Wonderful Water Babies

When I was pregnant with baby Summer I knew that Water Babies would be top of my list of baby activities. In fact, I went to Water Babies swimming lessons with all three of my children, but I knew I wanted to get started as early as possible this time round, so Summer and I began our first chapter of swimming lessons when she was just 4 weeks old.

It is said that babies are born with a natural gag reflex which enables them to swim under water. This makes a lot of sense when you think that your baby has been living in water for 9 months as they grow inside you. When this reflex kicks in, a baby will instinctively hold its breath and avoid inhaling water in response to the sensation of feeling water on its face, nose, throat and voice box. This natural gag reflex fades as your baby grows so it really in beneficial to begin these swimming lessons as young as you can. Water Babies is suitable for babies any time from birth onwards.

I must admit that it is nerve wracking when you submerge your baby for their first underwater swim, but it is amazing to see that they come to the surface looking completely unfazed. Each submersion lasts only a few seconds and as we progressed through the lessons I could see how Summer was listening to the cues which are repeated before each underwater swim, “Summer, are you ready? Go!”, and genuinely learning to control her breathing to prepare for the submersion. It is wonderful to see her confidence and co-ordination grow week by week, even swimming through hoops by Chapter 3!

The underwater swimming is only a very small part of the classes (and is never forced), the best part for me was the lovely bonding experience and to be able to feel her kicking away in the water and splashing with her hands in excitement. I also got to meet a great bunch of mums with babies the same age as mine. And following each swimming lesson there was the added bonus of Summer taking an extra long nap! Perfect!

Summer was born in water and bath time is certainly the highlight of her days, so I wasn’t surprised that she seemed to really enjoy her weekly swim at Water Babies. The lessons are a lot of fun and very well structured around your baby’s age and stage of development. There are catchy songs which you will find yourself singing in your head for the rest of the day, easy commands to teach your baby from the first class and lots of repetition to help babies learn to swim.

My top tips to make things as easy as possible would be to dress your baby in something that is warm and is super quick to get them in to after swimming, I had a fleece sleepsuit which zipped from the foot right up to the top and I found this a great time saver, especially if you have a fussy baby. It is also a brilliant idea to bring a bathrobe for yourself so that you can pop that on whilst you are drying and dressing your baby, before getting yourself dressed (again, wear something that is quick and easy). Your baby will need to wear a swim nappy, as well as a neoprene “Happy Nappy” whilst they are in the pool and some babies also wore a little wetsuit. These can all be purchased through Water Babies.

Obviously, as a photographer myself, I was excited for the complimentary underwater photo shoot when Summer reached the end of Chapter 1. Water Babies use some of the best trained underwater photographers for these shoots and they managed to get some fantastic shots of Summer swimming under water at just 2 and a half months old. These are a lovely keepsake and something to look back fondly on with pride of your baby. Here is one of Summer’s photos and you can see she is wearing her tiny little yellow swimming costume which I have now sewn her swimming badges on to and added to her baby box.

I loved our experience with Water Babies and it is something that I recommend to all new mummies.

I am thrilled to be giving away vouchers for a free Water Babies lesson in my goody bags so that you can give it a go yourself with your baby. I do hope you love it as much as we did!

The Best Breastfeeding Products - Ardo

“ We are committed to an integrated, holistic approach to a good cause – Breastfeeding!”

Ardo produce award winning and NHS recommended breastfeeding aids for mothers, professionals and Breastfeeding support organisations in order to help mums get the most out of their breastfeeding journey. Their product range is extensive and truly customizable so that each mum can find a breast pump that works for them. Every mother is individual and therefore has different individual needs and Ardo strives to meet these requirements and provide the best possible products for them. Their commitment, customer support and advice is second to none!

Ardo products are designed to support the development of premature and newborn babies, make breastfeeding easier for mothers and give safety and comfort to patients. “Reliability and product benefits are always the key focus. Ardo focuses its existing wealth of experience on breastfeeding aids, as well as suction technology and neonatology. The expertise, passion and commitment of the Ardo team allow them to bring outstanding products to the market, using innovative solutions and an eye for quality to get right to the heart of customer needs. This Swiss family-run company builds its success upon respect for people and the environment.”

Electric or manual breastpumps, Ardo have a fantastic range available to rent or to buy. Take a look at Ardo’s range of breastpumps here and have a read about how to customise the products to suit you.

As experts in the field, Ardo has dedicated itself to giving premature and newborn babies the best possible start in life and the company produces incubators, open intensive care systems, radiant heaters, warming mattresses and phototherapy lamps which are used in the neonatal wards in our NHS hospitals.

I am thrilled to be including some samples of Ardo’s Day and Night Breast pads in my client goody bags! These pads really are the best that I have come across (and I have tried most brands!). They are super comfortable and incredibly well designed. The unique leakage protection, which is positioned horizontally during the day and laterally at night, prevents breast milk from leaking – ensuring reliable protection, day and night. These pads give effective protection, as well as being extra soft, absorbent and comfortable! I will be giving the giving my goody bags out during my newborn photo shoots so you can have a little look through the information provided with your samples and if you are looking for a breast pump, or even any advice on breastfeeding, there is a wealth of information on Ardo’s website.

I've found the best Coconut oil for my baby! Kokoso

Coconut oil is literally taking the world by storm. There are so many health benefits associated with the use of coconut oil, it is little wonder why it has become so popular.

I used coconut oils to massage my two older children’s skin when they were babies and found it to work wonders on dry, flaky newborn skin. When my daughter, Summer was born last year I knew that coconut oil was an essential to have at home, but I hadn’t really found a particular brand that I wanted to buy again. There are a lot of coconut oils on the market and almost all claim to be pure, organic and chemical free yet there is a big difference between the actual products. I have found some to be sticky, gritty, overly greasy and some have a particularly sickly smell.

Anyway, I have discovered Kokoso and can honestly say this coconut oil is perfect! It is so much lighter and silkier than any of the other oils I have tried. Kokoso is incredibly fine and soft with a very delicate, sweet, coconutty scent. And because it is so light it sinks in to Summer’s skin beautifully quickly, it just melts away, moisturizing the skin and leaving her feeling super soft!

“Coconut oil is the purest, gentlest, kindest way of caring for your baby's skin. In the tropics this natural wonder oil has been used to nourish and moisturise skin for generations. Raw virgin coconut oil contains a unique combination of medium-chain fatty acids called lauric acid – a magical healing agent also found in breast milk – as well as caprylic acid and capric acid. These special fatty acids are made up of teeny, easily absorbable molecules perfect for sinking deep into your baby’s skin to comfort, hydrate and leave them feeling gorgeously baby-soft. Just as Mother Nature intended. “

So what makes Kokoso so special?

Every pot of Kokoso coconut oil is packed full of the magical goodness of around three whole organic coconuts! The specially sourced organic coconuts are fresh-pressed and cleaned using only purified water. This unique method allows the coconuts to be processed within just three hours of being picked which eradicates the need for any chemicals to be used for cleaning. Kokoso truly is 100% organic, natural, virgin coconut oil!

If you’re yet to try Kokoso but think the brand sounds familiar then you may remember seeing Lauren on The Dragon’s Den!

As well as the original Kokoso Baby Coconut Oil, Kokoso also stock the most delicious range of baby coconut products such as the Kokoso Hair & Body Wash, Natural Konjac Baby Bath Sponge, Happy Scalp Cream and a couple of really gorgeous gift sets.

Summer was thirteen days overdue and as a result, her skin was very dry and flaky. I quickly established a routine of massaging her dry skin before bedtime with this lovely, light coconut oil. Not only did it quickly clear up her dry skin but the combination of the bath and the massage left her wonderfully relaxed before bedtime.

There are so many benefits associated with coconut oil and it is such a versatile product. This is one of my absolute favourite products for newborns and I am delighted to be giving away some lovely samples in my new client goody bags. This means that you can try the miracle oil yourself and I’m sure you and your baby will be hooked on its coconutty deliciousness!

Kokoso have also provided a special discount for all readers of the Bucks Newborn Photography blog and are giving away 15% off their full baby range. Just quote “BABYPHOTO” at the checkout 😊

Are you looking for the best teething relief for your baby? Bickiepegs

My daughter, Summer, is now 9 months old are we going through the tricky teething stage. She now has three teeth and our ultimate saviour during the teething process has been Bickiepegs! These clever little biscuit sticks are the size of a little finger and are designed to enable babies to chew at the front and the back of their mouths to soothe sore gums and provide a hard but safe surface for babies to chew as they cut those first teeth. The biscuits are all hand prepared in a dedicated bakery in Scotland and are specifically baked for their unique hardness. This hard surface satisfies the emerging teeth and helps relieve the pain and frustration associated with teething.

Another great point about Bickiepegs is the little piece of string that threads through the biscuit, making it easy for baby to keep a hold of and Summer certainly enjoys sucking on the string almost as much as the Bickiepeg biscuit itself!

“Whilst Bickiepegs are not designed as a food, the ingredients are all natural and contain NO artificial colourings, preservatives or flavourings as well as NO added sugar or salt, so you can have peace of mind if your child does eat some of the biscuits.”

I have used Bickiepegs with all three of my children and found them to be a life saver throughout the teething process, providing that much needed little something to bite and get their emerging teeth stuck in to.

Now that Summer has three of her milk teeth, I have began using the Bickiepegs Finger Toothbrush and Gum Massager. This is a genius product! It is so gentle and easy to use. The double sided silicone brush fits over your finger and is perfect for softly cleansing first teeth, whilst the dimpled side offers soothing relief to delicate teething gums.

Bickiepegs have been around since 1925 and work with the dental industry to promote good oral hygiene for infants. Babies are encouraged to have their first visit to the dentist before 12 months of age and Bickiepegs are now working towards supplying these lovely certificates to dentists to give out to babies at their first check up. There is also a wonderful free downloadable tooth chart on the Bickiepegs website to help you keep track of when your little one’s teeth come through. This is a lovely keepsake and great to stick in to your baby book.

Bickiepegs have even been used by the Royals from as far back as the 1930s when the teething biscuits were given out at Royal nurseries to baby princes and princesses! Take a look at this thank you letter from the Royal Household dated 1931.

Bickiepegs are also the pioneers of the Doidy Cup and Doidy Bowl range. I am yet to try the these with Summer but I am looking forward to seeing how she gets on with them. I have very kindly been sent a Doidy Cup to test out and I shall update you with how she gets on in a separate post. The Doidy Cup is unique in its slanted design as it helps children to actually see the level of the liquid inside and teaches them early hand to eye co-ordination. “The two-handled Doidy Cup, has been scientifically designed with a unique slant in order to teach infants to drink from an open cup, rather than from a spout or a teated bottle. Health Professionals, the Government* and leading health organisations such as The British Dietetic Association* are active in recommending the introduction of an open cup at around 6 months of age and completely stopping the use of a bottle by 12 months. “

I’m really excited to share Bickiepegs teething biscuits with you and I have a lovely sample awaiting each of my clients in my new goody bags to try out with your teething babies!!

Have you been looking for the Best Organic Baby Products? →

During my time on maternity leave looking after baby Summer I have been conscious to stick with organic products where possible. In my quest to find the most gentle and effective products I came across Green People. Wow! These products are amazing. I started with the Organic Babies Softening Baby Lotion for Summer’s dry skin, it is so soft, gentle and pure and really is a pleasure to use. The lotion is unscented and really nourishes babies skin. This lead me to read up a little more about Green People and I soon discovered what a fantastic company they really are. Not only do they provide some of the best baby (and adult) creams, but their company values and extent of their work to be environmentally friendly and cruelty free is outstanding.

“Developed with the most sensitive skin in mind, Green People’s Organic Baby range is designed to soothe, nurture and restore, promoting calm and healthy skin”.

Green People offer an award winning, extensive range of natural and certified organic baby products such as their Softening Baby Lotion, Calming Nappy Cream, Baby Wash & Shampoo and the gorgeous Mum & Baby Rescue Balm.Check out the Green People baby range here.

The range is so gentle and is designed to protect, soothe and relax your baby using age-old herbs such as chamomile, calendular and lavendar. What’s more, the full range is certified organic and is suitable for use on eczema prone skin!

The company was born as a result of the founder, Charlotte’s daughter suffering from multiple skin allergies, as well as eczema. Charlotte struggled to find any effective remedies that were truly organic. From the very beginning, Charlotte’s principles meant that product performance and ethical practice were at the very core of the business, with a promise to never use aggressive ingredients or synthetic chemicals.

I adore using these products on Summer and I love the peace of mind knowing that they do not contain any chemicals or nasty ingredients, just natural, pure and gentle nourishment!

I’m really excited to be adding some samples of the Green People Softening Baby Lotion to my brand new goody bags so you can test the product and see for yourselves just how lovely it is!

https://www.greenpeople.co.uk

Coming Soon

Watch this space for some super exciting new blog posts soon to be added!