Category Archives: Baby

Reviewing the Munchkin Sit & Soak Baby Bath

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I have been testing this Bath on behalf of being an Argos Tester. This product has been sent to me in order for me to try it out and write about the functionality and purpose of it. My honest review is first posted to the Argos website.

My review is now live and has been submitted and accepted to Argos so I can now share this item with you.

Here is the Argos link to this product LINK

The dual stage Munchkin Sit and Soak Baby Bath has soft blue foam at the back for baby to lean against and the same with a shape at the base too. This surface gives friction for baby’s skin to be against and is designed to help them stay in place comfortably while bathing. The white lump in the base is to keep baby in place as they sit. Their bottom goes behind it with their legs going over the top. It must be comfortable because my son had no problem sitting in it from the first moment we tried him inside.

It has a water full level part way up. Always follow the instructions of use. It is designed for optimum comfort allowing your baby to stay warm during bathing.
The whole bath is lightweight and it’s dimensions are Height 38.4cm, Width 41.2cm, Depth 64.5cm.

There are useful warnings and safe uses on the inside of the bath on a sticker. Of course common sense is required when aspects like water are present. This bath is only to be used by adults, children are not to be left unattended at any point whilst in the bath, and you must follow the guidelines.

The bath has an attractive shape that is easy to get in and out of a bath tub and easy to fill. It has a handle for ease of lifting when it is empty. There is an easy lift able drain in plastic covering holes in the base, when bath time is finished it is easy to drain the tub without the need of tipping or lifting. This innovative pull tab is ideal for everyone to use because it’s so easy to use.

The innovative pull tab in order to drain the bath after use. This design is very useful and I think a key selling point of the bath.

This bath is very functional without taking up lots of space in your home. You can easily hang it on the back of the bathroom door when not using it. Our son was 8 months old at the time of testing and he sits comfortably in the bath and is even able to touch the sides. He found it good fun to be able to sit unaided by us due to the insert in the base, and he enjoyed the water.

My son demonstrates how a baby would sit inside the bath tub so you can see without any water inside. Their bottom goes behind the inserted structure and the foam keeps them in place. The drain can be seen at his feet.

Overall I am happy that I have had the opportunity to review this item, and because it is good for babies up until the age of a year we still have plenty of time to use and enjoy it. You could even pop it outside on a flat surface in the summer months and use it as a pool type of thing. It has a non-slip base and is sturdy when placed upon a flat surface.

Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope you have enjoyed this Review and that you come back here for more soon.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Our Experience of Baby Sensory Class and How I Teach My Baby At Home

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Our Experience of a Baby Sensory Class

Beach Theme – Under The Sea.

Using textures, sounds, bubbles, bright colours, animals, music, voices, singing, shiny surfaces, sign language and toys… Baby Sensory has something for babies of all ages. This class that I attended was for babies of only a few weeks old right up to 13 months.

Our son Baby A has just turned 6 months old, so he was able to appreciate a great deal of what was going on. There were various mats on the floor for parents to sit upon and soft mats to lay babies upon in front. The class interacted with the children on many levels, be it laying on their back, sitting up, laying on their fronts, and sat upon their parents laps even!

There is always a hello and a goodbye section of the class, then in between is a theme plus a short break midway through for feeding and changing, or just more playing.

Sand was substituted for oats so that babies weren’t in any danger if they happened to eat any. I thought this was a great idea! A variety of textures were used doing the hour, silk, organza, bubbles and soft mats. Sign language is used during songs to make the babies think about the words being sung and said. This is also a really nice part of the group activities.

Baby A enjoyed some aspects of the class more than others, such as the objects and instruments that he could personally interact with, especially when he could hold and feel them. He very much liked the shells and wooden objects that were in the bucket I was given in this class.​

I have paid for a course of classes for my son and I to attend. I feel it’s a good idea to introduce him to other babies, various sounds and activities that I cannot do very easily at home. Plus it’s a good reason to get out of the house and for my son and I to have some fun learning things together.

If there are classes in your town I recommend that you give this type of learning class a go! If you find a good one the activities can be essential to your baby learning things and experiencing things in a safe environment.

Baby Sensory Class
Bucket and Mat for the Under The Sea Theme

How and What I Teach My Baby At Home

There are many things that I teach Baby A at home, and also when we are out and about. Such as pointing out colours, numbers, weather and words as well as the basics like animals and objects. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on things, and you can use items at home to create sensory things.

I really enjoy showing my son real objects. Ones that make noises and have great textures are the best types. We often use toys and explain what in reality they are based upon. We try and expose him to educational television programs and we try and use books daily too. Ones with pictures are best at the moment but we always interact with the books with words and noises to help him understand further.

Young babies can only see Black, White and Red colours, so it’s a good idea to begin showing them shapes and every day objects and short words that are designed in this colour pattern. As baby gets older you can show them more colours and build upon it week after week.

Repetition is the best way of learning, and a baby will begin to recognise objects from an early age when shown them on a regular basis. Our son liked particular animals that were on flash cards, so we aimed to buy him other things that had these things as the theme. Such as he liked the image of a snail in one of the books and so we attached a snail hanging toy for the arch on his play mat.

My Top Tips for teaching your child things at home, are to incorporate a section of learning time into your routine so that once a day your baby is learning. Use repetition and do any teaching when your baby is most awake and alert. Making the learning fun means your little one is more likely to enjoy it and recall aspects of it.

Learning with your child should be an activity that you can both enjoy, you can always get other people involved too such as grand parents and friends. If there are babies of different ages in the room you can get everyone to do things in a way that they would all benefit. Such as explain colours and objects to the younger baby while getting an older child to spell the word for example.

Baby Sensory Light Display


If anyone found this post useful then please leave me a comment. I may elaborate on ways that I teach if people would find it beneficial. And also explain about the items that I have made and created for our at home sensory experience.

Thank you for reading my blog today and for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope you’ll stop by again soon. Have a great day!

♡✩ Sabrina ✩♡

How a simple Cropped Hoodie from BooHoo is changing the way I consider breastfeeding in Public this season

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How a simple cropped Hoodie from BooHoo is changing the way I consider breastfeeding in Public this season

 

It’s not always easy to find comfortable and practical clothing that you can wear in the colder months that’s both suitable for breastfeeding and preventing you from freezing in the process. I’m like many other mum’s out there who consider buying things to help themselves out, are usually last on the list of priorities. However on a recent window shop scroll through the boohoo website I saw something that I knew for me would be a game changer. For £12 boohoo are selling cropped hoodies. This might not sound like anything special, but we’re fast heading into winter now. Considering I’ve been getting cold in cardigans and other loose articles of clothing that won’t get in the way of my son feeding… this was exactly what I had been waiting to find.

Not only has this hoodie allowed me to feed more comfortably, but it’s changed the way I feel about feeding my son around people who are not immediate family. It has given me confidence and hasn’t cost the earth. So many Maternity and Nursing items are highly priced, and at a time when you’re already forking out lots of money, you shouldn’t have to spend a ton on items to simply help you to accomplish what is both natural and a necessity for you and your baby.

The hoodie material is soft and thick, because it’s cropped it means that I can keep my arms inside the fabric, and just simply lift one corner to expose what I require for the feed.

This hoodie is ideal to wear all year round, with shorts and a T-shirt or with jeans and a tee in the colder months.

I’ve found this hoodie to be more than adequate for what I need, it’s both comfortable and practical, and doesn’t cost the earth either!

I highly recommend this style and quality of item from BooHoo and am very happy with the ones I bought.

As you can see me demonstrating in this image above, it’s easy to lift one corner of the hoodie. I normally am able to simply tuck the fabric up underneath and out of the way.

BooHoo Cropped Overhead Hoodie

Link


Was Available in Black, Navy, Wine, Pink, White, Grey and Tan.


Quality of Material – Very good, it washes well and wore well afterwards. The material is soft and comfortable on the skin.

Fitting to Size – I ordered a Small size because I’m usually a Size 8. It fitted perfectly along my arms and around my back and neck.

Details of the Small Size

60% Cotton and 40% Polyester.
Sleeve Length 63cm / 25”
Bust 53cm / 21”

Overall I’ve been very happy with my purchases, and I would purchase items like these again.


Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope you have enjoyed this content. Have a lovely day.

 

✩ Sabrina ✩

Reviewing Baby Items – Newborn Nappies

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Reviewing Baby Items – Nappies

Hello Severn Wishes followers! Today I am talking about Nappies! In fact I am doing this short review post today about which Newborn Nappies we found to be best. I am comparing on several different levels.

Our son is moving on to the next size up now, and it’s been interesting to look back at what we have tried and tested and what has worked for us. And it’s also been useful to compare prices! We shopped around to be competitive and even tried other brands because other brands were expensive.


✩ Newborn Nappies Tried & Tested ✩
✩ Pampers – Size 1 Newborn 22 Nappies for £2.50 – £4.00
✩ Tesco Loves Baby – Size 1 Newborn 25 Nappies for £0.85 – £1.00
✩ Aldi Mamia – Size 1 Newborn 24 Nappies for £0.85
✩ Boots Baby – Size 1 Newborn 24 Nappies for £2.50 

✩ Scores ✩

✩ Pampers ✩
Design 5/5
Fitting 4/5
Sticky Tabs 4/5
Wee Indicator 5/5
Details – 4 – 11 lbs (2-5kg), Wetness Indicator. Quilt lined so as to pull wetness away from baby’s bottom. Soft materials used and air channels to keep the skin breathable. Navel friendly shape and design for newborns. Nappy design has size increase indicator lines. Recommended by the British Skin Foundation.
My Opinion – The design is great on Pampers, they are soft and have a good fit. We have had over 100 of these nappies and only 1 that leaked. I would purchase these nappies but only on special offers and not at full price. 

✩ Tesco ✩
Design 5/5
Fitting 5/5
Sticky Tabs 5/5
Wee Indicator 5/5
Details – 4 – 11 lbs (2-5kg), Wetness Indicator and it has Soft Cord Protection. Hypoallergenic and Dermatologically Tested. Nappy design has size increase indicator lines. The sticky tabs are strong and they are also a different colour which makes it easier to see on those sleepy nappy changes in the middle of the night. It has a nice colourful design as well.
My Opinion – Overall a great fitting nappy that is soft for baby and affordable too. We haven’t had any nappy malfunctions as yet and we have now used over 300 of this type. 

✩ Aldi ✩
Design 5/5
Fitting 5/5
Sticky Tabs 4/5
Wee Indicator 5/5
Details – Size 1 is 4 – 11 lbs (2-5kg), Wetness Indicator and Soft Cord Protection. Hypoallergenic and Dermatologically Tested. Anti Leak System and Breathable Soft like Cotton. Nappies are made from fibres that are from sustainable forests. With a cute character on the front and size increase indicators.
My Opinion – Very soft and easy to apply with the long sides and long frills to prevent leakages, a great nappy overall. We have been very happy with the ones that we purchased, both quality and price.

✩ Boots ✩
Design 3/5
Fitting 3/5
Sticky Tabs 3/5
Wee Indicator 4/5
Details – Size 1 is 4 – 11 lbs (2-5kg), Wetness Indicator and Soft Cord Protection. Hypoallergenic and Dermatologically Tested. Basic Design.
My Opinion – We had 3 Nappies leak out of the 24 in the pack. They were not as soft as other brands either and I had two nappies where the tabs came clean off during a nappy change rendering that nappy unusable.

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Overall Thoughts

I would happily continue with either Tesco or Aldi Nappies. We prefer shopping in general at Tesco though, so we wouldn’t go out of our way to find an Aldi store just to get their nappies. However if we were passing one or heading there for another reason I would more than likely stock up on a few of their Mamia Nappies, they are good quality and very affordable. The Tesco Loves Baby Nappies have been best overall while staying affordable, and the bonus is that we get points on our Tesco Rewards card.

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Thank you for reading this short review post today. I hope that I have given you an insight into the world of Newborn Nappies and if anyone needed some inspiration on what brand to try… you now have my opinions.

✩ Sabrina ✩

My Top 5 Tips For New Parents

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Sabrina’s Honest Lifestyle Post 

My Top 5 Tips for New Parents

There is always a vast array of advice that is hurled around when you’re pregnant or a new parent. Some of it I found wasn’t all that useful because it was either peoples opinion that was exaggerated or it was biased. Every parent and every baby is different, but I hope that you can appreciate my life honest post which is more about practical tips, rather than scare stories. I would never dream of telling someone how to parent, my tips are just my honest advice for what has so far worked for us. I hope that you enjoy my post.


Food and Drink 

You’re going to want to stock up on food and drink and snacks. Leaving the house is going to take a lot more effort from now on so take my advice, do a bulk shop to fill your cupboards, do some bulk cooking of basics for your freezer and make sure you’ve got a variety of snacks in too. You will find those early morning feeds a shock the first few days and tasty sugary things will be your new best friend. I recommend Mini Cakes or Dried Fruit, definitely sugar! Caffeinated drinks will also help, but be careful about your in take if you’re breast feeding.

My Top Tip – We keep a mini cool bag in our bedroom filled with snacks and bottles of water for those late nights and early mornings. It saves you from going downstairs when half asleep!

Muslin Cloths

I had a grand total of 4 Muslin cloths the week that my son was born. By the time he was a month old we had fifteen cloths! And some weeks it’s still not enough (with some being dirty or in the washing machine for example). My main tip is to always keep several at arms length. Then keep one at either of your bedsides, more than one in the area that you all lounge together, one where you change your little one and at least one in their changing bag too! There still won’t be one when you suddenly need it, unless you place a longer one over your shoulder while you’re at home. But on a serious note, these cloths are a godsend, especially when baby is having a sickly day, or is dribbling due to teething. The best ones that we found for absorbency were from Mothercare, the softest were from Tesco.

My Top Tip – Keep track of how many you’ve got so you don’t end up with them all in the wash and also purchase similar colours so they’re easier to wash in bulk!

Teach Your Hands Now!

So you’re Right handed, well you may want to try using your Left more. You will find that once baby comes along you will only have one hand free and sometimes not even very often! So train your hands now before your baby arrives. Make sure you can blow your nose, make a drink and eat – all with the hand you wouldn’t usually use! That will set you up if you can master at least something. After eight weeks I can prepare and eat things, plus fill the washing machine and start that off all one handed.

Support One Another

Before you have children you don’t realise what an overwhelming responsibility it is for most of the time. I kept hoping I would have the time to do things that I wanted, read a book, learn a new game, write a blog post… but the reality is nothing like that. Even if are lucky enough to have a baby who actually sleeps between feeds, there will always be clothes to wash, housework chores to do and getting yourself organised too! (Drink / Hot Meal / Shower and a Change of Clothes).

The thing that your partner who works must understand is that just because you’re at home, doesn’t mean you get a break. Some days you will eat and even go to the toilet with your child in your arms, because that’s safer than putting them down and them screaming so loud the neighbours 6 doors down hear them!

Compromise is the key. If your partner needs a break to shower or even go for a ten minute walk to get some fresh air, you need to support them. It’s tough being responsible for a tiny human, they rely on us 24/7 and sometimes we all need a few minutes to ourselves, mostly so we feel like us and not just Mum / Dad.
Another way you can support one another is that one feeds the other winds, and keep swapping. Your baby needs to get used to both of you putting him/her to bed so that both of you can be a comfort.

Finally remember that you’re in this together, if you’re tired take it in turns to take a nap. If one of you is feeling overwhelmed then do something nice together as a family and turn it into a positive experience.

My Top Tip – Take things in turns and ask one another every day if the other is doing okay.

Every Baby Is Different So Trust Your Instincts

So I found that within hours of having my son my instincts were kicking in. I knew things that I didn’t before and I had ideas about how to cope that came through the living experiences with my baby.

Trust that you know what your baby needs, and after a few weeks you’ll know what their cries mean anyway.
Don’t be afraid of asking your own parents for their advice, and remember you don’t always have to take it from anyone especially if you disagree.

You will know your baby after only a short time, trust yourselves.

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Thank you for your on-going support for me and my blog, please leave me a comment if you enjoyed this article. And don’t forget to follow me on Social Media to see what I’m up to on a more daily basis!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Reviewing Baby Items – Bean Bag Planet

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Reviewing Baby Items – Bean Bag Planet

I first saw the Baby Bean Bag on Facebook several years ago. After years of following their page and reading customer reviews, when I got towards the end of my pregnancy I decided to order a Bean Bag for us and our new little one.

What appealed to me the most was that the Bean Bag can be used afterwards for Toddler and Child as our child grows up. It will eventually be a part of their bedroom as somewhere comfortable to sit and read.

There were many designs to choose from including unisex ones. You receive the Bean Bag with the Harness Cover and a Spare Non Harness Cover too in the same colour. Despite this I decided to order an extra harness one so that if our one ended up in the washing machine we would still be able to place baby on the bag safely.

You do have to pay an additional £3.99 for the Bean Bag Filling, but they guarantee that it is Fire Safe Polystyrene balls that they use.

I featured these bean bags on my “Baby Wish List Post” and we had one given to us as a joint gift for our son from friends who read my blog. This excellent coincidence meant that we received two bags the week before our son came into the world. And it’s been very handy to have one on both floors of our house.

I purchased the Cars version of the bean bag in Grey, where as our friends got us the Safari one in Yellow.

Here are some close ups I have taken of the very cool designs situated on either of the bean bag planet bags we have.


The bright colours are inviting, and there is also a bear that you can find playing peek-a-boo on all of the designs I have seen. This is a cute addition so when children are older they can search for this little bear on the sides of their seat.

So I wanted to include what my husband thought in this review too, I will firstly outline what I think and then dictate his thoughts.


My Opinion

A very handy product to have in more than one room of the home, it is convenient to place baby into safely while you need your hands free. An ideal size and height too because you don’t have to bend too low to place baby into it. This item has become one that we use daily in our home to accommodate our needs between feeds and changes of our newborn baby. We cannot wait for him to grow with the bean Bag too and it will be used in his bedroom one day.

I found the ease of ordering on the website a good experience, and there were a ton of great designs for us to choose from. As for delivery the bean bag comes wrapped and then boxed but is flat. You place the bean bags inner bag inside when it arrives.

The quality of the fabric, bean bag base and the unique design of it, is what had me intrigued enough to buy. I have not been disappointed in the item. I did think they were quite expensive for what they are, but when you use the product as much as we do, its convenience outweighs how much I ended up paying.

After using the product now for several weeks I have to say the easiest thing about them is the use, just place your child in the centre and strap them in using the harness. I am happy that I made this product purchase for our son. Here is a photograph of our son at a week old, enjoying a nap in his Safari bean bag.

Quality of Product 5/5
Value for Money 4/5
Delivery of Product 4/5

Overall Experience 5/5

 

My Husbands Opinion

A versatile and good quality material that is soft for baby to lay on. Our newborn is always comfortable when lay on it. I like that our baby has a good view when laying on the Bean Bag too. It’s a useful item that can be easily moved around the home into any room or living space. We think they are that good a product that we now have 2 of them (thanks to a gift)! We use 1 for upstairs and 1 for downstairs!

The bean bag itself is good value for money however be aware of the additional charges to fill the bean bag with the polystyrene balls, and there are quite high delivery costs as well.

I would recommend this product and it’s a good idea for first time parents. It’s also useful for parents with pets because it allows baby to be quite a lot higher than the floor and therefore easier to keep an eye on unlike the mats that require babies to be lay on to a flat surface on the floor. Here is another image of our son, as you can see he is happy and content on the bean bag, awake on this image as opposed to asleep on the previous one.

Quality of Product 5/5
Value for Money 4/5
Delivery of Product 4/5
Overall Experience 4/5

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Here are some Bean Bag Planet designs.

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Links

Bean Bag Planet Website
Bean Bag Planet Facebook

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Thank you for supporting Severn Wishes blog today, don’t forget there are plenty more reviews to read across the website, just click one of the categories that interest you on the main page. I hope that you have enjoyed this review and I wish you a wonderful rest of your day.

✩ Sabrina ✩

 

 

Reviewing Baby Items – Poddle Pod

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Reviewing Baby Items – Poddle Pod

My husband and I purchased a Poddle Pod at the Manchester Event City Baby and Toddler Show in March. It cost £34.99 (special price for the event) and we chose the Nelly Parade cover. We were impressed with the demonstration of the product, and I had also followed the company for some time on Facebook. I was adamant that I wanted one of these for when our baby came along.

Poddle Pod have many designs, some are unisex and others are more suited to a gender of baby. But not only do these make great items for parents to buy, but they also make a great gift to expecting parents, that is my honest opinion because it has become extremely handy to us.

Most newborn babies love to be held in someones arms, cuddled and cradled. However this isn’t a practical part of every day life for many of us. Poddle Pod has been designed to give parents a few hands free minutes while ensuring baby is comfortable and safe inside the inner shape of the Pod. It has a very clever design which is weight activated, this allows the baby to supported and makes them think they are being held.

It’s heavier than you would think to pick up, and has a soft fleece side and a patterned cotton side to the machine washable cover. The Poddle Pod is made from high quality fabrics and the filling of the pillow is both anti fungal and hypoallergenic. The best part for me is that it’s also made here in the United Kingdom, and you all know how I love to support businesses in out country above all others.

Poddle Pod is currently available in two sizes, which are 0-6 months and  6-36 months of age. I would certainly consider ordering a larger Pod when our son grows out of this current one.

I wanted to include my husbands thought in this review, so here are what both us think of our Poddle Pod purchase.

Quality of Product 5✩
Value for Money 5✩
Use and Purpose 5✩


My Opinion

I like the convenience of the Poddle Pod, it is easy to move around the home or to take with us to visit family. It’s unique internal shape is a comfort to our baby and we often find that placing him inside it to chill out during a cry is really handy. Not only does baby like resting but also sleeping inside the Poddle Pod. I have often placed baby inside the Pod after a feed and a winding, so that I can keep an eye on him as he dozes before placing him into his basket.

The shape and size of the Poddle Pod is ideal to lay on several surfaces including the bed and the sofa. Many a time have I been running errands in a room and placed my sleepy baby inside the Poddle Pod knowing he will be comfortable. I was very happy with the overall quality of the product and the material is excellent, easily washable and to get on and off the item using the zip.

This is a rather useful item that I am very happy that we purchased. So far it has been durable and has held it’s shape during the first eight weeks of its use.
I would certainly recommend this product to first time parents who may need somewhere safe to lay their baby down at times. Especially if they are feeling overwhelmed with the need for baby being held, this allows a few moments of respite for them while they do daily things. Even having a warm cup of tea or a hot meal can make all the difference in those first few weeks of being a new parent. The Poddle Pod can aid people in achieving this with its clever design.


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Quality of Product 5✩
Value for Money 4✩
Use and Purpose 4✩

 

My Husbands Opinion

I liked that the Poddle Pod fitted comfortably inside our travel crib for comfort while sleeping away from home. We like the overall design and the shape commits to holding our baby safely. The cover is convenient to remove when requiring a clean and we purchased an additional cover so that if one is in the wash we can still use the Pod.
We chose the Elephant design due to the nature of our nursery theme and are happy with the quality of it. Although there were many great designs to choose from, and we would consider other ones when we get the larger Pod in the future.


Discount

If you would like to receive 10% off your purchase of Poddle Pod then follow them on Facebook (link below) and use the code FB10 on their website.

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Important Information About The Poddle Pod

✩ Great for Supervised Naps
✩ Perfect for Photography
✩ Excellent for Support and Comfort
✩ Ideal for Tummy Time
✩ Easily Portable
✩ Machine Washable Cover
✩ Weight Activated

 

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Links

Poddle Pod Website
Poddle Pod Facebook Page


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Thank you for supporting Severn Wishes blog, I hope you have enjoyed this review and I wish you a wonderful day.

✩ Sabrina ✩

What I Put Into My Hospital Bag for Labour, My Experience with Tips and Tips From Friends

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What I Put In My Hospital Bag, My Experience In Hospital and Tips from Me and from Friends

As the due date of my little one was fast approaching I had begun to compile my items for my hospital bag. I had done a lot of research because I didn’t want to be bringing anything unnecessary, and I also didn’t want to forget something either that I could have otherwise over looked being a first time mum.

One thing I knew that I wanted was a nice blanket to wrap our baby in. My husband and I wanted to personally choose a nice outfit to bring baby home in too. And other than the usual necessities of a hospital stay, I was clueless as to what other items I may need for baby.

When you sign up to various baby things you will undoubtedly get a list or two about what you do and don’t need for hospital. Of course every couple is different and you also have to consider the time of year too. The best ones we found were the Bounty one and also one that we had at a Mothercare baby event.

I also talked to friends who had had babies recently to get their take on what they used the most and what they may have wished that they had had with them. Here is what a few of them told me…

Pip Said; “My son was born with lots of hair and I didn’t consider I would need a baby brush or comb! I sent my partner out to buy one so that we could comb all the baby gunk out of his hair!”

Louise Said; “We used two separate bags for convenience. Consider that you might be in labour or in hospital for a while, so headphones, a book or magazine might be a good idea. Don’t forget to have a car seat ready for when you go home as the hospital need to see you with it when you leave with your baby”.

The image above shows all of the items that I got inside the bag that I ordered from “Goodies 4 Mummies Pre Packed Maternity Hospital Bags”. I wanted a new bag specifically for going into hospital, but one large enough to put everything inside. I did not want to carrying multiple things because they wouldn’t fit. I contacted this page via their Facebook messenger section and discussed what I needed. In the end I chose this gorgeous bird design bag. The contents you see were all included, and most of it is excellent quality. You can choose whether you need a specific gender of items or neutral. We already knew we were having a little boy so I chose the blue. This included a Muslin Cloth and a Hat that were blue in colour.

I would rate the bag and the contents a 5/5 for range and quality.
I would rate the service of this business a 5/5 as well, fast delivery too!

The one thing I had read online that my mind hadn’t even considered was a pair of disposable slippers for the ward and (because I was having a summer baby) a portable fan. The slippers were luckily included in the Maternity Bag that I had ordered.

Our son decided to make an entrance into the world on one of the warmest days of the summer so far. It was 30 degrees Celsius in the delivery suite room. It was at that moment I was so happy that I had purchased a portable fan!

This fan was only £11 on Amazon at the time I ordered it. The device can be charged up via a USB cable and then runs on a full charge for approximately 10 hours. With 3 speed settings as well it was rather handy. The fan has a fold-able handle that is situated at the back when not in use. Ideal size for holding and for transporting, and in my opinion not that heavy either. I would review this item as a 5/5 considering the price and convenience of it, it was used throughout my labour during the day and night, my lovely mum was in charge of holding it over me, and a great job she did too. Here is the link below if anyone is interested in purchasing one.

EasyAcc Handheld Electric Fans Mini Portable Outdoor Fan with Rechargeable 2600 mAh Battery Foldable Handle Desktop for Home and Travel – Black

Knowing that we also got an opportunity to have a photograph taken of our baby by the hospital Bounty Photographer, meant that I wanted it to be memorable. They suggest a tiny soft toy, blanket or comforter to be in this photo. My husband and I have decided a comforter with a soft toy attached, and a spare blanket are the right things to take with us. Although you can bring almost anything you can think of.

Here is a final list of exactly what I have put into my hospital bags. I eventually did one for our baby and one for me. Just so that it was easier to find items for either person on the day or days that followed in hospital. It turned out to be a very good idea too!

Here is the final list of exactly what I have put into the bag for our newborn baby.

2 Packets of Baby Wipes – newborn and sensitive skin friendly
Cotton Wool Balls
Nappies – Newborn and Smaller Baby
Baby Grow and Sleepsuits for while in Hospital – Mixed Sizes
Outfit for Coming Home In
Small Cuddly Toy / Comfort Blanket
Baby Blanket
1 Set of Hat / Mittens / Booties / Socks
Baby Changing Mat
Barrier Ointment and Nappy Rash Cream
Baby Hair Brush and Comb
Muslin Cloth
1 Bib

We ended up being in hospital for 4 days first of all after my sons birth. I was very lucky that my husband was able to go home and collect items for me including spare muslin cloths, spare outfits for baby and he also had to go out and buy some tiny baby clothes too after our little one lost some weight.

You are always better to have more than you need than not enough. I would say it’s a good idea to bring several outfits with you because you don’t actually know the size of your baby until they arrive. And the majority of babies lose weight in the first couple of days as well. Be prepared!

Here is the final list of everything that went into my Hospital Bag. This key will identify to you whether or not I used the item or I didn’t.
★ Used
✩ Didn’t Use / Need
After this list I will be briefly outlining what my most used items were and what I definitely couldn’t have been without.

Hospital Notes and Birth Plan ★
Maternity Pads ★
Breast Pads ★
Old Pants/Underwear (Several) ★
A Top To Wear In Labour or just Afterwards ★
Old Vests / T-Shirts ★
Nursing Top / Nursing Bra ★
Nightie (Staying Overnight in Hospital) ★
Hair Bands and Hair Brush ★
Deodorant ★
Toothbrush and Toothpaste ★
Toiletries – Face Cream / Shampoo / Eyedrops etc ★
Lip Balm ★
Glasses Case and Cleaning Cloth ✩
Towel (Old One) ✩
Face Cloth ★
Cloth for Other Areas ★
Bag for Dirty Cloths to go into ★
Money – Spare Change for Drinks / Snacks ★
Mobile Phone Charger ★
Disposable Slippers ★
Hand Sanitiser ★
Spray Bottle for Water ✩
Face Wipes ✩
My Expert Midwife – Spritz for Bits and Nipple Balm ★
Handheld Fan ★
Bottle of Water and Bottle of Isotonic Drink ★
High Energy Snacks ★

Overall there was very little that I didn’t use out of my bag. And what I didn’t was usually down to the hospital providing the items for me, such as towels for showering etc. Sometimes you would of course prefer to use your own which is understandable. Some things such as the Spray Bottle for Water I was recommended by so many lists to take with me, to spray water on to my body while hot in labour, and to spray on sensitive and swollen areas after to cool myself down. However it was forgotten all about during my labour which progressed quite quickly.

There were a few items I couldn’t have done without. The disposable slippers for one, a godsend on a busy ward recovering from birth. Another thing was the lip balm, you won’t believe how dry your lips get in that environment. And also the isotonic drinks I had brought with me were an excellent choice, and I have my midwife to thank for their recommendation.

I will be reviewing the My Expert Midwife items in a separate blog post.

Thank you very much for reading this blog post today. I hope you have found it interesting and I have to say I cannot believe I’ve brought this post to you after baby is born. He was definitely in a hurry to meet everyone. However it’s exciting! Thanks to my friends who contributed their ideas to this post and thanks to everyone for their patience while I adjusted to life as a new mum!

Come back soon to Severn Wishes for Reviews and Lifestyle!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Types of Baby Kicks, Learning About Your Baby and Things to do in the Third Trimester

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Types of Baby Kicks, Learning About Your Baby (Facts) and Things You Should Do In The Third Trimester

I have been writing this blog post for some time now, I keep adding to it whenever I come across a great fact! Hopefully you will find this post interesting ans also beneficial if you or someone you know is pregnant. Feel free to send them to link to my website!


✩ 12 Different Types of Baby Kicks ✩

By the time you reach the middle of trimester two your baby should be making a routine for itself. This is important to take note of because these movements should remain similar right up until the day you give birth.
The Kicks Count Charity is really useful for anyone who wants to know more about how their baby should be moving during their pregnancy.
Remember that taking a five minute time out every couple of hours to sit or lie down and just focus on feeling your baby is a good idea.
Doctors recommend that healthy movements are around 10 an hour for a baby between trimester two and birth. This varies with all mothers and babies and some move more at different times of the day. But monitoring what is normal for you and your baby is extremely important. If you don’t feel any movements for a few hours contact your midwife – don’t leave it until the next day!

Here are some cool facts about the different kinds of baby kicks you should feel.

✩ Flutters – The First Feelings – Similar to Trapped Gas

✩ Tapping or Butterfly Wings – It feels very light but if you focus you can feel it

✩ Kicks – You know when you’ve been kicked & the force only gets stronger

✩ Punches – Punches feel different to Kicks – you will learn the difference trust me

✩ Rolling – Looks like a Ripple across your skin – usually caused by Babies Bum during a turn

✩ Squirming – Baby is running out of Room and Wriggles a lot instead of Kicks

✩ Bubbles – this tickling feeling and popping can be Baby blowing Bubbles of Amniotic Fluid – cheeky!

✩ Hiccups – A rhythmic tapping or popping that goes on for a minute or so…

✩ Spasm like Feelings – Baby makes a Rapid Movement and you will know about it from the force!

✩ Nudges – Usually in Third Trimester – You’re getting Elbowed! Not much room to kick out!

✩ Pressure – The final new feeling will be the pressure of babies head as they descend down ready for birth…

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✩ Third Trimester Feelings ✩

So as the due date for our baby is fast approaching I thought I would share some knowledge with you all that I came across this past month or so, and I found these facts really interesting and wanted to pass them on.
I have been relatively well in my second trimester, and really enjoyed being pregnant at this stage but it’s gone by all too fast. Now that I am well into the third however I am feeling a lot more tired, lack of sleep has a lot to do with that because I’m suffering with my hips (SPD) and it can be very painful at times. Always aim to lay on your left side!
My advice to any of you at this stage is to keep active. I have only finished work (full time on my feet) as of three weeks from my due date week but I have had a lot to do at home. Do a bit and Rest a bit, is my new motto!
Here are some great facts!

✩ Interesting Third Trimester Facts ✩

✩ Doctors class 28 weeks gestation and onwards as the third trimester. At this stage your baby will be as big as a Canteloupe Melon and weigh around 2 pounds!

✩ Make sure (if you don’t already do so) that you always sleep on your left hand side of your body from now, it’s so important for your blood flow and reducing the risks to the baby!

✩ Your partner might be able to hear the babies heartbeat from now on, in a quiet space get them to gently press an ear to your bump (where you think babies body is) and listen closely…

✩ At around 28/29 weeks gestation your baby will be able to smell the same things that you smell!

✩ During this stage of Pregnancy your baby will receive all the essential nutrients that it needs from the food you have eaten, it gets this first at your Digestion, and you just end up with the leftovers baby doesn’t require. Therefore it’s always important to make sure you’re getting the right minerals and vitamins from your food and (if you need it) a Pregnancy supplement.

✩ Some women suffer with Constipation at this point of Pregnancy. Eat High Fibre Cereals as well as wholegrain or wholewheat products. Broccoli and Cauliflower are also very good for you too!

✩ Don’t forget to drink plenty of Water! Pregnant women should aim for between 2 and 3 litres a day, closer to 3 if they can on warmer days.

✩ Did you know that what you eat now can determine what baby may eat at the stage of weaning? By consuming a varied diet which includes a variety of spices, herbs and strong tastes, this can help your baby when they begin eating solid foods later in their life. Baby should recognise Garlic for example, if you ate a lot of it while you were pregnant. Fascinating stuff!

✩ You are now using an extra 900-1000 kilo-joules of energy each and every day just to fuel that baby growing you’re doing! That is why women in the third trimester need around 250 extra calories a day added to their diet. I recommend full fat yoghurt as a snack with some fruit, and an extra bowl of cereal for how I get mine most days.

✩ Did you know that during the third trimester you should be able to feel when your baby has the hiccups? It will feel like a rhythmic tapping or popping feeling and often lasts a couple of minutes at a time.

✩ After around week 34 of pregnancy your baby can put on around half a pound of weight per week.

✩ At around week 35 your “Nesting” instincts might kick in. (For me it was even earlier!) So don’t worry if you feel the need to clean and tidy up a lot!

✩ Only 5% of Babies are born on their actual due date! Bare this in mind when booking time off work!

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✩ Things To Do In The Third Trimester ✩


✩ Make Some Time For Yourself and Partner

✩ Do Something You Won’t Be Able To Do When Baby Arrives – Like Watch That Movie

✩ Read To Your Baby (See my other Pregnancy blog posts about this)

✩ In the final weeks of pregnancy you might want to consider some batch or bulk cooking, or at least filling up your cupboards.

✩ Stay Active! Short steady walks or Swims are really beneficial.

✩ Drink more Water! And eat more Vegetables!

✩ Consider looking into your Birth Plan, Pain Relief Options, Nursery Ideas and Baby Names! (if you haven’t already!)

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I hope you have enjoyed reading this lifestyle and pregnancy post today. There will be many more coming up and different ones once my baby arrives too! Thanks for reading Severn Wishes today.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Baby Books and Why Reading To Baby While They Are Still In The Womb Is So Important

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Baby Books We Have Purchased and Why Reading To Baby While They Are Still In The Womb Is So Important

 

A lot of parents “to be” will speak and even sing to their babies while they are still confined to the mothers womb. This isn’t an uncommon practice, but what is becoming more and more popular is to read aloud to them. From around 24 weeks your baby will be able to hear your voice and start to distinguish it from others. If you regularly talk to your baby they may even move in response to your voice pattern. Being repetitive with your words each day can help with this too. Books that have a rhythm to them are supposed to be the most effective, and you can also introduce multiple languages in a basic form if you feel brave enough.

A baby can develop cognitive responses to what happens while they are inside the womb. For example if the mother relaxes to the same piece of music regularly, the baby is often soothed by the same thing when they hear it outside of the womb. This is because they recognise how their mother felt at that time. By taking the time to use speech and music in the run up to our children being born, we could be aiding them with learning. Scientists believe that talking to a baby in the womb and interacting with both feelings and sound, could be beneficial. It is also a great bonding exercise for the parents.

Scientists believe that babies not only become used to the regular voices, sounds and music that they hear, such as Mom and Dad, but they may also begin to pick up words and tones that are used often as well. Other things they can pick up on as they grow are whether or not they are getting repetitive environments. Some move around when they hear and feel the rumble of a car engine for example. Or if someone turns on a loud noise like a hoover or a coffee grinder in close proximity to bump, they can squirm like they want to move away from the loud noise. It is all a learning process.

When I first read about this on the Bounty Pregnancy App I found it all fascinating. I immediately went online to see if I could get any of the baby books that I remember being read to me in my younger years. If any of them were still available now I wanted to read them to my child. Luckily about one third of my chosen few were still in print, and so I set about ordering some. My plan is to read to my baby as a method of soothing them once they are born, and after reading this study I thought why not begin while baby is still inside me.

I ordered the following items from The Works, because they have some great deals on books, especially children’s ones. I managed to get 10 books for £10 on a weekend deal. Some were usually more than £3.00 each so it was a bargain! And they were delivered quickly which was a bonus.

I will put the website link at the end of my blog post for those of you who want to take a look at the current range.


Some of the books from my childhood in the 1980’s were favorable for me getting for my child. A lot of them taught about morals and about family, and making learning and understanding fun! I have also invested in newer titles that have been a hit with many of my friends who are already parents, such as “Mog the Cat” and books about Animals. We are big on both nature and Cats in my house, so anything along these lines would go down well. I think it’s really important that children learn about Animals and how to treat them right, in my opinion the younger that they recognise them the better.

A few of the titles that I have bought so far for our baby are these;

Mog and Bunny
Say Goodnight to the Sleepy Animals
Say Hello to the Animals
Say Hello to the Jungle Animals
Little Bear Won’t Sleep
The Large Family – Five Minutes Peace
The Large Family – All In One Piece
Counting 123
Five Little Dinosaurs

For both storyline and art work I would highly rate “Mog and Bunny”, the range of “Goodnight and Hello to the Animals” Books and also one of my childhood favourites “Five Minutes Peace”. I do plan on getting more books once we have exhausted this pile and are in need of something new to stimulate both our brains and baby too! I believe in reading, turning pages and showing pictures to children. I won’t be one of these tablet only mothers put it that way! Books all the way!

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So as my due date gets ever closer, I am talking to baby more and more. I am also encouraging my husband to read to baby as a way of them bonding. Hopefully our baby will know both of our voices when we meet, and this will allow us all to be more calm. I also look forward to reading to our baby and watching their reactions…

Do you enjoy reading books? Is there a title that you read or have read to your children that you can recommend? If so, please leave me a comment.

Don’t forget you can follow me on social media for more baby and bump updates! Such as Fashion choices and days out!

Have a great day and thank you for visiting Severn Wishes Blog!

✩ Sabrina ✩

The Works Website HERE