Easter Extravanganza

Is it really the Easter holidays already?

Based on the weather we have had of late, we will probably have a blanket of snow for Easter Sunday rather than spring mornings and daffodils!

happy easterSo, all the children are off school and playgroup and we now have the job of entertaining them for two weeks, and trying (and failing) to stagger the amount of chocolate they consume once the Easter bunny has been.

I like to invade Nicola’s house at Easter at some point, as she always does an Easter egg hunt in her garden for all of our kids, and it means we can sit and drink coffee in her kitchen whilst the children trudge around in their wellies with baskets looking for all the shiny chocolate eggs she has lovingly placed everywhere. Continue reading

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Birthday blues

March is a very busy and expensive month for our family, as three out of the five people in our house have a birthday, (as well as basically every friend I have!)  You could say that I really didn’t plan my pregnancies or births very well at all!

Baby Birthday

Earlier this month was my first bundle of joy’s 12th birthday!  Where did all those years go?  It doesn’t seem five minutes ago that I had twenty bunches of flowers surrounding me on the postnatal ward, and I was in receipt of approximately 30 sleep suits in baby blue from family and friends (all of which would have been used up in the those first few days, as my husband practiced changing nappies on his new baby boy, failing miserably the first few times to keep the nappy on and resulting in wet clothes.  This all happened while I lay on the bed and pleaded with the midwives that I didn’t actually need to move again after my c-section, I was more than happy to stay in bed!) Continue reading

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My experience as a neonatal nursery specialist (and a gift suggestion for newborn premature babies)

As well as being a mum of three and co-founder of our fabulous baby gift and hamper company, I also work part time on a neonatal unit as a nursery specialist.

premature baby It is such a rewarding job and one that I could never give up.  I love to see our long term (and short term) premature babies leave and go home to their families after what is often a traumatic start to family life for all involved.

Typically, premature babies are born very small, they often needing help with breathing and end up having lots of medical intervention over the first few months of their lives to get them to the stage where they are ready for discharge.
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5 tips for making Mothers Day special this year

I always look forward to a good Mother’s Day, it’s the only day of the year in my house where the kids are actually aware that they have to try their hardest to be good and not try to annoy each other! My eldest has even been known to get the vacuum cleaner out on this most momentous of days.  And, if I’m lucky, I might even get a cup of tea made for me at breakfast time!

Mother's Day FlowersThere’s always the possibility though, that your other half may not feel the same way as you do about the day (and god help my husband if he chooses to forget it yearly like he does Valentine’s Day!)  As Dads are typically the deciding factor as to whether you get a bit of pampering or any kind of lovely gift from your baby or children on Mother’s Day, here’s our own take on subtle ways to involve your children in the preparations and remind your man!

1)  Flowers are always a popular choice for Mother’s Day, Why not get all the children involved and plant your own?  Head off to the garden centre and invest in some potting compost and a few choice spring blooms, then get messy in the garden with kids as they plant them for you into pots for your patio.  They’ll last longer than a regular bunch and you’ll be able to look outside and see their work! Continue reading

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How to set a good nighttime routine for baby

Everyone likes a good night’s sleep and although we are (kind of) ready for the inevitable sleepless nights when we have a new baby, the total exhaustion we sometimes feel from those long nighttime feeds can really knock us for six!

Sleepy babyAlthough it can take a while, trying to get baby into a routine really will get you on the road to a good night’s sleep, so here are several tips that got us through when our children were smaller.

1) A good diet is key.  Make sure you eat a balanced diet, full of slow release carbs like porridge, wholemeal bread and lots of fruit and veg.  This will give you that much needed energy to get you through the day… and night!

2) Room temperature – ensure the room temperature of baby’s room is a comfortable 18-21c, having the room too hot or too cold will be uncomfortable for baby and make them restless.  Of course, you must make sure baby does not overheat, as this has been linked to cot death. Continue reading

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