Snotty Baby?

Its been a little miserable around these parts over the last couple of weeks.
My beloved children have been recycling their germs and all four of them have had coughs, sore throats and runny noses. For the two littlest ones (Oscar - 8 months and George - 2) this has led to some serious unhappiness, lots of tears and more than a few sleepless nights.

I noticed that '4Little1' were looking for volunteers to try out their nasal aspirator with travel case and honestly, the opportunity couldn't have come at a better time!  In fact, I think I almost ripped their arm off!
The last nasal aspirator we had was....well...just alright. It was a bulb aspirator, and to be honest I found the shape rather awkward. I actually wasn't even sad when Hubby accidentally sterilised the thing, and melted it into a big globby mess.

The Baby Nose-Clear nasal aspirator looked altogether different from my previous aspirator when I took it out of its packaging. There is a nozzle to be placed just outside of baby's nostril, thin tubing connecting the nozzle to a mouthpiece and a filter and enclosed chamber between the two to prevent any  mucus making its way up the tubing.

To clear the icky mucus, you place the nozzle just outside baby's nostril, place the mouthpiece in your mouth (duh!) and suck gently to draw the mucus into the nozzle for collection in the enclosed chamber. Simple!

Now let's be honest. There was a tiny bit of initial trepidation when I first used the Baby Nose Clear. I didn't relish the idea of mucus making it's way into my mouth. Once I'd read the informative enclosed pamphlet however, I realised that this was absolutely not going to happen. The filter and enclosed chamber ensure that anything collected in the nozzle stays in the lower portion of the Baby Nose Clear, no matter how hard you choose to suck.

Which brings me on to a great positive of the Baby Nose Clear. Unlike traditional bulb aspirators, the Baby Nose Clear Aspirator can be used with varying degrees of suction, and you're in complete control at all times. Sometimes the mucus may be thicker, and need you to suck in slightly harder than other occasions. Gross? Possibly....but true.
There is a recommendation that you can test out the Baby Nose Clear for the first time, if you're anxious, with mayonnaise. I chose to just test the suction out on the back of my hand.
The design of the aspirator means that you only need one hand to clear baby's nose. The second is free for cradling baby's head, OR...as I chose, to hold his hands whilst he was laid on his Widgey Pillow. It was quick and painless!

And on to the important bit. It worked VERY well, the only thing really that matters (especially when you're a sleep deprived, frazzled Mama of unhappy small people). I tested the aspirator on baby Oscar, and following the first suction he was immediately able to drink a bottle of milk, without the tears that had preceded every previous bottle for the prior 24hours. I'm sure he felt more comfortable being able to breathe more easily with a nose free from gunk! A second suction before nap-time and a third before bed, helped him settle more restfully than for previous nights.

And honestly, I think I have saved the best bit for last. In the UK, the Baby Nose Clear aspirator (albeit minus the travel case) is available on prescription! I wish someone had shared this little gem of knowledge with me before we trawled the local shops last time for the bulb aspirator that I so dearly hated! All you need to do is ask your GP to prescribe it, and you'll be able to pick up the product free from your Chemist. Alternatively, you can purchase one easily from Boots.

I was really pleased with this product and have already recommended it to several of my (equally frazzled and sleep-deprived) friends with snotty babies and toddlers. Its worth a try ladies and gents!

I also tested the Baby Nose Clear Room Vapour from 4Little1.
I found this product similar to other decongestants available on the market, in terms of its effectiveness, however I found that the fragrance was much less overpowering that some of its competitors. The Room Vapour had a Lemon, Tea-Tree and Pine scent, which to my nose was more subtle than your traditional Eucalyptus and Menthol and so may be preferable to some. It is also 100% natural and therefore without synthetic fragrances. I chose to test a few drops of this product in a bowl of warm water on the windowsill of my son's bedroom, in combination with suction using the Baby Nose Clear Nasal Aspirator.

To those with poorly little ones at the moment, you have my sympathy.
Get well soon small-people!

*I was provided this product for free in exchange for a review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and unbiased.

Showers and Sprinkles

I have long wanted to throw a Baby Shower, perhaps even more than I wanted to have one my own (which, btw....is just as well, because 4 children later, I've not had one! Pffft!)
Bringing together special friends and family to celebrate the impending arrival of a new life is such a great excuse   reason for a party, and I loved the idea of orchestrating such an exciting day.

Unfortunately, Baby showers aren't big in the UK and most people don't consider the idea. So when my bestie announced that she was expecting her first child, I jumped at the chance to host her Shower for her, luckily she was equally thrilled with the prospect, and gave me free reign on design and all ideas. Hurrah!

I started researching almost immediately and felt both excited and yet slightly intimidated by the amazing Shower's showcased online. I'm not an events planner, and nor do I have an endless budget. It became clear that I had my work cut out for me, but that there was a wealth of inspiration available for me to tap into!

I'll update in a week or so on how my Baby Shower planning is going. It's going to be a mid-afternoon tea party, with cakes and scones, and fruity tea. My English spin on a definitely American tradition. For now though, I wanted to share just a tiny snap of some of the amazing Baby Showers that I have come across online - there are some seriously swanky parties going on!

This gorgeous elephant themed shower was designed by Sarah of Style Me Gorgeous
Everything about this theme is gorgeous. The muted,  soft colour pallet is perfect, and the cute elephant is PERFECT!  Well done Sarah!
Since my bestie's baby currently goes by the nickname 'peanut', I daresay that we'll have some elephants thrown into her shower too.

And how about this Tricycle themed Baby Shower?! This was coordinated by 2Chic Events and Design

and I think they got this one SPOT on! Its charming and playful, but whilst maintaining its style.

And one more? Shall we?

How about something girly? This gorgeous Parisienne styled shower was designed by Sheree,

It is unashamedly pink, glamorous and chic. Beautifully put together.

It is safe to say that I shan't be going into professional event planning any time soon!
I'm just hoping that mine will have its own charm, for all its quirks!

My next task is to explore baby shower games. A mindfield!
Have you been to a Baby Shower recently? Do you have any tips that might help me in my quest?

This time I have NO words.

Let them be little.

Have you ever heard the Billy Dean country song  'Let them be little'?

I remember the very first time I heard this song. I remember exactly how I felt, my heart melted, my eyes involuntarily teared up, and admittedly I felt a tiny pang of guilt. In my mind, this song spoke to me of the exact way that our children should be raised, they should be allowed their innocence, their time to play, their time to get messy, to learn their lessons and find their feet.

Our little ones are small for such a short time, so why do we sometimes feel in a rush to let them grow?
We want them to sleep through the night, we are desperate for them to crawl and walk and talk. We want them to help us.
But as the song says "you turn around and its time to let them go... "

I started thinking about this song the other day as I was pondering responsibilities and childhood chores. My eldest son is 10, and I was surprised to learn that many of his peers already make their own lunches for school, grab their own breakfast, help look after younger siblings, and have other such responsibilities.
Now my son is no stranger to helping out around the house, he and his sister are expected to set the table for dinner, keep their rooms clean, and I'll frequently be asking him to fetch something (a nappy, or a toy for example) for one of his younger siblings. To me though, cooking or preparing food, sweeping, mopping, dressing younger siblings etc, these jobs are mine, or my husband's. These are not things I expect of my children, or wish to expect of them in the near future. They should be focusing on having fun. I am responsible for running the home. These lines should not be greyed.

It turns out that I have friends that strongly disagree with me on such matters. And of course, this is fine. I have many Mama friends, and I do not expect that we will always choose to raise our children in exactly the same way. I found it interesting though, that by not raising my children with this strong sense of home responsibility and duty, could leave them ill equipped to deal with life outside of the nest. What if they wake up one day, in their own home, with no idea how to boil an egg, or iron a shirt? Will I have failed them?

So it has led me to think about age appropriate responsibilities for my children.
As far as cooking or preparing meals goes, I'm still not thrilled with the prospect of my young children fending for themselves. Even if this just means toasting some bread or pouring cereal into a bowl and adding milk! I can't justify it, it just seems like this one should be one the grown-ups, and least until they are in their teens.

Equally, dressing, bathing or changing nappies of younger siblings, I do not feel comfortable with.
My husband and I chose to bring 4 children into our lives, and therefore looking after such basic needs as these should be on us.

So what does that leave? Help me out.
What responsibilities do you expect from your children. Do you think I'm setting myself up to have spoiled, mollycoddled adolescents? I'm intrigued!

To Snip or NOT To Snip?

Four little ones, and I am sure that my baby-making days are over.
Right now, this is something I am entirely comfortable with.
No more babies.....great.

To be honest though, the thought of making that a definite still terrifies me. Taking action to ensure that there will no more little people inhabiting this baby-factory seems so final, so permanent.

Hubby and I have discussed this subject over and over. If the truth be told, he had made himself an appointment for the 'ouchy snippage' before we conceived Oscar. Whoops.
He thought he was done. I had other ideas and managed to convince him that we needed one final addition. Win!

Now though, we're both on the same page. Our family is complete. So why is it so scary still?
All the literature that we've read suggests that it really isn't so ouchy. Hubby has already given me the green light and even bravely offered to have it done under local anaesthetic to get on the shorter waiting list. There are lots of pros that I can think of, not least that I wouldn't ever need to use birth control again. Surely I should be convinced already.

*shrugs*

I guess my fear comes from recalling how desperate I was to have our fourth baby. It was an all consuming, crazed desperation that took up virtually every waking thought. I'm sure part of that desperation was borne from Hubby's resolve that we were already complete. The more he told me he was done, the more I begged.

Maybe its similar to when I was giving up smoking (stay with me people.....). I know that if I had cigarettes in my bag, I could stop myself from smoking them. For some people it would have been impossible to resist, but for me just knowing the option was there made it easier to find the willpower to abstain.
Maybe its a similar concept. Whilst I know the option of having more children is one we can entertain, I won't feel a crazy need to run out to the shops and buy one....wait....wrong analogy. You know where I'm coming from though, right?

I guess this is one we need to ponder on for a while longer. Surgery is a big step.
If any of you have taken the big step of sterilisation or vascectomy and have any advice, I'd love to hear it!

Organised Mama

Confession time....."Hi. I have four children and I need a Personal Assistant just to remember all of their social engagements!"

I'm a self confessed scatter brain. I try oh-so-hard to be methodical but I would forget my crazy head if it wasn't attached to my neck. So, this year I have been trying out a few different organisation systems (diaries, calendars, planners etc) to see if any of them might land my children in the right place at the right time and help me to remember all of their little friends birthdays. So far, so good, and I've come across a few gems worth sharing.

My first try this year, was The Organised Mum Family Life Book courtesy of a lovely friend.
I already use the Organised Mum Family Home Planner as our main calendar. It hangs in our kitchen and has

enough columns for all six of us to have sufficient space for our activities, so I was thrilled to try out the Life Book as I needed something to sling in my bag and carry out and about with me.

There were so many awesome things about this book, not least that you can separately order these fabby zip up leather covers to use year after year and stop the book from looking shabby.

My favourite elements of this diary though, are the perforated shopping lists (fab) and the separate mini pull out address book. There are also cute little stickers to highlight special dates.

The prize (of my everlasting gratitude...oh yeah) for my favourite 2011 diary, goes to Erin Condren for her to-die-for personalised Life Planner. I'm a big old stationery geek, and this was right up my street!
I ordered the Trellis cover as shown below, and was not disappointed in the slightest!
It was even worth waiting for a friend to bring over for me from The States.

This link should let you see the planner in action. They are truly gorgeous.

The hard wearing laminated diary cover was personalised with my name, and also came with some gorgeous large matching personalised labels which I've already started using on exercise book covers. The best thing about it (Oh wait...I can't pick just one thing), it it beautifully bright and cheery, with inspirational quotes and quirky fonts. Gone are the days of boring, standard issue diaries. This one really does attract comments when used out and about and makes organisation fun.

It comes with bright event stickers, some pre-printed for special occasions, and others left blank for you to write your own dates. It has year at a glance, month at a glance, and week at a glance pages, plus room to add special dates for each month.

Extras include a plastic zip-up pocket for important bits and bobs, and keep it together slot-in pockets for birthday invitations, receipts, etc. I also took the option of ordering the coordinating notepads to stick on the back cover. I know they'll be fab when I go back to work.

I'll admit it though, I tore out the shopping lists from the Organised Mum diary, and also pinched the pull out address book, and they sit in the 'keep it together' pocket of my Erin Condren planner. I get the best of both worlds now.


Please check out http://www.erincondren.com/ , her website now sits amongst my favourites and any stationery geek will love her funky books, invitations, stickers, and more. I promise, I'm not affiliated in any way with this lovely lady, but I am a huge fan!


I can't say it has cured my scattiness, but it has definitely helped me keep on top of school dates, play dates, social gatherings and parties.  And trust me my friend, my children love me for that. They don't need to make excuses for their forgetful Mother any more ;-)

New Mummy Favourites

When you first discover that you're going to have a baby, every other person seems to know what is best for your unborn child.
You will be bombarded with (often unwanted) advice, and told frequently that 'X' product will make your baby; happier/sleep longer/become a genius.

I'm not going to claim any of the above, but I am going to tell you about 3 products, that have worked for me and that I would recommend whole-heartedly to anyone that asks (and many people that haven't!)
If you are looking for ideas for your gift registry, looking for a present for a new Mummy or Mummy-to-be, or just wanting to spoil yourself. Here are some suggestions.

1) A swaddle blanket

This one, from Swaddle Designs is made from the softest cotton flannel and has been with us since Day 1 of Oscar. At 4 months old he still sleeps with it, like this, every night! It doesn't look like he is going to give it up any time soon!

Some babies just can't seem to sleep well unless their flailing arms are restricted a little, and the swaddle blanket does just that, along with making them feel cocooned rather like they were inside the womb. I am desperate for another one of these, if that goes any way to explain just how much love I have for this blanket! We've tried swaddling with other blankets and sheets but nothing works/feels like this one.

Its worth also mentioning that swaddling is also known to reduce the incidence of SIDS.

 2) A wrap, or baby sling.

I'm personally, a huge fan of the Moby.
You could end up with a baby that settles beautifully in his/her crib, or tolerates time awake on the floor or in a baby swing. Alternatively, you could find yourself pacing, endlessly, trying to comfort a colicky, unhappy, red faced little one.

Wraps and slings allow you to do almost all of your daily tasks with your baby strapped to your chest. Your little one will likely find it comforting, it is a beautiful way to bond with your baby, and you have your hands completely free to vacuum, tidy the house, or feed yourself cookies and milk. *cough*
It is also a great alternative to purchasing a double buggy, if you already have a toddler. You can use the sling/wrap with your infant to bridge the gap until your toddler does not need a pushchair.

3) Feeding Cushion

Now, I've saved my favourite until last. I've used this cushion day in, day out, for Oscar and with George and it has been taken virtually everywhere. It was there at the hospital when the boys were born, and has been daily ever since.

This is my Widgey pillow. I use it to support Oscar when I'm breastfeeding, saving my arms from the weight of the evergrowing baby lump! I also use it as a baby nest to prop Oscar on whilst readjusting my clothes, following feeding, or for short periods of time. George used it lots when learning to sit.

Love it!

Just a few items that on a daily basis make my life as a busy Mum of 4 a little easier. :-)