Snack time with little Yeo and OXO tot

When all three of my boys started to wean, I always gave them some sort of yogurt or fromaige frias through out the day, It is always far simpler than paying lots of money for specific baby based pudding or snacking products.

We were sent out the OXO Tot Roll Up Bib and On-The-Go feeding spoon plus 42 pots of Little Yeo’s in various flavours to try out and see what we thought.

OXO Tot Roll Up Bib & On-The-Go Feeding Spoon

Let me tell you a bit about OXO in case you haven't heard of them, OXO is an American company that specialises in making products that make everyday living easier for everyone, including young and old, male and female, left and right-handed and many with special needs. They’ve made 1,000+ products – all with a tangible improvement on aspects of everyday living.

Roll Up Bib features

• Soft fabric is comfortable around baby’s neck
• Wide, food-safe silicone pocket catches crumbs
• Fabric rolls up into pocket for portability
• Easy to wipe clean and machine washable
• Bib provides ample coverage

The Roll Up Bib* from OXO Tot is a soft, comfortable bib with a silicone pocket. The top of the bib is made out of fabric to cover baby’s clothes; it has wide shoulders and closes at the nape of the neck with rip tape that is resilient enough to stop it being pulled off during mealtimes. The wide pocket is made with food-safe silicone and catches any stray bits of food or yogurt. The Bib  is perfect for using during snack time when we are on the go, as the fabric part of the bib can be rolled up into the silicone pocket and closed securely and there is no need to worry if you haven't got too much time to clean it down properly until you get home as any mess stays rolled up inside the bib - it also doesn't take up to much space which is an added bonus - if you have an overflowing change bag like myself! 

 On-The-Go Feeding Spoon features 

• Silicone spoon feels soft on baby’s mouth, gums and face
• Spoon is shaped for easy scooping
• Contoured spoon handle is angled for easy feeding by you or by letting your baby feed himself 
• ideal compact case for portability and to help keep it clean 

I love this perfect little spoon its great for weaning babies and it comes with its very own travel case. The shallow spoon is coated with super soft silicone which is gentle on baby’s mouth and gums, just what babies need when they are teething, the handle is contoured making it easy and comfortable to hold. It’s ideal for self-feeding as the shallow spoon stops your little one from loading too much yogurt onto the spoon and it doesn’t matter if Jack gets the spoon all sticky and messy in the process as when he had finished, you can simply put it back in the travel case roll it up into the bib and that way you remember to wash them all when you get back home.

It has to be said I am a big fan of both of these products I love how practical and useful they both are they are very simple but as a mum I have found they made my life so much easier definitely a lot less mess, and I love that when Jack has finished you can just roll it all up together and go, not only that both the spoon and the bib are of a great quality so they are going to last for a very long time.    

Little Yeo

Let me tell you a bit about Yeo Valley, Yeo Valley Are a family owned business and farm and are the UK’s no.1 organic dairy brand, they make a variety of dairy products and we got to try their Little Yeo’s range. The yogurts are perfect for weaning. They’re organic with real fruit puree and no added sugar! 

The green pack of Natural Fromage Frais is the the newest addition to be added to the Little Yeo range, you can mix in with other foods, like soup, stew, mash, homemade pasta sauce, chopped egg or tuna sandwich fillings. It’s also good for adding to porridge or breakfast cereals to cool it down, which is an excellent idea as waiting around for food to cool down when baby is hungry, which Jack is almost certainly it can be very stressful.

Little Yeo's are widely available in lots of supermarkets including Tesco, Morrision’s and Sainsbury’s , the price is great too starting at £1.00 for a 6 pack. You can find out more about Little Yeo’s over on there Website Here

The Taste 

Jack isn't a particularly fussy baby he really loved every flavour , I had a sneaky spoon or two my self and I must admit they are really nice quite thick in consistency and creamy packed with lots of taste, I love that they have no added sugar, Little Yeos are perfect for puddings to add to dinners my older boys loved them to they fit just right as a lunch box snack or a snack for a weaning baby they are an all round versatile product something all the family could enjoy.

We loved both the OXO tot bib and spoon and the lovely Little Yeo range a big thumbs up from both myself and Jack we will certainly be continuing to purchase these in the future, what are you favorite snacks? have you tried any of the Little Yeo range? I would love to here your thoughts? 

we were sent the Little Yeo range and the oxo tot spoon and bib for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

  

Cow and Gate veggie pouches #Review

We were recently sent Cow and Gate friends Veggie pouches to try out although Jack is a little over the age of eating puree food, We tried them all the same they are a great accompaniment to add to meals and to get your little one to try vegetables. Vegetables can be difficult to get your little ones taste buds used to little ones are often more receptive to the sweet tastes of fruit rather than bitter tasting vegetables. But, the earlier and more often your little one is given a variety of vegetable flavours during weaning, the more likely they will learn to love them.



Cow and Gate Veggie Friends starts with four different single vegetable varieties these are cauliflower, pea, carrot and broccoli, which is quite a distinct vegetable variety of tastes to be tried in the early stages of weaning. As your little one starts to enjoy and notice the single vegetable tastes. The Friends range expands to vegetable varieties with different flavour combinations including cheese, pasta and chicken. Adding a variety of flavours and textures but still keeping to a strong vegetable taste, means that we can help our little ones hopefully learn to love veggies for life.

I love that each of the beginner pouches have character names Claire Carrot, Chris Cauliflower, Bella Broccoli and Peter Pea, all of the Cow and Gate Friends vegetable pouches are re-sealable to use within 24 hours and made with no added salt, sugar, additives or preservatives. Each Friends vegetable pouch is ready to eat, steam cooked, with no mixing or disguising of vegetables with fruit and can be served warm or cold.

I personally love the weaning pouches they are so easy and convenient to use, they don't take up much room in the changing bag or cupboard they are less money than the jars, I find that I don't waste so much when I have the pouches and they are a lot less messy plus there easier to use when you are out and about. I love that you get what the packet says and it's nothing that I think is a weird flavour combination sometimes with some of the jars and other pouches that are about I do think, yuck why would you mix all that together. The constancy of the pouches are also really good sometimes I find baby food to be a bit watery but the Cow and gate friends are not at all.

Jack really loved the vegetable pouches he didn't turn his nose up at any he liked them as a dish on there own and as vegetables on the side of a main meal.

overall I thought the pouches were great value for money and would definitely recommend them in the weaning stage, they are a simple but an effective way of letting your little one get used to the individual tastes and textures of vegetables.

Have you tried the Friends Cow and Gate vegetable pouches before? What did you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.

We were sent a selection of weaning pouches from cow and gate for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own 

           

#Weaning week, Wow baby cup #Review

Baby cups can be a pain not so much when your baby starts weaning as they don't drink too much juice, but once they get a bit older and they are having more fluid carrying a juice cup in your bag can become a pain, a lot of cups leak or drip you find the bottom of your bag damp with sticky juice.

We were sent the Wow cup to review the cup has 306 degree drinking edge meaning your child can drink from all the way round the edge and it is completely spill free. The cup offers a water free spill guarantee - which for mums like us means no more sticky bags or damp clothes in fact in the past I have thrown some clothes away because juice has leaked on them in the changing bag and I just couldn't lift the stain.



The cup is exactly what it says "Wow", I thought it was amazing, when I first got it out its packaging I did wonder how it worked, the Wow cup is aimed at children nine plus months and Jack is only just getting used to his sipping cup, I did try to get him to have a go but he is just too little so I got Adam to trial it he is three and seemed really excited when I gave it too him - the Cup has no spouts levers or buttons, I gave it to him as it was, I wanted to see if he could work it out for himself. He did straight the way I asked him if he liked it and he said yes - he also asked if he could keep it! so it was a thumbs up from him and from myself you can hold it and shake it upside down and it doesn't leak at all!.



Wow Cups are BPA free, Phthalate free, PVC free, and dishwasher safe. The valves are made of a soft food grade silicone and easily are removed from the lid by gently pressing on them from the inside of the cup. There is a convenient lid on every cup to keep the drinking surface clean when storing.

The Wow Baby Wow Cups are clear and hold up to 7 ounces. There are measurements along one side of the cup to easily track how much your child has drank. There are two types of cup available there are the Wow kids Cups which hold nine ounces of juice and the Wow Baby Wow Cup this is slightly different because not only does it have handles, but the rim of the cup is wider, giving baby a more natural edge so they don't need to apply much pressure while drinking.

I think that a baby would take some time to get used to the cup as you have to make a straw type shape with your mouth on the edge and also I noticed that Adam held the cup up slightly higher than a normal cup, but really these are no problem! I actually really loved this product and so did Adam I am so glad we have found the Wow cup and I will be investing in two of the bigger cups for the older boys! 

To find out more about the Wow cup or any of there other fantastic products you can visit there website www.wowcup.co.uk

We were sent the fantastic Wow cup for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own

#Weaning Week, Drinks and your baby

Whilst weaning its a good idea to always offer your baby a drink with a meal start off with a few sips of water from a sipping cup make sure the cup you give them is one that is within the right age group for you baby for example if your baby is six months give them a cup that states on it six months plus and so on.

Once they have got used to having water you can try giving them sugar free diluted juice or fruit juice one part juice and ten parts water, things like orange juice are a good source of vitamin C for your baby.

When you first start weaning baby milk will still be your babies main source of nutrition they should still be having around a pint of milk a day.

If you are breast feeding, babies may still have around five - six feeds a day but you may find they will gradually reduce this themselves, as once they start having more food they will need less milk.

Babies should not have cows milk until they are over 12 months old but cows milk is fine to cook with until then.

Some drinks are bad for your baby and should be avoided as they will cause tooth decay and can cause dihorrea not only that they can leave your baby feeling full so that they don't want to eat there meal meaning they are not getting the nutrition they require.

Avoid fizzy drinks, flavoured milk, tea and coffee, undiluted fruit juice.

This takes me to the end of my weaning week I hope it has helped you along with your little one if you missed anything you can find the stages below and let me know how you get on!

• How do I know my baby is ready for food?  
• What do I need? (Equipment)
• How to get started?
• Do's and Dont's & food Safety
• Food Choices
• Baby led Weaning
• Drinks and your baby

#Weaning week Ella's Kitchen The first food book #Review

If you want to have a go at cooking your own baby meals there is no better place to start than with Ella's Kitchen, The first food book "The Purple One" not only is it a recipe book, but all the way through there are top tips on how to start weaning your baby what foods to give them and when to start introducing lumpy food.

The book is actually fantastic - I am not really a book kind of person, but this recipe book is really easy to use, the book starts with purees and works all the way through to toddler meals and finger foods for older children.

At the beginning of the book there is an introduction page it tells you all about weaning and some great advice and tips, this follows through the book and there is an introduction at the start of each stage of weaning which tells you things like which foods the baby can start to try, how much on average they should be eating and other useful hints and tips for that stage. The book also has a really helpful weaning chart that you can stick up on your fridge or wall as a quick weaning reference when your cooking. The chart includes a really nice section where you can record all of you babies weaning milestones and food preferences.

The Recipes 

There are no weird recipes in the book or ingredients that you will have trouble finding, the recipes are mainly things that you would always have in the cupboard so no need to go out spending copious amounts of money on things haven't heard of which is often the case in a lot of recipe books.



The Recipes are really simple to follow I love that they have a little clock next to them so you know how long they will take to prepare and cook, it also tells you how many portions that the recipe will make or how many ice cube trays it will take up so you could make your little one meals in batches to last the whole week.

There are a variety of recipes too choose from in each of the weaning sections something to suit everyone, there are your basic fruit and veg purees to pies curries and pastas a lot of the recipes that are further on through the book could be used for the whole family, I love that the book is so adaptable and has so much helpful information.

I had a go at cooking the oats, banana + mixed spice the preparation time states in the book five minutes and the cook time ten minutes the recipe took me just a little over five minutes and the cook time was as stated, I wasn't sure about the mixed spices as it smelt quite strong, But Jack really enjoyed the meal and I really enjoyed that I had made the recipe myself I felt a sense of fulfilment.

I have to say this has got to be my favourite cook book, just because of how busy life can be and this book makes cooking really simple its a great way of knowing your little one is getting something healthy to eat, I can honestly say I am looking forward to Jack growing with this book and cooking more of the lovely recipes found within it.


The First Foods Book from Ella's Kitchen retails for £14.99 which, in my opinion, is great value for money as this book will last us way into the toddler years.

Visit Ella's Kitchen on their website here to see their full range of Cook Books.

I was sent a copy of this fantastic recipe book from Ella's Kitchen for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

#Weaning Week, Baby led Weaning

Baby Led weaning has been around for years most parents do this without even knowing they are doing it, the confusing thing about baby led weaning is probably just by the name of it, So what is it? it basically means no purees, no ice cube trays, no food processor, no potato masher, no baby rice, no strange fruit and vegetable mixtures its just you and your child, eating food that you enjoy with you and your family.

The difference between baby led weaning and traditional weaning, is only in the order that children learn to eat, with a puree, they learn to swallow first and then chew, which works fine until they meet a lump. With baby led weaning, the babies learn to chew first and swallowing might come some time later.

How to get started with baby led weaning. 

The best time to try giving your baby finger foods, is when you and your family all sit down to eat. Remember never use this method before six months not only will most babies not be able to pick there own food up but there digestive system wont be ready and they won't know how to chew.

The easiest foods for babies to pick up themselves are the ones that have a natural handle about them like broccoli as they have a long stork, carrots that have been cooked so they are soft cut into stick shapes, you could even try bananas cut into strips so they are easy for your baby to hold.

Your baby might not eat them to start off with and just play with what you put in front of them, they might just suck on them but eventually once they learn what they like they will eat them. This method will also help them to learn how to use there pincer grip this is where they hold food in between there forefinger and thumb but to start off with they will just clasp food in there fist.

What are the benefits of baby led weaning.

By using the baby led weaning its encouraging your baby to try food for themselves they learn quicker about different tastes and textures, they learn how to handle food and eventually learn how to use there pincer grip effectively. It will also help to feel more independent and part of the family. Hopefully this will be fun, increase your babies confidence and your baby will develop a positive attitude towards food.

#Weaning week, Baby Safe feeder #Review

With Jack being my third son you would think I would have tried most things already to do with weaning, but I have never actually tried one of these before, I have heard of the baby safe feeder but I somehow must have missed them when my other two were going through the weaning stages.

What Is the Baby Safe Feeder?

The Baby Safe Feeder takes the scariness out of weaning your baby only ever been used to milk and suddenly there’s a whole new world of flavours and textures to try. The Baby Safe Feeder allows your baby to chew on and become accustomed to different foods without the risk of biting off and swallowing or inhaling a chunk! It can also be an ideal soother when baby is teething – simply fill the net with ice or frozen fruit and it provides instant relief.

This baby product was developed by a Dad after a scare involving his son choking on a piece of teething biscuit, the Baby Safe Feeder is a simple mesh net attached to a plastic holder. An unlimited variety of foods can be used in the Baby Safe Feeder. Baby can chew and suck on the food, deriving all the flavour and goodness from it, without actually biting pieces off.

The bag can be washed in hot soapy water or the whole thing can be put in the dishwasher. Replacement nets can also be easily and cheaply purchased separately. All materials in the Baby Safe Feeder are fully lab-tested (FDA approved) and contain no latex, PVC, phthalates or BPA. Suitable for babies aged 5 months plus.

What We thought, 

The Baby safe feeder, does claim to help keep your child clean, however this definitely didn't happen I gave Jack several food in the net and the fruit and other food with juices leaked through the holes, however when weaning you cant expect your baby to stay clean! The baby safe feeder has a good sturdy handle although to start with Jack did struggle a little to hold it but once I had put both hands on the handle he was fine holding it by himself in fact he really loved it and so did I as while he is sitting in the high chair at the side of me eating his fruit or biscuits himself I can be eating my dinner or cutting up food for the other boys. 

Its great knowing that you can let them have a little independence with fresh food and not have the worry that they are going to choke. I really like this product. The net bag can be a bit difficult to clean, but if you soak it in hot, soapy water for a while it's fine. If you use it for things like biscuits and fruit it doesn't stain the bag.

Myself and Jack really loved the baby safe feeder what a fantastic idea I cant believe I never spotted these before with my two older boys. The baby safe feeder is available to buy from www.maguari.com and are priced at £8 for the feeder and £8 for the replacement bags and I think its well worth the investment! 

#Weaning Week, Food Choices

Food choices when weaning your baby can be a minefield, knowing where to start can leave you scratching your head in this post. I am going to tell you about different food options the best foods to start with, home made food and supermarket based foods.

Where to start and first foods?

 - Baby cereals and baby rice - a good place to start when giving your baby food for the first time is with these foods they are plain and just give your baby a feel for what the different texture is like.

 - Sweet vegetables - Babies naturally have a sweet tooth so give them the sweeter vegetables they will love them and they are a healthier option. vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

 - Mashed fruit - again its sweet babies love nothing more than mashed banana, cooked apples and pears or you could even try something a bit more exotic like avocado.

 - Ripe fruit - If your baby is able to pick fruit up give them some soft ripe fruit such as strawberries or melon

Don't ever add sugar or salt to your babies food.

Ready prepared baby food.

If you head towards the baby isles in the supermarket there is a mass market for ready prepared baby food and to be honest its always pretty useful to have some about it can make life easy when you are travelling about with a little one or several little ones in tow.

 - When buying any ready prepared food always check food labels if the food is not primarily made for babies it can be very high in salt and sugar, check and change to healthier versions if possible.

 - It seems obvious but check "use by" and "best before" dates.

 - check the seals on any of the packaging have not been broken.

 - choose the food that contain no added sugars or sweeteners, again you can do this by checking labels.

Foods to try.

Once your baby is established on there first foods you can start trying to introduce other food options into there diet foods such as,

 -  lentils (dhal) or pulses

 - mashed up meat, fish and chicken.

 - mashed rice, noodles or pasta.

 - full fat dairy products such as yoghurt's, fromage frias or custard.

Recipes

If you cook a lot of food at home try making meals so they are universal, meaning you are not cooking separately for the family and your baby main meals can be easily adapted to suit your baby as well as the rest of the family. most of the baby websites around such as Hipp Organic, Ella's Kitchen and Cow and gate have there own recipe sections to help you along with making your own food. Also Ella's Kitchen have several recipe books available that focus on baby made meals only.

  

#Weaning week Hipp Organic #Review

As part of my Weaning week feature we were sent a fantastic bundle of baby foods from Hipp Organic. Hipp Organic have been a big part of our lives since I was pregnant with Liam at which time I joined up to their baby parenting club where they have some top tips and good advice. From joining there baby club this has followed on to using there products when Liam was weaning right the way through to now when its Jacks turn to start weaning. I do actually love there products there is a huge variety in choice flavours and different age ranges to suit babies.

If you don't know Hipp Organic, they're are a brand that create good, healthy, nutritious food for babies and toddlers. They pride themselves on creating meals that babies will enjoy and that will help them grow and learn to love good food.

Hipp Organic sent us an array of there lovely products, here is what they sent

• Creamy Porridge (box)
• Apple juice with mineral water
• Pear banana and kiwi Pouch (Pouch)
• peach apple and banana muesli with yogurt (Pouch)
• Cherry apple and banana breakfast (Pouch) 
• Mild tomato and chicken curry (pouch)
• Vegetable and chicken risotto with peas (pouch)
• creamy rice breakfast (jar)
• spaghetti bolagnase (jar)
• Pumpkin carrot and apple spaghetti (Jar)
• Carrot salmon and dill risotto (Jar)
• vegetable lasagne (jar)
• Just fruit pear, banana and kiwi (flavoured yoghurt's)

As you can see from the list there is quite a variation in the products lots of different flavours and tastes coming in all different packaging and this isn't even half of the products they make, there is so much variety to suit all.

In the past I have always had the baby jars for the older boys, with that fact in mind and that Jack has only just started weaning, we tried out the pouches that we were sent. 

The very first thing we tried was the Cherry, apple and banana breakfast - Cherry can sometimes be a bit sour so I was a bit unsure as to how Jack would be with the flavour, I had no need to worry it was a huge hit as he enjoyed every spoonful of the pouch. I loved the ease of the pouch the food was really easy to squeeze from the packet, I like that you can screw the tops back on so you can use half the packet the next day. I must say the breakfast smelt delicious and Jack ate every last bit and was looking for more! 

We also have tried the, pear banana and kiwi pouch and the peach apple and banana muesli with yogurt both of which were hits for Jack he really loved them, over the next few weeks we are looking forward to trying the other products we have been sent and incorporating the jars with the lumps in - watch out for a follow on post to see how we got on with lumpy food.

Hipp Organic is a fantastic brand of baby food, there website is also a place where you can gain lots of information and view all of their products, we will definitely be continuing to stock up with Hipp Organic products we love them!      

we were sent the lovely Hipp Organic products for the purpose of this review all opinions remain honest and my own.

#Weaning week Do's and don'ts, and food safety

When it comes to weaning there are some Do's and Don'ts rules that I live by and some are common sense others just give you food for thought I hope this helps you along with your little ones Weaning Journey.

• Do - be prepared for mess, all children make a mess its a natural part of exploring and playing, invest in plenty of bibs and if you have a carpet you don't want ruining get a plastic mat to put underneath or even a sheet it just makes cleaning up easier after.

• Do - Offer plenty of variety of food, weaning is an exciting time its like having new toys, experiment rotate flavours they will love it.

• Do make sure baby is always in an upright position when they are eating, whether it is on your knee in a seat or in the high chair they will always need to be upright this is important for digestion and swallowing.

• Do - give baby's small portions around the size of there own fist is a good measurement to go by

• Do - offer baby small bits of food from your plate so they feel like they are part of meal time it also gives them the chance to try different things.

• Do - Offer your baby a drink of water in a beaker they may only have a little sip and need guidance with it to start off with but like with everything it will get easier and they will learn how to hold it better over time.

• Don't - expect your baby to like or even swallow the first food you give them weaning is about being patient some babies will take time to get used to the change others will just love it from the off.

• Don't - rush, weaning is a slow process always give your baby plenty of time for there meals, don't be tempted to try and hurry them along.

• Don't - ever leave your baby alone at meal times, or unattended in a high chair it is dangerous.

• Don't - expect your baby to finish every piece of food you give them, like us they wont always want it all, they may feel full or they just might not like it.

• Don't - give babies foods that pose an obvious danger to them like nuts, meat with bones, honey for children under one or anything raw like shell fish.

• Don't - offer babies fatty foods, things that are high in salt, sugar or spices all of them can be damaging to your babies health.

• Don't - Ever start trying to wean your baby before four months

Food Safety

keep things clean, aways make sure you wash your hand before preparing any food. once your baby has had there food make sure you wash their dishes in warm soapy water - once your baby has reached six months you don't need to sterilise there weaning equipment, but you do still need to sterilise there bottles.

Cooking and re-heating food, always make sure your babies food is cooked thoroughly and is piping hot then leave it to cool down before serving. If you are going to give your baby meals from the freezer make sure it has been thoroughly defrosted before cooking them. A lot of baby meals can be microwaved, take care when using this method for cooking, microwaving food can leave hot spots so you need to make sure you have stirred the food properly to get rid of these then leave the meal to cool this makes sure the heat is the same throughout the meal. no matter where you are serving the meal from always make sure you check the temperature before serving it to your little one.

Check your food labels, always check the "use by" dates and or the "best before" dates. check the food you are giving to your baby is within there age group this is usually clearly displayed on the packaging or in the book if you are cooking from scratch. It is also best to check salt content as well all baby food should have less than 1g of salt, as salt is not good for young children and babies and can cause health problems.

Food storage, make sure you don't keep any opened baby jars or packets for more than 24hrs and keep them safely stored in the fridge where they will be kept fresh. If you are cooking from scratch make sure the food is properly cooled down before putting in the fridge or freezing label the food with dates and make sure it is in a dish or container that has a lid.   

#Weaning Week - How to get started?

So you have the correct equipment and your baby is showing signs that they are ready to be weaned here are my top tips on how to get started.

• Pick a time of the day that is quiet and your baby Isn't really hungry or really tired, I choose about an hour before Jacks tea time bottle was going to be due and after he had had a nap so he is wide awake but you could try mid morning after there morning nap it would work just the same.

• Start with something that is easy on the taste buds like baby rice as this doesn't have much taste, you can make it up with some of there normal milk it gets them ready for different textures.

• Place a small amount onto a plastic or rubber tipped spoon only give a few spoonfuls to start off with probably no more than four then follow with your babies own milk.

• Once they have had baby rice for a few days try, introducing a different taste give that to them for a few days, then repeat the steps with the next food until they get used to different flavours.

• Once your baby has been having meals for around a week try introducing another meal at a different time of the day, also try mixing up flavors together.

• Once your baby is successfully taking dinner and tea, introduce breakfast, there are lots of baby porridge's available, you could also try giving them puree fruit or a baby rusk made mushy by there milk.

• Don't be too hard on yourself if you baby turns there nose up or spits there food out, its only natural when they are used to only having baby milk, eating food takes practice, and patience.    

Once you have started feeding your baby solids, like us they will need a drink to go with it the best drink you can give your baby is water, if they are under six months water will need to be boiled then cooled the same as there baby milk, it is not recommended that you give fruit juice to babies under six months. It is important to remember that all fruit juices contain natural sugar and giving them through a baby bottle will cause tooth decay, also make sure you brush there teeth mornings and evenings even if they only have one tooth and they are drinking through a beaker.

Anabel Karma - baby #weaning products #Review

Annabel Karmel is an international best selling author on baby and children’s food and nutrition. She is the no.1 parenting author in the UK having sold over 4 million books up to now NUK has teamed up with Annabel to create a range of products designed to make life easier for parents, I have been sent three items to review from her range - the baby snack pot, the feeding cutlery set, and the feeding bowl.

The baby snack pot,

- Suitable for weaning

- Dishwasher safe

- Convenient size for at home or out and about

- Easy grip trainer handles

- Suitable for children from 36 months

The idea behind the snack pot is that it helps teach your little ones to eat on their own and is perfect for holding little snacks like raspberries and small pieces of fruit. The clip-on lid helps to keep food fresh, and the soft silicone fins mean the snacks won't fall out, whilst it's easy enough to reach in and grab snacks at any time.

I must admit Jack is to young for the snack pot but I took this out with me this week for Adam, he absolutely loves his fruit and the snack pot kept his strawberries and grapes fresh. He was also running round with the snack pot and it was great that when he did stop to eat something all the fruit had remained in the pot and he could just pop his hand in when he wanted something the pot itself is really easy to clean, lightweight, big enough to fill a small appetite but small enough to leave room in your bag for all the other things you need to carry about with you.


The Feeding bowl with lids


- Feeding bowl by Annabel Karmel, perfect for the weaning stage

- Made from BPA free plastic with vented lid for microwave use

- Features a seal-tight lid & non-slip suction base

The Annabel Karmel by NUK Feeding Bowl comes with a vented lid for the microwave and a seal-tight lid for when you are out and about. The bowl also has a non-slip suction base that helps avoid messy feeding times. It is also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free.

The bowl is a really good size I really like the different lid ideas but it could be easy to mix if you are out and about so just be careful which one you are using or you could end up with a bag full of food! The suction grip on the bottom isnt that strong however little ones grips are not either. This is the perfect bowl to carry about in the changing bag with you as its not to big and it is easy to clean if you are somewhere you can only give it a quick rinse.

Cutlery set

- Suitable for weaning

- Anti-slip handles and rounded edges for extra safety

-  Dishwasher safe

- The Feeding Spoons are suitable for children from 6 months. The mini cutlery are suitable for children from    8 months.

The Annabel Karmel by NUK Cutlery Set includes two feeding spoons which have especially long handles, making them ideal for tall jars, as well as a mini fork and spoon for when your little one is ready to start feeding themselves. The feeding spoon is particularly well-suited to your little one's mouth, with round edges for added safety. 

This is my favorite products out of the three I love that the two spoons have extra long handles not only for the fact they save mess when you have taller jars to get into but they also save your back when your reaching over the high chair to feed your baby, I find the grips on the cutlery make them really easy to use the set has definitely been designed with both mum and baby in mind.

All three items are very reasonable in price, they are all priced at £5.99 they are available to buy from a lot of high street stores and are also available online at Amazon and www.Nuk.co.uk

 I was sent these lovely weaning products for the purpose of this review all oppinions reamain honesr and my own.

#Weaning Week - What do I need? (equipment)

Following on from my last post you should now know if your baby is ready for weaning, this is the all round fun part and its a really exciting milestone and change in a babies life. Before you get started make sure you have all the right equipment, sometimes it can be over whelming seeing all the different brands on the high street and on the Internet and knowing what you actually need so here is my guide to the "Essentials" and then what is nice if you want some added extras.

Essentials 

• Highchair - Your baby will need somewhere safe to sit where they are positioned upright - Don't think you need to buy the most expensive they all do the same thing and you wont be grateful of it when your baby is wiping food all over it, also if you feel when you first put them in it they are slipping and sliding down sit them on your knee or in the pushchair until they have a bit more sitting balance just always make sure they are upright.

• Bibs - It seems an obvious choice of equipment. To save your babies clothes I have found the ones that are wipe clean are easier, make sure you always put them in one no one warns you once you get puree carrot or spaghetti on an outfit the stains are really hard to lift out.

• Bowls - plastic bowls are the best especially if you are going to let you baby feed themselves a bit at least if they are going to drop it its not going to break, having said that also available to buy are baby bowls with a suction cup on the bottom so your not going to have that worry.

• Weaning spoons - There are lots available to buy if you are feeding them I like the ones with the longer handles as then you save your back and don't need to lean so far over and if baby is feeding themselves, I would recommend the chunky handled spoons as they are easier for baby to grip

Added Extras

• Splash mat - if you haven't got a table or you have but you have a lovely carpet you want to protect a splash mat is great for just that.

• Juice cup - once your baby is six months you can wean them onto a juice cup so they can have a bit with there dinner or tea not only that it will protect there teeth.

• Freezer trays - If you want to make your own baby food these are great for storage and saving food, they don't have to be anything special you could use large ice cube trays or even the ice lolly trays.

• Blender - if you want to make your own puree remember though you wont be needing it that long as babies from six moths will quite quickly move on to lumpy food.

• Lidded storage containers - I love these they are so useful to have for freezing keeping fruit fresh or just for taking babies food out and about with yourself.

Remember you only need to sterilise baby equipment if you start weaning before six months. Keep following my Weaning Week feature to see some reviews of the equipment and more tips and advice on weaning.  

#Weaning Week - How do I know my baby is ready for food?

This week - for the whole week I have a special feature all about baby weaning as Jack is now weaning onto food, I have some top tips for weaning, some great products to show you and accompany you on your feeding journey. I hope you will all find it useful, and you find the weaning journey as exciting as I do with your little ones.

Guidelines recommend that you don't feed your baby before six months of age - now of course it is up to each individual and some babies are ready before others, this recommendation is made because there digestive system just isn't ready for food and in a lot of babies there digestive system isn't developed properly, waiting until there older, also reduces there chances of developing allergies or picking up an infection, but still you need to bare in mind that all babies do develop at different paces.

I made the choice with all three of my children not to wean them until at least six months, partly because of guidelines that were in place, and the other part because I wanted them all to stay babies for as long as possible, I do remember feeling really excited when Liam got to four months and thinking about feeding as it was something new to do with my baby, but I did managed to hold off until six months, not only that it is far easier to take a bottle out with you than to carry all the bits that go with you when you start to wean.

Knowing your baby is ready,

Once you baby hits there six month milestone, they should now be able to hold there head up by them selves, they loose the reflex that makes them just stick there tongue out, are able to control this themselves. meaning they are probably ready to now take more than just milk, you might also notice that they are watching you as you eat, eyeing up your dinner or reaching to grab food off you.

• Co-Ordination - Babies should be able to pick food up and put it towards there mouth and get it in.
• Gained double there birth weight - most babies once they have done this are ready to start eating, most babies will have done this before there six month milestone or just a bit after.
• Can hold there head up - babies need to be able to hold a steady upright position to have there first foods
• Sits well - Can your baby sit well when supported? some times high chairs can be a bit slippery when a baby starts to wean you find them slipping down, so it might be easier to sit them on your knee or even in the pushchair, if it is one that has a good upright position.
• Makes chewing movements - You may notice your baby is mimicking your chewing actions when your eating. they should also be able to push food to the back of there mouths with there tongue, as your baby learns this you might notice them dribbling less.
• Pays attention -  does you baby watch you move your food from your plate to your mouth are they reaching over like they want to grab it - this is another good sign they are ready to be weaned.

Babies also do things that can sometimes be mistaken for being ready for food when they're actually not, chewing their fists, waking in the night when they have previously slept through, or wanting an extra bottles/feeds, these are all things that lots of babies do, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are ready to be weaned, it could be that they are growing or teething and also babies explore through putting things in there mouths.

If you do want to wean before six months or are unsure as to whether you baby is ready to be weaned or where to start contact your health visitor as they are always there to help and support you.