Wednesday 30 April 2014

Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Perfect Prep Machine - Review

I was really excited to become a Babies R Us Babyologist.

The first product they asked me to review was the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Perfect Prep Machine.





I was really looking forward to testing the product as Baby M is really impatient and we made his bottles using the kettle.  This means you have to wait for the bottle to cool before he can have it.  This machine boasts that it makes perfect temperature bottles in 2 minutes.




The machine is really easy to set up and the instructions are very clear.  You get an instruction booklet which is easy to follow.  There are also instructions on the box if you need them.

To set up the machine you need to run through some boiling water, then add the filter and run through some cold water and you're done - simple!!

Now all you need to do is fill up the machine with fresh cold tap water and you're ready to go.

I have to admit whilst the machine sounded amazing I was concerned about how the bacteria would be killed in the formula, I didn't want to use something that might give Baby M bellyache.  I needn't have worried though.  The first part of the bottle making sees the machine put hot/boiling water into the bottle, then you add your scoops of formula, mix then put back under the machine for the rest of the water to be added.






Every bottle we have made has been ready to use and Baby M has had all of every bottle.

The only con I have found is that sometimes (every few days) we get a bottle that isn't the correct volume.  When this happens the bottle is usually 7.5oz rather than 7oz.  Also the first time he used it Mr M took too long mixing the bottle and the machine turned itself off.  He is a faffer, you have 2 minutes from the hot water being put into the bottle to add you formula and mix - which is plenty of time - but it's something to bear in mind when making the bottle.  Make sure you don't get distracted by something else or the machine might turn itself off.

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Perfect Prep Machine is £74.99.  I would definitely say that it is worth the money.  The filter that comes with the machine is valid for 3 months, which I think is a good length of time for the number of times you can use the machine in a day.  A replacement filter is £8.99.

Using the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Perfect Prep Machine has definitely made feeding easier.  Baby M no longer cries for his bottle as it's ready in minutes.

I would give this product 5/5 and I would definitely recommend it


Disclaimer: I have not been paid for this review.  I was sent this product free of charge to review but my views are my own  


Tuesday 29 April 2014

Swimming class - week 8 our penultimate beginners class

This week was our penultimate beginners class.

I had been debating whether to take Baby M to his class as he has been so upset with his teeth, however last night he slept a little better so I thought we would go and see how we got on.

The pool was sooooo cold this week!! Even with his wetsuit on Baby M could tell the difference in the water temperature - I knew this wasn't going to be a good class.

We did our usually swimming and splish splashing however Baby M was grumpy throughout

We didn't do any of the underwater swims this week - due to the temperature of the pool and Baby M being grumpy with his teeth both myself and our instructor thought it would be best if he didn't do them

We did a new swim - mummy has a foam tube under her arms and wrapped round her back (it's called the armchair swim if that helps you visualise it better).  Baby lies on their back with their head under your chin and lying on your chest.  You then lie on your back and kick across the pool.  Saying none of us had done it before we all did a pretty good job!

Next week is our last beginners class, we then move up a class and to a new (warmer) pool

Monday 28 April 2014

Daddy is back to work

Today Daddy goes back to work

I'm so pleased that he is feeling much better.

It was a night of broken sleep last night due to his anxiety about going back but I reassured him that is completely normal.  We all have Sunday night blues/worries normally so it's only natural he will feel anxious after a long time away from work.

He's on a phased return so we will be seeing him back at home by lunchtime each day this week.

Baby M & I will now be on our own during the day.

This week we are meeting some friends for coffee/lunch on top of swimming and baby group.  We only really have Thursday as a day we have nothing on - I think we will have a mummy & baby day that day.

Next week my sister in law is visiting for a few days then the week after my brother is down for a week.  It's great for Baby M to have visitors, especially with everyone living so far away, he changes so quickly

I'm a little worried how I will manage on my own, I'm so used to having Mr M by my side.  But I think it will be positive for both Baby M & myself, we can develop our confidence & independence together. 

I am sure we will all be fine!!

Friday 25 April 2014

I've done it!! I've signed up to my first half marathon

Yes I think I might be crazy!!!

But I have signed up to do my first ever half marathon!!

I have done my fair share of 5K & 10K runs but I've never done a half marathon.  I really enjoy running and have been on a few runs since Baby M was born.  I sometimes need focus though.

Running is great.  It's free for a start! You can pick your route and just stick your ipod on and go.  It's a great way to keep fit.  I'm not happy with my post baby body so I'm hoping a mix of running and my Nike Training App I will get my body back.  I love the Nike app as you can pick the workout you want to do and they have focused workouts on problem areas - mine being my bum & my belly.

So I have signed up to do the Blackpool Half Marathon on 2th April 2015 with Fylde Coast Running.  Fylde Coast Running cover all races in my area so its my go to website.  Plus it's how you register for runs.





Since the half marathon is a year away it gives me plenty of time to get my running mojo back then start my training.  I am also going to blog about my running week every Friday.  I am hoping that this will also give me focus and motivation to keep running.

I have decided I am going to run to raise money for a very worthy charity.  The charity is Diabetes UK.  As I have mentioned before my husband has Type 1 Diabetes so this is a charity very close to my heart.  It's another motivation to keep running as I won't want to let them down.


As it's the 26th April tomorrow my running journey starts tomorrow - a year to the day until the half marathon.  I hope you will cheer me along and come back every Friday to find out how I am getting on




   

Thursday 24 April 2014

Funky Giraffe Bibs - Review

Baby M dribbles - A LOT!!

It is worse when his teeth are really troubling him

We didn't want to keep him in feeding bibs all day but we needed to get something to save his clothes being soaking wet.  Some of the dribble bibs we found looked great but didn't do the trick as his clothes still got wet

Then we found Funky Giraffe Bibs.  They are brilliant!!





I ordered 5 bibs as I thought this would be enough for us.

There are some brilliant designs on the website.  As Mr M loves planes we had to get some of the plane designs.



I love the bandana bibs, they go great with any outfit.

Funky Giraffe Bibs have a a fleece backing and are cotton on the front.  They keep Baby M dry and he can wear the bib for ages without his chest getting wet.  I also love that they fasten with poppers rather than velcro.  It means the bib is secure and he can't pull it off but also makes it great for washing as I find after a while velcro loses its stickiness.

I love these bibs so much I am going to get more.  5 is a great number but I think I will get another 5.

There are great deals on the website, you can get 5 bibs for £11 with free delivery or 10 bibs for £20.50 again with free delivery.

They also have moccasins, socks, clothes and burp cloths - all look great!

I would highly recommend these bibs, I can't fault them!!


I have put these link on Family Fever and We're Going on an Adventure #TriedTested, go check out other great reviews!!


Disclaimer: I have not been paid for this review and I bought these items because I liked them.  All views are my own


Wednesday 23 April 2014

Our Easter trip

We spent our Easter weekend in Northumberland at my parent's caravan.  We had a lovely time!!

The weather was AMAZING!! So sunny!

We decided to explore Couquetdale - which is the area surrounding my parent's caravan.

We also paid a visit to the beach with the family dog





We also went on a number of walks

At the back of the caravan site is a hill.  At the top of this hill is a tower - we thought we would explore




A sun hat and suncream were essential for our walks.  We wanted to make sure Baby M had a good time but was also protected from the sun.

We decided to walk up the Simonside hills, also found at the back of the caravan site.  My mum packed at bag of water and snacks and we started on our walk.  Baby M loves being in his baby carrier - which is good as there was no way we could have taken the stroller on this walk, far too bumpy!





Half way up the hill we took in the wonderful views




We finally made it to the top.  Baby M had fallen asleep by this point, all the walking had tired him out


We had a lovely time

We loved exploring the local area

Both Mr M & I love walking and I was brought up by parents who love to walk.

It's a great way of finding new things and it's free!

We are back to the caravan in July for a week and we are hoping to visit more interesting sites nearby


I have added this link to Coombe Mill #CountryKids go check out all the other great posts


Tuesday 22 April 2014

Swimming - class 7

This week swimming was back after a 2 week break for Easter

It's amazing how much can change in 2 weeks! Before the break Baby M had been thrown by the clocks going forward but now he is sleeping well through the night and had his bottle at a really good time.  We even managed a 20 minute nap before our class

It was great to see everyone after the break and everyone has grown!

It was like we'd never been on a break, the babies really enjoyed their class. 

We did our usual lesson plan and our underwater swims were unassisted.  Baby M did great but still seems to feel the cold. 

Our last underwater swim was brilliant as mum's we donned our goggles for the first time and as our instructor lowered baby into the water we went down too and could see them for the first time underwater.  It was really special!!

We have 2 weeks of class left (we started a week later than everyone else) and then we move to another pool.  I have really enjoyed the lessons but I can't wait to move to the other pool.  It's a hydrotherapy pool and the instructor says it's the warmest pool she teaches at.  The pool we currently go to is at a hotel and Baby M just doesn't like the cold water on his head.  He is so sensitive to temperature anyway - you can tell when he is too hot or cold as he proper cries. 

I loved going underwater with Baby M this week and look forward to doing it again




Tuesday 15 April 2014

Daddy is feeling much better

Daddy is feeling much better.

So much so that he is going back to work.

I am so happy that he is working along his path of recovery and now feels like he can return to work. 

I do worry about how I will manage on my own with Baby M as we've had daddy with us all this time.  Part of me is also really excited about having time with Baby M on my own and have mummy/baby time.

Baby M is 4 months old now and I feel a lot more confident in my parenting ability than I did at the start.  Out of the 2 of us I am happy to put Baby M in his chair or playmat so I can get things done whereas Daddy likes to have him in his arms - I'm not sure if some of that is because of how he was feeling though.  Everyone loves cuddles!

Mr M has done so well and I am so proud of him. 

We have tried to work as a team throughout, although I think it helps I work in the mental health field.  Whilst Mr M has been waiting for counseling/CBT from services we have already been doing some of the work.  When he feels anxious or has a worrying thought we talk about it.  I challenge him about what he thinks will happen - what is the worse case scenario and what is the best?  How likely is it that what he is worrying about will happen?  What will he do if it does?  What can he do to reduce these worries?  How can he distract himself?  There are lots of self help websites and books out there and some of them are helpful but I think you need someone to talk through alongside them.

Mr M has found the constant questioning of when he is going back to work and when will he feel better slightly detrimental to his recovery.  I know people are trying to be helpful and showing concern but mental health issues aren't the same as breaking your leg or having a bug.  You can't just wear a cast or take some antibiotics and you're fine.  There is no quick fix!! There's no magic pill!! I can't tell you how many times in my professional life I have wished I had a magic wand that I could wave and make everything ok for people.

Mr M is still working hard to walk along his path of recovery but he is doing really well and I am so proud of him. 


If you're affected by any mental health issues please don't feel you have to suffer in silence, the best thing you can do is talk.  Whether it be to your GP, a friend, a family member or one of the various charities out there - you are not alone


Monday 14 April 2014

Searching for Shipwrecks

My mum has been visiting for the weekend and as the weather has been nice we decided to go for a walk with Baby M.

The Fylde Coast has become a little bit of a ship graveyard - the first shipwreck was the Travers in 1755 and the last was the MS Riverdance in 2008. 

The beach where we live is beautiful and clear.  Great for families

Further along the beach there is a memorial to all the ships that have run a ground along the coast.  As you can see here is a long list!

Down the side of the memorial is a list which is easier to read

When you peer through the hole in the memorial and the tide is out you can see the shipwreck of the Abana.

The Abana was a Norwegian ship that in 1894 was traveling from Liverpool to Florida when it got caught in the storm.  The ship thought the recently built Blackpool Tower was a lighthouse and wrecked on the beach.

The shipwreck can be seen in the distance.

I've walked past this lots of times but I didn't know the story behind the wreck.  I remember the MS Riverdance ferry running a ground and being on the news - I hadn't moved to the area at that time.  I also didn't realise there had been so many shipwrecks in such a small area! Nowadays the only ships you really see are the Heysham-Isle of Man ferry. 

I want Baby M to know there is a lot of history and interest in the area.


I've linked this post with Coombe Mill #CountryKids, please go and check out other posts about great days out!

Thursday 10 April 2014

4 months

I can't believe our little boy is 4 months old!!! Where has the time gone??

He was weighed this week at the weighing clinic and now weighs 15lb4oz, he's put on 1lb5oz in 4 weeks.

We also had his 3rd vaccinations this week - 5 in 1 and Pneumococcal vaccines.  We had a 20 second cry but then he was fine afterwards and didn't seem to get any ill effects.  He's such a brave boy!

Baby M is growing and developing into a tiny person, he is such a cheeky chappy.  He is such a happy baby giving us smiles and giggles.  He only cries when he is hungry.

He's interacting so much more with us and his surroundings now.  He loves to play!! He can now reach out for his toys on his play mat and bouncer chair.  He loves his birdy and smiles when you give it to him.  The concentration on his face when he is holding his toys and moving them about is adorable.


His speech is developing too, he keeps finding new noises to make.  His current favourite thing to do is putting his lips together and blowing air out, like we do on his belly. 

He loves us blowing on his tummy.

Bath time is so much fun.  I don't think he will be in his baby bath much longer.  He loves kicking and splashing - we've now had to put towels all around the bath to try and soak up the water.

Baby M is now in his cot too, he doesn't seem to have been phased by it.  We do still let him fall asleep on us but we are going to put him down in his cot this week to break that habit.

He has such strong legs - even the health visitor commented on this when she visited.  He would much rather stand than sit and has even attempted to put one foot in front of the other.  When he's lying down he tries to roll over but hasn't quite got there yet.  When he does sit down he has now found his feet and wiggles them and grabs them.


The health visitor told us he is definitely teething and I think they have been causing him some discomfort this week.  We've tried gels, teething rings but he would rather shove his fists in his mouth, sometimes making himself gag because he's put his fingers too far into his mouth.  I also think he's found his thumb, I've noticed it in his mouth a few times.



We've got lots on this month, I can't wait to see his reactions to things and watching him develop.  Who knows what he will have achieved in the next month!

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Mummy Baking - Rhubarb Crumble

We grow our own rhubarb.  Last year I kept leaving it thinking it would grown more and it ended up rotting.  This year to encourage more growth I have decided to cut of stems when they have reached a reasonable size.

I asked Mr M what he would like me to do with the rhubarb and he said he really wanted a crumble.  As there wasn't that much rhubarb I decided to make 2 small individual crumbles for us.





Below is the recipe I use for a normal size crumble for these small ones I halved the amount of everything

Preheat the oven to 180degrees

Measure 8oz flour, 3oz butter and 4 teaspoons of sweetner/5oz sugar (Mr M is type 1 diabetic so I try not to use sugar)

Mix these in a bowl.  Rub the mixture between your fingers to get the best crumbly effect




Cut the rhubarb into small cubes and put in a pan.

Use a dessert spoon to put about 5 spoonfuls of water into the pan.  You aren't boiling the rhubarb but adding enough water to help it soften.  I keep some in a cup beside me as I cook incase I need to add more

Put the rhubarb mix in your bowl/ramekins



Put your crumble mix on top of the rhubarb

Place in the oven for 30 minutes




Put in a bowl with cream/ice cream/custard

Yum Yum!!



Tuesday 8 April 2014

Stylfile Nipper Clipper - Review

Baby M has talons.  It can really hurt when he nips.  He has a really good grip too!

I wanted to get nail clippers that would hep manage the talon situation but were also aimed at babies.

I discovered Nipper Clipper from Stylfile.  Stylfile was created by 2011 Apprentice winner Tom Pellereau.  He invented the Nipper Clipper when he found out he was going to be a dad.





The Nipper Clipper comes with a nail clipper, nail file and also a distraction app which is available in the Apple Store




I love the nail clippers as they are easy to hold with the chunky grip and the have an eye hole so you can see baby's nail.  They are quiet too, there's no 'clipping' noise to frighten baby. 

The nail file is perfect baby size and with it's S shape is again easy to hold and use on baby's nails.  It helps make sure the nails are smooth.

The app is great - it's an octopus that changes into various things and then objects and letters fall down the screen whilst fun music and giggling in played in the background.  The octopus also says "Baby" to get Baby's attention before each change.  There are 3 settings from newborn which is auto control to your baby controlling the app with their gurgles and voice. 


The only downside of the app is it is only available on Apple devices so if you don't have one of them you're a little stuck.

I find it easier when I use the app for Baby M to sit on my knee and my cut his nails and Mr M hold the app.  We tried him sitting on Mr M's lap whilst Mr M held the app and I cut Baby M's nails but i found that much more fiddly.

RRP is £9.99 although we got our from Amazon for £8.94.


I love the Nipper Clipper - I can safely cut Baby M's nails with the clippers and see what I am doing.  The nail file is great too for making sure there aren't any jagged edges left.  The app is a lovely added bonus but I think I will use it pretty rarely - maybe when Baby M is a little older I might use it more and he needs distracting but at the moment I wouldn't cut his nails if he was upset anyway.

I'd recommend this product

Disclaimer: I bought this product due to the fact I thought it would be useful for Baby M.  No review was promised and I didn't receive any payment for this review

I've added this review to Family Fever and We're going on an adventure #TriedTested Linky - check out other great reviews on their sites

Monday 7 April 2014

Big Boy in his Big Boy Cot

We have been putting it off but we finally moved Baby M into his cot.

He has been getting far too big for his moses basket but our lack of courage has stopped us moving him into his cot because it means he now sleeps in his own room.

I know the guidelines are that Baby should sleep in your room until they are 6 months old but our bedroom just won't facilitate that, the room just isn't big enough. 

We picked a night (and we were going to change it but after a panic we stuck to our guns).  We chose Tuesday night last week as Baby M has swimming on a that day and we thought that might help him sleep better at night, hes usually shattered. 


We have an Angelcare monitor which not only monitors sound but movement with a sensor pad.  We put the sensor pad wires through the bottom of the cot bed as it has slats so there is no way Baby M can get to the wires.  An alarm sounds if there is no movement detected for 20 seconds.  I know ours works fine as I forgot the turn the monitor off when I picked Baby M up and the alarm went off (scaring Mr M half to death!)


We also use sleeping bags so that Baby M doesn't have any covers near him and can't put these covers over himself.

I know we had taken all safety precautions we could think of but that first night I hardly slept a wink!!  Was the monitor working?? Why is it quiet?? There's a noise - what was that noise?? He whimpered - is he ok??  There was one moment where there was a lot of rustling on the monitor and I got myself in a panic that Baby M was stuck (I have no idea what he would be stuck on though!) so I went into his room and he was just having a wriggle and throwing his arms about.

Baby M has slept absolutely fine every night!!!! He doesn't seem bothered.  Yes his has a little grumble when we put him down but he did that in his moses basket.  He also has a few grumbles through the night as well but again these happened when he was in his moses basket.  He isn't battering his hands and feet off the moses basket anymore, which is great.  He is sleeping longer into the morning, he would wake at 530-6 when in our room but the past 2 mornings he has woken up at 7-730.  Good boy!!

My sleep is improving although because I know Mr M won't hear Baby M (he's a typical man and goes deaf when he goes to sleep) I am still probably quite alert and not in a deep sleep.  We have the monitor on the sound activated setting so any noise sets the monitor off in our room.  Because Baby M is still waking for feeds in the night I want to be able to hear him stirring so I can make his bottle.

I'm so proud of him sleeping in his cot and how well he has taken to it.  He's such a star.



 

Friday 4 April 2014

Weaning visit from Health Visitor

We haven't heard from our health visitor since Baby M was 7 weeks old, we contacted the office last week as we were concerned that Baby M has been finishing his 7oz bottles.  It turns out our health visitor is on long term sick leave.  Another health visitor came out to see us to have a chat about our options with Baby M but also to give us our weaning chat.

Firstly we had a chat about Baby M and his development.  He loves standing and was doing his standing man when the health visitor arrived - she was really impressed and pleased with how strong he appears on his legs.  She thinks he might stand/walk before he crawls as he would rather be standing than sitting.  She was also happy with his babbling (he started to get tired not long after she arrived and he started his "dring dring" routine)

It was reassuring for us to hear everything was as it should be and that we are doing things that we should.  As first time parents we often feel we are winging it and making it up as we go along.

We then turned the discussion to Baby M and his appetite.  He has always been a hungry-ish baby but recently he has been having all of his bottles and instead of waiting 4 hours between feeds it's now 3 hours.  The health visitor informed us that babies go through a growth spurt at 4 months and this could account for his increase in appetite.  She encouraged us to stick with our current approach and see how we get on.  If we can manage to get to 5 months she stated this would be better to start introducing baby rice but she also recognised that we might not be able to wait that long. 

We then had a chat about weaning in general.  We are going to cook our own food for Baby M and use pouches/bottles at a minimum.  I've seen a great product from Fill and Squeeze that I want to get for when we are going out and about, that way we can have our own food in pouches - brilliant!!

We talked about the fruits that we can give Baby M (apples, pears, melons) and vegetables (all really but especially carrot, butternut squash, sweet potato, potato). After 6 months we can look at introducing meats and fish.  The health visitor gave us a great booklet to read that has lots of information in.





We need to get some round flat weaning spoons and some bowls.  We also need to get some tubs to store the food we make in as we will only need small amounts to start with.  I can see our freezer being full of tiny tubs!


Our next visit will be between 7-9 months old and they will check his development further and chat to us about the next stage of weaning. 

Thursday 3 April 2014

Cuski Comforter - Review

I know not every baby needs comforting but I've been surprised by Baby M.

I thought he was going to be a thumb sucker - yes he puts his thumb and his fingers in his mouth but I think this is more due to finding himself and possible teething issues rather than comfort.

Baby M did have a dummy sometimes when he was upset when he was very young but recently giving him a dummy seems to upset him more rather than offer comfort.

We have introduced a Cuski comforter.

The idea is that Mummy/Daddy sleep with the Cuski (or in our case put it down their top) to transfer your scent to the Cuski.  You then give the Cuski to baby.  Baby will then feel safe due to your smell and feel like you are close to them and drift off to sleep.

Baby M always falls asleep on us and this is his preferred way of falling asleep, we thought having a Cuski might mean he will eventually fall asleep without us needing to cuddle him to sleep.


Baby M likes to have Cuski with him during the day at times too.  Although the Cuski is not a teether Baby M does put it in his mouth sometimes, he likes the knots on the end.  We try to encourage him to just use it as a comforter but it's hard as everything is going in his mouth at the moment.

We've moved Baby M to his cot this week so we hope that having his Cuski will make that transfer nice and smooth.

We have the Cool Dude comforter which is made from muslin, it is soooo soft!It really easy to clean to, you can put it in the washing machine and tumble dryer!!

I would recommend a Cuski comforter, especially if your baby is like Baby M and isn't keen on dummies, or if you don't want baby to have a dummy this is a great alternative!

A muslin comforter like ours is £17.99 or a bamboo yarn comforter is £16.99

Disclaimer:  No money was exchanged for this review, I purchased this Cuski myself and no review was promised.  Views are my own.

I've added this link to Family Fever and Going on an Adventure #TriedTested, check out the websites for other great reviews from parents!!

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Swimming class - week 6

We are more than half way through our beginners swimming class

This week the clocks moving forward has totally thrown us, we had our pre-swimming routine down to a fine art, the clocks going forward totally messed that up.  Baby M didn't have his pre-swimming nap - I knew that would mean we'd probably be cranky.

Again another week where the class didn't disappoint.  We did all our normal routines, the babies are definitely getting used to them now and enjoying themselves.

This week our first underwater swim was like last week and we had to let baby go, touch the wall then pick them up. 

This week we did our second underwater moving swim where we let baby go.  I'm not sure if I put Baby M too deep or whether by this point (20mins) into the class he had had enough but he cried and continued to be a bit grumpy. 

Our instructor gave me a spaceship and I blew bubbles to see if this would distract him but I think he was just a little too tired.  He didn't do the 3rd underwater swim due to the fact we thought there was no point upsetting him further.  He did cheer up a little after that though and finished the class.

We now have a 2 week break for Easter.  We are going to keep doing Name, Ready, Go in the bath to keep that up whilst we have the break.  I'm hoping that by the time we go back to class we will have him in a better morning routine and we won't have the tiredness issue we had for this lesson.


Tuesday 1 April 2014

Mummy Baking - Banana Loaf

I love baking!! I'm no Mary Berry but I do enjoy it.  I have to be careful what I bake though with Mr M being a Type 1 diabetic I like to make sure he can enjoy what I bake too.  I use Splenda instead of sugar when baking to make it more diabetic friendly.

One of our favourite bakes is Banana Loaf.

Mr M won't eat banana's once the skin has bruises on it (he thinks the banana is off - no matter how many times I tell him they are still quite edible!!)

You need butter (or vitalite in our house as I am lactose intolerant and it's dairy free), 2 eggs, self raising flour, Splenda (or sugar), 2 bananas, a loaf tin, scales and mixing bowls.

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees.

Butter/margarine the inside of your loaf tin






Put 7 teaspoons of Splenda in a bowl (or 175g sugar)

Add 125g butter/margarine to the bowl





Mix this together.  Add your 2 eggs





I whisk the eggs into the mix but you can use a wooden spoon

Measure out 250g self raising flour and gradually add this to the mix, stirring as you go (with a wooden spoon)



Once all the flour is added and mixed in, mash up your 2 bananas and add them to the mix





Stir in the bananas

Place your mix in your loaf tin





Place in the oven for 45 minutes.  Check with a skewer that the loaf is cooked through.  Turn out onto a cooling rack (or in my case a shelf of my oven with kitchen roll on it)





Once cooled cut and enjoy :)



A really tasty recipe!