When my children were younger they spent a lot of time in slings. My oldest had terrible colic and screamed for hours every day, the sling was the only way to soothe him enough that he slept and fed calmly and I was far happier to carry him around for 4 hours than listen to his heartbreaking crying.

As I had more children I discovered that with your baby in a sling you are better able to attend to the older ones. Holding hands to cross the road, or helping with jigsaws and making lunch are easier with that extra help to hold the baby for you.


When I had my 3rd child I didn't get a double pushchair, I pushed my 2 year old and carried my baby in a sling for the first 6 months, and it worked really well until my toddler was old enough to use a buggy board all of the time.

I'm a total advocate.

For my 4th child I didn't hesitate to get a sling, it was something we had ready before he was born, and it was very well used. It's much easier to get on a bus and find your change or hold an umbrella with baby in a sling than it is with a pushchair!


One of the best things about slings is the ability to feed your child wherever you are and whatever you're doing. You are well covered, so you aren't displaying your goods to the world and you don't get cold. Baby doesn't need to be overly-disturbed, and you don't need to spend ages finding somewhere suitable to sit comfortably to feed. It makes breastfeeding in public something that most people wouldn't even notice you were doing!

I've fed for about 8 years in total, and over that time I think I have fed just about everywhere....

• I've fed several of mine at the table while out for a meal in a restaurant.
• I fed my 1st at Derby Beer Festival.
• I've definitely answered the door to the postman while feeding all of my children.
• I've fed my babies on the bus, train and on coaches
• I fed my 4th sitting in front of the Christmas tree in the Trafford Centre
• I fed my 5th in A&E, radiography and several other departments when my 2nd slipped on ice.
• I fed my 2nd at a pantomime when he was 3 weeks old and he never made a single noise the entire performance.
• I fed my 4th when he was 3 months old while serving behind the Tombola at the school Christmas Fair.
• I've fed whilst dancing or walking around at more festivals and shows than I could possibly begin to remember.

I'm sure there are about a thousand other places where I've been confident and able to feed my children in a sling, and I might not without it.




The lovely people at theBabasling have kindly donated a sling for me to giveaway as a prize. The winner will be able to select whichever sling they wish from the entire range. It truly is a great prize and I'm delighted to be able to have this opportunity.
theBabasling is designed to carry babies and toddlers (0-2yr+ / 7.7lbs-33lbs / 3.5kg – 15kg). It is available in 9 colours, 3 different styles for different seasons, can hold your baby in 5 positions and is machine washable. They come with a lifetime guarantee and free delivery.

 

My competition question is this ~ Where is the strangest or most interesting place you have fed your baby?

  

We'd love to see photo's* of you feeding and/or carrying your child in a sling in an unusual place. We want you to show that feeding doesn't have to be a major event, it can be something you just do.  It's the most natural thing in the world, it's almost an every hour event when your child is tiny and it can be done anywhere. Photo's can be e-mailed to me thebrickcastle@gmail.com, tweeted to @thebrickcastle or uploaded to my Facebook Page

If you don't have a photo then a story will be just as good an entry, and can be left on my Facebook wall, e-mailed to me or typed as a comment to this thread. 

The competition will close to entries at noon on Saturday 6th July 2013, and the winner will be announced by noon on Monday 8th July. Please include a method of contact with your entry - including if you enter by comment on this post.


Please keep any photo's nipple-free because I don't want to get into trouble with Facebook, Twitter or Blogger for 'adult content' (whether I agree with that or not) and I also don't want to scare off new Mums and Mums-to-be who aren't yet confident with feeding in public!

Don't forget all of my other Keep Britain Breastfeeding Competitions which are all listed on this page.

Terms and Conditions - This competition is open to UK residents only. The prize is one theBabasling of your choice which will be sent to you directly from theBabasling. The competition winner will be chosen by myself and a representative from theBabasling and our decision will be final. No correspondence in this matter will be entered into. This competition is in no way endorsed or supported by Blogger. The winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the competition ends, if they do not respond within 5 days we reserve the right to choose another winner from the competition entries. For any further information please e-mail thebrickcastle@gmail.com

Okay, so we're all hoping for a good Summer, but unfortunately it will be over as soon as it's started, and then you'll have to start wrapping up your little ones up again and keeping them warm. For a breastfeeding Mum with a sense of humour what could be better than a fantastic Boobie Beanie? They're available in pretty much any colour and a range of sizes to suit.


Rayne Beau Boos are two 'Work At Home Mums' who hand crochet all kinds of  fabulous items to order. My personal favourite has to be the Despicable Me Minion Hat!


All items can be seen and ordered via the Rayne Beau Boos Facebook page. For Keep Britain Breastfeeding week they have kindly donated a Boobie Beanie as a prize for one winner and they will also be making a discount code announcement on Monday 24th June. The competition will close on 29th at 12 noon when they will draw a winner at random and post the name on their Facebook page.


Entry is by filling in this very short entry form 

Don't forget my other Keep Britain Breastfeeding Competitions - which are all linked on this page

Want to make your own Despicable Me minion from Lego? Here's ours....this is Carl - the one-eyed Minion - using Lego we already had, which is why there are parts that are a bit random, including a red bit!

This bit really does just balance until the next layer goes on

 










If you find my pictures hard to follow then please feel free to ask and I'll post you a clearer picture, and if you can do any better or you want to show yours then I'd be delighted if you upload it to my Facebook page or tweet it to me @thebrickcastle and if you agree I'll add it here!


We were lucky enough to attend a preview showing of Despicable Me 2 as organised by Mumsnet. My review is here.... 

We all know it's important to eat healthily and look after ourselves, and cooking quick and healthy meals is great, but at times it can be hard to ensure we get the right amount of vitamins and minerals we need. This is especially true of pregnant and breastfeeding Mums.

I'm prone to Iron-deficiency Anaemia and became Anaemic each time I was pregnant despite trying to eat a healthy diet including plenty of Iron-rich foods and having a drink of fresh citrus juice with my meals (vitamin C helps you absorb Iron), and so I had to take supplements for a few months to boost my levels and make me healthy again. I still take a daily supplement because it makes me feel less tired and happier despite my youngest now being 3.


MyVitamins have a huge range of vitamins for any deficiency that you might experience, including those common in pregnancy and during feeding. Your baby will pretty much take whatever it needs, so it is Mum who suffers most in the long run, and those around her - being tired and grumpy due to Anaemia when you have a brand new baby is very hard for everyone!


MyVitamins have kindly offered 3 months supply of Complete Daily Vitamins and Hair, Skin and Nails Vitamins for me to give away. I've been trying the Complete Daily Vitamins now for the past few days and they are really easy to take and suitable for Vegetarians, and I'm feeling my whole self instead of a lacklustre and grey imitation. With small people in the house I keep my vitamins up in a high locked cupboard out of sight and reach.

For your chance to win 3 months supply of Complete Daily Vitamins and Hair, Skin and Nails Vitamins please complete the Rafflecopter form below -

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to look at all of my other competitions - which are listed on this page.

My 4 year old brought home his first book from school this week. We're so proud, he's still a Nursery boy until September. It has no 'reading', but is full of words. It's called Extra Shopping and features a Daddy taking his children around a supermarket buying ingredients. First item on the list is 'Apples'. This might be a nice introduction to reading, except for the fact that it's at this point we realise boy no.3 has spent the last 4 years misunderstanding us.

What letter does apple start with?
Boy no.3 (age 4):Nuh
Me: No, think again, sound it out
BN3: Nuh
Me: Why would it be Nuh?
BN3: Napple....
Me: It's not A napple, it's AN apple
BN3: No it's not
Me: Yes it is
BN3: No, it's 5 apples, look...

The extra ingredients that the family buy made it far even more infuriating. They bought Ice Cream, Squirty Cream and chocolate ball sweeties to make a surprise dessert.

Boy no.4 (age 3): I want Saturday
Me: We all want Saturday
BN4: Can I have Saturday?
Me: On Saturday
BN4: Is it Saturday?
Me: Not yet.
BN4: Awwww, I want Ice Cream Saturday....

The book finally finished I think I want an ice cream Saturday too.....

Next week is Keep Britain Breastfeeding week and as a Mother of 5 with 8 years of feeding behind me Breastfeeding is something I think everyone should be encouraged, supported and enabled to do if possible. I will be running a series of posts as part of the Online Scavenger Hunt which runs from 23-29 June and I also have some great giveaways for you.


My first giveaway is in conjunction with Breastvest

Breastvest is an ingenius idea for keeping your tummy and back warm and covered while you feed. I found myself constantly pulling my t-shirt down at the sides to hide my 'unsightly wrinkles', this vest prevents that from ever being an issue. It's available in a range of sizes to fit all shapes, and 6 different colours so that you can match it to any outfit. It can be washed at 40 degrees and even tumble dried, which makes it very user-friendly indeed.

Designed, tested and approved by breastfeeding mums, breastvest is held in place by straps and scoops just below your nursing bra, completely covering the postnatal tummy so mums can lift up whatever top they are wearing to feed their babies, safe in the knowledge that breastvest has them covered. Breastvest lets mums get back into their favourite clothes sooner, letting them breastfeed whenever, wherever and wearing whatever they want with confidence. 

It was invented by now mum-of-two Sam Telfer when she was breastfeeding her first baby, Fred. Frustrated by the lack of wardrobe choice she had - especially after what seemed like an eternity in maternity wear - Sam ruined a succession of her favourite pre-pregnancy tops by stretching the necklines to feed her baby. 

Thousands of mums all over the world are now enjoying the benefits which come built into breastvest… and when Sam had her second baby, Georgie, she was beyond proud to be one of them!

Available at www.breastvest.co.uk and a wide selection of independent stockists in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

From today until the end of June enter the code BSH25 at the till to receive a massive 25% discount on your order. In addition, throughout Keep Britain Breastfeeding week, they'll be running daily offers and discounts which they will announce on Facebook and Twitter  

For the rest of June, Breastvest are selling limited issue grey breastvests in aid of The Lullaby Trust, which supports grieving parents whose babies have been lost to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and also provides safe sleeping information. All of the profits from the sale of grey breastvests during June will be donated to them.

For your chance to win a Breastvest in a colour and size of your choosing, please enter using the Rafflecopter below. 

Don't forget my other Keep Britain Breastfeeding Competitions - which are all linked on this page



a Rafflecopter giveaway

When Mumsnet advertised the chance attend a special showing of Despicable Me 2 I really wanted to submit my application with

"Me, me, me, please let us come, we'll love you forever, Despicable Me is our family favourite and we all think it's totally cool and it'll be an event to remember forever and it'll make Father's Day perfect for my partner because he adores it". 

Thankfully I actually submitted a far more sane and sensible application, and we were chosen as one of the successful families for the Manchester Printworks showing.

Incredibly excited - he didn't want to stand still for a photo!

At 9am this Sunday morning we made our apologies to the teenagers (the maximum and fair allocation was 4 tickets per family) and we set off for the Odeon Cinema to watch a movie about a very special Dad as a very special treat for Father's Day.
 

Mumsnet had arranged a real spectacular, with balloon-modelling, colouring sheets, a chance to try out the Despicable Me Minion Rush game app (available to download free for Android and IOS) and a 'meet and greet' with two real life minions!

Concentrating hard

Competitive Dad getting the new high score!

The balloon-modellers were fantastic!

Balloon 'Carl ~ the One-Eyed Minion'

Boy no.4 thought the live minions were a bit scary at first

Despicable Me tells the story of Gru, a master villain who through a few turns of fate finds himself as a Father to 3 young girls, he then gives up his life of crime due to their influence. In Despicable Me 2 we find him and his minions with a legitimate Jam-Making business and living a quiet life with the girls. Obviously all of this is about to change, and in comes the very lovely Lucy to turn his life upside down in more ways than one. Although it's a sequel, the first film is explained in a few easy sentences very early on, so even if you've never seen it, you can watch Despicable Me 2 as a standalone movie without any problems.

There are the familiar mix of jokes for children and other jokes which go over the children's heads and make the adults chuckle, the fabulous soundtrack headed by the heavy basslines of Pharrell Williams, and the brilliant characters voiced by the likes of Steve Carrell, Ken Jeong and Russell Brand.

The film has a lovely pace, with no 'boring bits' to lose the interest of the younger audience. There is always something going on, the minions making a joke or falling over in the background, children playing at the side of the screen or funny faces being pulled.

The story is very easy to follow, the language usually very simple and accompanied by very descriptive visuals, so even my 3 year old can now tell you the entire story start to finish.

This is as good a sequel to any movie as you can ever hope for. It doesn't disappoint and there is nothing forced about the storyline whatsoever. It introduces interesting new characters and plotlines, but still has all of the old favourites - including the multitudes of minions!
 

Still not entirely trusting the live minions!

We watched it in 3D and it was incredibly effective. Stay until the end because the titles have several fantastic effects over them - the bubbles especially are the best 3D effect I've ever seen - every child in the cinema was trying to pop them!

We all loved it, we'll no doubt have the Blu-ray within days of it's release and it'll get as much play as the first movie has done. A definite 5/5, I can't wait to see it again!


If you are a fan of Lego then we have made our own Minion from Lego and have the instructions for you to make your own here...

I really enjoy using unusual words, I use them with my kids all the time. My 3 year old often complains of harrassment and asks his brother to "cease and desist".

I try very hard not to alienate the person I'm talking to, or sound like a Police Officer giving a testimony, but it's nice to expand your vocabulary. I love to learn a new word. Whenever anyone says something I don't understand I get quite excited and demand to know what it means, or Google it instantly. It's infuriating when I'm in a conversation where I can't stop them and ask straightaway. I'm the same with our teenagers - some days it's like they're talking a different language, and thankfully I'm still keen enough to find out what on Earth it all means!

In the half hour before writing this I've used somnambulism, interrobang and inordinate. I feel quite proud.
 

My favourite word for today though has to be propitious. I've had the prize for my #SpecialK30 blog post delivered and we have a full weekend of adventure and excitement ahead of us. It's raining, but who cares?

What are your favourite rarely-used words? I'd especially love if you have one I've never heard of!


Somnambulism = Sleepwalking
Interrobang = '!?' or '?!'
Inordinate =  unusually or disproportionately large or excessive
Propitious = full of promise, good, favourable