30 April 2015

Review: AirMotion Pro Hairbrush

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Anyone with a child, let alone one who has autism, will know how difficult it is to brush their hair in the morning ready for the day to start. Well, not just the morning but at any time really. Quite a lot of children don't like having their hair brushed and I can't blame them as frankly sometimes it hurts. Especially if they have a tuggy bit. My son is like this himself and to add to that his autism, well sometimes it's just not worth brushing his hair at all. After all I don't want to upset him, it's not worth it to have perfectly brushed hair. So when an email popped into my inbox asking if I'd like to review the new AirMotion Pro brush, which promises ouchless hair brushing, I jumped at the chance. Anything to make hair brushing easier for Logan.


Here's what AirMotion have to say about their brush: "The AirMotion hairbrush is a British designed hairbrush with patent pending in-built AirShock absorption technology providing an unsurpassed, contour sensitive hairbrushing experience. Combined with a geometrically inspired unique Tri-Bristle length configuration, AirMotion is the most advanced hairbrush on the market today."

Quite a mouthful there but basically the AirMotion Pro is a new, multi-use hairbrush that's been developed by industry experts to specifically reduce daily wear and tear on your hair. It uses light weight materials which AirMotion say helps for the brush to glide along the contours of your head making for an all round great hairbrushing experience. It has 3 different lengths and diameters of bristles on the brush which will suit any hair type and help remove those pesky tangles in a stress free manner. There's an ergonomically friendly handle which is suitable for even the smallest hands and suitable for right or left handed people. The handle is made from quite a comfortable rubber that feels easy to hold and grip. It hasn't dropped out of my hand yet when brushing anyway. It can be used wet or dry so perfect for taking to the swimming pool/ gym etc and it's been invented by a global British hair artist called Grange Snell. Lastly it has 100% quality assured testing which sounds promising.


So what did I think of the brush firstly? Well I like the simple packaging it comes in, a none fussy opaque plastic box. The brush comes in two colours; pink (and black) or white (and black) and I received the pink one. It's a sort of hot pink shade which is nice and makes the brush stand out. The bristles are soft to the touch and easily squashed or moved around however it does maintain it's shape, no bending or broken bristles after using. I first tried the brush on my wet hair after my morning shower, my hair can be really tangled after a shower so this was a great test. The AirMotion Pro brushed, sorry glided through my hair with ease and when it did encounter some tangles it didn't hurt to brush them out. All I had to do was brush the tangled area maybe 3-4 times and the tangles came out without feeling like my hair was being ripped out from the roots! The handle was easy and comfortable to hold and when I used the brush on my hair dry it worked just as well. The only thing to note is since my hair is fine when I brush dry it tends to go static.

I'm glad to say Logan really really likes this brush and it's amazing at getting all the tangles out of his bedhead hair without tugging and pulling and causing tears. I've tried a similar brush for him which is on the market at the moment however that one doesn't have a handle and the AirMotion Pro feels softer enabling for an all round better hair brushing experience for Logan. He hasn't once complained about this brush and I'm amazed that he'll stand and let me brush his hair without fuss. It's such a relief, and he doesn't even mind that the brush is pink even though he says pinks for girls! FYI pink was his fav colour until he started school...


Overall a brilliant product and one which I'd definitely recommend for kids and adults alike, especially those who may have extra sensory issues. This brush does exactly what it says it claims to do and I really am thrilled with it. The AirMotion Pro retails for £11.95 which does cost more than your average brush however it's a good solid sturdy product and one which I can see lasting a while so money well spent in my eyes. Available to buy online directly from www.airmotionpro.com.

Mummy's rating - 9/10
Logan's rating - 10/10

Please visit www.airmotionpro.com for more information. You can also see what they get up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say hello.



I was sent one AirMotion Pro brush in order for me to conduct this review. All opinions are my own.



29 April 2015

Giveaway: £25 Swimshop Gift Voucher

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It's fast approaching Summer (well if this blooming snow would stop!) and also holiday time and what better way to be ready than by having a £25 voucher to spend on some great swimwear! Swimshop have a fab range of swimming goggles and costumes for you to peruse and if you win the giveaway that means you'll have £25 to spend on getting pool side ready. And lets be honest, when's the last time you treated yourself to a gorgeous new swimsuit? Exactly! Don't worry though if you don't fancy treating yourself, you can always treat the better half in your life or the kids. There literally is something for everyone.

I quite like this one piece pictured below, simple but helps to flatter the mummy tummy!


So to be in with a chance of winning simply enter using the rafflecopter widget below.




23 April 2015

Common Breastfeeding Dilemmas

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Breastfeeding is a beautiful natural thing to do, and if you can do it that's excellent and well done. It's bloody hard work so you should be congratulated often for giving it a go and sticking to it as well. However there's another side to breastfeeding that mums might not tell you about! It's not glamours but it is quite funny, well you can laugh about it afterwards anyway... so here's my list of common breastfeeding dilemmas to give you all a little chuckle.

I need to go pee pee!
Your baby's been breastfeeding for the past hour and you're completely and utterly bursting for the loo. You're starting to sweat now, you're not sure you're going to be able to hold it in much longer but do you dare de-latch a content hungry baby!!

Forgotten Something?
You're out for lunch or your sitting at home, your baby's getting hungry so you pop him/her on the boob to feed. You get distracted and don't notice your baby has popped off and whilst you sit eating with one hand and your baby has fallen asleep in the other hand you've some how forgotten you've left your boob out for the world to see! Not so bad if you're at home you say, well that may be the case unless you have to answer the door to the postman/ delivery driver/ salesman etc.

Flash!! Aahh Aahh!
As your baby gets older everything and anything is more interesting than staying latched onto the boob for a feed hence why you soon become know as the neighbourhood flasher.

Out of Reach
Baby's screaming for a feed but you're trying to get that last bit of washing squeezed into the machine or you'll forget again and won't have any clothes to wear. Lets face it you've put the washing off long enough now. You run for your baby quickly settling down on the sofa and having them latch on for a good feed. Trouble is you've left your iphone/ tv remote/ ipad/ everything too far out of reach and you don't dare disturb your hungry baby now. You're stuck staring at a blank tv and out of the window hoping something interesting will happen over the next hour.

And Relax
You've just sat down quite happily to feed your hungry baby and the door bell goes or the house phone (which is at the other end of where ever you're sitting) goes off. How do these people know you've just sat down to feed!? Why do they insist on disturbing you and your hungry baby. You have one of two choices - miss your important parcel/ phone call or risk a screaming hungry baby. Your call!

Saturated
I'm sure I've forgotten to do something this morning before I left the house, no matter I'm sure it wasn't that important? Oh but it was because you've only went and forgotten to put breast pads in your bra! Que soaking wet bra/ top/ everything near your boobs, ugh!

Hmmm which to wear?
There's breastfeeding tops and then there's the tops you want to wear *sighs* So many nice tops in your wardrobe but none that are really suitable for breastfeeding at this moment so your stuck wearing the over sized unexciting stretchy tops that you'll need to access your boobs so there's no fiddling around when your baby's hungry. It's one more sacrifice you're willing to make though to make sure your baby is breastfed. Tell your nice tops you'll see them in about a year.

All that drama just for her xxx


Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com


20 April 2015

It Doesn't Always Have To Be Pink

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Having a baby girl means there's normally a massive invasion of pink things in your life and after a little boy it's quite nice, however not everything your baby girl wears has to be pink! Here's some of the cute clothes and accessories we've been loving recently that aren't so much in the pink category.

Love to the moon
Love to the moon is a gorgeous little online shop which sells some very cool kids apparel t-shirts. Sizes range from 3-6 months up to 2-3 years. Here you can see Harlow sporting her very cute "I Eat Diamonds For Breakfast" tee. Prices start at £13.00.


Buffalo and Bear
Buffalo and Bear sell some awesome leggings for both boys and girls as well as some funky moccasins in all different colours. The moccasins I bought Harlow are so soft, they're a little on the big side at the moment but I can't wait till her feet grow so I can get them on her. Size wise they range from 0-6 months up to 18-24 months. Prices start from £15.00.


Max and The Star
Max and The Star is an online Etsy store which specialise in some very cool Dribble Bibs but also make Infinity Scarves, cool Teethers and other items for your little one. I've ordered a good few dribble bibs thus far and I've got my eye on some infinity scarves and a teether too! Just can't help myself. Prices start from as little as £3.00.


Lilly + Sid 
I love Lilly + Sid, they're a boutique brand and I have some of their gorgeous clothing for Harlow as you can see from the photo below. All their clothes are designed by in house designers in London which is pretty special and they're just different. Some times high street shops seem to all have the same style of clothing so it's lovely to find something new and fresh. Lilly + Sid have a massive range of clothes for little ones from 0-8 years old.


Dudes n Dolls
Recently discovered (on Instagram) I couldn't resist these awesome deer leggings and feather headband which were in the Dudes n Dolls sale. I'd been looking for a headband for ages and this one is perfect. You can see what it looks like in the very first photo on this post. Super cute, right? I need more practice though so it's not covering her eyes! Sizings range from 3 months to 4 years and prices vary depending on what you're purchasing. There's still some sale items left though so grab a bargain for a measly £4.00!


Itsy Bits Children's Boutique
Last but not least there's Itsy Bits Children's Boutique who stock some very colourful and funky pieces of clothing including these lovely robot leggings handmade by The Princess & The Frock. You can't really go wrong with leggings, they're so versatile and easy to wear not to mention quite comfy for your little ones. Sizes ranges from 0-12 years for some collections which is fab.


So that's some of the baby clothes we're loving recently. If you know of anymore cool brands/ boutiques/ little shops etc please do let me know as I love something a bit different.


This is not a sponsored post. I'm sharing these shops because I love their clothes. All opinions are my own.


19 April 2015

Silent Sunday 19.04.15 - Week 16

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

18 April 2015

Review: ChemistDirect.co.uk

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Recently I was asked if I'd like to review the UK's number one online pharmacy, ChemistDirect.co.uk, to see how easy it is to use and you can never have too many pharmaceutical products so I thought why not I'll give it a go. Here's what I thought.

First a little bit about ChemistDirect.co.uk: "Our mission is to keep everyone in your household in the best of health; fighting fit and ready for whatever life has in store, so you’ll be glad to open your door to Chemist Direct. Established in 2007, we’ve served over 1 million customers and with 24,000 verified customer reviews with a 9.0 average score on Trust Pilot, officially making us ‘excellent’. Because we’re only online, you’ll get more choice than your average High Street pharmacy and as we’re open all hours, you’ll never experience a ‘Back in 5’ door sign or waste a lunch break waiting at the end of a long queue."

So when you decide you want to become a Chemist Direct customer, the first thing you'll need to do is sign up to their website. It's simple and easy to do, filling in all the usual details, and it only takes a couple of minutes. I had no problems registering at all and I notice if you also sign up to their newsletter you'll get 10% off your first order, bonus!


After you've registered it's time to have a browse around and see what's on offer. There really is something for everyone even your cat or dog! There's lots of different departments to look through including; Vitamins & Supplements, Toiletries, Travel Shop, Pet Health, Health & Wellbeing, as well as an Online Doctor, Prescriptions and Medicines if you should need those facilities. I didn't have to use the Online Doctor or Prescriptions however I thought best to stock up on some painkillers in case a sore head should it (which they often do) so I added some paracetamol and ibuprofen to my basket. It's worth noting that if you do want to purchase any medicines then you do have to fill out a questionnaire before approval is given. Due to the fact I only purchased one packet of paracetamol and one packet of ibuprofen I got approval very quickly.

It's really easy to click through the website and add lots of different products to your basket. I got lots of different things from handwash, toothpaste and suncream to dog treats, kids vitamins and baby weaning products. The only thing that got on my nerves was when you add something to your basket then click the 'Back to Shop' button instead of it taking you back to the page you were on to browse some more it takes you straight back to the home page. I don't know about you but I like to go back to the page I was on so I can see what else there is to purchase so this did annoy me quite a bit.


You can use ChemistDirect.co.uk any time of day, in fact I placed my order at around 10pm at night, and if you order before 5.30pm you can have your items delivered within 5 working days for £3.49. If your order is over £40 then standard delivery within 5 working days is free. I placed my order as I said at 10pm on Thursday 9th April. I received an email on Monday 13th April detailing a delay with my order due to some stock availability however I then received an email on Tuesday 14th April to say my items had been dispatched and I received the full order to my door on Wednesday 15th April. So still within the 5 working days even with a delay as the weekend doesn't count. Not too bad I thought.

When you do eventually get to the checkout, after filling your basket with some goodies, you can use Paypal to pay if you wish. It's probably one of the easiest options as if you have a Paypal account then everything's set up ready to rock. I over spent a little so I used the Paypal method and it was totally fine.

Overall a very easy website to use with hundreds of products at your fingertips making things a lot easier and more convenient for you as you don't have to leave your house. Products were reasonably priced and the free shipping is good it's just a shame you have to spend over £40 to get it. My items were well packaged and nothing was damaged which is a great sign. The only annoying thing was that after adding an item to your basket and clicking the 'Back to Shop' button it jumped to the homepage instead of the page you were previously on.

Mummy's rating - 7/10

Please visit www.ChemistDirect.co.uk for more products and information. You can even see what they get up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say hello!



I was sent a voucher code by ChemistDirect.co.uk so that I could order some products and conduct this review. All opinions are my own.



15 April 2015

Review: Jellystone Designs

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As well as reviewing the Boba Wrap for Slumber-Roo I was also sent some really cool Jellystone Designs products for Logan and Harlow to try out. Jellystone Designs create a great range of silicone jewellery for all ages from babies to adults and they come in all different shapes and sizes. The ones we were sent were the JS Junior Robot 13 Pendant for Logan and the jChews Handbag for Harlow.

JS Junior Robot 13 Pendant


We'll start with the JS Junior Robot 13 Pendant which Logan received. It comes in 6 different colours (Blueberry, Blue Hawaiian, Grassy Green, Scarlet Red, Camo and Carrot) so plenty of choice for both boys and girls and is designed for children over 3 years of age. It's attached to a black length of rope like material which is still soft and comfortable enough to wear round your child's neck for a considerable period of time. The necklace fastens together with a practical break away clasp which is designed to separate easily when tugged, which it does by the way. The size of the pendant is: Width 3.7cm x Height 5.3cm x Depth 1.3cm, so not too big but still perfect for little hands to hold.

These pendants are waterproof, odourless and light weight as well as being BPA, Phthalates and PVC free with a fabulous soft feel and texture. If Logan isn't chewing his he's holding it in his hand because he loves the feel. With the material being soft and rubber it does tend to attract the dust and any loose dog hairs which can be a pain however it's easily cleaned with a quick dunk in some soapy water or a wet wipe. It can even be put in the dishwasher to make sure it's extra clean. RRP £12.50.



Logan absolutely loves his Robot Pendant and because he's autistic it makes a great sensory aid/ fidget toy for him especially when he's at school. The other half and I had noticed Logan had started to chew on his fingers and thumb, and even though we'd been asking him to stop he just couldn't help himself. So when I received this Jellystone Designs Robot Pendant to review it was perfect. His school were great and very accepting of him wearing it even if it was a distraction for the first couple of days. Unfortunately, as Jellystone Designs say, this Robot Pendant isn't indestructible and some how Logan managed to bite right through it's legs and pull one off! I have no idea how he managed this as I've given the robot a little chew myself just to see how strong it is and there's no way my teeth were going through. He must have been chewing on a certain part over and over again and it's finally broken. Logan's devastated it's broken and now needs to go in the bin so looks like I'll have to buy him a new one.


jChews Handbag

The jChews Handbag is super cool and the perfect teething accessory for all the baby girls out there. It comes in two colours; Dahlia Purple or Fandango Pink, and retails for £9.50. They're 100% BPA free and the recommended age for independent play is 4 months + or the first signs of teething. Since Harlow received hers younger than 4 months I just held it to her mouth for her to suck and chew on. She's managed to hold it a few times but she probably won't be able to properly appreciate it until she's older. She's currently 13 weeks old. The cuteness factor is well worth the purchase though.

It's the same material as the Robot Pendant so dust and hairs etc do tend to stick to it but as before it's easy to wash of with soapy water or a wet wipe.


Overall these are two fantastic products which are reasonably priced for good quality teether/ sensory toys. It's just such a shame that Logan's Robot Pendant broke so quickly which reflects my rating below. Jellystone Designs do state that they aren't indestructible which is fair enough. Logan's devastated of course, so as any good parent would I'll have to buy him another and see how we get on with the new one. I've got my fingers crossed it lasts longer as it really does save him from chewing his hands etc and helps him to concentrate a bit better.

Mummy's rating - 6/10
Logan's rating - 7/10
Harlow's rating - 8/10

For more products and information please visit www.slumber-roo.co.uk. You can also see what they get up to on Facebook and Twitter so why not pop over and say hello!


I as provided with the Robot Pendant and jChews Handbag free of charge in order for me to conduct this review. All opinions are my own.






13 April 2015

Telling Your Child They're Autistic

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There's a question I've been asking myself for some time now. When do I tell Logan he has autism or that autism is a part of him and makes him see the world through different eyes? He's getting older and wiser these days and now that he's at school he may start to notice he's a little different compared to some of his friends. I don't want him feeling confused or overhearing the other half and I talking about his autism without him being aware of what it actually is. He must hear the word frequently and I would hate for him to think it's a negative thing in any way and as parents the other half and I do speak about it a lot and it would be nice for Logan to begin to understand what it is too.

The trouble is he's still young at 5 years old, however he's got brains and works things out and surely if he knows how babies are made then he's entitled to know how his brain works!? Thinking along those lines (and after chatting it over with the other half) I decided to buy Logan a children's story book which would explain autism on his level. He loves books and we've always found he responds well to teaching from books so I scoured Amazon, as you do, and after much searching came across a lovely simple little book which looked like it would describe autism perfectly.


The book is called Autism Is...? by Ymkje Wideman-van der Laan. Ymkje's description of her own book is as follows: "Logan overhears his grandma tell her friend he has autism, and he asks her, ”Autism is...?” She explains it to him in this beautifully illustrated story. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disability that, according to new statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 29, 2014, affects an estimated 1 out of 68 children (1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls) in the US alone. It is a spectrum disorder because its impact on development can range from mild to severe. The areas of development most affected are social interaction and communication skills, difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication, and leisure play. Someone wisely said, “If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.” The characteristics are different with each unique individual, and so are the ways to interact, teach, and care for them. You may or may not wish to explain the term autism to your child at a young age, but if you do, I hope this book can help make it easier for you, as it did for me when explaining autism to Logan. His inquisitive mind wanted to know, and once he read this story, even before it was illustrated, he was satisfied with the answer."

Reading the description of the book (as above) and seeing that it is based on a little boy (also) called Logan, who at a young age was curious as to what it was made me think this would be the perfect book for us. The fact that the author had first hand experience with an autistic child in a family setting gave me hope that this would be a lovely book so I purchased it right away and received it today (13/04/15)!

So at bed time tonight the other half settled down to read Logan the Autism Is...? story whilst I got Harlow ready for bed and gave her a feed. Afterwards the other half explained how he had Logan's undivided attention whilst reading the book and that you could see by the look on his face that his little brain was ticking away asking lots of internal questions and putting the pieces of the jigsaw together. There's a lovely activity in the book where Logan (the boy the story is based on) has drawn little bees throughout the pages of the book which you've to then find. My Logan really enjoyed this part.

I really have high hopes for this book and just from tonight's reaction I know that we're on to a winner. This will definitely be a bed time book for some weeks to come and fingers crossed it'll help the other half and I talk about autism more with Logan now that he's starting to understand what it actually is.


This is not a sponsored post although I have linked to Amazon so that you can find the Autism Is...? book easily. All opinions are my own.



12 April 2015

Silent Sunday 12.04.15 - Week 15

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TheBoyandMe's 365 Linky

7 April 2015

Harlow's 3 Months Old!

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Well how did that happen!? It feels like I've blinked and my baby girl is now 12 weeks old! It really feels like she was only born yesterday but I also have the feeling like she's always been here if that makes sense? She's just sort of fitted in to the family routine and her big brother has accepted her with open arms which is lovely. The other half and I didn't expect Logan to take having a new baby in the house so well with him being autistic and routine changes a challenge however he's been a complete star and taken it all in his stride. He's very accepting of her and tries to do all he can to stop her crying/ being upset. He'll try and give her some of his toys (mostly superhero mashers), he'll sit beside her and says "Sshh, sshhh, sshhhh!" or he'll share some iPad viewing with her which usually works as of course she's fascinated by the colours and movements. He loves to try and carry/ hold her as well which gives me slight palpitations but he's very gentle and the other half or I are always there to help him.



She's definitely developing her own little personality and the other half and I have discovered that she doesn't like to be put down anywhere for long and prefers to be carried around like a princess which means Mummy struggles to get anything done around the house these days. That's where the Boba Wrap comes in handy though, it's a life saver at the moment. I'm actually sat at the computer typing this post out with Harlow strapped to me haha!

At bedtimes she can be a little monkey. If she has a nap past 4.30pm then I struggle to get her in her bed for 7pm/7.30pm and then it's constant feeding until she settles by which time I'm knackered and just want to go to bed myself so no time to relax in the evenings. I do remember Logan being like this as well, I've just forgotten how blooming hard it was. I know it won't last forever but my goodness it's tough. If I'm lucky and get her napping right during the day then she'll be in bed and sleeping by 7.30pm ish and won't wake up till around 2am so I get some time but that's a rare occurrence.


As of last Wednesday she now weighs 12lb 0.5oz so she's putting on around 4.5oz a week which the health visitors said they were happy with. I was a bit concerned at first but she's feeding fine and filling her nappies as normal so all is well. I checked Logan's little red book to see what he weighed at 12 weeks and it was a whopping 15lb 9oz! He must have been a chunky baby.

Breastfeeding is still going well but at one point she only wanted to feed lying down next to me but lucky we've managed to get out of that habit. I was starting to panic there for a bit thinking I couldn't leave the house for long! We've ticked off the first set of immunisations which weren't too bad although I was starting to sweat as I hate hearing babies cry. The next set of immunisations is tomorrow but Logan also has an appointment which I'll need to take him to so Daddy gets to be the bad man and take Harlow for her jags.


Harlow has become quite the little chatter box recently and loves nothing more than a natter with Mummy, Daddy or Logan especially when she's having her nappy changed. For the past week or so she's been desperately trying to roll over which I was super surprised about. She hasn't managed it yet, she gets half way then has to give up but that doesn't stop her from some how moving around in her cot.

So there you go! These last 12 weeks have went so quickly and we're enjoying every minute as a family no matter how challenging breastfeeding and baby sleep can be, they're only young once.


Maternity Matters~ Ghostwritermummy

 

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