Category Archives: Nursery

Jan 20 2016

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Win a Whisbear “The Humming Bear” - CD: 19/02/2016

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The Whisbear “Humming Bear” is a soft toy that is cot-safe from birth & designed to emit white noise that resembles sounds that babies hear within the womb. “Toy of the Year” and a bestseller in Poland, this little guy was gifted to Princess Charlotte and is now breaking ground here in the UK

So what, if anything sets him apart from other sleeptime companions on the market?

Whisbear Review

So what exactly is he?

I’m calling him a ‘he’ as although I’m at risk of offending the PC brigade, he would better complement a blue / grey bedroom as opposed to a pink one. However he is intended to be gender neutral and, in fairness, babies do have a natural affinity for black, white and grey tones.

Whisbear

It’s also commonly accepted that white noise can be soothing for babies, right?

Well this little fella has a “shushing” / “humming” heart which can be likened to a hairdryer. This noise will mimic sounds that baby has heard in the womb. Nothing new there I hear you say.

Yet Whisbear is more technologically advanced than other white noise devices. In the first instance, the white noise is turned on by squeezing the heart which lives inside the back of his head within a Velcro pocket (obviously mum or dad will do this) - Then, not only does he then last a full 40 minutes to give baby adequate time to drift off, he also has a clever CRYSensor that swoops into action if your child wakes up. It’s also worth pointing out that the volume is adjustable so you turn it up over baby’s cries if they’ve worked themselves into a state.

He’s a quirky looking guy

Whisbear looks a little like a teddy octopus hybrid. He has a charming and baby-friendly face (no plastic eyes or hard bits), yet he also has 4 long textured legs rather than a traditional bear body. These legs (and his ears) are made from colourful and contrasting fabrics and have crinkle paper embedded within - perfect for curious fingers & encouraging early sensory development.

Whisbear Features

Another great feature is that the ends of the legs (the feet if you will) have hidden magnets in them. This means you can arrange him around cots bars, a pushchair chassis or car seat handle so he doesn’t physically have to be in the cot with baby if he’s proving too much of a distraction. That said, he is perfectly cot-safe and makes an adorable toy in his own right.

He is washable (as the white-noise maker is removable) and made in the EU from safe fabrics and materials. Handily he also comes in his own dustbag so will travel in style on holiday or to grandmas house (just as well as he’s likely to become an integral bedtime companion for your baby). Most notably there’s a real Scandi influence which all connotes a well-made and design-led product - as well as being practical, fun and stylish.

Whisbar Flat

Heidi’s reaction

I won’t kid myself or mislead you by saying this helped with Heidi’s sleeping in any way. But then, nothing does. My daughter is miracle of science and her sleeping problems have been well documented on this blog. In short, Heidi has night terrors, sleepwalks and wakes several times a night screaming and demanding a bottle. Given her case is now firmly in the hands of paediatricians, it would be pretty unfair of me to road test the Whisbear on such an abnormal sleeper.

Heidi Whisbear

So I’ve judged this product instead on it’s ability to soothe her mid-tantrum (and Lord knows she’s had enough of these recently!). In fact the Whisbear was invented to combat colic-induced pain, and has been hailed as a 24 hour remedy for calming little ones:

White noise can be used twenty-four hours a day. You`ll want to play it to calm crying episodes and during naps and nighttime sleep. Babies do best with special rumbling white noise. That`s what mimics the womb the best. The right type of white noise - for all naps and nights - is key to better sleep from day one to the first birthday… and well beyond!

Dr Harvey Karp, US-based Paediatrician

So what do I think?

I love him. He’s fantastic for nipping tantrums in the bud, and great as background noise when we read her a story at night. I can also recall a few times in the night where he’s been triggered into action by her whinging and managed to lull her back to sleep without us having to fetch her a bottle. I only wish we’d discovered him sooner as we might have stood a better chance of counteracting her unique set of sleep problems.

Any reservations?

There’s only one design flaw as I see it. That’s that, once he’s started his 40 minute cycle, if he’s in the clutches of your little one, you can’t turn him off. Owing to the fact his heart is in his head, you’ll find it tricky to extricate it and stop the sound.

Whisbear Heart

I also would have preferred a concealed zip for the heart pouch as this is less scratchy and better wearing than velcro. Again a moot point.

Where can I get one?

Whisbear is available in a few different colour ways (although these are very subtle and limited to the fabric on the legs). You can buy your own directly from the Whisbear website at a cost of £39.90.

Do I consider this reasonable?

Yep. Comparing it to Ewan the Dream Sheep (RRP £29.99) and other sound-based baby soothers, you’re getting a lot of added value here. Whisbear’s ergonomic design and textured ears are also more akin to a Lamaze pram toy than a soother. For me, this puts him in two camps - both toy and soother.

Yet you’re really paying for the CRYSensor technology. This is what sets this toy apart and is yet to replicated by other cot toys here in the UK. I never mind paying a premium for cutting edge products that deliver - I believe Whisbear to be one of those products.

Find out more

Facebook: @WhisbearUK / Twitter: @WhisbearUK / YouTube: @Whisbear

Whisbear Banner

Want to win a Whisbear “The Humming Bear”?

If you’d like the chance to win a Whisbear for your little one, follow the instructions below. This giveaway is open to UK residents only & the lucky winner will be contacted via email shortly after the closing date (19/02/2016) - Good luck!

Win an awardwinning Whisbear “Humming Bear” worth £39.90

Terms and conditions
Entries close 19/02/2016 23:59
UK entrants only – you must be over 18 too (sorry)
The winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 3 days of having been emailed (I’ll try all known avenues to contact them) or a new winner will be drawn
When the giveaway is closed, Rafflecopter will select the winner completely at random
The winners name will be published on this site
There is no cash alternative

Competitions at ThePrizeFinder

Nov 23 2015

Cloudbabies Baba Pink Costume from Pretend to Bee

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My kids love to dress up. In fact, the only times they’ll really attempt to dress themselves is when a costume is involved. Regularly I’ll nip to the loo, come back and find my wee man & baby girl have transformed into Spiderman and Batman. If they had it their way, they’d go about their entire day swathed in multi-coloured felt and tulle.

Heidi Cloudbabies

Yet costumes are notoriously short-lasting. I’ve had several now that have ripped after one one wear - or ones with velcro fastenings that fray in seconds as the velcro catches on various bits of the costume. This is fine if your child is going to a party and merely a casual dresser-upper, but not so good if they take their roles as stormtrooper, superhero or princess seriously.

If broken costumes are leading to tantrums in your house, you might want to check out Pretend to Bee. Since 2005 they’ve been been selling a handpicked selection of quality dress-up outfits for preschoolers and beyond. Costumes must reach their exacting standards if they are to make it onto the site so their clothes are most definitely built to survive the mayhem of your playroom.

As my two are big fans of Cloudbabies, Heidi was recently sent a Baba Pink outfit to review. These are brand new to Pretend to Bee and perfect for Baba Pink, Baba Green, Baba Yellow and Baba Blue fans. They’re official merchandise so easily recognisable as being from the show and superior quality if I compare them to other costumes they’ve had.

Cloudbabies

Made from super soft 100% polyester plush, there’s proper stitching and no weak or uncomfortable seams for your little one. This makes them hard-wearing, super durable, and easy to wash when you manage to prise your child out of it. Not only this, there’s no rubbing, chaffing or scratching to the skin which will often occur with ill-fitting and poorly made costumes.

Heidi

Even the little boots have gripper soles - something so often overlooked and an absolute necessity if you have laminate floors at home. Although these are slightly too big for Heidi-bum (I picked the size above as she is currently inbetween sizes) they still stay on her feet and are incredibly snuggly and comfortable.

Thankfully there’s no velcro to catch on the costume, just chunky plastic zips with cotton backs that can withstand plenty of pulling and tugging. Even more impressive, there’s a snap button crotch for nappy access - perfect for emergency changes… My experience is that most children find a dirty nappy preferable to having to come out of a costume.

BabaPink

Although your child’s legs are exposed in the Baba Pink outfit (it’s essentially a dress), you can easily team this with pink tights for the colder months. A rainbow hood also ensures your child will stay snug and warm whilst playing.

Heidi’s Baba Pink and the Baba Yellow costume are priced at £23. This is entirely fair if you consider the amount of wear you’ll get from it. Sizing is generous and you can expect it to fit your child for at least a year if you buy the size above. Baba Blue and Baba Green are jumpsuits (so unisex) and are slightly cheaper at £20. Rather than popper crotches, these feature extra long zips for bum changes and come with additional accessories (a hammer and a watering can respectively) for additional value.

BabaPinkCostume

Elsewhere on the Pretend to Bee site you’ll find animal and mini beast costumes, and multicultural and occupational outfits. There are also seasonal lines including nativity and Roald Dahl Day costumes - all in fantastic quality at reasonable prices. Little Pretend To Bee cater for children between 6 months and 3 years, Pretend To Bee sizes are 3 years/9 years with a few up to ll years.

PretendtobeShepherd £15.95 / Mary £15.95 / Ladybird £14.95 / Nurse £13.95 / Baby Dalmatian Onesie £15.95 / Pirate Girl £15.95 / Robin Hood £19.95 / Lion Zip Top £14.95 / Pirate Boy £15.95

If you have costumes on your Christmas lists for your children, check them out at PretendToBee.co.uk or follow via social media for the latest news from the team:

Twitter: @PretendToBe / Facebook: @PretendToBe

Nov 18 2015

Beanbag Chairs from Ollie and Leila

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The past ten years has seen a dramatic increase in independent baby & children’s boutiques. No longer are parents relying on department stores to furnish and decorate nurseries and children’s bedrooms. Thankfully this means there’s now far more choice for parents when it comes to accessorising these spaces and making them extra special for the little people who occupy them. For someone who loves small businesses & unique finds, I’m spoilt for choice when decking out the kids rooms.

Ollie and Leila fall firmly into the independent category. Having formerly sold adult furniture, a husband and wife team decided to design their own children’s range having been inspired by their children, Ollie and Leila. They simply couldn’t find anything that lived up to their expectations (both in terms of quality & design) so came up with their own unique take on children’s furniture.

“Instead of growing up, we are growing down! We have been selling ‘grown ups’ furniture for years, and now we are regressing and selling furniture for kids. We are proud to work with some of the best British Manufacturers around today who create some of our children’s furniture and personalised furniture ranges. These partnerships have made our dreams come true and turned our original ideas into a marvelous reality - combining all the practicality and quality expected by parents with the sense of fun and individuality dreamed of by children”

As well as their furniture, they’ve partnered with a few successful baby & toddler businesses and expanded into toys and soft furnishings. The result is a wonderful mix of nursery accessories from teddies to rugs, cushions to bookcases, bedding to toy boxes!

Ollie and LeilaFeatured: Bear Grrrl in greyish stripe £20.00 / Bursting Blooms duvet set £49.95 (single) / Tillie 1 drawer bedside table with cupboard £150.00 / Steel grey Cwtchy cushion £49.00 / Belsize Park midsleeper bed with furniture £989.00 / Oxford wooden play kitchen £180.00 / Ollie Star storage box £219.00 / Belsize Park 6 cube storage £239.00 / Beanbag in car print £59.00

Let’s face it - I was always going to like Ollie and Leila. I love Farrow & Ball colour schemes and I’m a big fan of textured accessories that create a multi-sensory environment for little ones. There’s not one item I wouldn’t happily pop in Heidi’s or Dexter’s rooms.

Having been given an opportunity to review something from the site, I plumped for this adorable beanbag chair in rose print for Heidi. Dexter has a leather tub chair and they’ll often fight over it, so this was a perfect opportunity for Heidi to have somewhere of her own to park her little bum.

Heidi Bean Bag

The print is absolutely adorable. It perfectly complements the British cottage theme we’ve tried to create in her bedroom. She has a beautiful rose print duvet set from Minene, and Laura Ashley bunting, rug and patchwork quilt. It’s uber girly and Kidston-esque - nothing quite matches, but this is entirely deliberate and gives it a sort of hapless and cosy feel. The new addition therefore fits in beautifully.

Heidi Ollie & Leila

I’m also impressed with the design of chair which holds its shape incredibly well. The seams are easy to locate and a quick shake-and-smooth creates a super comfy spot for Heidi. They’ve popped in exactly the right amount of filling to ensure the back and arms are nice and sturdy when she’s seated, and she can lean back comfortably without it tippling backwards. At 18 months, it’s lightweight enough for her to pick up and take from room to room, however she does need mummy to “arrange” it for her before she can sit down.

It’s a versatile seat with a variety of uses. She’ll drag it across to the telly when she fancies a CBeebies marathon, yet also uses it when reading, snacking and playing with her dollies.

Beanbags

At £59.00 the price is comparable to other children’s chairs. This is perhaps slightly more than I’d usually pay for a beanbag version, but if you want something really pretty for your little madam you won’t be disappointed. There’s also a dozen other designs - all inherently “British” - and standard beanbag versions at the same price if you want even more versatility. I’m really chuffed with ours so would recommend it to anyone who wants to give their little one a super comfy treat.
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