Real Mums of All-Bran Challenge

Three lesser-known facts about me:

• I am a notoriously awful breakfast skipper.
• I could happily eat chocolate as a breakfast substitute on the odd occasion, however.
• I don't believe in brand campaigns because I never think they'll work.

So, I'll eat my hat after I write this post.

Here's a secret:

Since I ate dodgy fish and chips 8 weeks pregnant with Effy while watching the Cowes Week fireworks, I have never had a happy gut. I spent both pregnancies either constipated or positively upset, and especially since having Lowen I've felt bloated, and somewhat irregular... Just not "right".

And this is why I was so keen to try the 5 day challenge, care of Real Mums of All Bran.

Here's the thing. I really felt better as a result of eating a bowl of All Bran for five days. I HATE to admit it, remember point three above? 

Suddenly my gut felt happier, less bloated, more comfortable, more regular and definitely more "right". And just when I was wondering if it were mind over matter, when I had finished every scrap of the joy I'd been sent, within a couple of days my innards were back to their usual tricks. Cue a trip to the supermarket and a more conscious effort to eat bran. Happy guts.

There's more to this than a happy gut though.

First off, when I think of All Bran, I think of my granny eating it and recall it tasting of flip flop or something equally unsavoury... Well, Bran has come along way in 25 years because all three flavours (Golden Crunch, Red Berry Crunch and Chocolate Wheats) we were sent to try were delicious. D and Effy loved them all too. There's no points for guessing which flavour disappeared fastest, however...

The Chocolate Wheats were a huge hit. Now, I know I said I could happily eat chocolate for breakfast, and this would fill that box. I'd consider it to be a weekend cereal. A healthier treat to start your Saturday. The Red Berry Crunch went down well and what I really liked about it as that you could really taste the berries coming through, and there was a generous quantity in every serving. The Golden Crunch was a definite week day cereal, but enjoyable despite it's slightly more "ordinary" demeanour. 

Needless to say, the other pro from this challenge is that I ate breakfast with Effy. Recently she's tended to mess around in the company of non-eaters at the table, so it's been easier to potter and leave her to it, but enjoying cereal with her on her non nursery days (she has breakfast with her pals at nursery) has made for a lovely start to our mornings once Lowen is back in bed for her first nap of the day.

And unlike other cereals, I didn't feel like I wanted a snack three minutes after breakfast. Just slipping that one in there.

So, I learned a lot doing this challenge, but most importantly I've realised how key my gut is to my mood... A happy gut makes getting on with day to day stuff easier, and I am really trying hard to not be a breakfast skipper any more but eating bran-based cereal daily. I really do feel All-Bran New! I've also learned that bran doesn't taste of old shoe. Hurrah! 

This post is an entry for the Real Mums of All-Bran Linky Challenge, sponsored by Kelloggs™

Review: Mr Nutcase Executive Flip Case for iPhone 5

The opportunity to review a Mr Nutcase phone case really appealed to me for three reasons. Firstly, my phone is always being nabbed by my toddler and despite her very best intentions it almost always ends up dropped, and we don't have carpet anywhere downstairs in our house which means my phone, which still has 7 months to run before I can upgrade, looks a state. Secondly, I am incredibly clumsy, even when sober. Thirdly, anyone who follows me with any regularity will know that I love photography and take a lot of photos. A lot of photos. So many photos that I'm constantly switching my backgrounds about because there's another image that I love and can't stop looking at. First world problem.

I've had a couple of other cases for my phone but there's been fundamental issues with both. The first was just a pouch and I lost it all the time. In fact, I think I stopped using it because I lost it. Good. The second was a photocase, with one image on the back and a rubbery enclosure which saved the corners but didn't protect the screen when it was in my handbag etc.

The first thing I noticed when I browsed the Mr Nutcase web page was that I was going to able to include lots of images on the case, not just one. Big tick. I could also choose an executive flip leather style case that would protect my phone from all the stuff that rattles around in my handbag. And from my clumsy self. Another big tick.

The third thing I noticed was the wide variety of devices that were catered for... Apple products, Nokia, HTC and more! 

So I set about designing my case online. You choose which images you'd like to use and upload them before dragging them onto the template to create your design. The designing was a little fiddly to start with but I soon got the hang of it (I didn't realise you needed to press and hold the zoom button, for example and was clicking it repeatedly wondering why it wasn't doing anything). You're reminded that you need to ensure that the images fill the whole space to ensure that you're not left with any empty gaps on your case and you can move the image around so that you capture just the part of the image you want in each frame. Point to note here is that I was designing a solid panel - the front of the flip - but the template allowed space for the camera hole, which is in fact in the back of the case, so I ofset an image to compensate for the hole and then it looked a bit odd when it arrived, however the lovely people at Mr NutCase let me reorder my case and tell me that this is a little kink in the design of the website which is being fixed at the moment. Once you've finished designing you can preview your item before ordering. Simples!

The delivery of my case was really speedy and first impressions were excellent. Sturdy, an excellent fit for my iPhone 5, well made, and the image quality is good despite the slightly textured nature of the case. I've already had several comments that it's an unusual case and lovely that I can have so many images on too. I agree. The magnetic closure on the case is strong enough to keep it shut but not so strong that I can't flip it open one handed - vital with a small baby in my arms a lot of the time. The case doesn't impede the volume buttons or the camera at all. Overall, I'm really happy with it and am seriously considering a case for my iPad too.

There are a few things that I feel could be improved though. Firstly, the case is currently only available in white. That's fine, I was told that was my only option but I can see it getting grubby quickly in my back pocket of my indigo jeans, toddler fingers, general use, and some bright colours or some more exective options would widen up the demographic who might want to use such a case. Secondly, it would be nice if the website could identify if you haven't quite used the frame completely and double check that you'd intended it to be that way before going on to preview; I've ordered two cases and despite me checking carefully I've still ended up with tiny white border on a couple of the tiny images that I just hadn't detected on screen. I know that's my fault but other websites that I've ordered personalised items from in the past have flagged similar issues up. Finally, I'd prefer it if the case flipped up, not down. Maybe I'm being really picky, but there's two reasons for this: Firstly I can't charge my phone without the case being open which I just find a bit niggly (this might well be to stop the phone overheating while charging, I guess, but I have a similar design of case on my iPad and I can charge it shut, but secondly, I find it hurts my hand a little using my phone with the flip in the way, presumably because the case cuts in to the heel of my hand and my thumb is having to stretch a bit more. It's fine for a quick text or a phonecall, but if I'm writing a blog post, or an email, or browsing for longer than a couple of minutes I end up taking the phone out of the case and popping it back in after. It's easy enough to do, but the flip being at the top could solve that. Just personal preference I suppose!

Looking about online I'd say Mr Nutase's prices were pretty competative. Photocases for an iPhone from Photobox (my "go to" place for things like this!) normally retail at full price for £22 compared to £15 at Mr Nutcase while they do offer multi-image designs, they don't offer the flip case design that Mr Nutcase do. They also seem to have a much more comprehensive coverage of lots of different makes and models of devices.

So, overall I love my phone case. I've got eight of my favourite pictures of my beautiful daughters on the case and it's protecting my phone in its entirety for £20, which beats the excess on my insurance in the event of it being dropped. The price is competative and it's completely unique to me, and I feel like I've got a good quality product. Mr Nutcase would make an ideal one stop shop for gifts for family, perhaps if they've recenty become new aunts/uncles/grandparents and the like. Their customer service has been great. I'd give it 9/10 and that's purely because for me, I'd like the flip the other way around but it's not the end of the world that I can't close my case while charging or I have to pop it out for extended use.

And the good news is you can have a Mr Nutcase case for your device too! Use the code "Thanku10" at the checkout to receive 10% off your order. Hurrah! 

Mr Nutcase supplied me with a case for free for the purpose of review, however all words and opinions are my own.

Review: Ozeri Double Wall 8oz Thermo Glasses

If you're anything like me, the obvious Christmas presents have been bought, or at least cited. You've got a spreadsheet, and some wrapping may even have begun. But there's always someone who has everything, or needs nothing or you're just stumped for... Well, I might just have the solution.

I've been lucky enough to review another product for Moderna, this time the Ozeri Double Wall 8oz glasses.

These aren't a "must have" product, they're definitely a luxury product, but they're really, really cool. We have flummoxed friends with the cool exterior and hot inner... 

They're essentially a glass for a hot beverage. But a glass that wont burn your fingers as it's being passed to you, and looks awesome on your table. A glass that would be best used to serve cream topped liqueur coffee in... Except liqueur coffee is off the menu at Thursday's Child HQ until March 2014. Never the less, we drink our weekend tea or coffee from them and enjoy something a bit different. 

They look more fragile than they are, and have withstood the odd accidental clink when washing up. They are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, so I guess you could serve a sorbet in them too! Each one is hand blown, and they definitely have the luxury, artisan feel they claim to have. The glasses are dimpled, so they fit well in your hand as well as looking fabulous. And they do sit nicely inside each other, if you need to stack to save cupboard space.

For me, the only thing I slightly dislike about them is their size. They're definitely more "after dinner coffee" than "morning brew" sized, and I'm a sucker for a big mug, but if quantity of hot drink is what you're after, Ozeri make a taller version of this glass too. Marvellous.

I was excited for these glasses to arrive and they haven't disappointed. They make a fabulous conversation topic and I feel quite sure that should someone receive them as a gift this Christmas, they wouldn't be disappointed... Likewise, were you to treat yourself... 

The RRP of these glasses is £29.99 (although they are prices slightly lower on Amazon UK*), which to me seems a smidge pricey, but you get what you pay for: Presented fabulously, and a hand blown, quirky product. Those tricky Christmas list gifts are sorted.

Thanks Ozeri! 

Moderna Housewares kindly supplied the above product for free for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own and completely uninfluenced by any other party. *Prices correct as of 15/11/2013.

Review: Ozeri Green Earth frying pan

One of my fondest memories and most wonderful occasions of the year growing up was Shrove Tuesday... My mum had a small frying pan that was to be used exclusively for pancakes, and she swore by it. My mum made an excellent pancake, flipped, tossed and scoffed. I inherited this pan when mum passed away and I confess that it was no longer used exclusively for pancakes. Students don't wash up often enough or have the foresight to tell their housemates/boyfriends that they own a pan exclusively for pancakes. I carried on using that little pan but unfortunately it no longer made for a good pancake and it ended its worldly life earlier this year. 

So, I was over the moon when I was offered the opportunity to review the Ozeri Green Earth frying pan which just so happened to be the size of my old pancake pan, 20cm/8"... I just had to hope it made a good pancake.

First impressions of this little pan were good. I'm no pan expert, but it's weighty, without being so heavy you struggle to pick it up one handed, and I consider weightiness to be a good feature in a pan. The handle, which is silicon coated, has a slight curve to it, which makes it comfortable to hold, and it seems to be really well secured to the pan (this was my husband's first observation too - what a man!). The pan comes in an attractive lime green colour (the only colour available I believe) and is pleasing on the eye. So far so good.

Ozeri provide clear instructions on how to care for your pan, including seasoning and washing the pan, so without further a do I followed the instructions, which were written in simple english, gave it a good rub with olive oil and took a couple of minutes to take in the rest of the 'bumpf' as I call it. The pan is oven and induction stove friendly, a versatile piece of kit! 

The Green Earth Pan is greblon coated.  This means that the ceramic coating is not only non stick and super durable but it's also eco-friendly, releasing no nasties into the atmosphere while being cooked with. I must admit that I wasn't aware that any pan could be releasing nasties while cooking, but I guess there's something a teeny bit altruistic about cooking greener. At least there is in my head. It also boasts a textured surface which has thee functions; stops food from sticking, makes it easier to clean and helps create air pockets which distributes the heat under the food to improve cooking. Big claims. 

Aesthetics and weightiness aside, the proof of a good pan MUST be in the cooking, so I decided that there was only one thing for it. Pancakes. Cooking a pancake would test it's non-stick coating and it's claims to distribute heat underneath the food evenly. I did nothing different in my preparation of the batter or the pan than usual and I can only report good things. With virtually no oil in the pan, the pancakes curled away from the edge of their own doing as they cooked, allowing me to flip them with ease with no need to ease them from the sides. There were no crispy edges that got stuck and burned meaning that the pan needed to be cleaned before the next ladle of batter went in. The colour of the pancakes were even, and the textured nature of the surface of the pan left the pancake with an attractive mottled pattern - not particularly important, but quite cool none the less! They cooked quickly and the whole experience was pain free... And D will tell you that my old pan had left me in several pancake related meltdowns. As I served dinner, my first remark to my D was "this is a really good pan. I really like it". First impressions count for something. This pan is clearly excellent for pancake making but great for eggs or bacon for a family of three... That's my weekend breakfast sorted! 

I guess the other proof of a good pan is it's longevity. How long does it remain non-stick? How long does the coating last? How long until the handle drops off? Well, time will tell, I suppose, but I think a good quality piece of kitchenwear performs from its very first use. 

There were only two minor snagging points for me. Firstly, the end of the handle closest to the pan did start to get quite hot to the touch while I was cooking. I suspect that this is the downside of using a smaller pan however, as obviously the handle is closer to the heat source than with a slightly larger pan. Just worth bearing in my mind when in use, but I doubt this is a problem exclusive to this pan. Secondly, while I love the fresh lime green colour, my kitchen is adored with blue, blue and more blue and I would love this pan even more if it came in a selection of funky colours, although I appreciate that the colour of the pan fits beautifully with Green Earth, eco friendly branding.

The Ozeri Green Earth Pan (20cm/8") has an RRP of £39.95 although it is currently available on Amazon UK for £24.95*. Having never bought a pan myself as all of ours were inherited or wedding gifts, I did a little research into comparative pans. £40 seems reasonably average and certainly not unreasonable, and it's current price strikes me as a really good deal. 

So, this for me is a 5 star pan and a superb piece of kitchenwear. While I currently have no need for bigger pans, I wouldn't hestitate in splashing out on the larger pans in the range if I needed them in the future and would 100% wholeheartedly recommend these to a friend. Thank you, Ozeri, my mum would be thrilled with this replacement for her Shrove Tuesday shenanigans! 

Moderna Housewares kindly supplied the above product for free for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own and completely uninfluenced by any other party. *Prices correct as of 15/10/2013.

NappyKind Boutique Leg Warmers review and GIVEAWAY!

I jumped at the opportunity to review some leg warmers from NappyKind Boutique... The weather was clearly picking up that hint of autumn, so my attention had turned to winter wear for E, and what we would need this year that was different to last year.

Last winter was so different: She wasn't walking until just after Christmas and even when she was it wasn't far, so she spent a lot of time in the pram or carrier when we were out with the dogs. The pram was no biggy. We had a sheepskin footmuff for her that kept her toasty, and chunky snow suits for the trips out in the carrier to keep her warm.

But this year we have an explorer. A girl who loves to run ahead, splash in puddles, pick up leaves. A girl who can actually walk in wellies, as apposed to just have them on her keep when she's in the trike. So those fluffy snow suits of baby-hood are no longer practical, and she doesn't want to sit in the pram, however warm in might be. And if we're walking for a long time, she might want to walk for some, but be carried for the rest. Her legs are still diddy really, at 18 months old. So we have to put a little more thought to her remaining warm in the carrier, but a little cooler when she's moving herself. And my first thought was leg warmers. It couldn't have been more of a coincidence that NappyKind were looking for some reviewers.

A friend of mine mused about how they were cute but what was the point? Well, leg warmers can be taken out in your pocket or bag and popped on if it's chillier than you thought. Or the other way round if it's actually warmer. Leg warmers keep your legs warm in the carrier if there's a bit of a breeze and your jeans aren't of the skinny variety. Leg warmers make a pair of leggings warmer. Leg warmers are good with wellies, which despite being good in the wet have a tendency to be cold on the feet. And most importantly, leg warmers are really rather cute.

I picked two different designs for E. A giraffe print pair (we talk about giraffes a lot and she pretends to chomp on leaves) and a more girlie stripy pairs in pinks and reds. I had read that these leg warmers fitted a really wide age bracket of legs and was a smidge skeptical, but was impressed with the stretch on them when they arrived. And not only are they stretchy, they seem well made and they're super soft too. 

My concern was that they wouldn't stay up well, but E has spent the morning tottering around in them today, up stairs, down stairs, climbing on furniture, and even on her chubby thighs they've resisted falling down. The only battle here is that she loves removing her socks repeatedly, and it would seem leg warmers are just as much fun. I'm sure it's just a phase... I popped some trousers on over the top of them too and the leg warmers stayed in place just fine, and didn't look bulky under them. They're not so thin, however that you'd feel they weren't doing anything for warmth. 

Most importantly they do look super cute. E loves to potter about in her nappy and a t shirt when we're at home and that combo, particularly if she's got cloth on, topped off with leg warmers looks even my scrumptious. We're long past crawling but I wish we'd had some of these to give her knees a bit more protection... I guess a baby learning to crawl in warmer weather could really benefit from these on their knees! 

The stripy number retails for £5.99 a pair, while the giraffes retail for £6.99. I cannot see any difference in quality for that extra £1 and can only assume that the weave of the giraffes is a little more complex than the stripes and that's reflected in the price. Looking around this seems about the average price for some toddler leg warmers. I've seen some cheaper and some more expensive. They perhaps feel a tad over priced if you consider that you can pick up some woolly leggings on the high street for around £6 a pair, but then again, NappyKind Boutique are an independent retailer, and I'd expect their prices to be a little more.

So overall, a neat little product that does what I want it to do, while looking very cute. A pair will certainly be living in my bag over the winter just in case it gets a little chillier and those legs could do with an extra layer!

NappyKind have kindly provided me with an pair of unisex leg warmers to give away... To be in with a chance of getting your little one's legs in them this winter, all you have to do is plug myself and NappyKind on some of our social media sites using the widget below and I'll pick a winner at random next weekend! Hurrah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NappyKind Boutique kindly provided me with these leg warmers at a discounted price for the purpose of review, and one pair for free for the giveaway, however all opinions are my own and completely uninfluenced by NappyKind Boutique or any other party.

Review: MioFresh by Bambino Mio

You may remember back in July I reviewed the MioSolo washable nappy... And loved it! Well, at the time Bambino Mio also sent me a sample of MioFresh to try, but we were only a few weeks into our cloth journey and I decided that I'd let our nappies get some more use before putting it to the test.

The teacher in me likes to do everything at the end of the summer holidays, "before the new term starts". Why sanitising my nappies was important to me, three days before going back to work, I am unsure, but it seemed like a good time!

A couple of weeks back D and I were scratching our heads as our nappies seemed to only be lasting a couple of hours tops. We had initially put it down to the hot weather and E drinking gallons (she's the girl that finishes everyone else's drink at a playdate!), but this was getting silly. I was convinced that the nappies didn't smell 100% clean, but D was sure they were fine, so I took his word for it... And set to work on picking the brains of some of my cloth friends... After a lengthy conversation with one friend, it came to light that my choice of washing powder might have been the root of the problem. I knew you weren't meant to use fabric softener as it clogged the material, reducing absorbency, but I didn't know you couldn't use liquid full stop. Ah! So, last week, ALL the nappies ended up in the bath with some washing up liquid before being rinsed about 10 times in the machine and then washed with powder. Problem solved, hello absorbency! But I still wasn't absolutely sure that they smelled as good as they could... I guess these things take time, but this was my other reason for deciding it was a good time for the MioFresh.

So, yesterday, all our nappies, boosters and wipes were thrown into a big bucket for a soak. Following the instructions I added 15ml per gallon of water (I used 4 gallons) and left them while we went out for the day. I was expecting the MioFresh to have a smell - a good one, like pine, or something antibacterial - but it was completely odourless. After a good six hours of soaking I stuck the nappies in the machine to rinse, as per the instructions, and then for good measure added another 15ml to my normal non-bio powder and stuck them all in on a 60˚ wash (although MioFresh claims to be effective as low as 30˚!). When they came out of the wash, there was no smell. No washing powder smell, no pine, no lemony fresh, no nothing. And now they are dry on the line, they are still without smell. That to me is an indication of exactly how clean they are! No powder smell, no sanitised smell, just fresh. And, I'd go as far as to say they just look a bit brighter, a bit fresher, a bit like they have a new lease of life! 

The instructions on the MioFresh were simple and clear to understand, giving the method for hand washing, soaking and use in the machine. The instructions are also clear to stress that coloured nappies could fade with prolonged use of MioFresh, which is worth bearing in mind if your nappies are all brightly coloured with gorgeous prints! It is 100% chlorine free, for the eco-conscious amongst us and is antibacterial, deodourising, hypoallergenic, biodegradable... All words us mums like to see on products that are coming into contact with our babies skin. MioFresh retails for £4.60 for 750g, which would do 50 washes, or 12 soaks in 4 gallons of water... But I don't anticipate needing to do that for a while! I think that represents great value for money, especially as it's probably something you wouldn't throw in to every wash, to protect your colourful joy, and maybe just use once a month to give everything a good perk up. 

So, here's another product that I will buy, use and recommend. Us cloth parents know that our nappies aren't just nappies, they're an investment, and anything that keeps that looking and smelling good, in my opinion, is worth having, especially if it doesn't hurt the environment or my bank balance in the process. Thanks, Bambino Mio! 

E enjoying what my husband has declared
as his "favourite reusable nappy".

You can visit Bambino Mio here, or visit them on Facebook or Twitter. 

Bambino Mio kindly supplied the above products for free for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own and completely uninfluenced by Bambino Mio or any other party.

Big foot

"Oh she DEFINITELY has your eyes!"
"She looks so much like daddy in this picture!"
"She's just your mini-me."
"Her hair is just the texture of D's hair"

The list could go on. When I found out I was expecting E, I dreamed for hours of what she would look like. My husband's gene pool is strong and everyone expected her to look like daddy, or his sister. She doesn't. She looks more and more like me, just with bright blue eyes and much lighter hair. My nose, my curls... My big, wide feet. She treads lightly on the earth, but unfortunately not on my bank card, it would seem, as her feet cause shoe doom every time we go to the shoe shop.

When she started walking at 9 months her feet were a 3H. So the choice of shoes were pink or pink. At Christmas. To clash with all of those lovely red Christmas knits. And to try and keep the cost down over the last 8 months I've settled for shoes I don't *love*. But it seems to have become more of an issue recently. In May we paid £39 for some sandals - continental DARLING - because even a Start-Rite H cut into her feet at the sides. And they lasted 8 weeks exactly, as her feet have grown at a rapid pace. You see, E's issue isn't just that her feet are elephant wide, they're also super chubby on top, which makes t-bars an issue, jelly shoes a no go, and high street a bit of a ballache. 

So, I noticed the other week her toes were handing over the ends of her sandals. Super. Off to the shoe shop we go. Thankfully we have a WONDERFUL independent children's shoe shop in Thrapston, Funky Lil Feet, who are honest, helpful and super dooper lovely... And they have a loyalty card system. Double win. Out came TWENTY boxes of shoes. Too narrow, cut in, digging in a bit, can't get her feet in... Until we came to the Little Pets, by Petasil. Campus in Turquo. They fit like they're made for her.

I won't lie, I nearly died at the price tag. £49. I don't spend that on my own tootsies. But that said, I feel I can justify the cost. A little. And here's why.

These shoes are BEAUTIFUL. Where is the adult size 8?! A beautiful peacocky-turquoisy-green with a little flower detail on the front. Feminine, but not girly girl. Gorgeous floral print insoles with a well built in-step and cushioned edge around the top of the heal. The soles are transparent and through them you can see more flowers! A prod with my fingers tells me the insoles are squidgy and divine. They feel sturdy and well built. A good length of velcro on the fastening ensures that any foots is well secured in the shoes, and the velcro in sewn on well.

They don't dig in anywhere. That's the first time I've felt that her shoes are perfect for her wide and chubby H-widths. They don't cut in, rub, leave marks. She has been out for hours in them. She runs and skips and plays in them. They have growing room.

And while they're perfect for the summer, they're hardwearing enough to see her into autumn as a trip out in damp weather on Saturday proved. And, despite them being more expensive that your Start-Rites or Clarks, having looked on the Petasil website I'll be going back for her winter boots because every pair of shoes is equally as stunning and gorgeous as these.

I think the saying "you get what you pay for" is what I'm looking for here. Comfort, style, fit, practicality and no compromises. And then it comes to fashionable little feet, that's what it's all about.

Review: Miosolo by Bambino Mio

I am a lover of hand made, home grown and locally sourced. I love making, I love farm shops, I don't think you can beat a handmade card and I love supporting local business wherever I possibly can. So you can imagine my joy a couple of weeks ago when I discovered, not long into our cloth journey, that reusable nappy makers Bambino Mio were based right here in Northamptonshire, just down the road in Brixworth.

The joy and excitement multiplied several times when earlier this week a purple package arrived, and I am thrilled to be writing my first *official* product review of the Miosolo all in one reusable nappy along with MioLiners.

The first thing that struck me upon opening up my package was the amount of literature and information Bambino Mio supply. Information about products, information about where you can get help and support (from endless sources, it seems!) and also information about the nappy and how to care for it. There's simply no excuse for getting it wrong! That was a big tick for me, as I know how daunting the arrival of your first cloth purchase can be. 

First impressions of the Miosolo were good. The new Summer pattern is really cute, but remains gender neutral. That's really important to us - having put E into cloth quite late our stash of nappies will be used far more by any future children so we've been avoiding anything too girlie but this pattern definitely has cute written all over it. The stay-dry inner liner is possibly the softest thing I've ever felt; even my husband was lured into it's silkiness and gave it an approving nod. The poppers and velcro combination made it obvious that this nappy could really be tailored to any size baby, and even with the poppers undone we still have a lot of room to grow into. The clever pull-out tab absorbent core means that the nappy dries quickly (overnight in a muggy bathroom with no breeze!) but because it stays attached it's one less thing to drop as you remove the contents from the washing machine. I am excellent at loosing boosters somewhere between the machine and the line. Not this time! The pad is HUGE and there's enough space to add a booster in there as well for night time or heavy wetters. Bambino Mio make boosters - the Mioboost - that work with the Miosolo, available for £6.79 for three, but I don't see why you couldn't use a generic booster.

So, all was looking good and I was eager for E to wake up from her nap so we could put it to the test!

All our day time nappies are secured by poppers, which is fine until you have to contend with a wriggly toddler who is more intent on getting whatever she's just spotted out of the corner of her eye than having a new nappy put on. The velcro tabs made it just like putting on a disposable - really quick and easy. The velcro is soft but heavy duty enough  to be E-proof apparently... For now! The fit is great, the elastic around the legs is tight enough to avoid leakage but has enough give to stay flexible and not leave marks and the velcro fastening around the waist meant that there's no 'best fit' here, no gaps, no sagging. E was obviously very comfortable as she paraded about in her new nappy for ages before bottom bouncing down the stairs in it. A very happy test driver! The nappy didn't seem particularly bulky either. In fact, once she was dressed I don't think I could have told you whether she was wearing cloth or not.The nappy lasted a little over two hours before E needed a change. She is naturally an incredibly heavy wetter and in this current heat she is downing cups of water like it's going out of fashion, so in future I would definitely add a booster or two to the nappy to increase absorbency. I guess that's my only slight criticism, and perhaps I'd like the nappy to have come with an additional booster that gave me that flexibility... But it's a minor point and something that's very quickly remedied, and I'm really keen to dry the Mioboosts as I have read some excellent reviews about their absorbency. E was dry when I took the nappy off, the lining of the Miosolo had definitely drawn the moisture away from her skin. Although this time round the Mioliner didn't have to catch any mess, it was soft to the touch and stayed well in position despite a busy couple of hours. They're 100% compostable when wet and flushable when soiled, which to me is a great compromise if there's going to be a 'disposable' element to your reusable nappy. 

I did a little online research and the Miosolo is comparable in price to other all-in-ones/pocket nappies available. Priced at £15.99 (for patterns, £14.99 for plain colours) it's certainly not the most expensive on the market. Mioliners are £4.95 for 160, although there are deals to be had if you buy in bulk. Again, comparable to other brands and good value for money, in my opinion. Looking around I also realised that this is a brand of nappy that you can buy on the high street as well as online; pick them up on your Ocado or Tesco online shop or pop into Mothercare or Kiddicare. Go and have a look before you buy if you just don't believe that the liner of a reusable nappy could be so wonderfully soft... 

Overall, I just love the Miosolo. It looks good, it feels good, it fits well and it does the job! My only niggle is easily fixable. And best of all for me, it's a local business I can and want to support. I will be investing in some of these for our cloth journey. Top marks and a gold star from the teacher in me and thumbs up from this cloth convert family. Thanks Bambino Mio! 

You can visit Bambino Mio here, or visit them on Facebook or Twitter. 



Bambino Mio kindly supplied the above products for free for the purpose of review, however all opinions are my own and completely uninfluenced by Bambino Mio or any other party.