On Friday 26th October 2012 Matilda and I headed to The Baby Show at Earls Court. We made a very early start to our day and were able to really make the most of our mother and daughter shopping day. Though I have to say that most of the things I bought were for the toddler twins rather than for the baby. I was really pleased with the wide range of products available for young children of all ages. We really enjoyed the show. Here are some of our highlights and best buys.

On our arrival we were warmly greeted in the press office and given our press pass. I felt very special and excited. As soon as I entered the hall I saw a wonderfully familiar face, Emily from BundleBean. This is a company and product that we love here at Edspire and it was wonderful to say hello.

Seeing companies I consider friends of Edspire is one of the best things about The Baby Show and so it was fabulous seeing the beautiful Keira of Mama Designs Ltd. We had a lovely chat and I introduced Matilda Mae before buying a very funky star design Snoodie. We love the Snoodie!

Star Snoodie

We searched for another of our friends Safe Dreams and were very excited to find them with their Giant Patch. It would have been very rude not to have had a photo with our favourite non fluffy dog!

Matilda and Patch

At 11.00am we went to the launch of The Red Cross First Aid Challenge. This was a time to catch up with some other Mummy Bloggers and the lovely ladies at Azaria PR. More importantly it was a time to learn some top first aid tips and to remind myself that attending a first aid course should be higher on my to do list. It really should be a priority for any new parent or parent to be. I am going to write a separate post about The First Aid Challenge so please do keep an eye on the blog.

Matilda Mae with The Red Cross

Red Cross launch their First Aid Challenge

The best buys from the show as judged by Esther and William were two toddler towelling ponchos from Cuddle Dry. I chose a floral giraffe motif and two grey striped elephants. Esther and William love their new super soft towel coats and Matilda Mae can have their old Cuddle Dry hooded towels.

Floral Giraffes

Towel Poncho

Before heading to The Baby Show I had made public my desire to seek out Dotty Fish and their picture perfect leather baby shoes. I bought four pairs for £20 and they are great. Esther has an owl pair and William’s feature a car. They are using their shoes as slippers. They are made of softest leather with a light suede sole. Matilda Mae has a floral pair and the dotty design I coveted for her before the show. She will be wearing hers through the winter to keep her little tootsies warm when she is in her pram.

Dotty Fish

Nunu Pram Ride

Just a few days ago I reviewed the fabulous dribble bibs from Funky Giraffe. I was not surprised to find their stall buzzing with customers at the show. I queued up to buy some fabulous florals for Matilda Mae and we also bought some of their funky Christmas designs. Please do follow the blog as we have a festive giveaway coming up soon where you can also win some fun Christmas bandanas for your little one.

Funky Florals

It was great to catch up with the team at Me and I on Friday. They looked to be having a busy day but as also treated me like they had all of the time in the world. I chose two tshirts for William and a lovely little dress for Esther. I am hoping to review an item from their new season soon which will be something for Matilda Mae. Me and I sell gorgeous baby and toddler clothes with adorable patterns and motifs. William loves his diggers!

Me and I

I bought a Gummee Glove for Matilda Mae at the show as she will be 6 months on Friday and I am certain that her teeth are starting to come through. With the loss of dearest Sophie I am hoping that the Gummee Glove will become her new favourite toy.

getting to grips with gummee glove

I felt very priviliged at the show to meet Dolly and Jack. I have been admiring their quotes for babies’ nurseries for a while. I am ordering three this Christmas to hang above the heads of each of our children. I spoke to the lady on this stand for a long time about Edspire and she has agreed to offer a print as a giveaway prize for World Prematurity Awareness Month. The giveaway will launch tomorrow so please do make sure that you are following the blog. As well as wonderful words and quality prints Dolly and Jack also make beautiful decorative hair clips which I could not resist for Esther to have and to eventually share with Matilda Mae. They are simply stunning. Have a look at these!

Pretty as a Picture

The headlining highlight of The Baby Show for me was being invited to The Stokke Launch. I have made no secret of my new found love affair with all things Stokke. I had not really been aware of the brand before reading Me, The Man and The Baby’s Blog. (I got to meet Emma and her beautiful boys at the launch. Just lovely! I think Dylan and Matilda could be good friends x)

You do not see many Stokke Strollers in Kent. In fact, I think I have seen one. I have made a point of really looking recently so perhaps the word needs to be spread down here because the strollers are just to die for!

I did not really know what to expect from a product launch having never been to one before. What I found was a very eloquent, passionate man talking sense about a range of products that he truly believes in.

Talking to a room full of people also passionate about the brand and excited to see what was coming next.

Stokke are launching two new connection strollers to complement the already popular Xplory. The Crusi is a stroller with a sibling solution seat and the Scoot is a lightweight stroller ideal for going on your travels.

Each of the Stokke strollers is well designed, exquisitely finished and fully functional for the modern family. Their designs are based on scientific research proving that children need to be close to their parents when they travel, to make the most of the connection and to feel confident and secure. The high, parent facing seats of the Stokke range make this connection and communication possible.

Stokke Connection Strollers

The Xplory is I think my favourite Stokke pram but the Crusi would suit our family much better with it’s sibling solution! A second seat that can be used when needed for short trips to rest weary little legs. A great idea. And I had chance to get up close and personal with the stroller and see that it would work having a toddler in the lower seat without compromising their comfort or that all important communication.

I think you can tell by my gushing that I was impressed. A wonderful way to spend part of our day.

The Baby Show is over now for 2012 but will be back in February at London Excel and I will definitely be going back. In fact I have already booked the day with Daddy who may even have all three children this time so that I can enjoy some of the massages and beauty treatments that were on offer throughout the day.

Thank you The Baby Show and congratulations on a fabulous exhibition of all things toddler and baby.

See you in 2013!

This weekend things reached breaking point in our house.

Esther has been struggling on and off with her tummy for a few weeks and on Sunday she finally succumbed to a bug that she then kindly shared with me.

From about lunch time on I felt progressively worse and ended up with a delirious fever followed by horrible stomach cramps and a whole night on the loo.

I started Monday almost half a stone lighter (no exaggeration) and feeling a little weak and crampy but on the whole much more human.

What both David and I both were though was sleep deprived.

My husband too had been up all night helping with Matilda as she could not settle to sleep without using me as a prop.

No one had much sleep.

Matilda had not really slept much all of Sunday daytime and as a consequence of her over tiredness she barely slept Monday either.

Reluctantly I agreed with David that for the good of all our family, and for Matilda Mae in the long run, we needed to start teaching her to soothe herself to sleep.

At The Baby Show I bought Jo Tantum’s Sleepy Time products and decided to use those to create a calm and peaceful bath and bed time for our lovely but incredibly stubborn Matilda Mae.

The Baby Show

At 5.15pm Esther and William were already in bed and asleep as we took Baby Tilda up for her bath. While Daddy had Baby in the bath I made the preparations using Jo’s 10 step plan as my guide.

Go into the baby’s room and pop a few drops of Sleepytime Room Aroma into a bowl of warm water. It will fill the nursery with the smell of lavender and other calming essential oils.

Get the bath ready with tepid water and either add Sleepytime Hair and Body Wash to the bathwater or use a tiny amount in your hands, then wash your baby from top to bottom.

Carry your baby into a darkened nursery and lie him on a dry towel or changing mat (remember some changing mats can be really cold on baby’s bare skin) before massaging him with Sleepytime Organic Massage Oil.

Dress your baby in PJ’s and a sleeping bag depending on the temperature.

Pick your baby up and give him a kiss and a cuddle.

Talk softly, older babies will enjoy a story time and this will remain part of his bedtime routine for many years.

Even young babies enjoy the rhythm of words.

Give your baby his last feed of the day in the nursery.

Wind, talking quietly and reassuringly.

Lay him down, in his cot or Moses basket. Pat him gently.

Say goodnight and come out of the room.

The products in Jo’s set smell wonderful and they had a calming affect I am sure on Matilda and on me. We read our Stripy Horse bedtime story and I lay her down in her cot.

And then she screamed. I tried to soothe her and ssshh her. I lasted 9 minutes before I fled the room in tears and Daddy took over.

It took 25 minutes (that felt like 25 years!) in total before she was asleep. She cried, a lot, but David stayed with her and she did fall asleep.

For the first time in a long time we are having a quiet evening and one of us is not balancing a baby whilst trying to eat or work or enjoy a hot cup of tea.

I am certain that there are going to be tough times ahead but we have made a start with sleep training our six month old daughter and I am proud of that.

I find it so so hard to let a baby cry. Any baby, but particularly my own, but I know that in the long term it is better for her to be able to fall asleep on her own and to have the space to get the decent deep sleep that she needs.

There is still a part of me though that is going to be very sad going to bed on my own tonight without my warm little bundle to snuggle up to, with her chubby little fingers reaching out for me and her lips searching me out when she needs a feed.

Our ways of bonding will become different now I guess, starting perhaps with sharing a bath filled with Jo Tantum’s glorious Sleepy Time Hair and Body Wash.

I am looking forward to Matilda having longer naps during the day though so that I can reconnect with Esther and William. I feel like I have become less and less a part of their day and I miss them so much.

Jo’s Sleepy Time Set can be bought online for £22.97. I bought mine at The Baby Show for a bargain £15. Could be the best £15 I have spent in a long long time if this peaceful evening continues and is repeated again tomorrow.

Jo at Home

Thank you Jo x

With just two sleeps to go I am getting things organised for The Baby Show. I have a very early start on Friday morning so I am keen to be able to just get up and go.

I will be bringing Matilda with me and so there are lots of things we need.

Matilda will be travelling in her Chicco Nunu in pram form. This is so that she will be parent facing and so that she can lie down and have a kick about when she needs to. The pram bed is quite spacious so she will have lots of room.

Matilda will be wearing a basic white vest from The Essential One and a gorgeous bright pink all in one, also from The Essential One. I will bring her pramsuit for when we are waiting at the stations and also her beautiful woollen The Essential One blanket. The wonderful bright pinks and soft browns compliment both her outfit and the pram.

The Essential One Pram Suit

Accompanying Matilda Mae in her pram will be Sophie the Giraffe, a little Jelly Kitten bunny, a soft stacker from Kimber Kids (review to follow soon) and one of her many many Lamaze toys. Probably Miss Dragon!

Underneath the pram will be our Baby Bjorn Miracle Carrier where I imagine, in practicality, my little beauty will spend most of her time. In the carrier, not under the pram!

The rest of our necessaries will be packed into my beautiful Pink Lining change bag which always seem enormous for just Matilda and me. Usually it is filled to bursting with essentials for all three of my children.

On Friday it will contain: 6 size 3 nappies, a packet of wipes, spare clothes for Matilda Mae, my wallet, my camera, my phone, some tissues, a drink and some snacks for me, Calpol sachets, teething gel, My Pocket Buddy hand foam (review coming soon), a mirror, my business cards, a pen, a writing pad and a spare Bib!

The Bib is for me rather than MM who will be sporting a Mama Designs Snoodie! I will be wearing a navy Bibee Dress for comfort and functionality and for confidence too. The Bibee Dress is a must I think for breastfeeding mums.

So there we have it. My plan for getting out of the house! Now to plan my route around the show!

The Baby Show is this Friday to Sunday at Earls Court and you can fund out all the info you need right here.

A few weeks ago I was offered the chance to review a Bibee Dress. I jumped at the chance as I am constantly searching for clothes to wear that make me look and feel good whilst enabling me to discreetly feed Matilda.

Much of the time I end up wearing layered normal clothes and they never look or feel quite right.

The Bibee Dress is a revelation. I am certain it is going to take the maternity and nursing wardrobes of the world by storm and I am so excited to be one of the first people to have ever had the privilege of wearing one.

The Bibee Dress has been designed by a mummy for mummies. It is a flattering and functional, versatile dress for pregnancy, nursing and beyond.

I feel fabulous when I am wearing mine! And believe me, I do not feel fabulous very often.

Feeling Fabulous!

Back of the Bibee. Peepo!!!

As well as looking great this high quality viscose jersey dress is just so easy to feed in. The main dress sits below the breast and the breasts are covered with a coordinating Bib. So for example I have a navy dress and a plain navy Bib. The Bib attaches to the dress with buttons. To feed baby you simply undo the buttons on one side to allow baby to access the breast. The Bib falls lightly over baby’s head meaning she can feed discreetly. It is great. The dress is also perfect should your clothes get milk splattered whilst out and about, as you simply carry a spare Bib in your bag and pop to the toilet for a quick change. How has no one ever thought of this before?

Bibee Buttons

With the weather very definitely autumnal these days I have been glad of my Bibee-T to wear underneath my dress. I have in fact worn it underneath most of my clothes since receiving it.

Bibee-T

The Bibee-T does not obstruct feeding but does keep your arms warm and cover up those post pregnancy bingo wings! There is something about the cut of the arms of the Bibee-T that make it really flattering to wear. I love this almost as much as the dress.

Bibee-T under my own T

After years in design and six months in production, Bibee Dresses are launched exclusively on the 26th October 2012 at The Baby Show – Earls Court, London. And I am going to be there modelling mine!! Well, wearing it anyway.

The Bibee Dress website and social media communities are now live so you can follow all the buzz in the build up at:
www.bibeedresses.co.uk, www.twitter.com/bibeedresses,www.facebook.com/bibeedresses, www.pinterest.com/bibeedresses.

Today I am getting very excited as it is less than a week now until I head to The Baby Show at Earls Court with Matilda Mae.

I am really looking forward to the show and also for some quality time with Matilda.

As my beautiful daughter hates being in her pram I am fairly certain that I will be wearing her for most of the day.

Because of this I am planning my day carefully to make sure that I can see all that I want to see, buy all that I want to buy, learn all that I need to learn and still have some time for cups of tea, food and a play with said beautiful daughter!

Top of my priority list at Earls Court is to look for baby sleep solutions. Matilda is currently a nightmare to get to sleep. She has to be cuddled to sleep, she only naps for about 30 minutes at a time and she cannot self settle if she wakes in the night. We are currently cosleeping and this also needs to change. On my list of people to talk and things to see are Jo Tantum, Ewan the Dream Sheep and Cuski.

I will be searching The Baby Show for Christmas gift ideas for all the family.

I would like to buy one of these beautiful frames from Dolly and Jack for each of the children to put above their beds. I think that they are such a lovely, simple idea. I might get one for my husband too.

I am going to take Matilda for some respite at the VTech Play Area as I want to try out some bits for her but I am also thinking about Toot Toot cars for Esther and William for Christmas.

I would like to buy Matilda some little shoes for the winter. Esther and William did not really wear shoes before they could walk but Matilda is so much bigger than they were and starting to wear actual clothes. I think some spotty ones would be nice. Or these with owls on. We love owls in our house!

As well as Christmas presents I will also be on the look out for the children’s festive outfits. I am looking forward to seeing what Me&I have on offer and these Rudolph shoes are just too cute for Matilda Mae’s first Christmas.

Next month we will begin our weaning adventure so I will be on the look out for innovative, functional products to help us on our way.

I am going to check out Aden and Anais to find some pretty bibs for special occasions. I have my eye on these bird ones!

I will be wearing my Bibee Dress to The Baby Show. I have been sent one of these gorgeous maternity and nursing dresses to review and I am head over heels in love with it. I just cannot stop wearing it. There will be a full review on my blog this week. Please read it and then do check out their stall at the show where they will be offering 25% off their fabulously pretty dresses. You can be one of the first people to own one!!

As I have already said not only will I be wearing a beautiful dress but also a beautiful baby. A baby who, at almost 6 months, is getting heavier by the day. I enjoy wearing Matilda and she loves to be worn, and with three children under three it is often a necessity as well as a pleasure. I want to look at some carriers that give me the option of wearing her on my back. I have the Stokke My Carrier and the Sanamama in mind.

With my heavy baby weighing on my mind I also want to look at parent facing buggies as the twins start preschool after half term I will have more and more girly days out with Matilda and I would like her to be comfortable in a pushchair that allows us to face each other, connect and communicate. I am going to look at lots of brands and models but I fear my heart belongs to Stokke. I think Matilda was born to be a Stokke Lover and turn me into one too.

Of course, as well as the lovely Matilda Mae I also have the toddler twins. I am looking forward to seeing Brush Baby and stocking up with their toothpaste that Esther and William love. I also want to talk to them about good dental hygiene for all three as I am sure that there is more we should be doing to protect their teeth and gums. I have a real thing about healthy teeth and gums!

I want to talk to the people at Happy Hopperz. One of our favourite classes is Jumping Beans and each week we are there Esther and William love to bounce on one of the hoppers but they always seem to fall off and hurt themselves. I want to know more about the product, what the benefits are and how to use them without getting injured!

I would like to say thank you to the people at Easywalker for designing the fabulous Duo that has seen us safely through the last two years. Esther and William adore their buggy. Mummy and Daddy do too!

I will be searching The Baby Show for a solution to my sock problem, in an ideal world I would like to find some tights for boys?!?

There are so many people and products on my list that I cannot include them here but you can see my To See list over on Pinterest, on a board that I seem to be adding to everyday!

I will be busy tweeting from the show on Friday so if you are there too please do say hello then come and share your Best of The Baby Show here on the blog afterwards so that other parents can benefit too.

5 sleeps to go!!