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Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding
As most experts would agree, breastfeeding is very important for your baby, and recommend breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of your baby's life. When our daughter was born I started breastfeeding her. I knew it was the best thing I could do for my baby. Unfortunately, after four days my nipples were so sore and I had developed mastitis... I almost gave up breastfeeding Isabelle. Luckily my midwife encouraged me to continue, even though it was very painful. She told me to try expressing milk. The same evening I sent my husband to buy all the necessary equipment. All the products we used were from Avent and I have to say, they were of a very good quality and easy to use. When I was pregnant, I was thinking a lot about which bottles, breast pumps or sterilisers to get. In the last months of my pregnancy I had a lot of free time so I spent it researching all the necessary products. There were so many products and so much information about them that it made me very confused. Today I can highly recommend the following products: 
Avent Airflex Feeding Bottle
This bottle has a built- in Airflex valve. Isabelle took her first bottle when she was only 4 days old without any problems. Because I did not want to give up breastfeeding while having the mastitis, I was breastfeeding Isabelle from one breast and expressing milk from the other. Our daughter had no problems with alternating breast and bottle at all and did not suffer from colic. Avent ISIS IQ UNO
This is a hand- held electronic breast pump. I admired how quiet and easy to operate it was, which helped me to feel very comfortable when expressing. Other products I have found quite useful:
My tipsIs My Brest Friend your best friend?My Brest Friend is a cushion that has an adjustable strap to snap around your waist and serve as a platform to rest your baby on while you nurse. It also has a pocket to hold bottles, nail clippers, or your remote control. And because all babies spit up every now and then, it comes with a machine washable slipcover...  We also decided to buy an Avent Starter Set with the above products as it was much cheaper than buying them separately.
When our baby was 6 months, we started weaning her. The beginning of weaning your baby can be very messy, but there are a few products that made my life a bit easier. The Wean Machine is a must have for you when you start weaning your little one. It is very easy to use, just fill it with some soft or well cooked food, squeeze and feed your baby. What I like about it most, is how compact and portable it is. You have all you need for feeding your baby, including a bowl, a spoon, a splashguard and easy squeezy system! It is dishwasher safe and very easy to clean. Sleeved Bibs
One of my friends told me about these bibs and how wonderful they were. I decided to get one for our daughter, but all the bibs I could find were not of a very good quality. Then we went to a baby show and found a stand with some sleeved bibs and other products. The bibs are made of 100% cotton and come in beautiful, bright colours. We were very happy with our purchase and we are still using it when out and about.
Weaning Kit
There is a big choice of weaning kits on the market. We decided for a Tommee Tippee Kit, which included pots, lids, bowls and heat- sensing weaning spoons. The spoons change colour when food is too hot. What a great invention! 
Doidy Cup
One of my friends recommended this cup. Its special design encourages babies to learn how to drink from a cup. According to baby experts, babies should be able to drink from a cup by their first birthday and stop drinking from bottles because of tooth decay. When getting Isabelle off bottles, we were giving her her milk in a leak- proof cow cup . Bumbo Babysitter
Another great invention. It is an excellent support for your baby when learning how to sit up as well as when you start weaning your child. Isabelle loved sitting in it. Once she learnt how to sit up on her own we moved her onto a highchair. When using this product, you should never leave your child unattended and never use it on tables or kitchen worktops. There is another product, very similar to Bumbo, a Cushi Tush. It has similar features as Bumbo and also has a tray you can attach to the seat. Chicco Polly Highchair
We went for this award winning highchair, because we loved the design as well as all the features it has. It has 3 position reclining back rest, adjustable seat to seven height positions, very easy to clean, fold away and many other great features. When doing my research on baby seats, I came across a few that I also found very interesting: My TipsRecipes: Baby And Toddler Meal Planner, Apple,Pear & Vanilla, more recipes Booster seat Beaba Babycook- it has been awarded by Practical Parenting magazine as one of the best products and recommended by many parents. It does everything ( steam, blend, defrost, re- heat) and is easy to clean. Potty and Toilet training I come from a country where most children are potty trained between 12- 15 months of age. I think it is changing now as most parents use disposable nappies as well as most parents in the UK. I do not think this is a good change because of our environment. As it was scientifically proven many times before, babies are able to control their bladder by their first birthday, so it is a good idea to start a few months before their first birthday. I started when our daughter was 9 months old, just getting her used to her potty, and explaining to her what was going on and that big girls can go on a potty and only babies wear nappies. When she was 12 months we started proper training. Isabelle was without a nappy during the day and I was putting her on her potty every 15-20 minutes. Of course there were many accidents...but you have to persevere! When she was 15 months she had almost no accidents and was able to tell us when she needed to go. Isabelle is 22 months now, has no nappies during the day and we will soon stop giving her nappies at night as well. Many parents wait with potty training till their children are able to communicate properly or as they say "are ready" for it, but I think there could be so many nappies saved if they started earlier, every day counts... My tips: Potette Plus Travel Potty- the ideal toilet training solution when you are on the move!  Travelling with a potty-training toddler can sometimes be a challenge, and I think this is an essential piece of kit! Designed to be stored flat in its own waterproof bag, the new Potette Plus Travel Potty is ready in seconds when nature calls - simply click the legs into position and fit the liner. After use, detach the liner, tie its handles together and dispose of as you would any disposable nappy. Convenient, easy and hygienic, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it! With all the great features of the Potette, Potette Plus Travel Potty also converts to form a handy, non-slip reducer seat, suitable for all full-sized toilet seats. For peace of mind wherever you are!  Winnie The Pooh Flush Sounds Potty encourages young children and toddlers to move from nappies to potty training, and can also be used as a toilet trainer. Removable step stool helps children in the bathroom to reach toilet or basin. Easy to clean and to fit to the family toilet. - A 3 in 1 toilet training system
- Realistic flushing sounds encourage and reward your toddler
- Featuring a potty, removable toilet trainer and step stool
- Can be adapted to fit family toilet seat
- Easy-grip handles and splash guard
- Easy to remove bowl for easy clean up
- Back folds down to create a sturdy step stool
- Award certificate included
I hope you will find my advice and tips quite useful and if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please, contact me on
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