Sammy Loves her new Yummy Mummy bag!!

 

 

LITTLE CAITLIN APPROVES OF HER NEW PINK LINING YUMMY MUMMY BAG

 Sammy, mother Blogger and Jounalist was the winner of our last Compeition, she won this Pink Lining bag and we think it has been approved all round by the sounds of it!

 

When I first announced my pregnancy to friends it seemed like everyone had a little nugget of advice that was going to help make day-to-day life with a baby that bit easier. Things like ‘When she’s sleeping through make sure you put her to bed awake’ and ‘batch cook meals when weaning, it’ll save you turning the kitchen upside down in a mad rush to find something, ANYTHING to make a nutritious baby meal’ and for the most part they really did help. But if there’s one bit of advice I always wish I had taken on board before day one it would be this – buy a big, durable and stylish changing bag. Obviously, I didn’t... big mistake.

I don’t know many women (mums or not) that don’t like bags and let’s be honest, when you’re picking accessories out for a gorgeous outfit you don’t just grab a carrier bag on your way out. When I pick a bag it’s got to meet some petty requirements so when it came to my baby bag, you know, the one I’d be taking with me everywhere, the whole practicality thing just left me (let’s say this is where baby brain kicked in.) I ended up using a freebie one to start with – ugly, small and generally a bit crap. After a few days the zip broke and started to fray away on the inside corners. Clearly it couldn’t cope with the sheer volume of nappies I thought I needed so that one went to bag heaven (it’s a real place, honest.) My second bag was a bit bigger and fatter and although it was quite cheap and plain it did look more like something I’d be prouder to leave the house with. But again, the fabric of the bag was far too thin and a lack of internal pockets was its downfall, not even a few bottle bags strapped to the handle accommodated the fact that babies need food and lots of it. Note to self and other mums at this point – If nothing else fits in, don’t bother trying.

So 12 weeks post birth when my body was starting to shrink back into itself, I wasn’t looking quite so shattered all the time and a trip outdoors didn’t mean that the trowel and paintbrush were required to hide a baggy-eyed and blotchy skinned face, I thought it was time to pull my finger out and find a bag that ticked all the right boxes. I found it! Or so I had thought. At almost £70 my gorgeous floral oilcloth bag was a stretch on a shabby maternity budget that had already paid for one bag but, if it was going to make life easier after a couple of failed attempts then it didn’t matter. The bag was great at the time and looked beautiful too, so many people commented on it and asked where I got it from but sadly after just 4 months it started to come undone... again! The corners of the fabric started to tear and I was fast running out of internal space as my little girl was growing up. Even silly things like elastic pouches inside the bag were starting to slacken and things would fall out. I needed more insulated pockets for bottles AND baby food but this bag didn’t have it. I couldn’t afford a new bag but luck was on my side and I won a competition with Mummy and Little Me, and in a couple of days my gorgeous Pink Lining Yummy Mummy bag arrived. What. A. Lifesaver.

Where do I start? The design alone is an eye-catcher and my multi bows go with everything. Even my other half isn’t put off by it. Externally it’s got 3 pockets - two side pouches for bottles and bits (I put a beaker in one and sun cream in the other) and a handy popper-sealed pocket for essentials. Inside there’s a brilliantly padded changing mat which has on countless occasions saved my girls head from a nasty bang on the floor mid-paddy, and a detachable zip wet bag which saves me using nappy bags for accident-covered clothing. A key fob and mirror keeps me from rummaging when you just cannot find them and a handy phone pouch means I can get to it quickly when I need it. There’s also an internal zip pocket for other bits and not one, but TWO insulated pockets for food and bottles - an absolute blessing when you’re out all day. The best feature by far is the large internal pouches that comfortably fit 8 nappies (maybe more but with my track record I best not push it) and a pack of wipes without bulging out and taking up the bag space inside. I can get spare clothing, toys and lots of other necessities inside and still have space. Seriously – what more could you want?

I could write for years about how great this bag has been and simply listing its features isn’t enough. You really do have to have the bag, live with it day to day and see how much of a difference it makes to understand that most others are inferior. If I were to give any mum-to-be a bit of advice that’ll make motherhood easier it would be this – don’t put off the inevitable, get a Pink Lining Bag.