World Breast/ChestFeeding Week

World Breast/Chestfeeding week was always going to throw up some emotions, but I (Steph) want to mark it with a reflection of our personal journey and some things I’ve noticed on our breast/chestfeeding journey so far.

I sit here looking back on our breast/chestfeeding journey so far, wondering how I’ve managed nearly 12 months of feeding Alice. Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a massive advocate of breast/chestfeeding. Even before I got pregnant, I knew that as long as it was safe to do so, I’d breastfeed for as long as possible.

Has it been easy? No, and if anything, far from it. I’ve only gotten this far because Alex has been my biggest cheerleader from the get-go. Even when someone tried to give Alice formula after she was born, he made it clear she was being breastfed. Whilst I was pregnant, I had conflicting info to fight, my neuro team at St George’s told me I had to breastfeed or express for a minimum of 6 months or risk Alice going into baclofen withdrawal, whilst others told me it would be impossible due to several factors including my hormone levels (joys of high testosterone!). I’ve had to deal with some pretty unsupportive and frankly awful comments about how I choose to feed Alice, but knowing I’ve got loads of support around me has seen me through those times. Even with my EDS and despite the misinformation around testosterone levels and feeding, we have somehow managed it!

Did you know that WHO recommends exclusive breast/chestfeeding to 6 months and then continuing to feed alongside solids until at least 2 years old!? So that 2 years is something I’m aiming for. But my personal experience of breastfeeding in a country with one of the lowest levels of breastfeeding in the world made me realise why so many don’t do this.

Breast/chestfeeding parents have a massive lack of support. We were extremely fortunate to have had a fantastic team of people around us who supported me in initiating breastfeeding and have continued to be a huge help when the goings got tough. Alice stopped breathing during her first ever feed. Most people would’ve given up at that point. Thankfully, Alex, my dad, the nurses in NICU at Frimley, and several midwives (you all know who you are) sat with me and helped me through those first weeks where every single feed, I was scared Alice would stop breathing again. Our health visitor has been nothing but incredible, too (I know HV’s; I usually get the stick, so we’ve been lucky!).

The NHS pushes the ‘breast is best’ mantra but doesn’t offer support when needed most. Lactation consultants are either very expensive or not in your area (tip: find a breastfeeding hub, there are a few in NE Hampshire/Surrey that I know of and have personally used who have some fantastic counsellors!). Additionally, god forbid the breast/chestfeeding parent needs to go to the hospital – I’ve personally had to refuse to be admitted because the hospital wouldn’t let Alice be fed on the ward after letting me feed her in a&e with no issues! And don’t get me started on the lack of services for disabled parents/LGBTQIA+ parents etc.!

If there could be some positive things that come from World Breastfeeding Week, it would be for there to be more support for those who want to breast/chest feed their little ones, and for the NHS to offer lactation consultants/information and support on expressing/pumping for all parents (not just those in NICU), SNS feeding options etc. rather than making parents feel like a total failure and forcing them onto formula! Even better would be for the NHS to start supporting non-birthing parents who want to initiate breast/chestfeeding – it can and has been done!

a selfie of Steph, a white female with light brown hair wearing a back top with Alice on her feeding in the bottom left corner.

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Our First Pride Month As Parents

As Pride Month draws to a close, let this first be a reminder that we, the LGBTQIA+ community, exist. We always have, and we always will. Secondly, let this also be a reminder that active allyship matters year-round and not just for the month of June. Disgustingly, but not surprisingly, too many companies rainbow wash their western social media accounts and physical premises whilst doing nothing to support the LGBTQIA+ community in parts of the world where simply living life as your authentic self could get you imprisoned or, worse still, killed.

Last Pride month, we were patiently awaiting our little baby’s arrival. This Pride month has been our first as parents. Looking back, it’s interesting to see how being parents has slightly changed how we mark Pride Month. For us, Pride has, and always will be, a protest. Our rights are still being attacked, our right to live, our right to be our authentic selves. So this month, we’ve been looking at who shows active allyship year-round and who is only doing it for June (not cool, in case you’re wondering).

We’ve also been getting Alice involved in seeing some of the various installations near us, and with Pride In London being this weekend, we are excited to be taking her on her first Pride parade with friends from football (look out for the Chelsea Pride bus!). Alice might still be a baby, but for us, getting her involved and giving her the understanding of why Pride is needed, the history and the work that is still yet to be complete is super important to us as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Just like no child is born racist, no child is born homophobic, biphobic, transphobic or interphobic. Children learn from the environment that they’re brought up in, so bringing Alice up around diversity, inclusion, and equality is a must.

Another thing we’re planning to do with Alice is to take a photo of her each June for Pride with the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, which was designed last year by the wonderful Valentino Vecchietti. With Alex being trans and me (Steph) being intersex, this flag really does represent us. All too often, the trans and intersex communities are forgotten about when people talk about issues the LGBTQIA+ community face, so to see both of our community’s flags on the new design gives us some hope for the future that people will be more inclusive in their language and conversations. Alice will grow up to be a very active ally at the very least, so it will be great to be able to show her how she’s growing up around Pride and how we mark it each year. If you haven’t guessed already, Alex and I are very sentimental and prefer to take photos and videos to capture experiences rather than buying things which will only cause clutter. However, there are some things we’ve brought to show Alice when she’s older, including our friend AJ Silver’s book, Supporting Queer Birth, for which I was very honoured to be interviewed whilst pregnant with Alice. Being able to share my lived experience as an intersex person who has had many dealings with perinatal care (both negative and positive) is so important because we’re very rarely heard. It’s also why Alex and I were honoured to be part of The Positive Birth Company’s #ProudParent campaign last year.

Well, that’s how we’ve marked Pride month; quieter than we originally planned for various reasons, but as we always say – Pride is every day and not just for June! Allies show up every day of the year, call people out and pull them up on their language and behaviour when needed. So don’t let comments slide. We should be well past that now!

Finally, one last thing. This year’s world cup is being played in a country where it is illegal to simply be your authentic self if you’re LGBTQIA+, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg since Qatar abuse numerous human rights. So remember that when you see FIFA promoting equality, inclusion and diversity because if they genuinely cared, the world cup wouldn’t be held in a place where it is so unsafe for so many people.

Alice, a white baby with brown hair is wearing a rainbow coloured vest with white long sleeved vest underneath and dark blue jeans. She is sat on an Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag and holding her hair in one of her hands.
Alice sitting on her Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag

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Things I’ve Learnt As A Parent With EDS

May is here! The warmer weather has arrived, and summer is just around the corner, but May also happens to be EDS and HSD Awareness Month! As promised in my Instagram post at the beginning of the month, I plan to do a few blog posts around EDS Awareness month and how my EDS has affected me, especially as a new parent! I was hoping to have the first of these posts up sooner. However, both Alice and I have been ill, so it’s been somewhat challenging to write up the posts as Alice is extremely clingy when sick, and I’ve been rather tired, no thanks to my asthma! My uncle on my dad’s side also sadly passed away rather unexpectedly, so we’re also dealing with the aftermath of that.

Being a parent with any of the different Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes or HSD is something else! Although I’ll admit, I’m on the more extreme end of how my EDS affects me; my joints dislocate multiple times a day, and the chronic pain is at times unbearable. I also have stretchy and fragile skin, which Alice now has a thing for pinching and pulling – definitely not fun! With this in mind, my hand therapist has worked extremely hard to find splinting methods which work for me to at least protect my thumbs, wrists and hand joints from dislocation. As well as a variety of splints made by my therapist at the hospital, I also use the Aircast wrist splints with thumb spica when playing with Alice as I don’t like to wear my soft casts around her as they’re pretty scratchy on her skin! Unfortunately, my other joints are still dislocating on multiple occasions during the day, especially as Alice is now climbing over me, but I’m slowly working on managing them! 

Another thing I’ve come to realise is that EDS makes doing some tasks so much harder! For example, nappies? Once your little one is more active, forget it and get pull-ups! They’re much easier to get on and off as you can stand little one up to stop them wiggling around and rolling away from you. A little tip if you’re using Pampers like us, you can get free packs by scanning the codes inside the packs of nappies and nappy pants into the Pampers Club App! Another annoying task that’s harder is getting jars and lids off, so I suggest you get a jar and lid opener, or you’re asking for either a subluxation or dislocation of several joints! 

As well as needing different splints when playing and interacting with your little one, you may want to invest in a protective play mat such as the ones that Munchkin And Bear do. We got ours as it’s made of memory foam and protects Alice from bumps whilst giving me some more joint protection! The mat is also highly durable, and I can easily roll over it in my wheelchair. When it comes to cleaning the play mat, we use Clenill wipes at the beginning and end of each day, plus whenever there are little messes made! Another perk of these mats is that they’re double-sided, so you can change up your space’s design with the flip of the mat! 

Other things I’ve learned are more to do with being a wheelchair user and a parent. For example, I knew that feeding would be hard as I couldn’t get close enough to high chairs. Luckily, doing baby-led weaning with Alice has paid off big time! Not only does Alice adore food, but it’s also meant I haven’t had any high-chair fights! So instead, I use the Mamas And Papas snug seat on the dining table with the activity tray detached for mealtimes. As we all eat together and Alice is never left alone, it’s a pretty safe method for us, especially as I can get under the table with my wheelchair! 

Another thing is that trying to go anywhere with both a pushchair and a wheelchair is very difficult to do independently! But, thanks to a lot of practice, I can push Alice and myself on flat ground if my joints are having a good moment. However, uneven ground or bad joint moments are a no-go! This is also why I’m hoping to be able to either get an electric wheelchair or a power attachment soon so that I can do more things with Alice independently. This is especially important now as once I’ve got a car sorted, I’ll finally be driving again! However, the only reason I can do things with Alice outside of the house is because of the pushchair we brought, which I’ll be doing a whole blog post on. I’m aiming for that to be out later this week, so keep an eye out! 

Do you have EDS or HSD? What did you learn on your parenting journey? Comment below or on our TikTok video/Instagram reel which shows some of the products I’ve mentioned in this post!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

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What’s What At Baby & Toddler Show South East

Just a mere few weeks after The Baby Show came and went, Baby & Toddler Show South East has come around! This weekend, the show will be held at Sandown Park near Esher, and it is great to catch up on brands you may have missed and discover new brands that may not exhibit at other shows. Once again, Alex was flying, so my dad had another day out with Alice and me. My dad once worked at Sandown Park, so for him, it was a day of reminiscing and catching up with ex-colleagues whilst Alice and I went on the hunt to bring you up to speed on what’s what at Baby & Toddler Show South East this time around.

Getting To The Show:

With the show being held at Sandown Park, there is plenty of parking! However, if you prefer to travel by public transport like us, there are options! Buses from Kingston, Walton-On-Thames and other areas stop either outside Sandown park itself or a short walk away in Esher High Street. In addition, Esher train station is a 10-minute walk from the racecourse. 

At The Show:

Once you’re through the entrance and upstairs, pick up your goodie bag from Pura, one of the show sponsors. It contains a handy pack of biodegradable wipes and some hand sanitiser! There are plenty of eating options at the show, although we decided to bring our own food to keep Alice safe due to her allergies. The show also has a baby changing and breastfeeding area. But, a significant oversight on the show’s part is that there is no lift access and whilst the show has provided someone to help lift pushchairs up, it means disabled parents like myself weren’t able to use the baby-changing or breastfeeding area at all. Thankfully, I’m happy to breastfeed in public, but not all people who breast/chestfeed are! Unfortunately, it also means that disabled parents can’t take advantage of trying out Pura’s nappies for free. 

Photo of the contents of the Pura goodie bag. In the photo is a white plastic bag with light green leaf pattern on, with Pura written in dark blue. There is also some additional text in white on a dark blue background. On top of the bag is a bottle of hand sanitiser, a leaflet with discounts on and a pack of Pura baby wipes in light green and cream packaging with darker green leaves on.
Pura goodie bag

Must-visit Brands: 

Like other baby shows, nearly all of the brands at Baby & Toddler Show are offering discounts and doing special show only bundles no matter their size. We have used some of the brands personally already, and some we’ve only just discovered at Baby & Toddler Show, but we will be ordering if we haven’t already brought from those brands. 

MAM: 

Although Alice is breast/chestfed, we use a range of MAM products, including the soothers (their night range glow in the dark, making finding soothers so much easier in the wee hours) and the bottles when Alice has expressed milk. There are some fantastic show offers, including soothers from £4.50, Bottle accessories from £4.50 and huge savings on pumps. MAM also have their experts snd the MAM midwives at the show on hand to answer specific questions about their products. 

Munchkin & Bear:

We only discovered this brand a month ago at ExCel, so we were delighted to catch up with them! Alice has had the round mat in the emerald green botanical print at home for a couple of weeks now and adores it. When we first tried her on one of the playmats, she couldn’t sit by herself, so it was great to pop her down so that she could show off her new skill to everyone! The mats are reversible (Alice’s mat at home has a speckled grey pattern on the reverse), waterproof, wheelchair-user friendly, and can simply be wiped down with alcohol and bleach-free wipes (Clinell wipes are suitable for this!). They come in 3 sizes, and Munchkin & Bear offers a show discount on all of them. 

Alice, a white baby with brown hair is sat playing on a multicoloured striped patterned play mat with a pink, purple and green rattle which has a character on at the bottom. Alice is wearing a dark blue jacket, white tights with pink detailing on the heel and toes and a multicoloured dress. Alice also has a blue coloured soother in her mouth.
Modelling the Munchkin & Bear play mat!

Cybex:

Again, Cybex is a brand we’ve used from birth, as Alice happens to have two of their infant carriers. The Aton m I-Size and the Cloud Z I-Size infant carriers fit onto the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 pushchair for convenience via adapters. The L.S.P. side impact system on the car seats is also a big plus as it enhances little ones’ safety in the car. However, one of the Cloud z’s features over the Aton M is that it can lay flat in pram mode, something to consider if you’re likely to be doing many short trips using Uber or taxis. 

Snuz:

If you have followed us for a while, you’ll know Alice sleeps in a SnuzPod co-sleeper, and we use the Snuz Pouch and other products in the Snuz range. There are some fantastic offers over the show, including bundles with the SnuzPod.  

Dumforter: 

A brand extremely local to us, we found out about this beautiful creation through both our local NICU and a local craft collective that showcases local goods. The Dumforter is a soother and comforter in one product which also has a teething function to help little ones when their teeth come through! There are several designs, and whilst Alice loves the Zsa Zsa Zebra one, we picked up the Rosie Rabbit design at the show! 

Ubere Mama: 

If, like me, you’re breastfeeding, then you’ll know that trying to find breastfeeding friendly clothes is a mission! Ubere Mama is showing some of their designs at the Baby & Toddler Show, and some of them are beautiful indeed! All of their designs are breastfeeding friendly, with zips on the hoodies, tops and dresses, and clips on the vests. The vests can also be worn without a bra underneath, which is excellent as it means you don’t have to faff around with multiple clips when the baby is hungry! In addition, all of the clothes are designed and manufactured in the UK for the sustainable minded amongst us. I will be doing a blog post on this brand, looking at some of the designs in more detail, so please keep an eye out! 

Sadly, some brands aren’t at the Baby & Toddler Show. Bugaboo and Ergobaby are the two biggest ones that people will miss from the show. We use products from both of these brands, and they have features on some products which are extremely useful for disabled parents. It’s sad to not see them there, but hopefully, they’ll be back in the future! 

One other thing to add is if you’re bringing your little ones and want to get a photo of them at their first racecourse for their memory book, the doors going out to the parade ring are open. It makes for a great little photo spot!

Steph, a white woman with brown hair is wearing a burgundy coloured dress with light pink, red and black floral patterning on. She is sat in her grey and black wheelchair with purple accents holding Alice, a white baby with brown hair who is wearing a dark blue jacket, white tights with pink detailing on the heel and toes and a multicoloured dress. Behind them in Sandown Park's parade ring.
Steph And Alice with the parade ring behind them

Are you going to the Baby & Toddler Show this weekend? Share your favourite moments, brands and tips with others in the comments! 

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid–for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

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The Lowdown On Baby Show London 2022

I can’t believe we’re actually saying this, but The Baby Show is finally back as an actual event in London this weekend at ExCel! No longer are we tuning into virtual talks from the comfort of home, as we can now try out products once again for ourselves before committing to buy! With Alex flying today, my dad came with Alice and me for the trip to London so we could give you the lowdown on what to expect at The Baby Show this weekend. 

Getting to the show: 

The best way to The Baby Show is by public transport. Not only is The ExCel well served by the DLR, with both Custom House and Prince Regent in easy reach. If you’re coming from central London, take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich and take the Emirates cable car across The Thames for £3 each way (under 5’s free) on the production of tickets or the email to show that you’re going to ExCel London for the event. If you don’t fancy the tube, take the Uber Boat from central London to North Greenwich instead for a different view of London. It’s incredible to compare the sights from the river and then the cable car either before or after, and Alice loved her first boat ride! 

Steph, a white woman with her brown and blonde hair in a ponytail is sat down wearing a blue jumper whilst holding Alice, a white baby with brown hair who is wearing a cream pram suit who is fascinated by the view. They are on the cable car going across the Thames!
On the cable car!

If you do need to drive in, the ExCel has plenty of car parking, and you can even drop your bags and pick them up when ready to leave. However you decide to travel, don’t forget to download your COVID pass before you make your way to the show, as you’ll need this to gain entry. 

At The Show

Once you’re inside The Baby Show, there is a lot to discover! The Made For Mums testing track is back, so you can try out different pushchairs. In addition, there are various other must-visit areas, including the baby changing area sponsored by Lidl, which features free wipes, nappies and other products from their Lupilu range. There’s also the baby feeding cafe with baby food samples from For Aisha. If your little one is allergic to dairy, soy or egg, I highly suggest trying this brand. You can pick up a range of samples to take home with you too! We will be trying out this brand with Alice, so keep an eye out on our Instagram to see how we get on. For Aisha are also running a competition on their stand, which can be found at C50! The cafe also has a quiet breastfeeding area for more privacy. 

Steph, a white woman with her brown and blonde hair in a ponytail is sat in her wheelchair wearing a blue jumper, black trousers and hand splints whilst holding Alice, a white baby with brown hair who is wearing a dark blue floral top with light blue jeans. Behind them is a green tent with a large grey cuddly toy by it. Behind on the wall is a false window with pink curtains.
Inside the changing area
A photo of a baby foodprep area with microwave, prep machine, bottle warmer and cups with pink and purple spoons in. Above is a shelf with various coloured bowls and pouches containing meals for babies.
Baby feeding cafe featuring For Aisha meals and pouches!

Must-Visit Brands

Nearly all of the brands at The Baby Show are offering discounts and doing special show only bundles no matter their size. We have used some of the brands personally already, and some we’ve only just discovered at The Baby Show, but we will be ordering if we haven’t already brought from those brands. 

MAM Baby (B72): 

Although Alice is breast/chestfed, we use a range of MAM products, including the soothers (their night range glow in the dark, making finding soothers so much easier in the wee hours) and the bottles when Alice has expressed milk. There are some fantastic show offers, including soothers from £4.50, Bottle accessories from £4.50 and huge savings on pumps. MAM is also offering 1 to 1 appointments with their experts at the show. 

Photo of various MAM soothers and dummy clips on their stand.
Soothers on the MAM Baby stand

Muchkin & Bear (C44): 

We’ve been looking at playmats for a few weeks now as Alice is starting the outgrow the play gym. Being a wheelchair user, we need a tough mat that can be easily stored or take a good bashing from the constant rolling over and, of course, is suitable for Alice! We got to try the large mat at the show, and Alice absolutely adored it. We just need to decide which colour combination we want (the mats are doubled sided), and then we’ll be ordering over the weekend! 

Alice, a white baby with brown hair wearing a dark blue long sleeved top with floral patterning on is laying on her tummy whilst holing her head up on a grey and cream striped play mat. In front of Alice is a bright green toy with a blue tree on.
Play time!

Snuz (E20, E50, E60, E80): If you have followed us for a while, then you’ll know Alice sleeps in a SnuzPod co-sleeper, and we use the Snuz Pouch and other products in the Snuz range. There are some fantastic offers over the show, including bundles with the SnuzPod.  

Ella Bella’s C41: When Alice had a sock emergency, this gorgeous brand came to the rescue! Not only did we leave with a pair of adorable socks with pom-poms on (they also do bow styles), we also picked up some booties that can tighten, making it more difficult for little ones to kick them off! 

photo of Alice, a white baby with brown hair who is wearing a dark blue floral top with light blue jeans and white socks with pom poms on being held by a person wearing a black leather jacket. They are on the cable car.
Alice showing off the pom pom socks!

Mima Accessories (B11): While Alice doesn’t like to keep headbands on (hence why we don’t have an extensive collection), that hasn’t stopped us from starting a hair accessories collection! We picked up 3 bows from their 3 for £5 bowl, and there are also other various offers on accessories from the brand. Mima Accessories happens to be the newest range from Mima Interiors, and products from the interiors range can also be found on their stand at The Baby Show. 

Cybex (E20, E50, E60, E80): Cybex again is a brand we’ve used from birth as Alice happens to have two of their infant carriers. Both the Aton m I-Size and Cloud Z I-Size infant carriers fit onto the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 pushchair for convenience via adapters. The L.S.P. side impact system on the car seats is also a big plus as it enhances little ones’ safety in the car. However, one feature that the Cloud z has over the Aton M is that it can lay flat in pram mode, something to consider if you’re likely to be doing many short trips using Uber or taxis. 

The Positive Birth Company (C39): Whilst we didn’t find out these lovelies were at the show until after we left, we had to give them a shoutout once we knew that they are indeed at The Baby Show this weekend! We were honoured to be part of their #ProudParent campaign last year, and the courses that The Positive Birth company offer are second to none! The Positive Birth Company also have an Amazon Alexa skill which I loved using during my pregnancy to relax and keep the positive vibes going when the going got tough! 

Some brands sadly aren’t at The Baby Show this time around. Bugaboo and Ergobaby are the two biggest ones that people will miss from the show. We use products from both of these brands, and they have features on some products which are extremely useful for disabled parents. It’s sad to not see them there, but hopefully, they’ll be back in the future! 

Are you going to The Baby Show this weekend? Share your favourite moments, brands and tips with others in the comments! 

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Why Children Need To Learn About LGBTQ+ History

With LGBT History Month almost over, we’ve only just realised that we didn’t do a blog post. However, that doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing anything in real life since we decided that we’d use this month to do a bit of learning ourselves. In particular, we wanted to know more about our ancestors and the fight they had to give us the freedoms which the LGBTQIA+ community has today, to help us in our fight to make the world a safer place for our community as a whole, especially as 71 countries still criminalise same-sex relationships with 11 of those imposing the death penalty and it doesn’t stop there. In 2022, it’s illegal to be transgender in 15 countries. Those numbers are a stark reminder of how lucky we are in the UK that, at least legally, we can be our authentic selves.

However, it doesn’t end there. Just because it’s legal to be who you are, doesn’t necessarily mean safety. As the community knows, attacks against LGBTQIA+ people are heartbreakingly on the rise again, with homophobic hate crimes tripling and transphobic hate crime quadrupling in the UK since 2015. Those stats are scary, especially being LGBTQIA+ and parents. As a community, we’re still feeling the effects of section 28, despite it being repelled in 2003, and it wasn’t until 2020 that schools in the UK were required to teach pupils about LGBTQ+ relationships and identities.

Children need to be brought up to respect, include and accept. People say that no one is born racist, which is true. It’s also true that no one is born homophobic, biphobic, transphobic or interphobic. However, what is heard at home spills out, so it’s vital for parents and carers to teach children to accept and respect others, no matter their differences so that the generations that follow us don’t have to experience the hatred that many LGBTQIA+ people have. Therefore, children need to learn about the history of the LGBTQIA+ community, and there is a wealth of information and resources at parents’ fingertips.

Even though Alice is only 6 months, we’ve started to teach about differences already by using reading time with age-appropriate books. For example, Books like Aaaarrgghh! spider! and Perfectly Norman celebrate differences and teach children to accept each other’s differences no matter what they may be, whilst Super Duper You also challenges gender stereotypes at the same time. When exploring different families, Love Makes a Family is an excellent book to show children that families come in many shapes and forms and that some children have two mums or two dads, one parent or one of each.

Of course, you can also introduce the conversation around differences through play. For example, using they/them pronouns for characters to help children learn about non-binary identities and present different types of families when playing with dolls or character-based games. This will help children learn about inclusion and acceptance and the need to respect all people without even realising it. For older children, many video games are introducing LGBTQIA+ characters into their lineup. There’s also plenty of content out there, from content creators on YouTube to films and documentaries on various streaming platforms. So, as you can see, whatever way you wish to introduce new topics and conversations to your children, there are plenty of resources out there to support your and your child/rens learning. By introducing these conversations, you’re then building the foundation for children to learn about the history of the LGBTQIA+ community, which is essential for children to understand why acceptance and respect for others are so important.

Have you found any good films, videos, books or other resources to help teach your children about acceptance of others? Share them below to help others!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

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Boosting Milk Supply When Your Baby Has CMPA

Growing up, both Alex and I have had our fair share of allergic reactions. Even as an adult, the list just keeps increasing in length for me whilst Alex’s has thankfully just stayed at one (throat sweets, would you believe). Whilst a family history of allergies can increase your child’s risk of developing allergies themselves, exclusive breast/chestfeeding may help prevent asthma, eczema and allergies in high-risk children. So, imagine my shock when we were told that I had to cut all dairy when Alice was just a few weeks old. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it), I knew all about milk allergy as I’ve had lactose intolerance since I was 12. Because of this, until Lactofree and lactase enzyme capsules came onto the market, I was stuck trying to live with using soya milk (yuck!) or deal with the consequences of having milk (not the best idea either). 

Alice’s diagnosis of CMPA (short for Cows Milk Protein Allergy) came as a bit of a shock. Still, thankfully I’ve adjusted really well, especially as I tend to use almond and coconut milk anyway. However, as Alice has an immediate reaction to milk products and other problems with her weight, we’re under a dietitian at the hospital who has just been incredible. Not only have we been on a milk-free weaning workshop, but we’ve also been given information leaflets on everything we need to do to help Alice move safely onto food until her body no longer reacts to milk. But one thing no one talks to you about when you’re breast/chestfeeding is that increasing milk supply when on a dairy-free diet is something that can get a bit tricky.

Most people have heard of the feed every so often advice to increase milk supply, but on top of that is also a whole market for lactation products that claim to help boost milk supply. Unfortunately, most of these contain milk; however, there are a few dairy-free products, so I decided to put them to the test! I power pump in the mornings anyway, which helps keep my supply going for Alice, but I have added the following products into my diet: 

1. Boobbix:

Most people in the lactation world will have heard of Boobbix. They’ve won countless awards, have been featured in parenting magazines, in various social media posts and are seen as some sort of magic cure for all milk-supply issues! Whilst most of the range isn’t suitable for those allergic to dairy or those who are breast/chestfeeding CMPA babies, there are a few products that you can use from the range: 

  • Boobbix Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: This was the first product I tried from the Boobbix range and is the one I adore the most! Not only do they taste amazing, but the concoction of fenugreek, brewer’s yeast, oats and flaxseed have definitely helped in further increasing milk supply on top of power-pumping and pumping after feeding Alice. I tend to have 1 or 2 a day, depending on what else I have to eat that day. 
  • Boobbix Hot Chocolate Powder: The hot chocolate powders are the only products in the range that can be consumed whilst pregnant as it doesn’t contain fenugreek. If I’d known that before I had Alice, a pack of hot chocolate powder would’ve been going into my hospital bag! The hot chocolate does have a bit of an aftertaste which takes a little getting used to, but once you’re past that stage, it’s like a little hug in a mug full of goodness for your milk supply! Bit of tip if you’re consuming this a night, though – make sure you have pads or catches on to catch any leaks! 
A photo of a white mug with a slice of pizza on and the words ,you'll always have a pizza my heart, in black writing on the front containing hot chocolate is on a grey kitchen worktop. There is a white, pink and purple bag behind the mug with the words 'boobbix boobie drinks let the milk flow' on.
A hug in a mug – Boobbix Hot Chocolate!
  • Boobbix Granola: Like the cookies, the granola contains fenugreek, oats, flaxseed and oats. All the flavours are dairy-free and go with everything from coconut milk to yoghurt, and it is even good for a tasty snack on the go! The only flavour I’m yet to try is the maple and pecan one which I’m hoping will be back in stock soon as I’m a big fan of anything that has pecans in. 
Image shows a white bowl with granola and a milk alternative in on a black worktop. Behind the bowl is a white, pink and purple bag with an image of granola on and the words 'boobbix boobie granola let the milk flow' on. Next to the bag is a white Alpro coconut and almond milk container with images of almonds and coconut on.
One of the ways I have my granola!

The other thing I love about Boobbix is that they have made it very clear on their products that they don’t replace frequently feeding on both sides and pumping before, during or after feeds. Instead, their products are merely an aid to help in increasing milk supply on top of the usual things you should be doing, but in my experience, they definitely work. Before using Boobbix, I was lucky to get 3 ounces of milk over a 1-hour power pumping session; I now get anywhere from 5 to 8 ounces over the same time.  

2. HOTTEA Mama Milk’s Up! tea: 

If you’re a tea lover, this is another good product to try, especially if you don’t want the calories that come with cookies (just make sure that you’re getting enough calories in your diet as breast/chestfeeding exclusive burns around 500 calories a day!). Not only is the tea is caffeine-free, which is great if you’re trying to limit your caffeine intake, but it’s full of ingredients known to aid milk supply, such as fenugreek seed, anise, nettle leaf, lemon verbena and rosemary. I tend to have a cup of this either in the morning with breakfast or mid-morning if I’ve had a coffee with breakfast instead. 

Image is of a white mug containing tea is on a black worktop. to the left of the mug is a blue and purple box containing hot tea mamas milks up teabags.
HOTTEA Mama Milk’s Up!

3. Fenugreek Capsules:

If the idea of using food and drink doesn’t suit you, or you’ve tried that route, but nothing seems to work even when doing things like power-pumping, then fenugreek capsules could be the answer. I used these temporarily when Alice was really poorly in hospital, which almost killed off my milk supply (thanks to stress!), but I quickly got onto cookies and tea, which suited Alice and me much better. However, whilst fenugreek capsules definitely helped my supply, they had one very undesirable side effect on both Alice and me – gas! Unfortunately, it’s a well-known side effect which is why it’s advised to limit the amount of fenugreek in your diet to avoid it. However, if you can get past that, then it’s definitely an option! 

Like the creators of Boobbix say, no product can ever replace frequent feeding, correct positioning and regular pumping to maintain milk supply. Lactation products are merely aids to help with increasing supply on top of already doing these things, but they can definitely be a solution! 

Do you have a go-to product that helps your milk supply? Let us know in the comments to help others who need some guidance on what is available! 

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Christmas Gifts: Last Minute Gift Ideas For Babies 6-12 Months

If you haven’t been following the blog the last few weeks, then you’ll be pleased to know that recently we’ve posted several Christmas gift guides for foodies, parents-to-be, new parents, those who are breast/chestfeeding and yesterday, we posted a last-minute gift guide for babies ages 0-6 months. So to finish off our 2021 Christmas gift guides, we’ll be sharing our last-minute gift ideas for babies aged 6-12 months in this post. All of the following ideas are gifts that Alice is getting for Christmas, except the booster seat, which we purchased before Alice’s arrival! So without further ado, let’s start the final guide for this year! 

That’s Not My Dinosaur Gift Set:

Fluffy toy? Check. Interactive book? Check. If you want to gift the gift of getting a little one to love books from a very early age, then Usbourne’s range of interactive books from its That’s Not My series are a great place to start! Each page of the That’s Not My Dinosaur book has textured areas for little ones to explore and develop sensory awareness, on top of the language awareness that reading from a young age brings. The That’s Not My Dinosaur gift set also comes with a cuddly purple dinosaur toy, perfect for little hands to snuggle up to! 

Vtech Sit To Stand Music Centre:

If you want a musical toy to last a good couple of years, then look no further than the Vtech Sit To Stand Music Centre! The centre comes with 15 melodies, 7 sing-along songs, various sounds and phrases, a microphone for the little one to sing into and 4 voice-changing effects. The panel containing the keyboard, drum, saxophone, guitar and microphone detaches from the stand to allow it to be used when sitting down. In addition, the centre teaches animals, colours, instruments and more and being suitable from 12 months to 3 years means that the centre is an excellent choice for a gift if you want something which will last. 

Carotina Blocks And Mat Set:

Previously reviewed on the blog (you can find the full review here), the Carotina Blocks And Mat Set is another excellent multifunctional, space-saving toy. Not only does the playmat come in a jigsaw style, but it also has pop-out animals and houses which can be slotted into some of the blocks for little ones to create their own themes and stories. In addition, the bright colours of the set catch little ones attention for more extended periods, allowing their creativity and imagination to truly flourish when playing with this set. There are 38 building blocks of varying sizes and colours in the set and 24 pieces that make up the playmat if you include the pop-out animals and houses. 

Benbat Portable Booster Seat:

We’ve posted about Benbat’s Portable Booster Seat before, but we’re posting about it again because we love just how useful this is! This portable booster seat has similar functions to a highchair but is lightweight, great for travel so you can feed little one anywhere, and can be placed wherever it is needed. Another thing I like about the Benbat is that not only is it portable, it also comes with storage compartments to pop some bits and bobs in for little ones. This is great, as you can forgo the changing bag and pop nappies, wipes etc., into the storage compartment of the booster seat when going out locally. As they get older, they can pack the storage compartment themselves, which further helps to aid their independence and development! 

That’s the Christmas gift guides for this year complete! If you’ve found any great gift ideas for the little ones in your life, add them to the comments to help others with their last-minute Christmas shopping! Although the gift guides may be done, we’ll also be sharing blog posts on how we’re prepping for Alice’s first Christmas, so do keep an eye out for those! 

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Christmas Gift Guides: Gift Ideas For Pregnant And Breast/Chestfeeding Parents!

With December 1st here, Christmas prep is in full swing! But, if you’re like Steph and haven’t fully finished Christmas shopping because you have no idea what to get people, then fear not! Following on from our Sous Chef review with gift ideas for foodies and our gift guide for new parents and parents-to-be, Steph’s sharing as a breastfeeding parent what to get parents who are breast/chestfeeding their little ones! Unfortunately, breast/Chestfeeding usually means that the go-to gifts, such as anything alcohol-related, are off the list. However, as a breastfeeding parent, I’m pleased to tell you that there are still good gift options out there! Most of the following ideas also work if the person you’re gifting happens to be pregnant (note: most of the Boobbix products can’t be consumed during pregnancy). 

1. Nursing friendly clothes from Stylish Mum

I absolutely adore Stylish Mum! Not only do they do some beautiful jumpers, dresses and nursing tops, but they also do nursing hoodies! Their nursing hoodies are how I initially fell in love with the brand, as I love my activewear when I’m not going out and about. The other thing I love about this brand is that unlike other nursing wear brands, you can’t really tell that the hoodies and jumpers are nursing wear unless you really look. It means that even once you stop breastfeeding, you can still wear jumpers and hoodies from the range. They also do a matching kidswear range! 

A photo of Steph, a white woman with blonde and brown hair is holding Alice, a white baby with brown hair whilst looking out of the window at Gatwick’s South Terminal. Their backs are to the camera. Steph is wearing a multi coloured floral jumper and Alice is wearing a light pink, grey and white jacket.
Wearing one of the nursing jumpers from the Stylish Mum range!

2. Alcohol-free gift sets

If the person you are looking for really does like a tipple and you don’t want to deviate too much from that, then luckily, there are plenty of alcohol-free giftsets out there to choose from! For those who like wine, the Just Perfect Wines Gift Set featuring 2 mini bottles of Freixenet alcohol-free sparkling wine also comes with a tin of Belgium chocolate truffles for the ultimate treat, as well as a fizz stopper! If they aren’t a wine drinker, there is also a mixed case of non-alcoholic beers, which may tickle their fancy! This case features beers from the likes of Brewdog, Maisels, Juliper and others! The majority of the brands in the case are German, which may work in your favour even more if the person likes their German beer! 

3. Boobbix

Has the person your looking to gift ever said to you that they’re struggling with milk supply or want to increase it? Boobbix is literally a magic potion for helping to boost milk supply alongside regular expressing or breast/chestfeeding. Boobbix does a range of lactation cookies, granolas and even hot chocolate. Although Alice is CMPA, Boobbix do dairy-free chocolate chip cookies and granola, which is dairy-free, meaning that I’ve still been able to benefit from their magic formula! Unfortunately, due to the ingredients, only the hot chocolate in the Boobbix range can be consumed whilst pregnant. 

Photo of 3 packets of dairy free cookies in a box. The packaging is white with purple and pink details as well as a chocolate chip cookie on it. In the background is another white packet with pink label and clear window showing the granola inside.
A recent Boobbix order of mine!

4. Elvie Catch 

I’ve spoken about the Elvie Catch on the blog before. Still, I really can’t recommend this to breast/chestfeeding parents enough! These dishwasher-friendly collection cups can each hold 30ml and are great for catching leakage, let-down and more when either expressing, nursing or just going about day-to-day. They are also discreet for wearing during the day and slip-proof. I used these when I was leaking colostrum so that I could freeze it, and I still use them now, catching any stray milk to add to feeds or to store at a later date! The box itself is small which makes the Elvie Catch a great stocking filler.

A photo of two clear plastic Elvie Catch collection cups with silicone backing sat on top of a white box which they come in. The box has a photo of the collection cups on it along with the words Elvie Catch in grey on top of the picture.
The Elvie Catches and their box

Have you found a gift good for a pregnant parent-to-be or breast/chestfeeding parent? Share it in the comments below! Also, our gift guides for babies aged 0-6 months and those aged 6-12 months will both be out over the next few days so keep an eye out for those!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

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Christmas Gift Guides: Gift Ideas For New Parents And Parents-To-Be

With Cyber Monday here, now is the perfect time to look for your Christmas gift bargains! If you’ve got a new parent or parent-to-be in your life, then gifts that will help them on their parenthood journey will be massively appreciated. Amazon and other stores have some fantastic deals on products that Alex and I are using as new parents to Alice, and so the following gift ideas all come highly recommended by us both. 

1. Nuby UV Sterilisers:

Alex and I are both in agreement that one of the best purchases we ever made was our Nuby UV sterilisers. These are actually genuine 59S sterilisers with Nuby branding, which made us feel much more confident about buying the sterilisers as we’d heard such good things when over in the US about 59S. The dummy one was the first steriliser we brought as a tester to see if we liked the UV sterilisers work. Considering that Alice is fascinated with launching her dummy on the floor, this has been a godsend! We also have the travel one, which can fit 2 mam bottles comfortably and 3 at a push, as well as dummies, breast pump parts, and you can even sterilise your phone and keys! The travel one also has a storage section under the sterilising bit and looks like a posh cooler bag rather than a steriliser. Both sterilisers come with a dummy included, and the travel one also has a Nuby bottle. The dummy steriliser can be battery or USB-cable operated, and the travel one is USB operated via a rechargeable battery pack which is included. Both sterilisers can also be plugged into the mains!

Photo of the Nuby dummy Steriliser and box in the background. There is also a black battery charger and white USB cable in the photo.
The Nuby dummy Steriliser

2. Baby Nails Thumble Set

If you need just a little stocking filler, then the Baby Nails Thumble Set is a great size for that! We all know that keeping baby’s delicate nails trimmed to stop them from scratching themselves is hard work! Luckily, some fellow parents came up with the fantastic idea of using a thumble with filing stickers to file precious little one’s nails which means less of a fight! It’s so simple to use that you can even file nails using the thumble whilst feeding or during cuddle time! The filing stickers come in two varieties; one for 0-6 months and a slightly coarser one for 6 months plus. 

3. Blink Mini Camera

If you know that the parents or parents-to-be in your life want an app-controlled baby monitor that works with Amazon’s Echo Show, but don’t want to spend hundreds on one, then look no further than the Blink Mini Camera! Not only does this come with 2-way communication and night vision, but you can also view it from your phone, tablet and of course, the Echo Show. It also works as a brilliant pet camera. Alex and I use the Blink cameras to keep an eye on Alice when she’s in either her bed or the lounge if we’re out of the room (for example, in the bathroom), and Alex uses it to check in when he’s at work. We also use our lounge one to keep an eye on Fudge when out of the house.

Photo of a white Blink Mini Camera with black face mounted on a white and grey Snuzpod bedside crib. There is also a grey Snuz cloud attached to the Snuzpod in the photo.
Alice’s Blink camera

4. Amazon Echo Show 

Of course, if you go for the Blink mini camera, you can always bundle it with the Amazon Echo Show! We don’t know what we’d do without ours, from enabling skills to help settle a baby to learning skills, operating smart lighting and more. The Amazon Echo Show is a great assistant to have in the house! We also use ours to find recipes, watch videos and even as a digital photo screen. Alexa also has a skill from Tommys called the Tommys Midwife Skill, so if you’re pregnant, you can literally ask Alexa anything to do with Pregnancy. Steph says, “this skill helped me so much when I was pregnant with Alice, and even Alex was asking questions to do with pregnancy.”

The Echo Show is available in 5″, 8″ and 10″. We have the 8″ in our kitchen, the 5″ at Alex’s mums and will be getting the 5″ to replace the Echo’s in the bedroom once Alice moves into her own room. 

5. Snuza Hero MD

We found out about the Snuza Hero MD after someone we got to know through our Instagram let us borrow theirs whilst we’ve been waiting for Alice’s breathing monitor to come. So if you have an ex-NICU baby in the family or know that the parents in your life just want a monitor for peace of mind, then this is an excellent investment! The Snuza Hero MD is medically certified, and the Lullaby Trust also give them out to parents who’ve previously lost a baby to SIDS as part of the CONI programme. The monitor simply clips onto the baby’s nappy or bottoms (just make sure it’s in contact to track breathing) and will vibrate to rouse the little one if no breathing is detected for 15 seconds, alarming after 20 seconds if the vibration doesn’t work. This little monitor has already worked a few times when Alice has either breath held or had another blue episode. 

Alice, a small white baby with brown hair is looking at the camera with eyes open wearing a white long sleeved vest and light blue jeans. On Alice's jeans is a white and purple Snuza Hero MD breathing monitor.
Alice wearing the Snuza Hero MD

Do you have any ideas for what to get parents-to-be or new parents for Christmas? Share them in the comments to help other readers with their gift shopping! 

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

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