There are certain brands you find a lot around our home and Bosisto’s is one of them, I’ve been fortunate enough to be sent a whole bunch of products over the years but they are also on our everyday shopping list. I’ve written before about how we use their products in the laundry and around the home and they’re a firm favourite when we’re sick.

We all spent last weekend in Melbourne and somewhere we picked up a bug, I blame the plane. You’re stuck for around two hours in a pressurised metal tube with a cabin air refresh rate of around 40 times total in that whole journey. Apparently this is twice as often as the average office building which sounds impressive but there’s nowhere near as many people per square footage in an office building as there is in a plane and I don’t care what people say about aeroplanes having HEPA (hospital grade) filters and ventilation segments of seven rows or so, there’s no circulation going on when you’re at the gate and pressed up against the surge of people trying to get on or off and a sneeze can travel up to 40 metres on average, spreading droplets along the way which is way further than seven rows.

So I blame the plane and now we’re sick and we’ve been sick since a day or two after we got home with me catching the worst of it and totally losing my voice for three days. Our house has the distinct smell of cleaning day with the double dose of eucalyptus that signals flu season. Bosisto’s products have been given a workout from the vaporiser to chest rubs and cough drops, disinfecting with the spray and adding oil to the bath.

Bosisto’s products are available at chemists and supermarkets Australia wide and you can buy online at the Bosisto’s website. Plus, if you buy a specially marked pack of Bosisto’s 100% pure Oil or Solution, Bosisto’s will plant a tree for you in their new plantations near Inglewood, Victoria where they aim to plant 1 million trees this year. 1 million trees will mean the plantations will stretch for a distance of more than 2,000kms, just think of how much good that will do, helping the local economy, reducing salinity in the soil and lowering CO2 emissions. Plus it means that Australia’s favourite Australian grown brand of Eucalyptus oil can stay premium but affordable for everyone.

Thanks to the team at Bosisto’s I have four fabulous prizes to give away, featuring a whole bunch of their amazing Eucalyptus products and valued at $225 each, the prizes are just perfect for helping you get through flu season.

Please note – extra entries are not required but do add to your overall score, giving you extra chances at winning. Good Luck!

We don’t have any pets, apartment living limits you to fish or reptiles and I’m really not into the slimy or scaly variety of companion. I like cats but traditionally we’ve been a dog family with the notable exception of a gorgeous Russian Blue that I had before TheGamer and I moved to the UK.

My grandparents bred Staffy’s but we had German Sheppard’s mostly along with a lovely Bull Mastiff. Big dogs mostly – I like them when they’re at least higher than my knee (not hard – I’m a short-arse) and are independent but still loving – my parents have a British Bulldog that is the most demanding, obstinate but adorable little thing but, honestly, it’s not right for a dog that heavy to want to sit on you all the time. She’s amazing though, so devoted to the kids and is Dexter’s best friend.

There have been some key times in my life where animals I love were in need of a new home, it’s a heartbreaking time for all involved and sometimes the only solution ends up being turning them into the local rescue centre. I have been lucky, a major relocation in my teens saw our Shepard go to family that lived on a farm, our younger Mastiff went to family members who had a Mastiff of their own it was so hard moving across the country and leaving them behind. My dear friend across the country took in my beloved Russian Blue cat when we decided that it wasn’t the best course of action to try and bring him with us to the UK and put him through quarantine etc. That was a tough one, trying to find him a home when my family has a distinct lack of cat people was hard and in the end I flew with him to Perth, eternally grateful to my friend who loves him still today.

Hubby and I have discussed getting a dog on more than one occasion and we’d love to, it’s not the right timing for us right now but when we do finally decide to add to our family it will be the local pound that we first turn to in our search. Rescue dogs are not always victims of abuse or neglect, there are many owners who just can’t afford a dog, have to relocate or divorce and make the heartbreaking decision to turn their beloved pet into the local pound once all other avenues have been exhausted. There’s a wonderful animal out there for any family and often all they need is some TLC. Who knows, you could even end up with the next Sawyer.

Sawyer, the adorable dog in the Allianz ads is a rescue dog himself and is a wonderful ambassador. Check out Sawyer strutting his stuff below and next time you’re wanting to add a new pet to your family please consider the local pound and rescue centre before you visit a pet store, there are so many animals that would love to be loved by you.

A woman’s body is a miraculous thing, nine months (give or take) of growing and supporting, stretching as it holds the next generation and then in the 6 weeks post birth, whatever the method of delivery it undergoes an amazing transformation of healing. I’m not sure that we really appreciate how amazing that whole process is, how quick we recover from the strain on our bodies.

I found out too late about the benefits of Belly Wrapping and didn’t have a chance to use one post-partum with Dexter. I had no idea about them at the time and I always took the changes to my body as a given, something that I got in exchange for being a mum but Belly Wrapping has been practiced for centuries as a way of supporting the natural healing process and can make a real difference in helping you spring back to your pre-pregnancy shape.

Lyn was 3 weeks post-partum when she first started wearing it but she has noticed a difference, especially in her posture, she was slumping while feeding and the wrap has really helped to support her lower back. It took a little longer than she thought to get used to wearing it but really likes how it makes her feel, firming her stomach and making her feel slimmer and more toned. Sounds good to me!

Kim Vespa, the brains behind this Melbourne based sensation, created the brand back in 2009 to make belly wraps accessible and affordable to the Australian market and she’s succeeded with the original wrap retailing at under $50 and the plush, bamboo lined wrap only $62.95 they’re not too hard on the wallet and can even be claimed through some private health insurers under the medical compression garment classification. With health premiums seeming to be in an ever upwards spiral, any extra benefit you can claim is good news.

The Vespa & the Ladybird store also stocks a range of high quality products hand picked by Kim for mums and mums-to-be. Thanks to Kim and the team at Vespa & The Ladybird I have a Plush Wrap to give away. Valued at $62.95, this would make a great present for any new mums, mums-to-be or even as abdominal/lower back support for anyone experiencing troubles with back pain. Enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This competition is closed and the winner was Stephanie

I try out a lot of products and not just the ones I review here, I buy a lot because I’m easily swayed by… well, everything. Let’s just say I love to shop and I adore trying out new things. I’m forever hoping to find an easier or better way of doing the things I do now and while there are many treasured items that I’ve used for years I’m always looking out for something new and occasionally (ok, a lot) I come across items that I really wish I’d found at a different stage in my life.

I was recently sent some products from Baby Tooth Land to review, Dex still has all of his baby teeth and will for a while yet so we’re not quite in the market for the gorgeous albums and books and at 3 he uses an actual toothbrush so I had to pass on the items we received to people with kids who could actually use them.

We started brushing Dexter’s teeth with flannel or nubby brush as soon as they came through but I think these disposable tooth tissues would have been a much easier option. Invented by two dentists for their own kids, Tooth Tissues are designed for safe plaque removal for infants and toddlers. Formulated with Xylitol, a proven cavity fighter, they’re all natural and free from fluoride, parabens and artificial flavours. Made from Bamboo, these tooth tissues are super easy to use, promoting healthy teeth from the very start. They’re also good for around the gaps when the Adult teeth come in – I actually gave these to my sister to use on my three year old niece who fell over a few months ago and smashed one of her front teeth in two resulting in it being removed. The wipes make it super easy to clean in and around the gap without too much fuss from the little miss.

My cousin was lucky enough to be the recipient of the Banana Teether Toothbrush brush we received. At first, this toothbrush looks crazy with the banana shape and the peel handles but it’s actually perfect for little hands. Designed by a dentist & mum of three, the Banana Teether Toothbrush is perfect for 3 to 12 month olds. The soft silicon brush is flexible and bendable, freezer friendly and is dishwasher safe, something that my hubby would appreciate. My cousins little boy is just over 4 months old and he is teething like crazy. She’s been ever so grateful for the chance to trial the brush right now because not only is it easy to pop in the freezer for those middle of the night grizzly wake ups, it’s also promoting good oral health.

If you’re in the Melbourne area make sure to pop down to the Baby & Toddler Show (12-14 April at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton) to check out the awesome range of Baby Tooth Land products for yourself.

Thanks to the team at Baby Tooth Land I have a Baby Tooth Prize pack to give away containing a pack of tissues, Banana Teether Toothbrush and Baby Tooth Album. Enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

This competition is closed and the winner was Catherine

I have tried a lot of baby/kids products over the last few years – some of them I really adored but none have smelt anywhere near as good as the Australian made, natural and eco-friendly products from Tri-Nature.

Tri Nature has a philosophy that is close to my heart, they seek to manufacture products that care for the wellbeing of people, the home and the environment while being made from natural materials that pose no threat to the ecology or fauna of Australia. Environmentally friendly products that are free of toxins that are harmful for us and the environment around us, cruelty free and without animal by-products.

We were sent the Bathtime Trio and the brand new Baby’s Air Freshener to review. The Air Freshener is really lovely – Tea Tree and Lavender based it is great at eliminating nasty nursery odours while leaving a fresh and subtle fragrance behind. I’ve been using it around the house, when cleansing bins or to freshen up a room and it’s beautiful but it’s in the bathroom that we really fell in love.

The Bathroom Trio we were sent contained a sulphate free, eco-friendly Kids 2in1 Shampoo/Conditioner as well as a Raspberry Bubble Bath and the Watermelon Wiggle Wash. I’ve noticed Dexter’s hair is looking better since using the shampoo which I didn’t expect as we switched from a different brand of eco-friendly, toxin-free shampoo and I love that Dex likes the smell enough to let me wash his hair without any hassles.

The bubble bath is simply divine, like most eco-friendly and SLS free bubble baths the bubbles do dissipate before the end of the bath (which is a good thing) but the gorgeous smell does linger, making your mouth water every time you catch it. The Watermelon Wiggle Wash is just as nice, leaving behind a light scent that you can smell on your skin after leaving the shower. We’ve actually been using these products along with Dex and love them, I think my skin feels nicer for using the Wiggle Wash and I love how even quite a while out of the shower I can still catch the sweet scent of watermelon.

These kids products are great, I’m already planning on buying more but what really intrigues me is the wide range of other products available on the Tri Nature website, from laundry and cleaning products, candles, diffusers and air fresheners to high quality skincare products, you’ll find everything you need to supply your home with products that are good for you and the environment.

If you’re in the Melbourne area make sure to pop down to the Baby & Toddler Show (12-14 April at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton) to smell these fantastic products yourself.

Thanks to the wonderful people at Tri-Nature I have 5 prize packs to give away, each pack features the Bathtime Trio containing a Bubble Bath, Wiggle Wash & 2in1 Kids Shampoo/Conditioner and a Baby’s Air Freshener. Enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

This competition is closed and the winner was Fiona

The Melbourne Baby & Toddler Show – is fast approaching and we have a whole bunch of double passes to give away.

There’s a great show organised for you this year with so much to do and see (including Peppa Pig!), you will find useful and informative advice, amazing live entertainment, tips & hints from parenting experts plus lots of fun activities for little ones.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Once you complete the mandatory entry of leaving your contact details you’re entered to win – it’s as easy as that. Extra entries are available after you complete the mandatory one – these are not essential but do increase your chances of winning.

Good luck!

As a first time mum I spent an awful lot of money on things that were great in theory but not so much in practice. I think we’ve all been there, bought speciality products that were used once and then left in the cupboard until you could pass it on to the next unsuspecting new mum. The products that worked were often those that made your life simpler, easier somehow, ones that were versatile and let’s face it, easy to clean.

I was given swaddles, wraps, burp cloths and so many different cloth products that were designed for a single purpose but having a baby in the heat of a Gold Coast January, I learnt to appreciate a good large muslin wrap. Lightweight and easily rolled up and shoved into my bag or the bottom of the pram they became my go-to for swaddling, covering the pram in harsh sunlight, as a breastfeeding cover, as a sheet in the bassinette, burp cloth, change mat and oh so many other things.

There are few products I can say that I used on Dexter as a brand new baby and still have use for now that he’s three but muslin cloths are still the go-to for so many things around our house. Hot summer nights require light covering so we still use muslin as his summer blanket, he’ll often use one as a picnic sheet when playing, or even as a super hero cape. We have a lot of muslin, there wasn’t a lot of printed muslin around when I was shopping for Dex and what was there was all a bit cutesy for my taste so we stuck to mostly white, I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see prints that are imaginative, colourful and inspiring appearing thanks to the creativity of the team behind Weegoamigo.

We were recently sent two gorgeous products from the Weegoamigo range to review and after opening them, having a whinge to hubby that there wasn’t anything this wonderful around when Dex was little, I put them aside so I could take them to a friend who was just about to pop with the newest addition to her family. I never got there. Dexter spotted the Weegoamigo Science printed muslin (or, more specifically the dinosaurs on the muslin) and claimed it as his own.

The other product we were lucky enough to be sent was one of the famous adventure blankets. I remember when these first came out and thinking that Dex was just a little too big for them at the time but looking back now I should have just bought one because they are awesome. The ultimate outdoor adventure friend these blankets are rectangular in shape (100×75) and feature a gorgeously designed polyester outer shell with a lovely fleece reverse, they’re great for tummy time in the park, pram blankets and big kids like Dex love them for play time. My niece has stolen the one we had as a blanket for her dolls cot and my sister says that she sits with her dolls and toys and tells them about the animals while counting them. It’s adorable.

The Printed Muslins retail at $39.95 (rrp), the Adventure Blankets at $49.95 and are available online at Weegoamigo and at beautiful baby stores Australia wide, check the website for your local stockist.

I really can’t tell you enough about how much I love this brand, it’s so inspirational to find prints that are colourful and fun rather than the muted pastels and neutrals that traditionally cover baby products and it is beyond fantastic that the designs can grow with your little one, as they learn and play they can interact with them more. From wrapping at birth to a cape in the dress-up box, these imagination stimulating wraps and blankets will be loved for years and thanks to the team at Weegoamigo I have a prize pack consisting of one printed muslin and one adventure blanket to give away. To enter simply use the rafflecopter form below.

This competition is closed and the winner was Stacy

When Dex was little I used to make most of his food myself – not out of any great desire to do so, I mean who wants to steam and blend like that? I did it because I wanted him to eat organic or at least fresh and local where possible and there really just wasn’t much of an organic presence in the baby food market, I did occasionally buy organic jars or pouches which I loved for the convenience but the range was so limited that there really wasn’t much else to do but cook myself.

What a difference three years makes – in such a small amount of time organic has become almost mainstream, there are some wonderful brands out there and the big supermarkets are expanding their own ranges of organic food. Baby food in particular has had a real explosion in variety with the entrance of brands like Ella’s Kitchen (available at Coles stores across Australia).

I actually first came across Ella’s Kitchen almost a year ago and have been using their pouches ever since. Dexter still enjoys a pouch from time to time with his lunch or as a snack and I’m never opposed to letting him get some extra fruit or vegetables! I love that the range is made from organic ingredients and is free from additives or thickeners, there’s no sugar, salt or water, no unnecessary fillers, concentrates or juices and it’s GM free. We’re big fans of the smoothie and fruit pouches but from time to time Dex will ask for a vegetable based one and I have to admit to keeping a sneaky one in the cupboard to add to pasta or tinned spaghetti when I’m feeling lazy.

I don’t buy the meat ones but have more than one friend that does and the babies seem to love them. Last week I met a friend for lunch and gave her the meat ones I was sent from the team at Ella’s Kitchen and watched in awe as her baby ate one cold, straight from the pouch. I’m not sure Dex would ever have done that – he never was a fan of the pouches with meat but then again we never had Ella’s Kitchen when he was eating soft food.

The packs are brightly coloured with drawings of the contents on the front, Dex can identify which one he is after by a combination of the colours and drawings and will often hunt through our snack basket to make sure he gets the one he is looking for. He can open them himself and perhaps more importantly can put the lid back on when he’s done – a bonus when we’re out and about and the rubbish ends up in the bottom of my handbag.

Ella’s Kitchen have a great Facebook page where you can stay up to date with all their news and they’ve just launched an awesome competition where you can enter to win a year’s supply of pouches – be sure to visit bigtasteface.com for more information.

I’ve got a fantastic Ella’s Kitchen prize pack to give away. Valued at $60 and containing pouches from across their range, it’s a fantastic introduction to a brand that I am sure will quickly become a shopping essential. The prize pack also includes a limited edition upcycled lunch bag – these aren’t being made anymore so your little one will not only have a unique and fun lunch box, it’s a bit of a collector’s item. Enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

This giveaway is closed and the winner is Jessica

I think Instagram is awesome, it’s actually my favourite form of social media – a window into people’s worlds (admittedly often the best of their world). I love the visual sharing, the fact that I can see something kooky or beautiful and share it because let’s face it, the world is just insane sometimes. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram (if not – get on over there already, linkage to the right) you’ll have seen me gush all over PosterCandy a couple of times already so settle in because I’m about to do it all over again (don’t miss out on your buy one get one free code towards the end).

Admittedly I’m not the best photographer but I do love to share and my feed over the last year and a bit contains some great moments amongst the pictures of food, the beach and whatever else took my fancy. I’ve often thought that I should make the effort to pull those photos together into an album or wall art but… well that takes effort and creativity. Considering I’ve never even made the effort to do my wedding photos the likelihood of me getting around to doing my Instagram ones was slim… until I got the chance to try out PosterCandy that is.

Ridiculously simple to use, PosterCandy connects to your Instagram account so you can pick and choose your favourite photographs to turn into an amazing personalised wall poster that will suit standard Ikea frames. To start you simply pick a size and PosterCandy logs into your Instagram account so you can add photos to the frame, you can easily change the orientation (portrait or landscape) or flick between the number of photos shown as you go without having to start all over again although you do lose everything if you change the poster size without adding it to your cart.

I loved using PosterCandy, I quickly and easily pulled together a large poster mainly consisting of pictures of Dexter taken over the past year and I was tossing up what to do with my second poster when I realised that I could change the Instagram user and log into my hubby’s account to make a second poster without losing the one that was already in the cart.

Hubby doesn’t use his Instagram account as anything other than as a way for him to see the pics on mine so I hijacked it and Instagrammed a small selection of our travel photos. I’m ever so glad I did – the quality of these posters is really amazing, I took them over mums and to show my photographer sister who both thought they looked great. I adore them and I’m off to the Swedish flat-pack mecca in a couple of days so I can get them up on our walls. I’m quite excited, currently the only wall decoration we have is in Dexter’s room and I’m going to love being able to see our adventures from overseas and those special ones with our little man in pride of place in our home.

I (of course) instagrammed our travel poster when it arrived and yes, I rode a camel!! I still haven’t recovered from how much that freaked me out.

Posters start at $19.95 (plus shipping) and right now if you order a poster from PosterCandy and use code beyondthebump1pc at checkout you can get another poster of the same size free (excludes 70x100cm). I’m actually going to use the code myself to get some of our wedding pictures done (hijacking hubby’s account again!) and my sisters and I are talking about getting a poster put together for mum that features all four of her grandchildren.

You can find PosterCandy on Facebook or Twitter and of course Instagram.

When I was pregnant my mum started investigating nappy delivery services, my sister and I were due to give birth within weeks of each other and she thought that a delivery service would be a great gift for either or both of us. Unfortunately when she presented me with the options for cloth nappies back then it was clear that the service she had in mind wasn’t one that I would use and my sister, despite being obsessed with healthy eating and chemical-free living was happy putting big brand disposable nappies on her daughter after putting cloth, hybrids and eco-disposables into the too hard basket, although, had Little Rascals been around back then I’m positive my sister would have rushed to sign up.

Australian based and owned, Little Rascals is a nappy brand with a difference – a set and forget delivery service that ensures you never run out of nappies with an easy to use website and the ability to earn discounts for referring friends. The nappies themselves are free from harmful chemicals like chlorine and have a hypo-allergenic liner that is free from dyes and perfume, and they’re thinner than many other brands but are more absorbent, making them excellent value.

Dexter has been toilet trained for almost six months now and the whole nappy process seems so long ago so I passed these nappies on to a friend for her to trial and she loves them. They’re slimline so they look great under clothes – very important once your bub gets up and about and they’re super soft which is important for sensitive skin.

Nappy packs with Little Rascals cost $39.95 for up to 128 nappies (from only 24c per nappy) and delivery is only $6.95, you can set the delivery to a time and interval that suits you. I have two 3 month nappy delivery service packs to give away – one for a girl and one for a boy, to enter simply use the rafflecopter form below.

This giveaway is closed – winners were Elise & Rachel.