As part of our Swimologist role with Konfidence, we were invited to stay at Alton Towers to test out some of their products in the Splash Landings water park. None of us had ever been to the water park before so we couldn't wait to try it out. We were also allowed the whole park to ourselves for a short while which was pretty epic.
Both of my girls are water babies although both still can't swim confidently. Whenever we are away they always ask to go swimming and we have a battle to get them out of the pool. It's always very difficult to keep an eye on both of them and I often worry about their safety which is why I was over the moon to be able to collaborate with Konfidence this year.
We were sent lots of wonderful things to aid them on their learning to swim journey. For the Splash Landings weekend we took the Original Konfidene Swim Jackets, Warma Wetsuits and the Flashing Blinkies to put through their paces.
We arrived at Splash Landings and Eva couldn't believe we had the park to ourselves, talk about a dream come true. She was amazed.
Eager to get in the water, Eva popped her Konfidence swim jacket on herself and she was also able to zip it up on her own. We had to help Ophelia with hers. They immediately headed for the shallower children's pool. Ophelia went straight to the slide whilst Eva splashed about. The jackets had clearly made them feel safe and secure as they were more than happy to play on their own (under our careful observation in the same pool).
The Original Konfidence Swim Jackets are designed to last from the start of your child's swimming journey until the end, when they are able to swim. As your child becomes more confident you can remove the floats from inside the jacket in pairs which therefore reduce the buoyancy.
The girls were much happier wearing their jackets than armbands. Ophelia often cries when we put armbands on her as they are uncomfortable and restrictive. With the jackets both of the girls have the ability to move their arms and therefore learn to swim.
They are available in a few different patterns which all have a bright yellow back which is ideal for us parents as it makes the kiddies clearly visible and easy to spot in a busy pool.
We spent quite a few hours at Splash Landings and we were amazed that the girls didn't moan about being cold. Usually when we go swimming, after about half and hour they are asking to get out because they are freezing. This must be down to their Warma Wetsuits.
The wetsuits are made with 2.5mm flexible neoprene which makes them ideal for providing warmth when in or out of the water. The girls were able to run, walk, jump, splash and use the slides whilst wearing them.
The largest pool area at Splash Landings is Lagoona Bay which Ophelia seemed reluctant to go in for a while. I knew the Konfidence Blinkies would entice her in so we played with them in the shallow end, amongst the rocks until she was confident and relaxed enough to go deeper into the water. Be warned though, the Blinkies attracted the attention of all the other kids in the pool who were eager to play with them.
When it was time to leave we were all gutted. We had such a fantastic time and we are already looking to return. It's perfect for an all year round family getaway.
*Thank you to Konfidence for sending us to Splash Landings to try out our products. All our options are own honest views.*
Both of my girls are water babies although both still can't swim confidently. Whenever we are away they always ask to go swimming and we have a battle to get them out of the pool. It's always very difficult to keep an eye on both of them and I often worry about their safety which is why I was over the moon to be able to collaborate with Konfidence this year.
We were sent lots of wonderful things to aid them on their learning to swim journey. For the Splash Landings weekend we took the Original Konfidene Swim Jackets, Warma Wetsuits and the Flashing Blinkies to put through their paces.
We arrived at Splash Landings and Eva couldn't believe we had the park to ourselves, talk about a dream come true. She was amazed.
Eager to get in the water, Eva popped her Konfidence swim jacket on herself and she was also able to zip it up on her own. We had to help Ophelia with hers. They immediately headed for the shallower children's pool. Ophelia went straight to the slide whilst Eva splashed about. The jackets had clearly made them feel safe and secure as they were more than happy to play on their own (under our careful observation in the same pool).
The Original Konfidence Swim Jackets are designed to last from the start of your child's swimming journey until the end, when they are able to swim. As your child becomes more confident you can remove the floats from inside the jacket in pairs which therefore reduce the buoyancy.
The girls were much happier wearing their jackets than armbands. Ophelia often cries when we put armbands on her as they are uncomfortable and restrictive. With the jackets both of the girls have the ability to move their arms and therefore learn to swim.
They are available in a few different patterns which all have a bright yellow back which is ideal for us parents as it makes the kiddies clearly visible and easy to spot in a busy pool.
We spent quite a few hours at Splash Landings and we were amazed that the girls didn't moan about being cold. Usually when we go swimming, after about half and hour they are asking to get out because they are freezing. This must be down to their Warma Wetsuits.
The wetsuits are made with 2.5mm flexible neoprene which makes them ideal for providing warmth when in or out of the water. The girls were able to run, walk, jump, splash and use the slides whilst wearing them.
The largest pool area at Splash Landings is Lagoona Bay which Ophelia seemed reluctant to go in for a while. I knew the Konfidence Blinkies would entice her in so we played with them in the shallow end, amongst the rocks until she was confident and relaxed enough to go deeper into the water. Be warned though, the Blinkies attracted the attention of all the other kids in the pool who were eager to play with them.
When it was time to leave we were all gutted. We had such a fantastic time and we are already looking to return. It's perfect for an all year round family getaway.
*Thank you to Konfidence for sending us to Splash Landings to try out our products. All our options are own honest views.*
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A while ago the lovely people at Diono sent me their first ever travel system to put through its paces. The Quantum travel system is designed to be #adventureready and with us being a family that can't keep still, we couldn't wait to try it.
When I say I was sent this a while ago, I mean it. It has made its way comfortably into our lives and it feels like we've always had it. We've been using it everyday. It goes on the school run, to the beach, on dog walks, mountain adventures, to the zoo, on caravan holiday's and more. The only place we haven't tried taking it, is abroad.
The Quantum comes in 4 different colours, Black, Navy, Teal and Red. It costs £500 and comes with everything you would need such as raincover, seat-liner etc. The only thing it doesn't come with is a car seat but it is compatible with lots of different brands of car seats such as Cybex and Maxi Cosi. I've also heard that Diono may be making their own car seat which will be compatible with this system very soon.
This travel system is like none we've ever used before, you can tell it has been designed with parents in mind. The first thing that makes it stand out from other travel systems is the fact that it comes with so few parts. Previous systems we've used have come with at least 3 or 4 separate components making them the stuff of nightmares to store. The Quantum comes with a very clever convertible 3 in 1 smart seat. The carriage can be transformed to a seat by connecting 4 clips. It's easy to do and is a great space saver. This makes the travel system ideal for people who lack storage space and those with small boots on their cars.
The carriage can be laid completely flat. This means it can be used from birth. With Ophelia being the age she is, we've hardly used it as a carriage and therefore haven't tried it with her in the lie flat position but if we ever have a baby number 3, we'll definitely utilise that feature. It can also be tilted in lie flat mode and this makes the travel system perfect for babies that suffer with reflux.
My favourite feature by a mile is the brake. That is a phrase you would never here me say about any other travel system or pushchair. The brake is amazing. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have stubbed my toe or scuffed my feet and nails on our older pushchairs. This genius design has been a lifesaver or toe saver for me shall we say.
The brake is large and centralised in the middle of the bar so no hunting around on corners trying to find it. It's a simple one step movement to activate it. All you have to do is step on it to lock and step again to unlock. It's as easy as that. You can do it in any shoes. It's been amazing to use in the summer as my toes have been saved from injury when wearing flip flops and sandals.
The huge hood is also one of my favourite features. It extends far enough to give good coverage. It has a UV extender attached to it. It keeps the sun out of Ophelia's eyes (when it finally makes an appearance that is). It has a mesh section on the canopy which allows airflow. There's also a magnetic viewing flap so you can have a peek at your little ones without disturbing them.
The Quantum Travel System has the perfect sized storage basket. You can fit plenty under there so it's great for using on shopping trips. It's wide and easily accessible. I think the only down side to the amount of space (and the travel system in general) is that it makes the pram quite large and bulky.
It has a one hand fold system. Hoorah!! This is great for us busy parents that never have enough hands free. It also has a handy shoulder strap for carrying once it's down which is fab for when you're trying to juggle holding bags and children's hands etc.
For almost a year Ophelia has wanted to be parent facing but since we've had the Quantum she has wanted to face the world to absorb her adventures. This travel system allows for both parent and world facing.
The Quantum is great on all terrains and provides and incredibly smooth ride even on grass and rough surfaces. It has large wheels which means hardly any punctures! Wahoo. It has great manoeuvrability I am able to push the Quantum with one hand whilst walking the dog in the other. The only thing I notice (and this may be due to my lack of muscle) is that I struggle going up a curb.
I would definitely recommend the Quantum travel system to parents. It has made my school run like a dream. It's great for all weather conditions and all surfaces meaning it is ready for any adventure.
*We were kindly sent the Diono Quantum Travel System in exchange for this blog post. As always may opinions are my own and honest and truthful*
When I say I was sent this a while ago, I mean it. It has made its way comfortably into our lives and it feels like we've always had it. We've been using it everyday. It goes on the school run, to the beach, on dog walks, mountain adventures, to the zoo, on caravan holiday's and more. The only place we haven't tried taking it, is abroad.
The Quantum comes in 4 different colours, Black, Navy, Teal and Red. It costs £500 and comes with everything you would need such as raincover, seat-liner etc. The only thing it doesn't come with is a car seat but it is compatible with lots of different brands of car seats such as Cybex and Maxi Cosi. I've also heard that Diono may be making their own car seat which will be compatible with this system very soon.
This travel system is like none we've ever used before, you can tell it has been designed with parents in mind. The first thing that makes it stand out from other travel systems is the fact that it comes with so few parts. Previous systems we've used have come with at least 3 or 4 separate components making them the stuff of nightmares to store. The Quantum comes with a very clever convertible 3 in 1 smart seat. The carriage can be transformed to a seat by connecting 4 clips. It's easy to do and is a great space saver. This makes the travel system ideal for people who lack storage space and those with small boots on their cars.
Image from https://uk.diono.com
The carriage can be laid completely flat. This means it can be used from birth. With Ophelia being the age she is, we've hardly used it as a carriage and therefore haven't tried it with her in the lie flat position but if we ever have a baby number 3, we'll definitely utilise that feature. It can also be tilted in lie flat mode and this makes the travel system perfect for babies that suffer with reflux.
My favourite feature by a mile is the brake. That is a phrase you would never here me say about any other travel system or pushchair. The brake is amazing. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have stubbed my toe or scuffed my feet and nails on our older pushchairs. This genius design has been a lifesaver or toe saver for me shall we say.
The brake is large and centralised in the middle of the bar so no hunting around on corners trying to find it. It's a simple one step movement to activate it. All you have to do is step on it to lock and step again to unlock. It's as easy as that. You can do it in any shoes. It's been amazing to use in the summer as my toes have been saved from injury when wearing flip flops and sandals.
The huge hood is also one of my favourite features. It extends far enough to give good coverage. It has a UV extender attached to it. It keeps the sun out of Ophelia's eyes (when it finally makes an appearance that is). It has a mesh section on the canopy which allows airflow. There's also a magnetic viewing flap so you can have a peek at your little ones without disturbing them.
The Quantum Travel System has the perfect sized storage basket. You can fit plenty under there so it's great for using on shopping trips. It's wide and easily accessible. I think the only down side to the amount of space (and the travel system in general) is that it makes the pram quite large and bulky.
It has a one hand fold system. Hoorah!! This is great for us busy parents that never have enough hands free. It also has a handy shoulder strap for carrying once it's down which is fab for when you're trying to juggle holding bags and children's hands etc.
For almost a year Ophelia has wanted to be parent facing but since we've had the Quantum she has wanted to face the world to absorb her adventures. This travel system allows for both parent and world facing.
The Quantum is great on all terrains and provides and incredibly smooth ride even on grass and rough surfaces. It has large wheels which means hardly any punctures! Wahoo. It has great manoeuvrability I am able to push the Quantum with one hand whilst walking the dog in the other. The only thing I notice (and this may be due to my lack of muscle) is that I struggle going up a curb.
I would definitely recommend the Quantum travel system to parents. It has made my school run like a dream. It's great for all weather conditions and all surfaces meaning it is ready for any adventure.
*We were kindly sent the Diono Quantum Travel System in exchange for this blog post. As always may opinions are my own and honest and truthful*
There was a time when if someone mentioned the word travel cot to me I would shudder. They were the stuff of nightmares. That was until I was sent the SpaceCot.
For me travel cots used to be one of those essential items that I hated. We have travelled many times since I had Eva and Ophelia and therefore we have always needed one. They have always been big, bulky, heavy and extremely ugly looking. Don't even get me started on trying to erect one. I looked like I was taking part in some kind wrestling fight, me vs the travel cot. I'd push one side open and it would knock me back, push the other side and the same would happen. If i'm being honest they were something that caused quite a bit of stress when travelling and that's not what travelling should be about.
The SpaceCot arrived on my doorstep a few months ago. The packaging is very eye catching and the box stated that what was inside was 'A Little Bit Brilliant' (this is actually the brand name) but I couldn't agree more.
It comes with a bag which is quite large but I find it easy to carry. It also comes with its own crib attachment so that it can be used from newborn. The cot is narrower than other travel cots we've used and therefore it's a great space saver.
The cot itself looks lovely. It's definitely a lot smarter than any of our previous travel cots and it looks very modern. The material is soft and I love the fact that it can all be removed and washed when needed. This is something we've never encountered before.
The SpaceCot also comes with a mattress. It's a lot thicker than other mattresses to give added comfort.
The best feature has to be the open and fold. It claims that it can be put up in 1 second and down in 3 seconds. As you can imagine, my previous experiences (refer back to the 2nd paragraph) had me a little bit sceptical as to whether it could be that easy. Hubby tried it first and was gobsmacked. It really is simple.
I also managed to open it up and close it on my first attempt. It was very quick, easy and stress free. To fold it down you use your foot so there's less bending (wrestling for me) involved. You can also fold it down with the mattress inside which I think is a fab feature.
You can buy the SpaceCot from a few different retailers (more information available here, SpaceCot website in either grey, biscuit or silver. It has an RRP of £140 which does sound expensive, however when you compare it with similar travel cots, I think the price is comparable. Plus you can use it from birth to age 3 years, so if you travel a lot or ever stay at relatives houses then this is perfect.
*We were gifted the SpaceCot in return for our honest opinion*
For me travel cots used to be one of those essential items that I hated. We have travelled many times since I had Eva and Ophelia and therefore we have always needed one. They have always been big, bulky, heavy and extremely ugly looking. Don't even get me started on trying to erect one. I looked like I was taking part in some kind wrestling fight, me vs the travel cot. I'd push one side open and it would knock me back, push the other side and the same would happen. If i'm being honest they were something that caused quite a bit of stress when travelling and that's not what travelling should be about.
The SpaceCot arrived on my doorstep a few months ago. The packaging is very eye catching and the box stated that what was inside was 'A Little Bit Brilliant' (this is actually the brand name) but I couldn't agree more.
It comes with a bag which is quite large but I find it easy to carry. It also comes with its own crib attachment so that it can be used from newborn. The cot is narrower than other travel cots we've used and therefore it's a great space saver.
The cot itself looks lovely. It's definitely a lot smarter than any of our previous travel cots and it looks very modern. The material is soft and I love the fact that it can all be removed and washed when needed. This is something we've never encountered before.
The SpaceCot also comes with a mattress. It's a lot thicker than other mattresses to give added comfort.
The best feature has to be the open and fold. It claims that it can be put up in 1 second and down in 3 seconds. As you can imagine, my previous experiences (refer back to the 2nd paragraph) had me a little bit sceptical as to whether it could be that easy. Hubby tried it first and was gobsmacked. It really is simple.
I also managed to open it up and close it on my first attempt. It was very quick, easy and stress free. To fold it down you use your foot so there's less bending (wrestling for me) involved. You can also fold it down with the mattress inside which I think is a fab feature.
You can buy the SpaceCot from a few different retailers (more information available here, SpaceCot website in either grey, biscuit or silver. It has an RRP of £140 which does sound expensive, however when you compare it with similar travel cots, I think the price is comparable. Plus you can use it from birth to age 3 years, so if you travel a lot or ever stay at relatives houses then this is perfect.
*We were gifted the SpaceCot in return for our honest opinion*
This morning
I managed to do something that I would never have thought was possible…I
managed to change a nappy, one handed, whilst Ophelia was standing up whilst
trying to deal with a mini crisis Eva was having with my other hand. I honestly
thought I was some sort of parenting wizard. A nappy changing wizard if we’re
going to give it an official title. Talk about multi-tasking. It made me giggle
as I thought back to how clueless and useless I felt when I first found out I
was pregnant over 5 years ago.
I remember that, after the
initial excitement and anticipation I felt at becoming a first-time mum, panic
set in. I became completely overwhelmed by all the things I had to learn, to
buy and above all, by the thought of being responsible for another human being
for the rest of my life. I actually lived at home with my mum until I was 21 so
I had barely learnt to look after myself. I was one of those people that didn’t
know how to ‘cook’ pasta. However, I already had an undeniable love for my bump
and I knew I wanted to be the best mother I could be. I wanted to protect my
child and use the best and safest products on the market for her. She was the
best thing that had ever happened to me and I wanted to give her the best of
everything.
Lots of questions dawned on
me. What was the best pram to buy? Which moses basket shall I get? Which shops
sells the best baby clothes? What nappies should I buy? How do I even change a
nappy? All of these questions blew my mind and after searching the internet I
still wasn’t sure who to ask. I decided the best people to call upon for advice
and suggestions were close family and friends and in particular my mum. She
turned out to be a beacon of support, having 3 children herself, she knew all
the answers to the questions I asked.
Myself and my sisters were
born over different decades (there’s a large gap between me and my middle
sister) so she’d seen new brands and products come and go. She told me the best
advice was to trust your motherly instincts with how you think and feel and to
only buy things that you know are safe and that have been recommended to you by
others.
Mum and Me
So back to the nappy saga. My
mum advised me to use Pampers nappies. She used them in the 90’s, the 2000’s and now on her 2
grandchildren. It wasn’t until recently that I realised that Pampers nappies
are made in the UK and have been since my mum started using them. Who knew?!
Recently
I learnt that over 1500 Pampers nappies are checked by hand every day, using
130 different test methods and 24,000 measurements – all overseen by 33 people
who are dedicated to checking the quality of every, single nappy.
These
statistics are comparable with how many times I practiced changing a nappy with
my mum. Seriously, it felt like I’d had around 1500 goes, using 130 different
techniques (front to back, legs apart, legs together) before I finally nailed
it. Needless to say, I was a slow learner but hey, look at me now, I’m changing
nappies one handed.
The
reason that both my mum and I are still using Pampers is because of the finer
details that go into the production of making just 1 nappy. It takes 28 pairs
of loving hands to make a single pampers nappy which I think is an incredible
statistic. 80% of the production team are parents themselves putting love and
care into each nappy. I think this is
great as I
practised so much at being able to change a nappy because in my head that was
some sort of right of passage to becoming a mum. It makes me think that Pampers
are doing the same thing with their rigorous checks in producing nappies. When
you have something so precious, it’s always reassuring to know that something
that forms a huge part of their everyday life is made with so much love and
attention.
You
can find out more about how Pampers nappies are made by watching the video
below.
As you can see Pampers are made here in the UK. When
choosing what brands and products I use in our house, I always try and support
something that’s British made. I’m very fussy on where my meat comes from so
why shouldn’t I be equally as fussy as to where the products I use on my
beautiful girls are from?
I’ve been changing nappies for nearly 5 years now.
I think I’ve now got it to a fine art. However, Ophelia is now at the ‘I’m into
everything stage’ so in short, she can’t keep still. Honestly, almost 2
year olds are fast and incredibly inquisitive. This kid can give Usain Bolt a
run for his money. She’s always on the move and therefore needs a nappy to
support her busy, active lifestyle. That’s another reason why we use Pampers. Pampers
know that looking after baby’s skin and keeping their bottom dry at the same
time is a priority. Ophelia suffers with her skin and I know that using any old
nappy can really irritate her delicate skin. Pampers are the only nappy
recommended by the British Skin Foundation and a great deal of care is put into
developing nappies that are.
To sum up, here I am
now, a nappy changing wizard. I went from the clueless pregnant woman to
practically changing nappies blindfolded (I haven’t gone that far just yet) and
I couldn’t have done it without the advice from my mum and the support from Pampers.
*This post was drafted in collaboration with Pampers and P&G but all thoughts my own
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