Category: Product reviews

9th November 2019

💙TREASURING MEMORIES 💙

As parents, we all say it: our little ones are growing up way too fast. Before we know it, they’ve learnt something new or have reached a new milestone and our babies turn into toddlers very quickly!

What I love about @memoriesofgrowingup.talltape is that their height charts encourage you to keep track of your little one’s growth. Not only are the designs absolutely beautiful, but the charts can also be rolled back up and stored away in their tube so that even when children are all grown up, you still have their chart to treasure, or you can even gift it to them!

We regularly have to measure Otis to update his model profile for his agency, so this is so useful for that purpose too! The height chart also comes with a Sharpie so you can get to using it straight away and keep a record of those moments before they are gone. They are very thick and durable, the quality is excellent.

4th November 2019

📚 STORY TIME 📚

Otis has always loved books so I was really excited to receive this book from @beansandsparks to review as a surprise. It was included in the goody bag we received from @mummymeetsuk When we met for a press trip at The Baby Show.

The story we were gifted is called “I’m a mighty moose” and focuses on the theme of creativity. It uses alliteration to engage young children and every page has a double-page illustration to draw their attention. I think it’s so lovely that the book is personalised so that one of the main characters not only looks like Otis, but has his name too. When he’s a bit bigger I’m sure he will think this is really special and spark his imagination even more. The text is written in different fonts, sizes and colours and includes sound effects to go along with the story. Otis enjoyed repeating this sounds after me and sometimes did actions to match.

This morning Otis really enjoyed looking through the book and pointing out things like the spider, mouse, bike and fireworks. I read the book to him for a little bit myself, but then he wanted to take the book and pretend to read it to his soft toy instead. At the end of the book there is a shadow puppet game/task for Otis to do that is encouraged throughout the book. I think it’s a great way of encouraging parents to use books to inspire play too instead of just using them for story time.

29th October 2019

Well this one has certainly been enjoying his holiday lie-ins! I don’t blame him, if I had a blanket from @thebamboobabycompany in my size, I wouldn’t want to get out of bed either!

we were lucky enough to meet the guys behind this awesome brand at @thebabyshow and were gifted this stunning blanket as a collaboration. I chose the neutral green as I intended it to be for Littlest Pea, but Otis has totally claimed it!

These blankets have so many fantastic features that I’ve been learning about – they’re not just the softest blankets you’ve ever felt! They are also temperature regulating which makes them great for taking on holidays too (like we did!) As well as this, they are 100% natural and antibacterial and most importantly they are breathable so safe for babies of all ages. I absolutely love it, so much so that I may have very guiltily stolen it from Otis on the flight to Dubai because it’s just so silky soft 🙊

22nd October 2019

Pool Day! 🏊‍♂️

Today we arrived at the hotel at about 9am, but we lucky enough to be able to check in super early. After an night flight, we all went to bed to catch up on the sleep we missed. We finally got up and about at 3pm and spent a couple of hours in one of the hotel’s rooftop pools.

Otis had so much fun in the pool, he just loves to swim! Today he wore his new @limmys_kids swim vest that he was kindly gifted as a collaboration. Usually I have to hold Otis in the pool constantly, even if he is wearing a float suit. However with this vest I was able to let go of him at times and encourage him kick his legs to help him maintain his balance. I feel assured that the vest is secure as it also has a crotch strap to stop it riding up too.

I’m excited to see him become more and more independent in the water with this float and hopefully with this new support he will!be confidently swimming on his own by the end of the holiday! 💧

21st October 2019

💜LANSINOH💜

I was lucky enough to be selected as a panel team member for the @lansinohfamily hospital bag campaign. This means I get to talk to you guys about their amazing breastfeeding products: nipple cream, disposable nursing pads, breast milk collector and breastfeeding pillow.

Most of you already know that I breastfed Otis for 26 months until he suddenly self-weaned as a result of my pregnancy. Because of this I am very keen to breastfeed Littlest Pea too. I feel confident we will have an equally long journey with the support of these fab products!

💜HPA Lanolin Nipple Cream:

This has been developed to soothe and protect sore and cracked nipples of breastfeeding mothers around the world! It was an absolute Godsend for me whilst breastfeeding, especially at the start. Top tip: it also makes a cheesy lip balm!

#savingnipplessince1984 .

💜Disposable Nursing Pads:

These breast pads are super absorbent with polymer that draws and locks milk leakage into the core of the pad, but still holds its shape, even with a heavy flow! They have 2 sticky tape strips so they don’t move whilst being worn and are discreet with their naturally contoured design.

💜Breastmilk collector:

This pump creates a natural suction to catch leaking milk whilst breastfeeding or pumping from the other breast. Perfect for ensuring your little one can enjoy every last drop and it’s not wasted!

💜Breastfeeding pillow:

This pillow is comfortable, portable and helps support proper breastfeeding positioning. It slides onto the arm rather than around the waist like most pillows which makes it perfect for c-section tummies and it means one size fits all! It allows the mum to naturally bring the baby to the breast instead of leaning over. Plus it has an adorable star design!

17th October 2019

🧪 Scientist Otis 👨🏼‍🔬

This afternoon Otis had a really long nap so I wanted to set something up for him for when he woke up as I knew he would be full of energy.

This science lab set arrived this morning from @amazon (@i_love_freebie) and was a huge hit as soon as it arrived. The box says age 6+, but with supervision Otis has been able to have lots of fun with it.

I know he loves water play so I set up the test tubes with water and different food colourings in them so he could mix them and learn about colour changing. He loved using the pipettes to collect and move water to different jars.

Otis also used the funnels when pouring the water into the beaker and then took a closer look at the liquid by using his magnifying glass.

The kit comes with a science manual which gives you lots of ideas and instructions for science experiments. Otis is too small for these yet, but has loved getting used to the equipment and dressing up!

I think we will have lots of fun with this set for many years. I will put the link in my bio in case you fancy getting one to stash for Christmas!

11th October 2019

☁️ Balloon Festival Vibes ☁️

Most of you already know that every year we go to the huge balloon fiesta in August. We always have the absolute best time and I think that’s one of the reasons I just fell in love with this changing mat design from @thegilded_bird. I just think it’s absolutely gorgeous and it even comes in a white version too. @thegilded_bird design the most beautiful changing mats I’ve ever seen, you certainly won’t find anything close on the high street.

The changing mat here is in the blue “balloon festival” design and has the wedge shape which is designed specifically for anti-roll. The mat itself is very soft and springy and the cover can even be unzipped and removed.

This corner in the nursery is now being renamed to “the happy corner” because I can’t help and smile when I look at it. I can’t wait to use this mat with Littlest Pea – who knew I’d be excited to change nappies?!

8th October 2019

🍌SMOOTHIE TIME! 🍑

Well it’s safe to say that Otis definitely enjoyed his fruit smoothie today! Swipe to see just how much he loved it.

Otis has been lucky enough to be #gifted some reusable pouches from @twistshakebaby as part of an ongoing collanoration. These Squeeze Bags are environmentally friends because they are reusable as they have a resealable cap. The opening at the bottom (where you fill it) has a double ziplock to ensure no leaks. They come in two sizes: 100ml and 220ml so also ideal for meals during weaning too and they are dishwasher and freezer safe!

I actually love these pouches more than I thought I would 🙊 mostly because Otis always loves to eat fruit from a pouch and with these in the cupboard they encourage me to not only make my own and cut down on waste, but also think about what different fruit combinations I can make for him. Plus they are so much easier to use and wash than I originally thought too. Today we tested them out at home, but these are going to be perfect for all our travels and day trips out!

I think every little one should have a reusable pouch in their stocking this year, I promise they would love it! Plus they come in so many beautiful designs.

If you’d like to order some you can get a 20% discount with the code “otislittlepea”

7th October 2019

PRENATAL VITAMINS 🤰🏻

When I’m pregnant, I’m more conscious about the food I eat and the daily intake of vitamins I need to ensure my baby grows healthily. This is why I put my trust in @pregnacareofficial because their tablets include the exact recommended intake of folic acid and vitamin D. The multivitamin also includes moderate iron and vitamins B6 and B12 to contribute to normal red blood cell formation.

We were lucky to be chosen by @officialemmasdiary to test these out and review them as part of the parent squad. We were gifted the Pregnacare Plus pack to review which includes additional omega-3 capsules too, which contribute to the normal development of my baby’s eyes and brain.

I have been taking these multivitamins for 2 weeks now and they have certainly given me the reassurance that my body (and baby) are getting the vitamins they need. I have found the tablets easy to take and as I know that they need to be taken on a full stomach, they have encouraged me to think more about mealtimes and not just snack! The tablets come with days printed on the back so it’s easy to keep track of your intake and it’s easy to tell if you are yet to take the pills set for today. I will definitely continue to take these vitamins during the rest of my pregnancy and also try out the breastfeeding ones after baby is born too!

6th October 2019

🧹NESTING 🧺

Well the nesting instinct in pregnant me has decided to kick in this weekend (lets hope it’s here to stay!) Over the last two days I have dug out lots of baby clothes to freshly wash, reorganised and tidied the playroom and my sewing area and also helped the husband sort through and declutter his clothes. With the amount of clothes I have here for both Otis and Littlest Pea, I have been channelling my inner Snow White as I may as well be dressing 7 little ones with this amount!

I have been having serious nesting help with our starter pack from @sploshofficial (collaboration, gifted) which includes laundry powder, laundry detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, kitchen cleaner, washing up liquid, shower gel, hand wash and refill packs of bathroom cleaner and hand wash. 💧

Plastic waste is messing up our oceans and littering our land. Every plastic bottle you buy in a supermarket makes the problem worse. By joining Splosh and refilling your bottles you are helping to make a real difference. 🌍

How it works:

1) you order your first set of bottles

2) when you run out you order refills online that fit through your letterbox

3) this dramatically cuts plastic waste!

You can even return your empty refill pouches for free so that they can be recycled and reused!

@sploshofficial only uses non toxic ingredients that biodegrade rapidly when back out in the environment. All products are vegan-friendly and not tested on animals.

So far I’m so impressed with our products I’m wondering why I spent so much money on unnecessary plastic waste for so many years! I think everyone should try out @sploshofficial and start making a difference today.