Tag Archive for baby

Chicco Today Travel System – Part One

| January 28, 2013 | Comments Off

Chicco Travel SystemWe recently purchased the Chicco Today Travel System, in preparation for the birth of our baby. Here is a photo of me with my baby bump, plus the baby’s older sister Sapphire and her teddy ‘Mrs Easter’ taking the stroller for a test drive !

The Chicco Travel System comprises of a stroller with a carry cot, car seat, cosy toes and rain cover. We really liked the cheery, red colour  (I think it also comes in grey too), and the soft padding (which looks as if it will be wipeable for all those baby spills) on the back and arm rests. The stroller is also very lightweight which is good if you have a bad back like me!

Also, I like the little tray by the handle, which has a cubby hole to keep little bits and bobs in, plus a drink holder for my latte (and later baby’s bottle).  Now I’m not sure if this is down to user error or not, but the whole thing was a bit tricky to put together… The wheels went on fine, and the carry cot and car seat were fairly self explanatory, but it took ages to work out how to unfold and refold the stroller. Oddly the instruction booklet didn’t seem to match up to the various handles, buttons and catches we could see on the stroller. Ironically it was Sapphire who managed to work it out in the end!

Chicco Today Travel SystemOnce we had got to grips with the folding and unfolding business, we realised that the handle actually folds down further, which was great as it meant the stroller could fit in the boot of my miniscule Vauxhall Agila car. This was great news, as I remember having to buy a bigger car when Sapphire was born, just to accommodate her pram!

Part 2 to follow soon and I’ll tell you how I’m getting on with the buggy and baby together!

Buy from Kiddisave

This blog has been written by one of TheBabyWebsite members ‘Jerushah‘.

Category: Baby Things | Tags: , , , ,

Getting the Nursery Ready for Baby

| January 14, 2013 | Comments Off

baby in bedBringing a new baby home to his or her special room is one of the most precious moments that any new parents can experience. Designing and decorating the nursery in preparation for baby’s arrival is exciting and by keeping a few practical tips in mind it is easy to pull together a comfortable and safe environment for baby and family.

Basic nursery elements

Naturally, the most important item in a nursery will be the cot. Some new parents choose to use a Moses basket or bassinet for the first few weeks, but many opt to move straight to the cot. Many different types of cot are available, from standard cots to mini cots to convertible cots that transform into toddler beds or daybeds when the time comes. With a variety of styles and finishes available, the only requirement for a cot is that it meets current safety standards.

Another necessary piece of furniture (if there’s room) is a comfortable chair of some kind, whether a rocking chair or recliner. New parents will spend a lot of time in the nursery with baby, feeding and soothing their little one, so being comfortable and able to relax is paramount. A daybed is another good choice, offering a place for a quick nap, a comfortable spot for a guest, or a convenient place to fold baby clothes.

baby under blanketA safe changing table, preferably with a low rail or strap-restraint system, is the final element that every nursery should have. Storage in and around the changing table is also key, so adding some low shelves and a storage rack will keep items close and accessible.

Advice and tips for decorating a nursery

When choosing paint or wallpaper for the nursery, bear in mind that a newborn can only see in black, white and grey. Their sight eventually develops, with red becoming recognisable first and then cooler tones such as blue and green. Painting techniques, such as painting the walls with oversized stripes, are a great way to add colour that can easily be changed, with the individual stripes being swapped for a different colour as desired.

Though a nursery is the domain of the baby, this does not mean that it cannot reflect the sophistication and creativity of the parents. Adding classic touches, such as large monogrammed initials on the wall, framed engravings and pictures from old children’s books, custom window shutters or fabric window treatments, or colourful patterned wallpaper, are great ways to add elegant touches while maintaining a mum and babysimple and comfortable air.

Things are bound to get dirty in a nursery, so finding a way to keep up with the cleaning while minimising stress is ideal. A hardwood or tiled floor is one of the easiest floor surfaces to keep clean and dust-free. A few washable throw rugs or a soft area rug can be added to help muffle sound, prolong the durability and life of the floor or carpet, and add colour and texture to the room’s design.

Plentiful lighting that can be controlled as needed is important in the nursery. A dimmer switch can be added to central overhead lighting, helping to save on the electric bill while making the lighting completely adjustable.

Category: Baby Things | Tags: , ,

Bright Ideas for Decorating Baby’s Room

| October 26, 2012 | Comments Off

baby nurseryA new baby’s nursery needs to be fun and practical!

There are many things to consider when decorating baby’s room, from choosing a colour scheme to picking and placing the necessary furniture.  Planning is essential; taking time to imagine the finished room can help obtain the right mix of cosy warmth for bedtime and restful nights and a bright, interesting atmosphere for fun and development by day.

Colour

If the gender of the baby isn’t known parents could choose a neutral colour palette such as purples, yellows or greens.  Soft colours and pastels create an inviting, warm space and adding splashes of brighter colours, whites or creams can bring a room to life.

Think about ways colours can be combined to make the best of the space available and to define the area for a specific purpose.  Dim corners can be painted in bright or pale colours to reflect the light and make the space seem bigger, or softer colours can be used to create a tranquil area for feeding or comforting baby.

Colour schemes for boys and girls can be exciting and imaginative – no need to stick to pink for girls and blue for boys; hot pinks and sky blues liven up a pale scheme for babies of either gender, especially when coupled with specialist paints, such as glow-in-the-dark or glittery textured paints.  Try using luminous paint to craft a ceiling full of stars to bring some magic to bedtime, or blackboard paint on a wall to encourage creativity.

Furniture and furnishings:

Other senses can be stimulated by the use of textures and shapes; cushions, rugs, pictures, mobiles and hangings all help to create an exciting place to explore touch and sound as well as sight.

It is best to avoid over-cluttering a nursery room with unnecessary furniture.  Choose items that meet the needs of parents and baby – practical storage such as changing tables with built-in cupboards for nappy-changing equipment, and comfortable seating for feeding and play; leather sofas are easy-clean and practical and can be the ideal place for parents to rest or relax with their new arrival.

If the budget is tight, reclaimed furniture can be cleaned, sanded and painted in colours to match or complement the theme.  Adding transfers or stickers and novelty handles is an inexpensive way of making a statement and providing an interesting environment for a growing baby.  As baby develops, painting numbers, letters, words and family members’ names onto surfaces can be a fun way of starting babies on the path to learning.

Safety first:

Above all, a baby’s room should be a safe place for all the family:

  • Lamps and other electrical items must be safely installed to avoid exposure to wires and sockets.
  • Paints should be non-toxic, hardwearing and, preferably, washable – a sensible way to keep the nursery clean and hygienic.
  • Cords and strings from electrical goods, curtains and blinds should be kept out of the reach of babies and young children.
  • Avoid clutter – parents need to be safe when using the room in dim light.

Category: Baby Things | Tags: , , ,

Gifts That Last A Lifetime

| May 23, 2012 | 2 comments

Handprint NecklaceThe birth of a new child is naturally one of the most momentous occasions we will experience in our lifetime.

Alongside the usual presents – the clothes, toys and flowers - you may also want to invest in a gift more permanent as a lifelong memento. A keepsake that will not only celebrate their birth but be something either you or they can cherish their whole lives.

Personalised Jewellery

A handmade, lovingly crafted piece of silver jewellery can last a lifetime and if it is personalised, the story carried in the precious metal can be carried by the wearer throughout their lives. The piece can be customised with a symbol, a name, initials or favourite saying. Joulberry features an impressive range of fingerprint jewellery, which can contain the fingerprint (or handprint or footprint) of a loved child. The process to capture the tender print is very easy and results in a truly heartwarming gift for either the parents, the child to carry as they get older or for relatives.

Plant a tree

Planting a tree is not only a wonderful gesture and a lifelong gift but also great for the environment. You can plant a sappling in a forest and receive a certificate in their name. We suggest trying the Heart of England “Plant a Sapling” scheme. In future, everytime you take a walk in the beautiful wood you can watch the tree grow in strength and maturity alongside your new arrival.

Name a Rose

orange roseIf you love flowers like us this is a super gift. You can name a beautiful rose after the new born child and receive a packet of unique seeds, which you could sow in your garden. The rose is added to a national database so you can be sure it is a one-of-a-kind. The seeds are sent with a certificate and a unique database number.

Name a Star 

Prince William, Leo Blair, Madonna’s daughter, Lourdes (named by actor Michael Baldwin), and Brooklyn Beckham (named for David and Victoria Beckham by Emma Bunton) have all had stars named after them. The International Star Registry is the world’s database of star names. Since there are more stars in the galaxy than people on our planet we’re unlikely to run out any time soon and of course, barring a supernova, you can guarantee they will last a lifetime. (Be aware the star naming is not officially sanctioned by the International Astronomical Union.

Joulberry logoYou can Win a Lovely Teardrop Handprint Necklace from Joulberry in our New Competition!

Category: Gifts, Shopping and About Town | Tags: , , , ,

We’re Having A Baby

| April 12, 2012 | Comments Off

Firecracker logoAre you having a baby?
Are you aged 16 – 25?
Do you want to share your story?

Firecracker Films are making a documentary for BBC3, following young Brits embarking on one of the most remarkable journeys of their lives – having a baby.

  • We’re looking for individuals or couples, aged between 16-25, who are having a baby and want to share their story.
  • We want YOU to film yourself over several months, capturing the highs and lows along the way.
  • Perhaps you’ve just found out you’re pregnant, or you’re soon to give birth? Maybe this is your first child, or perhaps you’re already a parent? Is having a child scary, hard work, as well as joyous and rewarding?
  • Whatever your experience, this is a unique opportunity to tell your story, in your own words.

If you’d like to know more, please contact
baby[at]firecrackerfilms.com  or call 020 7349 7048

All correspondence will be dealt with in complete confidence and by contacting us you are not making a commitment to take part in the final programme.

Category: Television, Cinema and Entertainment | Tags: , ,

Is Your Child a Fussy Eater?

| January 19, 2012 | Comments Off

feeding babyMums can often be heard complaining about one or more of their children being a fussy eater.

Lots of children go through a phase of being a fussy eater, but parents have to help them to get rid of this habit. Avoiding meals and eating junk food can actually lead to nutritional deficiency in young children. Kids need a balanced diet for their proper development. Parents have to make their kids understand the need to eat healthily and its impact on their future if they don’t. Here are some tips to help your child develop better eating habits.

1. Don’t let the child be your boss

You, as a parent, should set the rules for eating proper meals every day. Do not let your child have his way and eat unhealthy food. If your child shows little interest in eating, make it clear that you will not change the menu. Ask them to eat the food a little later or remain hungry. Do not offer junk food instead.

2. Don’t force your child to eat

Forceful feeding can actually make your child hate the food. Pushing the food inside your child’s mouth or reprimanding them will never help. Let them understand the importance of food. If you remain patient and gentle, slowly but surely most children will come round to your way of thinking.

3. Do not treat them with sweets for eating food

Children will get a wrong impression that they will be rewarded each time they eat their food. This should not be the case. If you want to serve a dessert, give it along with the food. Let your child have it if he likes it. Try to serve healthy desserts rather than a junk food.

introducing solids4. Talk to your child

You need to explain your child the importance of having a healthy diet. Simply forcing him to have dinner every day will not work. Tell them why they need to eat their food and what happens if they do not have it. Children have to understand the difference between healthy and junk food.

5. Serve a variety of new foods

Children often get bored of seeing the same food being served in the same style every day. If your child does not like a particular food, ask the reason behind it. Next time, make changes in the food and prepare them in a different way so that your child sees it as something different.

6. Make a healthy menu

Include a variety of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, eggs, meat, etc. in your weekly  menus. Replace junk food with healthy options. Teach your child to love healthy food. Be creative and make the healthy food tastier and attractive so that kids do not ask for junk.

7. Do not keep junk food at home

If you keep unhealthy food at home, your child is bound to want to eat it. Therefore, the best option is not to bring any junk food to your home. Instead stock up with lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.

8. Follow what you preach

If you want your child to develop good eating habits, follow them yourself. Children learn by seeing and copying adults. You have to be your child’s role model. Never tell your child that you dislike a particular food. Let them taste it and decide for themselves.

The idea is to be patient and not to start a war with your child. Fighting and forcing them to eat will make your child stubborn. Talk to them and deal with the situation calmly. Your mature behaviour and continuous efforts should eventually help them to develop healthy eating habits!

by Kate Wilson

About The Author: Kate is a blogger by profession. She loves writing, travelling and cooking. Recently she is doing a research on Mouth herpes. These days she is busy writing an article on baby lullabies for her blog Parentingclan.

Category: Baby Things, The Kids | Tags: , , ,

Selective Hearing in Men!

| April 26, 2011 | One comment

Well it seems that exhaustion in men is just like man flu. Always much much worse than what a woman suffers. 2nd day in a row we have had almost no sleep thanks to the twins. Sunday night Neil had been moaning all day how he was exhausted after having only 4 hours sleep. Actually he has almost 6, but what is a few hours between friends. So Sunday night, I head to my bed about 10.30, but by the time I got jammies on, teeth brushed, taken medication etc it was almost 10.45pm.Katie and Abbie

An hour in the delightful land of nod, and was awoken by Abbie screaming for food. She was downstairs with Neil – would say heard her through closed doors, but exhaustion has caused Neil to loose the ability to shut doors. After feeding the hungry monster, we headed to bed about 1am. Neil fell into a nice deep sleep almost instantly – well that is what he had me believe cos he certainly never heard the twins cry. Within 10 mins, Katie was screaming. having refused to drink much milk she had decided she was no hungry – despite having being screaming louder and longer than Abbie for midnight feed. So up I got to soothe her. 2.30 I managed to crawl back to bed, only to be awoken half an hour later by Ella. 3am and I fell asleep again. Another half hour later both girls were up for next feed. 5am we went back to sleep, with Ella getting up for the day at 6.30 am. Now repeat the same process on Monday night.
But how on earth could Neil sleep through all this. Even Ella heard the girls crying, hence why she was up during the night. So the big question is do men have selective hearing, or do they just plain ignore their children crying?

Category: Baby Things, Rants and Raves | Tags: , , , , , ,

Sleepless Days

| September 14, 2010 | Comments Off

Well, it’s been a week since I last ‘blogged’. Where does the time go?!

Zac (my 21 month old son) has decided he no longer wants to sleep during the day…. A few weeks ago we decided to change the boys’ sleeping arrangements to make more room in their bedrooms. Kian (my 5 year old) & Lucas (my 3 year old) share a bedroom, so we got them bunk beds. They absolutely love them! This meant we could move Zac from his cot into Lucas’ old toddler bed (which is in the shape of a fire engine). ‘He’ll love it’ we thought, but in the back of our minds we knew we were taking a risk by moving him from the confines of his cot into a bed that he could get out of whenever he chose to! To our surprise, Zac only got out of his bed the first night & since then he’s been great going to bed & to sleep, with minimal fuss. The daytime naps, however, are a totally different story! We have always put Zac into his cot to have an afternoon nap (usually after lunch), but now we put him in his bed & he gets straight out & start playing with his toys. We leave him to it hoping he’ll get tired & have a little nap, but he hardly ever does that now. The problem is that at around 4pm he gets over tired & very cranky which means he falls asleep just before tea time & has to be woken up to eat, which he doesn’t appreciate at all! Luckily though, his night time sleeping pattern hasn’t been affected by any of this so he’s still going to bed & going to sleep fine at night! I am hoping that when Lucas starts nursery next week the extra walk to school at lunch time will have Zac out for the count – I live in hope! :)

BlondeLou x

Category: Baby Things | Tags: , , , , ,

Gina Ford Strikes Again

| January 11, 2010 | One comment

So, yet again Gina Ford hits the headlines, due to comments from yet another person who fails to understand the merits of her methods. Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats described her books as “absolute nonsense“. Human beings are, by default, unique. There is no absolute right and wrong when it comes to what is best for an offspring.

One of the problems which I think accentuates the whole Gina Ford thing is the fact that she is not a Mother. OK, being male, I’m not a mother either, but I can hand on heart say that I played a very big hands-on part in the bringing up of my children and can fully understand the difference between following a prescriptive parenting-by-numbers approach and an adaptive, evolving approach which focuses on the child, not the parent. Parents are being terribly underestimated by Ms Ford. Irrespective of demographic or intelligence, education or religion, there is one thing that every parent will empathise with and that is the loving bond that brings parent and child together and fuels a much deeper understanding than any author can do, let alone one who has no children of her own.

Of course many parents have a hard time with their children. Days on end of continuous crying and tantrums, loss of sleep and frayed patience is all part of bringing up a baby. I would be very surprised to find any parent who at some point did not get angry or frustrated by not being able to console their child. However, anyone who would think that by simply following a book on the subject everything would be magically better is surely mistaken. Parents learn from their children and likewise children learn from their parents’ actions. When looked at very simply, all that baby is trying to do is communicate with its parent in the only way it knows, by crying. As in any relationship, be it personal or business, communication – 2-way communication at that – is the key! If you do everything by the book, are you not taking away much of that ‘2-way’ part and making it unidirectional?

If every author were to fight so viciously every time a comment was aired, questioning or dismissing their views, the world would be a very bitter and nasty place to be. Another parenting website was famously challenged by Ms Ford back in 2006 when members of their forum made their own comments on her teachings. An out-of court settlement was made to quell her claims of defamation. She was equally vehement then that her views were the only valid way of bringing up a baby and she caused a great deal of anger and resentment. Does she subconsciously have the same approach to her innocent baby subjects we wonder? Shut up – or I’ll shut you up, like I do my critics!

N.

Category: Baby Things, Rants and Raves | Tags: , , ,

Scotland the Brave

| April 29, 2009 | Comments Off

We’ve ventured north of the border on a couple of occasions in the last six months.  Perhaps we’re getting to like the place.  Who knows!

Last week saw us at The Scottish Baby Show at the SECC in Glasgow, where we stood for three days bedecked in all our finest regalia and interacted with the many thousands of visitors.  I like to think we did well.  There was loads of interest, lots of people came over to chat and ask questions and of course to take advantage of the little freebies we were giving out.

But do you know what the best thing about it all was?  The people themselves!  What a lovely bunch of bods the Scottish contingent is!  We’ve done similar shows in various other parts of the UK over the last couple of years, and I can say without doubt that the Glasgow event is the friendliest and most enjoyable of them all.

Hearsay has it that the Scots are a dour bunch; miserable as sin, they say!  I’m sure there must be some who fit that mould, but we didn’t find them last weekend.  We found loads of happy, friendly, affable, smiling people who shared our jokes, smiled when we talked to them, were polite and courteous and they made the whole event an absolute pleasure for us.

I have an old friend from years gone by, Bill, who hails from the great Kingdom of Fife.  He was at our wedding bash and we try our best to meet up at least once a year to ‘swing the lamp’ or whatever it is that old friends do.  He always said that his fellow countrymen (he didn’t quite phrase it in that way) were a friendly bunch of souls, but it had been so hard to really find out the details due to his almost incomprehensible accent, or should I say dialect, as accent is far too mild a term.  I often laugh at Mrs C when he speaks to her because I know for a fact that only about 20% of what he says is actually registering.  However she continues to nod, smile, laugh occasionally and promote continued conversation.  None of that was necessary last weekend though, she must be learning through experience.

What were the negatives?  Almost certainly the 15 hours on the road to get there and back.  It’s a long old drag from Cardiff to Glasgow, but we had the use of a magnificent piece of automotive beauty in the form of one of those Octavia VRS Estate machines from Skoda.  Forget their history of the seventies and eighties.  This was some piece of kit, I assure you!  Quiet, comfortable, blisteringly fast and as thrifty as Scrooge, managing almost six hundred miles from one tank.  I was well impressed!  

However it’s all over now.  We’re back in the office, soldiering away.  It seems the more we do, the more needs to be done too.   It keeps us on our toes though and life would be dull otherwise. 

I have to conclude with reference to a couple of our site ‘regulars’ who came to see us.  (You know who you are!)  Many thanks for the charitable donation, and it’s a shame the old pink jumper didn’t make a show, but I’ll remember the moist muffin for years, not because it tasted delicious, but when you put your fingers into it, it was so fresh that it seemed such a shame that it had to be eaten. 

The mind absolutely boggles over!

N.

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