Sabrina’s Dairy Free Vegetable Nuggets

How To Make Delicious Dairy Free Vegetable Nuggets For All The Family To Enjoy!

Today I will be showing you how to make tasty, nutritious and dairy free vegetable nuggets that contain four different vegetables.
They are great fun for your children to eat as finger food and your older children can dip them in the sauce if they choose.
This recipe is ideal for weaning and beyond.

Veggie Nugget (broken so you can see the soft inside)



Ingredients for Sabrina’s Veggie Nuggets

3 Tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup
1 Tablespoon of Reduced Salt Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon of Mixed Herbs
1 Large Egg (Beaten)
160 grams of Breadcrumbs (approx) roughly 4 slices of bread – I always use the 2 end bits if I have them!
6 Medium Carrots – Grated and Squeezed
2 Courgettes – Grated and Squeezed
100 grams of Swede Cooked First, then Diced Finely using a Chopper
1 Large White Onion Diced Finely
50 grams of Dairy Free Alternative to Italian Style Hard Cheese
Plain Flour (6 tablespoons approx) spread this onto a small plate ready for rolling…




Method

To make the sauce combine tomato ketchup and soy sauce together. Double the amount if you are preparing these nuggets for people to dip into the sauce straight after cooking them. Use half of the sauce for the vegetables mixture and leave half for the dip.

Once you have prepared all of the vegetable ingredients as directed above, you will need to ensure the mixture of vegetables isn’t too wet. Take a handful of the grated and chopped veg and place it between a few paper towels, a muslin cloth or a clean tea towel. Squeeze and press it in the cloth to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Do this with all of the grated veg.

Get a large mixing bowl and crack the egg into it. Add the herbs and stir until combined. Next add some of the tomato dip. Next add the squeezed vegetables, then lastly add the hard cheese (or alternative) and the breadcrumbs, stir it all thoroughly. You don’t want lots of the same type of veg in each ball, try and mix it so you get a variant of all the ingredients. (I do my breadcrumbs in a small food mixer).

Place the flour onto a small plate ready to roll your nuggets in.

To make a nugget take a small handful of the combined mixture and roll between your palms. Top Tip! Do this with wet hands so it doesn’t stick to you! Roll them out into oval shapes, and then once happy you can roll each one in flour to coat it.

Have a large frying pan ready on your cooker with some oil getting hot. You should place the nuggets down gently so as not to break them or splash the oil. Fry each one until lightly browned all over. Top Tip! Use a pair of tongs to adjust them while frying to make sure you do all of the sides. Keep topping up the oil after every few nuggets.


Once they are cooked set the nuggets to one side on a piece of kitchen roll so as to drain any excess oil from them and let them cool a little, and then serve them while they’re still warm in a large bowl with the remainder of the tomato dip. They are great for a children’s party or a finger food family night in.

Squeezing the Veg so as to remove as much moisture as possible.
Veggie Nugget Mixture Ready For Mixing and Rolling

Vegetable Nuggets are ideal for children who are weaning at around 10 months and older, when they are learning to hold and bite into foods.
They are great for getting your children to eat vegetables.
The tomato dip provides a fun element for older children.
The leftovers can be frozen, defrost over night and re-fry them to give them a crunchy outside again.

My Recipe made me approximately 24 Nuggets.

Once you have rolled your nuggets between your palms you can get ready to fry them… My Top Tip is to have some done so you can fry one set while you make the next set…

Frying Tips

When frying the Nuggets take care and turn them frequently so that they cook evenly on all sides. You also need to maintain the oil so that they sit in a few millimetres at all times to avoid sticking to the pan.

Finished Veggie Nuggets

These Nuggets are great, and rather tasty too, that is providing you like the Veg I have chosen. You can substitute the Courgette for Mushrooms if you prefer those! And you can also do these without being dairy free by using a regular cheese like Parmesan if you wish.

Thank you for visiting, I hope you have enjoyed reading about this recipe, if you decide to give it a go then please leave me a comment with how it went afterwards… Check out my other recipes on the category list!

✩ Sabrina ✩

August 2019 Treatbox Reveal

Hello readers! It’s time for the August 2019 Treatbox Reveal
with me, Sabrina of Severn Wishes Blog.

Happy Treatbox Day! I am ready to Reveal and Review the August Treatbox. It has a gorgeous Yellow tissue paper and the little sticker reads “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade”.

When Life Gives You Lemons…

I’m really looking forward to finding out what could be inside this box, the summertime boxes always seem more exciting somehow…

Unboxing…

Here are the contents of the August box, we can see 7 items, an A5 Print and of course the Calendar Print.

August Calendar Print – blue and yellow
A5 Print “The World is your Oyster”
Cotton Bag “Let’s Get Away” in beige and blue

Notepad for “Lists and Things”
Packet of Tissues
Queen Bee Key Ring from Sass & Belle

Anandas Homemade Gourmet Marshmallows – Caramel (V)
2 Hair Bands with Bows – Several Colours Available at Random

The August 2019 Treatbox

Here are some images of the contents of the August box…

My Opinion on the August 2019 Box

What I really liked most about this box were the new items, the hair bands and the Marshmallows. I think we all like to try new things or receive items we have not yet seen before, this made me happy.

The quality of the months items was great, a key ring from Sass & Belle and the bag are great additions, even if they are passed on to others as gifts. Personally I don’t think you can ever have enough notepads or cotton bags! Reuse the bag for whatever you like instead of buying more plastics!


My favourite things in the August box is, well, all of it! There wasn’t an item that I didn’t like, and although the print is a little bit plain this month I’m sure the quote spoke to a lot of you. It’s a bit like, go get um! or, do whatever you like, but saying it in a nicer way of course!

This month there seems to be a theme of getting away for a day, as the bag tells us, and the tissues to go inside it, marshmallows for a tasty treat to share or not, there is a band to put your hair up in the sea breeze and you could even make a list of what to do on your day out! All hypothetical of course! But what I like about Treatbox items, is that there are multiple uses for the contents. It’s totally up to you!

It’s another Vegan treat this month, this makes me very happy!
Bags are so useful and this one is a great size too!

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 Treatbox unboxing posts in this unique category of mine called ‘Treatbox’ it is specifically for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes Treatbox.

Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes today, I hope you enjoyed the Review of this Treatbox and that I see you here again soon. 

✩ Sabrina ✩

Our Weaning Journey

Our Weaning journey began delicately due to our son having suspected allergies. He is exclusively breastfed and he cluster fed for the first 5 months of his life. He was born slightly premature at 37 + 5 and after having bad jaundice at birth, it took him many weeks to recover. We spent so much time in hospital at the start that our first month with him went by in a blur. Problems with allergies began at around 12 weeks, so it was a steep learning curve in the next 10 to 12 weeks that followed.

Then, when it came to Baby A reaching the 6 month milestone he was still in size 3-6 month clothing and breast feeding up to 14 times in 24 hours. We hoped that Weaning would satisfy him more so and because we could introduce cooled boiled water with his meals, it would take a bit of pressure off me. This did work, but he had such an appetite that he continued regular breastfeeding including a minimum of two feeds a night, plus day times and extra weaning snacks. We had ourselves one hungry baby!

I recall the health visitor questioning how much I was feeding him at our 6 month visit… she couldn’t believe how much I was saying he ate, I’m almost sure she thought I was lying. I had read in a parenting book that you cannot over feed a baby, because they will simply refuse to eat it. Our son wanted more and more food as the days went by, so I used motherly instincts and I watched my baby for cues. So I continued on with my busy breastfeeding schedule plus I began our weaning journey in a rather swift fashion.

We Tried A Range Of 4 Month Plus Puree, These Are A Few Of Them Little One Loved.

Baby A enjoyed many things that we tried first off, including individual vegetables such as Carrot, Potato, Parsnip, Sweet Potato, Apple and Strawberry. There were only 2 things he spat out which were Prune and Peas. And I don’t blame him for either! Ha!

After doing some reading and noticing how keen Baby A was with eating and being fed, we decided to do 6 weeks of Purées to start with. We maintained that he was to ingest nothing dairy of course, I checked packaging meticulously or I made my own. This worked well, starting with a few mouthfuls twice a day for the first week, followed by doubling the amount in subsequent weeks. By the time we got to week 6 Baby A was eating 70g of fruit purée for breakfast and 70g of vegetable purée in the early evening. He also tried Melty Puffs around this time too.

Prices of Purée vary, but they usually cost anything from 40p all the way up to £1.50. They also range in size so look out for that. We made the most of any offers that were on in supermarkets and also used any store credit points and vouchers we had picked up to get our initial 6 week stash of purée.
Boots vouchers can go a long way if you sign up to the Clubcard and baby club before hand. Keep a look out on social media for offers too.

Minced Beef and Onions with Mashed Potato (7M)

He was enjoying the food we were giving him and he was obviously hungry. We were approaching his 8 month mark when we began moving to thicker purées and food with more textures. I was bulk cooking mashed vegetables at this point and freezing them in small pots (roughly 80g each). Some combinations included Potato and Carrot, Carrot and Swede, Carrot and Parsnip and Parsnip and Sweet Potato.

At 8 months Baby A was eating between 70g and 100g for breakfast, between 100g and 130g for his lunch and between 130g and 150g of food in the evening. This was on top of 12 breast feeds still most days, and we had began to try him on some more snacks. The melty puff kind that melted on his tongue were a real hit! Luckily they came in many flavours.

We also gave him fruit such as Raspberries, Strawberries and Melon as an evening pudding if he was feeling particularly hungry.

Minced Pork and Onions with Carrot and Potato Mash (8M)

Baby A ate most things from Day Dot but turned his nose up at the taste of Cucumber and also highly disliked the taste of Peppers. Some foods took a couple of times before he decided that he liked them, usually very strong tasting food groups. He was unsure about things like Tomato, Scrambled Eggs and Pasta, but we persevered and he eats them now. The trick is to leave a food for 2-3 weeks then try it with them again.

One thing I loved about Weaning was the way he learned and every day you saw him remember. Within two weeks he understood that cutlery went into his mouth, he began to chew even when food was super soft, and he was also cutting several teeth while we were trying most new foods. He did so well with all these milestone changes and I’m very proud of him.

Mashed Carrot and Swede with a Small Chicken Steak and some Rice (9M)

One thing I would recommend to mum’s who want to cook healthy meals for their little ones is to invest in a good strong vegetable mash utensil and a mini food processor. Mine is called the Russel Hobbs Mini Food Processor 22220 Mini Chopper and I cannot rate it high enough! It was used every day for 3 months and I still use it to dice up chewy meat because it saves me so much time. I still use it for my now one year old boy.

Russel Hobbs Mini Chopper In Use

At nine months Baby A began eating some more of the food I prepared for us adults. This includes the meat and sauce of bolognese but we gave him mashed vegetables and not much pasta. He ate my cottage pie (all of it), we had chicken steaks that I had diced in a blender with soft vegetables and rice, sausages were diced and served with mash and veg, and he even ate flaky white fish with rice and veg too!

I also used a weaning book that my mother had bought for me that had some great ideas inside for weaning recipes and snacks. I altered most of them to suit the various allergies in my family of course. Homemade Veggie Nuggets were by far my favourite thing to make, I bulked cooked them which was time consuming but then they’re frozen for convenience.

Minced Beef and Onions, Carrot and Swede Mashed with a Homemade Veggie Nugget

By the time he reached 10 months of age Baby A had 8 teeth and was eating 80% of what we were. He still loves his baby related snacks too! These include Vegetable Puffs, Rice Cakes and Flavoured Shaped Corn Snacks. A lot of these are Organic too.

Some Of The Baby And Toddler Snacks We Buy Regularly.
A Few Of The Pouches We Tried And Tested From 7 Months Plus

These snacks are very affordable from places like Aldi who have their Mamia range. If you sign up to Ella’s Kitchen on their website they will send you a pack and a voucher to try bits from their range which are purchasable at most large supermarkets and Boots stores.

Our little one loves to feed himself firm snacks but has been more than happy for us to feed him things that require a spoon such as fruit purée, cottage pie, mashed vegetables and the like. It’s so important to get your little one to eat their fruit and veg, and it doesn’t matter if you have to create a mashed version in order for them to eat it. Try different combinations and see what your baby likes. Keep a food diary to keep track!

Some of the 7 month snacks are little one loves.

Sabrina’s Weaning Tips For Parents

My top 4 tips for any parents about to wean a baby would be these…

1. Take it slowly and calmly. Your Baby will be intrigued but it can also be a stressful experience for all of you. All healthy Baby’s generally have a good gag reflex and don’t confuse this for choking, stay calm if they cough or spit things out and take all foods – even the purées – at a slow pace!

2. Start with Veg! You don’t want your little one to have too many sweet flavours in those first weeks, this is because when it comes to the savory kind they are less likely to want it. Start with Veg Purée or Mash and go from there…

3. If you plan on doing Baby Lead Weaning, then you must let your little one use their hands. Be prepared for mess! Get a good highchair, get a mat for the floor and keep plenty of baby wipes at hand too!

4. Keep a Food Diary! This is a useful tip for all new parents. It’s a great way to keep track of what baby has eaten, if your little one was to have a rash or reaction to anything they had eaten you can go back and check the diary before trying the substance again. Those first couple of months are critical in preparing baby for stronger tastes and good food habits, so start them early on the main products that your household enjoys together and move forward from there.



All Parents Should Definitely Sign Up To…

1. Ella’s Kitchen via the Website
You get a free pack in the post with tips, a board with stickers, ideas for foods and even some vouchers for baby snacks.

2. Boots Parenting Club
Using your Boots Advantage Card on the Boots App or Website you can add the addition of the Parenting Club which gives you bonus deals, free products and vouchers every month. For example we got a free bottle, a free weaning book and some promotions on nappies and baby food. Check the app each month for new promotions and deals. You also get extra points on your card when purchasing certain products in store and online too.

Ella’s Kitchen Have A Great Website and Their Melty Puffs Are A Real Hit!

✩ Russel Hobbs Mini Chopper Review ✩

I would highly recommend this chopper to any parents who want to make a lot of their own food for their baby. Not only is it simple to use, easy to clean and maintain, but it allows you to make just enough food for a large portion that can be good for a day, or if you’re bulk cooking into baby sized pots it made 6 pots of food no problem. The best thing about this mini processor is it’s size, it takes up very little room in my cupboard and is portable enough to take away for a weekend to a relatives house without being a burden.

Design 5/5
Features 5/5
Value for Money 5/5

RRP £16.00

Joie High Chair Review

We highly recommend the Joie High Chair because it is affordable and also has some great features. These include the large sturdy tray, the beautiful animal design on the seat itself and the large fabric basket underneath which is great for storing extra bits and pieces close by for when you need them, such as bibs, wipes and toys.
We only have one suggestion, that the straps could either be entirely removable for cleaning purposes or that they be a different colour than white, because they really show up every bit of food dirt.

Design 5/5
Features 4/5
Value for Money 5/5

RRP £55.00

Munchkin Products Review

We have been really impressed by the Munchkin Apple Bowls and Plates, as well as their range of Spoons too.
We picked most of them up at various baby events in Supermarkets and on Amazon UK. They are affordable and well made.
They are designed for different stages of Weaning and further interactions with food, ranging from 4 months right up until Toddler ages.
Our son found the spoons easy to eat off and the divider apple plates are a great idea when trying different foods at meal times. Or for separating the meal and the dessert when you get to that stage.

Designs 5/5
Features 5/5
Value for Money 5/5

Thank you for reading this post today, I hope you have found it interesting. If you try any of the products that I have recommended then please let me know in the comments below if your little one liked it.

If you have any questions about any of the products I have mentioned then feel free to also comment and ask me anything, I will do my best to answer you honestly.

Sabrina

Honest Review of Gummee Teething Products

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.

My Over All Thoughts

Product Design 5/5
Product Value 5/5
Product Originality 5/5
Product Versatility 5/5
Product Functionality 5/5


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!

Gummee Teething Facebook
Gummee on Twitter
Gummee on Instagram
Gummee Website

Gummee Link and Teethe Amazon

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.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Breastfeeding – My Journey & Experiences

Breastfeeding – My Experiences

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 

Sabrina Has 6 Ways to Improve your Well Being

Today On The Blog I Am Discussing Ways to Improve your Well Being.

It’s actually easier than you think to improve your well being. I began to do these things last year and am happy to say that I achieve most of these most weeks still.

✩ Stay Active
✩ Read More
✩ Eat Well And Proportionally
✩ Remember To Climb Those Stairs
✩ Try Something New Once In A While
✩ Do Something You Love Every Day And Enjoy Yourself

✩ Staying active is easy providing you stick to what you’re able to do. Even a ten minute walk is better than not walking at all. Other easy exercise includes gentle swimming and cycling. However if you’re generally a healthy person you might want to take up a new hobby this summer, walking outdoors is often free to do. You can make it fun for children by playing Spotting or Eye Spy games.

✩ Reading more is something I’m passionate about myself and I aim to increase mine even further. Whether you read the news, a book, a magazine, you are still working your brain by reading the words, and looking up words you don’t know is also beneficial. But more than that you are exercising your brain and taking in knowledge, despite what you read, a physical book or on a screen, it’s still reading.

✩ Eating well is so important anyway for your health, but portion sizes and proportion is vital. You need a good ratio of the main elements of food types as well as the right sizes of these types. Your 5 fruit and vegetables a day is also a key element in keeping your body healthy.

✩ Climbing a couple more staircases every day rather than taking the easy routes of lifts and escalators is something to consider. Your heart rate increases when you climb inclines or stairs, this is classed as exercise, even if it only takes you one minute to do the task. Stairs are also good for using muscles in your legs.

✩ Your mind needs to remain healthy too, and one way you can accomplish this is by trying something new. Whether it’s a hobby or activity, playing a board game or simply going somewhere new. New things stimulate your brain.

✩ No matter what kind of day you have, a busy day, a slow day, a stressful day or a day of fun! You should do one thing that you love each day. This is more for a sanity reason, but we all get busy and chores and work come ahead of what we want to do or love to do. For example, I love to play games, so I allocate twenty minutes in an afternoon or evening where I play Scrabble on my mobile phone. It’s not just something I enjoy but it also stimulates my brain by getting me to think.


Sabrina’s Top Tip!

Don’t try and accomplish all of the sections above in the same go! Perhaps do one a week and then see if you can achieve it again the following week. Also my tip is to pick the one you believe is most achievable to you!

Thank you for visiting Severn Wishes for this lifestyle post today, I hope that you have enjoyed it. Leave me a comment if you want to, I would love to hear what you think about it.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Health and Well Being – Steps to Smarter Eating


Well Being and Health – Steps to Smarter 
Eating

Smarter Eating is something that we can all get into doing more often. Because some of these things are so easy to become good habits too, you just have to be patient. Try introducing them one at a time, and after some time why not do several on occasion and then give yourself a day off from them once a month? There are many ways in which you can look out for your health, and these are the ways I have found to be quite easy. Remember food should be enjoyed but some things need to be in moderation.

 

✩ Hydration ✩

So we all know that we should be drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. Depending on the size of the glass that you use, this can equate to anything from 1.5 litres to 2 litres each day. When they say “a day” they mean within 24 hours.

So here is my Top Tip – Keep a reusable bottle or glass by the side of your bed, make sure that when you wake with your alarm in a morning that you drink before getting out of bed. Not only are you having your first glass of water, but you are also helping your body to wake up and your blood pressure to regulate as well.

Another tip is to carry a reusable bottle of water with you everywhere you go. Not only will it remind you to drink, but it will also save you money because you won’t be buying drinks from shops or vendors.

 

✩ Embrace Your Favourites ✩

Favourites! We all have them! Embracing the ones that are good for you is definitely the way to go. And if not then why not try and add good things to your faves. Such as halving your bowl of ice cream and adding fresh fruit. Or you could add frozen spinach on top of your favourite pizza! Enjoy your foods but make them better for you.

 

✩ Boost Flavours ✩

Boosting the flavours of bland foods that are good for you but not entirely pleasant to eat is a great idea. Why not try and add low fat yoghurt to a bowl of fruit or to a bland (but good for you) cereal. You can try low fat versions of your tastier favourites such as cheese, or add fresh herbs to your meals.

 

✩ Eat More Vegetables ✩

It may sound easy, but sometimes we get lazy after a long day when we look at a pile of vegetables that need to be prepared. The trick and tip from me here would be to buy frozen. You waste less doing this and can only get out what you are going to use. It’s faster to measure up portions too! Easy to add two cups of mixed diced vegetables into a curry or a pasta sauce, for example, than counting out how many carrots you need to peel and then chop and then cook…

 

✩ Eat More Grains ✩

Dependent on your dietary requirements getting more grains could be difficult. However if you don’t have any allergies you should consider this. Getting more fibre through your diet. I love cereal, and my favourite happens to be high in fibre. Why not make a switch for a week if yours does not and see how you feel. Add fruit or jam if you require a sweetness rather than adding sugar.

 

✩ Try Something New ✩

We all get curious from time to time. My most recent example of this would be when I tried the new range of juice drinks from Tropicana – Tropicana Essentials. Although more expensive than my usual choices I wanted to try something that was meant to be better for me, and more beneficial to my health…  It is made of fruit and vegetables and I did notice I had more energy after consuming it on consistent days.

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Thank you for joining me for this next installment in my well being and health related posts today. I hope that you are able to take something from my tips and they can help you improve your lifestyle.

✩ Sabrina ✩

 

 

Well Being and Health – Easy Ways To Make The Most Of Vegetables

Easy Ways To Make The Most Of Vegetables

 

We often throw away a lot of fruit and vegetables that have a habit of going off before we get around to using them. In this post today I’m going to outline the ways in which I make the most of vegetables and how easily you can so to.

 

Sabrina’s Top Tip is to invest in a blackboard or a meal planner or even both! That way you won’t forget to use what’s in your fridge! Plan out one night a week that is a Treat Night where you can have something tasty like chips with your evening meal, but otherwise mix up your vegetables so as not to get bored with the weekly selection.

 

Buy Frozen

You often get a lot more veg for your money with frozen, and it’s just as good for you with most brands choosing to freeze hours after the vegetables are picked. Frozen often gives you more per kilo as well, with things such as broccoli because you’re not paying for the weight of its stork, or spinach for example which is frozen in far larger quantities than you find it in fresh packets. Frozen veg also has the added benefits of you only using what you need each time rather than you wasting with cutting sections of fresh veg up when preparing them.

 

Make a Soup or Sauce

Usually I make a soup or a sauce out of veg that needs using up, or left over veg that wasn’t all eaten during something like a roast dinner.

 

Use your Peelings – They are the most nutritious parts!

If you often peel potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sweet potato, but throw those peelings away, you should consider making your own vegetable crisps out of them.
A greatly tasty and healthy snack for children between meals or as a starter while the evening meal is cooking. Keep them for 48 hours in a clean lidded Tupperware box to keep the crunch!

 

Save Money By Using the Stems

If you prepare Cauliflower and/or Broccoli regularly, do you ever use the stems? There are a few options to save you throwing them away.
Make Cauliflower Rice by putting the stems and any left over florets into a processor to make cauliflower rice.
Make an easy vegetable curry by cubing the stems of cauliflower with any left over potato and cook them a little longer than you would usually to soften them up.
You can take broccoli stems and either shave them finely using a peeler and fry them with stir fry vegetables or dice them and add them to pasta dishes.

 

Buy Seasonal to Save Money

Look into buying Seasonal Vegetables that are on offer in Supermarkets. Some of the larger ones in the United Kingdom do weekly deals too! Make sure you plan your week around this and use up the items that will spoil first so as to ensure no waste.

 I hope you’ve enjoyed this short post and my vegetable tips!

✩ Sabrina ✩

 

My Top 5 Tips For New Parents


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.

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 

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


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