Lindam & Munchkin: Nightlights & Room Blocking

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Now Littlest Mills is on the move, we’ve been on a baby-proofing mission. Heidi is now super fast at crawling and will pull herself up in a sort of tripod action to sit upright - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It must be incredibly tiring for her as she’s in one of those limbo states where she’s keen to try things, but not yet able to master them.

Dexter is also embarking on mission of epic proportions and the potty has made an appearance. With this comes a whole host of problems; nighttime dashes and an uncomfortable fascination with the toilet.

So who have we turned to? Who else but the masters of baby & toddler safety; Lindam.

Yep, our house is now a Lindam & Munchkin show home. There’s very little on their website that we don’t own! Of course, as a Munchkin & Lindam ambassador, it’s my job to put their smart and fun collection through its paces, and we’ve certainly done that! Here are just a few of my favourite things:

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This Automatic Nursery Safety Sensor Light is fabulous for Mini Madam. It plugs into the mains so you’re not faffing around with batteries and has a long lifespan (provides over 10,000 hours of light). Better yet, you don’t need to turn it off, as it has a dusk’til dawn sensor; it detects light levels and will automatically switch on at dusk and off at dawn. Safety-wise, an LED bulb ensures the light remains cool to touch at all times.

It provides a soft blue light which is reassuring for Heidi and handy for us; If we pop our heads around the door we can spot her easily among her teddies and Galt blocks. When she’s more accustomed to her big girl room, this light will live on the landing providing a guiding light for a toilet-savvy Dexter for those nighttime wees.

(£7.98 from the Munchkin / Lindam website)

Dexter

Speaking of nighttime wees… Dexter’s Light my Way Portable Nightlight is one of those must-have toddler essentials. It’s easy for chunky fingers to operate, switches itself off after 20 minutes and has a nifty little handle for finding the bathroom (or mum & dad) in the dark.

This is Dexter’s go-to product at bedtimes - he uses it to read or play in bed, and will often fall asleep with it inches from his head. There are no sharp bits to jab him awake and the LED light remains cool to touch at all times. Although it’s 100% battery-operated, it comes with 3AAA batteries and we haven’t had to change them (in nearly 4 months!).

(£9.98 from the Munchkin / Lindam website)

Room-blocking

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The Sure Shut Orto has been my saviour now Mini Madam is chasing after her brother everywhere. In fact, it’s been with us now for 2 years and has been invaluable throughout. Whether it’s sealing off the stairs, the kitchen or their rooms, it’s strong, robust and has never let us down. It’s a fully adjustable pressure gate that will fit openings between 75cm to 82cm (and can be extended up to 138cm with the use of separate extensions). As we rent our home this means no drilling into door frames and skirting boards. It can also be fitted in seconds (all tools come provided).

The best bit by far is the automatic closure. It features a gravity-fed hinge so the gate can close from any position as soon as the handle is released. You can also open it inwards and outwards depending on which way you’re approaching the gate (so is far less fussy than others we’ve come across). We can open it with one hand whilst our little people stare on in amazement - trust me Dexter’s had a very good go at opening it himself with zero success.

(£27.99 from the Munchkins / Lindam website)

Flexi

For Dexter’s room, the Flexiguard works a treat. I hate seeing him upset behind bars so this provides him with a soft surface to rally against at bedtimes. It’s four point pressure corner adjusters ensure a snug fit in openings from 71cm to 92cm and it can be fitted in seconds. I like that I can take it off easily and quickly to whisk him to the loo, then pop it back on at night when I need him to stay put.

The best bit? It’s lightweight and comes with a travel bag for easy transportation. Simply roll it up and sling it over your shoulder to take to grandmas or a friend’s house for coffee - with no tell tale marks that it’s even been there when you leave - Genius, just genius.

Next on my hitlist are these seriously cool bath time toys - I’m sure I’ll be reporting on these soon.

Bathtime

Bath Fun Bubble Blower £10.98 / Star Fountain £7.99 / Bath Fun Monster Truck £6.99 / Massaging Teether £6.99 / 36 Bath Letters and Numbers £6.48 / Gone Fishin’ Bath Toy £7.98

If you want to find out more about any of the products mentioned above, head to the website. Both Munchkin & Lindam are also a sociable bunch and have Facebook & Twitter if you have any questions:

FACEBOOK: Lindam

FACKBOOK: Munchkin

TWITTER: Lindam

TWITTER: Munchkin


Lindam Backseat and Pushchair Organiser Review

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We’re massive Lindam fans in this house. We have stair gates and safety equipment galore as the prices are so reasonable, the quality is superior to anything else, and it’s available at our local supermarket.

Parenting throws up so many curve balls and we’re constantly amazed at all the potential dangerous things Dexter seems to get into. It seems we’re constantly catching him playing float-or-won’t-float in the loo, investigating all the medicines or cleaning supplies stored in the kitchen, or copying daddy by thrusting his hands in the oven. We know he’s just exploring and his behaviour is normal - but it doesn’t stop the near heart attacks when we catch him in the act.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say that not a week goes by where Craig and I won’t say to each other “I wonder if there’s something we can buy to stop him ” - and I can’t think of a single instance where Lindam doesn’t have it covered.

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It’s not just safety equipment either. There are also tons of useful products that are designed to make life as a parent easier. The Lindam Backseat and Pushchair Organiser falls straight into this category. It’s one of those things you didn’t realise you needed until you have it… then you just can’t imagine life without it.

Backing up a little, Dexter suffers from car sickness. Despite us trying to make things easier by opening windows, providing plenty of fluids and stopping regularly, we’re often forced to pull over at service stations and perform strip washes and quick changes in hideous and poorly sanitisied disabled loos. I couldn’t possibly count the number of times we’ve had to wash the covers on his car seat and we keep a constant supply of Febreeze in the car. I feel so sorry for him.

The sickness seems to stem from boredom. You can physically see the point at which it overwhelms him as he goes a worrying shade of green and begins to tear up. It’s so traumatic for us as parents that we rarely attempt a car journey of more than an hour in total. Fishing around for emergency supplies when he’s vomited when you’re full throttle on the motorway is a nightmare. I’m hardly at my most flexible at 37 weeks pregnant, and Craig is obviously driving. There’s nothing more infuriating than watching his water bottle roll around on the floor at the back of the car and not being able to nab it for him.

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When Lindam sent me the Backseat and Pushchair Organiser to review, I wondered if stuffing it full of some of his favourites toys would help. It’s also the perfect place to stow away a water bottle and those all-important baby wipes. There are tons of pockets to hold items of various dimensions so even his chunkier bits and bobs have a home for the journey.

Pushing my own seat (the passenger seat) back as far as it will allow means Dex has access to what he needs when he wants it. This is far better than Craig or I second guessing and shoving things in his lap when we’re at some traffic lights. I’m really pleased to report that it seems to work! We managed a trip from Reading to Windsor this weekend with no vomiting at all - just take a look at his little face.

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The organiser attaches easily to the back of your seat - with clips that can be secured around the headrest and base of the seat. It feels nice and snug and will withstand lots of toddler tugging. Furthermore, you can attach it to most strollers given you have additional sidebar straps halfway down your organiser. You simply fold down the top zip component and shorten its length so it doesn’t hit the wheels. I can imagine this being hugely useful for short trips to the park.

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Best of all is the price. A quick Google shows the organiser is available from a variety of places including Argos, Amazon, Boots, Tesco and Kiddicare. At Boots it’s currently a tiny £6.00 which is ridiculously cheap for such a useful bit of kit. It’s sure to grow with your child too given that older children still have an exhaustive list of travel must-haves - from tablets, to magazines, to books, to cameras… it’s definitely one of those products you’ll get a good 10 years + out of.

Find out more about Lindam products over on their website or check them out on Facebook.

DISCLAIMER: I’m set to work very closely with Lindam over the next few months as we inch ever closer to a coveted ambassadorial role. This organiser was sent to me free of charge (although I’d have happily paid for it at that price!) in exchange for my thoughts.


Dexter’s New Nemesis: Lindam Sure Shut Orto Safety Gate

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Poor Dexter. He got an unbelievable shock this morning when I carried him past the white thing at the bottom of the stairs. Naturally I whisked him straight off for a bum change and some porridge before he’d get a proper chance to explore it, but I can testify he spent his entire time in his high chair staring through the wall at it like Superman.

Stair-climbing is a recent hobby for my little guy. It’s actually my fault as one morning I left my make-up bag (a.k.a Dexter’s favourite toy) on a bottom step. Learning that mounting stairs is perfectly achievable, he’s set about trying to get up them ever since. A safety gate was definitely needed. Cue the brilliant guys at Lindam and the Sure Shut Orto!

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We have L-shaped stairs which are incredibly common in old terraced houses. This mean the width of our walls on our landing are dramatically different from those at the base. With this being also a rented house, we needed a pressure fit gate that didn’t involve us drilling into (and thereby Craig ruining) the wall. With Lindam having some 20 years experience of providing leading safety equipment for homes of every shape, I sent them all the challenges we faced and they came out trumps.

Of course Craig will want me to tell you that he fitted this gate. But this simply isn’t true as I fitted it myself (I’m expecting some serious back-patting here). I won’t gloat too much though as it was impossibly easy. The gate was already assembled and ready-to-use, I only had to pop the pressure caps on the heavy duty screws, and use a spanner to tighten the bolts. I really liked the fact that the gate had a natural gap that closed only when the gate was secure. This means I knew my gate was fitted safely before letting Dexter pound on it and attempt to fit his limbs through the bars.

index01There are many benefits to a pressure fit system. They’re fully adjustable (this one currently fits openings from 75cm to 82cm, and can extend to a whopping 138cm with separate extensions) and they don’t require any drilling. Given they are not physically secured to your walls, you can use just the one gate to stop budding acrobats getting up and down the stairs.

As regards opening and closing the gate, the Sure Shut Orto has a pull and lift handle that is easy to manage one-handed. This is great for early mornings when your munchkin decides they’re ready to get up at 5am. You won’t be squeezing through it either as it has an extra wide walkthrough section for us fatties!

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What really makes this safety gate rock, is the fact you can open it inwards or outwards so it’s hugely flexible depending upon which cupboard room you’d like to limit baby to. It also shuts automatically and double locks itself so you can’t be outwitted by your child. Genius.

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All this means I can relegate our old scary-looking gate to the garden. This rickety contraption came to us by way of eBay. Having got Dexie’s cotbed for a bargain £150, the seller threw this in for free. I’m not entirely sure if this was generosity on her part, or her just wanting to see the back of it. Either way, plans for this one involve old baked bean cans and daisies! (like this one >)

Lindam have a great video section that means you can discover exactly which gate is right for your home. You can also like them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Youtube for latest product news and offers! What a social bunch they are!

DISCLAIMER: I was sent the Sure Shut Orto Safety Gate for the purposes of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

 

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