Author: Zoe

4 min read

Travel

No more tears: Tips For Travelling on a Plane with a Baby

Zoe

July 25, 2018 3:11 pm July 25, 2018

4 min read

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4 min read

Get your holiday off to a stress free start when travelling on a plane with a baby! You have to first admit to yourself that travelling with a baby…

Get your holiday off to a stress free start when travelling on a plane with a baby!

You have to first admit to yourself that travelling with a baby is going to be harder than travelling solo. You can not predict or control everything that is going to happen.

What you can do is make what you can control easier on yourself by being prepared. Preparation is key.

Timing

The one time it is not okay to be fashionably late. Especially with a baby I can tell you from experience arriving at the very last minute adds more stress than you thought possible to the whole process.

I was frantically running from check in then to specialist luggage to drop the car seat off and then to security whilst holding a bottle feeding my baby and pushing the pram. Give yourself plenty of time. You will be able to change your babies nappy, grab a drink and walk casually to your gate rather than sprinting like its the finish line.

Milk

Make sure you have all of your baby’s milk to hand. If you are not breastfeeding you can prepare your bottles before you board the flight. I got ready made formula bottles ready as soon as we hit the airport. You can order? your formula at the airport from Boots so you can avoid taking up more space in your luggage. You don’t need to worry if you can take your baby’s bottles through security. Anything for a baby can be allowed through, from my experience.

Soothers

Take any soothers your baby loves with you in your hand luggage so you can grab them straight away. A dummy is great for when the air pressure changes on the plane and can make your baby cry. It is like us chewing gum 🙂 .

Mole loves her favourite pink blanket. As soon as the fabric touches her cheeks she settles straight away. You could try their favourite blanket or teddy if your baby doesn’t take to a dummy.

Toys

This one goes with out saying, long plane journeys are boring for us so obviously a baby will become bored and need entertaining. Pack their favourite toy in your hand luggage to keep them occupied.

You could even try wrapping up toys and your baby has to unwrap them. We know how much babies like to play with paper right? The extra time a baby takes to unwrap their toy, will buy you some quiet time 🙂

Travel Pillow

Planes are very uncomfortable. It is hard to make your baby comfortable in such a small space. I took a travel pillow on board with the intentions of myself using it however, I soon ended up placing Mole on it so she had somewhere comfortable to lay down.

Book your seats

Booking your seats will ensure that whoever you are travelling with can sit together. This makes it ten times easier to keep your baby and even you settled as you can take turns in holding your baby giving you a little break too. It helps when you want to reach for something in your bag or order food or a drink.

Take your pram on board

I check my car seat in at the specials luggage check in so I do not have to carry it around. Then I keep the pram with me right up until we board the plane. This is fantastic as you probably have your own luggage to carry around and it will make it ten times harder to do that whilst holding your baby, unless you prefer a sling.

Pack extra nappies and a cosy outfit

You want your baby when travelling on a plane to be comfortable. Make sure before you board the plane you have changed their nappy so they feel fresh. I always put Mole in a cosy sleep suit so she is very warm on the air conditioned plane.

Dressing your baby in a sleep suit helps to save time when you are changing their nappy as you do not have a complicated outfit to undress and then put back on them.

Don’t be afraid to walk up and down the plane

Walking up and down with your baby on a plane when they are unsettled will help to give them a change of scenery and distract them. Walking will give you a chance to stretch your legs a bit too.

Preparation is Key

If you prepare and have everything to have in your hand luggage your journey will be easier. Remember that if you do have a really bad journey, they are only babies and you won’t have to come across the people on your flight ever again 🙂

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4 min read

Travel

Mole goes to Majorca

Zoe

July 21, 2018 9:56 am July 21, 2018

4 min read

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4 min read

We have just spent an amazing 7 days in Majorca on our first Summer family holiday. The Hipotels Hipocampo Palace Hotel & Spa 5*. The hotel served Breakfast and…

We have just spent an amazing 7 days in Majorca on our first Summer family holiday.

The Hipotels Hipocampo Palace Hotel & Spa 5*.

The hotel served Breakfast and Dinner at a buffet and provided a good range and quality of food from pancakes to a full english. There was a snack bar at the pool for us to grab dinner and have a break from the sun. The location was incredible, just a five minute walk from the beach, shops and bars. There certainly was no need for a hire car.

As you can see from the picture below, the pool area was very spacious. There was so many deck chairs to choose from no matter what time of day and they all came with a parasol so we could place Molly in the shade. I felt more at ease that there was so much space around everyone so no screams could wake Molly up and when Molly would cry ready for her milk it wouldn’t bother anyone else.

How I felt about out first Summer Holiday

It goes without saying that the first summer holiday with a baby was going to be a little different than holidays just as a couple.

I was really apprehensive at first, I had so many different thoughts running through my head. “Will it be too hot for Molly?”, “will I have fun in the evenings like I use to?”, “Will places be pram friendly?” Etc.

My advice to myself next time will be not to worry as much. We arrived and everything was perfect, the beach even had the pathways to push the pram across the sand and the hotel was equipped for a baby, they provided us with a travel cot.

As for Molly not getting too hot, I made sure she was in the shade at all times, had regular breaks from the sun, especially when the sun is at its strongest. She was fully covered in a high protective suncream and she had a UV suit with a hat. The key to cooling her down I believe was to take her swimming in the pool. She absolutely loved it! We just made sure not to over do it.

The evenings were not that much different to what I was use to on holidays before Molly. We went for Tapas out in beach restaurants and ice cream and cocktails after.

So what was different to going on holiday with a baby than as just a couple?

Well, I feel like the only difference was earlier nights and not as many alcoholic drinks. Which I really didn’t mind as Molly still feeds regularly through the night so I was glad of the hours sleep I could get haha. And a holiday with no hangovers? AMAZING.

I loved spending time altogether making memories that it didn’t even come into my mind me and my boyfriend wouldn’t get much alone time.

Our daily routine was waking up for breakfast in the hotel, then we hit the pool. The hotel was great for providing enough sun loungers and parasols for everyone we didn’t need to worry about getting to the pool first.

Molly would have her morning nap, then it was pool time ? . We had lunch in the hotels snack bar, very convenient for getting a baby ready for dinner quickly, few more hours at the pool or we would take Molly back to the hotel room to have another nap in the air con, giving us a break from the sun too.

Evenings we could get all dressed up, walk along the beach then get some food and Molly would be back in bed no later than 9pm to stick to some sort of routine.

Already thinking of going on our next holiday whilst I can have the time off work on maternity leave ? .

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3 min read

baby product reviews

The best SPF for my baby

Zoe

July 16, 2018 5:09 pm July 16, 2018

3 min read

1178 views

2 Comments

3 min read

We know that babies should be kept out of the sun at all time right, but sometimes this can not be avoided and they need suncream to protect them from…

We know that babies should be kept out of the sun at all time right, but sometimes this can not be avoided and they need suncream to protect them from the harmful UV rays from the sun.

When choosing a suncream for your baby it is important that you check the UVA and UVB rating.

What is the difference between UVA and UVB Rays?

UVA

UVA rays penetrates deep into the deepest part of the skin. The affects this has is premature ageing, wrinkles and even a suppression of the immune system. UVA rays are around all hours of the day even in winter months, another reason to keep applying sun protection. UVA rays can penetrate through glass and clouds so even if it looks cloudy still apply sun protection to your baby.

UVB

UVB rays will burn the top layers of your skin. UVB rays play a big role with skin cancer. As the rays are shorter they can be stronger and this is where you catch sunburn and develop skin lobster red and sore to touch. Definitely not what we want our babies to get!

The recommendation is to look for at least 4 starts UVA rating with a minimum SPF of 15. My opinion would be to go for an SPF of 50 and try and find the sun protection with the most start of UVA and UVB.

I have put together some sun creams to go for:

Childs Farm SPF 50+ ?12

Childs Farm new formulation 50+SPF suncream for very high protection, is water resistant and protects young and sensitive skin from UVA and UVB rays, whilst keeping skin moisturised and hydrated. So you can relax while your children enjoy the sun safely.

Suitable for?babies and upwards. Dermatologist and paediatrician approved as suitable for sensitive and also eczema-prone skin.

Buy Here

SunSense Kids SPF50 JoJo Maman Bebe ?10

This sun protection is perfect is you are out and about on the go. The easy roll on applicator will have your baby covered in minutes! Its very easily absorbed too! The suncream is unscented which is great for babies sensitive skin. The roll on is small which can easily be kept in your changing bag.

Buy Here

Nivea Moisturising Sun Spray for Kids, SPF 50+ ?4

NIVEA SUN Children’s Sun Spray combines NIVEA SUN’s advanced protection expertise with the mild care of NIVEA to protect children’s delicate skin. And with its green coloured spray sun protection has never been so much fun. You know exactly where you have applied it so you can be sure you have not missed a spot and your baby will be fully protected!

Buy Here

Final Verdict

I would go for the Childs Farm SPF. It is so gentle on babies skin whilst having extremely high protection. Always re-apply sun cream after a couple of hours or if your baby has been in water. Try to avoid mid day hours when the sun is at its strongest.

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5 min read

Baby

What’s in a name: A Guide to choosing the perfect baby name

Zoe

July 15, 2018 9:45 pm July 15, 2018

5 min read

1161 views

3 Comments

5 min read

Being a parent is full of tough of decisions and you even have to face one very, important decision before or as soon as your baby is born. Naming your…

Being a parent is full of tough of decisions and you even have to face one very, important decision before or as soon as your baby is born. Naming your baby.

How to decide what is the best name for your baby when you haven’t even met your baby yet? You may even become overwhelmed with suggestions from relatives and friends or love more than one name and you just can’t pick between them.

I can remember before we set on the name Molly, I had tonnes of different names I liked. At one point I wanted to call her Zara …?not sure if that had anything to do with my favourite shop lol.?

I must have downloaded every Baby Name App possible and spent my time scanning through the top names and when that wasn’t enough, I began to search for the top baby names with happy meanings or the top floral baby names. Oh I miss how much free time I had when I was pregnant.

The hard part is that you might have had your heart set on a name for years. As a child I remember discussing with my friends what we wanted to call our babies and now all of a sudden that name is taken away from you because your partner or mother-in-law hates it. For me this happened with the name River. Yes its unusual but, I just love it so I am going to try again in getting my way when I have another baby. I am stubborn 🙂 .

Its all the hype what celebrities are naming their babies. We wait anxiously for them to reveal their babies names and then talk non stop about it for days afterwards with friends. I am even guilty of religiously watching E News! to find out what the Kardashians have named their babies. And for the record, no one can ever say a bad word about them to me, I love all of their babies names with True and North being my favourite names.

Let’s take choosing a babies name seriously now. I have came up with a few questions below that you actually need to consider. Once that name has been registered, it is very difficult to go back.

Will the name suit your baby when they are an adult?

Many names can be very cute and adorable for babies however, do they age well? By that I mean, will the name still be suitable when they are much older? Can the name be used in a professional situation? Can you imagine them being called the name at a boardroom meeting or as a head teacher for example? Names like Teddy couldn’t be any cuter for a baby boy but, Ted is more suitable for an adult?

Embarrassing nicknames?

Can the name easily lead to an embarrassing nickname? The last thing you want is for when your baby is old enough to attend school, they get taunted in class for their name. You may even know someone that had an embarrassing nickname growing up and you would not want that to be your child. You can start to rhyme your intended name with common words first to see if any embarrassing nicknames come to your head. Examples: Silly Billy, Smelly Kelly, Bart Fart.

Does the name suit your intended surname?

This is a big point. Maybe I should have moved this to number one??I can not begin to tell you how many children I have come across in my line of work where I have had to double check that is their name, as when paired with their surname it just does not work. 😮 Let me give you some examples and I doubt you will need a further explanation…Richard Felt, Ben Dover, Neil Downs.

Funny initial names

Along with my previous point, surnames can play havoc too with the initials. You may want to spend a thought on what will the initials spell out when I name my baby? Why is this important? Well you may use your initials on your luggage tag or scholarly papers. Here are some funny examples…Chris Orson Williams (COW), Frankie Mark Lawson (FML), Lewis Oliver Laing (LOL).

Uniqueness?

Is your baby name unique or when your baby gets to school are you going to have another 5 students in the class with the same name as your child? You can check how popular your name is by searching for the most popular names in your current year. Whilst searching for a unique name you may want to consider is it too unique? Will people be able to pronounce the name? Are there too many different versions of spelling? Or have you made a popular name unique by changing the spelling? In that case are you going to be constantly checking people will the correct spelling?

What is right for you.

At the end of the day it is completely up to you. If you like the sound of the name and you can imagine your son or daughter with that name then go for it! You may even have deep significance with then name and your connection to the name is too strong to even care what the initials spell out to be.

Its completely normal to change your mind on the baby’s name 5000 times before you finally decide. You probably will end up going back to the first one you picked and then you have to see if you and your other half both agree on it 😀

Once you are settled on a name you can even start to shop for personalised clothing or nursery decorations for your baby. You can start referring to your bump as the baby’s name which can help with bonding.

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2 min read

Baby

Introducing Molly Mole

Zoe

July 14, 2018 10:08 pm July 14, 2018

2 min read

1484 views

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2 min read

Molly? (Mole) Born on 26th March 2018 at 4:29am 7.11 lbs of amazingness!!! 😀 As I am writing this she is 16 weeks old and time is flying far…

Molly? (Mole)

Born on 26th March 2018 at 4:29am

7.11 lbs of amazingness!!! 😀

As I am writing this she is 16 weeks old and time is flying far too quick. I never realised when people use to tell me to cherish every moment because they are all grown up before you know it, how fast that actually was 😮 !

I am guilty of snapshotting her every day, I have even had to pay for extra iCloud storage 😮 . Scrolling through my camera feed in awe of her forever changing face, she’s leaving the newborn baby look now and becoming more like the babies on the adverts you see on TV. Imagine if adults we aged that quickly? Oh no I hope I don’t.?

Her eyes are still blue but slowly changing green/brown. She has a coloboma in her right eye at the front and at the back. The doctor described it bluntly as two holes in her eye. This is developed from the first few weeks of her in my belly. The iris forms in a circle and basically the circle did not close. Mole is under tests for her vision, but as she is so small, we won’t find out how strong her vision is in that eye until she can tell us herself.

Her hair is very light brown and some days she decides to be auburn. Although looking at her now she is pretty bald. Where did all her hair go? It’s okay Mole, Mummy is losing her hair too. Thanks postpartum hair loss.?

Molly has found her voice the past two weeks and spends most of her spare time now gurgling and screaming away. I even heard her laugh for the first time yesterday. IT WAS MY FAVOURITE MOMENT IN LIFE EVER. I frantically scream her Daddy to come upstairs to listen too 😀 .

Molly’s? hobby’s are flying around as an aeroplane, she literally screams with joy and then lets dribble fall out all over me and her dad depending on who is holding her up. She has recently taken an interest in toys now, mainly rattles and textured books. It is so heart warming watching her play.

Her favourite thing in the entire world is a fluffy pink blanket from Aldi. She clings on to it everywhere and sometimes won’t sleep without it. I dread putting it in the wash incase she doesn’t like it anymore once its clean. i’ve convinced myself this, Maybe its a subconscious reason not to add an extra item to the forever over flowing washing basket.

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