Tag: best

Only Best For Baby

Lydia | May 3, 2013

It’s exciting to experiment with new foods when weaning your baby. Whilst most foods are safe there are some foods that should only be introduced when your baby is of a certain age to allow for the development of your baby’s digestive system and immune system.

When weaning my baby I found it helpful to follow these simple guidelines for the safe introduction of different foods to ensure my baby was getting the right nutrition at the right time and to minimise the risk of food poisoning.

When can my baby eat …?

Gluten
Gluten is found in grains such as rye, wheat, barley and oats. It can be hard for young babies to digest and should not be introduced before your baby is six months old.

Cow’s Milk
From the age of six months full-fat cow’s milk can be used in cooking and with baby’s breakfast cereals. Cow’s milk can be introduced as a main drink from the age of 12 months.

Cheese
From the age of six months you can offer cheese to your baby but avoid giving blue cheese or soft unpasteurised cheese, such as Camembert and Brie, until your baby is at least one year old. Blue cheese and unpasteurised cheese contain live bacteria which carries the risk of food poisoning.

Eggs
Your baby can eat well cooked eggs with the white and yolk of the egg being solid from the age of six months. Do not give raw or undercooked eggs to babies under the age of 12 months old.

Fish
From six months you can give your baby white fish and oily fish, such as tuna and salmon. No more than two portions of oily fish should be eaten per week. Shark, swordfish and marlin should not be eaten by babies as these may contain traces of mercury.

Shellfish should not be given to babies under the age of nine months and must always be well cooked to minimise the risk of food poisoning.

Nuts
If there is no peanut allergy in your immediate family you can give your baby peanut products from the age of six months. Due to the risk of choking whole peanuts and other nuts must not be given before your child is five years old.

Honey
The bacteria in honey can cause infant botulism and although rare, to be on the safe side honey should not be given to babies under 12 months as their digestive system is too immature to cope.

I always advise parents to stay clear of food additives such as salt and sugar which hold no nutritional value for babies. Salt can cause dehydration and strain a baby’s immature kidneys and sugar can increase the risk of tooth decay.

Enjoy introducing foods and create a happy and healthy weaning experience for your baby.

Lydia Oliver – Nutritional Advisor Only Best For Baby

This article was published in the May 2013 edition of Mummy and Me Magazine.

I offer one to one nutrition programmes for breastfeeding, post pregnancy weight loss, weaning, weight management and health. Contact me.

3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter Review

Lydia | April 20, 2013

I’ve been an admirer of Micro Scooters for a long time, having seen my friends with their toddlers and children racing around the park on scooters. I thought I’d need to wait until my toddler was at least 3 years old before trying a Micro Scooter, until I found out about the ingenious 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter which is designed for children aged 1 to 5.

A few weeks ago we were very lucky to receive a 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter for review with my 2 year old toddler from the lovely team at Micro Scooter. We chose the scooter in a vibrant neon yellow colour, which Imogen loves.

The 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter comes with the Scooter, Seat, O-Bar handle and T-Bar handle so you can adjust it accordingly for your child’s age giving your child the flexibility to grow with the scooter. It starts out as a ride on scooter with O-Bar handle and seat, then transforming into a small scooter when the seat is removed and eventually it becomes a Mini Micro Scooter when you add the T-Bar handle.

The black O-Bar and Seat is easily attached and we find it’s perfect for use when toddlers are gaining confidence in their agility and skills in balance and coordination.

Imogen loved trying her new 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter. For the first couple of weeks she rode the scooter using the O-Bar and Seat, which is suitable for children aged 1 to 3 years old. We find the scooter is perfect as an indoor toy and it glides smoothly on our wooden floors, adding variety to Imogen’s playtime at home.

Imogen soon got the hang of it and was scooting around at increasing speed, using her feet to push her along. The 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter provides toddlers with a skillful challenge in balance and coordination of movement. I’ve been impressed with the stability of the scooter and the very gentle turn of the wheels, making it safe and sturdy.

When Imogen was ready we transformed the 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter into a small scooter by removing the seat and leaving the O-Bar handle attached to the scooter so she could scoot around on it standing up.

Imogen enjoyed stepping on and off the scooter and soon learned the basics of riding a scooter while she practised steering with the O-Bar, which is very easy for little ones to hold on to.

Finally we transformed the 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter into a Mini Micro Scooter by replacing the O-Bar handle with the T-Bar handle. We simply couldn’t resist taking Imogen out to the park on her Mini Micro Scooter and she thought it was wonderful!

Imogen rode the Mini Micro Scooter with Mummy and Daddy holding the scooter whilst she got a feel for being on it outside. The Mini Micro Scooter T-Bar provides a good grip for young children to hold whilst moving along with the scooter.

After a few minutes Imogen was putting one foot on the ground to push the scooter along herself. It was great to watch and shows how she’s progressed from using the scooter with the O-Bar. The Mini Micro Scooter is suitable for children up the age of 5.

Imogen adores her 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter and it’s rarely out of her hands.

As parents we think it’s one of the best activity toys around. The scooter is well designed, safe, durable, suitable for indoor and outdoor use, flexible, light to carry and most importantly it encourages Imogen to discover and master the skills of balance and coordination whilst giving her a new found freedom.

The Mini Micro Scooter won Best Toddler Toy in the 2012 Nuremburg Toy fair. You can find out more about the incredible range of Micro Scooters at www.micro-scooters.co.uk.

Disclaimer: I was sent a 3 in 1 Mini Micro Scooter for the purposes of this review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Grobag Baby Sleep Bag Review

Lydia | April 4, 2013

Last week we were sent a Grobag baby sleep bag to review by The Gro Company. Baby sleep bags have been made by The Gro Company since 2000 and today an astounding 95% of parents in the UK choose to use baby and toddler sleep bags for their little ones.

We received an all year round 2.5 tog sleep bag for toddlers aged 18 – 36 months old. With a 2.5 tog sleep bag it’s recommended that your baby’s nursery is between 16 to 20 degrees Celcius. The free nursery thermometer that comes with every Grobag has been helpful for keeping an eye on the temperature in Imogen’s nursery.

Imogen is tall for her age so I was really impressed with the length of the sleep bag we received. It’s suitable for a child up to a maximum length of 98 cm. There is also a good width on the sleep bag which allows Imogen to move freely in the sleep bag during her sleep and when she’s awake in her cot bed.

Imogen’s Grobag fastens at the front with a zip that has a thick cotton zip guard to ensure it never rubs on her skin. There’s a popper at the bottom of the Grobag to safely ‘lock’ the zip so a curious toddler can’t open their Grobag.

The design of Imogen’s Grobag is Treetop Tales. It’s a crisp white on the back of the sleep bag with colourful circles and friendly characters on the front including a giraffe, owl, snail and chick. It’s bright and cheerful with rich colours that will suit all nurseries.

Some of the unique features I love about the Grobag baby sleep bag:

Imogen stays cosy and warm throughout the night so there’s no worrying about whether she’s too hot or cold
There are no covers or blankets to kick off which gives us peace of mind during the night
The Grobag opens easily for any night time nappy changes
100% cotton fabric is used for the outer and lining of the Grobag
The Grobag allows Imogen to move freely during her sleep and when she’s awake and playing in her cot bed

Grobag baby sleep bags have won many awards over the years and the Mother and Baby Awards 2011/12 Gold Award for Best Nursery Product.

Grobag sleep bags come in a range of sizes from 0 – 6 months up to 6 – 10 years. There’s also a range of three tog ratings so you can ensure your child is in the right Grobag for the particular season and temperature of the room.

You can find out more about Grobag baby sleep bags online at The Gro Store.