Gadget Ga Ga Post 3 – Tommee Tippee Electric Breast Pump

Tommee Tippee very kindly sent me an electric breast pump to try out. Again, after using it, I have found this is something I wish I had invested in with my daughter. I purchased a hand pump when I was pregnant with her and to be honest it was such hard work I soon abandoned it and substituted her with formula when I had too. Breast feeding was not plain sailing with her and the first few weeks was all about expressing and formula and just trying to get her to eat! We got there in the end but this time I wanted to be ready. As it happened my little man was a whole different story and took to breast feeding really well, perhaps this is more the case with second babies? He was wide awake, alert and ready to go so after trying the pump out once I decided not to jinx the easy feeds and leave it for a couple of months which is why it has taken me so long to review!

Once we were more in the swing of things I gave expressing more of a go and have found the pump fantastic as it opens your options and gives you some freedom! Evenings are when everything starts to go a bit manic in our house – my 3 year old is tired and both kiddies need baths... 3 year old wants a story and baby cries through it as he's getting tired. It is the one point of the day I have one of those silent cream moments! My little girl has been such a superstar though and not complained about the new baby at all and so it is really important to me that she still gets tucked in by mummy and has her lullaby, just like she used to. The pump means I can have a bottle ready for Daddy to take over with baby and for a few minutes she gets me all to herself again!

The pump is really easy to use... you simply start off on the low setting to encourage the milk to release and then I tend to gradually increase the speed. I haven't really got into storing or freezing the milk, I just have 2 Tommee Tippee bottles and express straight into them. It can seem like a slow process but it takes about the same time as a feed and if I do it at the same time everyday it helps. The pump comes with everything you need and is actually very good value (especially if you consider the price of formula). A first bottle and teat is included and you also get a microwaveable steriliser which fits everything you need in. After I first sterilised the parts it looked like an impossible puzzle but it was actually very easy to put back together.

One of the complaints I have heard about this product is that it is quite noisy but it is not something that bothers me. Yes it makes a noise but it is not overly loud and I have used it while the family is watching television together and not disturbed anybody. I think for the price you pay you are getting good value for money. I have found it very comfortable to use – the closer to nature claim seems to stand true – it is a funny sensation at first and you do feel a bit silly but it doesn't hurt and you can even do it whilst multitasking at reading your toddler a story!

My little baby boy blue is completely fussy (typical man) and refuses to take anyd formula milk so I can see myself breastfeeding for a lot longer this time around. As I need to get out more and even get back to work I can see this pump being a godsend and great to have in the house!

Gadget Ga Ga post 2 - Tommee Tippee Nappy Disposal System

Once again with my first baby I had decided a nappy bin was an unnecessary expense - surely it's just an ordinary bin and you just put the nappies straight out anyway?

Well no! I did try but when you have a hundred things to think about and a crying baby you don't get round to it. My sister brought one of these bins for her baby and I found myself coming round to the idea.

So this time around my mother in law very kindly surprised us with the Tommee Tippee Sangenic Nappy Disposal System and it is fantastic!

You buy special nappy sack cartridges which fit within the bin, they are easy to fit, you just tie a knot in one end of the sack and hook it under. Then every time you have a dirty nappy, you pop it in, twist the handle round do the nappy is tied up, then push the lid down (which pushes the nappy in to the bin). The fragranced bags mean there is no build up of smell and there nappies are instantly tucked out of sight. I have found I have to empty it just over once a week. It is quite a funny sight when you pull out the string of nappies! I tend to tip them straight into a bin bag and take that straight out.

It is such a neat solution I wish I had had one before! The only downside is that you have to buy the cartridges. I haven't actually brought one yet though - our bin came in a value back with a stash of them and after 3 months I still have 1 roll left. I probably use about 2 rolls a month so they seem to last quite well and I have been really pleased!

please note I have received no incentive to write this review, I just wanted to share my thoughts!

Tommee Tippee launches the Perfect Prep Machine at the Excel Baby Show

A few weeks back I was invited to the Baby Show to find out more about Tommee Tippee's launch of an exciting new product. Unfortunately I was feeling very heavily pregnant and just at the end of my last week commuting I just couldn't face travelling anywhere and so I wasn't able to attend. They very kindly sent me through the information though and as a mum with a new baby the product is very much in my interest!

The big reveal was 'The Perfect Prep Machine' and apparently received a great response at the show. It is a clever machine designed to prepare the 'perfect bottle in under 2 minutes'. Breast feeding is going well with my son but it wasn't the case with my daughter. She had to be given bottles in hospital and although she got the hang of feeding eventually it was never easy and I continued to supplement her with bottles throughout. My husband and I were just looking back and saying how much hassle it all was, especially at night, so perhaps this really would make life easier?

If you are interested, take a look at the press release below:

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Specially designed to make preparing bottles* easier, quicker and more accurate, this clever device makes a fresh bottle at just the right temperature in less than 2 minutes - so you have the extra peace of mind knowing your baby’s bottle will be perfect every time. The perfect prep™ machine:

(1) filters your tap water
(2) delivers a small “hot shot” to kill any bacteria in the feed and ensures the formula dissolves quickly and easily
(3) dispenses the correct amount of water to make up your feed

…which means the bottle is ready to serve at body temperature - in under 2 minutes!

tommee tippee® Global Marketing Manager, Katy Pigg comments,

“If you make the move from breast milk to formula milk, it can be a challenge. It isn’t always easy to know if you have the bottle at the right temperature or dilution, but the perfect prep™ machine gives you the peace of mind that the water has been filtered, the bottle isn’t too hot and that the dilution is consistent - and what’s more, it does all of this in under 2 minutes, which is great when your baby needs feeding quickly– such as in the middle of the night!”

The perfect prep™ machine is part of the closer to nature® range from tommee tippee® and is designed to fit most bottle shapes and sizes. It is available from the first week of May in Babies R Us and online at Amazon, and costs £99.99.

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