Sabrina is a Lifestyle, Parenting and Product Review Blogger. A Writer, Photographer, Reviewer, Home Cook, Crafter & Nature Enthusiast. You will find a bit of all those categories here on Severn Wishes Blog, Welcome to Sabrina's Lifestyle Blogging & Honest Reviews.
Hello and Welcome to the June 2019 Treatbox Reveal with Sabrina of Severn Wishes Blog.
Happy Treat Box Day! It’s June! It’s half way through 2019 and I am ready to Reveal and Review the June Treatbox.
As I open up the box it has a yellow tissue paper and the sticker reads “Chin-Up Buttercup”.
Here is my reveal image of the June 2019 box. This month sees 5 items, an A5 Print and the Calendar Print.
June Calendar Print A5 Butterfly Print Biscuit “Choose Happy” Lightweight Scarf – White with Blue Stitch Details Butterfly Pin with the Slogan “Never Lose Hope” Hanging Plaque from East of India “Follow Your Dreams” Scented Candles (2 Boxes Available) Chamomile Blossom OR Peony Blossom Vanilla
This box has a theme of positivity and good vibes!
Here are some images of the items within this box…
What Did I Like About The June Box?
What I liked the most about this month of Treatbox was that it was a mixture of items, some of which we either haven’t had or haven’t seen for a while. I’m so glad to see a dairy free edible item, yay for me! It’s well designed and with that positive quote is feel good to! The lightweight scarf is lovely and I have no doubt that I will be using it around my shoulders throughout the Summer months. I really like the blue stitched detail around its edge. The plaque is good quality and so is the pin, I do love the positive associations from these items. In fact positivity is spread throughout this entire box of treats. That butterfly print is also gorgeous! I can’t wait to pop mine inside a frame, I’m a fan of butterflies!
Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone? Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website
Check out my previous posts in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ especially for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes Treatbox.
Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope you enjoyed the Review of this Treatbox and that I see you here again very soon.
As part of being an Argos Tester I often get sent items for reviewing purposes. This recent campaign has been surrounding Fisher-Price toys and learning. It has been a great opportunity for me to introduce my son to various new things and build that level of curiosity within play time and learning.
The Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Puppy can be a cuddly soft friend for your child that can help them to learn and allow them to have fun doing it too.
The puppy has multiple buttons that when pushed cause a response of talking, singing, noises or well-known phrases. The cute Puppy is a friendly character that will grow with your child, simply hold down his foot to change up to the next stage. The clever aspect of this toy is the repetition and the use of sounds to keep baby’s attention. Any child should find the soft to touch puppy fun to play with. Your child can copy and interact with certain parts too with both the actions and sounds.
I really like how colourful the puppy is with its ABC T-shirt and the light up heart is a fun addition too. Our son has quickly learnt how to press the buttons in order to make the puppy interactive. He enjoys figuring out the sensory aspects and likes to play along. I’m sure this toy will be used for many months to come because he is currently still young enough for Level 1 and 2.
Product Information
Level 1 – Time To Explore – Your Baby can press on the Puppy’s hands, feet, heart, nose or ear in order to hear the words, colours, alphabet and so much more! Level 2 – Let’s Encourage – Fun phrases reward your little one as they’re encouraged by the Puppy to count, find colors, and find and name body parts! The Puppy will say things like, “Where is my Red Hand?” and will reward baby with phrases like “You did it” when they get it correct. Level 3 – Let’s Pretend – With sing-along songs like Pat-A-Cake and phrases that engage in a toddlers exciting and imaginative time of play, this setting is the most interactive of the three.
The puppy introduces infants to one hundred words that include shapes and the alphabet as well as numbers and parts of the body.
This toy develops a child’s fine motor and sensory skills.
Size H30.5, W28, D20.3cm. Requires 3 x AA Batteries (Included). Age Range 6-36 months.
Here is the link to the Puppy on the Argos website if you wish to see more about it or purchase one, here
Would I recommend this product?
Yes I would. I give it 5 ✩‘s
Manufacturing Quality 5/5 Overall Design 5/5 Toy Features 5/5 Entertainment Value 5/5 Development Value 5/5
Not only is the Puppy made well with a large expanse of settings it also has many features, the choice is astounding. So many levels with Songs and Fun for many months of play and learning. I think it has great entertainment value for infants as well as good development aids too.
Thank you for reading this review today, for more of my opinions on some of the latest children’s toys then please click the appropriate categories on my main page.
This useful armband has been designed with comfort in mind for both the feeding baby and the human doing the feeding. Whether that is by breast or by bottle, the arm band has many features that parents will find useful.
The Snuggleband simply slides on to your arm or you can open it and then do it up using its buttons if need be. It acts as padding for baby to lay their head whilst also being padding for your arm, taking some of the strain or a prolonged hold.
As a breastfeeding mum myself I know that I can be out and about when baby may require feeding. At home I use a nursing pillow, so the idea of an armband small enough for me to be able to put into my changing bag was a great solution.
The Snuggleband lives in my changing bag now so that it’s readily available for use when I go out with my son.
When I first used the Snuggleband I was pleased with the quality of the material and with how soft it was. I had chosen the grey with stars design because it matched the fabric on my other nursing items.
Baby rested his head and seemed immediately comfortable on it. It was easy to adjust one handed while maintaining the feed too. It’s not just ideal for baby though and also meant my arm was cushioned from his head. Holding him wasn’t as uncomfortable for a longer period of time than without the band or some sort of padding like a jumper for example.
Here I am using the Snuggleband and demonstrating how simple it is.
Would I recommend this product?
Yes I would. Not only is it fit for purpose it can be chosen and customised for the person who you intend to use it. From material patterns to whether or not you have a theme for your nursery, or even if it’s a gift and you just know the gender of baby.
It is ideal for new mothers who are breastfeeding, or ideal for couples who are going to be sharing the night feeds by bottle. Great for use at home or out and about as you see fit.
My Overall Review
Quality 5/5 Uniqueness 5/5 Functionality 5/5
And remember that you’re also supporting a British design and a British maker too, Katherine has created an item that is unique and handmade in Britain by herself too.
I’m using the Snuggleband every time that I go out and about with my son.
More Information About Snuggleband
Handmade in the UK using High Quality 100% Cotton Fabrics. A range of fabric designs are available for everyone’s tastes. Acts as a Support for Baby’s Head whilst Feeding. Acts as a Cushion for the person feeding the baby. Stops any sweating of baby’s head against your arm. It has 3 Buttons to keep it secure and elasticated loops. The hollow centre allows it to be placed and removed on the arm with ease. You can fit it inside most large changing bags, or open it and attach it around a pram. Lightweight and Portable to every parent. The Snuggleband can be Washed at 30 degrees on a Delicate Cycle, unbutton and place inside a pillow case before washing. The Band can also be opened up and used as a seat cushion, a pillow for tummy time or for the head when out and about.
My Snuggleband arrived beautifully wrapped and of course handmade with love…
Here is a link to the Snuggleband part of Etsy and from where you can purchase one of these bands in the Snuggleband Shop
Here are a few examples of other fabric designs that Snuggleband produce. You can see all of them by clicking on the Etsy link above.
I made this montage to show off some of the other designs that Snuggleband produce.
Thank you for reading this review today, I hope you have enjoyed it, and please head over to Snuggleband and take a further look at the products if you like the look of them. Have a lovely day.
This is a Review of my Otter Wooden Peg that I won, it was designed and created by The Peg Basket upon my request.
I would highly recommend the artistic talents of Kim at The Peg Basket. I won a competition and my Peg was handmade to a high standard and was painted beautifully. It’s just what I asked for and I’m really happy with it.
The reason I chose an Otter is due to my memories of my acting days when I was much younger. I played the Otter in The Ash Girl play, and the part really stuck with me. When I was asked to choose a peg that was the first thing that came to mind. It was a great memory of a different time in my life, and I wanted to honour it by having something to remember it by. The Otter idea was born, and now when I see it on my shelf I think, cute Otter and recall that feeling I had on stage…
Look at all the detail that Kim managed to achieve in such a small item, amazing!
The Peg Basket is a business by Kim who uses her skills and artistic talents to make a variety of different wooden pegs. Here are some examples of her recent makes… they include Wedding Party’s, Peter Rabbit, Royalty, Animals, Book Characters… and so many more! You can get in touch and request things too!
Bride and Groom
As you can see from these images of Kim’s the pieces are produced to a high standard and are painted beautifully.
Woodland Creatures
Peter Rabbit Related
Super Heroes
Little Girl and her Lamb
Woodland Animals Painted Russian Dolls
Easter Bunny Peter Rabbit Wooden Painted Egg
If you would like to see more from The Peg Basket then head over to their Facebook Page which can be found here LINK
Thank you for reading this short review today, I hope you have enjoyed seeing what Kim can do! Please pop over to The Peg Basket Page and show your support for her excellent work.
A wonderful sensory related toy that will be fun for your little one for years to come.
As part of being an Argos Tester I often get sent items for reviewing purposes. This recent campaign has been surrounding Fisher-Price toys and learning. It has been a great opportunity for me to introduce my son to various new things and build that level of curiosity within play time and learning.
Learning about Shapes, Numbers, Letters, Words, Songs, Music all by encouraging the ability to push and press buttons to gain a response.
The Fisher-Price Game and Learn Controller is one of the items that can easily grab a child’s attention. With a variety of buttons to press, a toy that is ergonomically designed and easy for small hands to hold too. Paired with its bright colours, lights and sounds, it was already a winner and we had only pressed three things when it came out of its box.
You can see the various buttons in shape, size and colour, all attracting the child to the toy.
This game pad has a range of sensory aspects such as letters, shapes, lights, sounds, music, numbers, words and songs, plus various things to push and pull on its surface.
The centre of the pad lights up and has different coloured lights that shine out from where the happy and smiling face is. All of the buttons are brightly coloured & inviting.
At the top there is a clicker disc and a switch to toggle for more fine-motor playing.
It has two settings, one that focuses more on numbers and the other on sounds and music. It has so many novelty noises too that you would find within actual games such as “dun dun dun” and “splash”. Other noises include an Engine from a Racing Car, a few Sci-Fi sounds and fun game jingles.
The controller also has positive reinforcements such as “Well Done” and “Brilliant” as well as Game sentences like “Power Up” and “You Win”.
This toy is one that will grow with my child because it has two different levels for them to go through. It is designed for children ages 6 months to 36 months.
The buttons are perfect for small hands and the bright colours, shapes and letters encourage learning.
It certainly has reference to real life items too, such as gaming controllers for consoles and remote controls. Our son has recently become very intrigued by our phones, remotes and other devices that require you to press buttons on their surface.
We are very happy with how entertaining the game controller is & our son presses it with ease all on his own. The sounds and music are all very catchy, and the toy has been used daily since I received it to review. Our son picks it up out of a bunch of toys available, so it’s been a real hit in our house.
Toy Details Ages 6 months + Requires 3 x AAA Batteries (Included) Toy Size Height 20.3cm Width 16.5cm Depth 6.9cm
Would I recommend this product?
Yes I would. I give it 5 ✩‘s
Manufacturing Quality 5/5 Overall Design 5/5 Toy Features 5/5 Entertainment Value 5/5 Development Value 5/5
Overall the Fisher-Price Controller has great entertainment value while getting your child to learn at the same time. Our son really enjoys every aspect of it, be it the pressing or clicking of buttons, listening to the sounds or jingles, and even just holding the toy by himself. It allows independent play by encouraging the child to do things for themselves, both in imagination and physical
This is a great new price currently at just £7.98 at Argos. (Price correct as of publish date for this post).
If you want to learn more about this toy you can visit the link to it for the Argos website here
Thank you for reading this review today, for more of my opinions on some of the latest children’s toys then click the appropriate categories on my main page. Please come back again soon.
Hello and Welcome to the May 2019 Treatbox Reveal with Sabrina of Severn Wishes Blog.
Happy Treat Box Day! It’s May already! And it’s time for the May Treatbox Reveal and Review.
I open up the box this month and find the little sticker reads “You Are Enough”. I’m met with a gorgeous light blue tissue paper too.
So what can we expect to find in the May box?
The Treatbox Theme is Wild!
May Calendar Print for 2019.
A4 Print – All Good Things Are Wild And Free.
Flamingo Pen – blue ink and a 3D representation of a Pink Flamingo Bird, Wooden and originally from Sass & Belle.
Flamingo Design Mini Travel Case – Perfect for Travelling with Accessories like Jewellery and Headphones, they can all be kept safe and it’s a great addition to any hand or travel bag.
Two Notebooks – Treatbox Originals. Hand drawn and designed at HQ with animal prints for this Wild theme for May. Great for people who like to make to do lists, jot down ideas or plans, or even sketch as they’re plain and blank.
Peakz – a bag of crunchy mint chocolate squares, a vegan treat that is high in fibre, has Vitamin B12 and contains Iron. It is made with No Palm Oil and you get 32g with the packet. These treats tasted nice, the mint and dark chocolate was a winning combination. They had the texture of wheat cereal squares and a nice aftertaste too. Because they are good for you its even better.
Two Korean Beauty items – from Oh K! The first is a Ginseng and Eucalyptus Under Eye Mask. The second is a hydrating gold gel lip mask with honey and chamomile extracts.
The May 2019 Treatbox.
Here are some more images of the May 2019 box and its items in more detail.This month sees 7 items and a print.
My Opinion on the May 2019 Box and its Contents
At first glance I was a little dubious about this Treatbox, I was getting concerned that the items were repeating themselves again. However I’ve been pleasantly surprised with some of it.
The May 2019 box has had some things we hadn’t seen before, such as the Accessories Case and the awesome three dimensional pen (I love a bit of stationery!). The two notebooks are fab because they’re unique to Treatbox too.
I’ve never tried any Korean Beauty items but am looking forward to trying something new. Same with the Peakz treat that I hadn’t heard about before this box.
Over all it’s a good box with some nice items that I hope to enjoy and others I aim to use often.
Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone? Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website.
Check out my previous posts in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ especially for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes Treatbox.
Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope to enjoyed the Review of this Treatbox and that I see you here again very soon.
My review today is of Gummee Teething Products. Gummee began in 2011 when Jodine wanted to make products that were especially designed for teething babies. She couldn’t find what she wanted for her own children at the time, who were chewing their hands and making them sore. When she searched for a teething mitten she was surprised to see there was no such thing. So after some time designing and creating her business, Gummee was born and she began designing her own teethers. A few years down the line and Gummee has thousands of loyal customers and happy parents who have bought and used the products with their children.
So let me explain why I use them and why I love this brand!
My son has been teething for a few months now, and we have tried a variety of brands and styles of teethers. Not just Gummee ones, Supermarket own and various other brands too. However the one that our son uses every single day and picks up out of a handful of choices, are the ones from Gummee.
He loves the Link and Teethe Set, which usually retails at £14.99 however it is currently on offer on Amazon UK for £11.99 (Offer Correct as of the date of publication 1st May 2019). I will pop a link to it at the end!
I have been recommending these teethers on my own social media pages for months and I have also got many of my mum friends to buy them after seeing my son with them. This has lead me to write this blog post to support Gummee and its brand.
So a bit about Gummee first!
Gummee understands that one size doesn’t fit all, especially with our little ones. That’s why they designed a whole teething range for every different stage of teething. Each Gummee teething product is made specifically for little hands and little mouths at exactly the time that they need it. All the way from birth to toddler teething, every part of a baby’s teething journey is covered with their products, giving baby’s teeth the best possible start.
Our Baby A demonstrating the use of the Gummee silicone teething shapes.
The Range from Gummee
Gummee is most well known for their Gummee Glove. It was launched in 2012 and at the time it was the worlds first Teething Mitten. It goes on to Baby’s wrist and has silicone teethers attached to it.
Gummee Mitts 0-3 months – these are anti-scratch mitts are covered in silicone dots to soothe baby’s tiny gums and they STAY ON thanks to an adjustable, hook & loop closure at the wrist.
Gummee Glove 3-6 months – This is our flagship product – the world’s first teething mitten, designed for babies too young to hold other teething toys. It’s 2 teethers for the price of 1! The detachable, silicone teething ring can be used on it’s own once your little one’s fine motor skills have developed. The Glove comes with a handy laundry bag that doubles up as a travel bag for when you’re out and about.
Gummee Glove Plus 6-12 months – Our fantastic Gummee Glove is also available in our popular turquoise colour for 6 to 12 months. Due to a huge demand we have listened to our customers requests and designed a Gummee Glove with a slightly older baby in mind. It still contains all the fantastic features the original best-selling Gummee Glove has but with the added benefit of larger side teethers for heavier chewing. Our son keeps pulling this particular teether off his wrist, he is far too clever! He just prefers to hold it himself and chew on the silicone parts.
Molar Mallet 12 months + – This teething toy enables your child to soothe the gums towards the back of the mouth when the molars make an appearance. This fun toy includes a wobble base to keep the mouthpiece off the floor if it is dropped. The teether also includes a collar to prevent over-insertion into the mouth.
Link n Teethe 3 month + – This colourful set of silicone links and shapes is incredibly versatile. It can be attached to pushchairs, highchairs, car seats, shopping trolleys etc. The silicone shapes also fit in the top of the Gummee Glove to give your child a wider variety of teether options. You can even wear them as a Mummy and put them on to your wrist, they are on you if you need one that way. We have used these by attaching some on the car seat and on to his high chair, our son loves them as a link and individually. He can very easily take them a part too! We have two sets now because our son is cutting a few teeth, I find it is better to have them to hand in several rooms and our going out of the house changing bag!
All the Gummee products have passed all mandatory and non-mandatory safety testing. The Gummee Brand is protected by Copyright, all trademarks, designs and design rights are all the property of Jodine Boothby. Legal action will be sought for any infringement of these rights.
Information and Tips for using Gummee Products
Gummee Gloves can be machine washed in the bag that they arrive in on a delicate cycle and at 30 degrees.
The silicone teethers can be sterilised by washing them in warm soapy water or in a cold sterilising solution.
All of the teethers can be used with the gloves or linked together using the set. Attach them to wherever baby needs to reach them.
✩Sabrina’s Top Tips for Teething ✩
Never Leave A Baby Unattended With A Teether And Encourage Them To Use It Effectively
Pop The Teether In The Fridge For A Few Minutes – The Cold Soothes Gums
Attach A Teether To Your Baby’s Favourite Toy If It Has A Loop To Go Through To Encourage Them To See It And Use It Themselves, Helping Them With Developing Fine Motor Skills
Use One Of The Teether To Demonstrate Using Your Own Mouth, Baby’s Love To Copy You, Show Them How Easy It Is
Some of the Gummee Silicone Teethers
I don’t know what I would do with a teething baby without the teethers that are very well made, well designed and also excellent quality. The safety of a product when you have a baby is paramount, and it’s nice to have a British made brand to support while I’m at it.
You can find Gummee on a variety of Social Media, and they often Give Away products too. I will pop the links below if you want to see more about them or purchase teethers for your family. They come highly recommended from me!
Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope to enjoyed this Review and that I see you here again very soon. If you purchase a Gummee product after seeing my review then please leave me a comment and let me know.
I have been testing some Fisher-Price toys for Argos Testers. This one is called the Soothe and Glow Seahorse, and is available in Light Blue or Pink. It is suitable from Birth and it is designed to develop Sensory awareness. Baby will work out that pressing or hugging the hard tummy button of the toy will provide the interactive stimulation.
Our son was instantly attracted to the glow & sounds of
the Seahorse. He enjoyed giving it a hug to activate it. We tried it several
times in the early hours after baby woke due to sleep regression &
teething. Within a few minutes the soothing sounds sent baby back to sleep. I
believe the toy has great potential to become more effective as baby will learn
to recognise it as a soother & used at a time for going back to sleep. We
liked the two sound levels, ocean sounds & how soft the toy was too.
We have now been using Mr Seahorse (as we call him) for 3 weeks at night and in the early hours of the morning. I would say it soothes more so than sends baby physically off to sleep. However if our son is already very tired it definitely helps. It’s the combination of the sea and water sounds along with soft lullaby that seems to work. I often stroke his chest or head in rhythm with the toy and this has a positive effect.
Product Information
Soothe and Glow Seahorse has Two Sound Level Settings. It is a Soft Plush that’s wipe clean only. It has a Lovely Gentle Face for baby to look at with Large Eyes. The Seahorse has Sensory Fins that are in a different texture. The toy has a Tummy that is hard to press and glows orange. The Sounds that feature are 8 Lullaby’s and Ocean Noises. The Toy is interactive for approximately 5 minutes when pressed. The Seahorse is Suitable from Birth. Batteries Required are 2 x AA (included). Size H 28cm, W 13cm & D 12cm.
Would I recommend this product?
Yes I would. I give it 5 ✩‘s
Manufacturing Quality 5/5 Overall Design 5/5 Toy Features 5/5 Entertainment Value 5/5 Development Value 5/5
Overall the Fisher-Price Soothe and Glow Seahorse is an excellent quality product that definitely helps with getting baby to sleep.
This is a good price currently at £11.99 at Argos.
If anyone would like the direct link to the item here it is LINK
Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes, I hope to enjoyed this Review and that I see you here again very soon.
Welcome to today’s post as I discuss Free From Easter Eggs with a Taste Testing and Ingredients Comparison.
This Easter time I might be on a Dairy Free diet, but that hasn’t stopped me hunting for treats! I wanted to share my findings with you all, my opinion, product information, photo’s and all! Here is my Review of several Free From Chocolate Easter Eggs.
So I’m trying a few chocolate eggs that are known as free from, I require dairy free but a lot of these eggs come as free from several allergens. Wheat or Gluten or Dairy, most of these go together. I will be outlining Allergens and Ingredients with each egg below.
Number 1. The first egg I have is an Asda Free From Easter Egg with Chocolate Orange Flavour Disks. The pack is available for £4.00 for it’s 200g. LINK
This Egg is Vegan, Gluten Free, Wheat Free and Dairy Free. The Asda Chocolate also has No Artificial Flavours, Colours or Hydrogenated Fats.
Ingredients and Allergens Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Rice Syrup, Inulin, Coconut Oil, Rice Flour, Flavourings, Emulsifier (Soya Lecithins). Soya is the only allergen present. This Egg should be suitable for those who have Nut allergies because Nuts are not part of the ingredients. The Pack provides 6 servings. 1/6 of the pack (1 serving) Energy kJ 778, Energy kcal 186, Fat 12g, Of Which Saturates 7.1g, Carbohydrate 19g, of Which Sugars 12g Fibre 0.9g Protein 0.8g Salt 0.02g.
Egg Design – The Egg design has lines similar to tree bark or waves. It’s an appealing looking Egg and smells strongly of cocoa. It’s presented inside a piece of plastic (which says is recyclable on the packaging) with disks in a plastic bag at the base. The Egg size and pattern is view able through the mostly clear plastic which is good, you can see what you’re getting. You receive 6 Chocolate Orange disks in orange foil, this is one disk for every serving. The disks are round with lined tops. The foil from the disks is recyclable but the plastic bag they come in is not.
Egg Taste – The Egg tastes very nice, it is quite a strong cocoa taste but leaves a nice aftertaste of sweet chocolate. The sugar content is very high though, and after a couple of bites I had had enough. The Chocolate Orange disks are very tasty, they have a strong natural orange taste to them.
Egg Quality – The Easter Egg itself measures 3mm in thickness at the smallest sections and 6mm at the thickest sections. The chocolate orange disks are 5mm deep and taste great, a nice addition to this Easter Egg treat.
Egg Value – A very tasty Egg and a nice treat for anyone requiring a Free From Easter treat. I would say you get a lot for your money with this considering you get the Egg itself plus the Chocolate Orange disks. Because it’s so sweet you wouldn’t usually eat all of this Egg in one sitting, meaning it will last you longer too.Most of the packaging is recyclable except for the film and carton the egg comes inside.
Asda Free From Chocolate Egg
Number 2. The second egg I have is a Moo Free Easter Egg which cost me £3.00. This pack is only 110g. You can find these Eggs at most stores, I have seen them in Aldi, Asda and Tesco.
Organic Cheeky Orange Egg that is Dairy, Gluten and Soya Free. This pack contains a Chocolate Egg that is a Milk Chocolate alternative made from a combination of Cocoa, Sugar, Rice and Orange Oil. Moo Free are an ethical and family owned manufacturer based in Devon in the UK. They use high quality ingredients that have a single origin, including organic cocoa mass from plantations in the Dominican Republic.
Despite no allergens being present in the ingredients the packaging makes the customer aware that the product is Dairy, Gluten and Soya Free. It doesn’t mention Wheat, and it also states that is is made in a factory that handles Hazelnuts. This pack contains 2 servings it states, 1/2 of an egg is classed as a serving. The values per serving are as follows; Energy 1334 kJ Fat, Total 21.2g Of which Saturates 12.5g Carbohydrate 29.9g Of which Sugars 20.8g Protein 1.8g Salt 0.17g
Egg Design – The design of this Egg is nice, hexagonal shapes are all over the surface of the oval shape and all link together.Taste – The Orange taste of this Egg is very prominent and along with the sugar content makes it rather sweet, almost sickly. I couldn’t manage half of my half (serving) and stopped at a quarter. It’s meant to be a milk chocolate alternative however it’s quite a plain and strong chocolate flavour.
Egg Quality – The Moo Free Egg is only 3mm thick all the way around the oval. It has been the thinnest of all the eggs I have tried, and is also the most rich. The taste is nice but very strong in comparison to others. Moo do several eggs but I chose to try this Orange one, so perhaps the other flavours are not to overpowering.
Egg Value – This Egg is small and you don’t get much chocolate for the amount of money that you pay. Considering most other Dairy Free items are made with Soya products though, this item gives those who suffer with a Soya allergy a way of eating chocolate this Easter. I’m very happy to see a notice on the Moo Free box which says the plastic that their egg comes inside was made with recycled plastic, and could we please recycle it again. The box is also recyclable, so of course I will do that Moo Free Company! I’d be happy to because I’m big on recycling and it makes me happy to!
Moo Free Egg
Number 3. The third egg I have is a Trio of Flavoured Chocolate Eggs. This one is a little more indulgent, I had it from Asda in their extra special range, it cost £4.50 for its tiny amount of chocolate at just 150g. LINK
There are three eggs inside this Easter Egg Selection, the first is a Chocolate Egg with Raspberry Pieces. This one tastes delicious, there are sweet and tangy raspberry pieces in every bite. The second egg is a White Chocolate Egg with vanilla, and you can see the flecks of vanilla all inside the white chocolate. The taste is surprisingly similar to white chocolate and has lots of vanilla flavouring too. Finally the third of the set is a Dark Chocolate Egg with cocoa nibs inside. This one tastes delicious because of the dark, rich chocolate flavour combined with the cocoa nibs which give boosts of taste, it’s rich and indulgent but also has a really nice after taste.
Soya is the only allergen present. This Egg should be suitable for those who have Nut allergies because Nuts are not part of the ingredients. It also states that there are No Artificial Colours, Flavours or Hydrogenated Fat.
The Pack provides 6 servings, half of each egg which would be about right considering the different tastes. 1/6 of the pack contains (1 serving) Energy kJ 583 Energy kcal 140 Fat 8.9g Of Which Saturates 5.5g Carbohydrate 14g of Which Sugars 9.9g Fibre 1.0g Protein 0.7g Salt 0.01g
Easter Egg Selection Trio
Trio Eggs Design – Each of these Egg tastes great, I would say that the Raspberry combination is my favourite, closely followed by the Dark Coca Nibs. The White is some of the nicest Free From White Chocolate that I have tried however, which gives this Egg a bonus point in taste design. The Vanilla definitely makes a big difference. Over all the set is nicely balanced in flavours, you have the fruit combo which is both Sweet and Tangy, you have the Classic flavours of the Vanilla and then you have the Rich and Indulgent Dark.
Trio Eggs Quality – The Easter Eggs were not hugely thick, however they were consistent at around 4mm. The Cocoa Mass was pretty high within this chocolate, dark chocolate has 58%.
Trio Eggs Value – Although they are the more expensive per 100g these eggs also have the better quality. Over all I would go for the taste and these have that in abundance. You don’t feel like you’re eating something that has been designed to not have Allergens in it, but instead you are enjoying a delicious chocolate treat of high quality cocoa and its adjacent flavourings to match. I have to ask myself, would I buy these again because of the taste and quality? Yes in fact I would do. Only as a treat, and Easter is that sort of one of time where I would allow it. I only wish the eggs were a bit larger, I would pay another £1 for larger ones of this quality and deliciousness!
Easter Egg Selection Trio
Of course there are plenty of other Free From Eggs out there, however I needed to avoid any that definitely contained Nuts due to my husbands allergies. And there were others that I didn’t think I would enjoy due to their flavour combinations…
I loved the flavour of the Orange Disks from Egg Number 1, and I loved Eggs Raspberry and Dark from Number 3 the Trio.
Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope you have enjoyed this Review and that you all have a great Easter Bank Holiday!
Today I am choosing to share my own Breastfeeding Journey and my own tips. Some I have established myself and others have been passed on to me by other mothers and also health care professionals.
Everyone has different experiences and I feel I’m lucky to still be feeding my son, there were many hurdles but we overcame them in the end. If you would like to learn more about my journey then please keep reading.
This piece is known as one of my honest posts because this is what happened to me in my life and how I dealt with it all. Thank you for supporting me by reading this article today.
My Breastfeeding Journey
I’ve just reached the 9 month mark of breast feeding, and while it’s a huge accomplishment and I’m very proud to be still doing it, it makes me sad that not more mothers are encouraged to do it from the beginning.
I understand that it’s not for everyone, depending upon your maternity leave and personal situation. Some babies just don’t get the latch, or are tongue tied, there are a ton of reasons why it won’t work. Yet certain hospitals in the UK seem to have staff that are more supportive than others.
I was one of the lucky ones who spoke to a breast feeding coordinator within 24 hours of my son being born. Despite the fact we had to stay in hospital for 2 weeks due to him being jaundice, I still soldiered on like a mummy warrior because it was what I wanted to achieve. I breast fed my son every 60 to 90 minutes, and pumped in between every 2 feeds. He was then breast fed and given a top up of expressed with a cup after every feed. Exhausting isn’t the half of it.
We were supported and my own perseverance served us in good stead for continuing with this schedule. I contracted Ductal Thrush during the 7th week of breast feeding and it reoccurred meaning I was on antibiotics for 6 whole weeks. Applying cream, then removing the creams before feeds, rubbing gel on my sons gums, I had lanolin for my bleeding nipples which were struggling also. It was a nightmare time and yet I still got through it.
Ductal Thrush was more painful for me than giving birth. I’m not exaggerating. Any mum that has had it will back me up. The only way I can describe it is like this… When baby latches on the first 30 seconds feel like he’s pulling your milk and nipple through shards of broken glass. Then it’s like a burning sensation that radiates down from the nipple into the deep tissue of the breast. As milk is drawn up and through by baby, the pain moves down the ducts and can be felt right down. For me it was all the way into my arm pit and into my back. The pain was present for the first 4 or 5 minutes of every feed. It was so bad at times that I cried out in pain if my baby let go during those first 30 seconds to a minute, and had to latch again and start the process over again. The one evening tears were rolling down my cheeks as I bit down on something to stop myself waking up the neighbours. My husband sat next to me looking terrified asking what he could do to help… the answer was nothing. I had had the tablets prescribed by this point but they took a few days to do anything.
I was asked if I wanted to stop feeding when my Ductal Thrush came back for vengeance. But I knew we could beat it and come out stronger the other side. It was a really difficult time, we had to ask people to stop visiting us because I was embarrassed by the amount of pain I was in. But because I have Stage 4 Endometriosis it was more beneficial to me to keep feeding my son. It was overall better off for both of us if we could continue. And we did it! I’m also proud of my pain threshold, I read about some mum’s having to give up after their infections. But I was not only determined for my son but for myself, breastfeeding creates hormones that keep my cycles at bay, which means no Endometriosis pains, for now.
A lot of mothers are misdiagnosed where Ductal Thrush is concerned, so please speak to your local breastfeeding team before going to your GP if you’re concerned. They will be able to help with your symptoms are let you know what the GP needs to do to confirm it. My GP thought I had Mastitis but in fact it was Thrush. You must be aware of both of these as a Breastfeeding Mother, yet some people don’t know what to look for. To clarify Mastitis is when your Ducts get blocked with milk from engorgement and your baby not feeding effectively. Make sure that if you get any redness with heat, any pain and swelling of the breast that doesn’t subside after a feed and a let down, you should see your GP urgently.
Another hurdle that I had was to have a baby who cluster fed, some days he would have 16 feeds in 24 hours. The most he had was 18 feeds a day when he was having growth spurts. The feeds were anything from 15 minutes to 50 minutes and all times in between. It was an exhausting time, but the bond that we created was worth every moment of the no sleep and the bleeding body parts. Thank goodness for my Pregnancy Pillow!
By the time I got to 5 months I was infection free, we were down to 14 feeds in 24 hours and we were almost ready to begin some basic Weaning of vegetable purées. But my son had issues with his bowel and with his skin, eczema had flared up all over his body since he had his vaccinations. So our GP sent us to a pediatrician for advice.
They asked me if I wanted to continue feeding, if I did I would need to give up dairy products entirely, to consume nothing which contained dairy, that meant nothing with milk, lactose or whey powder in. That would’ve been easier if the alternatives weren’t all nut related. My husband has severe nut allergies and therefore products of this nature don’t even enter our house. I knew it was going to be a struggle to negotiate this new challenge before me and I remember shedding a few tears of frustration… after everything we now had this to deal with as well.
Finding a balance between getting my breastfeeding calories a day but still cutting out everything on the doctors list was hard. A few things were easy to change to, Soya Milk instead of regular Milk and Vegan Flora Spread instead of Buttery Milk Spread… but other things were much harder because you didn’t even realise that they contained milk. Usually it’s the lactose used to bind ingredients together…
In the end I gave up over half of my usual food items and I managed to swap into a third of alternatives. The rest is just given up on for the foreseeable. I would do anything to stop my son scratching his skin and/or experiencing his crippling wind pains. But it’s so hard when they’re little and they cannot tell you what’s wrong or how to fix it.
Our son has had a variety of creams and liquids for the bath, we are slowly getting on top of his skin conditions. The dairy issue is an ongoing battle, though we are Weaning and so far we haven’t had any other issues, we are avoiding a small list of some foods entirely. Dairy is something I eat one item of every 3 to 4 weeks and see if baby reacts to it a couple of days later, that is because it takes time for the dairy proteins to pass into my milk supply and then into baby and their digestive system. So far we found him have a very unsettled sleep within 3 days of me having anything dairy. It meant he had wind and sometimes nasty nappies along with it. It was awful to see him react this way, though the doctor has advised we try dairy once a month to see how his digestive system copes, especially as he is getting older now.
I’m hoping that he grows out of this sensitivity and it doesn’t become an intolerance, some babies do! I am keeping so much crossed for this! In the meantime we are just taking things one day at a time. I’m so proud of him, he’s such a happy and intelligent baby, I am one proud mummy bear over here! The Breastfeeding comes to us so naturally now, and I even breastfeed in public without getting embarrassed or feeling insecure about it. At the end of the day I am feeding my child and his needs come first.
Here I am Breastfeeding my son while out recently.
I have a few tips for women hoping to Breastfeed, these are my personal tips and obviously won’t work for everyone. Some are factual though and you should be reminded of them by your midwife or heath visitor…
Sabrina’s Top Tips for Women New to Breastfeeding
1. Drink a ton of water! I’m not exaggerating when I say that feeding makes you really thirsty! I had to carry a 1 litre bottle with me everywhere I went, and I had a pint glass by the side of my feeding chair. A bottle by the side of my bed and also a cup in the bathroom for drinking at night. You will still pee quite a lot after the birth (natural or c-section) while your bladder recovers, and so despite needing to wee you’ll find yourself very thirsty at the same time. On average they recommend 3 litres of water a day. Limit yourself to one cup of coffee, two of tea or one can of pop. Water is what makes milk ladies! Drink up! Add a little squash if you’re not fond of water but get it down you.
2. The second tip I have is be comfortable! Your baby will be small when they’re born, but they won’t stay that way for long. I invested in a pillow, and it was one of the best things I ever bought. On offer from Online4Baby I paid around £12 for it. It’s a half circle shape and allows baby to lay across it while the pillow goes around your middle. I will pop an image below! In the end I bought two and kept one on my bed and the other in the lounge. Cushions for your neck and elbows are also essential when you have a baby who likes a longer feed.
4 in 1 Pillow for Nursing and Baby
3. Look after yourself! Keep showered and in clean clothes, changing them every 24 to 36 hours at least. You won’t have much time on your hands, but try and make your partner see that being clean is important so as to minimise risk of infections. You will feel so much more human too! Having a little human attached to you is daunting!
4. Eat Well! This might sound silly but you need plenty of protein related foods and also vegetables and fruit as a new mum. Calcium is important too! Unless like me you have a baby who has issues! If not then get yourself some milk and cheese. I ate cereal every morning that had extra iron and vitamins. It’s a good idea!
5. Fresh Air! Fresh air should help you be a bit more relaxed and also help baby sleep. Be careful if it’s cold and wrap yourself and baby up warmly. Remember to shelter baby from any sun rays as well if they’re a newborn. But getting out even for ten minutes for some fresh air is a good plan.
6. It took me a while to be comfortable breast feeding in public. I put that down to my sons problems and then my infections. Once those were all rectified we had no problem getting comfortable on a cafe sofa, usually rolling up my coat to go beneath him and help my arm take the strain. My biggest tip is to just consider it as your baby is having a meal. You wouldn’t deny yourself lunch if you were out for the day would you? Just because you’re not at home doesn’t mean you cannot do as you would do when at home. Baby will tell you when they’re hungry enough for you to not ignore that cry any longer… whip out a boob and stick that hungry baby on it, because they’re the most important thing.
7. Don’t be surprised if you get lopsided and baby prefers one boob over the other! I didn’t think I would ever get this lopsided but my son prefers my one boob over the other. Who am I to argue?! Despite trying to get him to feed off the other one for months, he only usually does so when he is half asleep and cannot tell the difference.
8. Pumping or Combination Feeding is not as easy as you’d think and it isn’t for everyone. I had to stop pumping after I got my Ductal Thrush infections. After those 7 weeks had gone by my breasts didn’t produce as much milk on a pump as they did when I was physically feeding my son. We had hoped to combination feed so my husband could help, but our son was reluctant to take to many bottle types and then I simply couldn’t pump enough anyway. Just because you pump doesn’t mean that’s all there is, some mum’s require babies own latch to produce milk, others find they have a bigger supply and can feed and pump large amounts easily. Remember what I said above about Water – it’s what makes the milk so you need to increase your intake of it so as to increase milk for baby. At a certain point your boobs will be less hard and your baby will stimulate the making of the milk rather than your body just constantly producing it…
9. My final breast feeding tip is to go with the flow. Not the milk flow as such but the flow of you and baby. Feed when baby wants it, those first few weeks will be a mess of body fluids and bits hanging out. But you’re learning and your baby is also learning as well. After a month or two it will feel so natural to you, and hopefully you will choose to continue feeding for as long as is appropriate for you and your baby. I’m hoping to get to the year mark and maybe even go for longer, it all depends if baby has an allergy or not… until then we will just be feed feed feeding!
The hours are long but the cuddles make it all worth it…
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Thank you for reading this post today, I know it has been an honest one, and I hope it helps someone out there. Breast feeding is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever decided to do in my life, and I wouldn’t change my experience despite the ups and downs. The bond I have with my son is incredible and it’s the look on his face when he knows we are going to settle down for a feed that makes it so worth it. The look he gives me sometimes part way through feeding, locking eyes with me and smiling, sometimes he smiles so much he either lets go of his latch or spills milk all down himself, it’s so cute and it’s a look of love and thanks. It’s amazing…
If anyone has any questions about breast feeding I’m happy to try and answer them. There are also pages on Facebook, local groups you can contact and your GP too. Forums are also good I’ve heard people say (although I’ve not joined one) that there are also some good breast feeding apps too!
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Thank you for reading my Breast Feeding journey so far…
Dr. Jack Newman has a Channel on YouTube, known as a Breastfeeding Guru and has lots of tips for a new mum. Including Latch, Cup Feeding and tons of other videos. It’s worth a look if you’re stuck.
Always ask your friends who are Breastfeeding mum’s for advice.
Breast Feeding Apps Breast Start Baby Buddy Wonder Weeks
Top Tips For New Breastfeeding Mums from the Breastfeeding Team With a newborn you’re looking for 3 sucks, then a swallow and a breathe. A good latch is essential learning for you and for baby, usually before you leave hospital after the birth. If unsure then don’t go home uncertain.
Thank you for joining me on Severn Wishes for this honest post, I hope you have found it useful or in the very least interesting.
Breastfeeding is not the easy way of feeding your baby, especially when there are many issues with things that some people aren’t even aware of.
The main thing is that if you’re pregnant and you want to feed baby yourself, get the help you need that first day in hospital and speak to the right people, they will support you if you’re willing to work hard and make it work.
But remember that not all babies take to breasts, and you shouldn’t feel like a failure if it doesn’t work for you.
Just give it a go, that’s all you can do to start with. Good luck if you’re starting your BF journey!
✩ Sabrina ✩
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