Leo's July Favourites

Our little man was born at the end of May, so June was a real trial and error kind of month with products, clothes and toys. Now July is over I feel I can really represent what Leo genuinely likes, what has made our lives easier and what to include in his first ever favourites!

So here are Leo's 7 favourite things for the 7th month of the year!

1. Johnsons top to toe baby bath

Johnsons is one of the oldest names in the trade when it comes to babies and I'm sure every mother will have tried it in their time. We were encouraged to bath Leo before we were discharged from hospital following his birth (I think to make sure you won't let them drown!) and I was taken aback by how much he HATED it! He kicked, he flailed, my husband and I were covered in more water than what was left in the tub and I must admit I was quite downhearted. I had visions of a serene, splashing bath time and was reluctant to try again. 

The first bath when we brought him home was a different story entirely. I filled our large sink with warm water, added 'Johnsons top to toe baby bath' and hubby gingerly lowered Leo in! 

He loved it! This body wash creates lovely soft bubbles, smells amazing and is a formula that leaves baby's skin feeling super silky. It is no tears, soap free, hypoallergenic and contains no dye or fragrance. I have used it each and every bath time since and our little one's skin is quite literally as soft as a baby's bum. 

I bought our bottle for £2.99 from Superdrug. 

2. Warm animal elephant support cushion

This cushion that doubles up as an adorable soft toy is as practical as it is cute! It is a re-enforced elephant shape that can wrap around your baby for added comfort and is sturdy enough to support them when they are trying to sit up. Leo loves to lean against his elephant and watch the world go by and I am reassured in knowing that he's not going to roll away anywhere. It's worth noting that these aren't recommended to sleep with and as a paranoid first time mum I don't have anything in Leo's cot apart from a mattress, but in the daytime he gets so much use out of this!

3. F&F by TESCO bodysuits
It has been unusually warm this July in England and dressing your little one for the right temperature can be really hard at times! I usually went off my GroEgg (a room thermometer I have raved about in a previous post) and if my house was above 23/24 degrees Celsius then I'd dress Leo in a nice, lightweight body suit or romper. Our favourites, for sure have been the F&F range by TESCO with lovely patterns, easy to do (and undo) poppers and a really affordable price tag. I buy a 5 pack for £6.50 and they wash really well too!

4. Babymat play gym-Basil the Hippo
This was gifted to us when Leo was a couple of weeks old but it's only been the last month that he's really started to enjoy it! He is a little man who hates tummy time but loves to be on his back watching the world go by. This playmat from ARGOS £39.99, is super soft, colourful and has a toy bar that Leo loves to watch while he plays. There are so many baby mats out there but I would really recommend this above all others. It is also machine washable so no big panics if your baby spits up or decides to empty their nappy on their lovely new mat!

5. Lamaze lion pushchair toy

When I was pregnant I didn't really understand the purpose of pushchair toys but now I swear by them! If there's one thing I've learnt it's that the more colourful and more 'jingly' the better to occupy our little man's attention. I hang his Lamaze lion on his pram so that he can watch it move and make noises but I also attach it to the roof of his carry cot if he's struggling to sleep as it has a little mirror that he loves looking into-I know 10 weeks old and vain already! I bought the lion because that's what Leo's name means in Latin but you can also buy Lamaze monkeys, elephants, bears and much more!

6. Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles

I had to spend a week in hospital in July (more complications after Leo's birth-don't ask!) and after being under general anesthetic for an operation I wasn't able to breast feed for a couple of days. Although I was nervous how Leo would adapt to this I'd bought two closer to nature baby bottles by Tommee Tippee and he took to them straight away. Their packaging explains how their unique nipples are as close to the real thing as sillicone can possibly be and I don't think he even realised it wasn't coming from me! They are anti-colic, 10oz (so enough even for my guzzler) and nicely designed to fit snugly into any changing bag. Whether your baby is breast or bottle fed I really think it's personal preference and as long as they are getting what they need then you'll have a happy baby. 

7. Bepanthen Nappy Cream

Now this is a product that we have kept in our cupboard for years before we had our baby! Bepanthen nappy cream is the 'go-to' for any tattoo lover as it speeds up the healing process and leaves your new ink bold and your skin soft. Since having Leo we have used it on and off, only reaching for it when his little bum is getting slightly sore, but as soon as we use it his nappy rash has disappeared within an hour. It is honestly my magical cream!

So there it is-Leo's July favourites! This will be posted every month for both him and I so to see what we've both been loving in August stay tuned.....