would like to buy them for your little boy or you could buy him the pink, whatever you wish. These come in sizes ranging from 22 to 28 and RRP at £34.99. You can purchase these beauties from www.skeanie.co.uk.


De'Longhi Coffee Maker
Well I know a few coffee freaks out there and this would certainly be the perfect gift for them! You're loved one might be right into their coffee too so why not treat them to this awesome vibrant red coffee maker from De'Longhi. RRP £179.99 and can be bought from almost anywhere! Try Amazon to start with, they always have a bargain.


Nelsons Arnicare Bath & Massage Balm
Everyone needs a bit of pampering after a hard days graft and this Nelsons Arnicare Bath and Massage Balm is sure to do the trick. There's a few different ways you can use it as well. You can pour some into the bath for a quiet relax apply to damp skin to soothe or for some fun together time why not massage it into the back of your other half to help them unwind. RRP £8.15 for 200ml and can be bought from www.boots.com.  


Jammin: Smile Jamaica Fire
If your other half is right into their music then these are the headphones to get. From the House of Marley these affordable, eco-responsible in-ear headphones offer noise-isolation, a comfortable fit with three sizes of ear tips and amazing sound quality. RRP £19.99 and can be purchased from www.hmv.com.


James Martin Feeds the Appetite for Love
You're probably wondering what the hell this is but hang around and read because it's great. TV chef James Martin has a brilliant new website www.lifeforkspoon.co.uk where he is currently cooking up a storm for his customers. He has created some very special Valentine's Day luxury food boxes so instead of traipsing out into the cold to a restaurant on 14th February why not order one of James' fab Valentine's meal and have a romantic meal for 2 in the comfort of your own home! Totally brilliant isn't it. Prices start from £35 and you can order 1 week before Valentine's Day.


Artylicious
Simple yet effective this beautiful coat hook with keep reminding the recipient of just how much you care. You should also see what ele Artilicious have to offer on their website, some great unique gift ideas for the whole family www.artylicious.co.uk. RRP £8.00



Kisses For You Puppy
Another great one for the kids and even better they can make it themselves. It's the very cute Kisses For You Puppy from Build-A-Bear. Why not treat your little one on Valentine's Day by taking them to one of the many Build-A-Bear stores nationwide so they can build their very own puppy dog. These puppy dogs can blow kisses, so sweet. Prices start from £15.00, visit www.buildabear.co.uk for more information.



Firefly Love Potion
Love Potion is a juicy blend of Passionfruits and Blueberries spiced up with natures naughtiest botanicals like angelica and chocolate - Mother Nature’s aphrodisiacs! Fruity, delicious and Firefly’s boldest bottle design yet! To keep your love life sweet, this delicious tonic will be available for a limited time only, in Harvey Nichols, Wholefoods, Harrods and quality independent outlets. RRP £1.69.


ZChocolate
For something truly extra special on Valentine's Day, why not treat your loved one to these amazing hand crafted french chocolates from ZChocolat. This beauty of a box contains 12 assorted hearts with an RRP of £73.46. The box has been hand crafted as well and you can even have the brass plate engraved with a loving message. Visit www.zchocolat.com for more products and information.

Giveaway: Sweet Heart Swaddle Blanket & Swaddle Love Book

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The lovely people from Aden + Anais are definitely in the spirit of Valentine's Day and have offered my lovely readers the chance to win 3 sets of their gorgeous Sweet Heart Swaddle Blanket and Swaddle Love Book. Perfect for your newborn or this would make an excellent gift for those expectant parents you know! Read on for details of how to enter.





How To Enter:

Basically all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is follow Aden + Anais on Facebook and since it's Valentine's Day soon, leave a little comment here telling me why you love them. As simple as that! If you'd like an extra chance of winning then simply follow Aden + Anais on Twitter as well and leave a comment telling me you have done so. That's all you have to do, very simple.


This is a UK only giveaway, closing date is 25th February 2012 at 12 noon.

Winner will be chosen using Random.org

Good Luck everyone!!

Review: Me to You Personalis​ed Love Book

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If you're looking for a thoughtful personalised gift for your Valentine that won't cost the earth then the little Me to You Personalised Love Book from www.penwizardco.uk is the gift for you. I've been sent a copy to review so please read on to hear my thoughts.

First impressions are great. It has the same excellent quality of the Christmas version which I reviewed last year but obviously it has different pictures throughout the book which are lovely and reflect a more romantic nature as you would imagine. This book would be perfect for any Tatty Teddy fans out there but also brilliant to show your romantic side. By simply entering both the recipient's name along with yours, you'll see them magically appear throughout the book in beautiful illustrations. You can even include a personal message creating a unique personalised love gift.

The whole process of personalising and ordering is very simple, first you create and account which only take a couple of minutes, then you click on the product you want and click create. It clearly shows you where to put your name and the recipients name and also where to type in your personal message. Then to finish you select what occasion it is for as you can have a Birthday Book, Anniversary Book or a book just to say 'I Love You'. After you've done this click continue and your book with appear in your basket. All very easy to do.

The book has a full colour gloss cover which is pearlescent and this gives it a brilliant quality feel and look. It is paperback with 24 full colour pages and measures 17 x 11 cm. The illustrations really are beautiful and very well thought out.

To purchase your own copy for that very special Valentine please visit www.penwizard.co.uk RRP £9.99 and standard UK delivery is £1.50. Delivery is very quick, I received my copy 2 days after ordering so can't complain about that.

Overall an excellent little book of very good quality yet inexpensive to give as a gift. Very well done with beautiful illustrations that will show the recipient just how much you care. This books has had some great reviews on the
www.penwizard.co.uk website so don't just take my word for it, go and have a look for yourself.

Mummies rating - 10/10

Please visit
www.penwizard.co.uk for more products and information. You can also see what Penwizard get up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say hello! Remember to tell them The Breastest News sent you.

WINNER: Where The Lost Things Go Book

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Where The Lost Things Go Book Winner



Drum roll please............

The winner of the Where The Lost Things Go Book, chosen by random.org, is...

Charlotte - @MummyFever

Congratulations!

Please email me with the following details and I will have your prize sent out:

Name:
Home Address:

Thanks to everyone who entered, it is very much appreciated.
Please have a look at the Competitions page for even more fab giveaways.

30 January 2012

Guest Post: Choosing To Comfort Feed Only

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I have a lovely guest post for you today from the very honest Amanda from over at The Family Patch. I'll let Amanda tell you a little bit about herself: "The Family Patch evolved from a personal blog I previously wrote to document our wedding preparations, trying to conceive and then my pregnancy. It is now a home for all manner of family related posts from a 365 day photo challenge throughout 2012 to musings about being a first-time mother. Having suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum and Obstetric Cholestasis during my pregnancy I am now actively involved in raising awareness of these, as well as writing completely honest posts about our choice to remain a one-child family and dealing with the heartache that can bring."

Breastfeeding is something that I first came across properly when working in a daycare setting after graduating from university. The nursery I worked at was situated in the hospital grounds where the babies’ parents worked and so several of the mothers would pop in at feed times rather than leaving bottles of expressed breast milk for us to give them. I thought it was great and loved how comfortably they fed their babies and decided that this was something I wanted to try when I had my own children.

Unfortunately breastfeeding wasn’t so easy for me and although I wanted to give it my best shot I also knew that I wasn’t going to beat myself up if it didn’t work. I had been bottle-fed as a baby and turned out fine, and I made the decision that a happy and healthy mum who bottle-fed would be much better for my baby than one who breastfed at the expense of her health and sanity.

But it wasn’t all bad and although I stopped exclusively breastfeeding at around 6 weeks and had pretty much stopped completely by 12 weeks, I still continue to try and give one feed a day which is more of a comfort to my baby and me than anything else. For all the problems we had, I did enjoy the unique bond that breastfeeding gave us and was not ready to give that up entirely even when we did switch to formula.

Because of this I wanted to share how our breastfeeding journey started and the events that occurred to make me realise that it just wasn’t working for us anymore. I know that I took huge comfort from knowing that others had found ways to deal with issues they were faced with and hope that, in turn, my story might also offer comfort to someone else facing difficulties. So let me start from the beginning…

My husband and I started trying to conceive in November 2010. We knew that my Endometriosis and the problems I had experienced because of it could have affected my fertility and thought we were in for a long wait. So we were totally shocked to discover I was pregnant just two months later in January 2011. Our joy was, however, quickly dampened as I became very sick very quickly to the point where I faced hospitalisation due to dehydration. I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an extreme form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy which, although gradually improving, continued to affect me until the day I gave birth.

Later on in my pregnancy I also developed anaemia and Obstetric Cholestasis, so it really did feel like my body was, once again, letting me down. I’m hoping that this will help you understand just how happy and relieved it made me to start leaking colostrum quite profusely during the latter stages of my pregnancy as it gave me hope that breastfeeding might actually go smoothly for us. It felt like I was finally getting a break and my body was doing what it was supposed to. And for the first six weeks things went well enough for me to think we were getting there.

We started off rather slowly as my son had no interest at all in latching on for a good 24 hours after birth. This was partly due to the fact that I had been given a half dose of diamorphine when my waters were broken 23 hours after my labour was first induced. It had taken that long to dilate from 2cm – 5cm and so everyone thought I had hours ahead of me. However I ended up giving birth 3 hours after this and so both me and my baby were both rather dopey from the medication for several hours.

I was also incredibly sick thanks to the injection I was given to help with the third stage of labour. I spent the first hour after giving birth throwing up and was then whisked away to theatre to have a third degree tear stitched up. So I had hardly any chance to bond with my baby in those early hours.


We did however finally manage to get to grips with latching on and by the time we were discharged from the hospital it felt like we were going to be alright. But that night my son suddenly seemed to get an appetite and he wanted to feed almost every single hour and suddenly it went from a strange but enjoyable experience to an exhausting and painful one. He would latch on, suck really hard, chomp down on the nipple and then come off the breast, only to want to latch back on two seconds later. And he seemed to be struggling to keep up with the speed of my letdown.

We continued trying, seeking advice from the midwives and then my health visitor. It seemed he was latching on fine, I just had a very strong letdown and seemed to be producing rather a lot of milk. I could feed him and still express several ounces afterwards, and you don’t want to know how many changes of clothes we both went through because as he was feeding from one side, the other would be leaking all over us.

And yet I was ok with this. I felt sure that things would settle down because that is what everyone told me. So I kept going until the awful day when I developed my first blocked duct. It was so painful and rather scary to see a massive lump on my breast with milk that just would not clear. And even more distressing was hearing my baby cry because he was hungry and yet could not get any milk out of my breast. It took several hours to clear and once it did the pressure from the build-up sent the milk shooting across the room.

This was when my baby was 6 weeks old and what followed was another 6 weeks of trying everything I could to prevent further blockages. I called my health visitor. I joined a local breastfeeding group. I spoke to friends and family. One friend suggested I might be having problems with oversupply and once I looked up the symptoms I knew that she had hit the mark. My baby had almost every single sign including the ever painful chomping down on the nipple in an attempt to slow the flow. And I seemed to have a new blocked duct every other day.

It wasn’t until later, when talking to another friend who had suffered from blocked ducts, that I realised how bad mine really were. She mentioned that she had once had a swelling as big as a golf ball. I couldn’t believe she had only experienced it once, because nearly every single blockage I got led to such a large lump that my breast became totally distorted in shape and I couldn’t bear to touch it let alone do the massaging , expressing and feeding needed to clear it.

I was lucky enough to avoid mastitis and tried everything I could to overcome the problem I was having with oversupply, including dropping to combined feeding where I only breastfed at every other feed and expressing only to the point of comfort, rather than emptying the breast. But nothing worked and when my baby was 10 weeks old I stood in the kitchen in the middle of the night, crying in pain, and realised that I couldn’t do it anymore. I was miserable and my boy was too. It wasn’t worth it anymore, I knew we had to switch over to formula for all his feeds.

It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make as I was so desperate for it to work for us. And yet it was the best decision I’ve ever made too. Within days of switching my baby was much happier and calmer. He started sleeping better. He rarely screamed with colic pains anymore because he wasn’t getting colic. He could actually feed at a rate which suited him from a bottle much more easily than he had when fighting the speed with which my milk was supplied. And he also seemed more satisfied after a feed, finally getting that “milk drunk” look I had heard about but never seen in him.

I’ve never looked back at my decision and regretted it and I do think that you know what is right for you and your baby. If it had just been uncomfortable for me then I would have persevered longer, but once I could see it was negatively affecting my baby I knew I had to make a change. I know I did everything I possibly could to try and overcome the issue I had with oversupply and I am proud of that. And the few comfort feeds I am still able to give are so much more special now because we no longer have to struggle but can rather snuggle together and just enjoy it. My boy gets so excited when he realises I am about to give him a breastfeed and has even started latching on, having a few sucks, and then lying back and just grinning at me before having a little bit more, which truly does make my heart sing.

So whilst I thoroughly agree that breast really is best for baby if you can manage it, I also strongly believe that a happy and healthier relationship between you and your baby is more important than whether you offer breast milk, formula or both. Your relationship really can suffer if you face difficulties that don’t seem to clear no matter how much effort and research you put into it. So although every breastfeeding mum will likely agree that breastfeeding is hard work at times, if it is a constant battle that leaves you anxious and in pain then please do not hesitate to ask for help and advice and know that it is okay if you do not feel able to continue. Breastfeeding should be a joy, not a dreaded thing you look back on with resentment or guilt. Remember, even the shortest time spent breastfeeding will benefit your baby: every feed counts, no matter how few they may be.

29 January 2012

The Wonders of an iPad

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I must admit when Apple first came out and began to introduce their products to market I was completely against them and to be honest I'm not really sure why? Ah! I know what it was, my high school had really crap laptops in biology and they were apples. I remember them being so slow and difficult to navigate with their stupid little one click mouse!

Anyway, I have now completely changed my mind after receiving an iPad 2 for Christmas from my son (with help ofcourse from Daddy). The iPad is actually awesome! It has so many different features and the apps you can download are amazing. The best thing about it is that Logan now steals it from me and uses it all by himself. I'm totally amazed at how a 2 year old, who doesn't speak, can quite happily turn on the iPad, select the game he wants to play and sit for a good 30 minutes on the sofa enjoying himself. He seems to be such a quick learner, mastering the art of iPadding within 2 days of using it so he's obviously got some good brain cells in there (thanks to me ofcourse!). Here's hoping his speech will now develop further with the help of this wonderful tool.


We've downloaded quite a few of the free apps for him such as flash cards so he can learn animal names and sounds, there's another good app which teaches your child all about Fruit. It's brilliant and very captivating for a 2 year old. The lovely Dorky Mum also suggested some Peppa Pig and Humf apps which I'll be downloading shortly. Unfortunately they aren't free but whatever helps my little man I'll happily pay for.

On another note if there's any nice companies out there who would like me to review their iPad apps please do give me a shout, you can find my details on the contact page! (a little cheeky but you never know).



26 January 2012

Valentine's Day Gift Guide Part 1

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It's that time of year again when people like to show their love for one another and that love could be for your husband, wife, partner, child - there's plenty to go round! So that's why I've gathered up a few fabby products for you to treat that special person in your life. There's even a few brilliant products for the little ones. Check them out:

Memory Wall
I thought this was very cool and a great personalised gift to give to that special someone. Memory Wall make personalised pictures and even have some special love heart ones for valentine's day. Prices start from £35.00. Please visit www.memorywall.co.uk for more information.


Schmidt Heart Throb Jigsaw
I absolutely love the look of this jigsaw, the images capture your attention straight away and because it's 1000's pieces it's sure to have your other half entertained for hours. You could even do the jigsaw together! Do it when the kids go to bed so you'll get some quality time just the two of you. RRP £12.00 and you can find it on Amazon.


Sweet Heart Muslin Swaddle
Why not treat that little person in your life this valentine's day to a gorgeous sweet heart muslin swaddle from www.adenandanais.co.uk. Made from 100% cotton these muslin wraps are ultimate in breathability and softness. RRP £15.95.


Mr&Mrs Game
So you think you know your other half really well? Then prove it! Play the Mr&Mrs Game together and see just how well you know one another. Based on the brilliant game show Mr&Mrs from ITV, this game is the perfect entertainment for some fun on valentine's day. You can purchase this little beauty for £14.99 from Amazon.


HandPickedCollection.com
The very lovely HandPickedCollection.com have a brilliant selection of valentine's day gifts to treat yourself or you better half to. They've got a fancy wooden heart shaped chopping board which is brilliant for all the foodies out there (RRP £14.95) as well as a gorgeous Emma Bridgewater tin got all your baking (RRP £9.95). Check out www.handpickedcollection.com for more products and information.


Personalised Me To You Romance Book
Everyone loves a book but that special person in your life will love this book even more when they see their name in it. By simply entering both the recipient's name along with yours, you'll see them magically appear throughout the book in beautiful illustrations. The perfect way to say "I Love You". RRP £9.99 and available from www.penwizard.co.uk.


Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur
Everyone loves chocolate and everyone loves a drink now and then so what better way to treat the person you love on Valentine's Day by chilling them a glass of Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur. You can even top it off with some chocolate dipper strawberries, mmmmmm. You can purchase from ASDA for RRP £12.99.


Gorgeous Graffiti
I bet you never thought there was such a thing a Gorgeous Graffiti but you're wrong, just look at this stunning piece of art (above). This brilliant canvas gift has been especially designed for Valentine's Day and will look great on any wall. You can puchase this from www.gorgeousgraffiti.co.uk RRP £30.00.


Theraline Original Maternity & Nursing Pillow
Maybe if your wife/ girlfriend happens to be expecting you could treat her to this fab original maternity and nursing pillow from Theraline. I've heard they're amazing and they can be used for breastfeedinf, helping to get a good nights sleep and also to help support baby. Brilliant! You can purchase from www.theraline.co.uk RRP £44.95.


Horny Goat Weed
Yes you read that correctly! Over 2 million of these little herbal heroes were sold in 2010 in Holland & Barrett stores as it is believed they naturallyimprove your libido and may help to support sexual function. So if you're looking to put the spice back into your life on Valentine's Day then these are your best friends. You can buy them in male and female capsules from Holland & Barrett RRP £21.99 for 60 capsules.


Pink Chillies Scrummy Aditi Chocolate
Extremely scrummy handmade, white Belgium chocolate of Aditi from the lovely Pink Chillies. Beautiful solid chocolate in pink and white with lovely detailing finished with edible glitter. It looks so pretty I'm not sure I could eat it but what a beautiful gift it would make, especially if they love elephants (10% of profits go towards Tusk and The Elephant Family charities) . Priced at £2.50 for 36g you can't go wrong really. www.pinkchillies.co.uk.

Swizzles Matlow Love Hearts
Treat your sweet love to the all time classic love hearts from Swizzles Matlow this Valentine's day. Everyone loves these beauties and if you purchase this new special edition tin it's sure to be a winner. RRP £1.99 and can be bought nationwide.


Stoneware Deep Heart Dish
For all the foodies out there this would make the perfect gift and will show them just how much you care. It has a rimmed edge for easy handling and a convenient lid for baking and storing. RRP £40.00 and can be purchased from www.lecreuset.co.uk.


Square Love Heart Mug
Simple and inexpensive this beautiful love mug is an excellent choice to show you care. What more could you want from a mug! RRP £1.89 and you can purchase this product from www.dunelm-mill.com.

24 January 2012

Giveaway: byBrilliant Classic Heart Earrings

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As most of you will hopefully know it's my Blogging Anniversary today. I've been doing this blogging lark for 1 year now but it feels a lot longer if you ask me! Anyway since it is my Anniversary the very sassy ladies from byBrilliant have agreed to give my readers the chance to win a pair of their totally stunning Classic Heart Earrings in 9k White Gold or 9k Yellow Gold worth £85.00!!!! What an amazing prize! Read on for details of how to enter.
How To Enter:

All you have to do to enter is leave your email address in a comment on this post (example: laura88nelson(at)sky(dot)com). As simple as that! byBrilliant would like to use your email address to send you their fab newsletter every month. Don't worry it will not be sold on to any 3rd parties and you can unsubscribe from their newsletter at any time you want.

For an extra entry you can follow their Facebook page leaving a comment telling me that you have done so and if you would like a 3rd entry then please follow byBrilliant on Twitter and leave another comment telling me that you have done so.


This is a UK only giveaway, closing date is 18th February 2012 at 12 noon.

Winner will be chosen using Random.org

Good Luck everyone!!

Giveaway: GOSH Click 'n' Conceal

16 comments
So I recently reviewed the brilliant GOSH Click 'n' Conceal which has been fantastic at covering up the dark circles around my eyes. I look much fresher now and more of the yummy mummy I should be instead of worn out mummy! Any how you're all in for a bit of luck as the very generous people for GOSH has agreed to give away 3 of these brilliant concealers, so read on for your chance to win!

 


 
How To Enter:

Basically all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is follow GOSH on their Facebook page and leave a comment here telling me you have done so. As simple as that! If you'd like an extra chance of winning them simply follow GOSH on Twitter as well and leave a comment telling me you have done so. That's all you have to do, very simple.


This is a UK only giveaway, closing date is 18th February 2012 at 12 noon.
Winner will be chosen using Random.org
Good Luck everyone!!

23 January 2012

Review: New Image Genie Bra

1 comments
Hot off the press is the brand new revolutionary New Image Genie Bra which promises no spillage, back fat or bra shelf (the fat you get under the bra at the front). I was delighted to recieve a sample to review as I'm sick to death of the dreaded back fat, everyone has it (and if you don't you're a freak of nature) so I'm putting this bra through it's paces and hoping for good results.

An expert behind the New Image Genie Bra says "Over 80% of women are wearing an uncomfortable, ill fitting bra. Now they can wave goodbye to bad posture, chafing, neck, shoulder and post operative pain with the New Image Genie Bra."

I have to agree with the fact about 80% of women wearing uncomfortable bras. I was one of them. I spent what must have been 2 hours in a well known underwear shop after finishing breastfeeding for good as I wanted to treat myself to some nice sexy bras. I must have tried on atleast 20 different styles and 2 or 3 different sizes and not one would fit me properly. I was so upset I could have cried but I ended up buying a bra that wasn't comfortable just for the sake of having a bra as none of the others I had at home fitted me after breastfeeding. It was a nightmare.

Atleast with the New Image Genie Bra sizing is simple, just match your dress size to your New Image Genie Bra size and you'll have a comfortable bra that conforms to your shape without the hassle of chest measurements and cup sizes.


This bra has purely been designed for comfort in mind. It has no wires, hooks or adjusting straps. It's simply a good stretchy bra that you can comfortably slip over your head and arms and it fits quickly into place where it should be, covering your boobies!

Before it was first launched it had a waiting list of over 15,796 women so I really was hoping for the best if that many women wanted one! It's more geared towards the sporty type I think or it would be perfect for expectant mothers as it's very soft and comfortable against the skin, you'd barely remember you had the bra on.

The one I received to test had the extra soft full coverage support pads however my boobs are a little on the larger size so when I put the bra on with the pads it gave me an odd shaped chest which I obviously didn't like but when I took the pads out it was ok however if it was ever cold I'd be flashing nipple which isn't so good. I suppose I would only be flashing if I had a tighter top on maybe? The good things though is that there is no back fat, bra shelf or spillage as promised so it does do what it says and it's comfortable to wear. I didn't really feel it gave me loads of support but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be with an all fabric bra.

You can purchase your very own New Image Genie Bra in a pack of 3 (black, white & nude) for RRP £39.95 from Tesco and BHS.

Overall a very comfortable bra and one that was easy to wear without even noticing you had it on. Wasn't so sure about the support pads for bigger breasts as this gave an awkward shape which wasn't so fetching. Easy to size this bra so big thumbs up for that and for 3 bras the price isn't bad, it works out at £13.32 per bra which is quite good I think. Didn't give as much support as I would have liked though so lacks a bit with that and it doesn't give you any cleavage either!

Mummies rating - 6/10

Please visit www.geniebra.co.uk for more information.

22 January 2012

Review: Ella's Kitchen Nibbly Fingers

1 comments
New from Ella's Kitchen are the unique Nibbly Fingers, a healthy and scrummy snack bar. Logan was lucky enough to be sent a pack of each flavour in the range to test and review. I'm aslways getting Logan to try new things and the healthier the better really. I know this might sound a bit snobby but I'm horrified when I see people in fast food venues feeding their one year olds greasy burgers!

Anyway on to the review! There are 3 flavours in the Nibbly Fingers range: bananas & raisins, strawberries & apples and mangoes & carrots. All flavours are 100% organic, packed full of healthy ingredients, squished fruit or veg with absolutely no concentrates or refined sugars.

In each pack you get 5 finger bars which are an ideal size for little fingers to hold and an excellent healthy treat to keep little ones on the go until dinner time. The range is aimed at toddlers from 12 months (stage 3) and up and are ideal to pop in your hand bag when out and about with your toddler incase they get a little peckish as they're individually wrapped.
Unfortunately I have to say that Logan just wouldn't eat these little snack bars. He point blank refused every flavour which is a real shame. I tried them myself and found them very flavoursome and quite yummy but Logan wasn't having any of them, even if I showed him me eating them. He'd take a quick lick then throw it to the floor.

So in an attempt to give these a fair review I got the other half to take what was left of the 3 packets into Logan's new playgroup for snack time. I have to say it wasn't good news though, only 2 of the 8 children ate these nibbly fingers and those two children where girls.

You can purchase these Nibbly Fingers for RRP £2.29 (pack of 5) from Tesco.

Overall I thought these nibby fingers were quite tasty but Logan and his friends at the playgroup didn't agree. It is a shame but toddlers know what they like and it just wasn't these. Your toddler may think differently though and they're not expensive so won't break the bank to atleast try them.

Mummies rating - 7/10
Logan's rating - 2/10

Please visit www.ellaskitchen.co.uk for more products and information. You can also see what Ella's Kitchen get up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say hello! Remember to tell them The Breastest News sent you.

Silent Sunday

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Silent Sunday

Review: GOSH Click 'n' Conceal

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Being a mum is hard work and we all know this don't we ladies! And with children comes the inevitable; sleepless nights, stress, and the never ending darkness that now seems to surround our eyes! Obviously it's due to major lack of sleep but don't despair, we can hide those nasty dark circles with the brand new Click 'n' Conceal from GOSH.

The lovely people from GOSH Cosmetics sent me my very own Click 'n' Conceal to try out and I must say I'm impressed. I was using another brand before as I have massive dark circles under my eyes but now I think I'll swicth to the GOSH brand. It's very easy to apply with a quick 2-3 clicks at the bottom to release some of the cover up concealer and with one smooth swish of the brush your dark areas are now seamlessly hidden. Brilliant!



Here's what GOSH have to say about their lovely Click 'n' Conceal products: "Cheat your way to a flawless complexion with just a few clicks of this moisturising, buildable concealer that eliminates shadows and imperfections, leaving you with a seamless finish. Perfect for disguising signs of tiredness and experssion lines, Click 'n' Conceal contains light reflecting properties and 'light magnifications' to increase luminosity, hide imperfections and leave the complexion looking more radiant."

I found this concealer worked brilliantly with my skin tone and the fact that is comes in 4 different shades means there's something to suit everyone (I had the lightest one as I have fair skin). It will easily fit in your hand bag so you can always carry it around and use when you need to. I keep mine in a very small make-up bag which I keep in my hand bag and it fits beautifully. You can purchase your very own Click 'n' Conceal exclusively from Superdrug stores nationwide for only £6.99.

Overall a brilliant product and one I will be purchasing in future. It does what it says it will and thank god, my major eye shadows need hidding from the world and this does just the trick. Pricing if fair compared to other brands so that gets a tick from me.

Mummies rating - 9/10

Please visit www.goshcosmetics.com for more products and information.

21 January 2012

Review: Fox's Biscuits

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Every time I hear the name Fox's Biscuits it reminds me of the advert with the little gangster panda in it. Very cute but very funny. It also makes my mouth water as Fox's Biscuits are oh so tasty! You can imagine my sheer delight then when Fox's sent me a little bundle of biscuits to review for them just before Christmas. Perfect timing for the guest to try as well.


As with sending out the normal range of delicious Fox's Biscuits they also sent us some of their Moos Malted Milk Cream Finger biscuits which are designed for children. They sort of remind me of custard creams but they're very scrummy and Logan loved them. We were lucky enough to be sent 2 packets of these and it's safe to say he enjoyed them loads. He finished both packets apart from the odd one that Mummy or Daddy nibbled on. Fox’s Moos Malted Milk Cream Finger Bars contain a scrumptious vanilla cream filling between two tasty malted milk biscuit fingers. They are perfect as an on-the-go snack, a lunchbox filler, or as a yummy treat for the little ones when they get home from school. Each pack of Fox’s Moos Malted Milk Cream Finger Bars contains individually wrapped biscuits for a reasonably priced £1.29.

The biscuits that us adults were sent had to be even better though (as they had chocolate on them). We were sent the divine viennese edition biscuit box, the cracker shaped chocolate covered biscuit selection and the cracker shaped cream filled biscuits. I have to say that all were lovely and we couldn't fault any of them, well the only fault is I wish we had got more! Totally greedy to say ofcourse but they're really very good.


You get 400g of biscuits in the viennese edition box which contains 8 different types of chocolate and cream biscuits all for £6.00. Stockists include Morrisions, Waitrose and Tesco. The cracker shaped chocolate covered biscuits are £3.99 for 150g and can be bought from Asda or Waitrose. And last but not least the cracker shaped cream filled biscuits can also be bought from Asda or Waitrose for £3.99 for 150g. All as tasty as the next. Oh that reminds me someone at work brought Fox's Chocolatey Selection into work the other day, needless to say they only lasted about 2 days!

Overall, well you know what I'm going to say don't you! These biscuits were YUM! They melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. The sign of a truly scrummy biscuit. Everyone at my work loved the Chocolatey Selection that was brought in and I've never seen biscuits eaten so quickly. That just proves how good they are - so go and buy them. Perfect for when you have posh guests round for a pot of tea.

Mummies rating - 10/10
Other Half's rating - 10/10
Logan's rating - 10/10

Please visit http://www.foxs-biscuits.co.uk/vinniesemporium/ for more products and information. You can also follow Vinnie the Panda - Fox's Biscuits No.1 Fan over on facebook.

Giveaway: Berry Red Birthing Shirt

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I have another fab giveaway for you all ladies (and possibly gents!). This time the lovely people from The Birthing Shirt Company have kindly agreed to give my lucky readers the chance to win one of their amazing new Berry Red Birthing Shirt.


You might have seen the review I did not so long ago on their birthing shirt? All I can say is that they are truly amazing. So comfortable to wear and they're brilliant at keeping your modesty intact!


How to Enter:

Anyway, if you would like to be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic new berry red coloured birthing shirts then all you have to do is simply follow The Birthing Shirt Company on Facebook and post here saying you have done so. If you would like an extra entry then please also follow them on Twitter and post back here telling me you have done so.


This is a UK only giveaway, closing date is 11th February 2012 at 12 noon.
 
Winner will be chosen using Random.org
 
Good Luck everyone!!


20 January 2012

Toddler Mischief and The Amazing Dog

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Well today whilst I was at work I got a random email from the other half informing me that Logan had some how managed to get out of the house and walk along our street! Now he's only just turned 2 but he's so tall he can reach all the door handles in our house including the ones on the front and back door!

My other half had just nipped out to quickly speak to a workman who is working on our back garden at the moment and closed the door behind him without locking it. Without him realising Logan had heard him go out the door and proceeded to follow. He didn't see his Daddy nip into the back garden so started to walk along our street. Luckily our street is a quiet cul-de-sac however the saving grace I think was that our dog, Lexie, followed Logan out the front door and along the path with him. She's such a good dog and loves Logan to pieces so would never leave his side. I also think thank god because Lexie is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and if any weirdo had spotted Logan I'm sure they would have thought twice about approaching (although Logan was only in the street for all of 2 seconds).

Mischiefous Toddler & Amazing Dog when they were younger

Logan starting to panic not seeing where his Daddy could be so started screaming (as a toddler would) at this point the other half's heart stopped in complete fear and ran to our son to find Lexie dutifully sitting by his side.

It just goes to show how toddlers can be so observant and quick as a flash they're off without you even realising! I'm sure everyone's had that dreaded moment when you realise your little one has wondered off, it's a scary thought and we'll definitely be keeping the doors locked from now on - lesson learnt.

I'd love to hear your tales of toddler mischief so please do share.

Review: Chicco Boppy Nursing Pillow

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As a major fan of breastfeeding I'm all for products that aid women in this hard but rewarding journey that is feeding your child naturally. Chicco sent me one of their Boppy Nursing Pillows to review for them and hopefully if you purchase it, you'll like it just as much as I do.

First impressions of the Boppy Nursing Pillow are good. It comes in it’s own handy clear zip case which has strong handles so easily portable for taking into hospital, round to your mums, trips in the car and away on holiday with you. It also keeps the pillow protected and clean which is a must as it will come into contact with your baby daily.


The pillow itself is firm and cushioned but comfortable to sit around your waist for feeding baby. I tend to find the firmer nursing pillows are better at supporting your baby and yourself too. It keeps baby comfy and higher up so your arm does not become tired whilst feeding so it's a win win really. You'll be pleased to know that the Boppy Nursing Pillow has a removable cotton slipcover which can be machine washed and dried at 30o, full instructions are provided to show you how.

There are so many different ways you can use this pillow and it has been so popular in the US that it has been voted favourite baby product 9 times! So you can obviously use this pillow to feed your baby but it is also great to help them sit up unaided due to it’s ergonomic shape that has been scientifically researched. It can also be used for the all important tummy time and to lay your baby on their back whilst having their head properly supported. Quite a versatile little pillow don't you agree! Boppy explains that also "The "Miracle Middle Insert", is an exclusive insert that guarantees a snug and secure fit which adapts to the shape of every mum, and it will not deform however often you use it. The exclusive internal padding and the "Miracle Middle Insert" guarantee that Boppy will keep its shape over time."


This pillow comes in so many different styles as well there is something for everyone. You can buy the Boppy Nursing Pillow in it's Naked form (without a slipcover) and purchase the slipcover of your choice to go with it so you're not restricted by the Boppy Nursing Pillows that are sold with the slipcover. There are some very beautiful Boppy Heirloom Pillows that are just gorgeous and more of a luxury to keep and pass down through generations.

For mums and mums to be who are right into following the Celebrity trends you'll love the Boppy Nursing Pillow as Jessica Alba bought one recently for her second child. This does prove it's a lovely product if even celebs are buying it.


You can purchase your very own Boppy Nursing Pillow from Amazon RRP £49.99 however you know what Amazon is like. There's always a deal or two to be had, so keep an eye out for a bargain.

Overall a brilliant pillow that gives good quality support and feels soft but firm to keep your baby safe, snug and in place for feeding. The pricing on this is fair as it's around this sort of price you would expect to pay for a good quality nursing pillow and since it has the middle miracle insert it won't lose it’s shape so should last for generations to come! This will indeed save you money in the long run.

Mummies rating - 10/10

Please visit www.boppyworld.com/uk/ for more products and information.

19 January 2012

The Gym

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Inspiration!

Since I've written my new year resolutions I thought what better way to kick start the list than by tackling the gym first. I arranged a date with my cousin to come along with me (for moral support ofcourse) and we decided Wednesday 18th January was our night to shine or sweat like a pig if you're anything like me!

So off we trotted to our local community centre to use their gym facilities. It's nice and clean and they have enough equipment for us to use even though it's packed into a very small room but it'll do. We don't need masses of space to break a sweat really. Looking quite the part in my sketcher tone up trainers, three quarter length stretchy bottoms (needed to accommodate the Beyonce Butt syndrome that I unfortunately suffer from) and vest top I was ready to take on the world, well the treadmill atleast!

My cousin and I strutted in and headed for the cycle machines to warm us up, I have to confess we only used the ones that you can sit down in that have a back rest, not the ones that look like proper bikes! We hadn't been to the gym for over a year so we had to take it easy on the first day back you see. Well that's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking to it. Before we knew it a whole hour had passed, we must have been concentrating so hard on the training time had literally raced forward! Or it could have been the fact we were gabbing so much we hadn't paid any attention… Whatever is was we could definitely feel the burn.

Next up was the stepper machine. Now I must stress the machine I hate the most is the stepper. It's a dirty little rotten machine that simulates climbing the stairs and makes your legs ache with pain although it does give the best results for bum and thigh toning so I just couldn't miss it out. Like I mentioned before I've got Beyonce Butt syndrome so something had to be done to sort that bad boy out. We only stayed on the stepper for maximum 10 minutes as I just couldn't take anymore - I know, I'm weak!

By now we were flagging so decided to finish our session on the treadmill. I'd be telling porky pies if I didn't say I was glad when it was all over but I must say I was surprised by how energised I felt. The gym definitely made me feel better about myself which is great and if it trims down my Beyonce Butt at the same time well it's a bonus. It's also a social environment and not getting out much these days with having a young child, it's nice to be in adult company and have a good blether with my cousin.

So I feel the start to my new year resolutions has went well, I'll be back at the gym next Tuesday and Wednesday to take it up a notch. Keep your fingers crossed for me (and your toes) I'll certainly be needing it.



Photo Credit - Marc Kane

18 January 2012

My Blog is One Year Old!

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I honestly couldn't believe it when I was looking back at some old posts the other day and it donned on me that my blog would be one year old this month (on 24th January to be precise)! It's feels rather frightening to think that I've been writing on here for a year already.

This time last year I had just finished my maternity leave and was returning to work after a whole 13 months off (god how I wish for another 13 months off when I have my next child)! Upon returning to work I found out I would be being made redundant which was a bit of a shock (ok a lot of a shock with some crying and sobbing involved) but I picked myself up and applied for new jobs and luckily in May I started my new position.

I really feel my little blog has came along way and getting to know all the other mummy bloggers/ daddy bloggers on the circuit has been great. I've had masses of opportunities from the blogging world which has hugely benefited my family from toys for my son Logan to days out with the family (Deep Sea World). Don't get me wrong although it's great getting "free" stuff there's a lot of work and time involved reviewing products and services so I feel I've worked hard and earned these little perks.

So what do I see in store for my little blog this year? Well I hope to continue with the lovely product reviews but I also want to focus more on the breastfeeding side of my blog, after all it is called The Breastest News! I'm also hoping to bring you more competitions/ giveaways and be more involved with site such as NetMums and BritMums and their blogger prompts/ link-ups.

I'm also going to make a point of being more involved in the blogging community by commenting more on the blogs that I read because comments are great and we all love to get them and lets be honest if I read a blog it's only fair to leave a nice little comment.

So hopefully you'll see lots of good things from me this year, wish me luck!

17 January 2012

New Year Resolutions

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Ok so it's a new year and I really should have made some resolutions by now but on 1st January I decided I really didn't want to set myself any resolutions this year. Why should I? I thought, I'll only break them or just ignore them. That was until I read the lovely Petit Mom's new year resolutions and they inspired me to write my own. Petit Mom's resolutions are simple but realistic and I think that's what I'll definitely be aiming for with mine. So here goes nothing!

Spend More Time with Family
Now I do spend a lot of time at home and with my family but sometimes I don't feel like it's "quality" time if you know what I mean. I feel like I spend far too much time on the laptop and I've tried to calm this down a bit but I really need to plan it better now so I can get organised with my blogging work but also more organised in my home life. I would also like to take Logan to more events or different attractions this year. Hopefully when the summer comes he'll be better at communcating and we can all go berry picking. I loved it when I was little and I'm sure he would love it too!

Start Planning
The other half and I have been engaged for quite a few years now and we always said we wouldn't be one of those couples who stay engaged forever but actually got married quite quickly. As you can probably tell that never happened. Our son came along and our wedding plans got put on hold. So this year I would really like to atleast start planning our wedding of some sorts. Even to look at some venues and even pick a date would be great. Fingers crossed.

Home Cooking
I have never been a great cook or even a good cook but I would love to cook more meals from scratch so that my son is getting something healthy and tasty. I think the way forward for this is to do some meal planning for the week and buy groceries according to my list. That way it will force me to cook what I have instead of reaching for the closest ready meal in the freezer or the telephone to call a takeaway. This year is going to be a bit healthier and a bit scrummier, I hope anyway...

Look After Myself
This might sound like a strange one but I often find I don't take care of myself as much as I used to or should. I used to pamper myself all the time, remember to shave my legs and wax my eyebrows on a regular basis but lately I have been letting it all go and it's got a bit frightening! So this year I'm going to turn myself into a yummy mummy who pampers herself when the mood takes her. It's a feel good thing that I think I need. I work full time as well as running a household and looking after a toddler and I'm not saying I'm the only parent doing this but god do I need a little looking after now and again.

The Gym
It's safe to say this will probably be on most peoples list as it always usually is. When I was a bit younger I would attend the gym 3 or 4 times a week however for the last couples of years it has been nonexistent in my life and if I'm going to start home cooking I should really head to the gym to help me live a healthier lifestyle. I've bought myself some Sketcher Tone Ups in preparation and I better dig out the old gym gear and blow away the cobwebs as I'll be going along tomorrow night with my cousin - for moral support ofcourse!

So there you have it a few goals for this year and ones which I hope are pretty simple and realistic to follow. We'll see...

Review: Zalando.co.uk

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The lovely people from Zalando.co.uk sent me a £20 voucher code to order some fab products from their website. I had no idea where to start as Zalando offer a massive range of products for all the family from clothing, shoes and beauty to sports products and accessories. I thought about buying something for my son but then I thought "why not treat yourself"? My son really does get everything so this time it was my turn.

I decided to order the fab Burt's Bees Essential Kit and some Tokyo Milk Mini Soap bars. Just what a needed for a little pampering time. I ordered up my products on 10th January and they arrived on the 17th January so not the fastest delivery however every company seems to have a backlog of orders at the moment and even the stuff I have ordered from other websites seems to be taking its time to get to me. When the products did arrive they were well packaged in a branded Zalando box with plenty of padding and sealed in their own individual bags incase of accidental leakage. Thankfully there was none.
Zalando is an exclusively online shop based within the UK and their website is very easy to navigate through. All items are categorised accordingly under clothing, shoes, beauty etc and there's also a search facility incase you are looking for something specific. To order products you have to create an account but this takes all of one minute if you're lucky. It's very simple and straight forward. I also noticed if you sign up to their newsletter you'll get a £5 voucher code just for your troubles, great!

The products themselves are lovely the Tokyo Milk Soap smells delicious and is very soft and gentle on your skin. For £4.95 I got 3 x 35g bars of the Tokyo Milk Soap, brilliant value for money. The Burt's Bees Essential Kit is brilliant, it has deep cleansing cream, hand salve, body lotion, beeswax lip balm and foot cream all in a handy little presentation box. The Burt's Bees products are small so perfect for fitting into your handbag. I got this in Zalando's sale at £15.00 and unfortunately I can't seem to find it on their website anymore so it must be sold out. Glad I bought it when I did.



You'll be very pleased to know Zalando offer free shipping and free returns on their products which is a god send when you love to shop on the internet but aren't sure what size to get etc and although Zalando is an online shop they have a free hotline number you can call if you have any problems - brilliant!

Overall a lovely easy to use website with tons of products to choose from. I do think that the product details tab on each product could be a little more meaty as there really isn't enough info in there for me. I like to have a good read about the product. Apart from that not a problem. With such a vast array of products you can even use the website to purchase gifts for friends and family as well as the odd treat for yourself. It's a one stop shop.

Mummies rating - 7.5/10

Please visit www.zalando.co.uk for more products and information.

Trendy Toddler Tuesday - Flashback

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I just had to join in with the fab Trendy Toddler Tuesday and take a quick flashback to the past when Logan attended our friends wedding. He was only about 9 or 10 months at the time but his outfit was so cute I had to show you all!


As you can see he's giving the camera his best trademark cheeky face and showing off his fab Next shirt with velcro tie and funky Gap jeans. Very cute if I do say so myself, he was definitely getting all the "awww" looks from the wedding guests. I was so proud!


Why not take part in the Trendy Toddler Tuesday yourself over at Mummy's Busy World.

Photobucket

12 January 2012

Fashion Friday #14

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T-shirt: Levi's
Jeans: GAP
Shoes: Bobux
Potty: Hand-me down (don't worry it's been washed)!

Review: Chicco Turbo Touch Cars

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If you didn't already know, my son Logan is completely obsessed with cars, trucks, trains and basically anything with wheels. So when we were offered the opportunity to test and review one of Chicco's cool Turbo Touch cars we just couldn't refuse.
There are 8 fun and exciting Turbo Touch cars in the range to choose from; Trakky, Pinky, Quaddy, Wild, Super Big, Fast Blue, Climber and Tropheo. Logan was sent the very cute Tropheo to test out. He's a little orange 4x4 sort of car and he already has batteries included with him. As soon as you flick the swicth underneath to turn the car on he starts his engine and sits idling away waiting to be raced. Your child can simply push down on the back of the car and it begins to rev it's engine and shoots off once your child has stopped pushing. The car can toot it's horn in salute or screech to a halt. The more you press down on the car the further it'll race.

Logan really loves this little car and I think it's pretty cool myself. It's superb how it sits and idles away when you turn it on with it's little engine ticking over. Logan learned very quickly how to make the car work and pushes it down all the time to make it go. I think it's great for developing your child's imagination as even when the car isn't turned on Logan uses it to pretend race with his other cars.
I've noticed these cars work well on carpets and wooden/laminate flooring as the front two wheels have a strip of rubber grip running up the middle of them.

The cars in the range are suitable from 2 years + however Logan received his when he was a bit younger and he still loved it. You can purchase your very own Turbo Touch car from Amazon for RRP £9.99 but there's normally always some kind of offer on so I'm sure you would be able to grab one cheaper.

Overall brilliant little cars, Logan's worked very time he pushed it down. Nice and big and chunky for little hands. It's a lot bigger than you think it is as well. It fits in my hand but it hangs over the edges a bit so a decent size.

Mummies rating - 10/10
Logan's rating - 10/10

Please visit www.chicco.co.uk for more products and information.

10 January 2012

Review: Baby Nose-Clear

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It's that time of year again, cold, wet, windy and one thing sure to rear it's ugly head is a big old nasty cold. And just to make it worst your little one will probably catch it first, not great! Not to fret though, the brilliant people from 4little1 have sent me two of their great baby nose-clear products to test and review for them. Perfect time too as Logan has a stinker of a cold at the moment!


4little1 sent me their award winning nasal aspirator which really is a must for all new parents. It's so good it's been awarded The Queen's Award for Outstanding Innovation. It is recommended by doctors and health professionals, you can even get it on prescription! 4little1 also sent me their brilliant room vapour which helps relieve congestion.

The nasal aspirator retails at £8.49 and comes with an extra filter and its very own handy storage case. It's so simple to use as well. All you have to do is place the tip of the bulbous end at your babies nose (not inside), put the other end in your mouth and suck. Don't worry, no snots will come any where near your mouth as there's a filter in between to catch everything and also a replacement filter when your cleaning the other one so you always have one to hand. You can purchase this product from the 4little1 website or if your near the high street you can pop into Boots and Waitrose to pick one up.


You'll be pleased to know that the nasal aspirator is very easy to clean, all you need is warm soapy water. Fantastic! The filters are guaranteed too and this method of clearing babies nose is completely safe and risk free. We've tried it out and it's great, it's a little harder to do on a toddler who can't blow their own nose as they wriggle around so it takes the two of us (myself and the other half) but it's very effective. Would definitely recommend this to new parents, especially breastfeeding mothers as a snuffley nosed baby is a nightmare to breastfeed as they can't breathe properly and often end up cranky and crying because they're hungry but can't breathe to feed.

The room vapour I was sent is just as good as the nasal aspirator and this stuff can be used from birth which will be a god send if your newborn comes down with a cold. The fresh and gentle blend of lemon, pine and tea tree essential oils has natural decongestant, antiseptic and antibacterial properties. To use simply add a few drops to a damp towel on a radiator or add to a bowl of warm water. This will humidify baby's room and gently diffuse the blend helping to keep your baby's nose clear at night.


You can purchase the room vapour from the 4little1 website RRP £6.99 (for 10ml). I used this stuff just the other night when Logan was waking up constantly due to his stuffy nose. I put a few drops on a damp towel and onto the radiator as instructed and it seemed to work a charm. Logan managed to sleep a bit better and for longer so I'll definitely be using it again when he has another cold.

Overall these are two fabulous products, both of which I would highly recommend to parents with newborns and parents with toddlers. I would even go as far as classing them as essentials for your medicine kit as children always get colds. It's so common and these products can help relieve the symptoms fast so your child can get a good nights sleep.

Mummies rating - 10/10
Logan's rating - 8/10

Please visit www.4little1.com for more products and information. You can also see what 4little1 gets up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say help! Remember to tell them The Breastest News sent you.

9 January 2012

Review: Sanex Zero% Range

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Having sensitive skin can often limit me in the products I can use in the bath and shower because I end up looking like a reptile! It really isn't nice having dry skin so when Sanex asked me to review their new Sanez Zero% range I was thrilled.

The new Sanex Zero% range is totally free from parabens, colourants, phthalates and phenoxyethanol. It's biodegradable formula is proven to have minimal impact on aquatic ecosystems and has been awarded the European Eco Flower by the EU. Like all Sanex products, the Sanex Zero% range is dermatologically tested and proven to keep skin healthy.


The EU Ecolabel is a voluntary and independent certification. For nearly 20 years, it has been promoting the respect of the environment in the European Union. All registered products carry the distinctive symbol of the Eco-Label. The certified products are subject to a comprehensive analysis of their life cycle to limit their impact on the environment. You can help protect the environment by buying products and services carrying the European label.


There are 4 new products in the Sanex Zero% range; Normal skin, dry skin and sensitive skin shower gel which RRP at £1.89 for 250ml and also the Foam Bath for normal skin which RRP at £3.19 for 650ml. I was sent the sensitive skin and dry skin shower gels to test out. Both products were lovely, hardly any fragrance to them which is nice as some shower gels are over powering! However it was very hard to tell the difference between them as my skin felt great and the same after testing them both. I suppose dry skin and sensitive skin is quite similar so would work well with either.


The consistency of the shower gel is quite runny so it was hard to stop it slipping off my hands in the shower however once lathered up it was easy to use and my skin felt lovely and soft. You only need a little drop because if you squish out too much it'll just run off your hands.

Overall lovely shower gels that leave your skin soft however it was hard to tell the difference between the two I received to test and they were quite runny so a lot of it slipped off my hands so it felt like a waste! Pricing seems fair so no problems with that for the standard of the product.

Mummies rating - 6/10

Please visit www.sanex.co.uk for more products and information.
 

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