Win 1 of 6 Milton Mini Soother Sterilisers

| May 13, 2013 | 14 comments

Milton MiniCreated with mum in mind, the NEW Mini Portable Soother Steriliser by Milton is a small,  sterilising method specially designed to keep babies protected on-the-go.

Milton Mini Soother Sterilisers

Milton developed this stylish yet practical Mini to combat the challenge of cleaning a soother that has dropped on the ground. Harmful infections, such as Thrush, can be passed on to baby from Mum’s mouth by an unsterile soother! The new Mini will make this method of ‘cleaning’ a thing of the past, protecting baby from the spread of germs.

How does it work?
When used with Milton’s NEW Mini Milton Sterilising Tablets, the Milton Mini will kill bacteria and viruses in just 15 minutes, making it an essential part of every parent’s sterilising routine. The Mini keeps the soother sterile for 24 hours in the solution so you can always have a fresh soother to hand, no-longer requiring you to carry more than two when you are out and about.

Each Milton Mini comes with 10 FREE Mini Sterilising Tablets so you can just add water and you are ready to go! The NEW Mini Milton Sterilising Tablets are available in packs of 50, priced at £2.99

Milton sterilising tabletsMilton is effective against bacteria, including E-coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, MRSA and Clostridium difficile; Fungi such as Candida Albicans; Viruses such as Rotavirus, and is active on the H1N1 virus that causes influenza, including Swine Flu.

The Milton Mini is available in three fab colours – blue, green and purple. The stylish, lightweight and watertight design will provide a new safe home for your child’s soother that can simply be popped into your handbag or changing bag. It also has a useful Velcro strap to attach it to a pushchair.

Milton Mini Soother Sterilisers are available at all good Mother and Baby retailers, larger Boots, Sainsbury’s, Mothercare and Babies R Us stores nationwide and online, and also at www.kiddicare.com, priced at just £6.99 each.

To Win 1 0f 6 Milton Mini Soother Sterilisers you must Tweet This and Follow @TheBabyWebsite & @Milton_baby . You will get an additional entry if you comment below!

Tweet this    #Competition to Win 1 of 6 Milton Minis RT & Follow @TheBabyWebsite & @Milton_baby  http://bit.ly/13sr50J

Competition closes on May 21st 2013

Winners’ names will be posted on twitter & on our Twitter Winners List

Terms & Conditions for Twitter Competitions

Category: Competitions & Giveaways | Tags: , ,

Moroccan Spiced Lamb by Hello Fresh

| May 8, 2013 | No comments

Patrick Drake ChefWe’re all aware of the reports out in the past few days which highlight the fact that children who eat the same food as their parents rather than just ‘kids’ meals’ are far more likely to have healthy diets.
We’ve just been told about a home delivered recipe box service, HelloFresh.co.uk, which encourages parents and children to cook together. Now obviously it’s not something you might choose to do regularly because of the cost implications but it’s definitely something that would be a real time-saver and a treat for us Mums and Dads and we think children might like it too. Seeing the pictures of the recipes online and then the excitement of a box of ingredients being delivered…. The idea that they could create some of the dishes they’ve seen online – all of this may well turn your little one into a budding chef or at least someone who’s interested in making ‘nice’ food that they can enjoy eating!

Below is one of Hello Fresh’s most popular recipes and it beats frozen chicken nuggets any day.  I also thought you Mums might be interested in a pic of the recipe’s creator, Head Chef, Patrick Drake! (Personally I can’t decide which one pic looks the most appealing!)  Patrick who is also co-founder of HelloFresh.co.uk told us, “We’ve been hearing all sorts of stories that the nippers who venture into the kitchen from a young age to help their parents have a much greater curiosity for new foods and are more likely to eat more healthily as adults. With that in mind I’ve created a few recipes with a wee bit of child labour thrown in for good measure. This one is a total favourite as whilst you make the stew the little ones can get rolling the meatballs. If you are what you eat then we’re pretty sure this approach will create a nation of superheroes, which is always better than a Turkey Twizzler!”

Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Sweet Vegetable Stew

Moroccan Spiced LambReady in 45 Minutes

Ingredients
250g Lamb Mince
100g Cous Cous
⅓ Cup Red Onion, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Carrot, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Celery, Finely Diced
Half Cup Swede Roughly Chopped
Half Cup Parsnip Roughly Chopped
1 Tin Tomatoes
3 Dry Apricots
⅓ Cup Fresh Coriander
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Spring Onion
¼ Tsp All Spice
¼ Tsp Cumin
¼ Tsp Turmeric
⅛ Tsp Ginger
½ Chicken Stock Pot

Method
1. Chop the carrot, celery, garlic and onion as finely as possible. Tip: Whizz in a food processor if you have one. Peel and roughly chop (2cm cubes) the parsnip and the swede. Finely chop the spring onion and roughly chop the apricots
2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan on medium/low heat. Cook the finely diced carrot, celery, garlic and onion for about 8 minutes. Tip: You want to cook the mixture until it is soft and be sure not to let it brown off
3. Now add the swede and parsnip. Sprinkle on a ¼ tsp of salt with the turmeric and ginger. Add the chopped apricots, put a lid on a stew for 5 minutes more. When the veg has softened add the tomatoes, half the stock and a cup of water
4. For the meatballs, thoroughly mix the spring onions into the lamb. Mix in ½ teaspoon of salt, the all spice and the cumin. If your stew is drying out a little, turn the heat to low and add a dash of water
5. Take a tsp of the lamb mixture at a time and roll it into a little ball. Tip: Keep a cup of water to clean your fingers while you make the meatballs also you want to keep the meatballs small, so give your helpers a guide for the first one
6. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium/high heat. Cook the meatballs for a couple of minutes on each side until they are just browned off. When the meatballs are cooked drain the oil and rest them on kitchen towel if you have some
7. Boil 150ml of water with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Add in your cous cous and cover the pot tightly. Take the pot off the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Tip: Be exact with the amount of water to prevent soggy cous cous!
8. Roughly chop the coriander. Fluff up your cous cous with a fork. Stir the meatballs gently into the stew. Serve the stew on top of the cous cous with a sprinkle of coriander

Category: Food & Drink | Tags: , , , ,

Babysitting Advice for Peace of Mind

| May 2, 2013 | No comments

Francesca LiberatoreLeaving your baby with a new babysitter or nanny can be really stressful!

Being mum to a 19-month old I fully understand other parents’ anxiety leaving their child – I have had to go through it myself quite a few times – and so I thought I’d share some babysitting advice and babysitting tips with you.

Through running Granny and I, and my personal experience, I’ve learnt there are a few things you can do to make the experience a happy one for your child, and a stress-free one for you!

  •  Book your sitter 30 minutes to an hour before you are due to leave. That way you’ll have enough time to show her around your home, explain your child’s habits or routine, and watch how she interacts with your child.
  • Spend a little time with the babysitter and child before leaving; your words, actions and body language will show your child that you know and trust the babysitter, and they are more likely to be happy to stay with her.
  • If you’re really nervous and have never left baby with anyone unfamiliar, book one or two short ‘trials’, of 3 hours or so, during the day; that way, you can get to know the babysitter, see how she gets on with your child, and you’ll feel more confident leaving next timeGranny And I
  • Make sure you leave detailed instructions about your baby or child’s routine and exactly what you would like the sitter to do; you’ll avoid misunderstandings and feel more at ease leaving your child. Make sure you tell the sitter if your child has a comfort toy, blanket or dummy that usually helps to calm them if distressed.
  • Exchange phone numbers with the sitter so she can call you if needed, and you can let her know if you’re running late. You could also ask her to text you with updates.
  • Stay close to home the first time you book a sitter, so you can pop back and check on your child half way through if you feel the need.
  • Use an agency that carries out strict background checks, or carry out the checks yourself. It’s really important you feel you can trust the carer – so ask to see her CRB check, call up 3 of her referees, and interview her thoroughly in person.
  • Be patient. For some babies it will take a while to get used to a child-carer that is not you!  This is totally understandable, and you just need to give your child some time. Eventually they will see they are in safe hand
  • Bear in mind that often, once mum has left, the child is totally fine and happy! We only get to experience the distressed child as we leave, but very often this is not representative of the child’s experience with the carer.

We hope this helps!

Granny and Iby

Francesca Liberatore – Francesca founded babysitting agency Granny and I  with her mother in September 2012, after realising how important extended family is for parents with young children. Granny and I run a Granny babysitting service in London, and also an online meeting place of Grandmas and families around the UK. All their carers are experienced Grandmothers!

Have you got any Babysitting Tips you could share with us?

Category: Mum Stuff, The Kids | Tags: , , ,

Win Bio-Oil – #MySkinStory

| April 22, 2013 | One comment

Bio OIlTo celebrate the launch of Bio-Oil’s Skin Stories campaign, we’re giving 5 of you the chance to win a bottle of Bio-Oil!

As a nation we are so self-conscious about skin issues like scars and stretch marks, that we keep them bottled up and don’t even discuss them with our closest friends and family. So, to help women feel more confident about their skin, Bio-Oil is running a campaign to address these issues by encouraging you to share your Skin Stories on Facebook and Twitter. For every story shared, Bio-Oil will donate £1 to one of three charities – the British Skin Foundation, cancer support charity Look Good Feel Better and the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust, who provide funding for midwifery education, practice and research.

#SkinStoriesIf you’d like to get involved then you can submit your own Skin Story via our Facebook page https://apps.facebook.com/bio-oil-stories or on Twitter @Bio-OilUK using the hash tag #myskinstory .

Bio-Oil Giveaway

To Win 1 of 5 bottles of Bio Oil

Retweet this Tweet & Follow @TheBabyWebsite on Twitter .

We’ll give you extra chances to Win if you Follow TheBabyWebsite on Google + , Pinterest TheBabyWebsite and Like TheBabyWebsite Facebook Page

Our Twitter Competition Winners List

T & Cs for Twitter Competitions

Competition closes on May 2nd.

@charlotteanne39 @katylittlelady @leannes2405  @amummysview & @x_walter are the winners!

Category: Competitions & Giveaways | Tags: , , ,

Horrible Histories

| April 19, 2013 | One comment

Horrible Histories packHorrible Histories Egyptian and Roman Starter Set and a Egyptian and Roman Battle Pack

Tom, my seven year old, loves the series Horrible Histories and laughs uproariously at the various references to toilet habits, ridiculous deaths and the general nastiness that you find in this great series. When they released some toys based around this I was unsure how they would manage to capture the silliness of the series, and the first point to make is that initially the Egyptian and Roman Battle packs that we opened don’t have the in-yer-face humour that you’ll find on TV.

Horrible Histories Red BoxThe Horrible Histories Starter sets contain a relevant general (Julius Caesar, Ramesses), a few soldiers, a catapult, a few pigs to chuck at your enemy and a scoring spike. It’s only when you’ve set the game up that you understand how enjoyable it all is. We set up the Romans versus the Egyptians, started flinging our pigs and collecting heads from fallen soldiers.

It turned out to be a really fun game that both Tom and Harry, 4, enjoyed immensely. It reminded me of the games of toy soldiers that I would play way back in the 70s (using marbles as cannonballs) but the little touches like the pig catapult and the removable heads which could then be hoisted on spikes formed a connection to the series, which is nothing if not bloody! The inclusion of actual historical figures adds an educational touch that is fantastic, kicking off a whole series of chats about great historical events in our household. This is an easy game to set up and in an age of multi-media computer games and walking, talking dinosaurs it was nice to see such a new take on a tried and tested, relatively old-fashioned idea.Horrible Histories Egyptian Pack

Once you have the Horrible Histories Starter pack then the Battle pack just adds a bit more depth to your army, containing as it does a few more soldiers and leaders like Genghis Khan or William the Conqueror. It’s fun, it’s educational (Tom was fascinated by the story of Caesar) and the game itself is actually rather amusing too. We’ll definitely look to add to our crop of generals, soldiers and peasants in the near future and Tom put it succinctly when he said, ‘It’s like History but without the boring bits.’ That is exactly what Horrible Histories aims for and so I have to conclude that this is a roaring success.

Available from…

John Lewis
Amazon
Smyths

Category: Children's Toys & Games, Dave The Dad | Tags: , ,

Bowood House, Gardens & Tractor Ted’s Little Farm

| April 18, 2013 | No comments

A Perfect Family Day Out at Bowood House

A family day out was planned and Bowood House & Gardens was our destination.  Located between Calne and Chippenham in Derry Hill village it was a little over an hour from our house according to the Satnav. We were prepared with our wellies, a picnic and three very excited children and fingers crossed the weather man would be wrong.

DSC07827We arrived at Bowood House main entrance (Temple Gate) just as they opened at 11am after a very straight forward journey on well sign posted route and even on the drive through the gardens, it was impressive to see how the lawns were immaculately tendered and the budding florals – I would love to come back later in the year to see all the different colours.

DSC07817The staff were polite, they explained Bowood House’s grounds with a map and directed us to our first attraction, Tractor Ted’s Little Farm, which is new this year. As soon as my three excited children saw the mini farm, they all broke into a sprint to find their own tractor at the mini tractor track. From here they headed into Ted’s Barn. They saw pigs, calves, sheep with lambs, rabbits, guinea pigs & chicks and each area / pen had information and posters which were educational & informative. There was also an area to watch Tractor Ted’s real action farming films. My son who’s 6 years old took a shine to the chicks and even got close enough to stroke one – which put a big smile on his face. The staff were very helpful with answering questions and there was also a mini digger den where you could scoop play balls.

DSC07834Our next stop was the Adventure Playground and it was simply spectacular. One of the largest and most impressive ones I’ve ever seen and worth the entrance fee alone! I just wished I was under 12 years to go on it! The playground included a life-sized pirate ship, giant slides (of which we counted eleven), aerial rope-walks, trampolines and a scary space dive (death slide). Our older two children (5 & 6 year old) became totally absorbed and really surprised us with all they attempted and achieved. The aerial rope-walks linked the slides together and were about 25ft up… so not for the faint hearted, and I had to walk away to hide my fear. Thankfully there were scramble nets under everything just in case. This area was also manned by first aid staff members who wore distinctive red uniforms. The biggest shock was my son going on the wide vertical slide with a 19 foot vertical drop – madness! With all this temptation my youngest (3 years old) didn’t want to miss out so we found the Partridge Play Pen which was designed for the under 7’s. This included log bridges, swinging log steps, stepping stones and balancing beams. Her favourites were the large wooden wendy house, sea saw, trampolines & ball pool (this had open sides but under cover).  It was great to see my children thriving on having a great time playing out in the fresh air.

We had a quick lunch buying a much needed coffee & cake to go with our picnic eating this at one of the many picnic benches dotted around the grounds.

DSC07873We then pretended to be Ladies & Lords living in the historical Bowood House and its beautiful & fragranced garden terraces. There were many stone statues and water features. Water always being a big hit with my children but they became very interested with a particular lady bird doing back stroke….. Daddy with his lifesaving skills rescued it from the water after persistent pleas. We briefly visited the house which also had a restaurant (offering two course Sunday lunch but pre-booking is required) & gift shop.

As the weather looked like it would soon change we headed for the Soft Play Palace. It wasn’t too busy and our children had lots of fun running around and playing in the ball pool. This was also opposite another coffee shop but we resisted temptation on this occasion.

DSC07857

The day flew past with such fun and it was so refreshing for all to enjoy this beautiful location as a family and so many of its qualities. It really made up for the disappointment of poor weather in the Easter break! The feeling of spring in the air was just one more bonus. We will definitely return to Bowood House in the summer months and hopefully enjoy more of the grounds we missed this time. This is definitely somewhere I would recommend to my friends and family and I haven’t stopped raving about our day yet…..

Check out the Bowood House Website to see more information.

Bowood House opening times and ticket prices

Win some Tractor Ted Goodies

 

Category: Sian's Blogs, The Kids | Tags: , ,

Win A Poppy Cat Mystery Trail Adventure Pack

| April 15, 2013 | 39 comments

Poppy Cat CompetitionHow would you like to make yourself the most popular mum in Britain by winning a fab Poppy Cat Mystery Trail Adventure Pack?

Poppy Cat, the popular Nick Jr series, has teamed up with the UK’s leading conservation charity, the Woodland Trust, to launch outdoor adventure themed activity materials on www.visitwoods.org.uk from 19th April 2013.

And so to celebrate, we are offering one lucky person the chance to win Poppy Poppy CatCat activity materials  - Nick Jr crayons, character ABC cards and a branded Nick Jr umbrella, a Soft Talking Poppy Cat toy, a Poppy Cat wooden dominoes set, two new books from Poppy Cat including ‘Mystery Trail’ and ‘Birthday Treasure’ and a Poppy Cat 4-in-1 shaped puzzle.

 To Enter this Competition…..

1. Comment on this blog saying who you’d like to win the prize for and telling us your Twitter Name (if you have one).

2. Retweet the original Tweet. RETWEET THIS

3. Follow @TheBabyWebsite on Twitter

The competition closes on Friday April 26th at 5pm.

To support the Poppy Cat Woodland Trust partnership, Nick Jr. will air nature-themed Poppy Cat episodes every day from the 18th April at 7.15pm for two weeks.  There will also be loads of Poppy Cat fun at nickjr.co.uk.

Woodland Trust

Poppy Cat, starring the voice of Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page), is based on the award-winning books by Lara Jones. For more information on the Nick Jr pre-school series or the Woodland Trust Poppy Cat campaign, please visit www.poppycat.com / www.visitwoods.org.uk, or become a fan of Poppy Cat’s on Facebook (www.facebook.com/officialpoppycat) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/PoppyCat_).

Prizes are courtesy of Nick Jr, Golden Bear, Macmillan and Jumbo Games2013 Coolabi Productions Limited

@mrs_meep is the winner of the Poppy Cat Competition

Category: Competitions & Giveaways

Win Thomas and Friends DVD Special ‘Go Go Thomas!’

| March 22, 2013 | 39 comments

Go Go Thomas!If you have a little one who loves Thomas and Friends then how about trying to Win the new DVD Special ‘Go Go Thomas!’?

Go Go Thomas!

According to the ‘blurb’, in this Thomas & Friends DVD Special, “Thomas and his friends are charged up and ready to Go, Go! Thomas shows Gordon that being quick is as useful as being strong, while Flynn, the fire engine, learns to put pride aside and race to the rescue. Thomas causes a bit of bother trying to be a model engine for a new photographer and he heads off to Misty Island to help fix Ol’ Wheezy. Will the number one blue engine be on track and on time? Ready, Set… Go, Go Thomas!” Phew I’m exhausted after that!!

Go Go THomas

So if you think your little one or ones would like to Win this new Thomas & Friends DVD Special Go Go Thomas, then………

1.Comment on this Post (tell us your Twitter name and who you’d like to win the dvd for)

2. Retweet This Tweet

3. Follow TheBabyWebsite on Twitter

Terms and Conditions for this Twitter Competition

Twitter Winners’ Page

Competition closes on Tuesday April 2nd

@JulieMRB and @seldalondon have now been announced as the winners of this competition!

Category: Competitions & Giveaways | Tags: , ,

The Two Week Wait by Sarah Rayner

| March 21, 2013 | No comments

The Two Week WaitI just finished reading The Two Week Wait by Sarah Rayner. It’s a book well worth reading although there’s a fair chance, if you’re like me that, you’ll end up in tears!

Without giving too much away, it’s about two women who although they don’t know each other, will be forever connected, even indebted, to each other. In a nutshell, they both want a baby but one is infertile and the other hasn’t got a partner. Part of the story is set in a very colourful, vibrant Brighton where Lou’s other half has to decide if she wants a babywith Lou. Cath and her husband Rich live in Yorkshire and although Cath is desperate for a child, Rich feels she’s gone through enough after her cancer treatment.

The The Two Week Wait by Sarah Rayner is a real page-turner and I for one will be looking out for Sarah’s other books.

Category: Books | Tags: , ,

Valentine’s Day Gifts

| February 11, 2013 | Comments Off

For romantic Valentine’s Day Gifts or maybe just a treat for all you ladies, I’ve been searching the web to bring you some different ideas (with hearts and flowers in mind).

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I love personal and home made items and especially love this fused glass & wood set by Claire Waters. Each piece created is unique and hand crafted by herself. The timber used for frame work and bases are from a local timber merchant using traditional British timbers. Look at Claire Waters products online .

 

70211bu

 

 

Jewellery is always a romantic Valentine  contender. Without knowing a ring size you can feel sure this will be a winner. Blooms of sterling silver dangle from beautiful blue lace agate beads to create a Gypsy Rose bracelet. Matching items are available from Kit Heath.

 

 

11965_003

 

 

Why not set the tone with this chic cream trinket box. This is a handmade box with a weave heart detail to the top ideal for keeping those special pieces safe.
Available in store and online from Pia Jewellery.

 

 

12_6_signature_gift_box

 

Not too naughty but very nice Strawberry Signature Selection Gift Box. Twelve large, fresh strawberries hand dipped in a variety of dark, milk and white chocolate designs and presented in a distinctive gift box by Berry Scrumptious. Freya___Duck_Egg_5108145b94b66

 

 

Finally a lady can never have enough of these…. a quality leather handbag. The Freya Mini Tote is the perfectly sized every day bag uniquely designed by Oushka. This versatile bag has a removable inner lining section with a secure zip fastening to the top, this can easily be removed from the bag to give more space for documents or a Netbook. This stylish little tote has a beautiful punch-out panel design and a versatile removable shoulder strap and finished with light gold hardware.

Category: Gifts, Shopping and About Town, Sian's Blogs | Tags: , , , ,
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