What the Boys Wore - Dribble Stop Vests

Rosy red cheeks and sleepless nights, a tube of teething gel in every room and dribble pouring from his mouth, this baby boy of mine is well and truly teething.  His first two didn't appear until he was just over 10 months and three more have cut in the last month with another causing lots of misery and pain.  I don't remember the other two struggling so much with their teeth, but it may be something my brain has blocked out.  The nights are long and restless and my normally happy boy has periods where he really isn't his happy little self.

Dribble bibs have become a staple in his wardrobe, but we were recently sent a pack of dribble stop vests which do the work of a vest and bib in one - perfect for when Daddy gets him dressed, or when you just don't have a bib that goes with their outfit.

The bibs have a handy panel inside made of waterproof material but which is still completely breathable.  It is still only super soft jersey against Finn's skin, but dry jersey.  Finn has really been putting them to the test, and I am happy to say that they work!  He stayed dry, although the actual seam along the top did get slightly damp at times.  He didn't get irritated by it and the vests are lovely quality and a great fit.  A vest lasts him happily for a whole day without needing changing - something that would never happen without a bib usually.

At the moment there are three options, a pack of two white, a blue stripe and white and a pink stripe and white.  I would love to see some bright ones added in as the company expands, but a white vest is a staple in Finn's wardrobe and the blue and white stripes looked gorgeous with his dungarees too.

I was really impressed with the vests and can really recommend them.  Somehow the bloke managed to dress Finn and put one on back to front this week - it takes some skill and I can confirm they still look lovely the wrong way round, although they don't work nearly as well!

The vests retail at £13.99 for a pack of two and look and feel great quality.  They are available in sizes 0-3 up to 18-24 months, Finn is wearing the 12-18 months here at 13 months old.

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Archie at 18 Months

A year and a half has passed since my littlest one entered the world and it is amazing how far the little dude has come.  From a helpless newborn to a walking talking toddler in what feels like the blink of an eye.  Archie has the cheekiest personality, and every single day he shows a little more.

From the smile that screws up his nose, to the way he tells you off right back if you say no to him, this boy is challenging and cute in equal measure.  He pushes every imaginable boundary, but does so with a smile on his face and a bounce in his step. When we take him to the park, he no longer heads for the slide, but straight for the borders, where he searches for everything he shouldn't and brings me his finds.  Half empty cans of cider, cigarette butts and apple cores amongst other things.  He sees himself as either a litter picker or treasure hunter, I am not sure which.

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8 Months In

Archie has reached 8 months old and he seems on a mission to grow up.  Although he is not yet crawling, he is mobile enough to get to what he wants one way or another.

He rolls, wiggles and pushes on his legs to propel himself in all directions and is busy exploring.  Unlike his brother who was more than happy sat still at this age, Archie is desperate to be on the go and he will chew anything that gets in his way.  He is happiest on his tummy and now always sleeps on it.  I was putting him down on his side, but he immediately rolls now to get comfy.

Archie is teething rather badly, and when I took his amber anklet off for a couple of days I could really tell.  I don't know if it is co-incidence but as soon as it went back on he was like a different baby, smilier, happier and much better at sleeping!  He still hasn't got any teeth and I love the gummy baby grin but I know that it won't be long at all now.

Archie is eating three meals a day now, porridge or cereal for breakfast on a spoon and then he feeds himself lunch and dinner.  His appetite seems to be growing and he is loving trying new foods.  He seems to prefer savoury to sweet at the moment and would rather chomp on courgette than strawberry (certainly not like his mother!)

We are still breastfeeding, and despite preparing to stop at this stage with Dylan and slowly introducing bottles, I know that Archie and I are not ready to end our feeding journey just yet.  I don't really have any expectations of how long we will carry on for, but I think I will know when the time is right and it certainly isn't now.  He still feeds quite often in the day and has one or two feeds in the night as well. He usually ends up coming into bed with me at around 6am as he is hard to settle but in all honesty, I love the cuddles and will be a little sad when he starts lasting all night in his cot.

Archie and Dylan seem to be getting on better than ever and they are beautiful to watch together.  When they are in the double pushchair and Dylan is tired, he wants to hold Archie's hand and I love watching them sit like that.  When Archie gets tired or has a little winge, Dylan looks up at me and says 'I make it better', and then sings Archie Twinkle twinkle little star.  Archie loves his big brother singing to him and instantly calms down and it melts my heart to see them being so sweet together.  

Archie is still growing well and is going into his 9-12 month wardrobe now.  He weighs just over 19lb and is still very long for his age.  Dylan looks an awful lot like his Daddy but it is very easy to see my side of the family in Archie.  I think you can tell that they are brothers, but they look so different from each other still in so many ways too.

8 months into our adventures as a family of four and things are only getting better!

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Troublesome Teething

At 7 months old, my littlest man still has that adorably gummy little smile.  His first tooth is yet to poke through and I am quite happy with things that way for now.  Despite the lack of a little toothy-peg, teething is well and truly under-way and we have the dribble, rosy cheeks and constant urge to chew everything.

It is hard to put the sleepless nights and grumps down to teething when he is still too young to communicate but I don't doubt that it is playing a rather large part.  I thought I would share what is helping us through the tough teething times though.

Dribble Bibs

With winter on its way, I need to make sure Archie does not have a soaking wet patch on his clothes and we are using bibs to soak up the inevitable dribble.  I am a huge fan of the bandana style and there are so many out there, that you can get ones to match every outfit.  I find the bibs that are backed with fleece are best for keeping Archie dry and we now have quite a selection.  We were sent a Neckerchew for Archie which is a bandana bib with a teether built in the end of it and now that his motor skills have developed, he is loving it.  The fact that the teether is built in means no dropping it out the buggy in a dirty carpark, or losing it in the car, and it is fully machine washable.  It did take Archie until 6/7 months to have the co-ordination to use it properly but we find it great for travelling with.  The bib is not quite as absorbent as some of the others we have used but it is well worth investing in one for convenience, and you can always stick another bib underneath if your child is super dribbly.  They are all reversible and so go with loads of outfits.

Teetha

Bonjela is great, but babies teeth come through in different orders and I used to find myself applying it to Dylan's entire mouth.  With Teetha powder, I just tip it in Archie's mouth and it instantly calms him.  He seems to like the taste of it and it is really easy to carry in the nappy bag, my handbag and even my purse (I like to be prepared!).  We keep the Calpol for the really bad days, but Teetha is our go-to solution for everyday teething woes.

Sophie Le Giraffe

This toy has been around for years, but I was dubious when Dylan was small and I didn't believe the hype.  I decided to splash out the £10.99 this time though and see whether Archie would get on with it, and it is now a handbag essential.  Despite both my boys preferring to chew a finger over a refrigerated ring, Sophie is a hit and Archie finds her easy to hold and chew.  No matter how they hold it, something will fit in their mouths and as soon as I started squeaking it, his little arms start going in excitement.  I am well and truly a convert to Sophie and it was definitely an investment I would make again.

Amber

When Dylan was a couple of months old, I bought him an amber teething necklace.  At 25 months, it still sits round his neck and has become a part of him.  I honestly can't say whether it works or not, but we have never had a sleepless night from Dylan's teeth and despite copious amounts of dribble, the whole process of teething was rather easy.  We have been sent a Baltic amber anklet for Archie from Amber Anklets and I don't think we will be taking it off in a hurry.  It has fallen off a couple of times, I am not sure whether his ankles are a little skinny or whether his desire to chew his own toes means he pulls it, but we are being more careful now and it seems to be staying put.  Each bead is individually tied on, which means that even if it does break, there are no little pieces rolling around to be eaten.  Dylan has been wearing his necklace for nearly 2 years though and it is still completely intact.

Breast Milk

If all else fails, breast feeding provides such a comfort to my little man that it is more than just sustenance, and the milk contains properties that help relieve the discomfort.  Archie is still fed on demand and I know that on a difficult day he may feed a little more but it is worth it to give him some relief from the teething horrors.

So that is my teething survival kit, is there anything you would add?

Disclaimer:  I was sent an amber teething anklet and a neckerchew free of charge but all other items mentioned have been purchased by myself.  All views and opinions are completely my own.

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Win a Cath Kidston Changing Bag

I have teamed up with the lovely folk at Nelsons to offer you the chance to win a gorgeous Cath Kidston Changing Bag complete with changing bag and insulated bottle cover along with a bundle of Nelson's goodies. 

 Nelson's Teetha is certainly a staple in my changing bag as Archie is teething away, soaking through bibs and chewing anything and everything that comes near his face.  Teetha is a simple to use powder that helps relieves the symptoms if teething and it made such a difference to Dylan.  

Nelsons Teetha is the only teething brand to offer consumers the choice of both granule and gel formats. Nelsons Teetha Granules (£5.10), a homeopathic remedy, is specially formulated for the soothing and calming relief of the symptoms of teething. Contains Chamomilla 6c. Always read the label.

Nelsons New Teetha Teething Gel (£4.95) has all the benefits of the Nelsons Teetha Granules in a handy gel format. It is a homeopathic medicinal product used within the homeopathic tradition for the symptomatic relief of teething pain and the symptoms associated with teething which are sore and tender gums, flushed cheeks and dribbling. Contains Chamomilla 12c, Belladonna 12c, Aconite 12c. Always read the label. Suitable for babies over 3 months. 

For more information, click here

It couldn't be easier to enter, just follow the instructions on Rafflecoper below (if you need any help entering then click here)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Brush Baby Review

We started brushing Dylan's teeth when the first signs of those little white buds were peeking through.  We wanted him to get used to the routine, and brushing the gums can help with teething.  We bought a little toothbrush and some toothpaste, and got in the habit of visiting the bathroom with him twice a day to clean those little toothy-pegs.

He has never seemed particularly excited or bothered by the process, but does enjoy watching himself in the bathroom mirror!  He also loves having a good chew on the toothbrush, and sucking off the toothpaste!

Brush Baby were kind enough to offer us one of their chewable toothbrushes, which encourages independance as it consists of a small silicone piece, with bristles designed to be chewed.  Dylan holds the brush himself and has a great time exploring his mouth with it and biting down.  They also sent us some of their apple mint toothpaste, which is low in flouride so less worrying when they inevitaby swallow it!  Teaching a 13 month old to spit out the bubbles is near enough impossible and Dylan seems to love the flavour of this one!

We had a few issues to start with as he put the whole toothbrush in his mouth but with a little help he has learnt the right way to chew it, and loves that he can do it alone.  

Brush baby is designed by a dentist and can be used without toothpaste as a teether too.  You can even store it in the fridge for cool relief.  We have found it really easy to get on with and would recommend it to anyone whose children prefer to chew a toothbrush rather than brush with it! I am hoping that when we do have to move him onto a proper brush he will understand a bit better what to do with it and will transition easily.


Disclaimer:  We were sent a Brush Baby toothbrush and toothpaste for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Teething Bling Review

Teething bling is an ingenius idea allowing parents of small children to still wear jewellery.  They kindly offered me one of their necklaces and Dylan and I have loved it.

The pendant is made of baby-safe materials that can be dish-washed and sterilised and chewed at to their hearts content.  They come in a large variety of colours so you can get one to go with every outfit, or pick something more neutral.

We also found teething bling incredibly useful when Dylan was breastfeeding as his hands did not stay still!  He loved having something to

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