Win a Pair of Tickets to The Baby Show at ExCel

As a Britax Mumbassador I have been asked to share a rather super giveaway with you all. A pair of tickets that will gain one of my lucky readers and a friend, entry to the ExCel Baby Show this February.

The show is taking place from the 21st -23rd February at London's ExCel. The Baby Show is the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event. There will be hundreds of stands, which will feature anything and everything baby and toddler-focused – from quirky new inventions to showcases from all your favourite nursery brands.

There will also be hourly guest speakers, giveaways and special offers galore, make sure you don’t miss out!

To celebrate BRITAX’s continued involvement with the Baby Show, I’m really excited to be able to give away a pair of tickets to the next Baby Show in this month! BRITAX’s stall will be stocked with all the latest BRITAX and BOB products including DUALFIX, XTENSAFIX, KIDFIX XP SICT and the B-MOTION 4, with experts on hand to explain the latest technology and take you through all the car seats and strollers on offer.

The tickets entitle you and a friend to full access at the ExCel Baby Show on a day of your choice. Little ones get free entry so they’re more than welcome to come along too!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter! T&Cs apply.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C's

Please only apply if you are a resident of the United Kingdom. Tickets cannot be exchanged for cash. The winner will be contacted via email when the giveaway comes to a close, and a response to claim the tickets is required within 48 hours. If no response if provided another winner will be picked at random and the initial draw will be void.

Good luck!

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

The Britax Affinity Review

Earlier this year I joined the Britax Mumbassador programme. I was really pleased to be invited into the fold as I have always been a big fan of Britax and already had their products firmly in mine and Leo's lives. When it came to choosing Leo's car seat there was only one brand on my mind, and that of course was Britax. They have a trusted reputation with parent's and this put me in a good stead to make the big decision in choosing the car seat that Leo still sits in today.

As part of my role as a Britax Mumbassador, it has given me a fabulous opportunity to try out more of their products so that I can share my personal experience on this here blog. Back in the Summer I was sent the Britax Affinity with a very stylish Blue Sky colour pack to try out with Leo, and we have been using it ever since. We have been on trips all over the place and now we are in a very good position to share our opinion on this very attractive pushchair. 

Before the Affinity even arrived I really liked the entire look of the pushchair, there is a choice of frame from Black, White and Silver. I was instantly drawn to the Black, I always think they look so much smarter with a jet Black frame. 

What is in the box?

What's actually included in the initial price is always a good place to start and in the Britax Affinity box you will find:

- The Chassis

- Wheels

- Bumper Bar

- Rain cover

- Newborn inserts and wedge

The standard price of £360.00 gets you all of the above, and the colour packs come as an extra unless you find a deal that includes this. The colour packs include the rest of the fabrics that make up the Britax Affinity. 

In the colour packs you can choose from a variety of different colour ways:

- Black Thunder

- Chilli Pepper

- Blue Sky

- Cool Berry

- Cactus Green

- Fossil Brown

With a retail value of £48.00 per pack I think this highlights a very reasonable price tag that will give you the flexibility to change colours every so often if you are like me and like to switch things around. It would also be ideal if you were to have multiple children of different genders and wanted to indulge in the different colours available.

In each colour pack you will recieve:

- Seat Pad

- Hood

- Apron

- Shoulder and Crotch Pads

- Basket Liner

You can use the Affinity without a colour pack if you don't mind not having a hood, but personally I couldn't imagine just having the pushchair and not completing the look with one of the colour packs. For me having a hood is something I expect out of a pushchair, so it would never have been a option for me not to have the finished look.

Assembly

I found the entire assembly process very easy. It involved simply clicking the wheels into place. Dropping the seat unit into the allocated slots and then simply attaching the colour pack. 

The hood clicks into place and then has a zip to secure it at the back, I found this a little fiddly but got there eventually. The seat pad it's self just sits in the seat unit and then you have to bring the 5 point harness through each of the slotted holes and attach the harness belts. It was all very straight forward and I found the instruction manuals very helpful. 

The one bit I did spend a bit of time scratching my forehead over was the basket insert, I couldn't quite work it out for love nor money, but it just sits in place and buttons into the basket. 

First Impressions

With the Britax Affinity completed in front of me, the jett Black frame and the Sky Blue Colour pack I was sufficiently impressed. It did look very smart and ready for business, so I wasted no time in getting out and about with it. 

In compassion to any of the other Britax pushchairs the Affinity is one of a kind, it's curved frame and smooth finish is nothing like their usual chunky styling. I think this opens up the Affinity to a whole new range of people who are in the market for a complete travel system alternative.

The pushchair it's self is pretty light which made me optimistic as to how it may maneuver with my chunky 2 year old at the helm. The back air filled wheels are nice and chunky and look like they could handle some of the terrain I like to frequent on my travels, but I was a little dubious about the front wheels and couldn't help thinking that it would make more sense for them to all be air filled.

Getting out and about with the Affinity

Now after using the Affinity for a fair few months I am looking forward to sharing my personal experience with this pushchair. We have stayed local and enjoyed park visits, we have visited destinations further a field such as Drayton Manor Theme Park, and we have even hopped on a train to London, each different outing has given us a new insight into the Affinity.

The Affinity is a pushchair you can use from the word go, the newborn inserts mean that you can have your little one in the seat unit from the start. Thanks to the very easy to use reversible seat you can even have them facing you. If you don't wish to put your newborn straight into the seat you have a couple of other options.

- Carry Cot

- Baby Safe Plus SHR II Car Seat

The Affinity is travel system ready so you only need to click either of these options straight into the chassis, and you are on your way. Leo and I haven't personally used this part of the pushchair with him being that much older, but it is still a great feature to have. If we had this pushchair with Leo as a little baby this is something that we would have certainly been making the most out of.

Leo sits in the seat comfortably but he is getting to the larger end of the scale, he is pretty tall for his age and his head does reach the hood. The seat unit it's self is spacious and comfortable with the option of 4 different recline positions.

For me personally pushing Leo around in the Affinity, you certainly know that he is in there after a while, but regardless of this it still pushes smoothly and steadily. The Affinity seats children until they weigh 17kg. I would say Leo is very almost at this weight so he really is the top end of the scale for the Affinity these days.

One of the things I really love about the Affinity is the ease of being able to change the seat unit from world facing to parent facing. It is as simple as clicking it into place either way you wish. To get the seat back out again you just have to hold in the buttons on either side and pull it back out again. It looks great in either positioning and Leo loves that we can have a chat as we walk along, but if he tires from this we can effortlessly change the position back. 

For the most part actually driving this pushchair with Leo in has been lovely. There was one occasion recently where I went to push Leo up a dropped curb and the wheel caught pushing me back into the road. It was no problem and I just adjusted the way I was pushing the stroller up the curb, but it is here where I think the front wheels may benefit from being a little bigger, or air filled like the back.

On our day out at Drayton Manor Theme Park the Affinity got lots of admiring looks and I even had a few people ask me what brand it was. I am always more than happy to answer any questions people may have, and I even offer to let them have a push with a 2 year old at the helm if they are interested in purchasing one. Just so that they can see how much use they will get out of it with my big boy comfortably demonstrating. 

The brakes on the Affinity are effective and easy to use. They are located on the right hand side of the pushchair using a foot pedal with Green to indicate kicking the brake off and red to instigate the brakes. I like how Britax have made it very apparent in terms of how to operate the brake, kind of like a traffic light system.

The Affinity handled the park beautifully and Leo was in and out of the seat throughout the day depending upon his mood. The one time I insisted he go into it was around the gift shop... We all know how toddlers look with their hands rather than their eyes...

It's days out like this that really highlight to me how much Leo still relies on having a pushchair, he gets tired and he also needs confinement. Or I need him to have confinement...Regardless, we still very much rely on having a pushchair.

It was easy to fold the pushchair up when we had to jump on board Thomas the Tank Engine in Thomas Land, and it was easy to pop it back up again when we arrived back from our little adventure. I love pushchairs that make it obvious how to put them up and down, the Affinity is one of those pushchairs. 

How to put the Affinity up & down

To put it up all you have to do is release the black clip on the side and push it up until it all clicks into place. To put it down You need to locate the two slider buttons which are actually situated on either side of the handle bar. The right hand slider has a small button which you push in and then both sliders need pulling towards you so that the Affinity’s frame can collapse and fold towards the ground. You then push it closed so that the auto lock engages.

I have had to collapse the Affinity after I got on board a train to London with Leo as there was no where to safely leave it erect. So I sat Leo safely on a seat and collapsed the Affinity to store behind our seat, once collapsed it is quite bulky so it was good to get it out of everybody's way.

The folded Affinity does not fit in the boot of my Peugeot 206 but I can transport it around on the back seat of my car. This is usually ok as it is only me and Leo in the car so I don't miss the back seat that I lose, however this would potentially cause issues if I had to take the Affinity and a car full of people out anywhere.

Once in London I got around perfectly with Leo in the Affinity, it handles beautifully in urbanised areas. Unfortunately for me Leo decided to projectile vomit while we were on our way to a rather swanky event. Right in the middle of London... All the while sitting in his Affinity pushchair. Sufficed to say I had a little panic. Luckily I had Mummy Adventure and Rock 'N' Roller Baby on hand to pick me up and send me on my way for my rather long journey back home... with a poorly baby.

Leo soon fell asleep as the bug took a hold on him, it was around about then that I realised that I had no idea at all about how to recline the Affinity. As I had a rather long wait for the next train and at that precise moment in time.. A sleeping toddler I didn't want to faff about too much in case I woke him up. So for that moment I left it and vowed to find out where exactly the recline was when I got home.

The recline is actually located on the side of the Affinity just above the foot rest buttons. If I hadn't been in such a panic about whether or not Leo was going to be sick on the train.. It would have actually been a easy spot for me to find.

The basket, hood and handle bar

Baskets for me are always a first look, I tend to accumulate a lot of 'things' while I am out and about. Not to mention the fact that everywhere I go, Leo has to take his security blanket, that just so happens to be a fully fledged cot duvet. This alone when Leo is not in need of it, happily resides taking up the majority of my basket... But as an essential piece of luggage to keep Leo content, it comes with us... EVERYWHERE.

The basket it's self is actually pretty spacious, but there is one bit that let's the side down for me and that is just how open the back is. Although it does make life easier in actually getting items in, it does make it just as easy for them to fall out again. I have managed to fit both my changing bag and Leo's blanket in the basket, and then I have managed to strategically balance items so that they stay put, so the size of this basket is perfect for getting everything we actually need for a day out and about.

The opening at the back aside, if packed correctly you can make use of all of the space and avoid items getting trailed along the way.

The hood is fabulous on the Affinity, and is very generous in size and keeps a solid structure. It even features a pull out sun visor which only adds to the size of this hood and makes so much difference when the sun is blaring down into the pushchair. What I really liked about the hood was the zip at the back that opens up the mesh netting so that you can let fresh air circulate around the pushchair, perfect for a hot day. Finally there is a Velcro tab with a peek a boo window so that you can always have a watchful eye as to what is going on behind the hood. 

The handle bar is really easy to adjust and has different positions so that it is perfect for either parent who may be pushing baby around. Although I am not the tallest person in the world I still like having the height on the handle bars when pushing Leo around. The handle bar it's self is covered in a leather like material which sets it aside to any other pushchair I have ever used, I like how soft and easy to grip it is.

Theft Protection System

The Britax Affinity is the only pushchair to boast it's own anti-theft protection. Each Affinity has it's very own unique code which you can register online at code-no.com. This system makes it possible for anyone to carry out a status check with their unique code number.

Over all thoughts?

Over all I really like the Britax Affinity, it is an all round pushchair at a reasonable price that can see you through from the day your little one enters the world until you no longer need a pushchair. Leo still sits very comfortably in the seat, and is happy to face either way in the unit. I like how it steers while we are out and about and it handles multiple terrains very well. I do think that it may benefit from 4 air tyre's instead of just the two back wheels but then that is what I have become accustomed to over time. I wouldn't say the Affinity is a completely off road pushchair and do feel that it is more suited to urban routes. 

I do really like the Affinity package and love just how sturdy and safe it feels, I would definitely consider this option for a newborn baby and would probably look more into the carry cot and car seat options to make use of the travel system.

Disclaimer: I was sent the Britax Affinity for the purpose of this review. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.

Beyond Group 1 - What Next?

Beyond Group 1, What Next?  Mark Bennett, Car Seat Safety Expert from BRITAX explains that as children move to a Group 2/3 stage car seat, safety whilst travelling should remain a key priority.

With many children starting school this week or next, parents up and down the country are bracing themselves for the years of school runs ahead.  Whilst a new uniform, new shoes and school bag may seem like your child’s number one priority, you need to ensure that little ones get to school safely and on time. 

It may feel that only yesterday you were buying your first car seat for your newborn and then just when you were getting to grips with Group 1, the next stage car seat will sneak up on you, around about the time they will be finishing pre-school.  Whilst your little one may appear to be a strong big boy or girl as they reach the age of four, keeping them safe whilst travelling is still top priority. 

Mark Bennett explains, ‘As your child moves into a new phase of their life with school, it is a good time to do a ‘health check’ on your travel safety.  Many parents are still unaware that it is required by law for children to travel in a car seat until they are 135cm tall or 12 years old – whichever comes first - so the final Group 2-3 stage car seats will see your child from the age of four all the way until they are 12 years of age.

At the age of four or 15 kg, children are old enough to move to an adult seat belt but this doesn’t mean they don’t need protection.  Many parents believe children will be safe on a booster cushion, a small platform that lifts them up on the seat, however these are not safe as they do not have the all important side impact protection of deep side wings and a protective headrest.’

In fact, car seat safety technology for children aged 4 years plus has advanced so much that a new era of car seat travel for stage 2-3 has been born with BRITAX setting new safety standards in the industry.  The arrival of the new KIDFIX XP SICT features the latest technology for keeping your child safer than ever.  The new seat features an innovative XP-PAD, a cushioned seat belt pad, which works in the event of a collision by taking the energy of crash forces away from the child’s chest area and supports their neck as the chin hits the compressed cushion, should the child’s head jolts forward.  This reduces high neck loads by up to 30% in comparison to a normal 3-point seat belt.

Side impact protection is a key priority for BRITAX as side impact collisions are one of the most frequent and dangerous types of collisions on the roads*.   BRITAX has developed energy management cushions known as Side Impact Cushion Technology (SICT) which offers superior side impact protection.  The new flexible SICT cushion is on both sides of the KIDFIX XP SICT, but only needs to be activated on the side closest to the door, ensuring space and comfort on the side of the seat for additional passengers.  These ground breaking cushions work to absorb the forces of a side collision before they reach your child, making these seats the safest Group 2-3 seat currently offered by BRITAX.

To find out more about the new KIDFIX XP SICT, visit http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/car-seats/kidfix-xp-sict.

Mark Bennett has compiled some FAQ’s to help parents understand the final Group 2-3 car seat stage.

Q.  What is a booster cushion?  If they are sold why are they not safe?

A.  At BRITAX, we’re always striving to ensure that we offer the maximum protection for your children as they develop.  With recent research showing that side collisions are one of the most frequent and fatal types of crashes on the roads*, BRITAX decided to stop selling booster cushions.  Booster cushions are better than no car seat, however they offer no side impact protection.  BRITAX recommend a BRITAX ‘highback’ booster, which offers deep protective side wings and head support.  These work to absorb crash forces in the event of a collision whilst protecting the child’s head.

The reason they are still sold is because EU safety standards don’t currently test for side collisions, but here at BRITAX, we do to ensure children are protected from every angle of impact. 

Q.  How do I know when my little one is ready to move to Group 2-3?

A. You should move your little one from a Group 1 to a Group 2-3 seat when they reach the weight limit of 18kg, or if their eye-line is higher than the seat’s highest point – whichever comes first.  This is usually at the age of four years. Alternatively, you can extend the time your child can enjoy the safety of a five point harness to 25kg by using the new BRITAX XTENSAFIX.

Q.  Can I buy an XP-PAD to add to my old Group 2-3 seat?

A. No.  The XP-PAD is integrated into the KIDFIX XP SICT.

Q.   What actually is the current law when it comes to car seat safety for 4 + year olds?

It is required by law for children to travel in a car seat until they are 135cm tall or approximately 12 years old whichever comes first.

Q. How do you fit a Group 2-3 car seat?

A Group 2-3 car seat can be fitted by ISOFIT, where the child safety seat is attached to the vehicle body with connectors in the same way as ISOFIX.  It is classified as ISOFIT rather than ISOFIX as the child is secured by means of the adult 3-point seatbelt. ISOFIX is a term used in Group 0+/1 where the child is secured by means of a five point harness, and the car seat is fitted to the ISOFIX connections points.

Q. How do I know which is the best Group 2-3 seat for my family?

Every family is unique and has different considerations and practicalities to consider when choosing a seat.  To help simplify the process, BRITAX has created a unique online tool that assists a parent to identify the right seat for their child and their car.  For each seat, Fit Finder^TM will also inform the users what seat positions are approved in the vehicle and the appropriate fitting method.  You can view the latest Fit Finder^TM here http://www.britax.co.uk/car-seats/fit-finder

* Casimir “Child Car Passenger Fatalities – European Figures and In-Depth Study”; Alan Kirk; Loughborough University, UK; Conference:  Protection of children in cars, Munich, 2011

Disclaimer: I am sharing this as a Britax Mumbassadar and because I think it answers a lot of questions that I have asked. I have not been paid or compensated for this post.

Confused By Car Seats?

Confused by car seats?  Mark Bennett, car seat safety expert from BRITAX explains the new regulation called ‘i-Size’ that all parents should know about.

To put simply, i-Size is a new regulation for child car seats that will make it easier for parents to choose and install the right seat, making travelling safer for children.

One of the most significant changes parents need to be aware of, is how long a child should remain in a rearward facing car seat.  Under existing laws, parents could switch their baby from their rearward facing Group 0/0+ seat into a forward facing Group 1 seat when they reached 9kg or approximately nine months.

The new i-Size regulation means parents will have to keep their baby rearward facing until they are at least 15 months old and the move will be based on the size and age of the child rather than weight.  The new length and age classification will help make it easier for parents to check that their child is ready to be moved to the next stage car seat.

The new regulation is also about the reinforcement of ISOFIX seats use, which are easier to fit correctly and safely than those secured with the car seat belt.  Only a third of belted seats are fitted correctly which can have serious implications in the event of a crash*.   Side impact collisions are one of the most severe types of collisions on the roads** and for car seats to adhere to the new regulations they must pass the newly introduced side impact safety standards.

Why is this regulation coming into force?

Well there are a number of reasons, but in a nutshell, parents are too keen to move their babies forward facing on the premise they believe their child will be happier facing forwards rather than waiting until they have actually outgrown the seat.  Parents are also unaware babies are much safer rearward facing in the event of a collision.

Below 13kg a baby’s neck is not yet that strong and keeping your baby rearward facing for as long as possible (up to at least 15 months) will help protect their vulnerable neck in a frontal crash situation.

So much research evidence has built up on this from crash testing that the EU has introduced this new regulation to keep babies rearward facing until 15 months. BRITAX has accompanied and strongly supported the development of i-Size right from the very beginning.

So how does it affect you? 

As soon as i-Size approved car seats are on the market parents will be able to choose between a seat that abides by the older ECE R44/04 regulation or i-Size. The current ECE R44/04 regulation is not replaced by i-Size, and instead will continue in tandem until 2018. The introduction of i-Size simply means that consumers now have an extra option when buying a car seat for their baby/toddler.

When should you change to forward facing?

Here are some guidelines on switching:

Don't do it just because your baby's feet are pushed against the car's back seat.

Wait until your baby is closer to, or ideally at, the maximum age (15 months) for her rearward facing seat than the minimum weight (9kg) for the front facing seat.

BUT do move them if their head is protruding over the top of the Group 0/0+ seat. If they outgrow the seat in height but have not reached the minimum weight for a Group 1 seat, you should then invest in a combination Group 0+ & 1 seat. That is simply the safest option.

You can already consider purchasing a combination Group 0+ & 1 seat as your baby’s first car seat from birth. DUALFIX and MAX-FIX from BRITAX will allow your child to travel rearward facing until they reach 18kg.

What is the current law when it comes to car seat safety?

The law requires all children to travel in an appropriate child restraint until they reach 135 cm tall or their 12th birthday (UK, NL, DEN) or 150 cm tall or their 12th birthday (GER, AU, CH, IT, CZ) – whichever comes first. It is the driver's responsibility to ensure this is the case.

Under the existing laws, parents could switch their baby from their rearward facing Group 0&0+ seat into a forward facing one when they reach 9kg (around nine months old).

Now the new regulations, called ‘i-Size’, have come into force mid-July 2013, parents that purchase a child car seat approved under i-Size will have to keep their baby in a rearward facing seat until they are 15 months.

There will be no change to the overall law about child seats being compulsory to the age of 12 or 135 cm/150 cm tall.

*Farid Bendjellal, 6^th International Conference on Protection of Children in Cars – Munich 2008

**Casimir “Child Car Passenger Fatalities – European Figures and In-Depth Study”; Alan Kirk; Loughborough University, UK; Conference:  Protection of children in cars, Muncih, 2011

Disclaimer: I have been able to bring you this information as a Britax Mumbassador. It is part of my role to share exciting brand news with you all, and I have not received payment for doing so.

The Birmingham Baby Show 2013

Last month I attended the Birmingham Baby Show, it was actually my third consecutive year running as I have been in attendance ever since I was pregnant with Leo. I absolutely love going along and having a look at all of the new nursery equipment that has come onto the scene, a big part of that for me is the pushchairs. I thoroughly enjoy having a look at the new releases and have a push to get a feel for them, I even occasionally stick Leo in the seat and have a real go!

I find that the Baby Show is the perfect place to find all of your favourite brands all under one roof, it is the most efficient way to get everything you need for your baby’s arrival and take advantage of special show prices.

You will not find a bigger collection of the pushchairs on the market anywhere other than the Baby Show, so my advice is if you are looking to buy a pushchair and you know that the one you are after isn’t stocked anywhere locally to you, head to the show. You will be able to have a proper play with it and also other models that people recommend. Not to mention having the brand right by your side to speak to directly about any of there products.

This year there were a number of baby brands that I was very excited to see, Easywalker, Cosatto, Britax, Kiddy, Maxi-Cosi and Tommee Tippee. So I joined the crowds of people descending upon the NEC to see what this year’s show was all about.

I was really impressed with how everything was set out and found it easy to navigate, as soon as I walked in I felt that I should either be expecting again or have a little baby in tow. But this year I had my toddler, and it occurred to me just how grown up he is getting. My Baby Show shopping list this year consisted of more grown up things such as a potty and new juice cups for Leo.

I was in good hands and found the lady on the Cheeky Rascals stand with the travel potty’s was really helpful. Having golden advice on hand at the show is another fantastic reason to pop along, whether it be breastfeeding or pain relief for while you are in the throws of labour, there is someone who can help with almost every question you could possible ask.

I stopped by the Maxi-Cosi stand to see the launch of the brand new Loola, I spotted the very beautiful Easywalker June in the new Mini style and I stood drooling over the Quinny Moodd. Cosatto had a great stand put together and were demonstrating their Giggle Travel System.

I would highly recommend the Baby Show, it is a fantastic day out even if you are going along for a browse, and I am already looking forward to my next visit.

Getting Fit With The Britax BOB Stroller

When I was pregnant with Leo I was always really conscious of my weight. 

I know this is a silly thought when you are pregnant because of course you are going to be putting on weight! Your growing a little person after all, but silly or not it was certainly an in-security of mine and I am sure I am not alone in this!

Your body changes so much throughout the course of pregnancy, hormones rage and your belly expands to the point beyond recognition, so of course you are going to feel a little alien in your own body from time to time while your tummy becomes your babies home. 

Britax have teamed up with Laura Williams and created some really interesting content that you can put into practice while you are pregnant, and beyond. I have found watching the videos really interesting, and if you have had a baby recently you are sure to know all about your pelvic floor! I lost count of how many times I was asked whether or not I had completed my pelvic floors post birth...But really it is something you should start before even giving birth.

If you are unsure what a pelvic floor exercise is... Then just watch Laura and you will see exactly what to do.

The  videos highlight exercises that you can carry out safely and even while you are out and about with your little one. Who knew you could use the BOB Stroller to get fit!?

I have picked out a few of my favourite exercises highlighted in the videos:

Curtsey‘n’Swing. Hold onto the stroller with both hands before taking a big step back with your left leg, crossing it behind your right as you bend your knees lowering hips to the ground until your right thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. Make sure you keep your torso upright and hips and shoulders facing forward. Then, as you straighten back up, extend left leg right out to the side at hip before ‘curtseying’ back down again height (note: leave this part of the move out if you still have any pelvic pain, and just return to standing before repeating). Do 10 on each leg.

Stroller Squat Walk. Turn sideways on to your stroller, on your right side, with your right hand on the stroller. Then take a step to the right and as you do so, squat towards the floor, making sure you push hips back (as if you were sitting down) as you bend your knees pushing the stroller slightly to the right.  Return to standing and repeat. Do 10 of these sideways squats before switching to the left leg.

Waist Whittler. Stand tall with your right side facing the stroller. Keeping as still as you can in the upper body, gently push the stroller away with your right hand, while reaching overhead with left arm. Tense your abdominal muscles on the left side to pull the stroller back. Do this 8-10 times before changing sides.

 What would you like to start doing?
Or are you already well on the way?

Becoming a Britax Mumbassador!

Britax are a household name and one of the world's leading manufacturers of travel solutions for children, from the likes of car seats, baby carriers, prams and travel systems.

When the time came to purchase Leo's new car seat at 9 months old, I was adamant that it would be a Britax. Britax and their reputation of producing safe, quality car seats proceeded them and there was no question in what make I would be purchasing.

Britax are always looking to create and improve their ranges and even look to parents such as myself for honest feedback in order to develop for the future. They have a team of parents who independently test Britax products and share their feedback through reviews. These parents are known as Britax Mumbassadors, and I am very pleased and excited to share that Leo and I have been invited into the fold!

I am really pleased to be working so closely with Britax as they are a brand that I have personally used long before this exciting opportunity. Over the coming months I will be sharing upcoming news from Britax and bringing you exclusive reviews of their latest and greatest products!

Leo and I have had a team chat and we are ready to take on our new role by storm! 

I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride and learning a little more about Britax and what they stand for.

Laura & Leo

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