As a Graco Ambassador, I am lucky enough to get lovely Graco products to test. This time I’ve been offered to try their Graco iMonitor Digital Video Baby Monitor. A year ago I thought I wouldn’t need a baby monitor any more, as my daughter is not a baby now, however… things changes when we decided to move the house.

My little girl loved her room and felt safe even when on her own, but moving to a new place with a new room to get used to seemed a little bit challenging for her. She needs to know that I can somehow be closer to her, and even in the other room, still be around for her, if needed.

That’s why the Graco iMonitor Digital Video Baby Monitor came in so handy! I loved it when I realised I would be able to not only listen to her (gently snoring) but also being able to look at her on the video screen – to make sure she doesn’t play with her toys when she needs to go to bed, for instance. It’s like a secret camera in her room, genius!

There is also a Vibration option in case I am busy in the kitchen but still need to “keep an eye” on her. And while she is feeling more secure, I am much more relaxed. Due to its 100% digital technology, I can enjoy the crystal clear digital

picture and sound. The 1.9-inch colour video screen has real-time digital zoom for a clear, up-close view. The design is excellent, very small and portable, and it drops into a charging cradle like a cordless phone, so nothing to plug in. And yes, the camera has night vision for a clear picture even in total darkness, which makes things even better.

It may sound a little bit costy, but actually the price is excellent for what you’d get for it. For me, there is no comparison with the previous baby monitor we used to have when my daughter was a baby, so I would highly recommend it to anyone, looking for a good, reliable and stylish decision.

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Parents are being advised to double check the tension of car seat harnesses, particularly when their babies and toddlers wear thick coats or snowsuits this winter. The advice comes from baby company Morrck, who says many UK parents don’t realise the effect that thick outdoor clothing can have on the fit of car seat harness straps or the potential consequences of straps being too loose.

“Parents may be very surprised at the amount of slack a coat or snow suit can cause. For a car seat harness to work properly, the straps need to be tightly strapped against the child’s chest. When a child wears a snowsuit or thick coat, the straps are usually adjusted to the thickness of the coat, not the chest. If the car was in an accident, the coat could compress, making the straps too loose and reducing the level of protection for the child,” explains Isobel Thompson, mum of three and founder of Morrck, creator of the Baby Hoodie.

So, what to do? Always test whether you have correct harness tension when using a coat or snowsuit, simply follow the steps below:

1/ Put the coat on the child.
2/ Strap the child into the car seat and tighten to ensure a snug fit.
3/ Remove the child from the car seat – without loosening the straps.
4/ Take the coat off the child.
5/ Strap the child back into the seat – but don’t adjust the straps.
6/ Do the Two finger test. If you can fit more than two fingers underneath the harness at the child’s 7/ shoulder bone, the harness tension needs to be tightened or avoid using the coat in the car seat.

For more information on the Two Finger Test and the Baby Hoodie, go to www.morrck.com and click on ‘car seat safety’. You can also see the crash test results on this page.

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My daughter was very excited, too – she couldn’t wait for me to open the box. Very big box, so I was a bit sceptical at first. But when we assembled it, it looked very nice and compact.

The first thing to notice was the elegant trendy design! In stylish grey and nice forms, this pushchair is a real beauty! Then we discovered another plus: the reversible handle! There is also 3-seat position but what I like most is the 5 point harness as safety is a priority for me when choosing pushchair.

We thought we would immediately give it a try. I was very nice surprised that it was so easy to push (using Silvercross in the past, the difference is huge)! Graco Symbio is easy-peasy to push and navigate with one hand only, so when it’s raining I can easily hold my umbrella with the other hand – phew, one “rainy-day issue” sorted!

But thanks God not all days in London are rainy, so when the weather was nice last month, we spent the Saturday out in the park and at some point my daughter felt asleep. Previously I was feeling guilty looking at her trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. This time was different though – she was feeling so comfortable that she slept for a couple of hours (so I got to see my friend over a cuppa and sweet talks).

Despite the fact that my shopping at Waitrose is still a mission as the basket could have been larger to store some of my shopping while rushing after the kid, overall I am very pleased with Graco Symbio! I would definitely recommend it as a nice and comfortable option for city ride and if your little one still enjoys the outside naps in the buggy.

Symbio Pushchair

• Suitable From 6 months
• Reversible handle
• Comfy seat pad
• Removable bumper bar
• Compact, lightweight frame
• Maneuverable
• One click travel system
• Reversible seat unit for both front and rear facing
• Spring suspension and pneumatic tyres
• Car seat adaptor
• Rain cover included
• Weight 8kg

Dimensions
Open: 79cm x 58cm x 100cm
Folded: 79cm x 58cm x 35cm
Weight: 7.5kg

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Purees (from 6 months)

Ready in 20 minutes

Makes 6 portions

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and finely chopped (about 400g prepared weight)

• 1tbsp baby rice

• Place the butternut squash into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug. Pour 150ml cold water into the boiler unit and steam for 15 minutes until tender

• Turn the jug to the blending position and blitz 2-3 times until smooth

• Place the baby rice into a bowl. Add 3tbsp boiling water and stir until smooth. Add 4tbsp butternut squash puree, stir well and allow to cool before serving

Cook’s tip

Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of butternut squash puree for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chunkier (7-9 months)

Ready in 25 minutes

Makes 4-6 portions

Ingredients

• 100g lean skinless chicken breast, finely chopped

• 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely chopped

• 75g frozen peas

• 1 small sweet potato (about 175g) peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 small potato (about 175g) peeled and roughly chopped

• Place the spring onion, sweet potato, potato and chicken breast into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug. Pour 150ml water into the boiler unit and steam for 15 minutes

• Add the frozen peas to the jug. Add another 50ml water to the boiler unit and steam for a further 5 minutes

• Turn the jug to the blending position and blend 2-3 times until coarsely pureed

• Transfer to a bowl (add a little unsalted chicken stock to get the correct consistency if necessary) and allow to cool before serving

Cook’s tip

Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of chicken mixture for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month. Defrost thoroughly and then reheat well and allow to cool before serving.

Spiced Apple & Pear Puree

Purees (from 6 months)

Ready in 10 minutes

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

• 2 large, ripe, juicy pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

• 2 sweet dessert apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped

• Pinch of ground cinnamon

• 1-2 tbsp unsweetened apple juice

• Place both fruits into the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender jug with ground cinnamon. Pour 50ml water into the boiler unit and steam for 5 minutes until tender

• Turn the jug to the blending position and blitz 1-2 times until smooth

• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the apple juice to loosen the consistency if necessary. Allow to cool before serving

Cook’s tip

Refrigerate or freeze your remaining portions of puree for later use. These will store in the fridge for the next day or in the freezer for 1 month.

See even more healthy baby and toddlers recipes here.

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We flew back to London on a Saturday afternoon. I couldn’t stop giving her cuddles and kissing her happy little face. Wea are back home and now I amd looking at her reaction – there are plenty of new toys waiting for her on the floor. What she gets her attention though is the big box in the lobby. “What’s that, mummy?”, she asked. “This is your new pushchair, sunshine, a very special gift from a lovely lady”. Her eyes are wide open; she gets even more excited! “Let’s open it, mummy!”

The buggy in the box is the new Stokke Xplory in a trendy green colour. It’s easy to assemble, so she jumps into it and we are ready to explore the word. Or at least the nearest park from a very special point of view – that of the trendy Stokke Explory with its reversible seat! What does it mean? She now “face the world”, but having the adjustable seat options means a little baby can face you rather than away from you. This encourages eye contact and feelings of safety, security and unity: it’s the most comfortable position for a baby.

The unique height-adjustability of the Stokke Xplory promotes interactivity and encourages the so important eye contact between mother and child. Even better, the stroller’s seat position can be altered with a few simple clicks – good for her, simple and just great for me!

My little girl looks so excited; she can’t get enough of her new stroller! And she also seems to be very comfortable, which is unusual for her to stay still for a long time! There are a few sitting positions to ease things: 3 positions facing parents: sleep, rest and active, and then 2 facing forward: rest and active. How great is that?! The last buggy she had didn’t allow her to sleep comfy – something she would love on a warm sunny afternoon. So the new Stokke Xplory would be our new friend for long summer walks in the park. Although even getting fresh and cooler now, she still doesn’t want to jump off her new stroller and I can see why: it’s trendy design and at the same time it’s seating shape is like a cuddle from a loving mother to her.

There is another feature which brings extra comfort for my little sunshine: the adjustable seat depth and as well as footrest! This stroller is fitted with a removable seat insert to accommodate the smallest kids. The reduced depth that the insert creates makes for a seating position designed for the shortest of legs, and offers a flatter back position for when your baby is resting or sleeping. My daughter is still quite skinny, so that’s just perfect for her!

Then, as she gains in height and (hopefully) weight, I can remove the insert so that the depth of the seat corresponds to the length of her legs. This way, one size really does fit all, which makes Stokke Xplory a good money-saving choice, too!

I would take it with us next summer when we go abroad (and the pavements are not always sleek). The two-wheel function makes it easy to stroll on rough and uneven surfaces (on the beach, on pebbles etc.) Also the swiveling wheels helps it to manoeuvre in tight spaces.

Personally what I love most is…guess what! That’s right – the shopping bag! It’s got expandable mesh pocket inside plus it brings the weight of my always endless shopping down to ground level which makes the stroller even more stable.

I absolutely love it! My only issue with it is where do I keep the enormous packaging box. My little girl has an idea: why not use it as a “princess house”, start painting and decorating it, so she then plays inside all day? – Love the idea. And afterwards I can recycle it safely – easy to do, good for the Earth!

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