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April’s Top Tester Faye reviews the Graco Fusio
Faye Rios from Torquay is Mum to Imogen (3 years) and Joseph (12 weeks). Faye recently purchased the Graco Fusio for her little boy Joseph and is that impressed with this travel system that she sent us a review to share with our readers…
With an original retail price of £299, I personally think The Fusio is great value for money. The price includes the Pushchair, Footmuf, Apron, Rain Cover and a very cosy Newborn Liner. It’s really easy to assemble as it’s just a case of snapping on the wheels and it comes with a really clear set of instructions.
It can also be used as a travel system by adding the Logio S Deluxe Car Seat and adapter and you can also purchase a hard Carry Cot if you wish. The seat is reversible and it’s really simple to switch around, you just unclip the seat and turn it around, clip in one side then stretch the seat and clip in the other side. The Seat has four reclining positions from lying down flat (for newborns) to sat up straight (for toddlers up to 3) as well as a five point harness system.
The hood is nice and big to shade little eyes from the sun and has a lovely see through bit to allow you to peek in if your child is forward facing. This also enables little ones to get a good view of the clouds if they are rear facing. The 
Graco Fusio is made from UV tested fabrics which offer peace of mind to parents and essential protection for little ones.
The Graco Fusio folds and unfolds very easily with colour codes to let you know if the pushchair is not fully open. The step on/off foot break is also colour coded as well as the locking wheels, which is on the side of pushchair – no need to bend down! Because the Graco Fusio uses an umbrella folding system, when folded it’s nice and compact and doesn’t take up much room in the boot of a car. I have a Renault Megane, which doesn’t have the biggest boot space, and there is still plenty of room for a weeks shopping and my changing bag when the system is folded.
The Graco Fusio is free standing when folded which created a lot of interest in the doctors surgery whilst visiting the health visitor.
As the Graco Fusio only has small wheels I was concerned about taking it off road, but it’s handled really well. We’ve been across bumpy streets, grassy parks and even a stony beach and my little boy still hasn’t been woken! It’s also great at doing a 360 degree turn,which is ideal for chasing after a tearaway toddler!
The Graco Fusio has a huge shopping basket, big enough to take my rather large OiOi changing bag. The handles will also take a couple of shopping bags each if required. The handles swivel so can be adjusted for pushers of different heights and although they are very low in the lowest position my Husband found the highest option to be quite comfortable and he’s six foot.
All in all I think the Graco Fusio is great travel system and is fantastic value for money as it’ll be the only pushchair I’ll ever need.
Available from www.preciouslittleone.co.uk for only £234.94 the Graco Fusio comes in a range of colours and designs and includes a number of accessories.
March’s Top Tester, Phillipa Ashfield reviews Peppa Pig’s Super Noisy Sound Book.
Phillipa Ashfield, 38 from the West Midlands is Mum to five children: Eleanor (3 months), Chloe (21 months), Ben (11 years), Shannon (16 years) and Sasha (20 years).
Phillipa purchased the Peppa’s Super Noisy Sound Book from Asda at Christmas time for only £5.00.
This book is colourful, eye catching and has buttons on each page which match the images so that the child can select what they see! The buttons are easy to press and allow the child to play a matching game between images and sounds, over time building sound recognition skills.
The Peppa’s Super Noisy Sound Book is based upon episodes from the number one pre-school children’s TV show. The book has eighteen sounds in total to choose from and is the ideal gift for any Peppa Pig fan. Chloe( 21 months) is particularly fond of this book. However, Phillipa suggests that is could be improved by having volume control!
Peppa Pig’s Super Noisy Sound Book is currently available for only £8.19 from www.amazon.co.uk or alternatively you can source this book for even less using the amazon marketplace (currently retailing this book at £6.48).
February’s Top Tester Kim Massey reviews the Fisher Price Precious Planet Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer
Kim Massey, 29 from Newcastle upon Tyne (Mum to Lylah,14 weeks old) shares her views and opinions upon the Fisher Price Precious Planet Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer
“The good things about this bouncer are that it is suitable from birth, literally from day one! Lylah had her day time naps in this bouncer chair. The vibrate function which this bouncer seat offers is ideal for colic, wind and hiccups and often sent her to sleep.
The snow globe and fish featured upon the toy bar light up which mesmerises little ones, this is a useful feature during the night time or other times which may require low lighting.
The Music and sounds featured as part of the bouncer are soothing and environmentally based. The features included as part of the seat such as lights, sound and vibration can either be parent activated or baby activated, this setting can be altered according to your choice. Although, when on hard flooring the bouncer seat does tend to make a rattle…
Although you may expect the Fisher Price Precious Planet Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer to use up batteries it tends not to use up battery power as you might imagine! However, as the bouncer seat requires 4 D batteries, they can be expensive to replace!”
This unisex, deluxe baby bouncer is lightweight and has non-skid feet for safety. Available from www.babycity.co.uk for only £59.99, the Fisher Price Precious Planet Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer features a safe, comfortable seat with a three point harness. The cushioned seat is removable and can be machine washed at 40 degrees Celsius.
The Fisher Price Precious Planet Snow Globe & Lights Bouncer is the ideal place to seat your child whilst soothing, stimulating and entertaining little minds!
January’s Top Tester Catherine reviews the Asda’s Boy’s Snuggler Blanket
Catherine Haswell (22) from Birtley, County Durham is Mum to Daniel (4 years old), Emily (2 years old) and Matthew (17 months old). Catherine was given the Asda brand Boy’s Snuggler Blanket as a newborn gift. However, it didn’t come into use until her son Matthew was around fourteen months of age…
Whilst Matthew was being weaned from breast milk, he often woke. It was at this time that Matthew found the snuggler blanket to be of great comfort. During this time Matthew also struggled with teething problems and found the blanket useful to chew on thus reducing his pain .
Catherine offered Matthew the snuggler blanket along with a pacifier as an alternative to being picked up and comforted, the comforter seemed a suitable alternative for Matthew and he is now happy to settle in his cot so long as his snuggler blanket is placed close by!
The Snuggler Blanket is available in three colours (pink, blue or neutral) for only £3.50 from Asda. The snuggler is machine washable and after being washed still feels brand new and soft to the touch. The teddy bear is attached to a blanket which is the ideal size for toddlers.
Although Matthew often ends up with the blanket over his face, it is not too big that it covers him and as the material isn’t too thick Matthew doesn’t become too hot from cuddling the snuggler.
Available for only £3.50 the Snuggler Blanket is very good value for money and cheap enough to buy a spare if the item does become a firm favourite.
Decembers Top Tester Lisa Beedham tells us about Alfie’s Amber Teething Necklace.
Lisa (27) from Blackpool is Mum to Alfie (17 months). Alfie has previously struggled with teething troubles, after being advised by a friend to try using an Amber Teething Necklace Lisa decided to give it a go and ordered one online from http://www.amber-teething-necklaces.co.uk for £13.99
Amber is said to have healing properties, Amber Teething Necklaces are a traditional European remedy used to reduce teething pain. Amber has been used for centuries in Europe with successful results. Suitable for babies six weeks upwards, Amber teething necklaces are widely available online from a range of retailors.
Amber teething necklaces do n
ot come particularly cheap. However, Lisa explains that it was literally her last resort as nothing else seemed to help Alfie. Lisa says that she had already tried Baby Paracetamol, Teething Rings, Teething Powders, Teething Gels and none of these made any difference to Alfie’s pain.
Alfie has been wearing his Amber Teething Necklace for almost two months now, Alfie has recently had two large teeth appear at the top of his mouth and one tooth at the bottom. None of these teeth arriving seems to have bothered Alfie since wearing the Amber Teething Necklace. It seems the Amber does indeed have ‘healing powers!’.
Each bead upon the necklace is attached so that even if one bead breaks off it will not fall apart, only the bead which breaks would come off, therefore reducing worries upon children breaking the necklace and detaching the beads.
Lisa is unable to identify a single negative aspect to this product other than the high price. However, in comparison with the price of a child’s comfort and happiness it is ‘well worth paying’.
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