REVIEW – Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet

REVIEW – Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet

*AD Gifted for review. Please note – Sleepy Feet has been rebranded to Shhleepies Feet – the product is the same*

I’ve not been slow in coming forward when it comes to moaning about my lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation has become a pretty constant right of passage in this house, with my youngest waking regularly through the night (for both milk and cuddles) and my eldest struggling to switch off and settle at bedtime. As a breast fed baby, I failed to teach Neve how to self settle, and as a result, bedtime is a long hard slog, and whenever she wakes during the night she wants me (and ultimately the breast!) to help get her back to sleep. Now that I am back at work, the lack of sleep is really starting to take it’s toll, and I’ve even gone so far as to say that I hate bedtime.

When I was approached by Mummy Loves Organics about their new range of sleep inducing essential oil products designed to help relax and calm children to help them fall asleep quicker – and stay asleep – I have to admit I was mostly sceptical. I’d attempted a few other ‘miracle sleep cures’ in the past, and none have made much of a difference. That said, never one to form an opinion before I’ve explored something myself, I was happy to put it to the test. It had to be worth a try right?

We have now been using Mummy Loves Organic’s Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet now with both girls for a number of weeks – here’s how we got on.

Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet Oil

About Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet Oil / Shhleepies Feet Oil 

Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet is an organic foot oil created from a blend of natural Manderin, Frankincense, English Lavender and Roman Chamomile essential oils.

Designed for babies and children, the product claims that the combination of scents help a child to feel safe, secure and calm, helping them feel more content in their environments, and helping establish a healthy sleep pattern. It is recommended to help prevent the dreaded night terrors, and help little ones sleep through the night.

To use, you simply apply a small amount of oil to the soles of your child’s feet, temples, and behind the ears and allow to dry.

Parents can also use Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet too – the product is completely organic, hand poured, and contain no nasties, making them 100% safe to be used during pregnancy.

Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet costs £12 for an 8ml bottle which is estimated to last approximately 2 months (or less when used with multiple children.)

Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet Oil

Our Experience

We have been using Mummy Loves Organic’s Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet with both girls for almost 3 weeks now – For context, and in case you aren’t a regular reader of my blog – Erin is nearly 5 and Neve is 18 months old.

Erin generally sleeps well (at last!) however she does take a long time to settle at night, often with her mind racing about the things she has learned at school or things she is looking forward to. As a result, bedtime can take a while! She occasionally wakes with nightmares although thankfully this isn’t a common occurrence.

Neve is a terrible sleeper. Really really terrible. She wakes multiple times a night and wants milk to get her back to sleep. At 18 months old, and now that I am back at work, this is quite hard on me both physically and mentally. She is however also under a dietitian as doesn’t eat very much at all, so unfortunately some of this waking may also be down to hunger – it’s hard to know for sure.

We started incorporating Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet into both of the girl’s bedtime routine, applying it to their feet, temples and behind their ears after bathtime and before we got them into their pyjamas for bed. There is an element of adding a step to a bedtime routine here in that children (particularly younger babies) may come to associate the smells and process of oil application to being part of their steps to bedtime. I can totally see why this would work – making the scent become something familiar and reassuring for them no matter where they are being put to bed.

Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet really does smell lovely, with the lavender scents being easy to pick out. It is not an overpowering or particularly strong scent, but enough that you can smell it when you walk into the girl’s rooms. The bottle comes with a small roller on the top to help apply the product, and Neve giggled contentedly as it tickled the souls of her feet.

Like I stated above, I wasn’t expecting miracles, and the first few nights had absolutely no impact what so ever, to the point that I actually doubted whether it was going to make any difference at all. I had been warned however that as with most things in life, these things take time, so continue to use it I did – I am glad that we persisted!

Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet Oil

Three weeks later and I have to admit I have seen some subtle changes in both of them. I wish I could say that both now fall asleep in minutes and that I don’t hear a peep out of them till 7am – but sadly it wasn’t a complete miracle cure. However here’s what we have noticed in terms of improvements…

  • Whilst Neve does still wake up reguarly during the night, we do get the odd night during the week now where she wakes up much less than she has done before. It’s not yet consistent, and there doesn’t appear to be any rhyme nor reason as to why she’s awake more some nights than others, but when it comes to sleep, any progress is progress.
  • When she does wake in the night, whereas before she would cry immediately, sometimes I can now see her sit up, rub her eyes, look around the room and stay calm, before flopping back down and drifting back off to sleep. As above, this doesn’t happen every time she wakes, but again, some progress on the self settling front is far better than none!
  • By incorporating the sleepy feet oil into the bedtime routine, Neve does seem to have more of an awareness of bedtime, and seems a lot calmer and quieter before bed. Before using the oil she would quite often want to have a bit of a chat (babble) or wave at me at bedtime, which whilst cute, could be very frustrating when I’d been sat in the nursery for almost an hour!
  • With Erin, being that little bit older, she enjoys applying the oil to her own feet, and we have told her that it’s magic oil to help her sleep. I have seen a DEFINITE improvement in the time it takes Erin to drift off at bedtime. Last week Mike was out with work meaning I had to put both girls to bed simultaneously, and when I went back into Erin’s room after putting Neve to sleep, she had drifted off to sleep contentedly on her own – whereas I would normally expect her to be sat up wide awake waiting for me to return.

With Erin, its hard to know whether the process of applying Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet is having a placebo effect or whether the essential oils really are having an impact but either way, £12 is a small price to pay!

Overall Verdict of Mummy Loves Organics Slepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet

Overall if you’re going to give Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet a try, there’s an element of not expecting miracles overnight. With Neve, it may have been just a step too far. That said, she is not your average 18 month old, in that her dietitian journey and feeding issues may mean she wakes due to hunger – something that with all the will in the world the Sleepy Feet is unlikely to be able to overcome.

I think introducing Sleepyfeet to the bedtime routine early with younger babies could definitely have a positive impact on sleep – largely due to the bonding moment between parent and child and it becoming a recogniseable indication that bedtime is on it’s way – reinforcing the message that it is time to go to sleep. I think the longer you use the Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet, the more benefits you can see, and as such, you have to give the product time.

I have no idea how Sleepyfeet / Shhleepies Feet works, but with Erin in particular, she did seem to be a lot calmer and nod off much faster on the nights I used it than on the nights I didn’t. Whist I appreciate this isn’t a scientific experiment, this has been enough for me to want to continue using it, as anything that makes my life even a little easier gets my vote.

You can learn more about Mummy Loves Organics, Sleepy Feet / Shhleepies Feet and their full range of sleep inducing products on the Mummy Loves Organics website.

*This is a collaborative post. I was sent some Sleepy Feet for the purpose of this review and compensated for my time, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Can Mummy Loves Organics Sleepy Feet really help my child sleep through the night? We put it to the test. #nightwaking #baby #sleep

 

REVIEW – Bravado Nursing Bras

REVIEW – Bravado Nursing Bras

I am now ten months in to my breastfeeding journey with my second child, which means in my life so far I have breast fed for almost THREE WHOLE YEARS. That is insane – almost a tenth of my life! I am therefore what you might term an established breast feeder, and as such, I have got through my fair share of nursing bras. Overall… my consensus has been pretty much unanimous, in that most of them are a little bit pants… (excuse the ubderwear related pun).

Whilst I have found the odd nursing bra that has been comfortable, as well as easy to gain access at the crucial moment, nearly all of them have become misshapen, lacked support, or made my boobs look flat, making me long for the days of squeezing my mammories back into something that at least resembles attractive underwear.

When I was asked to review Bravado Designs nursing bras, I have to be honest I wasn’t holding my breath. Sure, they looked fantastic in the pictures, but what would they be like in reality? Would they be just like all the others?

After a couple of weeks, I have to say I am actually very pleasantly surprised. I have finally found a nursing bra that doesn’t squash my boobs flat, washes well, is super lightweight and comfortable (even during the night), and unfastens quickly and easily for a feed. Here’s our review.

About Bravado Designs

You have to love the back story of Bravado Designs – the story began 25 years ago when two Mums simply couldn’t find a comfortable or stylish nursing bra. So instead of just sitting moaning about it (like me!!), they made their own at their kitchen table using some extra leopard print fabric and an understanding of what nursing mums really want. The early success of their Original Nursing Bra led to their vision to make nursing bras infinitely more comfortable and stylish, while supporting new nursing mums through all of the highs and lows of breastfeeding, of which, lets face it, there are many!

The Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra Packaging

My Experience

I was sent two different designs from Bravado Designs – The Confetti Nursing Bra in Plum  (£28) and The Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra in Charcoal (£34)

The Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra

Super comfortable with a sporty look, the fabric is very soft and lightweight, so that I didn’t really feel like I was wearing anything at all! The straps are convertible using a little clip included in the packaging, so you can swap from traditional straps to a criss cross back – which is super helpful if you want to wear a halter neck or embrace the exposed shoulders trend that is so popular at the moment.

The clips are very easy to unfasten one handed, which is even more important now Neve is wriggly and annoying at bedtime, and removable pads meaning that even with my still essential nursing pads inside the bra looks seamless and smooth under my t-shirt.

The Bravado Designs Body Silk Seamless Yoga Nursing Bra Close up logo

I felt supported and comfortable, and could happily wear this to bed at night without feeling like I was wearing underwear which is a massive plus.

At £34 this is the more expensive bra of the two, and you are probably paying extra for the alternating straps – if this is less of a concern you may prefer one of the other designs.

The Bravado Designs Confetti Nursing Bra

The Bravado Designs Confetti Nursing Bra

I loved the colour (deep plum purple) of this bra, and it felt a lot more feminine than the previous sporty design. I actually felt more supported in this one out of the two – the centre rouching of the design created more of a cleavage, and again, this was comfortable enough to sleep in without feeling like I was wearing a bra.

The Bravado Designs Confetti Nursing Bra Close up

Again, the clips were easy to remove one handed, and as such, feeding was quick and easy.

The confetti nursing bra retails at the slightly cheaper price of £26 and is available in a number of colours including fawn and black.

For both bras, the sizing is relatively easy using their online sizing guide chart – and rather than them coming in individual sizes you use the chart to select small, medium or large. I would say the chart is pretty accurate, as the bras I received fit well.

Overall, so far I am really really pleased with my bras from Bravado Designs and will continue using them to see if they last the test of time! Whilst they are not what you could deam sexy underwear, they are fresh and feminine and perfect for everyday comfort whilst making life just that little bit easier. They don’t automatically scream nursing bra, and for me, that is a very refreshing change!

You can check out the full range of Bravado Designs nursing bras on their website here.

*Disclosure – we received two bras from Bravado Designs free of charge for the purpose of this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own*

 

 

 

REVIEW – Motorola Smart Nursery

REVIEW – Motorola Smart Nursery

I have used a video monitor with both my girls since the day they were born. There is something unbelievably reassuring about seeing them tucked up snuggly in their cot/bed, hearing them breathing and watching their chest rise up and down in their slumber. When Neve moved into her own room at around 6 months old, watching her on a monitor next to my bed cushioned the blow a little at least (not that I don’t still see her frequently throughout the night!)

Whilst it may seem a little unorthodox, we also still use a video monitor in Erin’s room. She has just turned four, and whilst my concerns about safe sleep aren’t as strong as they are with a newborn, a camera has been incredibly useful for those night time wakings, noticing if she’s climbed out of bed, is heading to the loo in the dark, or even when those nasty sickness bugs come to visit.

We were recently given the opportunity via Mumsnet Blogger Network  to roadtest Motorola’s Smart Nursery range, a collection of six products that make up the world’s most intelligent connected baby nursery – using a powerful app to monitor and track your child’s sleeping patterns and nursery conditions. As a bit of a tech lover as well as an existing fan of Motorola products, we were keen to see how it faired. We have now been testing the range in our home for the last 2 weeks – so here’s the low down! 🙂

About the Products

The Motorola Smart Nursery range is a collection of six wifi connected products that are smart on their own, but even smarter together. The range includes the Smart Nursery Cam, alert sensors, connected scales, humidifier and dream machine with features including in-depth analytic tracking, a rechargeable camera and digital scrapbook and video diary. Each product works through the Hubble Connected app to track sleeping patterns, monitor nursery conditions, send alerts and much much more.  Parents can use the information from the Motorola Smart Nursery on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to learn more about their baby, and the nursery’s environment.

Our Experience

We have now had the Motorola Smart Nursery in our home for 2 weeks, and whilst it is early days, we have overall had a positive experience with just a few niggles or things we would change. The technology is nothing like we have used before, and has the potential to be fantastic when used correctly. For ease, I will discuss our experience’s of the six elements of the Motorola Smart Nursery individually, however it is important to note that they all work inclusively via the Hubble Connected app. My experience of the app itself is included in the write up below.

The Camera & Monitor

The Smart Nursery Camera and monitor are visually very impressive. Compared to other cameras we have used previously (Motorola ones as it happens), the monitor has a much wider screen – meaning that we got a large and high quality colour (1080 mp) image of my daughter in her cot.

Setting up the camera in her nursery was very straight forward – the set comes with a flexible camera stand that looks a little like a tripod. Its bendy legs and additional height mean that no matter where your nearest shelf or camera hook may be, you can angle the camera to ensure that you get the best possible view of your child whilst keeping the camera safely out of reach.

Using the monitor in my own room, I am able to remotely rotate the camera and move it up and down and left to right, which is extremely useful if she rolls out of sight. I can even talk to her through the monitor should she need the odd sshhh or calming without leaving the comfort of my own bed!

When connected to the Hubble App via wifi, I can also be alerted via notifications when motion is detected, highlighting the fact that she is starting to wake, or in some cases stand up in her cot. The app also lets me keep an eye on nursery conditions including temperature, and will advise me if the room becomes too hot.

I love the fact the camera has two way communication, and the app allows you to keep snapshots of your day / night as a bit of a diary of your child’s movements.

Whilst the camera can be moved via the app, I found this to be much slower than when using the monitor directly.

The app is at times a little clunky and sometimes the live feed took a while to load, however this may be down to the quality of my wifi connection, it’s hard to know for sure. Sometimes the app just shows a loading circle, and if my daughter was younger I would have found this a real irritation, as it was not as responsive as it should be.

Dream Machine

The Dream Machine is probably my favourite part of the Smart Nursery (and Neve’s too!).

The Dream Machine is a stylish looking nightlight and projector combined and projects moving pictures on to the nursery wall or ceiling. It can easily be angled according to the size of your room and where you would like the image to be displayed. Neve was fascinated by this, and whilst it didn’t sooth her to sleep directly, watching it on her wall definitely calmed her before bed.

The Dream Machine comes with 3 different disks – jungle, ocean and space scenes which can be changed according to your preference – these are like little retro film disks which are very cute, however I do wish there was a little compartment to store the spare ones, as it’s the kind of thing I could lose quite easily! The three different scenes are great, with a rotating image of bright and engaging scenes and friendly looking characters. It would be fab if you could buy additional scenes, particularly if you are going to use the device as your child grows up.

The Dream Machine doesn’t come with any preloaded songs, but you can download from the set of standard lullaby songs via the app. Whilst the songs were pleasant, I would have preferred these to be preloaded, as before you do this you simply get a recorded advisory message in various languages advising you to download the app. I would be more likely to use the sound element if you could stream your own songs and lullabies. The sound can be turned on or off, and for us personally, with Neve being that little bit older, we have stuck keeping the music off.

The nightlight feature is lovely on it’s own, with a range of 6 colours or you can alternate between them all. They create a nice warm glow in the room, and are easily enough light to see what I am doing when breastfeeding in the early hours of the morning.

Using the Smart Nursery App, I can control the Dream Machine from my phone so if she wakes earlier than I want her to I can keep her calm and settled in the cot until I its a more reasonable time to get up. She very rarely drifts back off with the projector, but does stay quiet and content without waking her sister which is always a bonus!

Humidifier

During the trial I have so far only used this once, but this is a very clever piece of kit. With a child who suffers from bad eczema, having a dry and stuffy room is not at all helpful. The humidifier will be a huge benefit in the winter months when the central heating is on, usually leaving them with dry throats, and agrevating their skin. The humidifier can be controlled remotely using the Hubble App, adding moisture back into the air, and releasing silver ions that kill germs and ensure hygienic humidification.

As with all the items in the Smart Nursery range, it looks visually very attractive, although the Humidifier is on the larger side and as such needs a reasonable sized surface space.

Connected Scales

I am less panicky with my second child, but when Erin was little I was very paranoid about her weight gain, and as such, took her to see the health visitors for a weigh in with my little red book almost every week. These mother and baby scales are fantastic for peace of mind. You can set up individual profiles for every person in your home, and there is a mother and child setting so that you can hold baby in your arms, and accurately record their weight.

Using the Smart Nursery app you can scan weigh in’s to keep records of weigh in’s by date – meaning you can track gain (in the girl’s case) and loss (hopefully!) in mine. Whilst it took me a while to get my head around how to flick between the parent and child settings, once I got the hang of it, I found the scales quick and easy to use.

The scales are lightweight, slim and modern looking, and I would be more than happy to have these out on display in our bathroom. As with most scales, they do work better on a hard (tiled or wooden) floor.

Door Sensors

For me, this is the one part of the Smart Nursery kit that I was less concerned about using, but for those with larger homes, ground floor properties or who are particularly concerned about security, these door sensors are another innovative piece of kit from Motorola. Via the Smart Nursery App, the door sensors will send an alert to your phone if a door or window is opened in the nursery, offering peace of mind against potential intruders, and reassuring you that if someone was to attempt breaking into your child’s bedroom, you would be notified very quickly.

The pack comes with 2 sensors (one for the window and one for the door), and sticky pads are included to hold these securely in place. We were able to set these up extremely quickly with no drills or screws required.

Overall

The Smart Nursery is a fantastic set of products, both stand alone and when used as a combined set. For me personally, the Dream Machine and Camera are the products I would be most likely to use on a regular long term basis. They offer fantastic peace of mind, insight, and tracking for these early years as a parent, and if my daughter actually let me, I am sure I would sleep much better as a result, knowing that this technology is keeping an eye on my family!

There are a couple of things that I would do to improve the set, and most of these centre around the app itself rather than the products. I would say that you should check your wifi speed before purchase, as we have Sky Q and stream our TV, and as such our wifi speeds are probably not as strong as they could be. In my personal opinion, in order to benefit from the instant visual and notification benefits without the odd delay, a high speed fibre wifi connection would be required.

Another thing to be aware of is if you do have a small box room style nursery like ours, you will need to have a few plugs available in order to use all the products. Some of the items such as the humidifier are a little on the larger side, and as such, you may need to be clever about placement to avoid trailing wires.

You can learn more about the Motorola Smart Nursery on the Motorola Website here and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hubbleconnected. The Motorola Smart Nursery range is available at Mothercare.

*Disclosure – I received these products free of charge in return for my honest review, however all views and opinions are my own.

I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity. This post contains affiliate links*

Hairburst Review- Hairburst Vitamins for New Mums

Hairburst Review- Hairburst Vitamins for New Mums

#ad Products gifted for this Hairburst review

Introducing Hairburst Vitamins for New Mums

One thing no one tells you about when you have a baby is just how much pregnancy can affect your hair. The hair shedding that happens as a result of your hormone changes is significant, and although it is slowing down a little, the amount of post partum hair loss I have been experienced this time around is pretty shocking!

Unlike most of the other unglamourous side effects of pregnancy, it’s the one thing that I hadn’t been pre-warned about before I had Erin, and even second time around, the amount of hair loss after pregnancy has still come as a bit of a shock.

The shedding started about 2 months after Neve was born. In the shower I would find that my hair came out in large clumps (from the root), with long strands of hair clogging up the plug hole, or getting stuck between my fingers as I lathered up my shampoo. My other half found it equally frustrating as my hair, in his words, was absolutely everywhere! At one point, my shedding got so bad that our vacuum cleaner got completely clogged and started to smell of burning – I kid you not! I would also have regular minor panic attacks thinking that a huge spider had entered our living room, when it was, in fact, a giant hair ball gathered up from friction on the carpet. Gross.

I was recently approached by Hairburst Vitamins to see if I would like to conduct a Hairburst Review and trial their Hairburst for New Mums range – a supplement aimed at new mums and scientifically proven to maintain healthy hair growth. Unlike many supplements, Hairburst for new Mums is suitable to take both before, after and during pregnancy. Hairburst for New Mums also contains a range of B vitamins which help to combat tiredness, something which I am DEFINITELY suffering from – and are completely safe to use during breastfeeding. The latter is something that is really important to me, as I am 7 months into our breastfeeding journey, and do not intend on stopping just yet!

The Hairburst for New Mums range also includes Hairburst shampoo and conditioner products, suitable for all hair types, that are formulated to improve the strength and length of your hair, improve hair health and reduce breakages. I was keen to see the experience of Hairburst before and after.

hairburst vitamins

Like with any medication or supplement, I always do my research – I had not heard of Hairburst Vitamins before and as such, I was very reassured to see the product was stocked at Holland & Barrett and not just available online. There are a range of Hairburst products available, but this one is targeted specifically at new mums.

My Hairburst Review

For my Hairburst review I was sent a months supply of Hairburst vitamins capsules to try, along with the Hairburst Shampoo and Conditioner from the Hairburst for New Mums range.

hairburst vitamins hairburst review

First Impressions

The Hairburst Vitamins retail at £19.99 for a months supply (currently on offer at £17.99) which equates to 30 capsules. This works out at 66p per day (or 60p a day when on offer), which in my opinion is fairly reasonable – IF they work! 🙂

The Hairburst vitamins capsules are rather on the large side, and having had real problems taking tablets in the past (I normally have solubles!) I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to swallow them. I would have prefererred to find chewable hair vitamins, but that said, in a capsule format they went down fairly easily with a large glug of water. As recommended, I took the vitamin in the morning just before my breakfast. I didn’t notice any significant after taste or odour and have not had any averse side effects from taking them.

So what’s the verdict of my Hairburst review? Do I feel less tired? No (Sorry to disappoint!) But then Neve is waking very regularly during the night with teething at the moment as well as Erin who has recently decided that 3am is a good time to “tell me a secret”. I think Hairburst for New Mums would need to be some kind of miracle to get me bouncing out of bed in the morning at the moment!

So how is my hair after using Hairburst? First I should point out that despite the shedding, I have always had a lot of hair. It is generally long and thick, so my motivation for taking Hairburst vitamins was more about preventing loss and improving strength and hair quality as opposed to achieving a sudden burst in hair growth. That said, I am shortly having around 6 inches cut off for the Little Princess Trust so any additional growth will simply be more donated hair, so either way, its a bonus!

Three weeks in, and it is clearly early days. Having read previous reviews of the Hairburst vitamins range, many people say that it takes a little while to see an effect. Whilst I haven’t noticed any major changes to the length of my hair it does feel slightly smoother to the touch, and appears to be less knotty when I get out of the shower. The shedding however has DEFINITELY reduced even at this early stage. Whilst I am still getting some hair loss, the amount I find in my brush after styling is definitely reduced, and the quantity is a lot less unnerving!

Overall, so far so good. I have been taking the Hairburst vitamins in conjunction with the Hairburst Shampoo & Conditioner, which smells really fresh and subtle. The Hairburst shampoo is a discreet avocado smell, which is not at all overbearing and lathers well with a small amount. I will continue to finish my supply of Hairburst for New Mums before making a judgement on whether to continue but at this stage I am relatively pleased with the results! If I could change one thing it would be that I’d prefer chewable hair vitamins and the hairburst vitamins are capsules.

hairburst review

*Disclosure – this is a sponsored review. I was sent a months supply of Hairburst Vitamins and Hairburst Shampoo for the purpose of this Hairburst review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own*.

Tackling post partum hair loss or hair loss after pregnancy and birth with Hairburst for new mums - shedding hairloss supplement vitamin nourishing
The Worst & Best Disposable Breast Pads

The Worst & Best Disposable Breast Pads

What are the best disposable breast pads?? Trust me when I say I’ve tried nearly all of them! I consider myself to be fairly lucky on the breastfeeding front, in that I have always had a good milk flow and strong let down, and therefore I never struggled to feed my daughter and we seem to have established breast feeding successfully second time around. However, what this has meant is that I’ve found myself in a few awkward situations, walking around with large wet patches on my tshirt and having to try and hide the fact that my breasts are leaking milk… everywhere!!!

Because of this, even before my baby was born, I had to invest in some disposable breast pads. The challenge was finding disposable breast pads that were comfortable, that stayed put in my bra, and were absorbent enough to soak up the milk that automatically sprayed out the boob that wasn’t being utilised!

Here is the Real Mums Review on 4 of the best disposable breast pads I tested – I’ve covered the Good, the Bad, and the Essentials!!

THE GOOD – Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Disposable Breast Pads

Cost – Between £3 and £5 for a pack of 50 pads.

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Disposable Breast Pads come in packs of two – making it very easy to pop a sealed packet into your handbag or changing bag when going out for the day. Described as having a special moisture trapping layer, these are relatively discreet, with a sticky pad to stick onto the inside of your bra.

Pros of Tommee Tippee Close to Nature Disposable Breast Pads:

  • Reasonably cheap and regularly on offer in Boots, Mothercare etc
  • Reasonably absorbent – I have only had one or two occasions of leakages using these pads.
  • Comfortable fabric, not itchy against skin.

Cons of Tommee Tippee Close to Nature Disposable Breast Pads

  • I found it handy that the breast pads were wrapped as a pair, but there may be occasions where you just need one, and therefore this could be seen as a negative.
  • The sticky pad isn’t particularly sticky, and therefore they can ride up in your bra which can be embarrassing, particularly in the summer when wearing strappy vest tops!
  • These would be more than adequate for someone who only leaks occasionally, however if you are a regular leaker like myself, then you may need slightly more absorbent pads to ensure no accidents occur.

THE BAD – Boots Own Disposable Breast Pads

Cost – £4.09 for 80 pads.

These Boots Own Breast pads sometimes benefit from further discounts as part of the Boots Mother and Baby Events. as well as earning extra advantage card points for Boots Parenting Club Members.
They are described as soft contoured breast pads – providing protection for your clothes from leaking milk especially just before a feed when your breasts are full or whilst breastfeeding when you have a strong let-down reflex.

Pros of Boots Own Disposable Breast Pads:

  • Cheaper price per unit.
  • Large size pad fits fully within your bra.

Cons of Boots Own Disposable Breast Pads:

  • Quite simply I found that the Boots Own disposable breast pads just didn’t work! Despite having the pads in my bra, I still came home with wet patches on my top. I guess the ‘you get what you pay for’ mentality is really true!
  • The material can be a little itchy against the skin, feeling more ‘paper-like’ and the pads are notably thinner.
  • No protective wrapping so the pads would get dirty if you took them out in your changing bag unless stored in a separate plastic bag or nappy bag.

 THE Best Disposable Breast Pads – Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads

Of all the ones I’ve tried, I would without a doubt say that Lansinoh make the best disposable breast pads. Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads are described as having an ultra-thin but super-absorbent contour for a natural fit that won’t show under clothing. The soft, stay-dry lining is supposed to draw milk away from the skin and into the core of the pad where it is absorbed by a special polymer to prevent leakage.

Cost: Approx £5.50 for 60 pads, however significantly cheaper when purchased online (currently retailing for £3.79 on Amazon (plus postage fees).

Pros of Lansinoh Disposable Breast Pads

  • Not visible under clothes, discreet even when worn in the summer under strappy vest tops.
  • Stay put and do not ride up – two sticky pads unlike a lot of breast pads on the market – most tend to have just one.
  • Very absorbent-  although they do become thick and heavy when full, they do not lose their shape, and don’t feel wet against your skin.
  • Easy to open packaging.
  • Shaped and contoured (curved) so seem to fit closer to the breast.
  • Great at night when my leaking was at its strongest.

Cons of Lansinoh Disposable Breast Pads:

  • More expensive than others on the market – but this is clearly an example of “you get what you pay for”.
  • Wrapped individually – although great from a hygiene point of view it does waste packaging – I seem to have little tabs and wrappers EVERYWHERE!
  • Not as readily available in high street stores or supermarkets – tend to be more easily accessible online or in larger boots stores only.

ESSENTIAL – Nuby Natural Touch Disposable Breast Pads

Nuby Natural Touch disposable breast pads are discreet and absorbant with a comfortable, contoured shape. Colour match your underwear! Their value pack includes 30 white and 20 black breast pads. The pads are individually wrapped for out and about and also feature a waterproof and soft shaped lining. The pads can be held securely with the non-slip tape.

Cost – £4.29 for 50

Pros of the Nuby Natural Touch Disposable Breast Pads:

  • Comfortable and curved for shape
  • Absorbant – did not experience any leakage with these pads, and they stayed comfortable even when full.
  • Despite having a waterproof edge, they did not feel scratchy or uncomfortable against my skin.

Cons of the Nuby Natural Touch Disposable Breast Pads:

  • The sticky pads could be a little stickier.
  • I don’t really understand why they need to be coloured as they don’t tend to ride up and therefore aren’t visible anyway! That said, if they did, they would be a lot more discreet when in black to match your bra.

My personal favourite, and the one I have invested in an EXTRA large pack of is the Lansinoh breast pads. Whilst my partner may continue to curse the little blue packets I appear to have spread all over our home, they do the job and do it well! 🙂

What breast pads have you tried? What do you think are the best disposable breast pads? Are there any others you would recommend? 

If you are just starting your breast feeding journey you may also want to check out The Truth about Breastfeeding.

Theraline Maternity Pillow / Nursing Pillow REVIEW

Theraline Maternity Pillow / Nursing Pillow REVIEW

I have been, overall, very lucky and to date have had a relatively smooth pregnancy. This is my second pregnancy however and this time I have noticed that I feel a lot more aches and pains than first time around.  I am also MUCH bigger and MUCH more tired than I was with Erin, (might have something to do with running around after a 3 year old!!).

I am due in September and so not long to go now. Apart from suspected SPD which caused some fairly excruciating pelvic pain, one of the main issues I have really experienced is with sleeping. Prior to 20 weeks I slept “like a baby” but as soon as I got an established bump, I’ve been unable to lie on my front which would be my preferred sleeping position! After reading up on it, I found that I shouldn’t be lying on my back and that the left hand side was the way to go. For me this then meant weeks of back ache and discomfort. Nothing major, but enough to have that uncomfortable achy feeling – the one you get after a day of shopping or rushing around. As my bump has grown bigger, I decided to try using a pillow between my legs but being big and rectangular (the pillow that is) it didn’t quite work.

At around 25 weeks pregnant weeks pregnant I was kindly given a Theraline maternity pillow to test from Theraline – and it has made a MASSIVE difference! After using this for some time now, I can share my experience of the product.

Theraline Maternity and Nursing Pillow

About the Theraline Maternity Pillow 

The Original Theraline Maternity Pillow is a long v shaped pillow aimed at various stages of motherhood, from pregnancy, to  breast feeding, or even general baby support. The pillow has a filling made up of millions of tiny micro beads that are really lightweight, meaning that the filling can conform to the shape of your body during pregnancy, whatever position you are in, whether lying down or sitting up. It offers support without giving way. It is also anti-allergenic, warm, breathable, will double up as a baby feeding pillow and can be washed at 140° F.

As a sleeping aid, the Original Theraline Maternity Pillow offers relief for legs, belly and a stressed back and stable support for the pregnant body, making it easy to change sleeping positions, support your bump ensuring you feel safe and secure, and prevent you from habitually rolling over onto your front.

Once the baby is born, the pillow is also perfect for a breastfeeding aid, with 15 inches of support in the middle. Using the Theraline pillow can help support your back and reduce strain on your neck and shoulders whilst feeding, and is flexible for all types of baby feeding positions, even with twins!!

The Theraline Maternity pillow retails for around £45 or £30 for one without a cover.

My Experience

I used the Original Theraline Maternity and Nursing Pillow as a sleeping aid, and intend to use it after my daughter is born as a breastfeeding cushion. My sister had a c section (and we potentially have one on the cards due to a breech baby), and she found a pillow to support her baby really assisted in getting a good latch position without putting any pressure on her wound.

At first sight, I was really impressed with the size of the Theraline maternity pillow, and it was clear that this would offer me a lot more support than the regular pillow I had been using to date. The pillow was a lovely jade green colour, with an attractive design, and felt very soft to the touch. It was very easy to change the shape of the pillow to suit my needs. The packaging included a number of diagrams showcasing recommended positions, and I had a bit of a try of all  of them to try and find which ones were best for me.

theraline maternity and nursing pillow

It did take a couple of nights to get used to the Theraline Maternity Pillow, mainly because it was a lot bigger than what I had been used to, but after a bit of trial and error, I soon found the right position for me. This was basically lying on my side with the pillow between my legs and under my head. This position really helped support my bump and felt soft and comfortable against my body, without putting strain or pressure on any particular area. I can honestly say its made a massive improvement! The best thing I have found is that it makes turning over a LOT easier, as you can move the pillow around with you, and it quickly readjusts to your new shape, meaning comfort is restored fairly quickly!

Pros:

  • Soft and flexible, filled with beans so it provides a better mould to your body.
  • Can be used in a number of different positions, including sitting up. This means I don’t need a v pillow as well.
  • It would offer good support when nursing / feeding baby and can be used by dads also at this stage!
  • Its quiet and doesn’t sound like a bean bag! This might sound silly, but with regular getting up and down for the loo during the night, it means it doesn’t constantly disturb my other half with rustling sounds!
  • Its washable, the outer cover and inner bean bag can be separated for easy cleaning.
  • There is a good range of colours, patterns and prints to choose from to match your room colour scheme.
  • The pillow can also be used for older baby to help with sitting up or as a bumper to prevent falling against walls etc!

Cons

  • The main one for me would be cost. At £45 it is an added expense at an already costly time. But then it could have lots of potential uses. In these last few months where sleep is something I need to make the most of, its most likely a wise investment!
  • The pillow is quite bulky so not easy to store away in a drawer and also takes up quite a bit of room in the bed! We have a king size bed so this wasn’t a massive problem but in a double it may be a squeeze!
  • Another thing I noticed was that the pillow can hold the heat, so I had to regularly rotate it particularly in the summer heatwave recently, as I started to get a little on the warm side. That said, there is nothing worse than your thighs sticking together in the heat, and the pillow definitely prevented that!

Overall, in my experience it’s been a fantastic product and I can definitely recommend to pregnant ladies- particularly in their 2nd and third trimester.

You can learn more about Theraline and their range of maternity and nursing pillows, including videos showcasing their use on their website here –> THERALINE Maternity Pillow

*I was sent a sample Theraline Maternity pillow for the purposes of this review, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own*.