Ten tips for Getting Out and About with a Toddler and Twins

Becoming a parent of Twins is really exciting and slightly terrifying at the same time. Thoughts of everything times two going through your mind is an awful lot to think about, but what if you have a toddler as well? It's going to be difficult getting out and about right? Well here are 10 Tips for getting out and about with a toddler and twins to make life just that little bit easier.

1) Think about the size of the seats on the pushchair - When shopping for a pushchair its easy just think about the twins being pushed in it, remember your toddler will probably still want to be pushed in it, take into consideration the pushchair size some of the double pushchairs that are around are beautiful but the seats are quite small - for me Jack was a big boy so a lot of them didn't make the grade as he wouldn't have fit in them.

2) Consider the weight of the pushchair - You are going to be carting about, three children under three, I know pushchairs have wheels but some of them are awful to push when they have a lot of weight in them and it becomes a nightmare. Unless you are muscle woman get something lightweight!

3) Buy a double baby carrier -Twins are generally renowned for being small when they are born, my twins when they were born, were around average size I have never had a baby carrier before let alone a double one but this was amazing I didn't carry mine in the double carrier until they were six weeks old because of my C - Section but it was easier to get out and about, the toddler went in the pushchair the twins in the carrier, note that you can only probably so this until about five months then it becomes too heavy. You can view the twin Weego baby carrier I used here 

4) Get a single baby carrier - I invested in an Ergo 360 single baby carrier and its the most comfortable thing I have ever bought. It is easy to put one of the twins and your toddler in the pushchair and then carry the other twin. My tip is not to let the toddler get out of the pushchair while you're carrying one of the twins it is an absolute a nightmare to get them back in while you have a baby carrier strapped to yourself.

5) Join a baby sling library - Yes these actually exist! ask your health visitor about them or look you can look up your local sling library group online. They're amazing places where you can hire a sling or baby carrier, the sling experts will also show you how to baby wear and help you find the best one suited for you.

6) Put them in the same carrycot - Now if they are really small and you have a baby carry cot big enough to do this in the early days you could do this as it's easy to push all three children, however, I wouldn't recommend this especially if you have a long way to go because of the risk of SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome).

7) One on the front one on the back - Again if you like babywearing and carrying the twins you could try the Twingo, this is a double baby carrier where you carry one of the twins on the front of you and the other one on the back, it is easy again to carry both twins and put the toddler in the pushchair. Note the Twingo carrier is aimed at slightly older babies 4 months+ with a good head hold.

8) Invest in a second pushchair - Make use of helping hands if someone offers to come out with you or you are going out with your partner one of you can push the double pushchair and one can push the single pushchair.

9) Buy a buggy board - If your toddler is sensible (not many are) you could just try standing them on a buggy board and again it means pushing all three at the same time this has worked better for me recently but my two-year-old is heading towards three so he is that little bit older now so he will stay standing still on it.

10) Get a buggy board with a seat - There are quite a few buggy boards around now that have a seat attached to them meaning that your child can sit down so at least your toddler won't get tired - the downsides as with any board is it's really difficult to get up and down kerbs if there is drop down try to plan where you cross the road to make things easier.


If you have any other suggestions for getting out and about with twins and a toddler I would love to hear from you leave me your suggestions in the comments below. 

  

Children's five tractors jigsaw puzzle toy from Hape

We were sent some beautiful children's five tractors jigsaw puzzles from Hape toys.

When you first see the jigsaws in the box it doesn't look like much, but don't be misled or don't judge a book by its cover as some might say the simple exterior of these beautifully handcrafted puzzles can only be seen when you open the jigsaw and take them all out of the box, they are nothing like so many of the jigsaws you will see in the shops these days as you remove one tractor another is revealed and so on.

Each tractor piece is meticulously cut from singular or multilayers to uncover more than what you have first seen.

The five tractors jigsaw puzzle has been made to spark a child's imagination and help them to have fun whilst learning at the same time there is a range of the jigsaws available by Hape so if the tractor that we are looking at in this review is not for you there is certainly something out there from Hape that would suit any child.

Tricky tractor jigsaw specifications,

• Product dimensions in cm: 15 x 11,2 x 2,3

• Package Dimensions in cm: 23,2 x 16,3 x 2,

• Material: wood

• Age recommendation: from 2 years

• Number of Parts: 6

Jack is two and this jigsaw was quite hard for him and tested his motor skills, when he was putting it back together it took him quite some time before he was able to fully complete the jigsaw and still needed help, although he didn't get fed up or frustrated with it quite the opposite he was entertained with the tractors lining them up from big to small and playing with them giving them different voices and names he really enjoyed it. The tractors are all different colours which makes them very bright and eye-catching it also makes it harder to loose pieces. I love the fact that these help your child to learn they are beautifully handcrafted and very unique to other toys that are around in the shops. The Tricky Five Tractors Jigsaw gets a big thumbs up from both me and Jack!

• We were sent this lovely five tractors jigsaw puzzle 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

Our Potty training guide and Diary Day 1

The summer is nearly over, although the last week has been a little cooler the weather is still quite warm - the perfect time to start potty training and that is exactly what we have been doing so over the next few weeks I am going to be telling you about our potty training journey and any problems we might encounter along the way so I hope it helps you as much as it helps me to understand what I might be doing right or wrong and most of all how Adam takes to it!

first things first, potty toilet, seat pants, pull ups, Where do you start? although its great to start thinking about the equipment you are going to need, I think the first thing I need to think about is Adam ready, here are my tips to find out if your child is ready?

1. Can they communicate there toileting needs even if it is just a few simple words like "wee wee" or "Poo Poo" or you can even use wet and dry, whatever is easiest for your child but the main thing is they can tell you there toileting needs.
2. Are they able to help with there clothing? after all sometimes us parents cant be there for them all the time.
3. Do they know what the toilet/potty is and will they sit on it? 
4. Do you have time to spend with your child over the next few weeks to help them and are you as a parent ready?
5. last of all is it a convenient time, big life events such as a new baby, illness, or a move of house can make your child unsettled make sure when you start there isn't anything else going on that is going to cause distraction.

So how did you find the check list? I have a tick for all of my points above so I am sure Adam is very ready. next up equipment what equipment are we going to use?

There is so much around in this market I think you should go with what your child is most comfortable with and the equipment doesn't have to be state of the art, I know there are all singing and all dancing potty's available but realistically a simple one is fine ours was £4 from Morrison's
I have also got a toilet seat and step from when Liam started toilet training and the dry like me pads and of course some pants in which Adam has picked himself hopefully with some incentive, you could also get the pullups - now like I have said it is each to there own however I found when Liam was potty training he got confused with the baby pull ups and got on much better with the dry like me training pads.

Here is the equipment in short (down to personal and your child's choice)

• Potty
• toilet seat and step
• Dry like me Pads 
• Pants (plenty of pairs)
• Pull ups
• A reward chart 

there we have it my first helpful tips hopefully to get you started and remember once you start try and carry on as children are easily confused in the early days once you start training. The potty has been in the living room for a few weeks so Adam could get used to it my way of thinking was if it has always been there he wouldn't be frightened, also with Adam because he is still very small he cant get on and off the toilet himself - which has brought me to the idea that to start off with, or until he grows a bit we will be using the potty.

Day 1 Potty training diary,

Today I decided we would face potty training head on - but in the home I have been planning this week for a while, this week we wont be leaving the house very much only to go round to the local shop I want to see if we can try and crack it and as today has been very warm I have left Adam without his nappy on, introduced him to the potty and told him if he needs a wee or poo to sit on the potty.

With the potty firmly in place and sight in the garden - we waited....... and much to my amazement he didn't say anything he just went and sat on it! I am a very proud mummy! 

He has now used the potty a few times and when he did myself and Liam clapped he looked very pleased with himself, he has also gained himself several gold stickers. We have had a few accidents which is to be expected - he was genuinely upset by them but I am glad he has been using the potty too - tomorrow I will be introducing him to pants to see how he gets on with another obstacle to over come, for night time he will be wearing his nappy as once potty training is firmly established in the day hopefully the nights will become easy.

How is your little one getting on with potty training? I would love to hear your story's, for more information and to see what other mums are doing you can visit www.drylikeme.com

   

        

Toddlers and Terrible Twos - There is no right way!

As a parent I don't think anyone can prepare you for parenthood, no one tells you of the changes and phases that a child will go through, some are great and some you wish they would disappear as quick as they appeared in your world.

When Adam hit two in October he was just becoming that little boy who was beginning to say no to everything - everything he liked, he now doesn't, that sweet boy that was smiling pointing and giggling at things has turned into some sort of monster that screams when you say no, bangs his head on the walls when you tell him its not dinner time yet, that throws himself on the the floor in a rage in the supermarket when you tell him he cant have a car, lollipop or anything else that has taken his fancy on that particular day.

Even getting out of the door on some days is a nightmare he wants to walk, I want him to go in the pushchair, he is just so slow, I am not a mean mum but when you in a rush it is just not practical to have a toddler walking or if you have a long way to go, so the battle begins, him tensing all his body arching his back, slithering and throwing himself about so you cant get his arms in the straps, screaming and telling me no, once in the pushchair he is crying and whimpering he is a baby again.

You see not all is as simple as it seems one minute they want to be grown up and independent and the next thing they are a baby again, its a battle of wills and frustration all round.

If I am going to give you advice on how to deal with terrible twos, I really don't think I can, there is not a right way, you could read every book or Internet article, they may give you hints and tips or coping strategies, but like most things you really don't learn anything until you are put in situations - I would just say go with it, I try to ignore the tantrums as much as I can, there are certain things you cant ignore like when they are throwing toys across the room, but attention of any sort when they are having a tantrum can just spur them on to do it all the more.

Am I a bad mum if I say I have tried bribery (on more than one occasion) to give him the need and want to sit in the pushchair - maybe bribery isn't the way forward, but in that split moment when your fighting with them because your already running ten minutes late, running late because they have decided they don't want to wear an outfit, you have forgotten there blanket or they have decided they wont have there nappy changed, it is so easy to say, we will go to the park, on the bus or to the shop because you know it will get them in to that pushchair and out the door - in the hope by the time you get halfway down the street they will have forgotten what you have said! I try not to use this method and I definitely would not recommend it but in moments of sheer desperation and as a mum times do try you, you will try anything to make a situation easier.  

Things do get better, although terrible twos feel as though it lasts forever at the time. This behaviour isn't going to last forever, it will melt away as quick as it has come and somewhere inside that monster that kicks and hits you and shouts no, is that lovely child.

Kiddylicious #Review and #competition

I was contacted by Kiddylicious Snacks and asked If myself and the boys would like to review there healthy children's snacks. I of course love anything with the word healthy, so we jumped at the chance.

Liam has always been such a fussy eater I did wonder after I had said yes, would he even taste them? as sometimes with new products Liam wont even let them anywhere near himself let alone his mouth.

The products we were sent to review were the Smoothie melts, Fruit wriggles and the fruit and vegetable crisps,

The smoothie melts; when you think of smoothie you often think of milk these little snacks do not contain any milk at all, they are completely lactose and milk free. Each individual melt pack contains one of your recommended five a day fruit or veg portions they are 100% fruit either banana, strawberry or blackcurrant and the packs have naturally occurring sugars.

They do not contain any nastiness,

• No added preservatives 
• No added sugar or salt
• No milk or lactose
• No seeds or nuts
• No wheat or gluten

Which is fantastic from a parents point of view, I love to give the boys snacks and it makes me feel better as a parent when I know what they're eating is healthy.

The taste. The melts do actually melt in your mouth and the flavor is quite strong and in all genuine honesty I thought they were quite sharp in flavor and a bit sour. I was quite apprehensive about giving them to the boys as I had had the first taste, well what do I know? I am just a parent, I gave them to the boys and they both munched down the packet, I heard Liam say mummy I want some more of them sweeties (if only he knew the truth!) so they were a massive hit! I struggle to get a fruit or vegetables down Liam so I am very impressed with these little wonders.

Fruit and Vegetable snacks; The fruit and vegetable crisps are not just flavoured they are actually, fruit and vegetable pieces, they come in five flavors three fruit, Pineapple, Banana and Apple and two vegetable carrot and sweet potato. Each individual packet is part of you one a day recommended fruit or vegetable portion. (Pineapple) Each individual packet contains real fruit the pineapple has 77%  Pineapple slices, vegetable oil, a sprinkle of maltose, naturally occurring sugars and they are suitable for vegetarians.

They do not contain any hidden nastiness

• No Preservatives 
• No added salt 
• No milk or lactose
• No nuts or seeds
• No Wheat or Gluten  

These snacks are really tasty, when you open the packet you can smell the fruitiness the snacks are shaped a bit like crisps but they're sweet, when you put them in your mouth they are very crunchy, the fruitiness aroma is replicated in taste they are very sweet and they are quite delightful, again these were a big hit with the boys so another big thumbs to kiddylicious.

The last snack in the range are the Wiggles; These are lace like snack pieces, like the previous two snacks in the range each bag contains at least one of your recommended five a day pieces of fruit and vegetables, there are three flavors in this range Apple, Strawberry and Tropical fruits the bags are all quite similar with the ingredients but different flavours. The tropical fruits contain, tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple and apple) 79%, Concentrated apple juice 17%, rice flour 3% to stop them from sticking together and citrus pectin a gelling agent found in fruit to help them to hold there shape they also contain naturally occurring sugars,

They do not contain any hidden nastiness;

• No Preservatives 
• No added salt 
• No milk or lactose
• No nuts or seeds
• No Wheat or Gluten 

I love that these snacks are shaped like laces it makes them quite fun and easy for little fingers to hold. I have to admit again I found these snacks quite bitter and I didn't really like them, but again these snacks are not made for adult taste buds, the boys loved them they both ate the whole bag and Adam was hissing his round like they were little snakes so who am I to argue with there taste buds!

Overall I love these snacks they are great for fussy eaters or children with allergies, my boys felt like they were getting a treat when actually its a healthy extra.
The snacks are ideal as lunch box treats, something to keep in the changing bag when they get hungry, when your out and about or perfect for day trips as a little something extra that is actually quite fun for them, you could also use them on cakes as decoration.
As a parent your mind will be put at rest knowing your little one is having at least one of there recommended five a day fruit or vegetable portions with these healthy little snacks.

To find out more about these healthy snacks and where you can purchase them from visit   www.kiddylicious.co.uk you can also visit there Facebook page and Twitter.

These healthy snacks were sent to me for the purpose of this review all opinions expressed are honest and remain my own.

Kiddylicious have been kind enough to offer one of my readers the chance to win a selection of there healthy snacks so you can enter via the rafflecopter below and good luck,

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sudocrem skin care products #review

For as long as I can remember Sudocrem has been a big part of my life. When I was a health care assistant in my first job in a hospital I was introduced to it, then as I trained to be a staff nurse it was always there the little saviour in the Gray tub with the red label. So naturally as I had my own children to soothe there soft little bottoms I always used Sudocrem.

Sudocrem have added some new products to there range and they asked me if I would review them so here is the first,

Sudocrem Care and Protect

Sudocream care and protect is specifically designed for babies, it is an innovative new product that offers triple action protection for babies sensitive skin that are prone to nappy rash, whilst still being gentle on there skin.

This product is a barrier cream that that locks in the skins natural moisture, the cream conditions and smooths whilst gently stimulating the skins natural healing process. By forming a gentle barrier it also helps prevent infection.

Sudocrem care and protect contains Pro vitamin B5 and vitamin which both help protect the skin it is also hypoallergenic which every parent loves to hear. Pro vitamin B5 has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory (reduces redness and swelling) on skin.

The packaging I have to say is every parents dream whilst you child is wriggling and trying to crawl

off you can just flip the lid on this little tube, the Sudocrem inside the tube is quite runny so it comes out of the tube quite easily, you only need one hand which makes life so much more easier and quicker. Sudocrem has quite a distinct scent which is quite lovely and fresh it really doesn't differ that much to the original cream in the Gray tubs apart from the fact that it is much easier to apply.

The cream comes in a 30g, 40g and 50g tube which doesn't seem an awful lot but I have to say a little bit does really go a long way. Sudocrem is available to buy at most supermarkets with the 30g tube priced at £3.99, 40g - £4.99 and the 50g is priced at £5.99 per tube.

Sudocrem moisturising mousse

With the weather turning colder we all suffer from time to time with dry skin, Cold air and other factors of the environment help to contribute to this, babies and children are just at much risk of having dry skin as the rest of us like adults some children suffer more with dry skin than others.

Sudocrem mousse is hypoallergenic, it intensely moisturises skin from the moment you start using
it. It is free from artificial colours, parabens, perfumes and other preservatives. The mousse style bottle makes it easy to use when you have children that just don't want to stay still!

I have been trying this out on Adam over the last week or so, I have never tried out any sort of moisturising lotions on him and I have to say it really is easy to use the fact that it comes out in a blob I think gives it a little bit of  added fun and he has been helping me to rub it in. The cream itself is not sticky or greasy which is great because I am not keen on creams that are greasy.

Adam has some dry patches on his elbows and the backs of his legs, I have to say they are looking a lot better than they were previously I think using this mousse continuoulsy every day will clear it up completely and keep dry patches at bay,  However his skin is already feeling very smoothe and soft, it also looks healthier. 

Sudocrem moisturising mousse is available to buy at boots and other retailers it is priced at £8.99 per bottle, I think its slightly more than I would pay for moisturising lotion However you get what you pay for and it really is a fantastic product.

Sudocrem skin care

This is a 30g little tube that has especially been designed to tackle skin care problems, for those problematic areas like elbows, knees and the face the ingredients of this little wonder are more or less the same as the original cream, but this is non-medicated, less harsh and less drying on the skin which is great especially for when using cream on the face.

I have to say I would have never noticed this cream on the shelf as the packaging is very similar to the nappy rash cream, However I have been using this cream and my skin does look far better than it was previously especially my face, it really does help with blemishes and dry patches it also keeps your skin moist after applying foundation over the top of it, although you really don't need a lot as a small blob of this cream really does go a long way also to much can leave you face feeling greasy. 

This product is priced at £1.99 per tube which I think is a great price for a skin cream, I also love that the tube is handbag size so it is really convenient to carry where ever you go! 

Sudocream is a great product And I would definitely recommend all three of these fantastic products as I loved them all, my particular favorite being the skin care cream because as a mum you look for convenience, this product certainly gives you that, a definite must have for your handbag!

To find out more about the Sudocream and there full range of products visit www.sudocrem.co.uk

All three of these products were sent to me free of charge for the purpose of the review all opinions expressed are honest and remain my own 

Ella's Kitchen, my little BIG meals #review

Adam has always been a fantastic eater, I was asked By Ella's Kitchen if Adam would like to be a mini tester for there brand new range, My little Big meals. Of course we said we would love to!

 This Is the first of a kind for Ella's Kitchen, the range is 100% organic specifically designed for toddler tummies from 12+months the range includes six fabulous dishes all with at least five fruit or vegetables in each! 

We were sent two dishes in the range the veggie moussaka and the beefy beef stew; 

The packaging is very child friendly, They are lovely and bright in colour on the front it has a clear label to say the meals both contain seven different types of veggies plus they say I'm organic, so when buying in the supermarket its easy to see they are both healthy toddler meals which is important to parents. Turning both the products over they are clearly labelled with all the ingredients they contain, which is all healthy and there is no hidden rubbish in them which is great to see. 

The meals can be eaten at room temperature which is fantastic because when your out and about there are not always warming facilities about, so the meals are quick and easy to prepare just take the lid off and its ready, however it does say you can serve it warm by heating it in the microwave for one minute this still makes the meal very easy and convenient which I love. 

Now the taste I was a bit sceptical about whether Adam would like the products as he is fast approaching two and hasn't had any toddler meals for around six months. Adam eats nearly all the same food as we do. I gave him the veggie moussaka first for lunch, Adam is not a great bread lover, which is what I would usually give him at lunch time so a toddler meal is a great idea for an alternative. I heated up the meal in the microwave following the instructions on the packet, the meal came out piping hot so I had to leave it to cool for a while before giving it to Adam, you could clearly see the veggies in the dish It contains tomatoes, aubergines, carrots, potatoes, red peppers, yellow peppers, onions.

So I gave the meal to my mini tester Adam and to my surprise he loved it, he couldn't get the spoon in his mouth quick enough his sound was "mmmmmmm" nodding his his head so a big thumbs up for the veggie moussaka

The second meal he tried for his lunch today was the beefy beef stew, I have to say when this was whirling round in the microwave you could smell it in the living room, it made my tummy grumble it smelled delicious. The seven veggies in this are potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips and beetroot.

  

   

 Adam was very impressed with this one too

Adam completely finished off this meal he loved it!

Overall I thought the meals were fantastic. Convenient easy to prepare and Adam loved them. The portion size is 200g which is a generous size and was more than enough for lunch. I will definitely be buying these for Adam again as he loved them so much the product is a convenience meal however it is a quality meal, packed full of goodness and organic vegetables you cant really asked for much more in a toddler meal the other flavours in this range include,

• Pork stew
• Bolognese bake
• chicken curry 
• chicken paella

The meals are priced at £2.19 each and are available to buy now. A fantastic toddler-tastic, convenience, quality product that I would definitely recommend.

We received these fantastic toddler meals for the purpose of this review all opinions and honest and my own.

Veggie moussaka

Pork stew

Chicken Paella

Bolognese bake

- See more at: http://mumofaprematurebaby.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/ella-kitchen-my-little-big-meals-review.html#sthash.5bVEmqME.dpuf

Veggie moussaka

Pork stew

Chicken Paella

Bolognese bake

- See more at: http://mumofaprematurebaby.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/ella-kitchen-my-little-big-meals-review.html#sthash.5bVEmqME.dpuf