Electric or Manual Breast Pump

It's usually one of the first things that crops up in conversation for expectant mums, whether or not they will be breastfeeding their unborn child. Many mums do and will only give their baby breast milk, yet still a majority of new mum’s are put off by the whole process. We know that breast milk has a distinct advantage against formula milk, not only for the baby but also for the mother.

 Breastmilk VS Formula Milk

Breast feeding gives your newborn baby healthy, natural and nutritional milk so if you decide to use an electric breast pump, your options become even more variant. For example you may be feeling exhausted from caring for your little one all day long, your partner returns home and you want to take a little lie down and let them take over the feeding role. If you use a breast pump, you are still able to feed your little one with the nutritional milk which they need without you even being there or administering it! Furthermore, if you decide to go back to work or leave your baby with a member of your family, your baby can still feed on the natural milk which you have produced. It also means that you can get that much needed uninterrupted sleep as you let someone else take over the duties for a while. Breast pumps work in a way that they mimic a baby’s natural suckling action to make the experience feel as comfortable and natural as possible. Using a breast pump may also help to stimulate your milk production and boost your supply, this is handy if you have had a premature baby. However in order to get your breast pump to work efficiently you do need to be both calm and relaxed. Breast pumps are all very simple and easy to use. All you have to do is place the suction shield over the nipple, turn the breast pump on and it will then do all the hard work for you, you can just sit back and relax!

 How to use a breast pump

There are many types and styles of breast pumps available on the market such as an electric/battery powered or manual, it depends from mum to mum on which they personally prefer to use. If you choose to use a manual breast pump this may be because you feel like you would like to control the mimicking suckling of the child and that it feels much more natural than what an electric pump feels like. Manual pumps also generally feel lighter, more portable and quieter. However, these are not always for everyone as some mum’s feel as though they take too long and the fact that they can become tired, meaning that not enough milk for feeding is collected. 

If you are struggling to breastfeed naturally, then an electric breast pump may be more suited to you. Also, if you plan on heading back to work or you know that you will not regularly be around your growing little one, then an electric breast pump may be best suited to you. Why? This allows you to express your milk, creating meals for when you are not there or able to feed your baby. If you decide to use an electric breast pump this will mean that you no longer have to supplement with formula milk whenever you are not there or if you leave your little one with a family member or a friend. 

Our most popular electric breast pump is the Philips AVENT Electric Breast Pump which has an electronic memory that remembers and continues your pumping rhythm. The pump also has a battery warning light on the control handle which displays a slow pulsing flash to warn you when it is time to replace the batteries.

Remember, the more relaxed you are, the more milk you express. 

Essential Safety Kit

It’s a very daunting moment when you first bring your little armful of joy home and realise that you will be caring for this little human being for the rest of your life. But before you start to worry about the distant future, you find yourself looking around your home in disbelief. You are shocked to see the amount of harmful objects you actually have in your home which could injure your precious little baby. Suddenly the corners of tables have never looked so prominent and you swear that the door is opening and closing much more than what it used to, just asking for any little fingers to become painfully pinned between either the hinge or the door and the frame.  Cables and electronic cords seem to be slivering their way across your floor like they never did before and every electric plug socket looks like three gaping black holes of nothingness. 

Of course, this has not just happened all of a sudden overnight, it just may have a little something to do with your maternal instincts. You, as a parent are now naturally spotting every single obvious danger which you wouldn’t before, but as this little life that you have to guard and protect has entered your world, nothing seems as important. You may not spot all of the dangers straight away and it may even take an accident or two to happen before you realise that something needs to be changed. So we thought we would try to save any traumatic accidents from happening in the first place to your baby. We have compiled a home safety essential list of the greatest baby safety products which you could get to help protect your little 
one.

Essential Safety Kit For Your Baby

Toddler locks and catches
Your child is going to be inquisitive and they will also want to open anything and everything, just to take a look at what is inside or see what it actually does. So you need to make sure that your baby, in no way will be able to harm themselves in the kitchen cupboard or drawer and you may also need to think about general home furnishing drawers also. We currently have 100's of Safety locks Latches and Catches for cupboards, cabinets, drawers.

http://www.babysecurity.co.uk/categories/494/Safety-Products/Toddler-Locks-Latch-%26-Catches/

 

Cooker guards & oven door guards
When you are trying to prepare your family meal, do not be surprised at the sight of your little one wondering in and wanting to touch everything. The sound of bubbling boiling water and the sizzling of the food in the frying pan means that they will want to see what is going on.  And before you know it, they will have reached up onto their tippy toes, grabbed hold of a hot pan or placed their hand over a heated through hob. All it will take is for that split second that you have your back turned for them to do it so try to avoid any accidents with a cooker guard. It is also very important that you protect your little one against the heat of a sweltering hot oven with an oven door guard.

http://www.babysecurity.co.uk/categories/386/Safety-Products/Cooker-Guards-%252D-Burns-Protection/

Electric plug socket covers
Plug sockets may not appear to you as an immediate danger in your home but wondering little fingers can easily get stuck inside. Furthermore, if it’s not a finger that’s been placed inside then it would have been an object which could possibly lead to frightening results. To avoid any of this happening, you need to fit your sockets with a protective safety cover.

 http://www.babysecurity.co.uk/categories/387/Safety-Products/Electric-Plug-Socket-Covers/

Cushioned edged guards
When your little one is trying to find their feet they will be clambering all over the furniture to try to start and move around, so you need to be prepared for their safety from the sharp edges. As soon as your little one starts to take their first steps there will be no stopping them. Whilst they begin to charge around the house you may find yourself time after time placing your hand over the corner of the table just to ensure that they do not run into it. So why not save the worry and hassle of you having to constantly be on guard whilst they are on their adventure and purchase yourself some cushioned corner guards. 

http://www.babysecurity.co.uk/categories/392/Safety-Products/Cushioned-Edge-Guards/

Finger protect door and hinge guards
Your baby is not aware of the dangers around them, so that’s why you need to protect them. Door’s may become of particular interest to them as that’s what they see everybody walking in and out of all day every day. Doors in the home are also one of the greatest potentials to cause particularly nasty injuries to little fingers. Your baby’s delicate little fingers may become trapped within the door or even within the hinges. Now even the thought of that make our toes curl, so just imagine the excruciating pain that your little one will feel. So guard your doors and their hinges with our safety guards.

 http://www.babysecurity.co.uk/categories/378/Safety-Products/Finger-Protectors-Door-Hinge-Guards/

Coping with Colic

Colic is not usually one of the topics covered in ante natal classes and it’s not really something people tend to bring up in conversion either, so for parents it may come as a shock when your little one does get it. In this article we are going to be looking at what colic is, the signs to look out for and how to cope when your little one has it.  

Babies cry, sometimes a lot, yet nothing quite prepares you for the experience of a regularly crying baby, but at least there’s usually something you can do to help soothe them, unless of course they have colic. Colic generally occurs in very young babes, sometimes right from birth itself and it can result in a baby crying for hours, unable to be consoled. The crying will appear more like a high pitched wailing that’s impossible to ignore or escape from and it can carry on night after night. For new parents this can be something of a shock and it can begin to become incredibly stressful and put a great strain on you and your partners relationship. So how are you going to deal with your distressed little one?

Firstly, colic isn’t dangerous and there is no need to worry unduly about the welfare of your baby. It’s common enough for it to be considered perfectly normal. Secondly, the colic your baby has will not last forever. Although it may feel like it will, babies simply grow out of colic fairly quickly, usually by the time they reach three months old.

As a concerned parent you’ll probably be worried about what colic is and you may come across some literature on the subject but more often than not this can be a little confusing. The general cause of colic is due to the initial growth and development of a newborn baby’s digestive system as they move from feeding through the umbilical cord to feeding more normally. Trapped wind is generally thought to exacerbate the symptoms, but this is not entirely to blame.

The symptoms of colic is very much like trapped wind, usually a painful cry following feeding and more commonly in the evening. The cry is often higher pitched than normal crying and it is also very hard, if almost impossible to calm them down and stop them from crying. 

There a few things which can be done when your baby has colic, such as using colic bottles and colic teats when feeding your baby. These do work for many people and they have been designed in such a way that much less air is taken down while feeding and less trapped air means that the colic symptoms are less noticeable. It’s also worth applying gentle pressure on your baby’s tummy and the best way of doing this is to sit him or her on your lap, place your arm across their tummy as they face away from you and then gently lean forwards. Do be prepared for a little bit of sick sometimes! It may also be worth a try to feed at a different time of the night. You might try feeding them slightly earlier and then putting them straight into a warm bath afterwards to help soothe their tummy and give them something fun to experience to take their mind off any discomfort. 

 

                               There a few things which can be done when your baby has colic

Finally, a word of advice to parents who are worried and stressed, it’s also important that you look after yourself as you’ll be much better at being able to help calm your baby if you are relaxed.

8 Features to Look out for when Buying a Highchair

At first glance it seems as though buying a highchair is fairly easy.  After all, it’s just a chair, that’s high, right? In fact there is quite a bit more to buying a highchair than just that, with a whole range of features available which may well make life a good deal easier for you and a whole lot more comfortable for your little one!

So here are 8 features to look out for when buying a high chair.

Adjustable seat height
Really help to make sure our baby is the right height for whichever table you’re sitting at and how tall they are this week!

Removable Seat cover
Really helps with washing your baby’s seat and keeping it clean for them.

Double layered tray
Simply lift out the top tray after they have eaten their dinner and they have a brand new clean tray all ready and waiting for dessert time! This also means that you don't have to be constantly washing up during courses.

Divided tray
Helps keep the different foods and drink separate – at least for a little while!

Size when folded
Some chairs fold into very compact dimensions which makes a big difference when taking it in a car or putting it away down the side of the fridge

Extra padding
Your baby will be sitting in their chair for quite a lot of the time so you want to make sure that they are as comfortable as possible. If they are comfortable they will be less likely to fidget and become distressed after a little while, helping to make meal times that little easier .

Ergonomic design
Some highchairs have been specifically designed with ergonomics in mind, providing extra support for your baby’s back and making them feel more comfortable for longer.

Converting highchair
Some highchairs have been designed to convert into a separate table and chair for us by your child when they have grown out of their highchair.