Monthly Archives

July 2019

Lifestyle, Motherhood

Top 10 Teething Remedies and Toys for Babies to Soothe Sore Gums

Here is my list of top 10 teething saviours, which have helped soothe my baby’s sore gums, from teething toys to homeopathic remedies.

Jellystone Teething Stacker for Babies
Jack absolutely loves his Jellystone Rainbow Stackers

My little boy is nearly 8 months old and his first two teeth have started to poke through at the bottom. Unfortunately teething means an unhappy baby. We are getting through so many bibs due to lots of dribbling and Jack is chewing everything in sight. His favourite thing at the moment seems to be our television remote!

To try and help other parents get through the terrible teething stages of their child’s development I thought I would share my top teething saviours, which have really helped soothe Jack’s poorly gums.

1. Teetha Teething Granules
Teething Granules have been a life saver for Jack when he is in distress with his gums. Just before bed, or when Jack appears to be in discomfort, we pop the granules on a spoon and feed them to him and the relief is almost immediate! What I like about the granules is the fact that they are homeopathic. The Teething Granules come in little sachets so are a baby changing bag must-have!

2. Jellystone Teething Stacker
Jack absolutely loves his Jellystone Teething Stacker. These award-winning, brightly coloured rings provide relief for sore gums and also help to encourage hand eye coordination. They are also a fantastic toy for Jack when he is in his highchair, which means I can enjoy my lunch while he plays happily! Made from BPA free, non toxic silicone, your baby can chew on the Jellystone Teething Stackers happily.

3. Cucumber Batons
Hard foods are great for teething babies. I have found that cucumber batons work wonders. Jack loves to gnaw on cucumber as the cold helps soothe his gums and it is also a good way of getting water into their diet.

4. Milk Ice Lollies
Breastmilk ice lollies, or “mumsicles” as I like to call them, also provide relief for sore gums and are great for babies in hot weather. I bought some ice lolly moulds on Amazon and poured my expressed breastmilk into them, popped them in the freezer and voila, you have a healthy, soothing snack for your baby! You don’t just have to use milk, you could also make fresh fruit lollies from pureed fruit and pure fruit juice. They are specifically designed for small hands, so are good for weaning too! You can buy the Annabel Karmel Mini Ice Lolly Moulds on Amazon.

Sophie the Giraffe Teething Toy for Babies
Sophie the Giraffe is made from 100% natural rubber

5. Sophie the Giraffe
I think every child has a soft spot for Sophie the Giraffe! Jack loves Sophie and enjoys chewing on her legs to ease the pain in his gums. It’s made from 100% natural rubber so it’s a safe teething toy for your little one. It also comes in a lovely box making it a great gift for newborns and baby showers! It’s nice and light and Sophie’s spotty body and squeaker stimulate baby’s senses. Sophie the Giraffe is must-have baby toy in my opinion!

6. Teething Car Keys
This toy certainly does unlock some fun! My sister-in-law bought these for Jack and they are one of his favourite toys when he is in his pushchair. Easy to hold for small hands, the keys feature four buttons, which play car sounds to stimulate your little one’s senses and attached are plastic discs which your baby can chew on to soothe painful gums. The Teething Car Keys, available from ASDA, are another great buy for under £5!

7. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Teether Rattle
Another firm favourite is Jack’s Hungry Caterpillar teether rattle. Suitable from birth, the brightly coloured soft caterpillar crinkles when you touch it and has a soft, green textured teether tail, which really seems to help soothe Jack’s gums. The red and green colours really catch Jack’s attention and he loves to pick it up and move it around in his hands, which also stimulates his senses and encourages development. You can buy The Hungry Caterpillar Teether Rattle for under £10 on Amazon.

The Hungry Caterpillar Teething Toy for Babies
The textured tail is great for teething babies!

8. Baby Banana Teething Toothbrush
If you child loves bananas then this is a fantastic teething toy! It features peel handles so it’s easy to hold and comes with two silicone finger toothbrushes so you can brush your baby’s teeth and help soothe their gums with gentle massage. What’s more the Baby Banana Teething Toothbrush comes with a handy storage case and is BPA free and dishwasher safe.

9. Calpol
When Jack is in a lot of pain I give him Calpol and it really seems to soothe him, providing rapid relief, especially at bedtime when his teeth keep him awake.

10. Cuddles
One thing that also helps to calm Jack down is cuddles from Mummy and Daddy! He has definitely become more clingy since he started teething and extra cuddles and kisses seem to comfort him and calm him down. And cuddles are free!

I hope you find some of these useful. I have tried lots of different things and so you may find a mix and match approach is the way forward.

Food, Reviews

Afternoon Tea at Limewood Hotel & Spa – Review

Set in the heart of the stunning New Forest National Park, Lime Wood Hotel & Spa offers a truly scrumptious afternoon tea in beautiful surroundings.

Full Afternoon Tea, Limewood Hotel & Spa in the New Forest
Afternoon Tea at Limewood

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Lime Wood Hotel & Spa twice for afternoon tea. Once when I was pregnant with Jack and then again after he was born, and both visits were simply wonderful.

Lime Wood is located in the heart of the stunning New Forest National Park in Lyndhurst and so the hotel’s surroundings are just beautiful. On the drive to the hotel you will encounter lots of New Forest ponies and open moors. I highly recommend stopping to take some pictures!

What I love about Afternoon Tea at Limewood is that the whole experience is so special from the moment you enter the hotel and the staff make you feel special too.

On both occasions when I visited the hotel I enjoyed their Full Afternoon Tea and I wasn’t disappointed. We dined in the conservatory, which was just beautiful. With its glass roof the sunshine streams through and the bright and colourful setting makes for a lovely atmosphere.

My sister-in-law and I enjoying our special Afternoon Tea at Limewood.
Celebrating my sister-in-law’s 40th birthday at Limewood. It was a very sunny day, hence the sunglasses!

Limewood have an extensive tea list to choose from and their coffees are delicious. On the first visit, being pregnant, I ordered decaf coffee, which was the perfect accompaniment to the selection of finger sandwiches, sticky eclairs, delicious cakes and warm, homemade scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. I have always had a sweet tooth, even more so during pregnancy and the cakes were just delicious! My favourite was the chocolate and fennel flower pot! What I also liked is that they replenish the sandwiches if you would like more of a certain type. When I was pregnant with Jack I loved egg and cress sandwiches and so when they offered to bring more, of course I couldn’t deny my cravings – it would have been rude not to! The staff were also very attentive and brought more clotted cream and jam without any trouble when I asked for a little bit more…I do love clotted cream!

When I visited Limewood with my husband it was our anniversary and we were presented with two lovely cupcakes with ‘Happy Anniversary’ written on the plate in chocolate, which was a lovely touch, and they did the same again when I visited with my sister-in-law for her birthday. It’s these little extra touches that make Limewood stand out for me.

On our first visit to Limewood we were presented with these yummy cupcakes to celebrate my husband and I’s first anniversary.

If you can’t manage all of your afternoon tea (I’m not going to lie, I demolished it all on both occasions), they will happily box it up for you and what’s more, they also offer you extra cake to take home from their daily specials. I was lucky enough to take with me a homemade lemon drizzle and carrot cake, which were super moist and delicious when I ate them the following day. I even let my husband have a taste!

If you are looking for a real treat for a special occasion, I would definitely recommend Limewood Hotel & Spa. Afternoon Tea is served every day from 3pm-5pm and at £32 per person, it isn’t the cheapest, but you get what you pay for and Limewood really does boast a lovely afternoon tea in a beautiful setting. An easy 5 out of 5 from me and I hope to return again soon! If you haven’t visited Limewood Hotel & Spa, add it to your list – you certainly won’t be disappointed.

For more information here is Limewood’s Afternoon Tea menu.

Me and my baby bump on our first visit to Limewood in September 2018