What Toby Wore // Rockin’ Baby

Back in April we were sent some lovely clothes for Toby and Gabe from the Rockin’ Baby Spring/ Summer collection so when they launched the Autumn/ Winter collection and asked if would like to feature something I jumped at the chance.

Toby is very happy with his new Rockin' Baby coat

This time Toby was sent this brilliant Bug Print rain mac. I love the colours of this coat – mustard is one of my absolute favourites at the moment. The bug print is fabulous – it met with Toby’s approval too which is more important now he’s three and has plenty of his own opinions about his clothes!

Rockin' Baby rain mac

Bug Print rain mac

We decided to head out into the garden for a photoshoot and to see if we could have our own mini-beast adventure.

Toby looking for mini beasts in his Rockin' Baby bug print rain mac

The Rockin' Baby bug print rain mac is great for exploring

toby-and-his-camera

exploring-the-garden-in-the-rockin-baby-rain-mac

Toby is wearing age 4-5 and I would say it’s pretty true to size – it fits him well and he is a big three year old. The rain mac is really well made – it’s fully fleece lined, even the sleeves, which I really like.

cosy-fleece-lining-in-the-rockin-baby-bug-print-rain-mac

the-rockin-baby-rain-mac-is-perfect-for-garden-adventures

The seams are all bound to make them really comfy, and the hood is a sensible size and stays up easily. I can’t comment on the waterproof-ness of the rain mac as we haven’t had any rain since we got it but it certainly kept Toby toasty out in the garden. We haven’t used our garden much since we moved but Toby really enjoyed exploring – even if we didn’t actually find any mini-beasts! He did have a go at practising his ‘feelers out, what’s about?’ pose from the CBeebies Mini-Beast Adventure programme.

feelers-out-whats-about

The really great thing about all Rockin’ Baby clothing is that for every item that is bought another is given to a child in China or West Africa.

Toby loves his new bug print rain mac and so do I – I’m actually very tempted to get him the matching wellies too!

toby-keeping-warm-in-the-last-of-the-sunlight-in-his-new-bug-print-coat

We also have one Rockin’ Baby Blue Stripe rain mac in age 3-4 to give away.

rockin-baby-blue-stripe-rain-mac

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**Disclosure: We were sent the featured clothing for the purposes of this post but all opinions are my own.

Linking up with Hannah for Funky Kid Friday

Review: Rockin’ Baby Pouch

I first started babywearing when Toby was tiny and his reflux was so bad that he hated being put down. I had a stretchy wrap and would often carry him around the house when he was struggling to settle. When he got too big for the wrap we got a buckle, or soft-structured, carrier and used it a lot on days out and walks when the buggy wasn’t practical. When Gabe was born I used the stretchy wrap again but I found it quite a faff to put on, particularly if I was trying to wrangle Toby at the same time. I used the buckle carrier with Gabe, and still do use it a lot, but I wanted something I could get him into really quickly and easily – particularly for those times I was just popping in the shop, or needed to carry him but have my hands free for Toby too….

Rockin' Baby pouch collage

Enter the Rockin’ Baby Pouch! You may remember the boys had some clothes from Rockin’ Baby a while ago, well we were also sent a Rockin’ Baby Pouch to try at the same time. The pouch is a sling type carrier, it is suitable from birth to 18 kg and there are four different carrying positions. The sling is adjustable using a series of zips on the back which are then hidden by a protective cover. The edge which goes under your baby’s legs is padded to be more comfortable for them.

Rockin' Baby on the farm

The sling is also reversible – ours has a lovely blue and white floral pattern on one side and the other side is plain black. It is handmade in the USA from 100% cotton. And here’s the best bit – for every sling they sell Rockin’ Baby will donate one to a mother in Kenya or Haiti, and educate her on the importance it holds in her baby’s life.

So how did we find the pouch? I have to admit on the first use I found it a bit tricky to get the fit right. Because you have to adjust the pouch to the right size using the zips before you put it on, if it’s not right once you put the baby in you have to take him out again, change the zips, put the baby back in…and repeat until you get it right. I had to have a couple of goes before I got the right combination of zips and Gabe was getting a bit fed up with me by the end!

Zips to adjust the Rockin' Baby pouch

However, you only really need to do this once, unless someone else is going to be using the sling. And even then, as long as you remember which zip setting you used it’s quick to change it again. So once you’ve got the right setting it’s quick to pop the Rockin’ Baby pouch over your shoulder and chuck the baby in. [I promise no babies were actually chucked anywhere for the purposes of this review].

I found the Rockin’ Baby pouch reasonably comfortable for short periods and the lack of adjustment means it’s great for those times when you’re just popping into a shop and don’t want to faff about with the buggy, or for me, when I’m dropping Toby off at nursery and having both hands free makes it a lot easier. I’ve also used the pouch at home when Gabe has been in a particularly clingy mood and I’ve needed to get Toby’s lunch ready or something.

Babywearing with Rockin' Baby

However, the same features which make it great for short periods and quick up and downs, also meant that I didn’t find the Rockin’ Baby pouch particularly comfortable when wearing it for extended periods and I don’t think Gabe does either. I did use it when we visited a local farm and Gabe was in the pouch for about half an hour but I think that would be about our limit.

I think most people who babywear regularly have different slings for different jobs though anyway – for a long day out I would always go for my buckle carrier, but for those times when you just need your hands free for fifteen minutes then a pouch or ring sling is a great option.

Daddy using the Rockin' Baby pouch

And it’s so easy to use that even Daddy managed it!

**Disclosure: I was sent the featured products in return for this review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

We're going on an adventure

What Toby & Gabe Wore // Rockin’ Baby SS16

In this week’s post I’m featuring some fabulous outfits sent to us by the wonderful people at Rockin’ Baby. Perhaps best known for their slings and pouches, Rockin’ Baby have branched out to include children’s wear and the items we were sent come from the new Spring/Summer collection.

Rockin Baby SS16

Rockin’ Baby is based in the USA and in 2011 they started their Mother-to-Mother programme – for every sling or pouch they sell, they donate another to a mother in need in Haiti or Kenya. When they launched their clothing collection they wanted to spread this help even further, so for every item of clothing they sell they will donate one to a child in need in China or West Africa.

Rockin Baby Child to Child

So by buying Rockin’ Baby clothes you are not only making sure your own child is comfortable and looks fabulous, you are also helping a child in need somewhere else in the world.

We had a lovely sunny day this week so Toby and Gabe were really able to put their outfits to the test out in the garden. Toby was sent these lovely anchor print joggers and amazing walrus tee-shirt.

Toby catching bubbles

Toby is just moving into age 3-4 clothes and these have plenty of growing room. I did think that the joggers have a slightly odd cut – they are really baggy round the bum but then have very tight ankle cuffs. They look great though, and most importantly they didn’t fall down despite Toby’s skinny-ness! The tee-shirt is a combination of print and embroidery – I think the walrus looks awesome, and I like the little details like the embroidered green star on the sleeve.

Rockin Baby is perfect for sliding

Toby definitely seemed very comfortable in his new Rockin’ Baby outfit and had no complaints when he was chasing bubbles around the garden!

Toby chasing bubbles in Rockin Baby

Gabe’s outfit is just perfect for summer – I love the stripes and applique ice lolly tee-shirt. Like most of Gabe’s clothes his new Rockin’ Baby outfit is 9-12 months and I would say it is pretty true to size. The tee-shirt has handy poppers on the neck making it easy to get on and off and the trousers had plenty of room for his cloth bum.

Gabe watching Toby

Gabe seemed very comfortable too – although he wasn’t such a willing model, especially to begin with. This picture may look like Toby and Gabe are looking at something interesting in the bush but I mostly chose it because you couldn’t see Gabe’s very grumpy face!

Toby and Gabe in Rockin Baby

He did cheer up a bit later though and I was able to get a few better pictures!

Gabe enjoying the bubbles in Rockin Baby

Both boys were loving the bubble in the garden and Toby had such fun with the bubble machine – it can be a bit fierce sometimes though!

The bubbles are going to get me

I think he enjoyed it more when he was carrying it around – although I had to keep reminding him not to blow bubbles right in Gabe’s face!

Bubble machines are the best

**Disclaimer: We were sent the featured products in return for this review. All opinions are my own.

Linking up with Hannah for Funky Kid Friday and Bex and Sarah for Weekend Tot Style