Mar 10 2014

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Posted on March 10, 2014 by admin

I’ve made no secret of the fact I love Treat Republic. Whereas you so often have to wade through pages of rubbish on gift sites, they always seem to have hundreds of gifts I really want. From gorgeous gardening gifts you’d be pleased to display in your garden, to cookware that you can’t bring yourself to squirrel away in a cupboard, to jewellery that you won’t leave the house without… it’s all there.

This Mother’s Day they’ve hand-selected some of their loveliest bits and bobs and popped them into a easily searchable category on their website. There are gifts for every budget in there - none of which would look out of place here in my home.

They also treated me to a few select pieces to review. I picked a Personalised White Harmony Bracelet as I’m a huge fan of pearls and simplicity when it comes to jewellery. For me, pearls set off any outfit beautifully and are the best way to pull off a sophisticated look with minimal effort. As I’m famed for my laziness when it comes to styling myself, pearls are an easy choice as they can be worn with literally anything and needn’t come off my wrist - fabulous.

Given I’m pregnant and my wrists are swollen I also like the idea of a T Bar clasp as it leaves me plenty of room and is easy for me to do up myself. Dexter also loves fiddling with it whilst it sits on my wrist which is handy if he’s kicking off in public and I need to silence him quickly.

I was allowed up to three characters to personalise my bracelet so naturally I picked my married initials as YET ANOTHER hint to Craigy. Come on honey - I’m about to have your second child and you still haven’t put a ring on it! Is this because I once joked that I wanted a huge fuss when you proposed? Right now, I’d be happy if you did it on the sofa whilst watching Family Guy.

The personalisation is on the silver plated chunky heart and very subtle. The two tone element of the bracelet is reflected in the tiny silver discs which sit between each of the pearls - this means it catches the light perfectly and adds some extra interest.

I’m really pleased with this bracelet and suspect any mummy facing day after day of bum changes, school runs and washing up would love it too.

I also picked a vibrant pink Family Rules Glass Chopping Board. This looks fabulous in my kitchen and has injected a much-needed bit of colour in there (also available in blue or grey to fit in with your kitchen theme). The sentiment is also spot-on for my house. Given Craig and I love a good argument, I can’t think of any better time to remind ourselves to love and respect each other than when either of us are wielding a knife!

The chopping board is A4 size and wipes clean incredibly easily. This makes it perfect for meat and / or vegetables. It also has little rubber feet on the reverse to protect your work surfaces.

So… would you like to win a personalised glass chopping board of your own? Here’s your chance then! The winner will be drawn on Mother’s Day.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C’s – a.k.a – the boring bit!

Only 1 option is mandatory (leave me a comment) – the rest only improve your chances of winning so just complete as many as you feel like
UK entrants only – you must be over 18 too (sorry)
The winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 1 week 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

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

Mar 4 2014

REVIEW: Peep Baby Nursing Cover

Posted on March 4, 2014 by admin

I hate the term ‘nursing cover’. It implies an ugly, style-less, duvet-shaped mass of material should be shoved over one’s head like ET’s Halloween costume. The Peep Baby is nothing like this and is so much more than just a ‘cover’. It’s an ‘accessory’ in its own right, like a Fendi bag or a Burberry scarf. It’s even featured in Vogue and I’ve also discovered that these bad boys are stocked in Harrods - you don’t really get a better endorsement than that now, do you?

What makes it different? Well it’s the super flattering cut and cute double-sided kangaroo pocket that make it look like a batwing sleeved top or a poncho rather than a nursing cover. To help better show your curves, it’s available in three generous sizes which skim your bumpy bits perfectly when you’re not feeding, but offer full coverage when you are. There’s also a deep v-neck so you can keep an eye on baby whilst she’s feeding.

The material is incredibly soft and stretchy for mums peace of mind, and light and breathable for baby. I reviewed a black version, but it’s also available in mocha, dusky pink or navy so there’s something to suit every colouring. Team it up with a longer length top and costume jewelery and no one would ever notice it’s a breastfeeding accessory.

For just £34.95 and free UK delivery, it’s a bargain price for something you can wear constantly, and not just whip out of your change bag when you need to feed. I should point out that each Baby Peep also comes with a dinky little bag if did want to do this, I just don’t feel the need. I’ve worn mine a few times now in the later stages of pregnancy and it’s fabulous for hiding my gargantuan bump. Even my Craig likes me in it which is high praise indeed - trust me!

Anything that helps women overcome any embarrassment over breastfeeding in public scores highly from me. I still have flashbacks about an incident in the backseat of our car in McDonald’s car park where a group of boy-racers whipped out their mobile phones. Breastfeeding is not only a personal choice, but a difficult one too. That decision is made all the more harrowing when you’re feeling frumpy, under-confident and nervous about public feeds. I’m happy to recommend the Peep Baby to women in this position and will be proudly wearing mine in a few weeks time.

If you’d like to know more, or grab one for yourself, head on over to www.peepbaby.co.uk or say hello on Twitter (@PeepBabyHQ) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeepBaby).

Linking, once again to Tried & Tested Tuesday by We’re Going on an Adventure and Family Fever!

Disclaimer: I received my Peep Baby for free having met the team at The Baby Show. I wasn’t instructed what to write, or even asked to write at all. I just loved it and thought I’d share the find with you.

Feb 12 2014

Review: Loveyush London Breastfeeding Scarf

Posted on February 12, 2014 by admin

I see this baby as an opportunity for Breastfeeding Take #2. My problems with Dexter are well documented, not least because my milk hadn’t come through when little man arrived, the midwives were pushy beyond belief, and Dexter was hospitalised with Strep B at 6 weeks. This time, I know my milk is already there (I won’t go into details - I’m sure you can guess!) and I’m pretty keen to make it a success. So I’m ready to jump headfirst into the unglamorous world of breast pumps, nursing bras and breast pads. Bring it on.

There are the usual anxieties. I’m nervous about managing the feed schedule completely on my own (Craig is many things, but a milk producer he is not). I’m terrified of going out on my own for a girl’s night and springing a leak. And I’m not looking forward to whipping out my breasts in public and having a showdown with restaurant managers nationwide. Nope. Not at all.

When researching the exhibitors at this year’s Baby Show, I got chatting to Bhakti, fellow mum-to-be and owner of Loveyush London. Loveyush London breastfeeding scarves are luxurious covers for discreet (and even stylish!) breastfeeding for when out and about. Keen to prove to me that it is possible to feed-on-the-go without exposing myself, Bhakti sent me one of her gorgeous scarves to put through its paces.

The first thing worth noting is the packaging. A branded box, within a hessian bag ensures that your scarf will arrive in impeccable condition. My scarf even came with a cute lavender-scented pouch so it smelt lovely when I opened the box. There are leaflets aplenty to show you the other designs and how to wear your scarf - the whole package was incredibly impressive and would make a fabulous gift for a new mummy.

I selected the Cavendish design in Dark Blue and I love it. The colours suit me perfectly and it compliments every item in my wardrobe.There are however, tons of other pretty and colourful designs available on the website, and even more being revealed for the first time at the upcoming Baby Show at London ExCel 21-23 Feb.

The key to the scarf is versatility. When you’re not breastfeeding, you need something stylish you can fling around your neck. There are millions of ways of tying your scarf, but I prefer something really simple like this! The material drapes beautifully and is really soft around your neck. It also washes incredibly well at 30 degrees and keeps its shape which is perfect if you have any breastfeeding mishaps.

Then, when baby needs a feed, you simply untie your scarf, pop your head through the hole (much like a poncho), and you have a plentiful scarf to cover all your bits and bobs for a discreet feed. As baby is shielded from the sun and all other distractions he / she will be feed better and faster too! I’ve had to stage a feed here to take a piccie, so that’s my arm creating a baby shape under there!

The material is lovely and thick so you know you’re safe from prying eyes, yet lightweight and breathable so as not to irritate baby. The hole is also wide enough for you to comfortably peek down at baby whilst feeding.

As if all that wasn’t enough, you can also pop your scarf over your car seat to act as a sun shield when you’re out and about! I’ve seen other mums also pop theirs on the grass in parks as a mini playmat for their babies (bit cold and wet to demo this at the moment! - Oh and I suppose I would need a baby!).

The Loveyush scarf also fits handily over pram hoods as a black out blind for baby in the summer. The lightweight fabric ensures they won’t get too hot under there, and the hole makes a handy viewing window so you can check on baby without disturbing her sleep. The hole also means that plenty of air is circulated within the pram for added peace of mind. There’s a fab review over on the Baby Expo blog which shows the Loveyush in action on a pram - as we haven’t bought our pram yet I can’t demonstrate this myself.

It’s a fantastic idea for anxious breastfeeders (like me). I have huge boobs and couldn’t imagine any other way of discreetly negotiating a feed in public. It’s definitely given me the confidence I need to get this show off the road! Costing from £27.50 (mine is £34.79) they’re fabulous value for money too!

If you fancy winning one of these gorgeous scarves (in a design of your choice), Bhakti is currently running a competition over on her Facebook Page, or you can head over to Twitter to say hello and find out more.

I’m so impressed by this simple and clever product, I’m linking up to the fabulous Tried and Tested linky from the gorgeous Kate from Family Fever and Colette from We’re Going on an Adventure!