#OneLittleChange

I've been part of the The Orchard by Tesco for a few months now, it give shoppers the opportunity to try different parts of Tesco and give their feedback in exchange for reduced or free items. The invite for this programme arrived at the right time that I was re-focusing on trying to get a bit healthier and fitter.

Over the past three years Tesco has been working towards reducing calorie, fat, sugar and salt content of thousands of our own brand products, like fruit juice, cereals, yogurts and soups, but still tasting the same.

I got to try three different items from the range: Healthy Living Red Berry Yogurt, Golden Syrup flavor Oats and Healthy Living Lentil and Vegetable Soup.

The Oats were convenient and quick, really useful when Bethany is wanting attention and I needed something really quick but can keep me going until she goes to nap and I get lunch (sometimes this can be 3pm!). The syrup gave them a sweetness so you thought you were getting something a little bit naughty with your nice. It is cheaper to buy a bag of oats and syrup but sometimes you need that connivance.

The biggest let down for me were the soup, the flavour was OK and made a filling lunch. A whole can is 156 calories BUT is 40% of your salt allocation for the day.I commend that Tesco are trying to reduce the salt content but I found it strange to see this on a "Healthy Living" product, at least it is not hidden in the same print and people can make their decision to include. With this in mind I always made sure that the rest of my day balanced and not take on too much more salt.

The hit of the three with both Hubby and I was the yogurts. The Red Berry has two cherry and two strawberry, this has yogurt as well as pieces of fruit. It a reasonable sized dessert for 64 calories, it has the right level of sweetness and bitterness of the fruit. I have my eye on the Toffee and Vanilla which are 66 calories but I need to go to another store to get them.

I agree Tesco has made some in roads to make their ranges a lot more healthier but I do feel there is some more room for progress. However, if this is what they have so far then its a good place to start.

*I am no obligation to blog for The Orchard programme (where I received vouchers to try products) and I may receive extra compensation for this.

Book: Love, Tanya by Tanya Burr

First of all an admission, I have never seen any of Tanya Burr's videos or read her blog. There, I said it, it's out there, so why did get the book out of the library? I know Miss Burr is currently one of the biggest vlogger on Youtube at this current moment, I was intrigued by this as I knew it was more of personal book than Zoella's novels.

It is a mixture of autobiography, hints and tips and personal experience. It starts from Tanya's childhood with more focus on how she got into make up industry (She got her experience assisting one of the Pixiwoo ladies). Tanya dives into different topics from make up, fashion, love, baking to her experience with living with anxiety.

The chapters, to me, are then split into sub chapters, her life story, top 10 lists and then hints and tips. The style is easy going and light, Tanya has openly admitted that this has been ghost writed, it still is essentially her at the heart but she has had help with how to put all the thinking together. This does give it a more polished look than say a personal blog would of been.

Apart from her history, did I learn anything new? Not really, the majority of the make up and fashion tips is something I knew from my own experience in make up or have learnt through magazines/other blogs. In simple terms this is a very person focused magazine, targeted at the people who already watch/read her.

If I got given this as a present I would of been happy with it, it has the perfect format to be able to dip in and out of with a cup of tea when you have five minutes to spare. I would like to point out that Miss Burr is only 25 years old and the book is targeted towards that market, so a lot of advice and recommendations is towards them.

RRP £12.99 but currently on offer on Amazon for half price.

Colic and Dr. Browns Natural Flow Bottles

Colic is a constant crying of 3 hours (and longer) within a 24 hours period for 3 days. It is the most heartbreaking thing I have had to deal with, one day Beth was a happy smiling baby, the next was so upset to the point of being unable to be soothed.

After day three I was in tears, did this mean I was being a bad Mum because I couldn't understand and solve what was wrong. Beth would bring her legs to her torso, arch her back, kick, scream, and be teary. She would also be up most of the night and want feeding all the time.

After another exhausting night I sent an SOS over Twitter and Babycentre Jan birth club, I was at my wits end, I loved my daughter but was considering to walking away as I couldn't cope, my husband found me screaming at one point and had to take her away. A lot of other Mum's were hugely supportive and were unanimous in what it was - Colic, as well as numerous solutions.

One offered more than once, was changing my bottles to Dr. Browns, the timing was perfect. Beth's appetite was getting bigger and we would soon need to swap from her 150ml bottles to bigger ones. I researched them, including reviews, to me it seemed to be too good to be true when a majority was saying yes they worked. I invested my back dated child benefit in 2 x 4 packs of bottles at £17.17 each from Mothercare (compare these to 6 x Tommi Teepies at £12.99).

They come with four pieces that form the vent system bottle, this system means that the baby swallows the milk and not the air. It is easy to assemble, but it will take only a little longer to wash and sterilise than 'normal' bottles. You will also need to stir the milk rather than shake (if you have formula) as they will leak because of the vent system.

I now have been using them for about a week, 5-6 feeds a day. The first day was Beth adjusting to the new teats, so she dribbled a lot and wanting feeding more as she would spit out after about half the bottle. If you choose to change, do not plan anything the day you do it just in case you get the same as me. This only lasted for 24 hours, she was then back to her normal feeding pattern. 5 days later the Infacol she was having before every feed was stopped and have had no colic crying since.
I think this bottles have been brilliant, to have a happy baby with no medication makes a really happy Mum. Fully recommended.

Canvas Design Review

 

I better start with answering the obvisou question, shouldn't that be on a wall? Yes, it should, at the momnent we are in a flat and we plan eventually to be in a house by the end of the year so we agreed to save this to go into our nre house.

It also shows how good that packing is from Canvas Designs (this is without the wrapping of bendy cardboard that it also came in). What impressed is the courier they chosen also texted me when it was ready even giving me the option of texting them a change of day if required.

The canvas itself is 100% handstreched cotton over a pine frame, the picture is clear and exactly how I would of placed it myself. It is the perfect product to have Bethany's first picture placed on and we're already discussing another (Hint: Mother's Day present!)

Pick your picture and put in the code BLOG15 at the checkout. This bags you a 15% discount alongside free delivery.

*Product was given for review with my thanks