Bringing a newborn baby home from the hospital can be a very daunting experience for parents, especially first time parents.  They have so many questions, many of which you won’t find the answers to in books. Parents learn and gain experience on the job and it makes it so much easier when there are trusted brands that provide products to help reassure us, like Safety 1st. Some questions often asked are ~ How hot should the bath water be and how much do I fill it? What is that crusty stuff on my babies head and how do I get it off safely? My baby has a blocked nose and is struggling to breathe, how can I unblock his nose without causing him harm? My baby feels warm but how do I know if she has a temperature? How can I trim bubs nails without hurting him, he keeps scratching his face? The questions don’t stop, not even as they get older which is why Safety 1st offers a wide range of products to help make daily life with children easier.

Safety 1st

Safety 1st assists parents in being organised, safe with medicine, taking temperatures and other health related concerns by providing products that eliminate the guess work. The Bath Pal Thermometer and Bath Toy bag ensure your baby has the perfect bath temperature and you can store toys away neatly. When your baby has a blocked nose the Nasal Aspirator is safe and easy to use in removing excess mucus. Getting an accurate temperature is often a struggle for parents as babies like to squirm and move which is why Safety 1st have a range of thermometer options to suit everyone and their specific needs; you’ll find Pacifier thermometers, flash fever 1 second ear thermometers, quick read ear thermometers and a basic digital thermometers. Another very important concern parents have is administering medication for their babies and how they will often struggle to take it; the medicine set and pacifier medicine dispenser will help you there.

You will also find wonderful items in the grooming range that allows you to safely trim babies nails, brush or comb their hair and if they have cradle cap Safety 1st has a Cradle Cap Care product available. I have only just recently discovered this and will be purchasing it as Poppet has had cradle cap from when she was a newborn and I’d love to get rid of it.

If you are a new (or new again) parent and want that extra bit of reassurance, check out the Safety 1st product range.

Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with Safety 1st however all opinions are my own.

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Summer is an exciting time for kids. It means running around outside under the sprinkler, building sandcastles at the beach with friends and cooling off with a refreshing ice cream. Keep your child’s summer untainted by sunburn by following these few safety tips.

Protect their skin

Sunburnt skin ruins summer fun. Teach your child early on how to be sun smart; then they can enjoy the benefits of a healthy Vitamin D dose and not suffer the associated pain of itchy, peeling and painful burnt skin. The first step is to engrain habits early. Make a routine, do each task in the same order every time. Sunscreen should be SPF 30+ and be applied at least 20 minutes before going outside and reapplied every 2 hours thereafter. Get your child used to wearing sunglasses from an early age and make it fun by purchasing bright colours, or let them choose their special pair. Lead by example and wear a broad brimmed hat. Retail stores stock a range of stylish items; you don’t have to look like a daggy parent to be sun safe. Again, let your child have some input in the hat purchasing process (within reason). Spending a little more on the spider man hat is well worth the extra 10 dollars if they are excited to wear it. Shelling out a little more money now may mean saving them from skin cancers later.

Responsible fun in the sun

It’s easy to play in the sun safely if you know how. Being in the sun at the wrong time can be the difference between a great summer play day and vomit inducing heatstroke. Dehydration can cause a myriad of problems. Prepare your children and have them drink plenty of water before they go out in the sun. Ensure they take periodic breaks to rehydrate and snack on water based fruit. If your child happens to get dehydrated during the day, make hydration fun and give them electrolyte ice blocks. No amount of diligent water consumption will keep your child hydrated if their essential salts are depleted. Limit time outside between the hours of 11am and 4pm or have your children play in the shade during this period. Don’t be fooled by cloudy skies, the majority of UV rays cut through cloud cover and your child could still end up with burnt skin. Get your kids in the habit of applying an after sun moisturiser such as aloe vera to keep their skin soft and hydrated. Grown your own plant for a fun holiday project.

Swim safely

Swimming in the backyard pool provides hours of entertainment and forms irreplaceable childhood memories. However, extra precautions need to be taken when spending sunny days in the pool. Sunscreen washes off in water, therefore more frequent applications are necessary. Body parts submerged in water are still susceptible to the sun. Check the pH level of your pool and have your children wear protective goggles to ward off all-too-common eye injuries sustained from pool chemicals. Invest in a pool cover, such as those at Fabric Solutions, to minimise evaporation, thus, reducing the need to use extra chemicals.

Implementing a sun safety routine will make it second nature for your little ones. Summer time will be a breeze and they will thank you later in life when they don’t have to go under the laser.

The post How to Keep Your Kids Safe From the Harsh Summer Sun appeared first on All Mum Said.

With the festive season well and truly upon us many families have to travel to get to their Christmas or holiday destinations. With extra traffic on the roads also comes an increased risk of accidents and when you have children in the car you want to make sure they are in the safest possible car seat. You may have seen the new Safe-n-Sound Platinum SICT convertible car seat in stores and online; they are suitable for newborn – 4 years and are Britax Safe-n-Sounds safest seat yet. I have been reviewing this specific car seat for the past few weeks with my almost 6 month old daughter and when it’s said how great this seat is they are not exaggerating!

 There are so many things to tell you about this car seat that I don’t even know where to begin! So I’ll start at my favourite features and then move to the safety side of things. The car seat is padded enough that it is soft and comfortable for babies/kids to sit in for long periods of time and remain extremely supportive on their little backs. I love the thick fabric behind the buckle (also known as the EZ-Buckle System) because Hadley is at the ‘big chubby thighs’ stage and this prevents any digging in of the buckle and straps or accidental clipping of the leg and it also retains the buckle in a forward position for easy access.

The fabric used in this car seat is also breathable unlike a lot of others on the market. While it is wonderfully padded and soft they have managed to do so while using a material that breathes which is great especially now that we have hit summer. Hadley hasn’t come out of the seat sweaty or hot once which is the complete opposite to what happens when she gets out of her other car seat in Mr Dads car.

The Platinum SICT has deep side wings that provide side impact protection and when it’s accompanied by SICT (side impact cushion technology) and AHR (active head restraint) which provides head protection and grows with your child you will not have to be concerned if this provides enough impact safety for your child. The SICT is positioned in Torso and Headrest region to minimise the energy generated in a side impact crash.

There are two other little features that they have been added to make parents lives just that little bit easier. One being they have included harness holders to help keep the harness out of the way while placing your child in the seat and the other is the easy adjust which automatically re-positions the shoulder straps. They have truly thought of everything!

The Platinum SICT comes in 3 colours (silver is my favourite), has 4 reclines options for forward facing use and shoulder pads for extra comfort. While it is a little dearer than many other car seats on the market it is worthy of the price tag that comes along with it. The peace of mind knowing my child is safe is worth it. The RRP is $659. For more information and to see stockists please visit http://britax.com.au.

Disclaimer: I received a Safe ‘n’ Sound Platinum SICT as shown above for the purpose of this review. As always opinions are my own.

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So much has changed since my boys were babies and so I’m learning about all the new products on the market. Now I know baby capsules have been around forever but I never used them, I always went straight for the convertible baby seat that was suitable for newborn to 3-4ish years old.

 You have probably seen around the internet lately about BOB strollers, well they also make baby carriers (capsules). Britax Safe-n-Sound has released the all new BOB Unity Infant Carrier that is Australia’s only infant carrier that is suitable for newborn to 12 months of age. I am not entirely sure any of my kids would fit this at 12 months but I do seem to breed them big; I’d think it would cater them until approx. 6-9 months but I can only judge from the size of my kids.

 I do love that it is quite a compact design which is great for smaller cars. I can fit this BOB carrier along with 2 booster seats into the back seat of my 2012 Toyota Corolla. Obviously there is a lot more space in my husbands’ Nissan Pathfinder that the requirement to have compact seats aren’t as important.

The design is great as it is so easy to use and the base adjusts for levelling when installing. It is easy to clip in and out of the car – even for a first time capsule user like myself. The rotating carry handle allows for that extra comfort when carrying and the high side walls provide additional safety. I did think it would have more padding than it does but as I mentioned before this is the first capsule I have ever had so I don’t really have anything to compare it to. That is not to say there is no padding at all – there definitely is and it appears to be quite soft, comfortable and safe (technology has undeniably advanced in the way of padding).

The BOB Unity Infant Carrier comes in 2 colour options – Black/Blue & Orange.

They can be purchased from:

babyschoice.com.au

belly2baby.com.au

babysavings.com.au

Prices range from $299-$399

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