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When I heard the latest news today that a pilot scheme is being planned in parts of Sheffield and Chesterfield to encourage more mothers to breastfeed their babies – I held my breath and listened out to hear what would be the latest way for new mums to feel even more pressure to live up to the often used adage ‘breast is best’.

So, wait for it…. – £200 in shopping vouchers if you breastfeed for the recommended six months. Oh great, brilliant. Or rather slightly condescending and/or patronising… thinking that the chance for a bit of retail therapy can form the basis of someone’s decision as to whether or not to breastfeed their child. And sometimes the choice to breastfeed is simply a decision that’s taken out of your hands. So what would happen then? Surely it would  be as if that parent was being penalised.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for breastfeeding, but what horrifies me is the pressure us mums are put under – by both our peers, elders and organisations – to consider it as the only option.

I was lucky – (when I say lucky, I still had initial problems getting my daughter to latch on and throughout breastfeeding, Lansinoh was a regular addition to my shopping list!) but sometimes it upsets me to think about, and witness, the stress and difficulty some mothers (and of course their partners looking on) go through getting their babies to latch on / breastfeed – made only worse by judging comments or the feeling that they’re simply giving up or not trying hard enough.

Only time will tell if this pilot scheme works – happy babies aren’t just the result of simply being breastfed. A happy home goes a long way too.

Above all, surely education and support is the best way forward, instead of what appears to be a case of pure bribery?

Rant over.
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It’s the little things that make a difference, isn’t it?

And so the whole family have been road-testing some fabulous socks from the aptly named Sock Shop for the last few weeks.

We’ve all been impressed by how super soft their Bamboo fabric collection is. Not only that, the skin-friendly material contains natural antibacterial properties to prevent smelly feet – and let’s be honest, that’s a massive plus whatever age you are!

I love seeing a bit of colour on my kids so it’s great that the collection is available in a range of gorgeous shades for both children and adults, as well as school uniform white.

The website also caters to those of you looking for some quirky novelty socks – I fell in love with some great pineapple socks which have been helping me project some tropical vibes whilst it pours with rain outside! I couldn’t resist them…despite having a slight allergy to the fruit! #lifeisunfair

Head to the website and use TheMediaMummy for 10% off.

With the onset of the wintry weather, it would be great of the only thing us mums had to worry about was kitting out our little ones in warm clothes, putting up the Christmas tree and – constantly – replacing lost gloves.

Unfortunately as the temperature quickly dropped I was having to contend with my little girl’s dry skin which was driving her crazy and her constant complaints about having ‘itchy legs’.

On the look out for a solution I came across Dry Skin Baby Lotion by Green People’s Organic Babies, part of their No Scent Range. The fact that it doesn’t contain any chemicals or perfumes is a total bonus, and I have to admit that I’m one of these parents who appreciate organic products, believing there’s a better chance your little one won’t have any adverse reaction to the product.

Certified Organic, 100 per cent free of Parabens and Lanolin, with ingredients that help to soothe and moisturise your little one’s skin – Hemp Seed oil, Aloe Vera, Apricot oil and Marigold – I was almost sold before I’d tried it! But after using the product for a couple of weeks I would definitely recommend it. With a price tag of £9.45 for 150ml it’s not cheap, but luckily a little goes a long way, so I believe it’s worth the money. Plus I no longer have to listen to my daughter’s complaints about ‘itchy legs’!

www.greenpeople.co.uk

HANDS up who usually gives up the battle when it comes to brushing their little one’s teeth?

I mean, who would have thought it could be so difficult when this human being you created is less than half the size of you….

Therefore when I got an invitation to an event which sounded like it could make brushing your teeth – gasp – fun, I couldn’t resist.

So on Thursday we wore white coats and played at being dentists at the Foreo Mikro Dentist event in Central London.

Obviously there was a ball pit involved, but I also received tips from Harley Street Dentist Dr Mark Hughes on oral hygiene for both my kids – even for my one year old, who I learnt can also use their specially designed sonic electric toothbrushes.

The silicone toothbrush head is soft enough for his gums AND can also help with the dreaded itchy gums caused by teething – the Mikro brush has two settings, brush and massage mode.

He’s 18 months and it seems like the majority of his teeth have decided to come at the same time, so anything that soothes the pain is a God send.

Other pluses include a looong battery life, as well as a happy or sad face to encourage little ones to brush for the recommended two minutes.

We’ll see how it goes, but so far, so good. I mean, at least he’s not running away every time I bring out the toothbrush now… In fact it’s the opposite – he’s now dashing off whenever I try to take it off him!

Find out more at www.foreo.com/issa-mikro