Love and Comfort with the Baby Carrier Move.

Posted on by

Both of my children spent much of the first years of their lives in a BabyBjörn. I cannot recommend BabyBjörn enough. They are the Rolls-Royce of baby carriers. The Baby Carrier Move is the latest carrier and it has the same high-end engineering as its predecessors.  It is made from an airy 3D mesh fabric that I love, it also dries quickly after washing. 

The Baby Carrier Move is stylish and easy to get off and on, it is also easy to manoeuvre. Another reason I love baby carriers is because I find it easy to breastfeed in them. I put a light breastfeeding scarf over the carrier. You can even do it while you are walking. Freedom for mama. Frost loves. 

BabyBjörn is promoting love and comfort with the ergonomic Baby Carrier Move, a carrier designed for simplicity in the home or out and about, for use from day one, all the way to 15 months. The superior back support and an ergonomic waist belt makes the Baby Carrier Move super comfortable for parents, and as with all BabyBjorn Baby Carriers, little ones love being carried, being close to their parent’s heart as they grow and can explore the world together.
Baby Bjorn, baby sling, Babybjorn, baby carrier,

The baby carrier’s thin and flexible 3D mesh fabric ensures that a newborn baby is sitting in a perfect position and the size of the baby carrier can be adjusted as the baby grows. The soft fabric hugs the baby’s back, legs and hips, and provides good support. For the first five months, the baby is carried facing inwards and then parents have the option of carrying their baby facing outwards. The baby carrier is fully adjustable.

Thirty million babies have been carried in a BabyBjörn Baby Carrier since the very first one – Close to Heart – was launched in 1973. The company, which was founded in 1961, continually develops and simplifies its baby carriers to be able to offer parents babywearing equipment that suits their family. It’s important that a baby carrier adapts easily to the baby’s size and the family’s lifestyle.

 “We have tested Baby Carrier Move with a large number of test families in their home environments and on long walks over a long period in order to make sure that it’s comfortable for both parents and babies.” says BabyBjörn’s Josefin Kleremo, project manager for Baby Carrier Move.

Baby Carrier Move is acknowledged as hip-healthy by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI). https://bit.ly/2IH41b1

BabyBjorn, baby carrier, review, BabyBjorn, reviews

The baby carrier is made of an airy 3D mesh fabric that breathes well and dries quickly after washing. The fabric has been specially developed for BabyBjörn’s baby carriers and meets the requirements of OEKO-TEX 100 Class 1 for safe textiles for babies and toddlers.

Baby Carrier Move is available from www.babybjorn.co.uk in the colours Light Grey, Navy, Anthracite and Sage green. Recommended Retail Price:  £119.99

 

5 Books That Changed Me: CJ Daugherty

Posted on by

CJ Daugherty The Secret History, by Donna Tartt

This fast-paced but dreamy novel set at a private university in the New England mountains, starts with a murder and tells the story of how it happened in reverse, as a group of elegant young friends obsessed with Greek mythology take everything too far, and close friendships fall to pieces. In her most restrained and elegant book, Tartt performs a magic trick by inventing fascinating characters who are capable of cold-blooded murder, and then making you like them. You know from the start they are killers, and yet you still want to be their friend. I re-read this book regularly.

The Likeness, by Tana French

This Irish crime novel by Tana French is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve read it multiple times. It follows a female detective as she investigates a murder victim who looks exactly like her. Using their alikeness as a weapon, she takes over the dead woman’s life – moving in with her friends into a house in the countryside outside Dublin. She begins investigating them from within but then, slowly becomes seduced by them, and the rambling mansion where they live. Unfortunately, this is a very dangerous decision. Because one of them is a killer.

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

This is an elegant, wandering, multi-strand tale of a mysterious circus that travels in secrecy and arrives without warning. Nobody knows when or where it will appear, or how long it will stay. The tents are filled with magical, mysterious displays. People are obsessed with it, and for good reason. It could be dangerous or simply wonderful — even after reading the book it’s hard to know which. Either way it doesn’t matter. It’s so beautifully written, I long to wake up one morning, as dawn washes the dark from the sky, to find the circus has appeared in my town. 

Station 11, by Emily St John Mandel

I bought this book after everyone I trust in the world told me it was amazing, and they were ALL right. It starts in a pandemic apocalypse (sound familiar?) and then jumps forward in time to follow a group of survivors who are exploring the remains of America in a roving band of Shakespearean actors, travelling from settlement to settlement performing plays for people who can barely remember a time before life was like this. It’s both scary and thoughtful, and ultimately filled with hope. Maybe just skim the first chapter while we’re all locked in our houses, but the rest will lift you.

Circe, by Madeline Miller

This feminist reinterpretation of The Odyssey told from the perspective of the banished witch, Circe, is the most beautiful, heartbreaking, glorious look at the Greek myths in all of time. Circe’s story is bittersweet. She’s young and voiceless, expected to be nothing but beautiful and compliant. Because she isn’t either of those things, she’s punished by being banished to an island to live completely alone. There, in isolation, she finds herself. The tale is told with wonderful compassion. It’s funny and dry, and terribly poignant in places. I cried 3 times listening to the audiobook. Honestly, it’s so gorgeously written I don’t know why I bother.

 

Number 10 by CJ Daugherty is out now, £9.99 from Moonflower Books available on Amazon here.

 

ONLINE PANTOMIME – oh yes it is – The Legend Of Moby Dick Whittington at www.thesleepingtrees.co.uk: review by Paul Vates

Posted on by

until 5th January 2021

“Absolutely brilliant!”

Several years ago I travelled to the scariness that is south London (apologies if you live there!), to the tiny Theatre 503, to watch this company’s production of Scrooge and the Seven Dwarves. I was attacked by a T-Rex during the show. I laughed a lot. I joined in a lot and, finally, left the theatre on a high… still talking about it.

Times have changed. Live, intimate theatre seems so long ago. Companies and creatives have pummelled their audiences with virtual shows – productions that we watch through the screen. But how to keep the essence of ‘live’ even though we are, basically, watching a tv programme?

Simple – sit back and join John, James and Joshua of Sleeping Trees as they tell you a story… although you won’t be resting for long. You’ll throw paper at the screen, hide under a sheet, peer through toilet rolls, even row a boat with kitchen implements – all manner of madcap antics that turn a simple muck around with these three chaps into an ‘interactive’ 50-minute long show that will make children AND adults laugh out loud.

They play all the characters bar one (but no spoilers!) and pull us into their crazy world. It is hilarious fun. All shot in someone’s house – which means there could be neighbours with their ears to the walls saying, ‘They’re at it again! What IS going on in there?!?’ Unlike other offerings on the web this year, this production is imaginatively shot and edited by Shaun Reynolds and neatly directed by Kerry Frampton.

Sleeping Trees specialise in melding different stories together – creating a fusion that turns the whole experience into a ‘live cartoon’. Absolutely brilliant! As for the baddie of the piece…

This is King Rat… BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Photography Shaun Reynolds

Producers Alice Carter & Sleeping Trees – with support from Battersea Arts Centre

Writers John Woodburn, James Dunnell-Smith, Joshua George Smith and Ben Hales

Director Kerry Frampton

Music Ben Hales

Running Time 50 minutes approx

Tickets https://sleepingtrees.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/the_legend_of_moby_dick_whittington

Shows until 5th January 2021 – go to www.thesleepingtrees.co.uk for details

Price From £5

Twitter @WeSleepingTrees

My Writing Process Leith MacArthur

Posted on by

Leith MacArthur, author, writerMy Writing Routine:

I write every day for 2-4 hours, from roughly 8am to 11am, depending on how open my creative flow remains. I consider the “flow” to be a kind of pathway or conduit to the Infinite, where all events, thoughts, problems, solutions, lives and deaths occur, whether past, present, or future.

A Bit About Me:

I began writing when I was about ten years old. Short stories, poems, and a children’s book about a germ who saves the world. When I was introduced to alcohol and drugs at the age of fourteen, I became instantly addicted and my internal writer went into a coma. I wrote not another word until my mid-thirties when a novel burst out of me. I continued to write novels, but everything I expressed, whether it was through writing or raging, was being forced through a translation device, fueled and energized by drugs and booze. I drank, drugged and wrote for a total of forty-seven years. When, at the age of 66, I finally got clean, my writing began to take on a life of its own: it began to mature in the process. In essence, the act of writing became “natural” and, for the first time in my life, I realized I had been born with the gift of expression. My recently released novel, The Death of Harry Crow, is my best work. I’m now hard at work on the sequel, and the writing continues to flow with ease and assurance. 

What I Have Written, Past and Present:

Various poems and short stories; a children’s book called, Gerry the Germ; a supernatural thriller called, The Duplicating Man;  a book specifically for women called How To Buy An Excellent Used Car; a biographical novel (part memoir) about my life called, An Artificial Life;  five novels in The William Snow Series, Beneath the Bridge, The Stones of Mirabella, The Barnes and Blackwell Affair, The Finding Man, and (the only one published from the series) The Death of Harry Crow. I am currently at work putting the finishing touches on the sequel to Harry Crow, called The Man in the Moon. It’s good stuff.

What I Am Promoting Now:

The Death of Harry Crow

A bit about the process of writing:

I write directly from my thoughts. No plan. If I don’t happen to have any interesting thoughts that are worthy of words, I put down words anyway. Random words. Misspelled words. Incomplete sentences. It doesn’t matter. Eventually, something readable comes out.

How Do I Do My Structure:

These days I write only novels. I have no plan and I use no outline. Because I write straight out of the Infinite, I have no real structure; I just write until the work announces to me that it’s done. However, because I write thrillers, I do prefer to write short, impactful chapters that keep the action going, a bit like a Gatling gun.

What Do I Find Hard About Writing:

The toughest thing for me is dealing with Creep, the ungrateful primate who lives in a cave at the back of my skull. When Creep comes lumbering out of his cave with his knuckles dragging along my brain pan, he has but one purpose: to keep me from becoming a self-supporting writer. Creep came close to killing me (his true objective) by convincing me, across a span of 47 years, that drugs were the only way to deal with pain. Creep almost won, but when I learned that expressing pain is the only way to heal it, he lost most of his power over me. He’s still there, but I know how to deal with him now: I write.

What Do I Love About Writing:

I love that I can leave. When I write, I leave the world behind me: it’s only me, the words, and the fantasy in my head. I have unlimited power. I can do anything.

Advice For Other Writers:

Do these three things: read, read, and read. If you are meant to write, the words will follow.

The Death of Harry Crow by Leith MacArthur available in paperback, £9.99, via Amazon or to order in any good bookshop. 

 

breathe ilo Review: The Revolutionary New Fertility Tracker

Posted on by
 breathe ilo review, fertility, fertility tracker

TTC (trying to conceive) is not fun at all, more than that, it can be very expensive. Peeing on sticks and taking your temperature is a faff and can be time-consuming. Never mind the cost to the environment. Breathe ilo has now launched so we thought we would give it a review. breathe ilo is the world’s first fertility tracker that uses breath analysis (CO2) to identify ovulation patterns.

The new technology signals a shift so women no longer need to track their cycles by urinating on a stick or by measuring their temperature early in the morning. The innovative device works by simply breathing and displays the results in just 60 seconds, with no consumables or maintenance needed. Through consistent daily use, the breath analysis tracker empowers women to understand their body and cycle phases better.

The breathe ilo app, which is compatible with iOS and Android, features a calendar that displays a clear overview of fertile days and a cycle diary to learn more about individual cycle patterns. breathe ilo’s cycle diary also offers the possibility to document further cycle symptoms like breast tenderness, PMS, cervical mucus, or headaches to help prepare women for their next cycle.

So, does it work and is it easy to use? Yes and yes. Quite a few women have got pregnant using it already and we expect that number to rise. You charge the device, download the app and then you breathe into the device and can log your cycle. It is so easy and convenient. The device is small and stylish. It’s tracking is different from conventional methods, Breathe ILO precisely detects a woman’s menstruation cycle. It uses a live tracking system, which uses an AI-based learning algorithm which improves all of the time. The device also works with irregular cycles. It can detect five out of six fertile days on average. You can also choose what  time of day you use the device, unlike other methods which need to be done at the same time each day. I cannot recommend the breathe ilo enough. It takes the stress out of cycle tracking and is so easy to use. Full marks.

With the option to buy a device for £259.00 or rent for £29.90 a month, breathe ilo is available to purchase exclusively now at  www.breatheilo.com

 

Free Virtual ‘weaning workshop’ how to stop your baby becoming a fussy eater

Posted on by

weaning, fussy eater, tips.

Charlotte Stirling-Reed (the nutritionist on Joe Wicks’ weaning book), a leading expert in Infant and toddler nutrition will be running a free webinar on ‘Getting Started with Solids/Veg Led Weaning’ on December 8th at 8pm.

Stokke are going virtual with the iconic Tripp Trapp® for an exclusive talk on how to get started with solids and vegetable led weaning, with STOKKE TRIPP TRAPP TOUR @ HOME. The session will cover the basics when it comes to introducing your little one to solid food and will start with some of the science around feeding infants – what does the research say about the very first foods – and then go on to talk about introducing your baby to allergens (something lots of parents are anxious about), as well as how to move on to “family foods” and more composite meals. When: Stokke Zoom 8th December at 8pm.

Few things are more important than nutrition when it comes to raising your children so I will definitely be tuning in.

Tripp Trapp® chair Baby Set Soft Mint, Beech Wood, with Classic Cushion Honeycomb Happy

The iconic Tripp Trapp® highchair was launched in 1972 and has since sold more than 12 million worldwide. It is Mumsnet approved and super stylish.

 

Christmas Gift Guide: Wavey Ice introduce their Boozy Winter Hamper

Posted on by
Who remembers ice pops…? Those icy sticks of goodness after school on a summers day was literally THE ONE.  Hands up if you’ve ever tried a boozy ice pop? YES, they really do exist thanks to Wavey Ice, the original creators of alcoholic ice pops in the UK. 

Wavey Ice known for their cocktail inspired ice pops have been making fresh treats est. summer of 2014. Distributing at various festivals and Notting Hill Carnival, they are now making sure we don’t have to miss out on all of the vibes this year by bringing a selection of icy cocktail gifts and hampers that you can buy for your loved ones this Christmas. Don’t worry about feeling chilly, these treats are designed to warm you up whilst paying homage to the old school London scene. 

So, what’s on offer? Well through the website you can purchase a host of goodies from various Ice Pop flavours, branded merch and of course the hamper. 

The hamper contains;

(RRP: £55) inc delivery

*10 Limited edition Kola & Spiced Rum ice pops.

*One ‘Dutty Wine’ Mulled Wine and White Rum pouch

*One bottle of ‘Kold Sauce’ hot sauce

*One pair of Wavey Ice socks

*Set of fun Christmas stickers to add to your festive decorations.

To get the full experience we recommend gathering your crew, (at a social distance), grab a Wavey Ice Pop, pull up your rave socks and turn Ms Dynamiteeeheee all the way up. Never has a Christmas hamper bought me so much nostalgia and joy and we guarantee anyone who loves UKG, Grime, Rap and just having a good time with your people in general, this will bring a smile to their face. 

The Wavey Ice hamper is curated with heart and soul and it shows. Since this Summer, Wavey Ice has raised over £1500 for the NHS by donating £1 from every purchase made to them. This Winter will be no exception with £1 from every purchase donated to Crisis charity until Dec 20. So support Independent businesses this Winter. Support Wavey Ice. 

…pssst there’s a sale on right now…

www.waveyice.co.uk

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis Reviewed by Annie Clarke

Posted on by

 

 

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis was, for me, unputdownable, and not just because I have my own small charity which helps veterans.

This is a story which should be told, and boy, is it told well, and rivals any thriller  on the shelves today. But what makes it riveting is that it is true, painfully so.

In June 1944 twelve SAS parachuted into occupied France, led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, who bore wounds from previous  battles. It was a  small elite band, which included Thomas ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge ‘Frenchy’ Vaculik, who destroyed enemy targets. However, they were captured, imprisoned and tortured. Hitler ordered their execution and only Jones and Vaculik escaped. You can imagine the hue and cry, the hunting…

Later in 1945 the Nazis hunters became the hunted,  and those in pursuit of these who committed such war crimes were the SAS including  ‘Ginger’ Jones and Serge Vaculik until… Ah, but no more, because this is a tale that needs to be read properly from beginning to end.

Damien Lewis’s exploration of this whole incident tears at the heart strings exposing what I consider injustices, quite apart from the executions. These were brave men, who acted on their country’s behalf  and, for me, Damien Lewis has not only told a story of bravery in the face of barbarity, but he has also exposed what amount to post war deceits.

Read it, give it to others. In this time of the pursuit of our esteemed military for historic so called  ‘crimes’ let us read through a different lens, the valour, the sacrifice, the commitment to the protection of our country and their comrades, and be proud of, and grateful to, them ALL, including those serving today.

SAS Band of Brothers by Damien Lewis pub by Quercus Books Hardback @ £20.

Margaret Graham is a bestselling author, who writes under the names Annie Clarke and Milly Adams Her latest by Annie Clarke is the Girls on the Home Front series.