Arm yourself (in a non-threatening, peaceful way) with everything you need to know about babies.
Most children are toilet or potty trained by the age of three. But there are some doing it a bit sooner. From birth. This is the practice of Elimination Communication. Also called infant potty training and Nappy Free. I could only potty train my toddler by using chocolate bribes, which is definitely not suitable for newborns. So how do you do this? And, perhaps the much, much bigger question - why?
Read MoreThe first time I heard of a baby nest, outside the context of a little bird, it was 2017. I was reading through a list of ‘must-have’ baby products in the comments of an Instamum’s post. The Sleepyhead came up time and time again. Parents called it a lifesaver and an absolute essential. Then in 2018, the Lullaby Trust deemed them unsafe. So should you get one? Are they safe? And why are they still so popular?
Read MoreIt can take a while for your body to resume normal business post-birth. Unless you have a baby that painlessly slides out like an eel. All the stuff that may follow - the stitches, the bleeding, the piles, the fear of the first poo - none of it really matters as you’ve just expelled a real live baby from your body. You just won’t care. But there are some things you can get to make it all a lot easier.
Read MoreUp until ten years ago the only thing I’d used a coconut for was making horse clip clop noises. I’d have been as likely to rub coconut oil into a baby as I would be to bathe it in a Pina Colada. But it’s now had a meteoric rise. Coconut oil is everywhere and becoming increasingly popular as a baby product. But how can you use it with a baby, does it actually do any good and which are the best coconut oils to buy?
Read MoreUnless you are super fertile, you can’t plan to have a winter or a summer baby. You get what you’re given and there are benefits to each. It can be a bit harder in winter when the days are shorter and the nights longer. You might feel a bit envious of new parents with their sunny days in the park, but there are several ways to make life with a winter baby easier. And more importantly - warmer.
Read MoreDisposable nappies take an estimated 500 years to decompose. If you wore them as a child, they all still exist somewhere. Baby wipes ‘only’ take 100 years to break down. But how much better are eco-friendly disposables, wipes and nappy sacks? Do any actually biodegrade, can they be home composted and what are the eco-credentials of five of the main eco nappy brands?
Read MoreIf you bought every item of baby gear aimed at new parents, you’d probably also need a bigger house. There are many things you definitely do need like Babygros and baby hat. There are many that you definitely don’t need: like baby wipe warmers and baby cologne (yes, that’s an actual thing). But there are also many everyday baby products that have free or cheap alternatives.
Read MoreMost babies will have a bottle at some point. And 82% of these bottles used across the world are plastic. But a recent study has raised some concerns about microplastics. Here’s everything you need to know. Including the facts about the safety of plastic baby bottles, the pros and cons of glass bottles and seven of the best to buy.
Read MoreNewborn baby clothes often have to be changed more times times than Beyonce concert costumes by people existing on two hours’ sleep. They should be easy. But they’re not. So to simplify matters, here are ten things you need to know. Including what sizes to buy for a newborn, whether they need to be pre-washed and the surprising reason why the neck is so wide on bodysuits.
Read MoreSome of the most popular children’s books are very weird. There are families going on bear hunts, cats happy to wear hats and caterpillars at all you can eat buffets. Surely the real world is enough to deal with. It’s mind-blowing enough that caterpillars turn into butterflies.
Read MoreIncluding 19 different uses, how many to buy and why Neil Armstrong took one to the moon.
Before I had my baby, I knew nothing about muslin cloths. They were just something I saw living on the shoulder of a new parent, like a chef with a tea towel.
Read MoreThere are many ways that babies get their names. Some more unconventional than others. Spare a thought for the Marjorie, whose naming story I once overheard on a train. “She was very sickly when she was born and they didn’t think she’d survive. So they called her Marjorie as they didn’t want to waste a good name on her. She had the last laugh though as she lived to 86!”
Read MoreIf you’re about to have a baby, congratulations! On the baby and also the giraffe you are about to welcome into your house. The Sophie the Giraffe teething toy has become ubiquitous amongst babies. Like a teenager with a smartphone, Dot Cotton (RIP) with a fag or God with the whole world - she’s always in their hands. Albeit with quite a bit more dribble.
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