Category Archives: Advice

Mar 20 2019

How to Enjoy A Holiday With Babies and Toddlers

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Raising a family is hard work whatever age your kids are, but most parents would agree that the baby and toddler years are some of the most exhausting! Very young children need constant attention, and if you’ve got youngsters, you’ll be familiar with the fatigue and lack of sleep.

The idea of a holiday probably sounds great, but the idea of taking young children on holiday might sound like very hard work, and many parents feel reluctant to invest in a family holiday that might turn out to be hard graft. The good news is that there are ways to maximise your chances of having a fun, relaxing holiday, babies, toddlers and all.

Choose the right accommodation

If you’re on holiday, the last thing you want is to be worrying about your kids crying or screaming and disturbing other guests, so a hotel is probably not the best idea. There are a few family-friendly hotels around that are set up for children, but they aren’t that common. One of the best ideas is to book a holiday cottage or villa, where you’re self-contained and you don’t have to worry about noisy kids disturbing your neighbours.

The other key factor to take into account when thinking about accommodation is safety. It’s not always easy to find a rental that’s fully equipped with safety features like stair gates, child locks, gated pools, and secure access, and you don’t want to have to spend your time away worrying about keeping your little ones safe. The ideal solution is to go for baby and toddler-friendly package villa holidays, where safety and security are assured.

Choosing your destination

When deciding where to go, take into account travel times, because the journey is the biggest challenge you’ll face. Time passes much more slowly in a child’s perception, so the less time you have to spend travelling, the better. Sticking with a UK or European destination is a good idea, at least for your first trip away, as you won’t have to spend a lot of time on the road or in the air.

Very young children have their advantages in some respects, as they aren’t focused on what they want to do, unlike older children. Babies and toddlers tend to go with the flow and do whatever you’re doing – and if you fancy a trip around a museum or a spot of retail therapy, you can time it so they’ll be having their nap. Therefore, you can choose a destination that suits the kinds of activities you enjoy, rather than thinking it has to revolve around the children.

Going on holiday is a great way to relax, get a change of scenery, and recharge your batteries, and as parents of young kids, that’s an important consideration. A holiday with your little ones doesn’t have to be a stressful, tiring experience if you take some time to plan where you’re going and what you’ll be doing so that the kids are taken care of and have a fun time too.

Mar 13 2019

Reducing your carbon footprint at home #HowMuchCO2

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Having recently had a smart meter fitted, Craig and I are totally obsessed with monitoring our gas and electric use. And trust me, t’s not lost on us that watching the pennies is also doing our bit to lower our carbon footprint.

In fact, the subject of global warming has been racking up column inches recently with a stark warning from a UN panel that we have just 12 years to make massive changes to our global energy infrastructure or face irreversible and devastating consequences. On a macro-level, the responsibility for tackling global warming falls upon each of us, and if we all make these small but necessary changes around the home, we can make a difference - and save a few quid on our energy bills to boot.

Source your dinner locally, or grow it yourself!

We’re all guilty of rushing the supermarket shop and tossing things in the trolley without too much thought. Yet, if you want to keep your carbon footprint down, it’s worth considering how many miles the food we purchase has travelled before it makes it to your table. If you grow your own vegetables, however modest your plot, you can eliminate the mileage your greens have travelled and simply stroll a few feet from your back door instead. Furthermore, growing your own will also mean you avoid chemicals and the food-borne illnesses that are regularly in the news - keeping you fighting fit.

If this is not possible, or your green fingers are eluding you, try and source your food as locally as possible. Farm shops have a vast array of seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, and you’ll be helping out your local community too.

Photo by Agence Producteurs Locaux Damien Kühn on Unsplash

Buy energy efficient appliances

Old gas and oil boilers can be hugely wasteful. Even if your current boiler is still doing its thing, it’s worth considering a replacement if it is more than 15 years old. Your fuel use may fall by a third or more, resulting in lower monthly bills. Furthermore, syncing up your new boiler to a smart app, could even reduce them further. Check out viessmann.co.uk to see how their smart solutions, including their ViCare App could work for you.

Yet it’s not all about boilers. When washing machines and dishwashers give up the ghost, selecting energy efficient replacements can make a huge difference. Although you may end paying a premium for the most efficient models they will pay you back in the long term.

Finally, ditch the tumble dryer in favour of a washing line to really save pennies, and the environment. Anyone with a smart meter installed can attest to just how much that machine is costing you, and your clothes will thank you for it too.

Reuse and recycle

It sounds too obvious, but I’m often shocked when I see other people’s recycling bins on the school run. Although we have fortnightly recycling collections, some people have such a scant quantity of cardboard, tin and glass awaiting collection. They’re either super efficient and environmentally conscious, or some of their waste is making it into their black bin, and subsequently landfill. Bone up on what can be recycled, and get your children involved so they know what not to put in your bin.

Of course, the best way to reduce your carbon footprint is simply to consume less. Simply buying less stuff means lower emissions. I’m not suggesting you shouldn’t replace your child’s school trousers when he’s worn the knees out, but buying secondhand from a local clothing charity might be an option, as is jumping on eBay. A single T-shirt may have caused emissions equal to two or three days’ typical power consumption, so buying fewer and better things has an important role to play.

Replace your lightbulbs

You must have been sleeping under a rock to have not picked up on the trend for LEDs. Now, more than ever, these cheap and cost effective alternatives to energy-guzzling halogen bulbs, are a way of life for most. Buying from reputable suppliers also means your new LEDs could last some ten years, saving you from the hassle of buying new halogen bulbs every few months. According a recent report by the Guardian, not only will your carbon footprint fall, you will also help reduce the need for national grids to turn on the most expensive and polluting power stations at peak demand times on winter evenings.

Invest in renewable energy

Although many countries have ceased in providing subsidies for the installation of solar panels, if you can afford it, it’s still surely a worthwhile investment. Generating your own power will not only save you from the burden of large bills, from a carbon footprint perspective, there is nothing better. Sadly, with the feed-in tariff set to be axed later this month, new installations will no longer qualify for bonus payments for selling your unused energy back to the grid, however as a long term proposition, your panels will eventually pay you back on the initial investment if you consider year on year savings on energy bills.

If the slashing of government incentives has put you off solar panels, you could also buy shares in new cooperatively owned wind, solar or hydroelectric plants. The financial returns won’t be huge (around 5-8% a year here in the UK), but you will be doing your bit to lower emissions, and it’s arguably a better investment than simply leaving your money in your bank.

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There you have it. If you want to join in the debate, or have any other ideas for lowering your carbon footprint, check out the hashtag #HowMuchCO2 across social media. Even if we all make just one small change to the way we run our homes, we can achieve great things. Let’s face it, Theresa May seems to have slightly bigger priorities at the moment.

 

 

 

Feb 6 2019

The ultimate sleep survival guide for new mums

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If there’s one thing every new mum has in common, it’s being sleep deprived. As magical as those first few months can be, it’s okay to admit that it’s not all a rose-tinted bubble of love and happiness. It’s normal to feel tired, overwrought, and a little bit out of your depth.

Ironically, one of the best things you can do to remedy this is the seemingly impossible: making sure you get enough shut-eye. Sleep deprivation has a habit of making everything seem harder than it is, because your brain simply isn’t able to function to its optimum ability. Your reactions are slower, your mood can be affected, and your decision-making capabilities are likely to be impaired too.

That said, it’s definitely not a lost cause. Although we can’t promise that you’ll get eight solid hours a night, we do have some handy tips and tricks to make you feel more rested at the time when it’s most needed.

Sleep when your baby sleeps

Source: Pixabay

We’re sure you’ve read this particular piece of advice in the many books and blog posts you’ve devoured during your quest for post-partum enlightenment. That said, it’s repeated so often exactly because it’s so important. Newborn babies may not conform to the standard sleeping pattern you’re used to, but they do sleep a lot, which means you can too. With the average newborn logging in around 16 to 17 hours of sleep a day, which typically lasts for two to four hours at a time, new mums and dads need to take advantage. This may mean that other tasks go undone, but to be honest, being rested is far more important to your wellbeing than keeping up to your laundry schedule. Plus, a happy mum equates to a happy baby, so not a single part of you should feel guilty if you fall behind with the housework.

Create a relaxing night-time environment

SOURCE: Kylie Jenner: Instagram

Some new mums find that, come bedtime, they’re asleep before their heads even hit the pillow; others discover that when the opportunity to rest arises, they simply can’t switch off. They lay awake thinking about all of the things that still need to be done, or worry that they won’t wake up if their baby cries.

The best way to combat this is by making your boudoir into the most relaxing of spaces, and a comfortable bed and quality mattress can go a long way towards assuring that you not only drift off more easily, but get a better sleep experience overall. This is why we suggest going shopping and investing in some high quality sleep aids like the Casper king size mattress. The company of choice for celebrities including Kylie Jenner (who just so happens to be a new mum herself), its products have been carefully designed by sleep experts and engineers. Providing zoned support for spinal alignment – especially useful for those left with a bad back post-pregnancy – Casper mattresses come with a 100-day trial, meaning that if your purchase doesn’t suit you, you can simply send it back. Find a bed you can’t help but sink into it, and you could find it makes all the difference in soothing you to sleep. The result? A well-rested and more relaxed mum and plenty of sleep-satiated and soothing vibes for your baby.

Share the sleep deprivation

Source: Pixabay

We know that new mums often take the brunt of sleeplessness, whilst dad gets away with the worst of it thanks to his early alarm clock. That said, even though you’re the one who’s on maternity leave and shouldering most of the baby duties, don’t do yourself a disservice: you’re working just as hard to keep your little one happy and healthy as he is when he’s slaving away in the office.

That’s why we recommend being vocal about the way you’re feeling, and seeing if you can come to some arrangement with regards to night-time wake-up calls. Yes, you might want to do the majority of them yourself, especially if you’re breastfeeding, but how about seeing if your partner is happy for you to have weekends off? This should give you 48 hours where you can catch up on sleep and recalibrate, so that you’re able to go into the new week feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Don’t shy away from accepting help

Source: Pixabay

A lot of new mums fall into the trap of thinking that accepting help is akin to admitting that they’re out of their depth. Trust us when we say this isn’t the case at all. If you’re short on sleep and can feel your eyes closing every time you stand still, take your friends and relatives up on their offers to watch your little one for a while. We know it can seem scary to leave them for the first time, but it only has to be for a couple of hours – just whilst you grab a nap and help yourself to feel more human again. If you really can’t stand to have your baby out of your sight, you could even ask them to come around to your house to do some babysitting. Most people will be all too happy to watch your new addition whilst you nip up to your bedroom and sleep for a bit. Trust us, you’ll feel much better for it.

Being a new mum is as exhausting as it is beautiful and exhilarating, so you really will enjoy it best if you remember to take some time for yourself (that includes the occasional nap). Ask for help, make sleep easier and more enjoyable, and close your eyes any time you can – these are the very best ways to navigate those first sleep-hazed but magical months.

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