Quicksmart Backpack Stroller – A Review

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerWe were extremely lucky and were sent a Quicksmart Backpack Stroller to review as part of my subscription for one of the paid review sites, so here’s what we think…

The stroller is extremely lightweight, and due to this has next to no storage – just a tiny pocket at the back. If you need to take things with you then you’re stuck with your changing bag. There’s no basket underneath, as that’s where the wheels fold in.

As the title says, this stroller packs up into a backpack – this is its biggest selling point, and something which I think we’d use and keep in the car, or if we were taking the train and were faced with no step-free exits (like Carshalton Station), or most practically of all, flying – as it’s small enough to be cabin baggage when folded up.

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerThe folding up of the buggy itself takes a while. This is no one-handed fold, it’s fiddly and does involve you setting yourself space to do it – but once it’s done you’ve a great lightweight stroller. It’d be even more perfect in this respect if there were some way you could carry it (a bit like our MacLaren Quest has a strap which means you can put it over your shoulder) without having to take the backpack with you. Having said that, we used it on a trip to Epsom, navigating two sets of stairs on the way back at the station, and were able to do it easily due to its weight. H did the stairs herself – I had the shopping in a lightweight backpack and a small changing bag.

It doesn’t come with a raincover, or any additional things – just the backpack and the stroller – though it does pack so small that it would only take a quarter of the size in the boot of our car, rather than half of it like the MacLaren does.

Quicksmart Backpack StrollerThe buggy isn’t suitable from birth, and doesn’t have a recline feature, though does have a shade (held by velcro, so pulled off by H a few times) which is good. We found our BundleBean fitted perfectly when we’ve needed an additional cover.

One criticism I’d have is the back wheels – they’re quite wide apart, and I’ve found myself tripping over them a couple of times – though that’s not a major problem, they’re just in a weird place for my feet! In shops some aisles weren’t wide enough for the buggy either (M&S and TK Maxx, I’m looking at you in particular). I wish the way it folded together was more straightforward, but then I can’t see myself in a situation where I’d need that now, as we’re doing more walking without a buggy than with – which makes carrying this one around with you ideal, as it’s not heavy.

These buggies sell for £120 – so they’re not cheap. I’m not a buggy aficionado, having stuck with MacLaren, but had we travelled to Australia this Christmas just gone, then this would have been perfect. After landing in Dubai and trying to find a buggy from their stands, actually just having one and being able to stretch your legs would have been a huge bonus. (n.b. they do have lots of buggies in Dubai Airport, almost all the stands near us were empty, I guess lots of toddlers/babies travelling!)

In summary – definitely one for a family who likes to travel. For regular use? Probably not as much.

Potty Training – a Guest Post from Joanne Mallon and Another Giveaway!

I’ve mentioned before the fantastic ‘Toddlers: An Instruction Manual’ by Joanne Mallon – read on – here’s a section which fits in perfectly with January’s theme…

Joanne Mallon - Toddlers An Instruction Manual

What if they won’t poo in the potty?

Some children don’t like to poop in the potty, and will hang on until they have their night time nappy on to make a deposit. Believe it or not, this is actually very common. It’s one of those subjects like nits or piles that many parents have to deal with, but very few discuss. So rest assured that this is a normal phase which many children experience, and not related to anything you have or haven’t done. And like all phases it will pass, so be patient.

Your child may seem to be physically ready and recognise the physical sensation when number two is coming, but emotionally they may still want to hold on to the nappies and not let them go just yet.

Here are a few options for ways to approach it if your child seems reluctant to ditch the nappies:

  • Do nothing
    Let your toddler have the nappies or pull-up pants and trust that he or she will move out of them when they’re ready. If they’re still using them in six month’s time, reassess.
  • Use a sticker chart to encourage more use of the loo or potty
    Stickers are a very effective motivational tool for boys and girls under five. My daughter used to put a sticker on her potty every time she used it. My son needed a bit more of an incentive, so he got to choose a new toy when he’d managed to keep the Number 2’s in the loo for a week. Use whichever motivational tool you think your child will respond to.
  • Stop buying pull-up pants or nappies
    Going cold turkey is a more drastic approach which may result in a few tears and some mess, but if you don’t have them in the house then they can’t be used. Obviously this won’t work if your child still needs them at night.
  • Use your older children as role models
Talk to your toddler about what it was like when your older children were potty training. Get your toddler to tell you how they feel about it, especially the bits they don’t like and feel anxious about. Try not to pressurise and instead focus on using the potty or loo as an achievement to be proud of.

You can buy ‘Toddlers: An Instruction Manual’ at Amazon now in paperback or the Kindle edition

Joanne has kindly donated a signed copy of ‘Toddlers: An Instruction Manual’ for one lucky Mum Friendly reader as part of January’s competition – having now read most of the book, I hope what’s above is a good taster – it’s full  of practical advice from a lot of people who’ve been through this crazy world of having a toddler and come out the other side. It’s reassuring that the madness involved isn’t something that only you will go through! There’s also some hilarious contributions from parents, with my own personal favourite being the ‘Wheels On The Bus’ part.

For your chance to win a copy signed by Joanne, comment below and let us know any crazy things your toddler has done. The closing date for this one is February 14th, though I can’t guarantee the draw will be done that day (though we’re not ones to celebrate V-Day)!
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Potty Training – Dry Like Me Pads and a Giveaway

Dry Like Me pads are great. We received a sample at the Brighton Baby Show, and having shown them to a few mum friends now everyone is pretty much in agreement – it’s a great idea and why wasn’t it thought of sooner?
Essentially the pads are like panty liners, designed to catch a wee at the early stage – something we’ve become more than aware of since we’ve started potty training – H will start to do a wee, feel the wet and tell us in a kind of get-me-to-the-toilet-now tone of voice. That’s one set of pants plus some trousers that need to be changed, and after a while the washing starts to mount up. This is where the Dry Like Me pads come in – they sit in the pants, and when they get that first bit of wee, the bit I like to now call the ‘two minute warning’, they’re aware and even better, their pants and trousers (or whatever they’re wearing) aren’t spoiled at the same time!

For pooey accidents you can place a pad in that area too – it’s not just for wee.

We think they’re fab – H has been sent to nursery with a box, which baffled a lot of the staff, but they get it! A box has 18 pads which isn’t a huge amount, though truthfully you’ll probably find you might only need a box or two and they cost less than a pack of nappies (which probably have around the same amount in them!).

The added bonus is that if your little one is a bit leaky at night, these can help, if they’re likely to wake themselves up and realise; though they’re definitely not nappy replacements. You also get a little pouch to carry them around with you. We’ve found them most effective at naptimes or times when she might forget she needs to go (ie, if she’s playing with friends) – and even better, I’ve a box to give away, plus five sample packs.

To stand a chance of winning we wont make you work too hard, just tell us as a comment here why some ‘Dry Like Me’ pads would be a good thing – one lucky winner will win a box, the runners-up will win a sample. You can buy ‘Dry Like Me’ in most supermarkets – though we’ve found they tend to be the bigger ones. Sainsburys and Asda have both had them on offer quite recently, so they’re worth looking out for. Also, if you’re not already following them on Facebook, their link is below – tell them we sent you! We’ll draw the winners at the end of January, so you’ve a couple of weeks to enter!

Follow Dry Like Me on Facebook

The Dry Like Me Official site with tons of information and a handy pdf guide

Potty Training

Potty training is going to be January’s theme. But crikey, it’s a huge theme to even think about tackling. It’s one we’re in the middle of at the moment, and (touch wood) is going really well. It’s also one a lot of my friends are doing. There’s so many questions.. how do you know your little one is ready? What do you need? What do you do? How many changes of clothes do you need? Training pants or cold turkey? What’s the right way to do it? What should you avoid? What about when you’re out and about?

That was probably half of the questions in my head when we first started, and as we’re progressing there truly is no right or wrong way, but you’ll get a ton of recommendations along the way and something will work (when your little one is ready, of course). Over at the Mum Friendly Facebook Group we’ve been chatting about it and there’s several different opinions (as there should be!) which are great for ideas.

Realistically with the time I’ve got at the moment I suspect this theme will run into February. We’ve some fabulous giveaways along the way which I’ll get online as soon as I can (hopefully today or tomorrow for the first ones) – everything featured is something I’ve already bought, and I’m sharing things I’ve liked which the companies have been very kind to donate.

See you soon!

We Love Books – Toddlers : An Instruction Manual by Joanne Mallon

Published in December 2011, ‘Toddlers: An Instruction manual – A guide to surviving the years one to four (written by parents, for parents)’ is one of those books you really need to know about. It’s available in paperback and Kindle formats, and even better, part of the royalties are donated to Home-Start, one of the UK’s leading family support charities.

Joanne Mallon - Toddlers An Instruction Manual

The book explores why toddlers behave the way they do (and speaking as a mum of an almost 2.5 year old, anything that can shed any light is a good good thing!), and putting it out there as an instruction manual. Having quickly skim read some of the sections I know it’s something I’m going to be using a lot these next few years…!

It’s nice to know you’re not alone when you wonder what on earth is going on in your toddler’s head, the book brings together tried and tested practical, down to earth tips from parents who’ve survived the toddler years and want to help you do the same. From help getting your child to sleep through the night, listening when you say no and getting them to stop reacting with horror when they see something they don’t want to eat, this book WILL help! The book celebrates the qualities we love about toddlers and suggests ways to navigate their less appealing aspects. It’s never going to stop them tormenting us, but can help us get through with your sanity (just about) intact!

Joanne Mallon has created a fantastic book – she’s a freelance parenting journalist, a life and career coach, and a parent of two.

Home-Start supports almost 73,000 vulnerable children across the UK. Last year, their 16,000 volunteers gave a million hours of support to families. Home-Start help them cope with post-natal illness, isolation, bereavement, disability, domestic violence and much more.

Do I need to tell you more? Here’s some words from the press release

* written with warmth, understanding and love – no preaching or judgemental comments;

* invaluable advice from many parents on what they wish someone told them about toddlers;

* practical guidance from experts, empowering the parent to make their own choices confidently;

* up-to-date information on toddlers using technology, including advice on iPads and the under 5’s;

* tried and tested tips for tackling common toddler issues including tantrums, fussy eating, potty training and sleep problems;

* easily accessible information broken down into bite sized chunks;

* reminds parents that despite the tantrums, tears and toilet training, there is much to love about the precious toddler years.

In addition to this, I’ve contributed two end of chapter sections to the book, so am proud to be featured in here – it’s a great book and will be a great resource for parents now and in the future.

Buy it from Amazon (paperback) (Kindle)

We Love Books at Mum Friendly