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Avoid Teething Torture With Camilia

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Teething doesn’t just affect the baby. It has an impact on the whole family. There is less sleep and more tears so everyone is tired and grumpy. Snappy and surly.

Your normally smiley, happy baby is a like a different child. Crying, clingy..also tired. Your other children get frustrated as so much of your time is taken up with comforting the baby.

If you breastfeed there is every chance that your baby will decide that your nipples look like great teething toys and that normal feeding will be interrupted as their poor gums are so sore. Being bitten on both nipples after a night of extreme comfort feeding is far from pleasant.

So what can you do?

Teething has to happen which is unfortunate for both babies and parents but there are lots of ways to soothe by various methods:

* Using teething toys straight from the fridge. We like Munchkin teething toys and also Sophie the giraffe.

* If you are wearing try using cold chunks of cucumber so that they can gnaw away with the cold slightly numbing the pain. Frozen fruits in a mesh feeder can also be helpful

* Crusts of bread/breadsticks work well to chew on as do soft weaning spoons – always keep a close eye on your child when eating to avoid choking.

* Use medicines when it gets extreme. Homeopathic medicines such as Camilia are excellent at soothing and come in single-dose containers which are easy to carry and perfect for holidays/festivals or just out and about. They help with easing the pain and irritability of a teething child and can be used 2-3 times a day.

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* Most teething babies get nappy rash so try to avoid this by using a good barrier cream.

* Distraction – sometimes the pain will be too much for them and you will need to distract them until it eases. I find playing loud, happy music or singing her favourite songs can help.

*Comfort – Your baby is upset and in pain so lots of cuddles, feeds and kisses are what he/she is craving so be generous with them and remember it really doesn’t last forever.

Here is a little more information about Camilia:

Camilia® Oral Solution is a homeopathic medicinal product used within the homeopathic tradition for the relief of teething pain and other minor symptoms associated with teething in babies and toddlers.

Active Ingredients:
Chamomilla 9C – Relieves teething pain accompanied by irritability
Phytolacca decandra 5C – Relieves painful gums
Rheum officinale 5C – Relieves minor digestive disorders associated with teething
Inactive Ingredient:
Purified water

As with any medicines please be sure to read the label

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Camilia is becoming available in UK wide pharmacies and is also available in Boots.

*This post was written in collaboration with Camilia. All opinions are my own.

Growth Spurts – How To Cope

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We are just coming through the other side of a growth spurt. Chloe has also just cut another tooth. I’ve been feeling unwell all week and I think it’s pretty much entirely down to the fact that I’m tired and drained.

Growth spurts in the first year are typically supposed to occur:

Between 1-3wks
Between 6-8wks
At 3 months
At 6 months
At 9 months

But this is just a guide and each baby is different. Chloe has had all of hers around 4 weeks early and I do wonder if this is because she was overdue?

Most growth spurts last a few days but can be longer. Our last one was roughly 8 days and it was hard. Possibly the hardest one so far. Chloe fed like a newborn and I really struggled with it. Last night she slept for 6.5hrs straight through without a feed for the first time in ages. I feel like a new woman today..well almost.

Tips to get you through a growth spurt:

1. Drink plenty. If water bores you then get juice, flavoured waters, decaffeinated tea etc etc. You MUST increase your fluid intake or you will feel awful.

2. Eat plenty. Don’t diet through a growth spurt. I’ve tried and it’s not fun. You need extra calories if anything so eat healthy and generously sized meals with snacks in between and of course ..puddings or cake.

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3. Sleep whenever you can. Or rest. Your body is effectively running a marathon at this time and it needs to recuperate.

4. Have long, lazy baths. Have your partner bring the baby into you for a feed and take him/her away when finished. Relax. If your baby wants more milk then you feel you are producing a warm bath can stimulate milk production.

5. Sore nipples? Put some flannels in the fridge to cool and use them to soothe your nipples. Also Lansinoh is great.

6. Treat yourself. Buy yourself a good book to read during feeds or watch a rom com and eat something delicious.

7. If your baby is on solids get them lots of small, heathy snacks to chew on if you absolutely need to get something done but try not to avoids feeds as a growth spurt is baby’s way of increasing your milk supply to cope with their growing demands.

8. Don’t give up on your worst day. Wise advice from a good friend of mine. Last week saw me once again close to wanting to stop breastfeeding. I didn’t and I’m glad. We are 8 months in and I’m thrilled we have done so well.

9. Up all night feeding? Go on social media and chat to other mums who are going through the same thing. Search for breastfeeding hashtags, growth spurt or zombie mums. There is ALWAYS someone to talk to. I’m @writingforfun if you want to follow.

10. Remember it does end. It doesn’t feel like it but it does I promise.

Any other tips? Let me know and I will add them to the list.

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The Side Effects Of Loving Food

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I’d never had heartburn or indigestion until I was pregnant with my first daughter. I had it pretty much for the entire second half of my pregnancy with her and it wasn’t much fun. I drank gallons of milk, Gaviscon and chewed tablets to help. The worst part was that it seemed to kick in as soon as I settled down to sleep at night. Grr. Also with heartburn during pregnancy it’s not just caused by certain foods it’s caused by everything. I could eat just toast and cereal and I would still get it.

In between my first pregnancy and second pregnancy I had no problems at all and then bang 3 months into being pregnant with Chloe there it was. Ouch.

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This time around its stuck though. I still get heartburn although thankfully nowhere near as bad as during pregnancy but I now seem to get indigestion too. If you aren’t sure of the differences between heartburn and indigestion pain then read on:

Heartburn:

The symptoms of heartburn (acid reflux) are generally described as a kind of tightening or burning sensation in the back of the throat and chest area
Some people also experience a bitter or acidic taste in the back of the throat

Indigestion:

With indigestion, pain may be felt in the chest or top of the stomach
However many people complain of feeling ‘bloated’ or uncomfortably full and gaseous – needing to burp, belch or pass wind a lot
There may also be nausea or vomiting and a loss of appetite.
If you are not sure which you are suffering from, see how you feel if you lie down or bend over. If this seems to make symptoms worse it is more likely that you have heartburn.

I’m guessing my love of spicy and rich food is to blame but has anybody else found this kind of change after having children? To me it’s just another of the massive differences in my body after two natural but stressful periods of time.

Can’t see me giving up my love of food anytime soon..

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Also note to the first time pregnant mums.. Heartburn definitely doesn’t mean a baby with a head full of hair. Izzy was practically bald until she turned 2yrs old.

*This post is in association with Gaviscon.

The Second Child

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I remember when Izzy was a baby how we delighted in everything she did. It was all so brand new and exciting. This time around although still delighted by Chloe we are so tired and so busy that it’s hard to spend the one on one time with her that she surely deserves as much as her sister.

Guilt.

By giving to one I’m taking away from the other.

This is our life now.

I would say until they grow up but I know that my mum still feels guilty if she spends more time with one of my siblings than another. Or with one set of grandchildren than another. It’s hard.

Will I feel guilty forever?

Hopefully not but probably so.

The only thing I can do is work around it. When Chloe naps we play games or do things with Izzy. When Izzy naps we focus on Chloe, her development etc. I can’t leave Chloe yet as she only feeds from me so for now I have started having one on one time with her when I travel to blogging events. Like today we are on our way to London. She is my sole focus. Izzy is with my OH and she is his sole focus. They each get that special attention.

When Chloe starts to feed less I plan to do more things one on one with Izzy like going to see a film or popping out for lunch. So she knows she may not be the baby anymore but she’s still just as important.

People say that the second child doesn’t develop as quickly but from my experience so far she’s doing just fine. Maybe we can’t spend hours teaching her to say Dadadadada but the look of pure joy on her face every single time she spots her big sister makes me confident we chose the right age gap.

It’s so hard at the moment but I can already see how close these two are going to be.. And then we better watch out right?

A Day At The Zoo With Aldi

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Yes that’s right we spent the day at London zoo with Aldi as well as a top food nutritionist telling us all about their new Mamia baby food range.

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I love Aldi. We have a local store and whilst we don’t use it for all our shopping we do shop there several times a month. We already love the Mamia nappies ( award winning don’t ya know? ) and the wet wipes and now they have started selling the all important food pouches and rice cakes too. In fact there is a lot more in store from Aldi baby and toddler range so keep looking out for more info on the blog.

Firstly we listened to a talk about Aldi from its beginnings to current day. It was interesting to hear how it all began and nice to know all about their family values – one of the reasons their prices are always so low. We all chatted about our favourite Aldi products. For us it’s the prosecco, brioche and brie.. In fact everyone loved the brioche.

We had a picnic full of lovely Aldi treats .. No prosecco I’m sad to say but all lovely bits. The babies and toddlers tried out the new fruit pouches and rice cakes and they seemed to go down a storm judging by the fruity coloured smiley faces.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the zoo. Saw this guy taking a laze in the shade. It was such a hot day!

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Here is a little info about the Mamia range:

Aldi’s Mamia baby range is fast becoming one of the UK’s leading baby brands. The retailer has scooped a string of awards from LovedByParents, including Gold for its Mamia nappy range, a Gold for its nappies in the Mother & Baby Awards and Prima Baby & Pregnancy’s Reader award for ‘6m+ older baby nappy’, proving savvy mums don’t have to pay a hefty price tag to get the best quality for their precious little one.

From baby food to washing powder to baby skincare, Aldi offers a whole range of essentials to help make life that little bit easier.

Our favourite new product is the rice cakes:

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Rice cakes that don’t taste like cardboard… Who knew?

Look out for the new Mamia range instore very soon. Hope you will be as impressed as we were.

* We were invited to this event as guests of Aldi.

Keeping Everyone Happy At Camp Bestival- The Den

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Camp Bestival is a holiday for everyone. There really is something for all ages. When we go obviously we look for the toddler friendly but if you are taking older children/teens take a look at what is coming to this years CB:

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Yes that’s right an area specifically set aside for 13-17year olds. Described as a micro festival within a festival it will have something for all tastes.

With bands, DJs, spoken word and film screenings I kinda want to pop into the den myself!

The Den’s genre-swerving line-up won’t disappoint, either – whether its contemporary folk, live drum & bass or house that rings your bell, you better come prepared to hear some future stars. There will be live sets from founders of brand new genre Fip Fok, CoCo and the Butterfields, Cornish surfer and singer songwriter Nathan Ball, live drum & bass four-piece Animal House, the darkly melodic Fran Lobo, R&B pop force Karyma Ellis, Uke warriors Medina Ukulele Orchestra, nu-soulster Christen Kwama, acoustic troubadour Ali Gauld, multi-genre rap artist ShaoDow, classically trained Tyler Rix and party hip-hoppers Too Many T’s . Plus there will be DJ sets from Pharaoh K & Absynth, DJ Lukey, SGI DJs, Rats In Me Kitchen, Stanley Hood, Hadda and Erol Sabadosh.

Also did you know day tickets are now on sale.. These are really limited so snap em up while you can:

Camp Bestival Info and Tickets
Ticketline: 0844 888 4410

Limited Day Tickets available now:

Adult Day Ticket – £60 per day

Age 15 to 17 Day Ticket – £35 per day

Age 11-14 Day Ticket – £30 per day

Age 5 – 10 Day Ticket – £15 per day

Age 4 & Under Day Ticket – FREE (but ticket required)

Day Car Parking – £5 cash available in advance or payable on arrival

You Shall Have A Fishy On Your Little Dishy

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As someone who absolutely loves all things food you may be surprised to learn that I don’t really eat fish or other seafood.

Sure I eat tuna and cod but that’s about it.

I know fish is really good for you and what’s more I LOVE the ideas behind most seafood recipes. When we go on holiday the fish dishes are always the best to look at.. So fresh.

We went to The Gambia a few years ago and every day we ate fish. Mostly a mild local fish called Ladyfish. It was even served with the head on. We ate this. Mainly because we had no choice. We were working as volunteers and the chef who was a local villager just cooked whatever they had in abundance which just happened to be fish. I enjoyed it for the most part.

Andrew eating his fish in the style in which the villagers eat..with his hands from a communal bowl on the floor:

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I said when I returned that I would start eating more fish but it didn’t happen. Now that I have two children I don’t want to pass on this fussiness to them and so I want to start cooking and eating more fish dishes.

So readers I would love it if you could send me your favourite fish dishes. Initially I would like a mild fishy taste if possible until we get more used to it.

I’m aiming for one fish dish a fortnight. Anyone want to join me?

I’ll be blogging any recipes I create and sharing our thoughts along the way.

Life Is A Picnic..Munchkin Review

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We are really enjoying our roles as blog ambassadors for Munchkin UK, not only are the team we work with really lovely but we already adore the brand so it’s really easy to chat about them and rave to you about how good they are.

Last week we received a picnic hamper full of goodies to enjoy over these summer days and what a lovely hamper it was.

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Some of the products we already know and love like their divider plates and beakers but some were new to us like the bento style lunch box – I want an adult version please!

The mesh feeder is great to give Chloe chunks of frozen fruit to gnaw on without the worries of her choking on a lump of it.

The toddler snack grab pot is really useful and Izzy loves to use it for blueberries and rice cakes!

The spoons in funky bright colours are really easy to feed Chloe with and long enough that you don’t get baby food all over your hands. They are also quite chewy so she likes to chomp on them once she’s done with her meal.

The wipe down, crumb catcher bibs are a huge hit with both of them. Izzy doesn’t like to wear bibs anymore as she’s nearly 3 don’t ya know but she is a fan of these.. Maybe the bright colours or the large neck so it doesn’t rub.. I’m not sure but I’m glad.

And most useful product of the lot are the bowls with lids which come everywhere with us!

Here are some pics of us enjoying backyard and park picnics with our goodies:

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Visit Munchkin for more brilliantly useful products.

*These products were gifted for the purpose of this review and as part of my role on the Munchkin blogger panel.

My Not So Naked Fruity Cake – A Waitrose Recipe

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

I’ve been thinking about naked cakes for a while. Ever since I read an issue of BBC Good Food magazine and Frances Quinn a finalist from GBBO was showing how to create one. Since then they are everywhere. And they are just up my street. I like icing but it’s definitely not my favourite part of a cake and also. I’m not the worlds best cake decorator which means it takes me AGES to create a fancy looking cake. Anyway I was invited to take part in a campaign with Waitrose and I thought it was a great opportunity to try it out and make it a bit fruity and special.

First of all I went to do my shopping at Waitrose.. Choosing completely the wrong time to go at late on a Sunday afternoon when it was close to shutting but I got everything I needed. I was inspired when I first walked in by the Pimms and strawberry display. I’m a sucker for a Pimms so I had to nab a bottle.. I did then go onto buy LOTS of fruit and veggies so it’s ok.

I always love the wide variety of fruits and veggies sold at Waitrose, lots of varieties and exotic fruits as well as my favourite Pink Lady Apples 🙂 I’m a sucker for their herbs too!

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I also HAD to buy their rosemary and seasalt foccacia which is more than a little bit special ..ooh and TWO new plants. Chilli and Greek basil.

To start off my naked cake I made up two batches of lemony victoria sandwich cake.

To make enough for this cake you will need:

450g of SR Flour
450g of caster sugar
8 eggs
450g of butter
4tsp baking powder
1tbsp vanilla
2 lemon zests.

Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl or stand mixer:

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And blend for 2-3 minutes.

I split it between a 23 inch springform pan and two sandwich cake tins.

Bake for 25 mins or so at gas mark 4 until they spring back when pressed.

Whilst I was waiting for my cakes to bake I made up some Pimms summer tarts.

Now back to my naked cake..

Cakes now baked and cooled I split them in half using an awesome tool I picked up from amazon a while back. I then began the process of layering.

First layer used some leftover strawberry/Pimms mix with some jam follows by silky buttercream. For buttercream I used about 150g of butter to 300g icing sugar and a tbsp of vanilla. The next layer used lemon curd and then repeat:

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I decorated using icing sugar, berries and Greek basil.. I’m a bit in love with basil in sweet dishes at the moment. Try it!

And whilst I know there are things I will change next time I do this..bigger layers and smaller layers etc etc I’m quite impressed with my first attempt at a naked or not so naked cake.. I can’t really call it naked when it’s covered in berries and herbs can I?

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Are You A Rubbish Mum?

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I had a conversation with a friend yesterday who is an excellent mum. She thinks she is a rubbish mum. I have many moments in every week where I feel the same. How many of us hand on heart can say they always feel they are the best parent they can be?

If I discipline my daughter too much? I feel like a rubbish mum.

If I don’t discipline her? Others think I’m a rubbish mum.

If I give my children all of my attention.. I’m a rubbish mum as I SHOULD be encouraging solo play.

If I don’t give them enough attention ..I’m a rubbish mum as I’m neglecting their every need.

If I feed my baby purees ..I’m a rubbish mum as I’m not letting her choose her own food and therefore stopping her creative desires.. Or something like that.

If I do choose to do baby led weaning.. I’m a rubbish mum because my child could choke..not gain weight.. etc etc.

If I choose to stop breastfeeding early.. I’m a rubbish mum as children should wean themselves when they want to.

If I breastfeed past a year.. I’m a rubbish mum because well that’s just weird? Right? …. Wrong.

If I leave my children with their grandparents so I can have a night out.. I’m a rubbish mum. I shouldn’t need nights out. My children should be my life.

If I don’t leave them with others…I’m a rubbish mum. I’m coddling them.

If I am grumpy, tearful ..tired with my children.. I’m a rubbish mum – they should only ever see me as happy, smiling mum.

If I’m happy around my children all the time.. I’m a rubbish ( smug ) mum. Children have to learn to deal with emotions. Don’t they?

If I buy them treats.. They are spoilt. I’m a rubbish mum.

If I don’t buy them treats. They are deprived. I’m a rubbish mum.

I could go on and on and on. Yes I have many, many moments where I feel like an absolutely rubbish mum but the world telling us what is or isn’t right makes it so much worse. The same goes for blog posts or newspaper articles telling us the only proper way to parent.

There are many ways to parent. Yes some of them of course are wrong but mostly we all just muddle along doing things in our own way. The only right way to parent is your way. Anything else will feel forced.

I hate that I question myself. I hate that whenever Izzy looks at me with a forlorn look I ask myself if I’m the reason. I hate that I feel guilty whenever I have to tell her no or that’s she is being naughty and unfortunately she is 2years old and that happens a lot.

I hate that I get tearful when she doesn’t want to hold my hand but Daddys instead. How can a child so small cause such a reaction in me?

Luckily those moments don’t last forever.

I love that when I read to her in bed tonight afterwards she squeezed me so tightly and said thanks. Then goodnight and I love you. She was sleepy, fragile and honest. I know that during the day she will push my buttons, try to anger me occasionally and that she loves to watch for my reactions but them I catch her at the right moment when her toddler guard is down. She’s still my girl.

As I said to my friend..if I/she/you were truly a rubbish mum we wouldn’t be worried about it.

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