babyurbeautiful

There seems to be a huge influx of preggers friends right now, and all are due throughout the Winter months.
Boo! for rain and wind, but yey for limited edition gingerbread lattes and new baby snuggles.

So it brings me to the awkward burden of; baby shower, new mum and then the new arrival gifts - not to mention the left out older toddler. Leaving you seriously skint even before the baby has made its first appearance out of the womb.

Not that I have any aversion to spoiling my friends and their new sprogs, but my bank manager may haul me up soon and have a 'quiet word' as a £25 budget is never a £25 spend, and times that by three.  Then there's the before and after (her bashed up bits)  gift, travel to the shower, and all the pretty wrapping, cards etc that go with it.
You get me? El skintos.

The baby box hamper was a delight to discover. When you set your budget, they really help you stick to it - £25 is £25 and plentiful. A bit 'boat is boat' - (if you've watched Shirley Valentine you'll know exactly what I'm harping on about) In short, it is what it is.
There's boxes for twins (£40), pure white boxes for the ethereal earth mothers who haven't yet been acquainted with 'korma poo'.

What I love is that, the company source simple and useful items, wrap in a inoffensive brown paper box and  unisex bright red bow and do all the hard work for you.

For £15, for instance, you'll get a Lamaze toy, branded trendy muslin square and a very useful bandana bib - which looks cool even before it's a bib! I've been known to splash £15 on wrapping, plus tissue, a bag and a card - so why not let someone do all the hard work for you and save a mighty load of expense too?

I particularly love Baby's first Christmas Hamper at £40 with a fair isle sleepsuit, hanging ceramic heart, Santa hat, cranberry glass candle (for mum, obvs), obligatory Muslin, dazzle rattle and all packaged and pretty.

https://www.thebabyboxcompany.com/new-baby-gifts.htmlThe Baby Box Company

No rabbits, hymns or mouthwatering Easter chocolates for me.

The only jesus I was involved with was the one I cried out each time I checked the thermometer - and that was every, ooo, two seconds?

This is a random post, but hopefully helpful - because I panicked when I realised my little one had the highest temperature I'd ever seen - 41.6 at its worse.
I'm not a shit, thoughtless mother leaving him to suffer - I called the NHS helpline 111 constantly - but as everyone and their dog seem to have some sickness bug/virus - unless your finger is hanging off - and even then you'd still have to wait - you've got less chance of getting an appointment than Peter Rabbit shitting chocolate eggs.
I took him to the doctor who brushed it off as a sickness bug/virus and that was that.
He only said 'no' for the last five days, and didn't walk about at all. It was horrible.

It started with sickness - it's ended up with average temperatures between 39-40 and me staying in for  five days. Yay.

So here's some top tips if god forbid, the lurgy comes to get you.

DRINKING

They won't be eating, they'll be off milk and really fussy.
Apple juice. What a saviour. Just like you would have Lucozade to build your strength up, give your little one a sugary, sweet number to make them feel slightly human again and give them some energy.
The doctor actually advised this by the time I got around to visiting him, when it was mothers instinct anyway. Boom.

SYRINGE

On a drinking vibe - if they're not drinking and refusing water, milk, even apple - yet they'll take medicine (Calpol, Ibuprofen etc) why not trick them, and syringe some fluid into them.
So that my son didn't get dehydrated, I made a mix of water and dioralyte (rehydration drink) and managed to get 3/4 5ml syringes down him, followed a little while later by apple juice. I felt happier knowing he had accepted some fluid.
On any empty stomach medicines are rendered useless because, well, if you have an empty stomach they'll just come back up. Or there's the likelihood your stomach will over produce acid, which ends up being painful on its way along.
When I'm ill I refuse the aforementioned, along with fluid - so I'm not surprised my son is as stubborn as me and just wants nothing.
Syringe the fluid in - it's the way forward and will give you peace of mind.

ICEPOLES

Wow. This literally saved us. Albie was refusing all food including crisps and chocolate - which any right minded kid would normally snaffle if wafted in their face.
To cool him down my initial thought was a juicy orange or lemonade lolly,  my good friend Astra suggested ice poles and I recoiled in horror (E numbers). I was wrong.
It was the ONLY thing he took.
If your child has a respiratory virus they'll feel snotty, rotten with a sore throat - so think something soothing. Melon also did the trick. You could freeze some if you prefer to go down the healthier option - but doctors orders - sugar is needed.
After no movement at all, he suddenly sat up and slowly ate one, then another a few hours later.
The sugar hit, although I wouldn't normally do, gave him some energy.
He cooled himself down with TWO, yes two - who am I to argue? He was then bouncing off the walls but woke up the next day with a ridiculously high temp.
As he was so exhausted he slept through the night anyway, but as the flu/cold part of the virus came out towards the end - I spent two days up and down with him all night.

HAND SANITISER

I'm totally grossed out he's been snotting and sleeping in my bed, I've stripped it all back and I feel a bit more relieved. I've aired every single room - and sprayed dettol spray on everything (including my pillows!) Hand sanitiser is a must for everyone after every sneeze, splutter and sickness - just keep washing, washing and more washing. No brainer really.

READING

My little one did NOT move for 5 days, just laid on the bed, the sofa, in someone's arms. It was heartbreaking to see. They need to sleep to power up - so constant wittering whether you, the tv, or someone singing will help calm them, entertain them and send them off to sleep. It really fills you with confidence of how interesting you are but hey ho - it's not about you it's about keeping them happy.

COOL SHOWERS

Cold compresses aren't a great idea - they can make the temperature drop too quickly so your child will struggle to regulate. It's best to keep them in cool clothes, but warm under a blanket or bedding.
At the end of the day, or start of the day give them a nice tepid shower. Whenever I feel shit - I love a bath or shower to blast it out. Same as your little one. Mine spent a good 15-20 minutes turning himself around/sitting down and enjoying the calming sound, refreshing feel of the water - it cooled him down.

CUDDLES

No brainer - it's all they want.

Over & out.



LN

If you know me you'll know about my penchant for leopard print.
Everyone laughs that I dress my son in leopard print leggings - yes, stare!

I know he'll be partying at Burning man one day, goddesses draped off him while donning his leopard print leotard with full confidence thanks to mummy, dear!

You can imagine how excited I was when I spied a towel by Cuddledry in LEOPARD PRINT, and a few days later, over it was sent to Babyurbeautiful for review purposes.
It's my first ever towel of the particular brand - and I've heard so many good things about them.

Cuddle Paw - adorable

I always thought they were for newborns, but turns out they now make them for toddlers too.

Cuddledry burst onto the scene a few years ago when they introduced an apron towel that made newborn/mummy bath time juggling a sinch.
You attach part of the towel around your neck (like an apron) which leaves your hands free to wrap your little one up warmly with the rest.
Naturally, it was two mums behind the ingenious design.

There should be an earlier review on the blog from one of the other girls, prior to me being a mummy.

After the success of the apron towel, they've created more items which include robes, washcloths, swimming towels and now this one - part dressing up/part drying - and they are designed to suit and go up to around 3 to 4 years old (dependant if you have a giant on your hands).

What I do love about this particular towel is, it's very generous, not one of these minuscule flannel sized things that wouldn't even cover an arse cheek -  Even I have used it and FYI it covered a lot more than that.

But best of all?
IT. HAS. EARS. ON.

Cosy little Snow Leopard

That's one of the reasons you have children, aside from the spectacular straining poo faces, dressing them up in all sorts of gorgeousness, mainly with ears.

I have attempted to take a pic, with no luck - although I'll attach a nice blurry out of focus one for you - just for true representation.
The actual towel isn't just roomy, it's warm and so luxuriously soft. I can see why everyone raves about the brand.

Double Leopard Print - always

It feels part fleecy, part wooly towel - either way it dries the water off super fast and at the same time your toddler thinks he's a tiger/dino/whatever he fancies.
It's made with bamboo fibre and cotton - this makes it 60 per cent more absorbent than cotton alone - and has natural antibacterial properties.
This particular snow leopard design donates a minimum of £1 to the WWF to help with the endangered Snow Leopard species, it retails at £34.99. It's much more than I would spend on one of my Christy Towels, granted.

After escaping from the bath, my little one sprinted up the stairs with it attached to his head crying: 'Raaaa!' (tiger, obvs).
It takes the appearance of a cape, there are other super cute designs too like 'Cuddlesafari' and 'Cuddlepony'.
Despite the price tag, the quality is so good - you'll understand why you'd part with your pennies.

For the next half an hour I grappled with him and attempted to wrestle him down to slap his nappy on (before he pissed on my floor, or worse..)

It would make a great gift, after all any 2 to 3 year-old will be laden with so many books, plastic delights at their birthday - a hooded bath towel will make a welcome addition - and leopard print to boot!

Cuddledry Cuddle Paw Toddler Dress up Towel £34.99

LN x

New year, new me, blah blah blah.



Essentially it's a new day, but that one day spurs us on so much to make a change as it brings in a New Year. It puts us in this general mindset to be proactive (hilariously when you look back the previous years attempts - perhaps a meagre 30 per cent has been achieved).

Since Monday (oh, today), I've been writing lists of TO DO and NEW ME codswallop - although I do think mine is rather achievable.
But in hindsight I could have done it all last year when I got a little lazy and procrastinated, and quite frankly ended up still unable to drive. And fat.

This years include:

Learn to drive

Read more books (got new Kindle)

Gym - tone up

Same old story....

My post today is about my face. I've decided I need to ramp up the skincare routine.
I hit 35 last year, and since having the little man I've really noticed how much the tiredness and exhaustion is taking a toll on my face (and there's only so much strobe cream and highlighter I can slap on).
I've never succumbed to botox or fillers or anything drastic, but my laughter lines tell another story Note to self: stop laughing so much.

I recently updated my make-up skills, and found myself on a course with some lovely ladies and one token guy (who looked bloody great with a cut crease and eyeliner, I tell ya).
Each application we cleansed with an oil and removed all the excess with a micellar cleansing water suitable for very sensitive skin.

I heard about this backstage beauty product years ago (favoured by models and makeup artists alike) when I was a fully fledged beauty editor (if I'm lucky I can muster up about one feature a month now juggling little man, a make-up business and the rest!)

It was developed hundreds of years ago to help Parisians deal with their notoriously harsh water supply - and is known to remove dirt effortlessly with the micelles (more coming up about this shortly) and leave skin glowy and dewy.

I can find 5 person Micellar Water pro's immediately...

1. You don't need to rinse after using
2. It's hypoallergenic
3. No perfume or alcohol so doesn't leave skin sore and red raw
4. Leaves skin soft, not tight and stingy - doesn't smear make-up around the face like wipes do
5. Removes really stubborn mascara/makeup- the cleansing agents lift the dirt away from the skin like a magnet.

As a mum, I find my beauty routine NB: non-existant-wipe-my-face-with-his-wipes (or anything I can find) is the easiest way to go before I collapse into bed exhausted. We're just looking for ease to cleanse, right?
But armed with my beauty arsenal of Sainsbury's cotton pads & Garnier Micellar Water. It's actually far easier to remove make-up effectively than with a wipe that I've been lazily using for the past few years and drying the fook out of my skin.



The formula is made out of micelles which are tiny molecules of oil suspended in soft water.
To wit, the micelles are attracted to dirt, and grime (I can think of better things to be attracted to) but it draws out impurities and cleanses skin without drying it out and can replace, dare I say, the laborious routine of cleansing, double cleansing and toning.

Do not get me wrong, a great skincare regimen is mega important, there's never a 'I don't get time' or shortcut when it comes to your skin, but really, as a mum, you just can't be bothered or are too exhausted. Put paid to the problem and don't wear makeup at all, but run the risk in scaring a few people.
With magical micellar, I can safely say that it can save a lot of money in the long run by cutting down on your skincare products (one bottle instead of three different items)

Plus there isn't a makeup artist worth their weight in Chanel lipstick that isn't toting a bottle of this game changer in their make-up kit.

Garnier Miscellar Water, £4.00, Feelunique.com

LN

Serene hair removal image - unlike my scene

John took to Twitter to share this very special photo. I'm sure if that was us, there would be a sick bowl next to the sofa! 

It has taken me AGES to write this post, and I feel terribly bad - but three holidays, a child and a job to juggle - please forgive me!

But, my argument is...I needed to give this particular treatment a fair trial in the weathering stakes, from wind to sun to rain to shine and sweaty gym sessions.
I had the treatment on Monday 30th March.

Here goes....

Entering the Trevor Sorbie salon (KeraStraight Global Ambassador) with trepidation, I was immediately greeted by a handsome Cypriot hairdresser, Petros, who would be tending to my tresses.
As I waited for him to pop my coat away, I spied a novelty, a Red Velvet cookie - given my wheat intolerance, I shouldn't - but I did!

Anyway, he led me down to a little room where two of us were waiting for the KeraStraight KS UltimateTreatment.
Designed to help you manage your locks, the award-winning keratin treatment simultaneously repairs and straightens hair, to deliver fuzz-free easy-to-manage hair. Just what I needed.
Funnily enough, the other client was a new mum, and given I'd just gone back to work - and also a new mum (of Albie, now 18 months), there's a trend going on here....

During the 'anaphase' of pregnancy (the one where you get thick, lustrous, amazing locks) my hair was doing its thang - thick, bouncy, sexy - rocking a dip-dye - I was satisfied.
After baby came along, and the impending breastfeeding stage, came the 'telephase', where 60 per cent of hair falls out - my hair was parched, breaking, crying out for a new style. So what did I do? The thing most mums do when they want to regain their identity, hopefully gain some compliments and feel alive again?

Cut my hair off short and sort of dip-dyed it unsuccessfully.

Unsatisfied and feeling so terribly mumsy, the condition was atrocious, I needed help. This is where Kerastraight came in.

No enhancement needed - my parched/over-processed locks BEFORE SHOT

After the huge furore around Brazilian blow-dries and their Formaldehyde content, the Kerastraight treatment boasts low PH proteins, and none of the aldehydes in the vapour or formula of the banned ones.
Jez Barnett (I know, amazing, right?), the founder - has created this gentle formula that is featured in all the best salons around the world.
Having experienced quite a few in my time (I'm curly, and love bleach), I was often reduced to tears as the vapours irritated my eyes - but can report nothing this time around.
It is also perfectly safe to have during pregnancy and breast-feeding.

It's designed to renew dry, damaged and weak hair, transforming into into healthy, straighter and stronger. With highly concentrated proteins, it delivers elasticity, and shine that can last for up to 4 months- saving on £25 weekly blowdries - chance would be a fine thing, eh?
You can also, unlike the old versions, wash your hair just 30 minutes after - and there's also no horrible growing out period - it just fades naturally.

The first week, there was an awful stench each time I washed my hair. I thought my bin had been left in the bathroom or the cat had crept in and done something - it was so unpleasant I was worried my hair might smell like this for the next 4 months. Within 2-3 weeks it had subsided, I have NO idea what ingredient was doing this - but thankfully, it diminished.

Blow-drying was MUCH easier, but unlike past Brazilians where I could just run my fingers through and leave it - my hair still looked a little frizzy on the layers and ends - this could purely be where I'd had a bad dye-job.

I do think that Petrus gave me a light version of the treatment, so I didn't look like I had an oil-slick and unlike the earlier versions, I didn't have poker straight hair but I DID have movement - which was one of the reasons clients didn't go back for further treatments - they couldn't handle HOW straight it was!

I am pleased to announce my hair has grown from a bob, to my shoulders in the time it's taken me to review and post this - and it's much more manageable but I'd like to be able to eschew my straighteners and go without, but the bleach and ends are leaving me with no other alternative but to keep using them.

Kerastraight in full force - June 6th (2 1/2 months down the line)

There's a long way to go with getting my hair health back - but the Kerastraight has definitely helped with the majority of it.
It's a must-have treatment for post-partum, it makes life so easy - cuts the drying time and product overload and has definitely got my hair on the road to recovery.

Look how long it has grown in a matter of months!

Treatment is from 2-3 hours and from £150.

www.kerastraight.com

I thought i'd let you mummies all over the UK know about BOOTS forthcoming exciting event from TOMORROW.

On Friday 27 June to Sunday 29th June they will be celebrating their new Boots beauty halls.

In over 200 stores around the country, this payday weekend customers will benefit from a whopping £5 worth of Boots Advantage Card points when they buy two or more premium beauty products.

During the event, there are oodles of free samples, skin consultations, demos - everything beauty, beautiful and erm....Boots!

The perfect excuse to try a new look, and some great high street products.

Enjoy! xx

I thought for a little treat to myself I'd have some semi-perm lashes applied. But in the early hours of the morning in my sleep deprived state I breastfed and pulled them out one by one.

Everyone needs a bosom for a pillow... Or indeed, a breast feeding pillow.