New from Mama Designs Ltd (home of the award winning Mamascarf) is Babasac, a 2-in-1 multi tog baby sleeping bag with removable inner panels that easily zip out, making it a 1.0 tog or 2.5 tog bag.

Babasac was designed by mum Keira O’Mara, as a result of the frustration of having to buy a new baby sleeping bag to take on holiday. It is suitable for use all year round and on holiday.

Babasac is a 100% cotton (outer and lining), premium quality sleeping bag and is available in two designs, pink hearts and navy stars.

It is available in 3 sizes (0-6, 6-18 and 18-36 months) from www.mamascarf.co.uk Prices from £37.99.  Babasac is tested to British Safety Standards BS8510 2009.

Keira from Mamascarf is offering a great pre baby show offer. Order the brand new Babasac now http://mamascarf.co.uk/babasac.php and get £5 off !

]]> http://www.brightonmums.com/launch-of-new-2-in-1-multi-tog-baby-sleeping-bag-with-removable-inner-panels/feed/ 0 http://www.brightonmums.com/superhero-friday-chestnut-tree-house-childrens-hospice-sussex/ http://www.brightonmums.com/superhero-friday-chestnut-tree-house-childrens-hospice-sussex/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:09 +0000 Chelle http://www.brightonmums.com/?p=3279 know that all Mum’s (and Dad’s) are Superhero’s – so this is why we are call upon you to be an extra special superhero and help us raise money and awareness for Chestnut Tree House – the only children’s hospice for Sussex! Your Challenge is to hold a Superhero Day within your workplace, nursery, school, community club or within your business and help us to raise vital funds and awareness.

Superhero Friday is 25 May 2012, but if this date doesn’t work for you, just pick any day you like! There are lots of ways to get involved, you could:

• Dress up as a superhero for the day

• Hold a ‘Make a Superhero Mask’ competition

• Have a superhero cake stall, with Kryptonite Cakes and Spiderman Sponges to sell your friends and colleagues

• Hold a superhero themed quiz

To get you started, you can download our fundraising ideas pack, posters, empty belly posters (which have space for you to add your event details) and mask templates at the bottom of the page. For teachers, our Schools Fundraising Pack is full of hints and tips to help you make the most of your fundraising activities. We’ve also included a special banner for you to include on your website or at the bottom of your emails, so you can let everyone know that you’re supporting Children’s Hospice Week. Please visit our website for all this information http://www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/default.asp?id=505&ver=1

We can also provide you with everything you need to help make your event a success. Contact us now for sponsor forms, posters, balloons, collecting tins, stickers and banners to help make your Superhero Day out of this world!

However you choose to get involved, you will be a hero for Chestnut Tree House.

Let us know what you have planned!

We want to hear about all the super things you are doing, so please send us your photos and tell us about the events you are organising. We’ll feature you on our website and Facebook page, so make sure you get in touch and tell us all about your super fundraising!

You can contact the Fundraising Team on 01903 871820 or fundraising@chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

Superhero Day is part of Children’s Hospice Week (18-25 May), seven days of fun and activity to raise money and awareness of your local children’s hospice. For more information visit www.childrenshospiceweek.org.uk

What are the benefits:

• Return to fitness. A good walk programme can make some great in-roads into gradually building back fitness levels to and physical condition that might have been lost during pregnancy or an extended break from exercise. Plus increase your confidence in your own body and what you can achieve.
• Elevate your metabolism. Exercising can help elevate the metabolism.  Burning off unwanted calories can help you to lose those unwanted pregnancy pounds and keep trim.
• Get back your life. A regular walking programme can help you take back control of your life post-birth. Finally having power over how your body changes shape can help you to feel better about yourself.
• A stepping stone to greater fitness. Once you start to feel fitter walking intervals can used as step towards intense exercises such as jogging and running.

Some helpful tips and pointers:

• Make it challenging. Walking isn’t always the easy option. Of course it can be just a saunter on the seafront if that’s what you want, but for those looking for something challenging you can push yourself too. Add some pace or an incline – by speeding up for a small period of time you can increase the challenge – or add resistance by factoring in the buggy, baby Bjorn or by adding some wrist weights.
• Make it interesting. By no means does walking have to be boring. Add some variation by using some interval or Fartlek approaches to your walking route – for those looking to improve and build fitness, intersperse it with some running. Better still make a date to stride out with friends or people from your NCT group. Or for those who want some me time take an MP3 player with your favourite tunes, podcast or audio book (books were Stephen Fry’s secret to walking weight loss – once he got hooked he just didn’t want to stop!).
• Make it fit. Walking doesn’t have to be long and arduous to get the benefits you want. You can actually squeeze a lot out of just a 30-minute session by altering the pace or heading to the hills. Always remember to warm-up and cool down safely.

Want some more help?

If you’re looking to stay fit during pregnancy or to get back to fitness post-pregnancy and are looking for support setting some goals and developing a training programme just for you, get in contact with Rob at StrideFit.

Visit www.stridefit.com for more information.

This straightforward seven day walking programme is for those who aren’t used to a great deal of walking at a good pace.  The aim of this is to gradually introduce you to a brisk walking pace – which is where you will start to breath more heavily and burn more calories.

At the start of the programme we assume that you’ll be able to walk at a moderate pace of around 2.5-3 miles per hour for around 10 minutes without becoming fatigued or breathless. Then over seven days the walking time increases from 10 minutes at a moderate pace (for example 2.5-3 miles per hour) to 20 minutes at a brisk walking pace (around 3.5-4 miles per hour). As mentioned to keep it interesting and help with motivation walk with a friend, partner, or a member of the family!

Days 1-3

For the first two days walk at a moderate pace for a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 minutes. At day 3 increase the pace and try a faster walk for 15 minutes.  Those with bump should always remember to listen to your body and stop if you feel unwell or too tired. If you’re walking with someone else a good way to gauge if you’re walking at the right pace is the talk test (see above).

Days 4-7

For day 4 continue at a moderate to brisk pace but start to increase the length of your walk to 15-20 minutes. On Day 5 make sure to have a break – rest and recovery are an essential part of exercise. Then on Day 6 walk briskly for 15-20 minutes. Continue at your new pace for Day 7, walking for 20 minutes.

Want some more help?

If you’re looking to stay fit during pregnancy or to get back to fitness post-pregnancy and are looking for support setting some goals and developing a training programme just for you, get in contact with Rob at StrideFit.

Visit www.stridefit.com for more information.

I had been chatted with Charlotte via twitter for a while and had met at a few baby shows where she has been successful in cornering the mum market.

So for my birthday I bought myself the red Grace.

The red of the bag is very vibrant but also classy. Like a good red lipstick.

For me it’s all about the pockets. I love having a place for everything and this is what I got. With a bottle holder (inside the bag rather than the traditional outer pocket style), a key hook, phone and pen pockets, plus two more inner pockets, an outer zip pocket. All this (I was already planning where to pop everything;)) and then a mini clutch bag that can be used independently (I have postcards for Brighton Mums and business cards in mine).

The Mia Tui Grace certainly packs enough in for me and toddler. Here was our list of stuff!

Two toddler pants and wipes
One mini make up bag
One bottle of water
Two bags of toddler snacks
iPad and charger
A snug baby sling
iPhone
Keys
Sunglasses
Pens
Notebook

I’m also love that the longer strap is removable so that it can be changed from messenger style to a chic handbag.

5/5 for this fabulous bag. The Mia Tui Grace costs £39.99 and this review was not paid for or the item provided for this purpose.

We are teaming up with Marks and Spencer and The Marine Conservation Society to clean up the beach.

You can find out about the day here: http://www.mcsuk.org/foreverfish/details.php?beach=Shoreham

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ready for bed

The oil is lovely, it smells of geranium and isn’t too greasy. We found that if we put this on Fizz’s hair at bedtime by morning the dry cradle cap started to flake really easily. A simple comb through of her hair and a wash to get the oil helped really eased it.

We have suffered with cradle cap pretty much since birth.

Here are our tips to ease this:

1) Wash your childs hair regular but not too often.

2) Remember to rinse all shampoo and conditioners with clean fresh water. Have another bowl next to the bath with this in.

3) At the first sign of cradle cap apply Rock the Cradle Scalp oil. Leave overnight and then rinse the hair and comb out.

Organic monkey gave us Rock the Cradle Scalp oil for the purpose of this review. The oil costs £7.50 for 30ml and is great value for money. I have even found it works on my dry elbows!

Why not look at the great selection that Organic Monkey have for your baby big or small

Join the Forum discussion on this post

In this regularly series of articles I’ll be sharing with you some cracking tips and techniques for exercising and keeping in shape which will help you get motivated to get out there, stay fit and build confidence in what you can achieve.

Along the way I hope to dispel a few unhelpful myths behind what exercise you can and can’t do during and after pregnancy and highlight some important things to always keep in mind.

Blast 1: Striding fit

As you might guess by the title the first fitness burst is all about something that comes naturally to most of us: Walking.

Now some of you are probably saying “is that really your first tip for keeping fit?” Well yes it is, let me explain…

For both those with bump and those getting back to fitness post-pregnancy (and beyond), getting out there for regular walking sessions is a great ‘step’ to fitness. Walking can be as challenging as you want to make it and, by inviting friends and family to get involved, doesn’t have to be boring. Plus, as walking is one of the most functional exercises we are ever likely to do (by functional we mean the exercise most likely to perform in everyday life), getting a good sesh under our belts 3-4 times a week can help improve the way we operate day to day.

What’s in it for me?

Still not sold? Well here are some of the benefits walking can deliver plus some helpful pointers for those with bump or post pregnancy who’re thinking of getting out there:

Walking with bump? 

What are the benefits

• Low impact. Striding out regularly is one of the best ways of staying fit during pregnancy and keeping strong ahead of birth. Walking is low impact on the joints – more specifically connective tissues like ligaments which relax with pregnancy hormones such as relaxin – which means there is a lower risk of injury than exercises like jogging and aerobics.
• Maintaining healthy weight. Regular exercise during pregnancy will help to reduce excessive weight gain and, better still, aid more rapid weight loss after birth.
• Regulating temperature. Exercising aerobically can also help regulate core body temperature, which is an important factor in foetal development.
• Strength for labour. A fit strong body will help during labour; the real true marathon test of stamina.

Some helpful tips and pointers:

• Maintain fitness, don’t push it. The goal of exercising during pregnancy should never be too push yourself to wildly improve fitness, but instead to maintain current fitness levels.  Therefore when striding out try to pace yourself and hold back from getting too breathless. Use the talk test principle and think: “could I hold conversation when walking this speed?”. If not, slow down. Or, if using a heart rate monitor, try not to exceed 135 beats per minute.
• Don’t exercise on an empty stomach. Make sure you have enough fuel in the tank for your walk – such as foods high in slow release carbs like cereals and rice (not sugary foods).  This will avoid blood sugar levels from getting too low.  Equally a walking session immediately after a big meal may probably lead to a stitch, so you may want to wait a little to digest.
• Listen to your body. Importantly make sure you look after yourself. Always exercise within your comfortable limits and make sure you’ve had enough rest. As pregnancy progresses listen to your body and how you feel, if you feel tired then take a rest!

So as you can imagine, his big blue eyes nearly popped out of his head when the lovely people at Micro-Scooters sent him a fabulous limited edition neon green scooter of his very own to review.

Within ten minutes of opening the box, little legs had his helmet on & was by the front door, raring to take his new favourite thing in the world on its first lap around the block.  And the second, and the third.  Since then, the scooter has come basically everywhere, safe to say, he loves it.  I can’t say he’s an absolute whizz just yet, the micro-scooter steering is ‘intuitive’, in that the rider just has to lean whichever way they want to turn, rather than actually turn the handlebars (Which is what Dylan is used to – the scooters at nursery aren’t quite so modern!), but he’s definitely getting the hang of it, and I expect by summer, he’ll be joining the kids we always see whizzing along the seafront having a ball.

And I must say, mummy and daddy have been pretty impressed too. Setting the scooter up is a doddle – it arrives in two pieces, which can really only go together one way – it took a couple of minutes to ‘clunk’ the handle bars into place & check that everything was secure – any parent will tell you that a toy that can be used more or less straight out of the box scores huge brownie points, especially when an inpatient toddler is waiting!

It’s nice & light, (handy for when a lucky grown up inevitably ends up carrying it home at some point – usually after toddler has exhausted self with extreme scooting!), but still very sturdy and extremely well made.  Plus it looks great, and micro-scooter also sell all sorts of accessories to customise your wheels, several of which Dylan already has his eye on!

All in all, it’s been a massive hit, and I’d definitely recommend micro-scooters as a great long lasting toy, which also encourages your little one to get active, and I’m sure will eventually make the walk to & from nursery a whole lot quicker!

If you’re feeling patriotic, what with it being Jubilee year, and the Olympics coming up too, be sure to check out the new range of Union Jack design scooters just launched – they look fantastic!

Thank you very much to micro-scooters for the opportunity to do this review – I can see Dylan’s new scooter being his preferred way to travel for a very long time to come!

[Reviewed by Miss Leslieanne who can usually be found blogging at Casa de Kooky ]

Make sure that your Diamond Jubilee street party is a happier event than this Silver Jubilee one in 1977. Photo by jrwi

1. Pick a date to celebrate

It would be a tremendous faux-pas to celebrate 60 years of the Queen’s reign on the wrong date.

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations will fall on the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th of June (Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays Monday and Tuesday). Don’t ask me why Tuesday, instead of Friday, was chosen to be a Bank Holiday – just pick a day to celebrate!

2. Know your history

If you’re organising your street’s Diamond Jubilee party then all the street’s kids will expect you to be even more clued-up about royal matters than BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell is. So you should know your basics, including that:

• The Queen came to the throne on 6^th February 1952
• Her coronation took place on 2^nd June 1953; making Saturday the 2^nd of June a very good day to hold your street party on

3. Learn from history

If there are people on your street old enough to remember the Queen’s 1953 coronation and 1977 Jubilee celebration then pick their brains about how these events were celebrated. Find out what food was laid on at street parties, what games were played and what music, if any, provided the soundtrack. This is all useful inside information which could inform your street party plans.

4. Don’t delay in applying for permission

The direct.gov.uk website has some very useful information about organising a Royal street party. A street party is classified as being one which “takes place in one or two streets and is for neighbours only”.

You will need to inform your local council’s events or communities’ team four to 12 weeks ahead of your party. Expect to receive a small application form through the post.

If you find that it’s too late to get permission then why not consider holding a ‘street meet’ instead. These have less restrictions placed on them as they are just gatherings which take place in parks, driveways or cul-de-sacs.

5. Traffic considerations

Kids will no doubt want to run around and have fun at street parties so it is a good idea to close off the road to traffic. Not surprisingly, you can’t just steal a bollard and do this yourself – ask permission from your local council.

If your street is on a busy bus route it’s quite polite to warn the company to re-route their bus services before the party begins!

6. The practicalities

Think up a checklist like the one below.

• Appoint people to organise different parts of the party
• Send out invitations early and don’t leave anyone on your street out – a party poster displayed prominently on a few windows should ensure this doesn’t happen
• Make sure there is enough seating for everyone

7. Decorations

Suitable decorations should give a royal theme to your street party. Craft companies like Yellow Moon have a great selection of Jubilee party supplies to make sure your street party is a successful one. Bunting, balloons and flags with the red, white and blue of the Union Jack will ensure that you and the kids can party like it’s 1953!

8. Food

Think British when choosing what snacks and treats to prepare for your party. Red, white and blue icing can give your street party cakes a patriotic atmosphere while coronation chicken and Victoria sponge cake are both foods with a royal theme! British classics such as beef wellington, pork pies, trifle and bakewell tarts are sure-fire crowd pleasers.

9. Activities

Keep the children active at Jubilee street parties by organising lots of activities. Setting up a face-painting stall on the street corner is a fabulous way of getting the party started – having a red, white and blue face is sure to be all the rage in early June. You could also set up a tombola stall to create some extra excitement and/or raise some money for good causes.

10. After the party

When you’re sending out the invitations, let your neighbours know the expected start and end time. Not all the neighbours will want to come to your party but they will want to know when the noise will begin and end.

Have lots of bin bags to hand when the party is in full swing so that you can clear away mess as you go along and don’t forget to have a team of little helpers to assist you with the clean-up operation after the party has ended.

And don’t forget to have fun – the earliest possible date that we can celebrate the next Diamond Jubilee is 2072 so make the most of this one!

James Christie writes for craft supplies company Yellow Moon.