Congratulations on your new baby! There are so many things to think about when it comes to preparing your home, and we’ve collected a list of what we think is top priority. The following items are our top picks to bring home before the baby arrives:
Baby
Expert Reveals Top Sleep Tips for the First Six Months
Guest content from Lucy Wolfe, leading Sleep Consultant, Founder of Sleep Matters, author of The Baby Sleep Solution and expert at The Baby Show
- Don’t worry about “bad habits”
Try not to worry about what you feel or have been told are “bad habits” – there is no such thing in the early days. Your task is to ensure that your baby feels loved, safe and secure, and that their needs are met lovingly and without delay. Despite some on lookers reporting that you will spoil your baby, the reverse is actually true. These early months are about bonding and laying a foundation for an unconditional loving relationship that will be enduring. The less you resist this dynamic, the faster the need to be held all the time will evolve into your baby feeling more robust and confident to lay down or sleep without as much input.
Expert Reveals Pregnancy Exercise Mistakes To Avoid
Dr. Joanna Helcké, pregnancy and postnatal fitness expert and expert at The Baby Show, has shared these tips to help you navigate the issues of exercise during pregnancy. Here are a few common mistakes to look out for, to help stay at your healthiest during this time!
HOSTING A VIRTUAL BABY SHOWER
Guest post from Luisa Figueroa
With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), people have used their imaginations to continue to acknowledge the special moments in their lives. One of the most important celebrations is being pregnant. Unfortunately, during this pandemic, many countries are in lockdown or under quarantine. Current in Australia, there are recommendations to social distance and not gather in large numbers. Being pregnant, you may feel uneasy being around others so we have put together a guide on how you can hold an online or virtual baby shower.
What is a virtual baby shower
A virtual baby shower is where you celebrate the upcoming birth of a baby. This would take place online rather than in person. People are able to log in to the online baby shower from all around the world. They can participate in games and watch the presents being opened and celebrate with the expectant mum to be.
Set the time and date by e-invites
Just like any normal baby shower, it’s best to schedule a date and time that will suit as many people as possible. You will be able to invite friends and family from around the world. A great e-invite solution is paperless post.
Virtual Venue
No need to book a hall or premises for your baby shower venue as you have everything you need at your fingertips. There is a large selection of virtual venues to choose from which include Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts and Facebook. Choose the one you are most comfortable using as you may have to train a few people on the ins and outs of the chosen software. The best thing about the virtual venue is that clean-up is minimal.
Care package
If possible, plan well in advance send the guests a care package with everything they need for the online baby shower. This can be everything from materials they will need to play the games, basic decorations or a thank you for coming gift. If you are running short of time you may need to compile a list and email through with the e-invite.
Gift registry and shopping ideas
One of the most exciting things about celebrating a baby shower is buying a baby shower gift for the mum to be. This shower doesn’t have to be any different and with a variety of online baby shops throughout Australia, there is something for everyone! You may want to purchase a baby gift card or set up a gift registry. When it comes to online shopping your choices are endless.
Protecting your baby and your family: 5 benefits of saving cord blood
Getting ready for a new arrival to the family is one of the most exciting times of your life. But before they welcome little one to the world, families will face numerous decisions that will affect their child’s future even before it is born – from deciding on the perfect name, to choosing a paediatrician and making their birth plan.
One decision that has been added to the list for expectant parents is whether they should save their baby’s umbilical cord blood.
According to recent statistics published by the BBC, more parents are choosing private cord blood banking than ever before, with a whopping 60% increase in cord blood collection and storage in the UK between 2014 and 2018. This number is expected to continue rising over the coming years as more families are increasingly recognising the benefits of their baby’s umbilical cord.
But what is cord blood? How does cord blood banking work? And what exactly are the benefits of saving cord blood?
I’ve teamed up with Cells4Life, the UK’s leading cord blood bank, to answer all of your cord blood banking questions and to help make one decision on your long list easier.
Here’s How You Can Enjoy A Safe and Stress-Free Start to Baby-Led Weaning
Weaning is one of the most exciting stages in every baby’s development, where they can start to play a bigger part of the family as they get stuck in at mealtimes, and learn the useful skills and movements that come with eating and feeding yourself.
While lots of us might have been used to the old spoon-as-a-helicopter routine when we were growing up, baby-led weaning has been taking the lead in recent years, giving your babies a chance to play and discover food themselves.
Those first steps at getting to grips with meal-time can seem a little daunting, but by paying attention to a few key things, you can make weaning fun and stress-free activity.
Best 5 Fruits That Can Help a Baby Sleep Better
Best 5 Fruits That Can Help a Baby Sleep Better
Everyone wants to get the best sleep possible. As adults, we know that getting enough sleep is important to properly functioning in our daily lives. Babies need their sleep even more. Their minds and bodies are rapidly growing and developing, so sleep helps them recharge and refresh. Not to mention that when a baby is getting sound sleep, the parents are sleeping deeply, too.
As a parent, you know the tribulations of trying to get your baby on a regular sleep pattern. You might be able to catch some shut-eye while the baby is asleep, but if they are tossing and turning, waking up often, or not falling asleep quickly, it can drive you crazy. What you may not know, however, is how foods can factor into your baby’s quality of sleep. We want our babies to eat the best possible food to help them stay healthy. There are even foods that can help with sleep. As fruit is a great food choice for babies, here are the best five fruits that can help baby sleep better.
Top Tips for Losing Baby Weight
While you may be wishing to shed the extra pounds quickly after having a baby, the reality is that it just doesn’t happen immediately. For many women, weight loss can be quite challenging as it’s probably the very last thing on your mind when adjusting to life with a newborn and recovering from birth. However, if you feel as though you’re lacking in confidence due to your body weight, it’s always worth looking at ways you can get back on track, so you start to feel better in yourself.
Here are 7 tips on how to successfully lose your baby weight:
Common Pregnancy Health Conditions for Mums-to-be : Gestational Diabetes
Pregnancy is such a special and exciting time, but it often comes along with a few worries too – including health worries. There are lots of health conditions that can be really common during pregnancy, some more serious than others so it’s always worthwhile knowing what to expect and what to look out for. It’s definitely worth checking any symptoms with your midwife if there’s anything you’re not sure about, and I also found it helpful to get advice from other mums, or from websites like Emma’s Diary.
Emma’s diary have put together this helpful infographic to explain some of the most common pregnancy health conditions, including morning sickness, antenatal depression, anaemia, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and back pain.
A Simple Guide to the Best Baby Products that You’ll Need
Babies are very sensitive and delicate. So, whenever you are choosing any products for your baby, you must consider different factors. Some of the main factors are comfort, safety and quality. Besides the essentials, there are some luxury products that you must get for your baby. Of course, like every parent, you will want to provide the best to your bundle of joy. Here are some of the most important products that you’ll want to consider when preparing for your new baby…
1: Baby Bouncer
One of the best baby products that you can buy for your baby is a top-quality baby bouncer. This can be a perfect combination of relaxation as well as fun for your baby. These bouncers have a chair that can rock whenever the baby kicks it with their legs, or may come with battery powered vibrations. Often, these also come with inbuilt music features which can be relaxing as well as fun for the babies, as well as hanging toys for baby to bat at and help develop their coordination skills as they grow. All baby bouncers will come with safety belts too, which is really important for when your little one starts to wriggle around and become more active. Make sure to buy something with soft padding throughout for utmost comfort.
