5 Essential Baby Items

Having a new baby around the house recently (well, my godson is 6 months now but he's still the newest baby!) got me thinking about items that came in useful to me when L was a baby. 

I definitely had way more stuff than necessary or some things that never even got used or items that were used a few times but were actually more of hindrance than anything. 

So I've complied a list of the 5 items that I found the most useful when having a new baby in the house. 

1. Cosatto Changing Unit  - This was a life saver for me. I suffer with a bad back form an old RTA injury and this made changing, washing, dressing etc so much easier as I didn't have to bend down. We kept it in the alcove under stairs and wheeled it our when needed. It's great for storage too. I have safely stored away in the attic just in case there's a need to use it again. This is the one we had and we actually got it for a absolute bargain second hand for €30.00 and it was like brand new.

   

   
   

2. Bath Seat - This made bath time so much easier and more relaxed. We were given one of these when L was born and I was little unsure at the start but it was much more convenient to bath him lying in this rather than trying to lean over the bath and hold him. Also I;m not sure about anyone else but holding a baby in water is quite stressful and I was always afraid he'd slip or something! Bath time was a nightly feature during the bed time routine so we got lot of use out of it. 
   
   
   
3. Tommee Tippee Bottle Warmer  - L was bottle fed and we would prep his bottles for the day every morning. I didn't like the idea of giving him a cold bottle so would just pop it into the bottle warmer for a minute or so just before his next feed and it would be the perfect temperature by the time he was ready for it. Was so handy to bring upstairs with us during the night too. We got ours in Mothercare with a voucher we were given when he was born. 
   
   
   
4. Pram Clips - A vital tool when shopping with a pram, there's only so much you can fit in the basket underneath the pram! My bestie gave me one of these, I'd never seen them before and they are so handy to clip your bags on to when you are out and about in the shops. 
   
   
   
5. Homeopathic Remedies - It's no secret Luke hit every regression with his sleeping pattern and  he had a hard time teething, as babies do and I swear by 2 homeopathic remedies that I've written about here and here. They made such a difference to him during these phases and helped get us through the tough days. Homeopathy isn't for everyone but I highly recommend it from personal experience. 

Hopefully some people may find this list helpful.

What are essential items when there' s a new baby in the house? 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have not been asked by any of the companies mentioned to review these products and links are provided purely for convenience to find a product.*

April Round Up

April you were a busy one!

For the first time this year it was not filled with stress and worry and we actually enjoyed the month. I had a week off work so got to indulge in some quality family time. 

Easter took place obviously and on Good Friday I was selling the Easter Lily pins in my town and we also fit in an Easter egg hunt. Easter Sunday morning myself, Luke and his Grandad went to the Youghal Easter Rising Commemoration where we marched behind a Republican band and listened to speeches from some of the Sinn Féin TD's that were present on the day. It was a great morning and a privilege to take part in it. While we didn't have our usual Easter Sunday family dinner it was still nice and that night I got out for some much needed drinks with the girls.

We had 2 trips to Fota Wildlife park during the month. Luke loves it there and we can spend hours in there. We also went to Fota Gardens a few times, it's a lovely place to bring the kids on their bikes or for a stroll around. Both of these are only a short few minutes drive from our house and we are so lucky that they are on our door step. 

We did a lot of exploring during the month in our local area and had a lovely evening walk in the local woods. You can walk right through and down to the strand, there's some lovely views down there. We went to to the local Farmer's Market in Midleton where we had the most delicious stonebaked pizza and we took a drive along the back roads of East Cork. It's so easyto take for granted the things and surroundings we see everyday but we really do live in a beautiful part of the country and we really need to appreciate it some more.

I mentioned last month about Luke's skin and suffering from orbital dermatitis, well I wasn't happy with the way it was going so he went back to the doctor and they described him as having atopic eczema / asthma. I think I'm right in saying that means he has the symptoms without having the actual diagnosis if you get me. Anyway he was prescribed an anti histamine, emollient cream, and granuales that he has to take at night time and there has been such an improvement since and he's back to sleeping properly. His eyes still aren't fully better so he has been referred to a dermatologist to get this looked at some more but overall there's been a vast improvement. 

The camera has been out and about a lot this month and I'm currently working on a gift idea for the parents, I won't say much here just incase the Mothership is reading but I will share once it's done.

The Fitbit has had me out and about more in April. I've managed to fit in some walks during my lunch breaks and some evening walks. Of course the first night I headed out it lashed rain and I got soaked but it wasn't enough to deter me. I'm really struggling with my fitness at the moment, according to the Fitbit I'm in the end of the "Fair" section on the scale and I'm determined to bring that up. With an energetic, almost 4 year old it's important that I can keep up with him. Weight is a whole other issue but right now I'm trying to focus on the fitness part and hopefully the weightloss will fall into that as well. 

Recommendation of the month goes to Alfaparf Pigments Hydrating Shampoo.

May looks set to be another busy month and we are looking forward to some warmer weather, hopefully!

How was your April??

Me & Mine April

April, you were a busy one! It felt like a long month because we managed to cram so much in to it I think.

April saw us taking a step back from life's stresses a bit. We had a break from work, college, preschool and some time to just spend together and relax. It was badly needed after the manic first 3 months of the year. 

The weather was a bit unpredictable as it usually is in April but we really made the most of being outdoors as much as we could and we love it. Luke loves nothing more than running around outside.

Easter was a quiet affair, we usually have a family dinner but this year we didn't and it was actually quite nice to just go about our day at a leisurely pace and do our own thing. 

For once this month we weren't rushing around trying to get a last minute photo and the Mothership actually took these of us at the local. Easter Egg hunt.

Here we are in April:

This month Luke loves:

Playing "I'll be the good guy and you'll be the bad guys and I'll catch you"

Mickey Mouse Club House

Getting out and about in the garden with his Grandparents

This month Dad loves:

Two weeks off college

Having us visit him at work

Topping up his tan at work - he works mostly outside and only needs to look at the sun to get a tan!

This month Mum loves:

Catching up with friends over lunch and drinks

Finally getting my hair cut

Getting a walk in most days, the FitBit won't let me sit still!