Tag / baby

by Karen

Nonabox – November

Receiving my November Nonabox delivery definitely helped to get me in the mood for December. I was also very happy to see some lovely sweet relief in there, this is great because up until then it had most definitely been one of those days!

Nonabox

Inside this months Nonabox:

Gumigem – Jewellery. O is already showing signs of teething so I’m getting my army of products at the ready. This necklace is great as it looks like a normal item of jewellery and means that I can have something permanently to hand for him.  The necklace comes in a variety of colours and designs.

Lindor – Milk Chocolate Truffles. Always a favourite with me. It was only a small box so the chocolates were gone fast (oops!). But a very nice treat.

Mumkind – Nutritional Bar. This is a nutritionally balanced bar for pregnant woman and mums. It was very tasty, it reminded me of a cereal bar, and didn’t feel too naughty.

Sleepytot – Baby Comforter. This item has been an absolute godsend! O has just started to show an interest in his dummy but gets frustrated when it falls out of his mouth. With the Sleepytot rabbit comforter he now has more control. He loves snuggling against the rabbit and can now take the dummy in and out of his mouth as he pleases. It is now his favourite toy!

Yoomi – 5oz Bottle. This is a bottle and warmer in one. It is a great idea but such a shame that the warmer needs to be purchased separately so I was unable to give it a whizz!

Ella’s Kitchen – Spinach, Apple and Swedes. It was great to receive a different flavour of these to try out.

Sleeptot

Once again, there was a nice balance to this box and a good mix of old favourites and products that I’d never heard of. As mentioned above I was especially delighted with the Sleepytot rabbit and have already been recommending it! I worked out the approximate value of the box to be around £38. Nonabox is £24.95 a month, including delivery.

I was sent a selection of products for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own and honest.

by Karen

Nonabox – October

I was very excited to receive my Nonabox October delivery and see what new surprises it had in store for me! I forgot to mention that my September Nonabox also contained a cute activity for you and your child to do. Last month were adorable animal book marks and this month was a very cool monster mask!

Nonabox

Inside this months Nonabox:

Aden + Anais – Swaddle. This giant muslin was a surprise to me. I wasn’t impressed when I first received it thinking the size was impractical but now I love it! It has a multitude of uses and weirdly dries much faster than O’s other muslins… great job for my super sickie baby!

Water Wipes – Travel Pack. Though pricier than your highstreet brands these wipes are a must for babies with sensitive skin. They smell a little ‘clinical’ for my liking but there is no denying they do an awesome job on baby’s delicate skin.

NUK – Bottle. I have to admit to not knowing much about NUK so it was great to receive one of their bottles. I am a mega Winnie the Pooh fan so was very impressed with the cute design on the bottle.

Hampton Brands – Bennett’s Baby Bum Creme. Always handy to have and I’m always keen to try different brands. This one smells nice, a little goes a long way and it spreads nicely.

Chillipeeps – Teats. This 3 in 1 teat set can be used on the likes of water bottles and formula cartons and is a brilliant idea. I’m genuinely delighted I’ve discovered this brand.

Cheeky Rascals – Belly Belt. I am so gutted I am no longer pregnant as this belt would have gone a long way to extending my pregnancy wardrobe. Definitely something to mention to newly pregnant friends.

Aden + Ana

I worked out the approximate value of the box to be around £34. However I am, generally, pleased with the selection of the products. It’s a shame about the belly belt as I would have loved the opportunity to use this but all other products are highly appropriate. Nonabox is £24.95 a month, including delivery.

I was sent a selection of products for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own and honest.

by Karen

Nonabox – September

Nonabox is a company that I’ve only recently discovered. For £24.95 a month, including delivery, the company will send you a monthly box with products tailored to you and your bump/ child. Anyone that knows me well knows how much I love surprise gifts and trying new things out. As a result I was very excited when Nonabox sent me some boxes to show me what they were all about!

Nonabox

Now firstly I have to apologise for my Nonabox reviews being super, super late. A newborn and severe internet issues do not make a good combination! On the plus side I’ve had bags of time to receive and enjoy these lovely products!

I was very excited to receive my first Nonabox. The presentation box is gorgeous and makes you want to dive inside.

Here’s what I received:

Snooze Baby – Sweet Dreaming Natural Brown. This is a furry comfort toy with labels attached for babies to explore. O seems to really enjoy the soft material and is curious about the labels. I love this gift idea and think it would make a wonderful present, especially for a baby shower.

Paper Shaker – Postcard. Included was a mock up birth announcement card and money off should you decide to purchase. This was OK, was nice to see the options out there but not something I would personally pursue.

MAM – Feeding Spoons.  These may be simple but I loved these. These spoons made for the perfect travel companion as they come with travel lids.

Green People – Toothpaste. I was a bit sceptical about this certified organic toothpaste as it contained no Flouride! However after putting it to the test and doing some sneaky research I was pretty impressed. Little man loved it too!

Ella’s Kitchen – Blueberry and Pear Baby Brekkie/ Carrots, Peas and Pears.  I’m a massive fan of Ella’s kitchen and was great to receive these to try. I’ve put these aside for O but unfortunately Little Man has already nabbed the Baby Brekkie for himself!

Shea Mooti – Mama’s everything body balm. This was very luxurious and I love that Nonabox thinks of mums too! This product smells like you’re in a luxury spa and feels great… especially on my neglected mummy skin!

Nonabox contents

I worked out the approximate value of the box to be £33. I really liked the fact that baby, toddler and I are all thought of with the contents of the box. Looking forward to next month!

I was sent a selection of products for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own and honest.

by Karen

CoziDry

I was at a tumble time session when I happened to get talking to a lady who worked with a company called CoziDry. CoziDry is a company that was set up by mum Emily Godson. Having had much experience of baby dribble, she wanted to come up with a product that was not only effective at absorbing the dribble but was kind to baby’s skin. CoziDry bibs have been midwife approved and washes up to 300 times at 90 degrees.

CoziDry bibs

My eldest son was a notoriously sicky baby, as a result I wasn’t holding out much hope for my youngest. Unfortunately my suspicions have been proven correct and every day is a bit of a fashion parade! I have tried a lot of different bibs in my time as a mum and have to admit I was dubious about CoziDry and its absorbing properties. The main reason for this is the bib feels so thin! However I was encouraged, by the company, to squeeze water onto the bib to demonstrate that the back stayed dry. I thought I’d give it a try and I have to say I was very impressed. Not only did the bib hold a surprising amount of liquid, it also dried fairly quickly. I found it to be even more effective with sick and dribble.

The reason these bibs are so fabulously absorbent? CoziDry bibs are eucalyptus based and made with a material called Tencel. Tencel is soft, which makes it ideal for sensitive skin. It is also super absorbent, 50% more so than cotton, making it a brilliant material for bibs!

 CoziDry 4CoziDry by Sealz

I love these bibs, the only two sticking points for me are the lack of designs and colours available and the price. Anyone that knows me well will know I love a bit of colour on a baby. Admittedly newborns would be my exception to the rule as, lets face it, as babies get older the stains get more colourful. As a result I like to make the most of putting them in white whilst I can! However, it would be nice to see a few more colours available rather than just the pink or blue seals. With regards to the price, there is not getting away from the fact that the bibs are pricey, at least to me anyway! However, it is important to bear in mind that the more expensive than average price would be down to the superior materials used, which is the reason for the CoziDry bibs super effectiveness.

How did I find them? Great! When we go out I normally have to pack a good few bibs. The super absorbancy of the CoziDry bibs meant that I only really needed to bring these two so my poor changing bag was able to zip a little easier! The designs are also easy to coordinate with Os ridiculously vast wardrobe (it always bothers me that my children own more clothes than I do!).

This is a lovely quality product that anyone would be delighted to receive as a gift. The two bibs tested can be found for £16.50.

I was sent a selection of products for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own and honest.

 

by Karen

Funky Giraffe

Funky Giraffe is a lovely company that I’ve only recently discovered. They specialise in items such as bibs, socks and burp cloths. Funky Giraffe aim to produce gorgeous items that function well for families.

I was lucky enough to be sent a selection from the Funky Giraffe bib and burp cloth range. As you can see from the picture the designs are ever so cute! Check out their website for more.

Funky Giraffe - Bibs and burp cloths front

On receipt I found the bibs to have a thin cotton front and a thin fleecy type backing. The backing is so soft and feels like something that would be very gentle to a baby’s skin. Both materials are thin and consequently feel like something that would dry super quick….. a must with a potentially sickie baby.

Bibs and burp cloths back

I’ve never owned a burp cloth before, having always been a muslin kind of gal. With my older son being a ridiculously sickie baby, this consequently meant that our collection is huge (40 muslins easily!!!!). This means I was very curious about the cloths and whether they’d be a better option and, lets face it, a cuter one. The cloths remind me somewhat of a mini oven glove, without the glove part. They are thicker than the bibs but with the same lovely fleecey backing.

Burp cloth back

The bibs are a great size, they fit little one really well and should last for quite a while. I really like the burp cloths too. The only comment I would make with these is that, as the cloths cover less width area than a muslin, you would need to be careful with placement. However I’ve had no issues with placement myself and love that these are a much more attractive option than my boring old muslins. We’ve not had any major vomiting yet but what we have had has been soaked up well by the bibs and cloths. On washing the designs are of high quality, have stayed firmly attached and show no signs of shifting any time soon.

I have to say I love these products. On checking out the website the selection they offer is excellent, all with free postage over £7. The bibs and burp cloths I tested are £4 each. There are also great deals on too with 5 bibs for £11.25 and 10 for £20, all so incredibly exciting I had to tear myself away! I have a number of baby showers coming up and Funky Giraffe would make an excellent present option and is something I would thoroughly recommend to anyone.

I was sent a selection of products for the purpose of review – all opinions are my own and honest.

by Karen

Baby Knits for Beginners – Debbie Bliss

New to knitting? Then this lovely book by Debbie Bliss may well be the one for you!

Knitting - Baby Knits for Beginners - Debbie Bliss

I have always felt connected to knitting in one form or another. Firstly, it was at the tender age of eight when my Grandma taught me a few basic stitches. I forgot about knitting for many years after this, but became reacquainted again almost two years ago when Jo invited me to attend monthly Hooky Knitters sessions. It was being in a group of like-minded people that made me realise how much I enjoyed knitting and that it was something I’d like to progress.

Whilst knitting was fun, the thought of using patterns terrified me, which is why I’m so glad I got the chance to give ‘baby knits for beginners’ by Debbie Bliss a go.  Visually it’s a beautiful book, as soon as I saw it I wanted to dive right in and get knitting!

Debbie Bliss knitted cardigan

The book starts by giving the reader an overview of different yarns, equipment advice and stitch descriptions. This book was obviously made with the beginner knitter in mind. The patterns themselves start from the very basic (a plain knit scarf) to the slightly more advanced (a v-neck sweater with pockets). I love the fact that the reader is given the opportunity to gently ease themselves into using patterns if they are feeling unsure, whilst the more experienced knitter can go straight to the slightly advanced stuff.

I have to admit that I went a bit insane with this book, knitting all sorts of lovely items. Shown in pictures are the shawl-collared jacket (minus buttons) and a moss stitch shoe. Admittedly, against Debbie’s advice, I used cheaper synthetic wool as being a beginner I didn’t want the pressure of messing up very lovely more expensive wool. If you do decide to use a different wool it is best to ask advice at your local knitting shop to ensure that your creation looks similar to the pattern… being a novice I didn’t think to do this and as a result some of my knits have turned out a bit lumpy/ odd looking… but I love them nonetheless!

Debbie Bliss Moss Stitch shoe

For me some of the patterns took a little getting used to. There are some terms that I had never heard of before and found a little daunting, however Debbie has got a thorough list of explanations and abbreviations in the front of the book. For me I also enlisted the help of on-line videos, as for me it is easier to visually see what needed to be done. However once I’d understood and tried these new techniques a couple of times I felt a lot more confident.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to get more into knitting. It is a fabulous little starter book and if I can do it, believe me, anyone can!

We were sent a copy of ‘Baby Knits for Beginners’ by Debbie Bliss from Love Knitting, a fabulous online knitting store which we’d highly recommend. All opinions are our own.