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As part of our Baby Blog, our new mum blogger has been reviewing the Kelo-Stretch Cream. Kelo-Stretch™ (125ml, £25.99) launched in April 2013 by speciality pharmaceutical company Sinclair IS Pharma and it has been specifically formulated to prevent and correct stretch marks. Stretch marks affect as many as 75% to 90% of pregnant women.¹ They can also appear during adolescence or be a consequence of rapid weight gain or weight loss. Stretch marks may also be caused by hormonal disorders

So after months of testing, here is what she thought .....

Pitter-patter of tiny feet, a new bundle of joy that you can’t wait to meet;  what a dream to be a new mum.  Stretch Marks…. not such a dream! But, there is help at hand, in fact there are a lot of products out there that claim to prevent or help existing stretch marks and I am sure that like me, most pregnant woman are rubbing lotions and potions into their growing bumps religiously (and mine was definately growing).

So how do we know what really works, why do some pregnant woman get stretch marks and some don’t? I put KELO-STRETCH cream to the test through my pregnancy, it features a unique dual formula to address the main causes of stretch mark formation and there is a LOT of science and evidence behind it.

I applied it as per the instructions twice a day from the 4^th month of pregnancy. It sank easily into the skin on application which was a blessing when dressing for work in the morning as you don’t want to be hanging around waiting for your skin to dry off.  It’s also fragrance free, which for me was a true positive because I had made the decision in my pregnancy to be as ‘organic’ as possible and stopped wearing perfumes etc.  For this reason it does have a slightly ‘medicated’ smell about it but that doesn’t stay around for long and gave me confidence that the product had been developed to work rather than just smell good. It claims to increase elasticity and hydrate the skin and I must say that my skin always felt plump and smooth.

So, the million dollar question – did it work? I can happily report I have zero stretch marks! I am still using it now post pregnancy just to be sure, but not one in sight. Will I ever truly know if it was the KELO- STRETCH cream preventing them? Possibly not, but if I am ever blessed with another pregnancy I certainly won’t be taking a chance – KELO-STRETCH cream will be top of my list!

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Now, I can understand your eyebrow raising at my suggestion to take the kids to a densely populated capital city with expensive tourist attractions, busy public transport system and the worst traffic of any UK city. You could also be forgiven for questioning why anyone would want to take a family trip to a city where you can never guarantee the weather.

However, London is actually a great place to take kids; it has countless family-friendly restaurants, loads of child-orientated activities, and even the odd free event for your little ones. Once you’ve mastered the capital’s public transport system, it is actually very easy to get around. Plus, kids under five can travel totally free!

Here are some days out I know all the family will enjoy, along with some top tips for coping with kids in the UK’s buzzing capital, and most importantly, keeping them safe.

Step back through time

London has one of the densest collections of mind broadening museums and galleries, however, a sure-fire option to keep curious minds occupied is the Natural History Museum. With dinosaurs, wildlife and even a 1000 square-meter ice rink come winter, it’s a great day out for all the family. I wonder if you could get any little kids believing the exhibitions come alive at night.

See some heroes

Fancy standing shoulder to shoulder with the Queen? How about an A-list celebrity or one of the Marvel superheroes? Madame Tussauds have a waxwork to please every member of the family, and if anyone has a teenage daughter screwing up her face at the idea, the new One Direction waxworks are sure to change her mind.

Spot of tea

Fairy cakes, little sandwiches, jam and scones – what kid, or big kid for that matter, wouldn’t enjoy that? There are countless hotels and bakeries that offer up a very British afternoon tea option, all ranging in price. A must when in England’s historical capital.

Holiday in style, and comfort

A key element to any family holiday is accommodation. Kids can become bored in cramped hotel rooms, especially if there is no TV, and central hotels can be extremely pricey for a family room. If you’d rather have your own space at a cheaper price, why not consider these short stay apartments in London, where your little ones can make loads of mess, and no one will know!

There is simply so much on offer in London, I could go on for hours, but those are my top recommendations. One last thing however is making sure the kids have a safe, and enjoyable trip. A good option for any parent is to create a little pack for them, including any accommodation details, your phone number and a little bit cash should they get separated from you or lost. This simply means they can easily phone you should you lose sight of one another. I’m sure it won’t happen but better to be safe than sorry. ]

Now go and enjoy ....

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Today we went to a snow play party, which is essentially a group of children running around in the snow, squealing, laughing and throwing snow at each other but they had a fabulous time! It was a beautiful day today and it seemed bonkers to be wrapping the girls up in snow suits and gloves, especially when it was so warm outside. 

Being in the snow got me thinking, I never understand the whole skiing holiday philosophy, to me a holiday is all about the sea and sunshine but some of our very best friends love going skiing each year and have repeatedly tried to convince me to go. I clearly still need some convincing as snow is fun but it is no holiday.

Whereas another of our good friends cannot say enough about cruising. For the purpose of this post, I asked Lynette why she loved it so much (disclaimer; she loves cruising and loves to talk) "Everything you need, all in one place, where do I start? From the many bars to enjoy a pint, or a cocktail or two, to the restaurants where 5 star dining is a way of life every evening. From day wear, to beach wear, casual nights, to formal nights if you enjoy the finer things in life and waking up in different country each day is your idea of heaven, then cruising is the perfect holiday for you". (I think she should maybe be a sales rep for them!)

Once upon a time I would have been all about the night life and decent sun bed spot, whereas as I have got older I am more interested in stunning scenary, delicious food, quality accomodation and good entertainment for the children. (I just uttered the words "as I have got older" ..... shudder) It seems I am probably more suited to a norwegian fjords cruise than a raucous booze cruise these days but that suits me just fine.

I have spent the afternoon running around and playing in the snow so while my choices may have changed as I mature in years, my heart remains as young as my children throwing snowballs today.

Someone once told me,

"It is not the years in your life but the life in your years".

That sounds a perfect description to me!

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A little while ago, a former Apprentice contestant caused an immense amount of controversy by stating that it is okay to judge a person based on their name. This in itself is ludicrous. I choose not to write about Katie Hopkins in any length as I am quite convinced that she says things to simply be controversial and keep her name in the media, so that is the end of that.

However, this week I received a report that has found the naughtiest children, based on name! In a poll for The Schoolwear Association, teachers put Jack at the top of their list of badly behaved children followed by William, James, Josh and Kyle. 

At the other end of the scale, teachers said their best-behaved student was most likely to be named Sarah.

In the survey, teachers told pollsters children were less likely to behave badly in a proper school uniform with a badge, and a third said children were worse behaved on non-uniform days.

Matthew Easter, Chairman of the Schoolwear Association, whose members clothe two thirds of UK children, said: “Behaviour is a huge issue in schools, and this survey shows a proper uniform is part of the solution with 83 per cent of teachers preferring their class to wear it. A uniform that is specific to a school creates a sense of belonging, looks smart and makes the child feel ready to work hard.” (I wouldn't disagree with this)

Apparently other parents agree too. Last year, in another survey by YouGov for the Schoolwear Association, more than 90 per cent of parents said school uniform was good for maintaining discipline with 78 per cent saying it encouraged better behaviour.

The latest survey builds on previous studies showing that badged school uniform significantly reduces concerns about absenteeism, vandalism, bullying and other behaviour problems in and out of school. Two thirds of teachers told pollsters they found themselves telling off boys more than girls. All five of the naughtiest names are boys while four out of five of the names in the well-behaved list are girls. (should I be thankful that I have girls at this point??)

 Worst behaved

• Jack
• William
• James
• Josh
•  Kyle

Best behaved

• Sarah
• Lucy
• Hannah
• Harry
• Jessica

So if you have a Jack or a William is he naughty just because of his name? Is he naughty at all?

I think the findings of an actual survey are quite interesting (and are certainly more researched than the aforementioned Ms Hopkins), however I question why we are so keen to categorise children and objects in the press? You would think they had appropriate media planning?

Why are boys always given blue and girls pink?

Why is Skoda still seen as the butt of most jokes, when its engineering is far superior to most?

Who would have thought a gentleman named Barack would be President of the United States?

Do YOU judge someone / something based solely on their name?