Tag: lifestyle

1 min read

Entertaining

Smyths Toy Story Party

Zoe

May 18, 2019 1:37 pm May 18, 2019

1 min read

3811 views

1 Comment

1 min read

Can you remember the excitement as a child, when you visited the toy store? Butterflies in your stomach, eyes hungry for whats inside, the gasps at every latest toy! I…

Can you remember the excitement as a child, when you visited the toy store?

Butterflies in your stomach, eyes hungry for whats inside, the gasps at every latest toy!

I really want that experience for Mole. Visiting Smyths Toy Store bought back so many happy memories, of what it was like to be that excited child again. I think it is easy to get caught up in the online world, getting delivered toys, that you can miss out on fun experiences with your child and what it is like to visit the toy store.

No attention should be put on age when one thinks of toys. There?s something about toys that nurtures happiness in people.

Smyths Toy Superstore have gone the extra mile to ensure that your toy store experience is rememberable!

Toy Story Party at Smyths

They are hosting a Toy Story party at every local Smyths Toys Superstore, in celebration of the new Toy Story 4 coming to cinemas in June! There will be FREE face painting, DJ’s and a FREE Toy Story 4 minis, stickers and posters given away. You even have the chance to win a ?50 voucher on the hour, every hour from 9am to 1pm!

When is the event?

Saturday 25th May from 9:00am

Where is the event?

Every Local Smyths Toy Superstore

Find out more and other event details here.

1 Comment

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

6812 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

4 min read

Travel

A Fun Family Day Out at Intu Potteries

Zoe

April 14, 2019 7:28 pm April 14, 2019

4 min read

1932 views

2 Comments

4 min read

This Blog post is part of a paid collaboration with Intu Potteries (AD) Deciding on what to do for the day as a family can be challenging. We don’t exactly…

This Blog post is part of a paid collaboration with Intu Potteries (AD)

Deciding on what to do for the day as a family can be challenging. We don’t exactly live in a country that is blessed for good weather and we are not all made of money. It can be a challenge finding a day out for the whole family that does not cost an arm and a leg and all family members can have fun.

Until I went to Intu Potteries…

Intu Potteries have hit the nail on the head when it comes to fun, free, family activities

Intu Potteries have hit the nail on the head when it comes to fun, free, family activities. I thought my shopping days were long gone since becoming a mum. I tend to have a browse online when I get a quick 10 minutes. No way did I think I could take my toddler around a shopping centre for the day without a few tantrums.

Why is Intu Potteries different?

Apart from over 80 shops, 6 restaurants and a 9 screen cinema, Intu Potteries understand exactly what I need as a mum:

Parent and Baby room
Parent and Baby parking
Fixed ?1.50 Parking rate on Sundays
Soft play
Affordable lunch locations with Kids Meal Deals
Fun buggy rides
Family club
Safe Hands scheme

Soft Play

Soft play in the middle of the mall is a perfect place to let Mole out of the pram and let her stretch her legs before hitting the shops again. Giving us both the perfect reset.

You can see by the look on her face and the sound of her cheerful laughter that she is having the best time. It is always nice to see other mums there too, as you can have a good natter whilst watching the children.

Soft play has been purpose built. It is a free 30 metre square play area, with room to jump, move equipment around and play games. You can also see your child where ever they crawl or run off to inside the play area, giving you peace of mind.

Fun Buggy Ride

You can hire a fun buggy from as little as ?2 at the customer service desk on the upper floor. There are plenty to choose from but I am sure your child will choose for you like ours did.

Honestly, at first I was a little hesitant to put Mole in the buggy. I thought she would try and climb out. She hates the pram too and I assumed that she would behave the same way. I was wrong. Both Mole and Oscar were as good as gold in the buggy. There was a real sweetheart moment from Oscar when he had his arm around Mole whilst cruising and tooting their squeaky horn!

From a Mums perspective, they were actually really easy to control and drive around. I found that Intu Potteries had plenty of room in the shops for fun buggies, pushchairs and wheelchairs.

There was a real sweetheart moment from Oscar when he had his arm around Mole whilst cruising and tooting their squeaky horn!

Affordable Lunch

I love a good cafe lunch when out with my family or friends. Debenhams Restaurant was affordable with hot meals at around ?5 and it had a fantastic kids meal deal where you could choose 5 products. (As a mum, this is heaven).

You will know that having 5 different options of food for your child to have a good munch on not only keeps them entertained whilst you dine, but also, if they are in a fussy eating mood, you have other options to fall back on.)

Parent and Baby Room

Not to exaggerate here, my first thought when entering the parent and baby room was “oh wow!”.

Clean, calm, spacious. I have never been in a parent and baby room before where they would be my 3 words to describe it.

My first thought when entering the parent and baby room was “oh wow!”

I loved the fact that Jay could come in the changing room with me to give me a helping hand and he even said he would feel comfortable and confident enough to change her in there himself. A God-send really because usually I have to do it as changing facilities are usually squashed in the female toilets.

In the baby room, there was a fully equipped station to feed your baby, nappy dispenser (we have all been there i’m sure when we accidentally forget a spare nappy!) and a private nursing room complete with a super comfy nursing chair.

I can not actually wait to take Mole to Intu Potteries again. We have had a lovely day out on a friendly budget. If you are in the Staffordshire area, I would highly recommend you check Intu Potteries out for a great, affordable, family day out.

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6 min read

Baby

Routine

Zoe

March 19, 2019 2:01 pm March 19, 2019

6 min read

1297 views

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6 min read

Before I had Mole… The word routine had a very different meaning to me. I would wake up for work, eat, head to the gym and sleep. Anything else added…

Before I had Mole…

The word routine had a very different meaning to me.

I would wake up for work, eat, head to the gym and sleep. Anything else added into my day would be another self orientated activity like nails or my tan.

And then I had Mole.

it was impossible to get her into a routine

As Mole was a reflux baby, it was impossible to get her into a routine the first few months of her life as she was constantly being sick and having to be bathed 10 times a day. She couldn’t lie flat on her back without screaming in pain, so at night we rarely got any sleep. Thats no exaggeration. I would see every hour of the clock go by whilst comforting her. If you would like more advice on how we got through her reflux read this blog post here.

Introducing a routine

I’d say I started to introduce a strict routine when Mole was around 4 months old, when her reflux stopped.

We stayed in for a few weeks to really nail everything in the head and make sure we were following a consistent pattern. Not only for her, but myself too. As I wasn’t use to living by a strict time frame, I would slack with the routine and wonder why it wouldn’t work. So yes, staying in for a few weeks till everything became set in stone in both our little brains did wonders.

Our Routine

7:30am Wake up

Mole wakes me up with her chirping and sound practicing. I always enter her room shouting “Good Morning!” and she gets the biggest smile on her face. We have cuddles and move on to getting ready.

I always enter her room shouting “Good Morning!”

7:47am Getting dressed

I change Moles nappy straight away as its always stinky first thing in the morning. Most of the time I will get her changed into her outfit for the day now. But, if we are going somewhere really nice, or I need to capture photos for a brand, I will get her dressed after breakfast.

8:00am My turn

I’ll take Mole into the bathroom with me whilst I have a wash and clean my teeth etc and then she comes with my whilst I get dressed. If I want to do nice makeup for the day then I leave this part out and complete it whilst she has her nap.

8:15am Breakfast?

Mole has her breakfast, usually pancakes, croissant or fruit. I also have mine at the same time. I then make her a bottle and for some reason even though she eats loads for her breakfast she will still smash a bottle in.

9:00am Free time

This hour is spent playing with Mole and she gets all of her toys out. The main purpose of this hour is to really tire her out. Sometimes we even do crawling races around the house together. I’d say this hour is the best time of the day with her.

We do crawling races around the house

10:00am Nap

Bang on the dot every day I take her up for a nap in her cot. Her bedroom is pitch black and I believe this helps her get to sleep. I place her down with her favourite teddy and walk straight out of the room. I have learnt that if I fuss over her, she gets excited and will not nap.

At the start of implementing this routine, Mole would cry after I put her down. As horrible as this sounds, I would ignore it (obviously if it went on for a long period of time e.g. 10 minutes i’d go and reassure her) but, mainly I wouldn’t make a fuss of her. This was really hard to do and make me feel very guilty.

1:00pm Wakey wakey?

Mole wakes up from her nap around this time. The length of her nap can vary, sometimes its short and sometimes I have had to go and wake her up at 2:30pm.

Nappy and then we both get dinner straight away. She also has a sippy cup of water with her meal, nappy after meal.

3:00pm bottle

Mole has another bottle of milk around this time or a snack. sometimes both if she is hungry and a nappy change if needed.

4:30pm Prepare Tea

I prepare tea usually at this time however, recently Jay has been home at this time and offers to make the tea. Win!

5:00pm

Mole has her tea with another sippy cup of water.

6:00pm Bath time

I bathe Mole every single night as she gets so dirty through out the day. I try not to wash her hair every single day but she always ends up with so much food in it I shampoo her hair too.

6:30pm Bed time

Mole goes to bed in a sleeping bag with her teddy. We give her a warm bottle of milk and turn her humidifier on. I give her a cuddle and kiss and leave the room straight away. She falls asleep within 10 minutes and we don’t have to see to her until the next morning.

If she does wakeup, we leave a fresh bottle in her cot and leave the room again.

What works for us

As you can see there is no fussing around her sleep times. That is something that works for us but not everyone. Even nursery have said that when they sit in the room waiting for her to fall asleep she just doesn’t sleep. I think it is because she is so nosey haha.

You may have also noticed that she only has one nap. Thats something that works for us too and has helped with her sleeping through the night for longer.

If we spend the day out we always try to give her a nap at home first at the same time or we plan the journey so her nap time is whilst we are in the car so she can sleep then.

I hope you found this useful, I’d love to know your routines.

Thank you

Zoe

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3 min read

Motherhood

My hopes for Mole

Zoe

March 12, 2019 2:24 pm March 12, 2019

3 min read

1126 views

2 Comments

3 min read

I’m coming close to having Mole for a full year now. She is the most perfect, little girl. Watching her grow this past year excites me for what the future…

I’m coming close to having Mole for a full year now. She is the most perfect, little girl.

Watching her grow this past year excites me for what the future holds. Every single day I spend with her just gets better and better.

Mole is always smiley. I hope i’m not jinxing myself when I say this, but, I haven’t had a tough day with her in a long time. Mole will happily play for hours with her favourite blanket and look back at us to check we are still watching her play peek a boo with the biggest smile on her face.

Her little giggle that comes out when we blow raspberries on her belly or pretend to eat her food. I wouldn’t change her for the world.

Sadly, I would change the world for her.

Since becoming a mum I am aware of so much more. I take more interest in world conflicts and other serious issues going on that could affect my Childs life.

I have even reflected on my own upbringing and seen parts that I know I couldn’t do for Mole.

Here are some of my hopes for my baby girl

Happiness

A very expected hope. I want to focus on the fact that happiness can come from the smallest things. I would love Mole to find happiness in simple things that don’t need hundreds of pounds to buy or years to finally achieve.

Strong Family Values

My hope is Mole will understand the importance of strong family values. I want her to live by the saying that “at the end of the day we are family” so no matter what may happen. I think it is even important to treat people close to you as you would family with the same level of respect.

Healthy

I really hope that Mole lives a healthy life. I feel that in this day and age we are so lucky to know which foods to avoid in order to live a healthy life. We even know so much more on cigarettes and alcohol now that I find bizarre to ignore the serious health risks associated.

Fun

I hope Mole does not take life too seriously and has fun! Since having Mole, I feel like my life has only just begun and i’m having the most fun i’ve ever had. Funny really because I don’t go out as much or do things I use to think was fun. I can have fun dancing around the kitchen to nursery rhymes or going out for a walk with the pram.

Her own goals

Growing up, it was very clear what my parents wanted for me career wise. The thought of doing something not academic was not entertained and I was padlocked to the educational path of college, degree and job. I look back now and whilst I am proud of myself for achieving all of this, I do wish I gave myself more time to think what I really wanted to do. And give myself the credit for doing something for me.

I will be supportive of Moles goals in life and take into consideration that she is her own person.

Bond

I hope me and Mole will always have a close bond. We are inseparable now and I cant imagine that changing.

I’ve always longed for a close relationship with my mum. I get jealous when I hear people talking about how their mum is their best friend. It’s my number one priority to make sure Mole knows she is loved and that no matter what she will always have me.

Love Mummy xx

2 Comments

4 min read

Motherhood

5 Boring Things I love Now I’m A Mum

Zoe

March 5, 2019 6:26 pm March 5, 2019

4 min read

1613 views

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4 min read

Being a mum is the best thing ever right? but, it can be repetitive and exhausting. Having a battle with your constant baby brain whilst being sleep deprived makes it…

Being a mum is the best thing ever right? but, it can be repetitive and exhausting. Having a battle with your constant baby brain whilst being sleep deprived makes it almost impossible to have a normal conversation.

Personally, I don’t think being a mum makes you boring. Maybe my non mum friends will disagree. I feel I am a tired version of myself that loves to talk about nothing other than Mole. Ok, Maybe I am little boring then.

However, I will admit to things I would have previously considered to be very boring before having my baby and now I feel like I love them now I am a mum.

Let’s see if you are with my on these five:

My 5 top boring things I love

1. My cordless vacuum cleaner

This is a godsend. The way I can whizz round any room without having to faff about with plugging it in or making sure my baby isn’t swinging from the wire. The satisfactory feeling of seeing all the crisp crumbs getting sucked up one by one. The lovely white noise that plays from it drowning out the noise of my baby fighting her first 5 minutes of nap time. Bliss.

2. Drying the washing outside

How is there that much washing seriously? I swear Mole goes through outfits faster than me running to the snack draw. Before being a mum, I never realised the biggest battle I would face in life is my washing pile. It’s just SO big! As soon as the sun starts to shine, I dive outside with my wet, pile of clothes and hang them straight onto the washing line. Is it just me or does this feel like a huge sense of achievement that in England we are able to dry our clothes outside? Not to mention the fresh smell afterwards. I just love it.

3. Baby TV

Honestly, I was always one of those people who said “I’m never going to let my baby watch TV”. erm, how wrong was I? Not to mention judgemental. Now, when I hear that annoying Momento the Chef pop up on the screen and I see Moles face fill with joy, my heart gets so full. I can finally grab a drink without her clinging to my leg, or I can take a moment to think what to make for tea.

Even in restaurants (Mole hates restaurants) I can put it on my phone. I feel like it is my sneaky secret weapon to Jay and I enjoying a romantic meal in peace.

Before being a mum, the sound of any child related programmes would make my toes curl.

4. Early Nights In

Pre baby, I would be partying away the night trying to stay up all hours. If I was staying in, then I still would be close to doing an all nighter watching late night TV or in a YouTube worm hole. Now, I struggle to keep my eyes open past 9.

I secretly love sneaking off to bed early, diving into the bed feeling the cold sheets all to myself. having a few hours peaceful sleep before being woken up to horrendous snoring. I love the feeling of waking up early and thinking oh its only 11pm, and feeling like I’ve had a full nights sleep already.

5. Supermarket shopping

Before having Mole, I would leave the food shop till the last possible minute to the point where I would be on the brink of starvation and putting together whatever I would have left in the kitchen cupboard. One time it was rice and gravy ew.

Now, I’ll even go to a supermarket when the fridge is full. I’m not sure what I love about it so much. Sometimes it is whizzing Mole around in the trolley, which I find super cute when she holds on. Other times it is finding new food ideas for her to try. If I find the odd bargain well thats my night made!

What are your favourite boring things now you are a parent?

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3 min read

Baby

Moles 11 month update

Zoe

March 3, 2019 6:31 pm March 3, 2019

3 min read

1389 views

No Comments

3 min read

One whole year with my baby Mole is approaching fast! I thought it will be nice for you for me to do a little recap of her personality so far….

One whole year with my baby Mole is approaching fast! I thought it will be nice for you for me to do a little recap of her personality so far.

I feel like I say this every single time but, as time goes on I just have so much fun. Each day gets better and better!

Nursery

Mole attends nursery 2 consecutive days a week. Me and Jay both decided it will really benefit her social skills to be around other babies for a full day.

At nursery she has also learnt to eat finger food to the point now where she refuses pur?ed food. This has been a huge advantage as it’s been cheaper and easier to get her a healthy meal. It’s even fun ordering off the menu for her when we dine out.

Nursery send me daily updates with pictures of what she gets up too and how each activity she does helps her development.

Weaning

Moles favourite food now is pancakes, cheese crisps and anything else cheese related haha.

I still work on her eating her vegetables but when they are mixed into a pasta dish or cottage pie she’s great with them.

I get most of my food inspiration for her off BLW Instagram accounts, or I give her a little bit of my meal. Ella’s kitchen do a handy range of frozen meals which are perfect for a quick meal.

Mole drinks water with her meals out of a regular Tommy Tippe cup. Nursery stick to the same brand and type of cup which has made her consistent with her water intake.

Walking

Currently Mole can not take steps unassisted but I’m sure she will soon.

She loves to walk around the room as long as she’s holding onto something.

Talking

Mole can say a couple of words like “mama” and “dada”. I’m really trying to help her say “hello” as she loves to wave.

Personality

Mole has the best sense of humour. She loves to play peek a boo with the curtains and blankets. Her favourite places to visit are soft play centres, especially when there is a huge ball pool.

She doesn’t like going to restaurants and gets very irritated when she’s in the high chair. It can be a little embarrassing sometimes as she will throw a huge tantrum and throw her food everywhere. We are finding a balance of going to places where we can enjoy a meal out and she has somewhere to play afterwards. If not then we just put some fun videos on our phones for her to watch.

Sleeping

Mole goes to sleep for 6:30pm every single night. She sleeps all the way through but, I always leave a bottle in her cot in case she gets hunger and wants a feed. If that’s the case, she feeds herself and launches the empty bottle out of the cot and goes back to sleep.

She wakes up from 7:30am.

Favourite toys

Her current favourite toys are the ball pit, books and a shape sorter. For her birthday I have purchased completely different toys I would usually go for to see how she gets on.

Thanks for reading!

Zoe

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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

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2 min read

Health

Postpartum Fitness: Lean Muscle Diet Plan

Zoe

February 15, 2019 5:21 pm February 15, 2019

2 min read

2604 views

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2 min read

Slipping into your pre-pregnancy jeans can become a distant memory after you have your baby. Having time for yourself seems to vanish. The thought about having to go and do…

Slipping into your pre-pregnancy jeans can become a distant memory after you have your baby. Having time for yourself seems to vanish. The thought about having to go and do a workout takes more effort than actually doing it.

I remember feeling sluggish and needing a change. Before pregnancy I lived a healthy lifestyle and loved every second of it! After my baby, I was grabbing anything I could to eat, when I could and it was not a sustainable way to live. But, at that time my priorities were not me.? The only thing that mattered to me was if my baby was fed, changed and happy. But mums need to be happy too!

I began to lose myself and become so unhappy. Still wearing my maternity clothes and torn between the “love your postpartum self” message you see online. I found it hard to accept that was me now and I didn’t want to settle for the body I didn’t feel comfortable being in.

How did I change?

After 6 month postpartum I felt ready to take on a diet plan. I am not a fan of the “skinny” diets and feel my most comfortable self when I have lean muscle for a toned physique.

My diet plan works best with a consistent gym workout routine. I like to set myself a challenge of a number of weeks to use the diet plan before I change it up or swap foods.? If I find I have to eat out, then I always choose plates with lots of vegetables and a clean meat source.?

The calories for this diet plan is 1503.

Aiming to lose body fat whilst maintaining lean muscle mass.

Disclaimer: If you face any specific medical conditions consult your doctor before using the diet plan.

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4 min read

Kids

Nursery | What questions you need to be asking

Zoe

January 31, 2019 5:49 pm January 31, 2019

4 min read

1636 views

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4 min read

When I was looking for a local nursery for Mole, I felt like I really didn’t have a clue on where to start. My main concern was the location but…

When I was looking for a local nursery for Mole, I felt like I really didn’t have a clue on where to start.

My main concern was the location but then I really got thinking, how can I be confident that the chosen place provides the best quality care for my child?

The following questions will help you put your trust in the chosen place of childcare and for me, they really helped me decide which place was best for her.

Questions to ask a nursery

What are the Fees?

Nurseries fees can vary so make sure you ask to find out what they are.

Do all of your staff have a DBS check?

The DBS enables nurseries to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially involving children and provides wider access to criminal record information through its disclosure service for the UK. All staff should have had a DBS check.

What are your staff to children ratios?

As a teacher this was a very important question to me. I understand how important it is to stick to the correct ratio to provide the up most best duty of care.

Under 2 ratios are 1:3
2 year olds 1:4
3 year olds + 1:13?where a person with Qualified Teacher status, Early Years Professional status or Early Years Teacher status is working directly with children or 1:8 where they are not.

What experience and qualifications do your staff have?

At least half of the staff must hold a full relevant level 2 qualification where as the manager must hold a full level 3 qualification.

All staff must have a paediatric first aid certificate and undertake regular staff training.

How can you ensure safety?

Nurseries must carry out regular risk assessments. That is for whether it is outside or inside. The staff must also record any medication used and inform parents/carers and record accidents.

What is a key person? And will my child have one?

Every child will have a key person. They help to build a trusting relationship with you both and your child. They will care to all your baby’s needs.

Will my child learn anything whilst at nursery?

Nurseries are required to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They will provide activities that are based on your Childs interests and that help them to progress in their development. I have noticed a huge improvement in Mole since she has started nursery. Most of all I feel she has made huge improvements with socialising.

What activities do they do?

Nurseries should provide a range of activities including time out in the community. Mole’s nursery has an onsite farm where they will visit.

Other activities can range from painting, messy play and sand box play.

Do you keep parents informed of any progress?

Observations are carried out to assess the progress of your child, especially at ages 2-3. Mole’s nursery keeps an online record daily of her observations and they identify what levels she is at. This was a big decision factor for us as I felt they really cared for her progress considering she is only 10 months old.

What type of meals and snacks will your provide?

They will stick to your dietary requirement. For a full day Mole has 2 snacks and 2 meals. All the meals are cooked on site with good hygiene standards. The nursery provided us with a full menu of food and we could see that they are high in vegetables.

The diet can also be in a puree form or BLW style. Just let the nursery know which you prefer.

How is behaviour managed?

All nurseries will stick to a behaviour policy and this can be different depending on the nursery. You can ask the nursery for their behaviour policy or find it online on their website. They should be using positive reinforcement and never threaten a child.

Is there a set routine?

Find out if they follow a daily set routine. You can also ask them to fit in with your home routine such as nap times.

I hope these questions help you to feel more confident when approaching the nurseries and making your decision. The decision of sending your baby to nursery is not an easy one but doing your research first will help you feel a little more at ease.

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Zoe

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