babymoov Nutribaby ONE 4-in-1 Food Processor Review

babymoov Nutribaby ONE 4-in-1 Food Processor Review

Friday, 3 December 2021

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AD: *Gifted Product*

We've been weaning Remy for over a month now and we're slowly getting to grips with it! Before starting our weaning journey at six months, I was extremely excited and had prepared by reading a few books and had ordered a range of accessories. We opted for a combination of spoon-fed and baby-led weaning and wanted to let Remy take the lead. 

Unless you're planning to mash everything with a fork, one of the main pieces of equipment you need for weaning is a food processor - luckily, we were selected to review the babymoov Nutribaby One Food Processor from Natural Baby Shower.

We have some babymoov audio monitors so we had high expectations. After a speedy delivery (and recyclable packaging) I set up the food processor. Larger than it looks online, I was impressed that it has a 700ml blending capacity and boasts a large 1.3l steam cooking capacity. This meant batch cooking was possible (and has proven to be a massive time saver).

Using the steamer is easy, you just use the corresponding chart to decide how much water is required to steam the food you're cooking and pour this under the steaming cooking vessel. The harder the food, the more water required. It comes with a steaming basket as well which I've used lots for Remy's finger foods. Once you've added the food you want to steam you just push the 'on' button in the centre of the food prep machine (you'll spot the light when it's on). When steaming is complete you can transfer everything into the blender and twist the cooking vessel into place before holding the blending button - brace yourself for some nice strong blending action!

So what's the verdict? After using it for over a month, I'm really pleased with the babymoov Nutribaby One Food Processor. In particular, the ability to batch cook veggies and meals. Our freezer is full of blended veggies in ice cube trays allowing me to quickly mix a combination together for dinner when time is limited. There is room for improvement though, it could be even better if you could restart cooking if more steaming is required. Also, it's not great for blending small quantities - I still use a handheld blender for blending leafy vegetables or singular meal portions.

Pros

- Stylish design

- Large capacity

- Basket for steaming larger pieces of veg

- Powerful blending function

- Sturdy and high quality

- Easy to use

Cons

- Doesn’t blend small portions of kale/spinach (but works for batch cooking)

- No timer

- If you don’t use enough water and it switches off, you can’t automatically restart

I'm looking forward to making some new batches of meals soon!

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What Should I Pack In My Hospital Bag (UK)?

What Should I Pack In My Hospital Bag (UK)?

Sunday, 7 November 2021

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If you're a first-time mum like me, you definitely Googled, "what should I pack in my hospital bag?" or asked a friend/family member who has already been through it all. You probably read/received plenty of conflicting answers... The truth is, everyone has their own opinion. However, if you're clueless (like I was), you need a good place to start. 

I gave birth in April, so it was nice and mild. Hospitals are notoriously warm, so it's also worth keeping that in mind when picking outfits to take. To help out, I've created a simple list of essentials, nice-to-haves, and items I didn't need/don't rate.

For the mum-to-be

Essentials:

• Maternity notes aka the "yellow book"
• Your own pillow (it might seem a bit excessive but you'll thank me)
• Flip flops or slippers for walking to the bathroom / having a shower (they can be grotty)
• 2 open button nightshirts/pyjamas for skin-to-skin and/or breastfeeding
• Nursing vests (if you plan to breastfeed - I recommend the H&M strappy ones)
• Comfortable going-home outfit - forget style, you'll still be bloated and sore. You also won't care what you look like... I wore maternity leggings, sandals and a smock top.
• Your favourite socks
• Peri water bottle (probably my favourite purchase)
• 6 pairs of large high waisted 'granny pants' (if you're using maternity pads)
• Toiletries - I splashed out on expensive travel-sized haircare and skincare. The best decision ever. I was sick during labour and felt like a new woman after a shower with my favourite products
• Maternity pads or maternity pants (I rate Boots' own brand pads or Always Discreet Pants)
• Nipple cream (if breastfeeding) - Lanisoh is the most popular one but I didn't love it
• Expert Midwife Spritz for Bits
• Water drinking bottle for keeping fluids up - if you have a catheter fitted during labour, you are required to pass a 'pee test' once it's removed. So you need to drink a decent amount of water.
• Casual clothes for birth 
• Bikini top if you want a water birth
• TENS machine (if you fancy it - I started using mine in early labour)
• Freya App (if hypnobirthing is your thing - I thought it was incredible)
• Phone charger with a long lead
• Your camera

Nice-to haves:

• Cute ziplock bags for separating your clothes and baby's
• Snacks for you and your birth partner - I couldn't keep any food down and Sam wasn't hungry (despite a 43-hour labour)... but I ate snacks the day after giving birth. We had to buy Lucozade during the final stage of labour so I recommend packing isotonic drinks
• Cool bag with ice packs for your colostrum if you expressed any (labelled)
• Change of clothes for your partner

I didn't use:

• A nursing pillow - newborns are tiny anyway, even 8lbers!
• Fairy lights, essential oils, or headphones. Maybe if I had a shorter labour I would've been into this... I did use headphones during the car journey there to keep myself  'in the zone'
• Earplugs / an eye mask for the ward - I wanted to be alert and let's be honest, it's unlikely you'll sleep anyway (I had one full hour the night I gave birth)
• Breastpads - at the earliest your milk comes in on day 3 so they are pointless unless you have to stay in due to complications
• Nursing bras - I just used my nightdress/pyjamas and baby boy was constantly feeding anyway

For baby

Essentials:

• Clothes - I took way too many. If you're only in for a couple of days you won't need much. I'd suggest 3 sets (vest and sleepsuit combo) and a going home outfit that includes a cardigan and a hat
• I 100% recommend wrap-over/kimono style vests as putting your newborn in a vest feels like such a struggle when you're a first-time parent. They are really wriggly and very hungry so the quicker the change, the better! Zip sleepsuits are a game-changer too
• Water wipes - midwives prefer them and they are more convenient than cotton wool
• Nappy sacks
• 15 - 20 nappies (to be safe)
• Barrier cream - apply this after every nappy change. I recommend Weleda Calendula Nappy Cream
• Blanket for going home (they get wrapped in a hospital blanket for your stay)
• Stash of muslins
• Car seat

In my experience (I heard two midwives moaning), hospital staff don't love it when you rock up with an endless amount of bags and to be honest, it's just not needed. I took a small carry-on suitcase (shown below) and a backpack. My husband had his own backpack with snacks and a change of clothes. 

One final tip:

As I gave birth at 41 weeks, I had plenty of time to prepare my nails - I suggest avoiding gel nails as they can interfere with the pulse oximeter. I didn't expect to end up in theatre and assumed Barry M Gelly Nail Polish wasn't proper gel polish, but I was wrong. Thankfully the staff just rotated the device so a reading was still possible but I'll avoid gel nails next time (although I did feel cute). 

Have I missed anything? I'd love to hear your must-have items and what you didn't rate/use!

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Navigating Motherhood During a Pandemic

Navigating Motherhood During a Pandemic

Friday, 22 October 2021

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In the words of Britney, is this thing on? How did a couple of years slip by without a post? I'm going to start by blaming COVID-19. I was planning to revive this little corner of the internet for those nostalgic folks who still read blogs (like me), and then, BAM... A global pandemic.

I bought a house, worked from home, had a baby (hello sleep deprivation), and spent a good four months Googling every little concern. We're nearly six months into parenthood and the fog has well and truly lifted. I've adjusted to the lack of sleep, and honestly, this kid of ours is an absolute joy. BUT motherhood. It's a real mixture of emotions. All the emotions. Mum guilt is real.

It's fair to say things have changed. I still love fashion, have serious wanderlust, and enjoy DIY, but this baby is the boss of me. Instead of caring about my own wardrobe and lifestyle, I now invest all my spare cash into his wardrobe and social activities. He's really well dressed, whereas I'm... currently wearing loungewear (reader: I'm wearing old leggings and a hoody), and I'm only just beginning to feel like my body is my own again. 

I hope to find time to write when the sleep thief is taking a rare nap. I feel like I've learned so much in six months - so expect some baby content, parenting realness, shopping lists, maybe the odd review, and hopefully some outfit posts. 

Before Remy (the boss) burst onto the scene, I always imagined I'd share his outfit posts... instead, I pretty much hid my pregnancy from social media. As much as I love following parenting influencers and have worked with some fantastic ones in the past, I'm not sure this guy's face will make the internet. Which, let it be known, is an absolute travesty - I know every parent thinks their kid is cute but this kid. Oh my. That doesn't mean we won't be sharing some cleverly angled photos though.

So this is post is just me saying, "I'm back" to anyone still listening and if you had a baby during a pandemic, I tip my fedora to you. We endured lonely scans, rushed appointments, mask-wearing (when it was hard to breathe), midwife shortages, non-existent visiting hours after birth, and cancelled classes... amongst a whole host of other rubbishness. Yet we overcame these challenges. And these challenges were just the beginning.

The boss is awake now. Until next time.

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