But, how do you navigate the magic and madness of Winter Wonderland with a baby? Let’s find out.
Arriving on a Tuesday at 11am, buggy in tow, we went to explore. Our first stop? Santa Land.
Exploring Santa Land
Santa Land is perfect with a young baby. Visually, there’s so much to see and plenty to do!
Santa’s Grotto is free so do not miss the opportunity to get that perfect first Santa meet snap. You even get a little present to take with you!
There’s even a Santa Land Family Chill Space that you can escape to for quiet feeding or soothing if necessary. There’s also plenty of baby changing facilities around.
Are there many baby suitable activities?
As far as baby suitable activities, there are a fair few! Theo got to meet Santa, had a ride on the carousel, and could have enjoyed a go on the big wheel!
We were tempted by The Magical Kingdom but at -10 degrees, it didn’t seem too wise.
Do note, there are no places to store buggies. So, if you’re planning on visiting with a baby in tow, I’d advise doing so with a few people so there’s always someone who can keep an eye on it.
Is Winter Wonderland good with a baby?
So, is Winter Wonderland good with a baby? I have to be honest, we had an amazing time.
If you go midweek and during the day, it should be a breeze. It’s not too busy and far easier to navigate with a buggy.
Although you may have to avoid some festivities while you’re there, such as ice sculptures and drinking mulled wine in excess, there’s still plenty to keep everyone entertained!
Finally, if you’re looking to make your baby’s first Christmas truly magical, look no further than Winter Wonderland – and don’t forget to go and see Santa!
Are you planning to visit Winter Wonderland in 2021?
When Mini Ravers popped up on my TikTok feed, I had to know more. Clubbing with a baby? Surely not!
I immediately found their website and realised they were hosting a daytime event only 45 minutes away.
After checking out their frequently asked questions, I discovered their events are suitable for babies, are quieter than your standard club and full of colour and fun. Plus, they even have character appearances!
Taking your baby clubbing
On arrival, we were greeted and headed upstairs with our family exclusive wristband.
Grabbing a coke, the club welcomed us with bright lights, confetti cannons and many happy faces toddling about. Mini Ravers events are suitable from age 0-12 years, alongside the watchful eye of parents and guardians at all times, of course!
We’d decided to bring along some baby ear defenders for Theo despite the quieter music as we didn’t want him getting overwhelmed – he didn’t.
To get the party started, I pleaded with my partner that he needed a light-up flashing stick, which he absolutely loved chewing on to the beat.
What is Mini Ravers like with a baby?
I thoroughly recommend Mini Ravers with a baby in tow! We had a great time bopping along to many a 90s and noughties classic during the day.
It was the perfect event for parents who are looking to do something different with their children. To make some truly unique memories!
Theo got to say hi to Woody from Toy Story and even enjoyed some dancing under a giant parachute during the festivities.
We left sweaty and happy, much like your usual nightclub. I agree with my partner who said, “I think it’s important to say the parents enjoy it as much as the kids.”
We cannot wait to attend another event when Mini Ravers next comes to the South East!
For their Halloween ‘spook-tacular’, Millets Farm Centre welcomes visitors to pick-your-own pumpkins in Oxfordshire!
Be sure to wrap up snug and get into Autumn vibes with your nearest and dearest. At £1 to enter (and free for under 2’s), you pay for what you pick.
Pick-your-own pumpkins
You can grab a wheelbarrow on entry or come armed with your own carrier bags. Let’s face it though, the wheelbarrow’s more fun.
Be warned, the pumpkin match is muddy and can be awkward to navigate – so be sure to wear some old shoes!
Pumpkin prices vary depending on size, starting at £2/£3 for a small, £4 for a medium and £6 for a beastly large pumpkin!
Cool Autumnal pictures at Millets Farm Centre
On route, there are lots of cute and spooky Autumnal photo opportunities so feel free to get snap-happy.
Once you’re done, grab a pumpkin carving kit at the Pumpkin Patch or within the Farm Shop. Then, when you get home, you can perfect your Jack-o-lanterns!
You can enjoy this fun family day out until October 31! Millets Farm Centre hosts pick-your-own pumpkins each year, as well as seasonal produce year-round.
A fun family day out in Oxfordshire
Whatever the season or reason, Millets Farm Centre is a fantastic family day out. It offers an expansive playground, soft play, farmyard animals in the animal walkway, falconry and even woods to explore!
Plus, there are lots of different unique attractions across the year, so plenty of reasons to revisit!
Make sure to grab a few treats from the Farm Shop as you leave, you won’t regret it.
Whether you’re a parent-to-be or looking to get someone special a thoughtful baby shower gift, here are some newborn essentials needed before baby’s big arrival.
The best newborn essentials:
Nosefrida Baby Nasal Aspirator
The Nosefrida Baby Nasal Aspirator is brilliant for congested newborn’s. There’s nothing scarier than thinking little one can’t breathe properly and unfortunately, babies make a lot of weird noises!
However, when you’re convinced baby needs some help to clean their nose, grab some nasal saline spray to soften blockages and use the Nosefrida to gently suck them out! Gross, yes. Effective, totally.
The Babymoov Cosydream has been an absolute lifesaver. This soft jersey cot insert offers ergonomic support. It’s a cosy and breathable sleep saver which guarantees your little one feels reassured and snug.
The headrest prevents flat head syndrome with its anatomical inverted dome cutout, allowing baby to freely move throughout the night.
The leg support roll is easily adjusted as baby grows, secured with velcro. In addition, It also raises baby’s legs to aid digestion.
You’ll get solid use out of the Babymoov Cosydream till baby starts rolling at around 4 months.
The best thing? This newborn essential is machine washable. So, no worries when it comes to night time spit up.
Dubbed a ‘sleep miracle’ and rightly so, we could not live without the Baby Shusher. This sleep soother uses a real human voice that shhh’s your little one to sleep! It has a 15 minute and 30 minute timer setting alongside volume control at its base.
This white noise device not only keeps baby asleep, it will also help you lull into a deep sleep! Use it at bedtime, as well as when baby stirs throughout the night.
This cot allows for bedside sleeping, either for side sleeping or as a standalone crib. One side features a breathable mesh panel which lowers via a drop rail. This allows you to easily see and access your little one for night feeds.
The cot comes with a foam mattress. Its height is easily adjusted and it has an incline feature if required.
It folds flat in 30 seconds to allow for easy travel. It comes with a handy travel bag, allowing you to take it wherever you go!
Not only is it super affordable compared to other pumps, this double breast pump is super effective. It has four modes and nine different levels of suction. Its silicone covers on the pumps flanges also ensure pain-free pumping.
Its electric component has a built in battery that is easily charged via USB and offers a long battery life.
The Bellababy Breast Pump is easily assembled and taken apart for sterilisation.
If you’re looking for good quality affordable breast pump, look no further than the Bellababy Breast Pump.
Made from soft cotton, this fully adjustable bra has a front zip to easily put it on and take it off. It features a thick band and secures firmly with velcro to fit most bra sizes.
It features overlapping layers of fabric to securely hold the pump flanges in place as you move about the house. Also, you can leave it on to easily switch to breastfeeding.
This touch sensitive night light features a warm glow that will not disturb baby at night. It offers reassurance and is easily dimmable with a long touch.
Simply double tap to illuminate during the evening or night time feeds. It offers a long-lasting battery of up to 100 hours in a single charge and features a one hour timer to save energy.
The best part? Its soft glow won’t disturb you either!
Okay, so this one’s for the postpartum mumma! The Badedas Indulgent Bath Gelee was recommended to me to aid recovery and it’s blissful.
Although it turns the bath bright green, this gel smells great and leaves skin feeling soft and rejuvenated. Horse chestnut is one of its main ingredients, known to be support and improve circulation.
Okay, so pregnancy is a minefield in itself, more so when you don’t really know what to expect as a first-time mum.
One thing you can expect, is a ton of (often unsolicited) advice. However, no one really goes into the weird (and dare we say at times wonderful) parts of pregnancy.
Hello morning sickness
Firstly, you’ll welcome the most well known symptom of pregnancy, morning sickness. Sickness and nausea will plague your first trimester. Let’s be honest, there is nothing pleasant about feeling sick for weeks straight.
However, if you’re lucky, you won’t experience physical sickness and constant nausea in tandem.
To ease sickness and nausea in pregnancy:
Eat little and often
Make sure to keep hydrated
Rest when your body needs it
Avoid foods that make you feel unwell
Avoid strong smells that make you feel unwell
Relentless tiredness
You’re going to feel tired a lot and you need to just roll with it and listen to your body. In your first trimester, you’ll likely fall asleep every few hours (for a few hours). Most people find they can not physically stay awake.
Your boobs are going to change – a lot
Nothing prepares you for the changes you will see in your breasts.
They’re going to get bigger and your areola is going to change shape, size and colour. It’s normal, please don’t panic.
Aches and pains
This is a given. You’re growing a tiny human that is stretching your body in ways it’s never had to comprehend. Be kind to yourself, rest often and be sure to unwind.
Massages and soaking in the tub (being careful not to overheat) really helps to naturally ease aches and pains.
Constantly needing the bathroom
You’ll need to pee constantly. As for pooping, that’s going to be a lot more difficult. Be sure to continue to eat well and if you need some additional support to go – liquorice is a lifesaver.
The feeling of seeing your ultrasound scans
Nothing can really prepare you for seeing your baby during your ultrasound scans. It’s shocking to see how much they can wriggle despite you not feeling anything in the earlier stages.
You can expect to have a minimum of two ultrasound scans throughout your pregnancy. However, some women have three.
Here’s what each ultrasound scan means:
12 week ultrasound scan – your dating scan predicts your little one’s arrival, looks at their development and screens for possible conditions
20 week ultrasound scan – this scan will check the development of baby (you may also request the sex of your baby)
36 week ultrasound scan – this scan will check that baby is in the correct position for delivery
How scary it is being pregnant during Covid-19
Being pregnant or a first-time mum during a global pandemic isn’t easy. Many woman have missed out on face-to-face interaction and reassurance from their midwives and doctors, as well as appointments you’d usually get under the NHS.
At times, it can be quite isolating, so do your research and most importantly, don’t worry about leaning on others with experience.
The amount of clothes and toys people will buy/gift you
Everyone says, do not buy loads of things. Do mums-to-be listen? No.
You can expect lots of kind family members and friends to buy/gift you clothes and will have a fully prepared wardrobe by the time the little one comes.
Further resources to support first-time mums in the UK
Here are some useful websites and apps you can download for first-time mums:
NHS – The NHS website is brimming with healthcare advice for mums-to-be
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
