Birth

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COMPETITION – Record those special moments with Gurgle Baby Milestones

January 19, 2012 in Babies, Birth, Competitions, Parenting by jo.middleton | 5 comments

Gone are the days of picking up your photos from Boots, so how do we make sure we keep records of those precious first baby moments?

Gurgle Baby Milestones is a new digital baby development journal that helps busy parents track the growth of their family from pre-conception through early childhood and beyond, and we’ve got 10 copies to give away!

The new software provides reassuring information as bite-size reminders, just when you need to know about them.  This means that busy mums and dads can keep up to date with what to look out for next, without having to plough through pregnancy and baby books.

The reminders cover all aspects of child development, and clearly explain the wide variations in ages when children develop different skills and behaviours to stop parents worrying unnecessarily. You can add your own photos and videos, and create a lovely memory for the whole family.

All the information is stored safe and secure on your home computer, but Baby Milestones also helps parents to share selected milestones and photos to gurgle.com, Facebook and Twitter.  Parents can also easily produce a PDF file of their records to print or email to friends and relatives.

For your chance to win one of ten copies the the Gurgle Baby Milestones software, just fill in this simple form – it will only take a minute, we promise!

Competition closes on 31st January and winners will be chosen at random after this date.

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Advent competion day 18 and 19 – win a Frugi baby gown, set of Hamster Bags and an Oobicoo Orla doll!

December 19, 2011 in Babies, Birth, Competitions, Parenting, Toddlers by jo.middleton | 372 comments

Blimey, what a competition we’ve got for you today! We need three lucky winners for three fab prizes, so today really could be your lucky day…

Prize number one – a Baby Gown from Frugi

Every parent will appreciate a baby gown. They’re elasticated at the bottom to keep baby nice and snugly, but allow quick and easy access for night time changes! It even comes with built in scratch mitts! How cool is that?

The Frugi baby gown is made from organic cotton too, so helps to protect sensitive baby skin and the environment. What’s not to love?

Prize number two – Hamster Bags

How often do you find you just don’t have room in or on the buggy for everything you need to take with you? If it’s often, Hamster Bags could be just what you need.

They’re cleverly designed bags, that come in pairs, and fit to each side of the pushchair. They add stability, as well as giving you that much needed extra storage space, and they even incorporate cunning extras like reflective strips, to help you be seen on winter afternoons.

And don’t worry, they are designed not to add to much width or bulk, so you won’t find yourself knocking things off shelves left right and centre!

Prize number three – an Oobicoo Orla doll

All kids love dolls right? Especially the dressing up part – but who can afford to spend £15 on a set of baby clothes when you’ve already spent that much on the doll?? Bonkers.

The Oobicoo doll from Totseat is a brilliant solution to this. It’s roughly the size of a six month old baby, meaning you’ve got an instant wardrobe for your doll, and a home for all your old baby clothes! They are also gorgeously soft and squishy, so perfect for cuddling. We’re giving away a girl doll – she’s called Orla!

To enter today’s competition, all you have to do is tell us which of these fantastic prizes you’d most like to win and why. Leave a comment now – it could be you!

Done with the competition? Why not have a browse on the Cuddledry website?

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Poem for a new mother…

March 8, 2011 in Babies, Birth, Parenting, Pregnancy by jo.middleton | 7 comments

Today we are going all literary. Well, it’s a poem at least… Our very own Polly wrote this for her friend Vics when she was expecting her first baby – and she has kindly shared it here. We love it!

Words of Wisdom for Vics

You got through the sex part
(no drama for Vics)
All that counting your cycle
Peeing on sticks

Then comes the sickness
Each morning YOU HURL
And the aches and the pains
And exhaustion – you GIRL!

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Breastmilk – the ultimate green baby product

July 12, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Parenting by jo.middleton

Breast or bottle, washable or disposable nappies? As a new parent, the choices you make on a daily basis are seemingly endless and, with thousands of apparently ‘essential’ products available, it can be hard to raise a child whilst maintaining your eco-credentials. Apart from choosing greener products, (like Cuddledry’s organic baby apron towel of course!), there is one eco-friendly product you mustn’t forget – breastmilk!

We are always being told about the positive health effects of breastfeeding – the mantra of ‘breast is best’ is never far from a new mother’s mind – but have you ever considered the environmental benefits of breastfeeding?

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Real life birth and parenting stories – introducing our new guest writer

June 23, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Parenting by jo.middleton | 6 comments

As parents, we love to hear stories from other mums and dads – it’s comforting isn’t it to know you’re not alone? So, we’ve asked some real mums to share with us their stories of becoming parents. Today I am very pleased to introduce our new guest blogger, Kayleigh Shaw. Kayleigh is 22 and lives in West Yorkshire with her fiance Kevin and her son Nathan, born in February this year. Kayleigh’s first post is about Nathan’s birth, and she will be writing regularly to update us on family life – thank you Kayleigh!

As I look into the clear plastic cot next to me I can’t believe he’s finally here. I’m a MUM and no matter how many times I say it in my head I still can’t get used to the idea. I wish I could pick him up but my legs are still numb so I ask my fiancé, who’s got the proud daddy look down to a tee, to pass him to me. I look down and gaze at my baby’s beautiful face and know the traumatic labour was worth it.

I’d been having strong Braxton Hicks for 2 weeks and in the early hours of the 17th February 2010 I was being woken by sharp pains every 15 minutes and at 3:15am they were so bad I started to cry.

Kevin rang the birth centre who suggested I wait for a while. I informed them I was in Huddersfield (I moved up when I was pregnant) and as they were in Stoke, a good hour’s drive away “…I’d like to make my way up NOW thank you very much!” One hour, many contractions and a slightly scratched car seat later we arrived at the birth centre.

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Baby must haves – what do you really need for your new baby?

June 10, 2010 in Babies, Birth by jo.middleton | 2 comments

For new parents, the choice of apparently ‘must have’ equipment can be rather daunting, to say the least! So how do you work out what gadgets you REALLY need and which will end up dusty at the back of the wardrobe? Helen investigates…

When it comes to new baby kit, funnily enough I think my strongest recommendation would be a certain apron style baby towel called a Cuddledry (odd that!).  Seriously, it has been fantastic being actually able to use our towel with my own newborn, as when the towel was conceived, our older two kids who inspired it were too big!  Even my six year old has been able to help at bathtime because the Cuddledry makes it so easy to lift and cuddle our tiny man.

But I have also been able this time to really be selective about the kit we use – now that I work I the baby industry.  Also of course being on baby no.3 I have learned a lot about the stuff I will and won’t need.  So there are a few things I want to shout about, that I have spotted over the last 3 years in ‘the trade’ and have now had the chance to try for myself.

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How to keep your babies and children safe in the sun – the truth about sun protection

May 26, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Parenting, UV Sun protection by jo.middleton | 6 comments

Today on the blog, Helen reveals just how much harm the sun can do your baby’s delicate skin, the best ways to protect children from sun damage, and why sun safety is a subject close to her heart…

My gorgeous baby boy is now 12 weeks old and his skin is the purest, softest, most precious thing.  The purity and tenderness of baby and toddler skin is quite unbelievable.  I just can’t stop touching his soft, soft little arms to my face just to feel it, and to breathe in its indescribably magical scent.  It is so beautiful.  So white, so untouched, so perfect.

I am absolutely terrified of the sun harming it.  The thought of that amazing dewy white skin being touched by UV rays and turning pink is just awful.  And with the sun suddenly shining on us it is my job as his mummy to protect it.  Such a massive responsibility – OMG!

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Birmingham Baby Show – free tickets up for grabs!

May 12, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Competitions, Parenting, Pregnancy by jo.middleton | 9 comments

Have you ever been to one of the Baby Show’s before? If not, then you’re in for a treat…

It’s new-parent heaven – wall to wall gadgets and gizmos for your new baby, all the latest must-have products and of course plenty of fab freebies! As well as making the most of the exclusive show shopping discounts, you can also get expert advice and top parenting tips  – at the Birmingham show you can enjoy talks from Prima Baby’s sleep expert Jo Tantum, baby nutrition guru Annabel Karmel and breastfeeding expert Clare Byam-Cook.

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“It was all so lush…” – how it really feels to give birth at 17 years old

April 7, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Pregnancy by jo.middleton | 1 comment

For most people, finding out they are pregnant is a cause for celebration. But what about if you are only 16? How does it feel to give birth when you’re still a child yourself?

Today we are staying closer to home with a post from Jo Middleton. As well as being Cuddledry’s Marketing Manager, Jo is mum to two gorgeous girls and blogs as Slummy Single Mummy. Here Jo shares her birth story…

I was just 17 when my first daughter, Bee, was born. Her dad, Jonathan, was a year younger than me and was still at school until about three weeks before she was born. At the time I didn’t think too much about my circumstances, and obviously felt incredibly grown up and mature, as you do when you’re a teenager. Now Bee is a teen herself and I am beginning to realise just how much of a child I really was!

A little while ago, sorting through some photos, I came across a short birth report I had written at the time, fourteen years ago now. I read it and can imagine myself there, but it sounds like another person. A child. In some ways it makes me sad to think about how much growing up I must have done in such a short space of time, but at the same time it has an enviable casualness to it, a laid back, take-it-in-your-stride attitude that we often lose as adults.

So in the name of self reflection I have reproduced it here. Unedited. Even though parts of it did make me cringe a bit. I started having contractions at about 3am on the Saturday morning but the report starts when I went into hospital at around 7.30pm, when I was having contractions every 4-5 minutes….

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I’m on the case, really I am

March 22, 2010 in Babies, Birth, Parenting by helen.wooldridge | 5 comments

On very real life with a new baby…

3 weeks into life with my gorgeous new third baby I like the world to think I have a vague idea of what I am doing.  But today has been one of ‘those’ days when it all goes really rather pear-shaped.

I was due to blog for you this morning about a witty and entertaining topic – but here I am in the evening admitting I am no superwoman and my tiny chap has somehow swallowed up my whole day.  How is it that babies can achieve that when all they do at this stage is sleep, eat and look cross-eyed at us?

This morning I was going to be not only a super businesswoman who could do her bit for the company with baby in tow, but also a domestic goddess who would have tea ready for the older two kids, and dinner ready for my weary husband.  This afternoon my small son decided that was a bad plan and quite simply not permitted.  So the blog became a few words typed one-handed, and a couple of omelettes and some bowls of pasta pesto later, here we are.

But what makes me smile is knowing I am not alone.  Women nationwide are right now looking around the bombsite that is their home and wondering where on earth the day went.  And actually the important thing is not to lose your sense of humour about it all,  and do your very best to relax into the mayhem.  Generally I fail dismally at this and still delude myself that I am a tidy person with an organised life.  But I know how important it is to just let things go a bit right now.  He will only be tiny for such a short space of time, and as my best mate said to me, ‘you need to take time to just stare at your baby’, and she is so right.

My mum gave me a little poem when I had my first child – and after my hectic day I want to share it with all of you.  It says it all really:

‘I hope that my child, looking back on today, remembers a mother who had time to play.  Children grow up while you aren’t looking – there’ll be years ahead for cleaning and cooking.  So quiet now cobwebs, dust go to sleep, I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep.’

Lovely isn’t it?

I know I will wake up tomorrow once more delusional.  But I also know my lovely new baby will remind me to stare at him.  So who cares if we have beans on toast for tea!

life with a new baby

on life with a really new baby!

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