Category: Reviews

4 min read

baby product reviews

Elvie Breast Pump Review | Is it worth the money?

Zoe

October 19, 2019 7:06 pm October 19, 2019

4 min read

2728 views

No Comments

4 min read

My experience with using a traditional pump to express breast milk after my first pregnancy with Mole was no fun. The whole process felt like a tedious chore. I was…

My experience with using a traditional pump to express breast milk after my first pregnancy with Mole was no fun. The whole process felt like a tedious chore. I was lucky enough to have an electric pump, but, I was constantly tied down to it as it had to be plugged in. The loud pumping noise drove my partner insane and I ended up giving up with it.

This time, I was determined to not only make expressing breast milk work for us, but most importantly, to enjoy it too.

Purchase the Elvie Breast Pump Here

Researching

After hours and hours of research into finding a pump that would work for us, I came across the Elvie Breast Pump. Every website I checked said it was sold out or they had a waiting list for a few weeks. Well instead of putting me off this intrigued me even further.

Why was it constantly sold out? Is it really that good?

The clean modern and sleek design compared to current breast pumps on the market made it look a whole lot more attractive. In a similar way of having the latest iPhone compared to an old Nokia. In fact, it looks so modern that it doesn’t even look like a breast pump.

Key Features

Small, compact and lightweight
Fits inside a nursing bra
Hands-free
Revolutionary silent technology
Five parts and no tubes, cords or wires
Closed system for maximum hygiene
Two modes: Stimulation and Expression
Seven intensity settings
Smart app
Comes with: one hub (the pump mechanism), two bottles (5oz/150ml, BPA free), two different sized breast shields, two valves, two spouts, two seals, two storage lids, two bra adjusters, a USB charging cable and a carry bag

Elvie Claims:

Elvie Pump is the world’s first silent wearable breast pump, giving you more freedom and mobility while you pump

Double electric breast pump for hands-free expressing at home, at work or on-the-go

Small and lightweight to fit discreetly inside your nursing bra so you can pump anytime, anywhere

My Experience

I was sold.

The product arrived with minimal packaging (something I am big on now), with very few pieces to set up.

I just had to download the app and connect everything together.

The pump easily fits inside your nursing bra. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it is completely discreet as the on button lights up through your top. The pump was so comfortable that you can barely feel it working. The best part is, you can get up and carry on with jobs around the house of like me, see to your toddler and newborn without even giving pumping a second thought.

Cleaning the pump is no problem too. The non-electrical parts can be put in the dishwasher and sterilised.

App Features

Track milk volume
Pumping history for each breast
Control the pump remotely (changing intensity, pausing or restarting).

Downside of the Elvie Breast Pump

The price. Currently costing ?249.00, the Elvie Breast Pump is one of the most expensive breast pumps on the market. And that is just for one pump.

Another downside to the Elvie Breast Pump that I disappointingly experienced was, when the pump started to fill up over half way, the milk would leak out onto my top. I put it down to me moving around. A shame when being able to be portable is one of the pumps biggest selling points but if you do move around then it leaks out.

I then tried the pump with a smaller breast shield and whilst sitting down and it still leaked out all over my top.

The measurements of milk on the app were off. Sometimes the app would claim it is full when it was not.

Although the pump claims to be silent, you can still hear it switched on pumping away over the TV on a medium volume.

Final Verdict

I love the Elvie Breast Pump. The smart technology was extremely helpful for me to track how well I was producing milk, very important for me whilst I was exclusively expressing.

Although I would not feel confident using this pump at work (teaching a class of students) due to the noise or the leaking issue, I still love how the pump fits discreetly into your bra. It is so convenient to use, I doubt I would have ever been able to have exclusively expressed for so long with a toddler around without this pump.

Purchase the Elvie Breast Pump here

No Comments

3 min read

baby product reviews Travel

Maxi-Cosi Jade lie-flat car seat/carrycot review

Zoe

May 22, 2019 12:04 pm May 22, 2019

3 min read

6115 views

No Comments

3 min read

When I first heard about a carrycot style car seat I was rather skeptical. How could this possibly be safe? How does this work? My vision was so wrong. I’m…

When I first heard about a carrycot style car seat I was rather skeptical.

How could this possibly be safe? How does this work?

My vision was so wrong. I’m almost ashamed of how daft my preconceived idea of this was. Especially after doing more research and finding out it is actually safer than most car seats on the market today.

Maxi-Cosi Jade Carrycot Carseat

The Maxi-Cosi Jade is the first lie-flat car carrycot certified to the new i-Size car seat law.

Is the Maxi-Cosi Jade Carrycot Car Seat safe?

I’m jumping in straight to the safety regulations. I feel thats the most important part of a car seat.

Installing

The Jade offers proved head and neck protection and slide impact protection. There is a unique Slide & Go installation on the ISOFIX base. This makes it easy to install the Jade car carrycot correctly and safely as it does not rely on guiding seatbelts.

You can see and hear the confirmation that you have installed the Jade car carrycot correctly too as there is light and sound feedback.

Your baby will also be secure inside the carrycot as there is padding and straps to fasten your little one in safely.

Position

The car seats position will be facing sideways across your back seat, so your baby’s head will be closest to the middle. This way, your baby will have greater protection against side-impact crashes.

Unboxing

Unboxing the Jade I was pleased to see I was not going to be building anything. The quality of the product is amazing. Squishing my hands down inside to test the comfort I was happy to find that it was so comfortable and soft to touch, with an extra inlay added for even more comfort.

I wanted to climb in myself and go for a nap!

There is a hood attached too which provides sun protection and is great to have down when baby is sleeping.

What is best for newborn babies?

In your standard car seats, babies sit in an upright position or on a slight tilt. Because of this, it is recommended that babies can not be in their car seat for longer than two hours at a time because their breathing might be compromised.

You may be thinking “I won’t be in a car for two hours”, but this rule also stands for babies in car seats attached to their pram.

The Jade lie-flat carrycot car seat avoids your baby’s air flow from being restricted as they can lie flat and are not sitting upright trying to sleep scrunched.

So, if you’re travelling for longer than two hours or plan to use the car seat attached to the pram, this may be for you. I plan to use my Maxi-Cosi Lila pram.

Newborn babies need a lot of sleep. The carrycot car seat will be a comfortable sleep for them and as the car seat can be attached to a pram as a travel system, your baby will not be disturbed and can stay soundly asleep.

Price

The Jade costs ?199
Maxi-Cosi 3WayFix Base costs ?199

The car seat will need to be changed when your baby reaches 9kg.

Additional Features

Safe and easy ISOFIX installation in the car
Slide & Go installation to the base
Washable cover Comfort
Comfortable soft touch newborn inlay for added comfort
Sun protection
Soft mattress for supreme comfort for baby Safety
R129 safety
Impact absorbing material
3-point safety harness General
In car repositioning
Long-lasting value with 3wayFix base

Find out more about the Maxi-Cosi Jade here: https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/car-seats/jade

Product was gifted. All opinions are completely honest and my own.

No Comments

3 min read

baby product reviews Toddler Product Reviews

Maxi-Cosi Lila Pushchair (with Duo Kit) First Impressions Review

Zoe

May 13, 2019 3:09 pm May 13, 2019

3 min read

6814 views

5 Comments

3 min read

I wasn?t expecting to have been on the hunt for a new pushchair a year later after having Molly, but, with the new addition to our family arriving in September,…

I wasn?t expecting to have been on the hunt for a new pushchair a year later after having Molly, but, with the new addition to our family arriving in September, we have had to find a new pushchair that works with our expanding family.

Maxi Cosi Lila

What makes the Maxi-Cosi Lila the Pushchair for you? That depends on your particular needs but, what caught my eye and sold me was this:

The next best place after your arms

My goal was to find a pushchair that can easily transform from a newborn to a toddler whilst also having the option for a second child. That way, my newborn baby will have a comfortable ride and so will my one year old. The Lila pushchair has an optional Duo Kit attachment; therefore I can either have the pushchair set up for both my children, just my new born or just my toddler, saving my lot’s of pennies in the long run.

Easy to use?

Budget aside for the moment, my biggest question to myself was, how easy is the pram to use? Especially with the added duo kit? As the thought of having two children under the age of two fills me with the instant thought of chaos, I need everything in my life to be simple and stress free as possible.

When the pushchair arrived I was pleased to see it was all easy enough to assemble myself. If there were any extra pieces, it was a simple click on. E.g. the wheels simply click into place. I was able to complete the full pushchair and duo kit set up whilst Mole was having her nap. Win.

The duo kit is a separate stroller that clicks onto the frame of the Lila pushchair without any force. I couldn?t actually believe how easy it was.

The Lila Pushchair is a one handed fold down, which folds down completely flat, allowing it to be inserted into my boot without taking up too much room. I have the Audi Q3 and there is enough room for the Lila pushchair and the stroller/carrycot attachment on top (plus a few bags of shopping).

The pushchair has options to either face me or be forwards facing. Mole prefers to be forward facing

as there is more for her to look at but I can?t wait to have my newborn facing me for that added bonding time.

An extra bonus is that the Maxi-Cosi Jade Car Seat attaches onto the Lila too, so I wouldn?t have to wake my baby up if he is still sleeping.

Maxi-Cosi Lila Cost

Lila Pushchair: ?549

Duo Kit (Sold Separately): ?199

Maxi-Cosi Lila Features

Transformable seat with multiple recline positions for use from birth
Reversible seat
Reversible, thermo-regulated mattress: breathable mesh for summer time; soft warm fleece for winter time
Integrated nap keeper to create additional shade
Big UPF 50+ canopy with peek-a-boo window
Rain cover and bumper bar included
Maxi-Cosi genuine 5-point harness
4 shock-absorbing suspensions
Light reflectors on the canopy
Fast one-hand folding
Automatic lock
SmoothRide long-lasting wheels: new bi-material wheels for greater durability
Front wheels can be locked for more manoeuvrability
Removable shopping basket for easy access without excessive bending
Easy-braking system
Transforms into duo stroller for children close in age (sold separately)

Maxi-Cosi Lila has been kindly gifted. All opinions are real and honest.

5 Comments

3 min read

baby product reviews

Safety 1st Highchair Review

Zoe

February 24, 2019 7:15 pm February 24, 2019

3 min read

5116 views

No Comments

3 min read

We were kindly gifted the Safety 1st Timba Wooden Highchair for a review. Even though this product was gifted, I want to stress that I still have given my honest…

We were kindly gifted the Safety 1st Timba Wooden Highchair for a review. Even though this product was gifted, I want to stress that I still have given my honest opinion.

Packaging

The Highchair arrived in a large cardboard box. For some this may not be a concern but as we only have a small household bin that gets collected every 2 weeks, the advantaging of having recyclable packaging is a huge bonus for us!

All of the parts inside were individually wrapped to avoid damage.

Assembling the Highchair

There were a few more pieces to put together than I first expected but what is new with flat pack items.

I had Jay to help me assemble the Highchair but, I could have done it on my own. It was just easier with him whilst I could film the process.

The Highchair took around 20-30 minutes to build as we came across a problem trying to slot the seat in. This meant we had to unscrew half of the chair to slot it in and put it back together again.

I thought I would be honest in including that part as I know flat packed products are not for everyone.

Luckily no extra tools were needed and the Highchair came with its on Allen Key.

https://pinkmole.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/medium.mov

Highchair Features

Above I have taken the features directly off the website.

My favourite part is that the Highchair is adjustable for the size of your child.

The Highchair we had previous to this one, was too big to attach the eating tray too, which meant Mole had to be against our kitchen counter to eat. I love how this Highchair feels is it build custom made to her size and she can have her own little tray.

The white shade matches perfectly with our kitchen and looks clean and modern in our photographs.

Price

The Highchair retails at ?70.00.

Do I think it is worth the money?

I would have liked it to have been a tiny bit easier to put together but for a wooden chair that is custom to her size I can’t complain.

Our previous Highchair retailed at ?450 and I can see clear advantages in the Safety 1st in comparison.

Final verdict

If you’re looking for a modern Highchair that looks sleek in your kitchen and blends in with the rest of the furniture (nothing bright and colourful) this is a great purchase.

My favourite part is how I can update the seating size for her until she is 10 years old so I won’t have to purchase another one as she grows out of it.

Mole looks super comfortable sitting in the chair and eating her food. There is also an option to purchase a cushion for extra comfort.

Another factor for me is the chair is wipeable. Cleaning it down after eating took less that 2 minutes .

Purchase yours here: http://int.safety1st.com/our-products/home-equipment/highchairs/timba-without-cushion.aspx

No Comments

3 min read

Baby baby product reviews

Baby Bath Time Essentials

Zoe

November 7, 2018 3:53 pm November 7, 2018

3 min read

2237 views

No Comments

3 min read

When I use to think of a bath, the word relaxing came to mind. But as a first time mum, when I first bathed Mole she was a slippery fish…

When I use to think of a bath, the word relaxing came to mind. But as a first time mum, when I first bathed Mole she was a slippery fish and it was more nerve-wracking than relaxing.

Now we are a few months down the line with plenty of bath times under our belt, I feel I have found the right items to have by my side at bath time.

Bath time is a fun bonding routine and has definitely helped with establishing a strong bed time routine.

Baby Bath Time Checklist

Here are my bath time baby essentials to keep your baby safe and comfy whilst you get your them squeaky clean.

Baby bath tub or seat
Soft sponge
Soft hooded towel
Baby shampoo
Baby wash
Baby bubblebath
Thermometer
Bath toys
Rinsing Cup

My Bath Time Favourite Products For Mole

Angelcare soft touch bath support

I love this one by Angelcare. Mole has used this every bath time since she was a newborn baby. I feel so safe bathing her in this and she has the freedom to splash her legs and have fun.

Baby Bath Soft Sponge

This sponge is super soft on her delicate skin. I also use the sponge to rinse off her shampoo too as I find using a rinsing cup always gets too much water down her face and shampoo into her eyes.

Baby Bath Hooded Towel

I have tried lot’s of cheap hooded towels from B&M and Aldi but they do not stay soft after a wash. My favourite is this one from Marks and Spencer. Its sooooooo soft.

Baby Wash, Shampoo and Bubblebath

If you have read one of my previous blog posts on Mole’s sensitive skin you will already know one of my favourite bath time products.

I love Childs Farm and for bubbles, wash and shampoo. They are a brilliant all rounder and have done wonders to her sensitive skin. They have a range of different scents but the strawberry mint has to be our fave.

Recently I was very hesitant to try Mole with another brand after knowing Childs Farm works so well. I picked up some products from Love Boo. OH MY WORD, they are gorgeous. Mole has used the bubble bath, body wash and massage oil and they smell incredible. Just like a baby scent. Her skin has not flared up once which is the biggest bonus. So if you fancy a bath time was for your baby that has a stronger scent that I definitely recommend Love Boo.

Baby Bath Thermometer?

This has been a life saver. Our hot tap always runs near to boiling. I feel at ease knowing I have the correct temperature for Mole’s bath by using the thermometer rather than doing an elbow or wrist check. The thermometer is digital and states what the temperate range needs to be if you ever forget.

Baby Bath Toys

Mole loves to play with rubber ducks. The rubber ducks work as great teething toys too. She even has to hold onto one whilst I get her ready into her pyjamas. Simple and cheap.

PLEASE LIKE AND SHARE

No Comments

3 min read

baby product reviews

My Favourite Baby Bath Time Products For Sensitive Skin

Zoe

August 3, 2018 9:01 pm August 3, 2018

3 min read

1468 views

No Comments

3 min read

Like all mums with a baby, you try to establish a night time routine quickly, in the hope it eases them into a good night sleep. My routine consisted of…

Like all mums with a baby, you try to establish a night time routine quickly, in the hope it eases them into a good night sleep. My routine consisted of the usual bath, massage, bottle and bed but, little did I know the products I was using on Mole were making her skin sore 🙁 .

Wrong products irritating sensitive skin

Mole was over due by a few days when she was finally born which resulted in her skin being dry and flakey. I bought bath time products that claimed to clean and moisturise her skin whilst also giving her a good night sleep. Win win.?

Every night I would use the products all from the same brand. I would run the bath, adding bubble bath, washing her skin with the body wash, hair with the shampoo and then moisturising her skin afterwards with the body oil. Then I started to notice red bumps forming on her skin.

“I started to notice read bumps forming on her skin”

The products I was using were from a well known reputable brand so it didn’t come to me that her skin was acting up from bath time, I assumed it was her milk and the washing powder I washed her clothes in.

A few baths later her skin continued to get worse :(? within an hour, her skin flared up so much I had to to take a trip to A&E to make sure it was nothing serious.

“We had to take a trip to A&E”

The doctor explained that it is more than like to have been the products I was using in the bath and in future I need to stick to very mild bath time products.

The doctor prescribed?Ovelle emulsifying ointment to give her skin a boost of moisture. Nothing changed and the cream was a nightmare for being too greasy making Mole feel like she was one of the hash browns from McDonalds 🙁 . There was no change in her skin condition either.

Back at square one I was researching the best products for sensitive skin and I came across Childs Farm.

Childs Farm

Childs Farm products are incredible. I am able to bath Mole every night as part of her bed time routine now without her skin becoming dry and damaged.

Not only are Childs Farm products perfect for sensitive skin, they smell amazing too! Strawberry and Organic Mint smelling shampoo makes Mole’s hair smell like a yummy bubblegum 😀 . Did I mention they are budget friendly too?

“I am able to bath Mole every night as part of her bed time routine now without her skin becoming dry and damaged”

Childs Farm Promise

The Childs Farm promise makes me feel more at ease with knowing 100% that the products are safe on sensitive skin:

Dermatologist and paediatrician approved as suitable for sensitive and also eczema-prone skin
?Suitable for?newborns and upwards
?Contains naturally derived ingredients
?Made with organic essential oils
?Never tested on animals, only on people
?Tested and approved by my little ones for you to use on yours.

Clear Skin

Mole’s skin is now perfect and she has that baby soft feel to her skin its just like silk. I never thought I would be able to stop using prescription creams from the doctors on her but I truly believe Childs Farm products have helped her skin to be the best it has ever been.

Mole loves bath time now, especially because she gets a calming massage?afterwards with the moisturiser 🙂 .

Please SHARE and COMMENT what your favourite bath time products are!

No Comments

4 min read

baby product reviews

Baby Sensory Class: An honest review

Zoe

July 26, 2018 7:11 pm July 26, 2018

4 min read

5893 views

4 Comments

4 min read

I’m not the type of person that likes to stay in the house all day.? After? I gave birth to Mole, one of my goals was to be able to…

I’m not the type of person that likes to stay in the house all day.? After? I gave birth to Mole, one of my goals was to be able to leave the house as it helps to break the day up and I don’t go crazy. I soon got bored of going food shopping or pushing the pram up and down the street so I asked my Health Visitor about local baby classes.

Here was her list along with my thoughts:

Baby Massage.?Mole lay on her back? Bad idea…Thanks reflux.
Baby Yoga.?Not really in the relaxing yogary mood.
Messy Play.?Had to be 3 months old and there was a waiting list.
Dancing Tots.?Babies had to be crawling.
Little Athletes.?Too young, babies had to be able to run,
Musical Babies. Mole is musical?enough with her constant cry.
Baby Sensory. No idea what this is, no current thoughts persuading me not to go. Let’s give it a try.

It was the best decision I could have made.

When I became pregnant with Mole, I moved from Manchester to Stoke. Even though my family and friends are only 2 hours away, I felt like I had moved to Australia. I was mourning my life before I had a baby. I was so selfish: I would go to the gym when I wanted, shopping when I wanted, I would eat when I wanted and even lie down on the couch all day scoffing Jaffa Cakes, watching repeats of the Kardashians on E! when I had watched the same episodes a dozen times, probably even the day before.?I felt like I could not do much with a newborn or more to the point, I was not sure what I was allowed to do with a newborn. The health visitor and midwife made it clear to me that even putting your baby in a pram can result in cot death.

How did the class help?

I was super hesitant in attending the class. As with every new thing in life I have to do.?But it really did change my whole outlook on motherhood. Baby sensory strengthened mine and Moles bond. Watching her interact for the first time with toys, sounds and lights filled me with so much joy. I couldn’t believe how proud I was of her for doing the smallest thing like holding a rattle. To be honest, I have more fun there than she does sometimes!

As Mole was young, the class helped me to structure my day by making sure I was awake and out of the house for a certain time. I began to notice my days going to baby sensory were easier than days spent in the house all day. I developed a day time feeding routine and soon after, Mole’s naps linked in, preparing meals linked in, doing the washing linked in. Everything fell into place and I was the happiest mother out there.

What age can your baby attend?

Mole was 8 weeks when she first joined her class and I thought she had to be much older before she was allowed as she did not have all her injections done. Babies can attend Baby Sensory from any age! There was a baby, Oscar, attending at just 3 weeks. Props to his mummy!

What does the class involve?

The class itself stimulates babies with various objects for them to touch, shake and look at. We sing lot’s of songs that the babies love to hear. At Baby Sensory we repeat two songs every week at the start and end of the session so the babies really get use to listening to it and most babies recognise it now when it comes on.

As Mole was only 8 weeks when she first joined Baby Sensory, I was so surprised at how much she interacted with everyone and all of the sensory play toys. I was so use to her at home sleeping most of the day and sitting in her bouncer that I had no idea how even at a young age she could still interact. She must have been so bored 😮 !? I went straight to Mothercare after her first class and spoilt Mole with tonnes of sensory toys to play with and the Baby Sensory play-mat.

Every class each week is different and never repeated. We have done all sorts from Pirate Parties to a Royal Wedding themed party but Mole’s favourite had to be the Cowboy Party where she got to sit on Rody the inflatable bouncing horse.?She let out the most biggest burps possible bouncing up and down on the horse.

4 Comments

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

1172 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.

2 Comments