Bump 2 Baby 2023

& BE Y ON D

WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF BUMP 2 BABY & BEYOND!

Bump 2 Baby is aimed at Parents and Parents to be! Our magazine is jammed packed full of really useful baby safety advice as well as some fantastic features!.

Thank you to our partners who continue to support us in ensuring that our readers get the best and most up to date safety information.

Bump2Baby would like to thank Georgina Street of Life Is Beautiful Photography for providing our fantastic front cover!

You can contact Georgina on: 07512784497

www.lifeisbeautifulphotography.co.uk

Info@lifeisbeautifulphotography.co.uk

Facebook.com/libphoto

@life_is_beautiful_photography

Best wishes

Chantal Editor

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Unsure about car seat safety? Our guide will help!

Looking for a stay-cation with the kids? Check out our review of the amazing Bovey Castle!

Fancy a weekend in London? We visited The Hard Rock Hotel!

Would you be able to spot a fake toy? The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are here to help guide you!

Welcome to our new contributors that include Milton, Jo Jingles, NUK and Slumberland!

We hear from Baby Rice on the importance of memory making TV presenter and “Hey Mummy” host Anna Cribb talks parenting

We have lots more baby safety advice for you on everything from road safety to preventing falls

Celebrity Chef Sarah Ali Choudhary has some super recipes for us all to enjoy!

Are you considering giving up smoking? Check out some top advice from leading charity Ash

As well as all of our usual safety advice from our supporters! Say Hello!

Bump

Butlins Bognor

An old British tradition that boasts first-rate accommodation, facilities and entertainment for the whole family

We spent a fantastic weekend at Butlins Bognor over Christmas and we are already looking to head back for Easter holidays!

The Wave Hotel - The Dolphin Room

We were really lucky to have stayed at The Wave Hotel. Check-in is from 3 pm in the hotels at Butlins, this is earlier than the other accommodation on site however as like all other guests you are able to get onto site from 12 pm meaning you can make the most of your holiday by beginning the fun before you check in.

The Wave Hotel has its own entrance with is a minute drive around the corner from the main entrance.

Inside the hotel lobby, there is a bar which serves hot beverages, cold drinks, alcohol, and snacks. There is plenty of seating. There is also a games hub for the children to play in – here you will find the latest games consoles and games, all secured in place but ready for action. It is a large space, dimly lit equipped with bean bags for comfort. This area was open from 10 am until 6 pm daily and always busy throughout the week.

Our Dolphin room was fantastic. It was super clean, bright and modern and had every amenity you can think of! The kids absolutely loved their separate “bunk bed” room with their own mini TV’s!. Everything was thought of from the fluffy towels to the kids toilet step. The bed was super comfy - very important when you have long days of fun planned!. We were really impressed.

Half Board Breakfast and Dinner

We decided to go “Premium Dining” which was fantastic!. There was plenty of choice and the food was of a really good quality. I loved the fact it was buffet style especially having picky eaters in the family!. The restaurant was kept lovely and clean and was not too busy. The staff were really friendly and welcoming!

What is included with premium dining?

• Unlimited buffet options for breakfast and dinner Including continental and cooked breakfasts, salad bars, starters, mains & deserts.

• Live cooking pasta station and grill stations With made-to-order burgers, chicken and other meat dishes

• Vegetarian and vegan options including milk alternatives And other dietary requirements catered for with prior notification

• Range of children’s breakfast and dinner options available Including baby feeding stations, high chairs, bibs and child-friendly cutlery

Highly recommend!

Activities

Where do I even begin?! We spent three days of arts and craft activities,adventure golf, climbing wall, Go karts, soft play, bowling!, live shows (we loved the pantomime! and my daughter could not believe that Peppa Pig was there! ), fun fair (which is also included in your break!) dancing, festive treats, walks to the beach with a hot chocolate and we had an absolutely amazing time in Butlins new “Splash” water park.

Designed with a British seaside theme in mind it is complete with seaside-inspired features like the Helter Skelter water slide, Seaside Garden rapids and Stick of Rock slides, to quieter areas like the tots pool. It is without a doubt the best swimming pool complex we have been to. It was super clean with lots of lifeguards on duty and ensured hours of fun when it was raining outside.

Do ensure that you have signed up for the Butlins app so you do not miss out on any of the brilliant activities on offer!

We are looking at returning for Easter so what is on?

As well as all of the usual activities, fun fair and amazing splash park, there are plenty of new shows this Easter!

We cannot wait to see The Masked Singer! and Festivals Rock!.

Autobot, Optimus Prime, will be paying a visit during the Easter Holiday too!

We highly recommend a visit to Butlins Bognor. It ticks all of the boxes!

Bump2Baby&Beyond Family Rating: 10/10

Book now: https://www.butlins.com/

Do you have a early flight? Us too!

We decided to check out one of the most conveniently located hotels for Gatwick Airport, located right next to the North Terminal. You’ll get from the check-in desk to the security queue in five minutes. Breakfast, which is included in the rate, is available from 4am. Sounds good doesn’t it?. Check out was as easy as check in, we left our key card in the check out box and headed off through the connected tunnel directly to Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal. From the hotel to security? 3 minutes!.

Check in

Check in was a breeze. We were given our key and were in our room in a matter of minutes which is so important when staying at a airport hotel.

Warm, enthusiastic and friendly staff who took the time to ask my daughter about our trip.

Rooms

Rooms are warm and relaxing with purple furnishings (through carpets and armchairs) and wooden-look furniture. Beds are comfortable and double glazing makes for a decent night’s sleep. We upgraded to a Queen room and enjoyed a spacious bathroom with a bath tub. I loved the fact that shampoo, conditioner and shower gel were provided (they all smelt divine and were of really great quality). There were plenty of fluffy towels and the shower was excellentalways a win!.

Hampton by Hilton Gatwick

Further amenities include desks, airconditioning and tea and coffee and a decent size TV!. The WIFI was great and super speedy and the bed was so comfortable!. The room and bathroom were spotlessly clean.

Is it family friendly? Yes many of the rooms have sofa beds.

Food and Drink

The hotel has a small restaurant and bar area. The restaurant is bright and contemporary and very clean. The staff were friendly and welcoming.

The hotel offers a bar menu which offers a small selection of sandwiches, burgers, curries, pastas, pizzas, nachos, that sort of thing. It offers dishes suitable for kids. We ate in the restaurant and although it was not the cheapest meal (but this is to be expected with the convenience of this hotel) we enjoyed our pizzas and nachos which set us up for an early night before our flight. It was very convenient to have this restaurant just downstairs.

Breakfast is included!

A continental breakfast spread is served from 4am (cheese, ham, yogurts, pastries); those after a hot breakfast will have to wait until 6am which is what we did.

The huge spread includes the usual – baked beans, scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausages – plus

cereals, pastries coffee, tea and juices. We were so impressed with the huge selection offered at breakfast. Quite often a busy breakfast buffet area can become messy but we did not see a thing out of place due to diligent staff. The quality of the breakfast was also very good and the coffee was excellent!.

Check out

Check out was as easy as check in, we left our key card in the check out box and headed off through the connected tunnel directly to Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal. From the hotel to security? 3 minutes!.

If you want to take the stress out of your holidays I would highly recommend this hotel. It has everything you need and the team are so welcoming.

Start your holiday a day early to relax and de-stress before your flight. Ensure the kids get a good night sleep while you enjoy a glass of wine reading your holiday guide!. You will not regret it!

You can book a room here:

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ longnhx-hampton-london-gatwick-airport/

An unmissable two days for gardeners and foodies

Toby’s Garden Festival

Toby’s Garden Festival, hosted by BBC gardening presenter Toby Buckland, is throwing open the gates at Powderham Castle for their 9th on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th April.

It’s an unmissable two days for gardeners and foodies, with over 150 exhibitors, including awardwinning Chelsea Flower Show plant nurseries, with a colourful array of roses, clematis and climbers, trees and shrubs, house plants and herbs.

This year’s celebrity speaker is BBC Gardener’s World presenter and garden designer, Joe Swift, who will be sharing his tips on getting the most from your garden in the Speaker’s Marquee. It’s one of three talks programs, where you can hear talks and demos on a range of topics, including flower farming, keeping chickens, planting a wildflower meadow and growing organic fruit and veggies.

There’s also a huge Artisan Barn, fill to the brim with quality local art and crafts, from handmade jewellery and soap, to landscape photography, knitwear and accessories.

Other attractions include stone balancing, book signings, outdoor kitchen tastings, tree climbing, stilt walkers, a miniature steam railway, heritage wood crafts and animals, including alpaca and chickens. ` Plus, you can make your own flower crown to wear at the fest with help from the British Academy of Flower Arts.

Head to Feast Street to grab a bite from one of 15 curated local street food producers and enjoy lunch sitting in the sunshine by the Castle lake while listening to live music from talented local musicians.

New for 2023 is the Food Drink Devon Market showcasing a cornucopia of local producers, with talks and tastings on wine, cider, cheese and more. The talks are hosted by The Daily Telegraph’s wine guru, Susy Atkins, and food writer Mark Diacono of Otter Farm.

If you really want to make a day of it, upgrade your visit with a VIP ticket which grants all-day access to the 14th century castle’s stunning Music Room (as featured in the Anothony Hopkins movie Remains of the Day) with morning coffee and cake, a buffet lunch and afternoon tea, with a glass or two of fizz.

Next door in the Castle Dining Room, local wine merchant Wickham will be offering visitors a chance to try and buy a range of wine, from vineyards in Devon, England and abroad.

Tickets from £13.50 in advance, (children under 16 free except VIP tickets); dogs on leads welcome.

www.tobygardenfest.co.uk

Spend a weekend in Geneva!

We were recently invited by The Geneva Tourist Board to come and spend a weekend exploring family friendly activities in the heart of Switzerland!.

How did we get there?

Geneva is closer to the UK than you think! We took an EasyJet flight from Bristol which took little more than 1 hour and cost just over £150 return for two people!. It was cheaper and quicker to travel to Geneva than it would be to travel to London!. Another bonus is that the transfer time from the airport to the city center is short -think around 10 minutes.

Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross. Geneva hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world.

The best things to do in Geneva include exploring extravagant hotels, independent boutiques and highend jewelers, not to mention the superb restaurants and mouth-wateringly good chocolatiers. Located on the banks of the lake the city shares its name with, Geneva is Switzerland’s second-largest city and one of its most luxurious.

But is it family friendly? We made it our mission to find out!

Where did we stay?

We stayed at the family owned Bristol Hotel https://www.bristol.ch/en/

The Hôtel Bristol Geneva is one of the most beautiful buildings on the Square du Mont-Blanc and we could see Lake Geneva from our bedroom window. There were a lot of families staying with children and you can see why. Although the hotel is extremely luxurious and within steps to Lake Geneva there is a relaxed atmosphere where staff speak warmly to children and are not ruffled when children make noise over dinner for example!. Families are very warmly welcomed.

The Bristol recently had a refurbishment and the bedrooms are strikingly beautiful with a modern and contemporary feel.

Highlights of our weekend stay

Boat Tour on Lake Geneva

We got to explore Geneva and its stunning lake from a new perspective — directly on the water. We began our tour from the Pierres du Niton, cruising towards the Pointe à la Bise. It was a wonderful experience to see Geneva’s famous Jet d’Eau, the iconic fountain the city is famous for up close! We

also got to see Mont-Blanc mountains and the surrounding Swiss Alps, as well as famous buildings, such as the UN.

An absolutely fantastic experience!.

We went with CGN: https://www.cgn.ch/fr/

Cheese Fondue Tuk Tuk Tour of Geneva

What could possibly be more swiss than indulging in a cheese fondue?! But a cheese fondue while on a Tuk Tuk tour of Geneva? Now that is an experience!.

We were collected from our hotel by the most friendly guide. He informed us that we would get the piping hot cheese fondue set up and we would then be on our way. We would have a tour of Geneva whilst enjoying this amazing swiss tradition!. The fondue was served with warm bread and some lovely wine. We felt like royalty tucking into the fondue whilst taking in the sights of Lake Geneva and The Old Town. People would constantly wave to us and we felt incredibly welcome as tourists in Geneva!.

We highly recommend it!.

https://www.welo.swiss/en/balade/fondue-tour/

Our Top Pick: Chocolate Tour of Geneva

We absolutely loved this tour. We got to Taste our way through award winning Swiss chocolates and pastry and learn the secrets of more than 2000 years of “food of the Gods” history. We visited 8 of the top chocolate shops in Geneva. All of which involved chocolate testing! It is a tough job!.

During the tour we were able to discover Geneva’s charming old town with its cobbled stone streets, old churches and beautiful squares. We also enjoyed a short boat ride across the Geneva Lake. We learnt so much about the history of Geneva and of Swiss chocolate from our very knowledgeable guides. We topped off the tour with some chocolate shopping, something the children really enjoyed.

https://localflavourstours.com/

A Trip to the United Nations “Palais des Nations”

Our teenage daughter is very interested in international relations so we took the opportunity to visit the Palais des Nations.

You can book a tour of the Palais des Nations and learn about the United Nations and the UN’s work in Geneva. Our tour guides informed us about the organization and its activities to maintain world peace, foster international relations and development.

A really fantastic educational experience for all of us!.

You can find out more here: https://www.ungeneva. org/en/practical-information/visitors

We had a fantastic weekend in Geneva. There are so many family friendly things to do!.

Geneva has a wealth of amazing restaurants, attractions and shopping and is an incredibly friendly and safe place to travel too.

We can conclude that Geneva is one of the most family friendly places we have ever visited and we cannot wait to return!

For more information on Geneva: https://www.geneve.com/

From Motors To Music And Everything In Between

From Motors To Music And Everything In Between, cinch presents CarFest South Returned To Hampshire With A FunFilled Bank Holiday Weekend!

August 2022 -

The UK’s largest family fundraising festival, cinch presents CarFest, welcomed guests to Laverstoke Park Farm on the 26-28th August for the most incredible and fun-fuelled Bank Holiday weekend! This year, it was bigger and better than ever with a magical seven festivals in one where over 75,000 visitors revelled in everything from food and music, to cars and celebrities aplenty.

CarFest’s roving reporters AJ and Curtis Pritchard started the festival’s engines at the Big Early, the exclusive evening events for early camping ticket holders. BugFest’s Nick Wadham performed his Wild and Deadly Show, where children and adults alike gawked at and learned about a host of exotic creepy crawlies from across the globe! Afterwards, AJ and Curtis were joined by Chris Evans’ family to read bedtime stories for the eager listeners, before battling it out on the all-time favourite Silent Disco competition.

Across the weekend, the main stage was ignited by stellar performances from chart-topping artists like Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, James Blunt and Paloma Faith, who had the crowds singing and dancing to every beat! Kaiser Chiefs captivated audiences with their timeless hits, Ruby and I Predict A Riot,

and guests put on their disco pants with ABBA tribute band, Bjorn Again. Molly Rainford gave a cosmic performance as her CBBC character Nova Jones, and the CarFest Supergroup, formed of Max Harwood, Freya Ridings and Rob Brydon (who stole guests’ hearts last year with a surprise performance with Gavin & Stacey co-star, Ruth Jones) took to the stage much to the delight of fans.

Paying homage to the motoring innovations of the 70s, CarFest showcased the spectacular cars of Jody Scheckter’s Formula 1 career, where visitors strapped in for the most exciting decade of motoring sports. Cars of all calibres took to the Kwik FitMichelin Track for daily shows, hosted by Mike Bushell and it was nothing short of electrifying! With over 120 cars from the past, present and future, guests had the opportunity to get up close and personal at the Kwik Fit-Michelin Paddock, as well as the chance to bag a dream ride at the Sporting Bears. The cinch Paddock housed an impressive range of cars to browse, test drive and buy, curated for a variety of needs such as school runs and business meetings. In support of UK charities, cinch donated £50 for every car sold at the festival, presenting a cheque for £50,000 for the event’s charity partners!

StarFest boasted one of the biggest gatherings of celebrities from the world of TV, film and sport,

with the likes of Laura and Russell Brand, Shaparak Khorsandi, Sally Phillips and Ronni Ancona, as well as Jimmy Carr drawing in crowds as far as the eye could see. On the stage, Chris Evans chatted with Hollywood star Minnie Driver, and sporting heroes Paula Radcliffe, Victoria Pendleton, Steve Cram and Matty Lee reflected on their acclaimed careers. At the brand new Author’s Stage, hosted by Costa Coffee, festival-goers got their noses stuck into books such as Giovanna Fletcher’s latest release, Walking On Sunshine, and Ben Miller’s How I Became A Dog Called Midnight. There was also a line-up of intimate readings and Q&As at The Costa Reading Room, with exclusive signed copies available for purchase at the on-site Waterstones bookstore. By the evening, StarFest transformed into the everpopular Club CarFest, with the likes of Gok Wan and Danny Rampling getting everyone’s groove on!

Founded by radio presenter Chris Evans, CarFest has raised over £20 million for UK children’s charities since its conception 11 years ago. Charity beneficiaries include BBC Children in Need, Comic Relief, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, My Black Dog, Rainbow Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust and Hampshire-based charities Naomi House & Jacksplace.

Chris Evans also announced plans for a bigger and better CarFest in 2023, bringing North and South events together to create ONE BIG CARFEST at Laverstoke Park Farm for the August Bank Holiday (25th-27th August 2023). Early Bird Tickets registration is now open! Tickets for this limited offer will be frozen at 2022 prices, with full-price tickets going on sale this November.

For more information for 2023: https://carfest.org/

Pudsey’s Spot hosted by Children in Need, CBBC and CBeebies was the true highlight of KidsFest featuring some fabulous performances by Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales, YolanDa’s Band Jam and Andy and the Odd Socks, keeping the children endlessly entertained. The fun didn’t stop there - the little ones also had the opportunity to develop their circus skills with The Flying Seagull Circus and get their creative juices flowing at the Artclub. And no festival would be complete without a good old-fashioned funfair! Families stepped it up a gear at AdventureFest with jaw-dropping BMX performances and getting up close and personal with exotic creatures at BugFest, as well as a range of exhilarating activities, including rock-climbing and a whizz down the zip wire. Hidden talents were uncovered at Upskill Alley, where festival-goers had a go at painting, pottery, T-shirt printing and lots more.

Haven -Seview Weymouth

We recently were invited to try out a weekend at Haven!. Having seen the adverts on television and hearing friends rave about it, we could not wait!.

We recently were invited to try out a weekend at Haven!. Having seen the adverts on television and hearing friends rave about it, we could not wait!.

Seaview is surrounded by famous landmarks and a whole host of natural beauty. Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door are just two of the places you can visit when you stay at this peaceful park. The famous sight of Weymouth and its beach isn’t far either, and when you’re done with exploring, relax in Seaview’s pool. Brilliant for couples and young families, there’s a load of tot-friendly activities for younger members of the party to try too. Pretty perfect right?!.

This park is a small, peaceful retreat, surrounded by gorgeous coastal and countryside views. Beautiful Bowleaze Cove is just a stroll away and is perfect for soaking up the sea air. Seaview guests can also take a short walk over to sister park, Weymouth Bay, where there are activities galore to enjoy.

We had a seamless check in and settled into our super clean caravan which was of silver standard, a 12ft wide caravan which honestly was like a home from home. Well done Haven you thought of everything!. We also had a lovely decking area with the most amazing view complete with cows! Something my toddler was overjoyed with!. We felt like we were “away from it all” in minutes!.

The facilities at Seaview are first class. There is a happy buzz of excitement as you walk through the park and this is assisted greatly by the friendly staff who work so hard to make your break memorable. Our children loved meeting the Haven mascots who again made so much effort!. There are two pools, one inside and one outside. We made full use of both. The children loved it. There were lifeguards on duty at all times and all of the facilities were very clean.

You also have Papa Johns where you can grab a pizza as well as a club house offering evening entertainment and a small amusement arcade.

What really stood out for me at Haven Seaview was the fantastic range of activities available for the children. We have been on many holidays where we have heard the dreaded words “I am bored!” but this did not happen once on this trip!. The activities that we took part in included:

Mini Aerial Adventure, Paint and Pottery and Sand Art. The staff that led these sessions were brilliant. Really enthusiastic and were very safety conscious!.

Haven Seaview also offers activities in Den building and Bug Hunts. I thought that this was beyond fantastic!.

For older (and perhaps for the more adventurous!) Haven offers “The Big Jump” which Haven describes as: “There is always one ride at a theme park that’s like marmite. You either love it or hate it. We think it’s usually the one that takes you high up into the sky before dropping you to the ground without warning. The Jump serves as our version of this!

You’ll climb up the steps to your position before leaping off the platform and landing on the huge airbag that consumes you at the bottom. It’s a brilliant activity for thrill seekers that will leave wanting another go”.

I might leave that for another day!.

I highly recommend a visit to Haven Seaview. The park is fantastic for those with families. There is so much to do and fun to be had but at the same time being in such a wonderful location that is both close to the countryside and the seaside. Pure escapism!.

Haven are offering deals for October Half Term!

They have a Saver, 2 bed caravan arriving Friday 21st October 2022 available for 3-nights @ £234 and a Saver, 2 bed caravan arriving Friday 28th October 2022 available for 3-nights @ £169. For more details https:// www.haven.com/parks/dorset/seaview

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Even in winter, bright sunny days and the low sun can mean car journeys can quickly become stressful for everyone if the sun is shining into precious little newborn eyes. Car Shades provide maximum shade by covering all rear windows perfectly, leaving no dazzling gaps for the sun to get through. They also fit to the window frame instead of the glass using special clips so they don’t fall off, and you can even wind down the passenger window to allow air in the car but still keep bugs out. They’re easy to fit at home and simple to remove and are manufactured in the UK.

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5. Share a room, not a bed

It is recommended that your baby sleeps in your room, but on a separate sleep surface, for at least for the first 6 months (ideally for the first year of life). Evidence suggests that it also reduces the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%. Having your baby’s cot within view and reach will also help you to feed, comfort and monitor your baby.

If you do decide to share a bed, make sure that you follow current safe sleep guidance from The Lullaby Trust and never bed share if you or anyone in the bed has recently drunk alcohol, taken drugs or medicines that make you drowsy, or smoked.

6. Consider using a dummy

Dummies can significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. Consider offering one to your baby, but you should not force them to take it. If you are breastfeeding, wait about four to six weeks before introducing one. Many parents stop offering a dummy to their child after six months, so the baby doesn’t get so accustomed to falling asleep with something in their mouth.

7. Maintain a healthy, stable temperature in your home

The recommended safe temperature for babies is between 16 to 20 degrees celsius. While this may seem cool to you, your baby isn’t used to regulating their own body temperature, and is unable to remove extra blankets or clothing.

For the latest safe sleep guidance visit The Lullaby Trust (www.lullabytrust.org.uk)

The Sleep Sanctuary is an online children’s Sleep Consultancy supporting tired parents to improve their child’s sleep and live healthier, happier lives (www.mysleepsanctuary.co.uk)

Baby College® offer insights into many parent and baby development topics (including sleep) in their fun interactive classes in venues across the UK. They also host the popular Facebook Group Inspiring Parents UK, with many inspiring experts like Rachael on hand to answer your many parenting questions.

Visit www.babycollege.co.uk for more details of classes or join Inspiring Parents UK.

GIVE YOUR BABY THE BEST START TO LIFE BY QUITTING SMOKING

Quitting smoking is the best thing anyone can do to improve their health, and it’s especially important for pregnant women and their families. Smoking during pregnancy is a leading cause of poor birth outcomes, including stillbirth, miscarriage and birth defects. Two babies die suddenly every week in the UK because their mothers smoked during pregnancy or their babies are exposed to tobacco smoke after birth. Stopping smoking will protect the health of your baby throughout pregnancy and beyond. It’s never too late to reduce the risks to your baby by quitting smoking.

If you’re finding it difficult quitting there is support available to help. If you’re pregnant, your midwife should ask you about smoking and refer all smokers for help to quit. You can speak to your midwife, GP or other health professional about a range of stop smoking treatments. Different people will find different quitting aids effective. All smokers have the best chance of quitting smoking if they combine nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum with behavioural support from a stop smoking specialist. For pregnant women who smoke, switching to nicotine replacement therapy or an e-cigarette (vape) can significantly reduce the risks to your baby. E-cigarettes don’t produce the tar or carbon monoxide caused by burning, two of the most harmful components of tobacco smoke for women and their babies. Based on the available evidence on e-cigarette safety, you can continue using an e-cigarette while breastfeeding, especially if it helps you quit smoking and stay smokefree. Women who vape after giving birth should not be discouraged from doing so if it enables them to stay quit and maintain a smokefree home.

Having a smokefree home is crucial for protecting the health of women and their babies, before and after birth. Even if a pregnant woman doesn’t smoke, if she breathes in other people’s smoke she is more likely to have a sick baby, to suffer a stillbirth, or to have her baby die unexpectedly after birth. Additionally, every year, more than 9,500 children aged 14 and under are admitted to hospital in the UK because of the effects of secondhand smoke. Children who live in homes where people smoke are more likely to develop health problems like asthma, meningitis and long-term lung problems, and children who live with smokers are also much more likely to become smokers themselves. It’s therefore really important that women’s partners and family members are also encouraged to quit so their children can grow up in a smokefree home.

Services are available to support people to quit smoking and it’s normal to make multiple quit attempts before you’re able to quit for good so even if you have tried to quit before, it’s always worth trying again. You can ring the Stop Smoking helpline on 0300 123 1044 for information and/or referral to the free Stop Smoking Services or visit https://www.nhs.uk/ smokefree. Pregnant women can speak to their midwife, GP or other health professional about getting support to quit. For more information on pregnant women and e-cigarettes see the Smokfree Action Coalition resource http://bit.ly/38szI17.

DRINKING AND DRIVING

Let’s start by stating something that might not be obvious;Drinking and driving is NOT illegal. There is a tolerance allowed for alcohol in the system of a driver, the ‘drink drive limit’ as it is known. This is just the start of the problem! You can drink and drive, but drinking too much and driving IS illegal, but how much is too much? Speed limits are set and advertised by the roadside, exceed them and you know the consequences; But how many drivers know what the drink drive limits are? Did you know for example that they differ between UK countries, where the limit is lower in Scotland and (soon to be) Ireland, than in England and Wales? The common answer to the question “what is the drink drive limit!” is “Two pints, or A couple of glasses of wine or spirits…..WRONG! The legal limit in breath for England and Wales is 35 mcg in 100ml of breath, and 22mcg in Scotland.

So, what would the answer be if you were to ask the barman for a drink containing just 34 mcg in 100 ml of breath to make sure you’re under the limit. Probably not one to be printed in a magazine, because no one is able to calculate the point at which that limit is reached! Why do we have a legal limit which cannot be calculated, when each and every one of us knows the SAFE limit is zero. The smallest amount of alcohol will seriously reduce your ability to perform simple tasks, the more alcohol you take on board, the more serious the impairment. We’ve all done things, or seen others doing stupid things after a drink or two, one of those stupid things should never be getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The penalties for drink driving are quite severe; an unlimited fine based on earnings/benefits, points on your licence and a driving ban, in more serious cases prison is an option. But that’s not where it finishes, it’s not about the here and now. Once the fine has been paid and the ban completed, the DR10 penalty points remain on your licence for 10 years, you may have to take an extended driving test to get back on the road, and just imagine how much your insurance premium will rocket with a criminal conviction for life. Future employers,( because you’ll probably need to apply for a new job), will look and ask questions such as “does this person have a drink problem, will they turn up drunk for work if at all, and will I have to pay a higher insurance premium for them to drive my vehicles?

Is it really worth risking your future for the sake of a taxi fare? And are you in fact taking a risk by drinking and driving? I would say No, it is a conscious decision made by you to do it. But it’s not all about the drink driver; what about those left to deal with the consequences of being injured or having a loved one killed by a drunk driver. It is estimated that over 400 people are affected by each fatality on the roads. When you take into account family, extended family, friends and colleagues, and yes, the emergency service teams who have to cope with dealing with such tragedy on a daily basis, they are all affected too.

Our sister charity SCARD, (Support and Care After Road Death and injury) have hundreds of family members, friends and witnesses to road crashes who have all sought our help in coping with the aftermath of a road death. Our annual ‘Oakleaf’ service of remembrance in November gives the opportunity for those affected to come together in support of each other. Drink driving is socially unacceptable. The ignorant minority who chose to take part in this activity think nothing of the consequences for others, but remember this, you don’t have to be drunk to be a drink driver.

It is amazing how many of those caught offer the excuse, “but I’ve only had a couple of drinks”. That might be all it takes to put you over the limit. 1 in 6 convicted drink drivers were caught the morning after. Think very carefully before you plan to drive, even if you have been responsible enough to leave the car at home for a night out. There are charts printed and calculators available, but don’t rely on them to keep you safe. They are a rough guide only and it is, as I have pointed out, a very imprecise science. Our website CADD.org.uk has much more information and advice on avoiding becoming a statistic as a driver or a victim of a drink driver, including myth-busting facts you might find quite interesting. There is also a link to our sister charity SCARD, should you need them or wish to support them in any way.

NESTLED IN THE ROLLING VALLEYS OF DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK, YOU WILL FIND AWARD WINNING LUXURY AT BOVEY CASTLE

Escape to Bovey Castle

Bovey Castle boasts five Red Stars for exceptional hospitality - the highest accolade awarded by the AA and given to only the most outstanding hotels.

Standing within 275 acres of beautiful countryside within Devon’s Dartmoor National Park, the hotel offers 60 bedrooms along with 22 country lodges tucked away within the grounds. There’s also a choice of two award winning restaurants, the luxurious Elan Spa and an 18-hole championship golf course, designed for Bovey Castle by J F Abercromby.

We like to make the most of the outdoors at Bovey Castle, try an array of country pursuits or take a trip on the wild side in one of our 4x4 off-road track experiences.

PROUD TO BE PART OF EDEN HOTEL COLLECTION @BoveyCastle

BOVEY CASTLE REVIEW

Bovey Castle, Dartmoor National Park

Bump2Baby Magazine Rating 10/10

Bovey Castle is something very special. As someone who has stayed in hundreds of hotels over the years, I rarely get excited but this place is MAGICAL and in my opinion absolutely faultless.

We stayed in a Grand state room which was absolutely jaw dropping. A wonderfully big space which comprised of a twin room with the most comfortable bed I have ever stayed in, a huge bathroom with a free standing bath, power shower accompanied by fluffy bathrobes and slippers and some super Elemis toiletries. We also had a seperate lounge which is a lovely additional space, especially on an evening. All guests receive complimentary Bovey sloe gin in their room accompanied with some fresh fruit and nuts. A really lovely touch.

Bovey Castle prides itself on its family friendly ethos and this was immediately evident on arrival when we saw a whole host of little wellington boots in the lobby which your children can borrow. As we walked through reception, children were running around, laughing and no one batted an eyelid. In fact, the lovely smiley ladies at Reception stopped their work to chat to them and already knew several by name. Bovey Castle is without question high end and sumptuous luxury. The buildings are bathed in true historical splendour. In fact, this place was once the country residence of W H Smith no less and Tom Daly got married here just a few years back which was covered by Hello magazine. I can imagine that many families may be cautious in wanting to visit somewhere so “posh”. “What if little Tommy misbehaves at tea”? Or “What is Betsy gets overtired and throws herself on the floor in true tantrum style”?!. I can say without question that this would not even phase the wonderful staff at Bovey. They are relaxed and so fabulous with the children.

Bovey also offer self contained lodges in the grounds. We were really lucky to be able to have a look around and these are excellent. They have three bedrooms (all en suite). Bovey have thought of everything from stair gates, first aid kits, travel cots as well as a fully fitted kitchen AND utility room which provides a washing machine and dryer!. Room service is available 24 hours a day whether you are a hotel room guest or if you are staying in the lodges. It is great fun to see all of the golf buggies transferring guests up to the main house from the lodges or dropping off breakfast!.

I took my daughter with me to experience all that Bovey has to offer for children.

On arrival we were given a list of the next days activities which included:

“Meet the chickens and Ferrets”

“Deer Park Estate Tour”

“Bovey Castle Survival School”

“Family Archery”

“Falconry Display”

How wonderfully refreshing and non commercial. Bovey prides itself on getting families in the great outdoors. My daughter absolutely loved the experiences. And not a ipad in sight!.

Bovey also has a really fantastic indoor swimming pool which children are welcome to use. It was lovely to “warm up” in a lovely warm pool which overlooked the beautiful grounds. (Also very nice for mum to use the hydro pool and adjacent sauna and steam room!). The pool area was sparkling clean and as mentioned the pool and the room was kept at a warm temperature.

The staff made a huge fuss of my daughter and she was offered a child menu as well as av colouring pack.

Bovey always offers dining from 5pm which is so appreciated when you have been travelling with a child.

To sum up Bovey - it is pure escapism. It is a magical place that is full of pure joy. There is no question that Bovey Castle is full of history and endless luxury - but with absolutely none of the stuffiness or pretentiousness that you might expect. Get your wellies on and head to Bovey for a first class family! Break. A huge statement to make but without a doubt - the best hotel I have ever stayed at!.

https://www.boveycastle.com/

If this was not good enough, the food is absolutely out of this world.

We dined in the “Smiths Brasserie” (named after the aforementioned W H Smith!) and firstly I commend the excellent and first class service. The staff were so friendly and absolutely nothing was too much trouble. We immediately felt relaxed and at home.

The food was EXCELLENT. I enjoyed the Scallop starter followed by the Steak and triple cooked chips. The staff recommended a wine pairing to my food, and again, this was excellent.

Fire safety

Prevent fires

• Keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach of young children

• Stub your cigarette out properly and avoid smoking if you’re really tired (or in bed) - you may fall asleep with it in your hand

• Change your chip pan to an electric one if you can. If not, never fill the pan more than half full

• Store your hair straighteners safely. A growing number of house fires are caused by hair straighteners left switched on

• Take care not to overload electrical sockets. For example, if you use the combination of a toaster and a kettle on an extension lead running from one socket, it’s dangerously overloaded.

Plan your escape

• With your family, work out the best route for you to get out of the house. Talk about it together and make sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency

• Keep the stairs and the escape route clear of clutter at night

• Keep keys to any doors on your escape route in one place so you know where they are in an emergency.

Check your smoke alarms

• You need a working smoke alarm both upstairs and downstairs, to warn you quickly if a fire starts

• Test your alarms every month

• If your alarm keeps going off while you’re cooking, don’t remove the battery – the chances are you’ll forget to put it back. Instead move it further away from the kitchen or fit one that has a silencer button

• Encourage children to get involved in testing the smoke alarms.

Find out more and share

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

With so many devices charging as well as other modern appliances, it’s easy for sockets to become overloaded. Read on for tips on fire prevention. Are you sure your smoke alarms are working?

THE IMPORTANCE OF ASKING : COULD IT BE SEPSIS?

Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is the reaction to an infection in which the body attacks its own organs and tissues. If not spotted and treated quickly, it can rapidly lead to organ failure and death. The numbers are staggering – every year in the UK 250,000 people are affected by sepsis; 52,000 people die because of sepsis and 79,000 suffer permanent, life-changing after-effects.

Sepsis is an indiscriminate killer, claiming young and old lives alike and affecting the previously fit and healthy. It’s more common than heart attacks and kills more people than bowel, breast and prostate cancer and road accidents combined. Current practice for diagnosis and treatment could be costing the UK economy up to £15.6 billion annually. But despite the statistics and the condition’s devastating impacts, awareness of sepsis is astonishingly low.

As sepsis presents differently in adults and children knowing the symptoms is crucial, so that we can advocate not only for ourselves but for friends and family and other members of our community.

HOW TO SPOT SEPSIS IN CHILDREN

If your child is unwell with either a fever or very low temperature (or has had a fever in the last 24 hours), call 999 and just ask: could it be sepsis?

A child may have sepsis if he or she:

– Is breathing very fast

– Has a ‘fit’ or convulsion

– Looks mottled, bluish, or pale

– Has a rash that does not fade when you press it

– Is very lethargic or difficult to wake

– Feels abnormally cold to touch

A child under 5 may have sepsis if he or she:

– Is not feeding

– Is vomiting repeatedly

– Has not passed urine for 12 hours

PREVENTING SEPSIS

We still don’t know why some people who get an infection develop sepsis and others don’t. People are more likely to develop sepsis after a viral illness like a cold, or a minor injury. But it can affect anyone, regardless of age or state of health. However, some people are more likely to get sepsis, including those who are very young or very old, those who are malnourished and those who are pregnant or have just given birth.

We can’t always prevent sepsis but, if it does strike, getting help early can stop it in its tracks. The first, vital step is to ensure that families and friends are aware of the condition. This awareness will enable people to advocate for their loved ones; if you or someone you know is ill with an infection, knowing to ‘Just Ask: Could it be Sepsis?’ might well save a life.

However, by preventing infection we can reduce our risk of developing sepsis. It’s important that we maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, and pay attention to sanitation and hygiene. Washing our hands, ensuring that we avoid where possible contact between people with symptoms of infection and those who are vulnerable, and encouraging everyone to accept the vaccinations that offered will all play a part in preventing the thousands of needless deaths every year from this deadly condition.

River Cottage Review

https://www.rivercottage.net

River Cottage is a brand used for a number of ventures by television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. These include a long-running Channel 4 television series, cookery courses, events, restaurants and products such as beer and organic yogurts. It is fair to say that River Cottage is one of the most famous and well recognised farmhouses in the world thanks to the wealth of television shows broadcasted from the farmhouse in Axminster, Devon.

We were incredibly excited to attend the “Get Growing” course. With more and more people that are striving for a more simplistic life, in growing their own vegetables, this course is incredibly popular.

Our day started bright and early at 09.30am where we were met by a tractor and trailer which takes you down the infamous hill. This is a really lovely touch and the excitement mounted when we saw the famous farm house in the distance along with cows and the famous cottage garden. On arrival we were met warmly by our Tutor who offered us a welcoming array of hot coffee, teas and mini sweet bites ( the mini pancakes were a firm favourite).

Our tutor was fantastic and incredibly knowledgeable. He spoke about the amazing variety, value and flavours you can achieve by growing your own vegetables and gave practical advice on tools and site.

Our tutor also spoke to us about crop rotation, the perfect compost, pruning and making your soil work for you. This was so useful to us as keen gardeners!. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the garden.

On our return Chef Tom was waiting for us to show us how to use vegetables from the garden to make really tasty dishes!. We really enjoyed getting ideas on how to make our veggies a little more interesting!. Providing us with samples to try was a welcome touch. Lunch is provided on the day and again, this was exceptional. This was provided in a beautiful converted barn. The afternoon session was great fun. We returned outside to learn about polytunnels and to learn about soil. We also got an opportunity to visit the chickens!. On our return we were greeted with more coffee and nibbles. The service really was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble. The toilet facilities were also very clean. At 5pm we were collected by the tractor and trailer.

We highly recommend River Cottage. We learnt so much and we were treated like VIP’s all day long.

A super day out! We came away with a fantastic useful information pack as well as a new found enthusiasm for all things gardening!

Anita and David Lockey

Fun development classes

with your 0-3 y ld

Inspiring Play Together

Development Classes

0-3 YEARS. INFANTS, TODDLERS & JUNIORS

Georgia, James, Livia & Jude

Weekly classes in venues across the UK

Visit our website for details

• Helps with key developmental milestones

• Develops language, listening, visual and concentration skills

• Weekly insights with information to help you understand your child’s development

• Helps to build confidence

• Nurture the relationship between parent and child

• Supports the EYFS framework

• Encourages early learning –colours, numbers and shapes

• Sensory stimulation

• Physical exercises that help build the foundations of movement

• Signing to help early communication

• Highly fun and interactive activities

Everything you need to help give your little one the best start in life!

inspiringparentsuk

www.babycollege.co.uk

We’ve enjoyed every class and learnt a lot along the way”

WHAT IS MENINGITIS?

Meningitis is a life-changing and serious disease which causes inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It continues to be a disease parents fear.

In the UK, the most common causes of meningitis are viruses and bacteria – with around 8,000 cases a year. Viral meningitis can make babies and young children very unwell but is rarely life-threatening. Most children make a good recovery; however, this can take time.

Bacterial meningitis can kill, so urgent medical attention is essential. Most will make a good recovery, but some will suffer physical, neurological and emotional after-effects due to various areas of the brain being injured. Some bacteria that cause meningitis can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning), which can lead to skin scarring and limb loss.

WHY ARE BABIES AT RISK?

Everybody is at risk from meningitis, but certain age groups are more susceptible. Those being the under-fives, but particularly the under-ones - as their immune systems aren’t fully developed.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENINGITIS?

Familiarising yourself with all the signs and symptoms and seeking urgent medical help if you are concerned reduces the likelihood of meningitis and septicaemia being life-threatening and resulting in lifelong after-effects.

The early signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia can be like flu or a viral infection. Signs to look out for in babies include being floppy and unresponsive, dislike of being handled, rapid breathing, an unusual, moaning cry and a bulging fontanelle (soft spot on the top of the head). Be aware that some young babies may have a normal or low temperature.

It is not always easy to recognise the signs and symptoms in young babies, therefore it is important to trust your instincts and not be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are concerned about your baby’s health.

Meningitis Now provides free credit-card-style symptoms cards, which can be ordered via its helpline on 0808 80 10 388

If you suspect someone may be ill with meningitis or septicaemia, trust your instincts and get immediate medical help.

HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE?

To find out more about meningitis or the services that Meningitis Now provides, should you have had an experience of meningitis, please visit www.meningitisnow.org or call 0808 80 10 388

LEARNING TO SWIM BY KAREN TAYLOR

Learning to swim is a life skill, one which may just save your child’s life or a life of someone they know. Statistics state that drowning is the second highest cause of accidental death in children under 5 in the UK each year. One person dies as a result of drowning at an average of every 20 hours in the UK & Ireland, and drowning claims the lives of almost 400,000 people worldwide each year, with hundreds of thousands more incidences going unrecorded. These statistics are devastating.

This is why our team of swimming instructors truly believe in what we teach. We teach for Bournemouth Swim School, which is situated on the south coast of England, surrounded by stunning beaches and the English channel. We are all qualified Swim England instructors, teaching children from Stage 1 – Stage 7. We all recently completed and passed our NRASTC (National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers & Coaches), so not only are we teaching children how to stay safe, we are keeping your children safe in our care. When you book your children into swimming lessons, this is important to know.

“Children can arrive at our swim school feeling nervous, and we will make sure to work with them, encourage them and sing their praises every step of the way towards becoming confident swimmers. Who knows; with our coaching and advice, they could go on to compete in the water one day! At the very least, they will be prepared to safely deal with water throughout their lives.”

“Children can arrive at our swim school age 3 nervous of the water, and we will encourage, cheer, and sometimes even mop up tears as we watch them become confident swimmers that make their way through the stages. One day they will leave our swimming school, and they may go on to compete for county, play water polo, try synchronised swimming or they may simply go to the beach one day and get into trouble out to sea and be able to save their own life!”

Our job comes with an immense sense of pride.

Aside from the fact that swimming lessons save lives, it also keeps children healthy & active. In 2017-2018, 2.4% of children in Reception (age 4-5) and 4.2% of children in year 6 (age 10-11) were severely obese.

As part of the National Curriculum in the UK, all primary schools must provide swimming & water safety lessons in either Key Stage 1 or 2. Each pupil is required to be able to perform safe self rescue, and swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of 25 meters.

It is great that our National Curriculum provides this in the UK for our children, but the more swimming lessons we can provide for our children, the safer they will be in the water. This doesn’t just apply to children living by beaches. Lakes, streams, ponds, swimming pools and paddling pools are all examples of places that our children could be at risk.

LIVING WITH AN ALLERGY BY JOANNE KEELING

I lived for 29 years without any allergies. No one in my family had or has allergies so you can imagine it was a bit of a surprise to suddenly have allergic reactions later on in life.

As a healthy 25 year old I was accepted into the Police Force. A few years into the job and constant usage of latex gloves caused my hands to itch and swell. I had no knowledge of latex allergy. I simply thought my hands did not like being in gloves for hours at a time.

A few strange episodes occurred with my face & lips swelling, coupled with similar symptoms following the use of almond oil. Eventually when I ate an almond cookie and experienced swelling of the tongue, lips and airway problems, I raced to my GP just around the corner and he was sure I had allergies. I was prescribed antihistamines and urgently referred to an allergy clinic. The waiting list for allergy clinics can be long, but please persevere and don’t be tempted to seek any diagnosis elsewhere. Skin prick testing and blood tests in addition to my medical history confirmed a diagnosis of Type 1 allergy to Latex, peanuts and almonds.I left the clinic with a diagnosis but little did I know how tricky and life changing it would be.

Life with allergies became a challenge, but I was faced with a bigger problem. The reality of a huge lack of understanding by people around me was becoming more apparent. I accept that people cannot know everything about all medical problems and those that do know about allergies would not necessarily know about allergies in depth. However, my allergy like many others can kill. Education needed to be as a preventative measure, not simply a lesson to be learnt when a fatality has occurred.

Initially a few anaphylactic shocks were as a result of my own inexperience with allergies, i.e. not checking labels thoroughly in products, or simply being complacent in restaurants I’d always been to. I was not thinking about potential cross contamination issues or changes of ingredients in foods I’d always ordered.

Anaphylaxis was also caused as a result of other people’s lack of understanding or negligence. So, my advice to anyone who has been diagnosed with allergies is to continuously ask questions. Be prepared, research before hand if possible, and ask again when you attendrestaurants or places your allergens may

be. It is not your fault, so don’t feel awkward. Your life is precious. There is no room for mistakes. Sure allergies can be tricky but it can be easily managed if you check labels and ask questions. When in doubt don’t risk it. My most important piece of advice would be to ensure you have you emergency medication with you at all times. The autoinjectors could be the difference between life and death. They need to be accessible to you at all times.

Educate your friends and family too. First aid is crucial, and you never know it may just help save your life.

Whilst Dr Google is tempting, remember to stick to official medical websites. Support from forums can be great but information may be misleading.

@AllergyHour on Twitter is a fantastic support network. The allergy charities Allergy U.K, Anaphylaxis Campaign are an excellent source of up to date information, support and advice also.

HEY MUMMY’S STORY

BY ANNA CRIBB

I was so looking forward to motherhood.

All my life I had been naturally maternal and had a passion for caring for others. I had worked in hospitals, day care centres, kids camps, schools and therapy centres and have never been happier than when looking after little ones. After falling in love and getting engaged to my ex-husband I could not wait to start a family. I was sure that my experience and natural ability with children would make me an incredible Mum.

Rocco was born In May 2006 in only four and a half hours in our local hospital under the amazing care and support of one fantastic midwife, Jo. I can honestly say I found labour to be an incredible, empowering, powerful experience. It left me in awe of midwives and the job they do. I’ll never forget the moments after Rocco was born, weighed and fed, lying in the bed next to my new baby and feeling so very proud, so very ready to launch into the new world of parenting that awaited me.

Rocco was the ‘perfect’ baby. He slept through the night from six months old. He was so happy and easy going, I could pass him to anybody and he never grumbled. Teeth pushed through his gums unnoticed and at fifteen months I took him along for his MMR jabs. He breastfed happily and didn’t cry at all whilst our health visitor gave him the injection.

It was also at fifteen months old that my perfect parenting journey fell apart. I woke up one night to the sound of squelching from the baby monitor next to my bed. Mothers instinct kicked in immediately and I knew something was very wrong. I jumped out of bed and ran into Rocco’s room. I slammed on the light and found him at the top of his cot, jerking uncontrollably, foaming at the mouth, blue in the face with his eyes flicked up into the back of his head. I can still hear the sound of my own scream. Through my panic, I grabbed him and immediately sucked the foam out of his mouth and throat in crazed effort to clear his airways. Screaming to my husband to get the ambulance because our baby was dying, is a moment I’ll never forget.

Although it felt like forever, the ambulance was there incredibly fast. I’d carried his body downstairs, and put him into recovery position, talking to him constantly and trying to reassure him I was there and all was OK although my voice, I’m sure, was far from calm and reassuring. His body was rigid before he came round and started to breathe as the paramedics held a tiny oxygen mask over his face and then his body went flaccid.

THIS experience changed my life, it changed my parenting, my anxiety, my ability to let my son out of my sight. He had repeated seizures, unusually 17 in total and it never got any easier seeing him unable to take a breath, seeing his eyes roll up into his head. Each time, without me realising, it chipped away a little bit of me. Although I was getting more able to deal with each emergency situation physically, behind my strength and my smile, enduring test after test and seizure after seizure with Rocco I did not notice the mental and emotional effect it was having on me.

Concluding that his fits were febrile and not anything more sinister did not take away the memories and the scars left by trauma after trauma, hospital test after hospital test. Knowing he would grow out of it did not take away the fear and the anxiety leaving him in other people’s care or allowing him to swim.

Now I look back I wish that I had looked after me a tiny bit more through this time, I can now see that these repeated traumatic experiences changed me, stole my calmness, triggered anxiety and although the signs were not evident I think that not seeking therapy at this point lead to depression and PTSD further down the line.

Now after thirteen years of parenting and being Mummy to three gorgeous and exhausting boys I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to share my stories of motherhood on You Tube and social media. By sharing my experiences I know that I’m supporting other parents who look for support via the Internet.

I know that by sharing my all, the highs, the lows, the tears and the laughter other mothers and fathers out there can feel less afraid. The roller coaster ride that is life with children is so much better when you know you are not alone.

Nothing is more comforting than being able to share our experiences together, its not an easy thing for me to do and sharing some of these times with anyone who cares to listen or read can leave me feeling exposed and vulnerable, in floods of tears and alone but I know that I would have cherished having an online community like I am a part of now when I started my parenting journey.

I’ve been so far from that perfect and incredible Mum I expected to be at the start. Being a mother 24 hours a day is so different to working with children and having a start and end to your day. Dealing with exhaustion, mental health, divorce, single parenting and all sorts of dramas raising three boys have all had an effect on our family. I’m grateful for our health and our happiness now and grateful for each opportunity to share my experiences in the hope that I can raise awareness, support and reach out to anyone that needs it.

Find Anna on Hey Mummy YouTube and on twitter and Instagram as @heymummytv

Unsafe

window blind cords can be dangerous to young children Make your blinds safe today

To see more and find a BBSA member visit: www.makeitsafe.org.uk

WINDOW BLINDS

ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU MAKE IT SAFE

The British Blind and Shutter Association’s (BBSA) Make it Safe campaign helps parents and carers to make the right, safe choice with window blinds for their homes and other buildings.

This window blind safety campaign, which is endorsed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), advises carers, parents, and grandparents to:

· Examine every blind, especially in children’s bedrooms. If any have a looped control chain or cord then make sure there is a safety device to keep the cord or chain securely tidied away out of the reach of babies and young children.

· Move cots, beds, and any furniture away from windows and blinds – remember: children love to climb.

· When buying a new blind, always consider one that does not contain cords or chains or which has concealed cords.

There are child safe options of every blind style and there is a helpful video on the Make it Safe website (www. makeitsafe.org.uk) which highlights what to look for when considering new blinds which shows over a dozen of these inherently child safe options.

A number of child safe designs have been on the market for many years including spring roller blinds which have now arrived well and truly in the 21st century. Long gone are the old fashioned designs which conjure up images of coverings springing rapidly out of control. Many of the new systems have decelerator springs so the blind travels up at a constant, slow speed, and are simply operated by a small pull cord or handle, eliminating the need for window blind cords which can be a danger to small children.

Vertical blinds operated by a plastic wand rather than a chain and cord have also been available for many years. The wand is used to draw the blind across the window and can be twisted to tilt the louvre so the amount of light coming into the room can be varied.

There has also been much innovation over the last few years surrounding motorised blinds which remove the need for operating cords and chains. The latest battery operated motors have been developed to increase safety and convenience. Motorisation also means blinds can be automated to raise and lower on a timer, by sensors or linked to smart devices and digital assistants, increasing ease of use and improving security at home.

But you do not have to wait until you change your blind to make it safer. The Make It Safe website has videos showing how to simply and quickly make existing roller, vertical, venetian, pleated, and roman blinds safer.

Window blind safety

What to look for in new blinds and how to make existing blinds safer

MY GROWN UP GAP YEAR

It was just over a year ago that pretty much out of the blue I decided to take a ‘grown up gap year’ with my then 6 year son Cameron so we could travel around the world together. I don’t think people who knew me well were overly surprised because I have always enjoyed travelling and have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed some lovely holidays over the years. However at the age of 47 I had never spent longer than 3 weeks at a time outside my home county of West Sussex.

Travelling the world had long been a dream of mine, I had intending to take a GAP year after A’Levels but alas I fell in love with my first serious boyfriend and by the age of 19 was engaged with a massive mortgage. We barely had enough money spare to enjoy a cup of coffee out, let alone afford holidays, so for many many years I went without.

Fast forward and without boring you with all the details of my numerous failed relationships I found myself bringing up both my children pretty much single handedly – Georgia who is now 21, and Cameron who is 7.

Over the years I have worked stupidly hard and ridiculously long hours, but admist that I have been able to put both children through private education, give them some wonderful holidays and most importantly create the most incredible memories with them.

In 2017 I finally managed to pay off my mortgage after 28 years, and a year later I had my heart completely broken after being betrayed by a man I loved, cherished and believed in. Something inside of me just knew it was the time to stop dreaming and start doing. I have spent the last 17 years working in the funeral profession as an Independent Celebrant and I have seen far too many lives ended too early and dreams never accomplished. I don’t know how many times I have spoken words along the lines of “tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone….” and I know that

includes myself, despite the fact that I like to think I am immortal!

After making the decision that I was definitely going to do this, I contacted my sons school the following day to tell them that I would be withdrawing him for 12 months they broke up in July,and within the 2 weeks which followed an entire year of travel was booked and paid for!

We already had a holiday booked to Dubai in the July so we took that first before beginning our ‘proper’ travels.

Our journey began in Vancouver, Canada where after 6 days in the city we boarded the Rocky Mountaineer train through some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen on an epic two day journey through to Banff (after almost 12 months this has still been one of the travel highlights of the entire year). From there we spent the next few weeks making our way across Canada, crossing the Canadian/American border at Niagara and heading down New York City. Having crossed North America coast to coast it was time to head home and ‘swap’ my children as I had already promised my older daughter a trip to Las Vegas for her 21st birthday! This meant a triple hop across the Atlantic as I then had to go back to the U.K. again so that Georgia could return to work and I would pack up Cameron once more for the next chapter of the journey.

Next stop was a flight to Chicago and from there it was another rail adventure working our way down to Memphis and New Orleans.

It was here that we picked up a cruise ship and spent Christmas and new year sailing around the Caribbean.

After yet another short pit stop back home in early January we then started the longest consecutive part of our travels where over 4 and a half months we fully circumnavigated the globe. We flew down to Malaysia, Singapore and

then on to Sydney. From Sydney we picked up our 2nd cruise ship and took a two week cruise around New Zealand. The cruise brought us back to Sydney and from there we spent the next 7 weeks working our way up the east coast via Brisbane, Cairns and the tropics of Port Douglas. From the rain forest to the desert – our final stop in Australia was Ayres Rock and another tick off the bucket list.

From Ayres Rock we flew to Auckland where we picked up our 3rd and final cruise ship (well for this year anyway!). We spent 24 truly wonderful nights sailing from Auckland to San Francisco through the South Pacific/French Polynesia calling at 9 islands before reaching our final port of San Francisco. The final 3 weeks of this chapter were spent in California and Hawaii.

June saw is return to the U.K. again, but not for long. As I write this I am sitting by the pool soaking up the sun in Bali! We are here for 4 weeks and will spend an additional week in Hong Kong before we head home in Mid August.

The plan was that Cameron would return to school in September, however this last year of travel and world schooling has been so enriching and has benefited him beyond my wildest dreams, hence before we left for Bali I contact his school and told them that he wouldn’t be returning for at least another year.

And so our journey continues… what is in store for us over the next 12 months I still don’t know. What I do know however is that I have absolutely NO REGRETS. It’s taken me 30 years to finally take the gap year I have always dreamed of, and my only piece of advice for anyone even remotely doing similar is . . .

JUST DO IT!

BY TERRI SHANKS Founder & Director of The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants

Skin to skin time between mum & baby is

precious

& precious

That’s why the maternity fashion e xperts at Seraphine developed this range of innovative tops to help mums & babies enjoy all the benefits, hands free!

15% OFF SERAPHINE’S SKIN TO SKIN RANGE *

CODE: BUMP2BABY

Share the code with your new mums & their little ones

By Penny Holbrook

Early Years Practitioner and Founder of Mini Monkey Gym and Mini Monkey Yoga UK

Find out more about our 0-5’s educational Gym and Sensory programme and our Yoga and Mindfulness programme for 18 mths-11 years here: www.minimonkeygym.co.uk https://minimonkeygym.co.uk/mini-monkey-yoga/

OUR TOP TOY

1. Build your own 3D model,

2. Bananas, bunch of three, 4.Froggy Party, £24.99 £9.99 7.Movin’ Monkeys, £7.99 each 9.Baby Clementoni la unicorn, £29.99 11.Baby £29.99 12.Pretty Pixels, All

TOY PICKS

model, Various Designs shark/Llama £6.99 each three, £9.99 3. Rescue Runts, £17.99 babies £9.99

£24.99 5.Rubik’s Junior Rabbit, £9.99 6.Smooshy Mushy, Monkeys, £46.00 8.Brain Storm Torch, Various Designs, Clementoni Interactive Rabbit, £18.00 10.Lica Bel

3 8

4 5 6 7

Fake toys can be bought online and from dubious retailers. Despite looking like the genuine article, often these phoney items are low-quality, are missing parts or quite simply do not work. Worryingly, in some cases fake toys can cause significant injuries and accidents. In 2019, trading standards teams at local councils across England and Wales found more than 54,000 ‘cuddly but deadly’ counterfeit teddy bears which posed a choking hazard, along with thousands of electric scooters without safety documentation. Thankfully these items were intercepted before they could do any harm to children.

Similarly, fake versions of one of last year’s must-have toys, L.O.L Surprise Dolls, have been found to contain phthalates, a chemical which can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system. In 2018, Staffordshire County Council seized 17 different types of LOL! Surprise Dolls that cost around £3 each, but retail for around £11 online.

BUT ARE YOU CONFIDENT YOU COULD SPOT A FAKE TOY?

Here are some tips to follow when toy shopping. Check for the CE symbol. This is a claim by the manufacturer that the toy meets regulatory requirements. Products without the CE mark may not be intended to be used as toys, but are novelties which may not be safe for children to play with.

Look out for bad grammar or misspellings on the packaging – this may indicate the toy is a fake. If in any doubt refer to the official website for the manufacturer and compare the packaging, colours and descriptions with authentic merchandise. Buy from suppliers with a good reputation for safe and reliable toys. Many will be members of trade associations whose rules call on them to meet high standards. Be suspicious if you see a product for sale that is vastly cheaper than you have seen it elsewhere. This could be a tell-tale sign that the item is a forgery. Protecting kids at play time.

Shortly before Christmas last year, RoSPA collaborated with other child safety charities and the Office for Product Safety and Standards to help shoppers make informed choices when purchasing toys.

To help avoid accidents, RoSPA and our partners have published a helpful list of tips to ensure toys are age-appropriate and safe to be played with.

Advice includes:

Button battery safety: Christmas toys may have button batteries which can prove lethal if ingested. Check they are screwed in safely before giving to a child.

Tidy up: Boxes, plastic bags and wires can be a hazard. Clear away all packaging once everything’s unwrapped.

Choking hazards: Avoid toys with small parts or loose fabric – they can be a choking hazard.

For more advice about how to stay safe at playtime see RoSPA’s toy safety advice

Little fingers and tiny toes, create your keepsake before they grow!

Your baby is unique and precious, and these first weeks and months are a special time in your life. But, your little one will grow quickly and those little hands and feet will be on the move soon.

With a BabyRice Baby Hand & Foot Casting Kit, you can create a forever keepsake of those lovely little hands and feet.

Professional Results at a Fraction of the Cost BabyRice casting materials are used by professional life casters and medical professionals for moulding and casting.

Skin Safe Materials

Our hypoallergenic Skin Safe Alginate is specifically formulated to be gentle on newborn skin.

Easy to Follow Instructions

Our easy to follow casting process is tried and tested by thousands of happy customers.

Basic Casting Kits from £14.99

Casting Kits with Box Frame from £34.99**

CREATE A UNIQUE BABY KEEPSAKE WITH LIFE CASTING TECHNIQUES

Foot and hand casting (also know as life casting) enables parents to create a forever keepsake that captures that short period of time when their baby was tiny. Using safe and simple materials you can create a 3D replica of your baby’s hands and feet to treasure forever.

Creating a life cast is really very simple. There are just two essential steps.

Step One: Making an Impression Mould

The first step is to create a mould of the hand or foot using moulding material. Alginate is the material most commonly used by professional and DIY life casters.

With the main ingredient being seaweed, a good quality alginate like BabyRice Skin Safe Dental-Grade Alginate is completely safe to use on skin. When comparing baby casting kits, we recommend buying a kit that contains dental-grade alginate. That way, you know it conforms to rigorous safety standards.

great job at reproducing the fine detail; however, it is quite soft, which is not great for an item that will be handled. After all, you don’t want to pull off a pinkie when removing your hand cast from the alginate mould!

Another tip when shopping for a baby casting kit is to buy fast setting alginate. BabyRice Skin Safe Alginate is formulated to set quickly - after all babies do not tend to stay still for too long!

Step Two: Use the Mould to Make the Cast

This bit couldn’t be easier. Simply pour plaster into your alginate impression moulds. Once the plaster has set, the alginate is broken away from the plaster and you have your baby’s cast.

Some casting kits contain fine casting plaster, which is one of the cheapest types of casting plaster. This will do a

Instead, you should look for a baby casting kit that includes a stronger plaster, such as Herculite II. Herculite produces a harder and more durable surface than fine casting plaster, making it a more suitable option for a life cast. Another advantage of Herculite II is that it produces a very white cast, making it the perfect base for a lovely paint finish should you decide to paint your cast. All BabyRice hand casting kits contain Herculite II.

Step Three (Optional): Finishing your Cast

While some people like the raw and rustic look, most

Making a baby foot mould using BabyRice Skin SafeAlginate

Life casts painted and waxed to give a realistic bronze finish

Capture amazing detail with BabyRice casting materials

ENSURING A SUN SAFE SUMMER AND FUTURE FOR OUR LITTLE SUNBEAMS

By national melanoma and skin cancer charity, Skcin.

Young skin is very delicate and easily damaged by the sun and whilst some sun is definitely good for us, over-exposure to UVR (ultraviolet radiation) is a serious health risk and the primary cause of the UK’s most common and fastest rising cancer.

Damage from UVR is cumulative and irreparable. We experience about one quarter of our total lifetime exposure to sun before we are 18 and studies have shown that just one severe sunburn in childhood or adolescence can double the risk of developing melanoma in later life.

Current statistics from Cancer Research UK indicate 1 in 36 UK males and 1 in 47 UK females will be diagnosed with melanoma during their lifetime - yet a massive 86% of all cases are PREVENTABLE. These compelling statistics that are rapidly increasing, puts into perspective just how important sun safety is.

Making sure our little sunbeams are protected when outdoors is just one element to combating the soaring rates of skin cancer in the UK, but further crucial work can be done by parents / carers and those responsible for looking after our children like nurseries and primary school settings, to educate children by embedding key messaging from a young age. Education, good practice and good role modelling are key to creating good habits that will last a lifetime and in ensuring a sun safe, skin cancer free future, for our future generations and those to come. Skcin operate national intervention programmes for both primary and pre-school settings, to assist them in their duty of care and prevent skin cancer through education:

FREE RESOURCES FOR NURSERIES AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS

WHEN UV LEVELS REACH 3 OR ABOVE, SKCIN RECOMMEND FIVE SIMPLE STEPS TO SUN SAFETY. These recommendations not only apply to babies, children and toddlers, but to the whole family!

1.SLIP on clothing to keep skin covered

• Clothing can be one of the most effective barriers between our skin and the sun.

• Clothing should cover as much skin as possible.

• Always keep shoulders covered, they can easily burn.

• A closer weave fabric will provide better protection.

• A high UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rated fabric provides best protection.

• Use UV protective sun suits, particularly when abroad.

2. SLOP on sunscreen to all exposed skin

• Use a minimum SPF 30 (ideally SPF 50) sunscreen.

• Ensure it is broad-spectrum, to provide both UVA and UVB protection

- ideally UVA rated 5 or 4 star.

• Apply liberally, ensuring good coverage.

• Don’t forget shoulders, ears, nose, cheeks and feet.

• Apply 20 minutes before children go outdoors.

• Reapply AT LEAST every 2 hours and immediately after swimming / towelling.

3. SLAP on a broad brimmed hat.

• Children should wear a wide brimmed hat to shade the face, neck, ears and cheeks.

• Legionnaire hats (with a flap that covers the neck and joins the front peak) or a hat with a minimum 7.5cm brim are the most effective, whilst baseball caps fail to shade the neck, ears and cheeks. A close weave or UPF rated fabric provides best protection.

4. SLIDE on sunglasses.

• Solar UV radiation can be damaging to the eyes, so wear quality sunglasses.

• Look for the European CE mark, which indicates a safe level of protection.

• Those labelled with a high EPF (which ranges from 1-10) will provide best protection.

• Ensure they are close fitting and wrap around to stop UVR entering the sides and top.

5. SHADE from the sun when possible

• Shade can provide a good barrier from UV rays.

• Seek shade whenever possible, particularly at the hottest times of the day between 11am and 3pm when UV penetration is strongest.

• Keep toddlers and babies in the shade at all times.

• Never rely on shade alone, always combine with personal protection measures.

Drowning

Most

babies and small children who drown, drown at home in the bath or in the garden. Babies can drown in as little as 5 cm of water.

Baths

• Bath seats can be a great help but they’re not safety aids – don’t leave your baby alone in one, even for a moment.

• Stay with your baby or young child when they’re in the bath and pull the plug as soon as you’re finished

In the garden

• Empty the paddling pool after use

• If you have a pond, turn it into a sandpit, fence it in or cover it while your children are small. Be alert to drowning risks when you visit friends and family.

Find out more and share

Out and about

• Keep children off inflatables when an orange windsock is flying at the beach - a wind blowing off the land can make the sea look flat, calm and safe but it can quickly sweep inflatables out to sea

• At the beach, teach children to swim between the two-coloured red and yellow flags – these mark the areas patrolled by lifeguards

• Remind kids not to swim in canals and rivers – there are many hidden dangers, like strong currents, deep water and objects in the water they can’t see.

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

Falls

Highchairs and changing tables are a great help but falls can cause brain injury even from such a low height. Here are our top tips for keeping children safe from falls:

Stairs – one of the worst ways for small babies to be injured on the stairs is when they are being carried by a parent who slips or trips.

• Keep a hand free to hold on when carrying your baby up or down the stairs

• As soon as your baby starts crawling, fit safety gates to stop them climbing or falling down the stairs.

Highchairs – many babies will try to climb out of their highchair to get things that are out of their reach.

• Strap babies and toddlers into their highchair every time you use it.

Windows – many toddlers can operate window catches and will fit their bodies through surprisingly small gaps.

• Take care not to put furniture in front of windows so there is nothing for children to climb onto

• Fit safety locks or catches to your windows to stop them opening too wide. Make sure your family know where the keys are in case of fire.

Cots, beds and changing tables –babies can wriggle their way to the edge of a bed or changing table if left alone even for a moment.

• Don’t leave a baby alone on a raised surface, even for a moment

• As soon as your baby can stand, take any large toys they might climb on out of their cot to stop them falling out.

Trampolines – a great way for children and young people to get fit as long as you follow these safety tips:

• Just one child on the trampoline at any time. The biggest risk is from adults and children bouncing together, due to the difference in weights

• Use safety netting or a safety cage so children can’t be thrown to the ground.

Find out more and share

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

Newborn babies need to suck in order to feed, comfort, regulate their breathing and heart rate and reduce pain. If they are not breast feeding, a dummy can give a baby all of these benefits. There is also increasing evidence that using a dummy in the first few months can help reduce a babies risk of SIDS.

Many parents introduce dummies to their babies in these early weeks and often the dummy becomes a safety net, very quickly for both parents and babies.

The problem is that no-one explains to parents the affects dummies have on children’s mouth development and so parents do not have all the knowledge to decide the right time to stop the dummy.

The mouth is so important for eating, breathing, swallowing and talking. It is a complex system of muscles that develop over the first couple of years of life. How these muscles develop impacts on the boney structures of the mouth and the face.

When a baby learns to eat finger foods and babble around six months of age the tongue begins to change the way it moves and becomes much more skilled and precise, getting ready for the complex job of forming words. When a dummy is used it allows the baby to keep on strengthening the early suckling muscles and can then reduce this important muscle development.

The fact there is a dummy in the mouth also means that the palate (roof of the mouth) becomes higher and narrower, meaning there is less space for teeth and when teeth come through they will grow around the dummy leaving a gap. It can also mean the child drools more, swallows less effectively causing middle difficulties and breathes through their mouth cause adenoid and tonsil inflammation.

As a speech and language therapist, I have seen the impact dummy use can have on children’s eating and talking development. I work online supporting parents and I started a 5 day dummy challenge to educate and support parents to move their child off the dummy.

The challenge gives parents all the knowledge and ideas to feel empowered to help their child when the time is right. Hundreds of families have successfully completed the challenge and so I have now written a book to help more parents to make this transition.

People often ask me when is the best time to stop the dummy. My advice is always the same. Reduce the dummy to sleep time only by 6 months of age (if possible only ever use it for this reason) and then stop the dummy completely at 12 months.

If you would like help and advice on how to ditch the dummy, visit my facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/ditchthedummysupport

PREGNANCY SICKNESS: IS IT NORMAL?

Any level of pregnancy sickness is unpleasant, but if you are asking ‘is this normal’ then the chances are you are suffering from more severe symptoms.

Nausea & vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is very common. On average it affects 70-80% of pregnant women to a greater or lesser extent and the degree of severity is very much on a continuum from the mild nausea, which is helped by eating little and often, to the very extreme cases of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) in which without medical intervention and IV therapy the life of the mother and baby would be at serious risk.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum affects between 1 in 100 and 1 in 150 pregnant women who are often experiencing crippling nausea, being sick up to 50 times per day, dramatic weight loss, being house or even bed bound and struggling to eat or drink. If you are suffering from persistent nausea and/or vomiting which is preventing you from eating and/or drinking then you may be suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG).

Frustratingly this condition is much misunderstood and is often dismissed as ‘Morning Sickness’, with many reports of people being told that there isn’t anything that can be done as this is a normal part of pregnancy. Others say their GP’s have told them the medications aren’t safe to take in pregnancy and some even report being laughed or shouted at by their healthcare practitioner and told to try ginger.

GETTING HELP

When you are suffering symptoms that are impacting how you are eating, drinking and functioning the thought of going to the doctors surgery and asking for help or having to advocate for yourself with healthcare professionals that might not understand can be overwhelming but here are some things that can help…

· Be prepared

Make a note of your symptoms in the following terms to enable your doctor to understand the severity of your symptoms and treat you accordingly:

- Number of times you are being sick per day

- How many hours you have nausea each day

- Number of times you are retching per day

- Amount (In millilitres) of drink you are having per day and keeping down

- Amount of food (ie. Bites or toast) you are having per day and keeping down

- Changes in your urine: darker, not going as much, when you go you pass less

- Any other symptoms of dehydration: Dry mouth, dry lips, headaches, dizzy, weak, confused

If you are dehydrated you may need to go to the hospital for IV rehydration - your GP can refer you. Take information on dehydration with you - Some GP’s, Midwives and hospital teams will rely on ketones for admission for fluids however this is not best practice or evidence based. The healthcare professionals should instead be looking at fluidbalance and clinical symptoms.

Take the RCOG Green top Guidelines and the BMJ Clinical update with you to your appointment - There are a lot of treatments available for the condition as detailed in the RCOG Green Top Guidelines 69 and the BMJ Clinical Update Nov 2018 – your GP and hospital team need to make sure you are on the right combination to give you as much relief as possible. Unfortunately, there isn’t a complete cure but the medications can help to make the symptoms more manageable.

Take someone with you - Speaking up and discussing your symptoms when you are ill is not easy. If possible, take a trusted partner, family member or friend with you who is confident and can help to advocate for you. Show them the notes you have made on your symptoms and discuss with them what you would like to get out of the appointment so that they can help keep all discussions on track and achieve your goal.

What else can help me?

· Arrange a PSS Peer Supporter - Pregnancy Sickness Support runs a peer support network of women who have experienced HG themselves who are on hand to offer 1-2-1 support via text, WhatsApp and calls. It may be useful for you to have a peer supporter who appreciates the burden of the condition physically, mentally, socially, and financially, and validates your suffering. They are trained to provide information and support for as long as you need it within your pregnancy.

· Join the PSS Online Forum - Having a safe place to talk to other sufferers and survivors of the condition can reduce the loneliness and isolation you may be experiencing. A lot of sufferers don’t know anyone else in their communities and networks that have experienced the condition so having a secure, moderated place to discuss what you are experiencing can be a relief.

· Coping Strategies - Visit the Pregnancy Sickness Support website for coping strategies that you might not have tried yet. The page includes information on; eating, drinking, oral hygiene, coping with your emotions, resting and employment which can all be helpful on your Hyperemesis journey.

· Help others to help you - Sufferers of NVP and HG need as much support as possible. Suffering with this condition can often mean having to reveal your pregnancy before 12 weeks as the sufferer and their family needs practical and emotional support. Speak to trusted members of your family and friendship group and ask them to help. Give them a role or task that they can complete regularly on your behalf. They feel useful and you know that tasks are being done.

If you have an older child or children you might find it useful to speak to their key worker or teacher to let them know they might need additional support whilst they are there and also to see if any other parents could help with lifts or playdates.

For more information and support visit www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk

Or call the helpline on 024 7638 2020

CoppaFeel! are on a mission to ensure everyone has the best chance of surviving breast cancer. We do this by encouraging young people to check their boobs, educating them on the signs to be aware of and empowering them to see a doctor if they notice anything unusual for them. Whether you’re a parent, a healthcare professional or just someone who wants to get to know their chest, we have resources for you - all available, for free, at coppafeel.org

Free downloadable posters with Orchid free materials with signs & symptoms

how to check your boobs & pecs video free text reminders & shower stickers

HAVING TWINS BY ASHLEA BUTTERFIELD

Finding out I was expecting twins was a surreal (and scary) moment. I was 21 and working overseas with my partner and found out in a Greek hospital after a scare that my ‘two babies’ heartbeats were beating perfectly. I remember making the phone call home and telling my mum and dad to make sure they were sat down. After finding out I was pregnant, I still never thought I would be lucky enough to carry twins although it does run in my family as my mum is also a twin! Initially, I was absolutely over the moon. I was planning out nursery décor, writing down names and wondering what sex my babies would be. However, once I returned back to the UK the reality of actually having two babies set in… and of course it’s such an exciting and special time but I feel sometimes no one ever talks about the worry and upset you feel at the same time. I felt anxious about the future and how I would cope raising two babies, and the nerves started to kick in.

I was lucky enough to have had a wonderful experience with my local maternity unit. I was seen regularly as there were concerns about the growth of ‘Twin 2’ – who happened to be my little girl Isabella. I was always made to feel at ease and frequently discussed my birthing plan and any worries I may have had. It was decided with my consultant that the best option would be to be induced at 37 weeks if I made it this far… and I did. So, at 37 + 4 I was induced. My partner and my mum were my birthing partners and I think they both were pretty traumatised by the experience. I opted to have an epidural as I was admittedly scared about the prospect of labour. I was induced on a Tuesday and didn’t give birth until early hours Friday 10th April. I remember giving birth to Elliott pretty straightforward (well at least as straightforward as labour gets!?), the room was calm but after I gave birth to him, I remember him being whisked of my chest as Isabella had decided with all this new-found space, she would perform somersaults. So, my stubborn little girl was a breach delivery. I initially breast fed them both and at 6lb 9 and 5lb 12 we were allowed to leave hospital late Saturday evening. Both children were booked in for hip scans within the next few days.

The next few days were the hardest I have experienced. I am quite good at hiding how I feel, and I think I managed to disguise the panic I was feeling inside. I wish 26-year-old me could tell 22-year-old me that its ok to feel like you are struggling. I tried to follow every guideline I was given and when I look back it’s a complete blur. I struggled to breastfeed my little boy Elliott and felt so so guilty for a long time. However, saying all of this I have the best support system EVER. Myself, Elliott and Isabella live with my mum and dad and my family have helped me every step of the way. I am now a single parent and have been since Elliott and Isabella were 5 months old. The best advice that my mum used to give to me that I always pass on to anyone I know who is expecting is ‘a happy mum makes a happy baby’. I know what you’re thinking, how can I be the happiest mum in the world when I’m sleep deprived, drinking cold tea and have two over tired and hungry babies!? And its OK to think and feel this but nothing is permanent. Things progress and get easier and then they turn 4 and go to nursery and you miss the little sound of two babies crying for your attention and the late-night cosy feeds.

Everyone laughs when I tell them that the hardest thing about having twins for me was taking them to the park alone. It felt so daunting when they were 18 months old and wanted to do everything and anything!! I also really struggled to tandem breast feed and I think this is why I opted to bottle feed in the end. The best advice I can give to anyone who wants to breast feed twins is to not be afraid to ask for help if you need it, do what works for you and find what you are comfortable with. I have ALWAYS taken my mum everywhere with us. My mum is part of the team and I feel very lucky that all three of us have her in our lives. When people ask how I’ve ‘coped’ having two babies and being a single parent, I laugh and say my mum is my other half. Please don’t feel like you’re failing just because you need help from someone else, there is definitely a saying that says it takes a village to raise a child so if I (or anyone else) needs the help of my mum then that’s totally ok. Elliott and Isabella are 4 now, and our lives together are amazing. They truly are my best friends.

I really do think that having twins is so special, my two now love announcing to everyone they meet that they are twins. Like any siblings, they have their little squabbles but watching them and this bond they share is an indescribable feeling. I want to bottle the sound of their laughter bouncing off one another forever. The best advice I can give to anyone expecting twins is to not have too many expectations!! You don’t have to be at baby group for 9 am and you certainly don’t have to do it alone. As cliché as it sounds, having twins changed my life. But definitely for the better.

Near tragedy, led to a clever little girl saving her mum's life, and sparking the idea for a life saving project!

Isabelle (then 2 years old) called 999 whilst Jo was having a severe allergic reaction and nearly died. Jo had taught Isabelle her name and address by composing a rhyme. All children that age can learn nursery rhymes, why not this important information in case she ever found herself lost! She then inadvertently taught Isabelle how to make a 999 call - and when not to! A role play game of Drs & Nurses proved to be more beneficial than ever imagined. What Jo hadn't anticipated was that Isabelle would use these new skills sooner rather than later to save her mum's life. Jo was proud to see such amazing praise in the National news/papers but was determined to set the record straight. Isabelle was not a genius! Jo believes any child can replicate this, advocating all parents of young children should teach them this vital life saving skill. It was also crucial to share with parents that it need not just apply to those with a pre-existing medical condition. Any carer of young children could have an accident within the home or become incapacitated through illness. They would have only young children to assist them.

Jo (a former Police Officer) recognises the dangers children are faced with, and the difficulties that

parents have teaching children various safety issues so she started a campaign via social media to share her story and encourage all parents of young children to teach them this vital life skill. One small voice was proving difficult to reach a nation of parents, subsequently months later Jo embarked on a mission to educate children through a story. She wrote her first story book teaching children how/when (when not to!) call 999 in a medical emergency. This book was published and endorsed by a large early years organisation, Bright Horizons. Jo even adapted the book for the US and Izzy presented it to a nursery in Florida! It has helped many children learn the concept of 999 and give them the confidence to know what to do in an emergency. Clearly she is very passionate about saving lives on and off duty and never stops thinking how she can help keep people safe.

She believes that we should never underestimate the capabilities of young children. As such she has co-written further safety books with Isabelle (now 12 who also thrives in the knowledge that she too can help save more lives! Jo and Izzy’s 2nd book, ‘Click Click, Buckle Up Quick’ is about car safety and aims to teach young children about the importance of seatbelt safety and sitting in a car seat. As a parent herself Jo only knows too well the challenges many parents face with children in seat belts!

Hard Rock Hotel London Review

Perfectly Located on the corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane in Central London

If any of you have a teenager you will know how increasingly more difficult it is to provide a “cool” short break that will tempt your teenager away from snapchat and their ipad!. Well look no more. I visited The Hard Rock Hotel in London with my teenage daughter recently and “cool” it was. The Hard Rock hotel is an extension of the famous Hard Rock Cafes and like the restaurants were full of rock star memorabilia from the moment you walk through the doors.

My daughter’s jaw dropped when she realised the huge piano in the centre of the reception area was Freddie Mercury’s!. Other merchandise scattered about included Ed Sheeran’s shoes and Jimi Hendrix Guitar. We upgraded to The Hard Rock Hotels “Rock Royalty” which includes a separate VIP check in and access to their luxurious Rock Royalty lounge which provides guests with complimentary food and drinks from 7am until 10pm at night. These se lections includes afternoon tea or evening canapes and cocktails!. There is also an exclusive selection of merchandise in the lounge area.

Our bedroom was of a good size considering we were in central London. We had a super comfy bed, huge television and a mini lounge area as well as a very cool “dressing room” signposted as “wardrobe change”. No complaints at all. For an extra charge you can “hire” an electric guitar! Yes, really!.

We decided to try the in house restaurant at The Hard Rock for dinner and we were not disap pointed. My teenager was thrilled to see that there were live bands on all evening that you could enjoy whilst eating. The Hard Rock also offer a fantastic array of mocktails which is very important when you are aged 14!. The food was excellent and the service speedy and friendly. The location of the hotel is perfect. It is located on the corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane in Central London which is perfect for some sight seeing and a spot of shopping!. If you want to get some serious brownie points with your teenager, then The Hard Rock Hotel, London is the place for you!.

https://www.hardrockhotels.com/london

Road safety

Young children often struggle to judge speed and distance so need your help. Older children and drivers may struggle with digital distractions. Here are a few top tips for keeping children safe:

Pedestrians – children have difficulty judging speed and distance until they are at least eight, and older children are still at risk: the number of children injured as pedestrians peaks at 12 when many children start travelling to and from school on their own.

• Make sure young children know to hold your hand or use walking reins

• Start to teach the Green Cross Code from around the age of five

• Set a good example and avoid dashing across the road

• Remind children not to talk or text on mobiles or listen to music when crossing the road.

In cars – not all car seats fit all cars, and if the seat isn’t right, or fitted incorrectly, your child won’t be as safe as they should be.

• Make sure you use the right car seat for your child’s age, weight and height

• Use a child car seat or booster seat for all children under 135cm and under the age of 12.

Find out more and share

Cycling – almost one quarter of the cyclists killed or injured are children. Cycling accidents increase as children grow older, with 10 to 15 year-old riders at greater risk than other age groups.

• Get your child into the habit of always wearing a helmet when cycling.

Driving – if hit by a car travelling at 40mph, 80 out of 100 child pedestrians will die. If hit by a car travelling at 20mph, 95 out of 100 child pedestrians will survive.

• Keep an eye on your speed – with today’s powerful cars, it’s so easy to creep over the speed limit.

• Avoid the temptation to look at your phone while driving - keep it in the glove compartment or a handbag out of reach.

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

POSTPARTUM RECOVERY

- It’s too often overlooked.

Invest just a little time to learn about making your recovery as quick, easy and as comfortable as possible.

Our products are specially designed to help new mums through those first days and beyond.

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Burns and scalds

Fast

boil kettles, fast heating straighteners and hobs – how did we manage without them? But not so good for babies and small children. Did you know… A baby’s skin is 15 times thinner than an adult’s, so they can get badly burnt on hot things much more easily than us.

Hair straighteners – can get as hot as your iron and can still burn 15 minutes after they are switched off.

• Keep straighteners out of reach when you’re using them

• Put them in a heat-proof pouch or on a high shelf to cool.

Internal burns from button batteries – if swallowed, a lithium coin cell battery can burn through a child’s throat and lead to serious internal bleeding and even death.

• Keep objects with accessible button batteries well out of young children’s reach

• Store spare batteries somewhere safe and take care when replacing batteries.

Cooking – hot cooker hobs, oven doors, kettles and saucepans are just a few of the dangers in the kitchen. Young children don’t have a reflex to pull away from something that is burning them, it’s something we learn.

• Push kettles to the back of the worktop and try to use the back rings on the hob. Better still, keep children out of the kitchen when you’re cooking if you can.

Find out more and share

Hot drinks – Your hot drink can scald a baby 15 minutes after it’s been made.

• Put your hot drink down well out of reach – don’t rely on young children understanding not to touch

• Put your baby down safely before you pick up your hot drink.

• In cafes make sure children stay close to you or in their seats to avoid bumping into people carrying hot drinks

• Tell family members about the dangers of hot drinks

Bath water – can cause a serious scald in just 5 seconds.

• Put the cold water in first and top up with hot, in case your toddler takes a tumble into the bath.

Fires and heaters – babies in cots can trap arms or legs against radiators. Children can touch or fall into fires, especially if using babywalkers.

• Move cots away from radiators

• Fit fireguards around fires and heaters.

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

Poisoning

Products that are great for cleaning or saving us time, can be very appealing to children, for all the wrong reasons! Here are our top tips for keeping children safe from poisoning:

Painkillers – everyday painkillers and other medicines are the most common way for young children to be poisoned.

• Keep all medicines out of reach and sight of young children, ideally in a high up lockable cabinet

• Watch out for painkillers left on the bedside table or in the handbag slung on the floor.

Laundry and cleaning products –

Washing tablets make laundry easy. But the bright colours and squeezable texture make them attractive to babies and small children. And the concentrated detergent is harmful if swallowed. Brightly coloured cleaning products can also be attractive to small children.

• Keep your laundry and cleaning things on a high shelf or in a cupboard with a safety lock

• Put your laundry and cleaning products away as soon as you’ve used them

• Safety caps and lids slow children down but don’t rely on them – it takes just seconds for some three or four year olds to open them

• Look out for products with bittering agents such as Bitrex® when you’re shopping. They help prevent children swallowing products by making them taste really nasty.

E-cigarettes and air fresheners –

e-cigarette refills can contain high levels of nicotine which can make children ill if swallowed. Young children can mistake an air freshener bottle with reed diffusers for a drink with a straw.

• Keep these products well out of reach of young children.

Find out more and share

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

FOOD FOR THOUGHT By SARAH ALI CHOUDHURY

Sarah Ali Choudhury is a multi award-winning Indian food expert and columnist whose recipes and articles have featured in print and online publications locally, nationally and internationally including Forbes, The Sun, The Telegraph, iNews, The Guardian and various other publications.

Sarah was presented with an award by HRH The Princess Royal for her contribution to the catering industry and is listed in the F: Entrepreneur #ialso 100 List, recognising the top 100 Female entrepreneurs in the UK. She went on to receive a Recognition Award by The British Armed Forces and reached the BBPI British Asian Powerlist. Her work is featured on The Food Talk Show and Sarah is listed as one of the ‘Food Heroes”.

Sarah champions diversity, inclusion and equality through her work with Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Rotary International, Bournemouth Chambers of Commerce, The British Armed Forces and Dorset Police. Sarah is an ambassador for Macmillan Caring Locally and Patron of Tyler’s Friends Charity who offer financial support to families who are arranging the funeral of a precious child who grew their angel wings too soon.

www.sarahalichoudhury.com

As a mum of four, I used to experience a lot of difficulty getting my children to eat packaged baby food so would end up having to cook something myself just to get them to eat. There was always my favourite ‘go to’ recipes for resolving these eating issues. My mum taught me these special recipes and my mum had learnt these from her mum (and my daughters have just learnt from me)!

I wil be sharing the dhal recipe which I use that It is perfect for children and adults. Daal is cooked lentils but you may find it spelt differently. It may be dal, daal, all, dhal, dahl,,,but it all amounts to the same thing, cooked lentils.

The Health Benefits of Lentils

Lentils contain protein, iron, a myriad of minerals, vitamin B and is high in fibre, therefore offering important nutrients to your growing baby. It is also really simple to prepare as they normally have instructions on the package of the raw ingredient. There are so many types of lentils in many different colours and sizes, red lentils cook faster than the others which makes it suitable for soups, purees and baby food. Do not confuse red lentils with masoor lentils which are split peas and cook fast and mushy, masoor dhal also has a spicier flavour. I always use tumeric in my lentils which has been used in India for centuries. It is one of the most common spices and is used for medicinal purposes. It has almost 3 natural components including vitamin C, calcium, zinc, potassium, niacin and so many other highly nutritional components.

Tumeric should only be used in very small amounts as even for adults too much can cause stomach problems and is not suitable for new born babies although it is safe for infants who have started eating solids around 6 months old. Adding natural ingredients to your babies diet from an early age will go a very long way. Most of the benefits that come from tumeric is from the cur cumin component. Curcumin helps fight disorders in the system, it prevents inflammatory bowel disease and is a natural pain killer. It helps digestion too amongst so many other benefits. Adding tumeric as a spice while cooking is a great source of nutrition. Lentils can be made in quite a few different ways but heres the recipe I used to use for my children.

YUMMY BABY DAAL

Ingredients:

1 cup of red lentils

800ml boiling water

One garlic clove, crushed

Oone small echalion shallot( or a quarter of an onion), very finely sliced or grated

Quarter tsp salt (or to taste)

tsp sunflower oil

Quater tsp tumeric

Method:

Soak the lentils in hot water while you prepare the other ingredients

Finely cut a clove of garlic (you can use a pestle and mortar to make it into a paste or you can grate the clove of garlic)

Finely cut the onion or grate it, (it is important this is done very fine to aid digestion)

Wash and drain the lentils

Add 800ml of boiling water to the pan (we will be adding more water later)

Add the onion and garlic into the pan

Then add a quarter tsp of tumeric and a tsp of pure sunflower oil

Regularly stirring it with a handheld whisk on a medium to high temperature will ensure it doesn’t run over and may make a mess on the cooker.

After 10 minutes add just less than a quarter tsp of salt and continue to stir regularly

When you notice it starts to thicken this is when the lentils are perfect for adults to have as a soup but if you want the consistency to be not so thick add 200 ml more water and give it a stir

Leave it to boil for 3 more minutes then take it of the heat and leave to cool

You can store this in the fridge for 48 hours or in the freezer in small batches.

I went through the above process step by step whilst writing this article to ensure it was perfect for your baby. If you feel that after cooking it, you wanted it to be smoother or you were not happy with the consistency for your baby you can put it in a blender. The key to making it perfect is to make the onion and garlic very fine. it is also very important to add the salt later rather than at the beginning. If you love lentils yourself and want to spruce up the daal for yourself then please connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, twitter or linkedIn and feel free to ask any questions, or if you have any comments.

With a abundance of high profile babies born so far this year, celebrity culture and social media mean more than ever, we are obsessed with which celebrity can shed those maternal pounds the quickest. All this pressure can leave the average Mum feeling incredibly inadequate! It is certainly the hardest time in your life to get motivated to exercise, whether that goal be fitness or weight loss. Buggyfit aims to change that, supporting Mums and providing a fun way to exercise that includes baby and is suitable for all.

Buggyfit is a unique fitness class designed with the needs of new Mums in mind. Lead by trained fitness professionals, Buggyfit classes are based on power walking and are proving to be the best way to get back to fitness, while baby enjoys the fresh air too. It is easy to see why Buggyfit is taking the country by storm with classes cropping up in most major towns.

Emma Redding the founder of Buggyfit in the UK, a qualified personal trainer and member of the guild of post-natal exercise teachers launched her company after the birth of her son in 2002. She is opening new classes every week around the UK to provide a social, fitness class for Mums and babies with the perfect mix of cardiovascular fat burning exercises and strengthening, toning and stretching. Buggyfit trainers make use of outdoor objects such as farm gates and park benches to re-tone mums’ muscles.

“The classes a 1 hour long, incorporating exercises to strengthen muscles weakened in pregnancy. We especially target butts, thighs, arms and abs, not forgetting our pelvic floors of course, with particular emphasis on good posture while walking” says Emma.

For Mums who can’t get to a class or want more, we’ve just launched Buggyfit at Home, a 14-week online workout created and delivered by Emma Redding, Founder of Buggyfit, along with Megan Vickers, specialist Women’s health physio and Co-founder of Four Sides London. Designed for all women, (especially Mums) who wish to focus on core and pelvic floor rehab while toning, and work out when and where you choose. This progressive programme focusses on stabilisation and building the foundations of a post birth body. Starting with a step by step guide to ‘checking your own abdominal gap’, posture and pelvic floor function, warm up suggestions, stretching guide, working a little harder each week to gain strength, tone and confidence.

You can do each week’s workout as often as you find time for, while baby naps or with baby by your side. With Emma and Megan instructing and describing each exercise, you can be safe in the knowledge that the whole programme is full of completely safe and nourishing exercises leaving you feeling great. The 14-workout programme is yours for 12 months giving you plenty of time to repeat and enjoy again and again. We believe this method to be the best postnatal programme today.

Your followers/readers are invited to take us up on a 50% launch offer of the full programme for just £74.50.

Contact: Emma Redding For more information

emma@buggyfit.co.uk | 01844 202081 or 07919 173846

The company’s philosophy is Best for BABY

Best for MAMA EARTH

Best for YOU

By the time you put your little one to bed tonight, 8 million more disposable nappies and 20 million more single use baby wipes will have been thrown into landfill today in the UK alone. Most of these are single use plastic.

Polypropylene. Polyethylene. And they use tonnes of chlorine, alcohol, latex and PVC in their manufacture.

Concerned by these terrifying facts, Mama Bamboo, a relative new player in the baby care market, have created a new range of Bamaboo Essentials eco-friendly nappies and wipes.

Unlike other eco-nappies, these are made using sustainable bamboo and have a 100% compostable liner. They are the first nappy brand to also be wrapped in a 100% compostable wrapper. And the company practises carbon offsetting by planting bamboo in association with the Ugandan Bamboo Village programme.

Most importantly Bamaboo nappies have a softer-than-cotton, breathable quality to them, a great fit and high absorbency, making them a true contender for the premium nappy market. The company have not sacrificed quality or performance at all.

These are a nappy brand That ticks all the boxes.

Bamaboo wet wipes are equally impressive. Registered with the Vegan Society and containing over 98% water and plant-based ingredients. Independently tested to ensure they’re suitable for even delicate, newborn skin, they are hypoallergenic, naturally antibacterial and contain no harsh chemicals

Bamaboo wipes are 100% compostable bamboo fibre and wrapped in recycled materials.

Bamaboo nappies and wipes are available at Ocado, Amazon and from Mama Bamboo www.mamabamboo.com

"Fantastic nappies, definitely the best I've ever used! Great quality and comfort. And Eco-friendly. Perfect on all counts!

LEADING A VEGAN LIFESTYLE BY ANITA HUDSON

I have been vegan for over 2 and a half years and a vegetarian for over 30 years. I have never liked the taste of meat and have loved animals for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is of hiding chicken in my skirt pockets and then finding it days later all crusty and hard when I put my skirt on again!

Growing up in the 70s and 80s you ate what was on your dinner plate. At the age of 14 I dug my heels in and told my mother boldly that I was going to follow a vegetarian diet. She somewhat defeatedly agreed but within 6 months she too gave up meat. Linda McCartney sausages were new to the market but back them there was little else on offer in the supermarkets by way of “alternative” meats. Despite there then being two vegetarians in the household my mother continued to cook meat for my siblings at meal times.

Fast forward to today and my household is somewhat different. There is no meat whatsoever under my roof. My two daughters, Georgia [15] and Darcey [7] are vegetarian and pescatarian respectively and my partner is an omnivore. I see the startled look on people’s faces when I mention that we are a no meat household before the many questions are fired at me. What do you eat then? Where do we get our protein from? Do my children take supplements?

So, what do we eat?

Presently, in my freezer there are meat free sausages, burgers, and pies. I even have plant based “fish” and “steak”. You can pretty much “veganise” any meal these days. A favourite is sausage, mash and gravy, a totally vegan meal if you use dairy free butter for the mashed potatoes and most of the main branded gravy is vegan anyway. We recently had some family over for a Sunday “roast” and did not tell them until the end of the meal that their entire meal, save for the Yorkshire puddings, was vegan. There were Linda McCartney’s rosemary and onion sausages, chicken (the Chunk from Tesco’s Oomph range), roast vegetables [potatoes, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, onions, peppers], stuffing and gravy. Dessert was Aunt Bessie’s apple pie with vegan custard. Everyone cleared their dinner plates and some had seconds.

The days of believing that vegans live off rabbit food and lentils is long gone. Do we take supplements? No.

The reason being is I am probably extra conscious that their dietary needs are met and so provide them with a varied and balanced diet. They have oat milk in their cereal and fruit and vegetables daily. My youngest loves homemade hummus and roasted broccoli (great sources of protein). Last night we ate soya mince with mashed potatoes and peas (vegan) and the night before my partner cooked a vegan curry. Tonight’s dinner will be fish and chips and then tomorrow we will have pasta in a tomato sauce with chopped up sausages.

I am fortunate that I have an incredibly respectful partner who is open to trying new foods. The thought of having parts of a dead animal within my house saddens me. My fridge and freezer contain a vast array of meat alternatives along with fresh fruit and vegetables. Veganism is on the rise partly due to the message getting across through social media so people are more aware of what is on their dinner plate and how it got there. Suppliers have cottoned on to this and in most big supermarkets the vegetarian and vegan sections are notably increasing to meet the demand. You can even buy vegan tuna (TUNO) in tins in a variety of flavours which is handy when you are out and about.

So, in conclusion, it really is easy to cook meat free these days without your taste buds suffering, although since going vegan my waist line has been affected due to my increased love of food!!

CAMPING WITH CHILDRE N

Ah, the joys of camping with children. Blissful , wild, crazy freedom for the little ones but possibly slightly more exhausting for the adults on tour but just a few extra pieces of prep will make the experience an enjoyable one, not an endurance test.

1. Pick the right spot

When you arrive at the campsite, you are likely to spend an inordinate of time attempting to find the perfect pitch. Not t oo stony, too soggy, too hilly, too windy, too close to the loos, too far from the loos, to close to a rowdy group, to o close to people you don’ t want to disturb… be prepared for this and try to urge patience. It’s worth roaming around for the best spot.

2. Let them help

Unless you are very familiar with your tent, your Little Explorer’s ‘help’ might not be very welcome. It would hardly be fair to send them away when you are doing - what they consider to be - one of the most exciting jobs of the who le trip, so set them some tasks. Counting out the pegs, or lining up the poles in size order will make them feel useful

3. Eat & drink supplies

Hot chocolate is of course the number one most important ingredient to take with you – as are marshmallows if you’re lucky enough to find a campsite that allows fires. Send your Little Explorers off on a stick-finding adventure. Only the perfect stick will do f or those precious marshmallows. The perfect camping breakfast in our book i s sausages, eggs and croissants, accompanied by a good, strong, coffee . We take our mini stove top espresso maker for extra luxury – it’s those details that can pick you up after what could be a long night.

4. Take a headtorch

Extra light can make the whole experience more appealing so here’s a great tip. Don’t forget your headtorches. These are perfect for hands-free illumination when you’re eating, reading or heading out to the loo. To make your torch into a lantern, simply poke it into an empty plastic milk carton – the larger the better. This will create a gentle, calm glow that fills the tent. If you want to make sure you can spot the children after dark, tie a glowstick to their clothing. Set everyone up with headphones and music, and you can create a silent disc o too!

5. Bring comfy things

Comfort is king when camping. Unless you are hardcore campers and you have trekked to your destination carrying everything you need on your backs, I’d recommend taking as many fluffy pillows, cosy duvets and blanke ts as you can fit in your car! An uncomfortable child is generally as unfriendly a comp anion as you could fear to meet – especially at 2am. A thermal mat is an absolute must if you’re camping in the UK , where even the warmest days can turn into chilly nights. I would even suggest you take woolly hats for everyone just in case.

6. Abandon the normal bedtime

Don’t even think about trying to get the children to bed at their normal time. You will only be sorely disappointed . Accept the fact that they will go to sleep very late on the first night at least, but that their sleep will be deep and rev italising. Sleeping in the great outdoors for a couple of night has recently been shown to reset your body clock. So, bring it on for those poor sleepers and suffering parents out there!

7. Other tips….

Taking a potty is not a bad idea, no matter how old your children are. They always seem to need the loo about 100 times a night when you’re in a ten t. It could save you trekking across the campsite in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Parents have been known to take advantage of this facility too…

It will rain. Be ready for it and embrace it! It is so relaxing lying under the canvas listening to the drip drops overhead. If room in the car allows, take a spare gazebo to create extra living and playing space if the weather does turn inclement. When your children are old enough, card games or travel games like Guess Who or Dobble are fantast ic for family bonding sessions. And there’s little better than lying in the dark listening to your parents or older siblings reading a great story by torchlight.

And when you’ve all just about had enough, seek out the nearest heated swimming pool to use the showers and have a jolly good clean (and if you’re lucky – use of a hairdryer!)

Happy Camping!

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Stopping breathing

Blind cords – it can take only 20 seconds for a toddler to die from strangulation.

• Fit a cleat hook to tie blind cords and chains back

• Keep children’s bedroom furniture away from blind cords and chains.

• Make sure the cords on the back of Roman blinds are connected using a safety device that breaks away under pressure

Nappy sacks – young babies naturally grasp things and put them to their mouths, but don’t have the ability to pull things away. This means they can suffocate on nappy sacks.

• Store nappy sacks safely away and never under the cot mattress.

Food, drink and small toys – Babies can choke on liquids and can’t push a bottle away.

• Cut food up into small pieces for young children, particularly grapes and other round foods, which should be cut length-ways in to quarters.

Find out more and share

• Encourage older children to put small parts from their toys away

• Don’t prop a baby’s bottle up and leave them to feed.

• Watch the St John’s Ambulance Chokeables film at www.sja.org.uk/thechokeables to find out what to do if your child starts choking.

Sleeping and slings – babies can be suffocated by things they can’t push away.

• Don’t use duvets, pillows or cot bumpers for young babies and put them down to sleep in the ‘feet to foot’ position

• Don’t sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby

• Don’t sleep in the same bed as your baby if you smoke, drink or take drugs or are extremely tired, if your baby was born prematurely or was a low birth-weight

• Follow the T.I.C.K.S advice at www.babyslingsafety.co.uk when using a sling, wrap or baby carrier.

Follow us on Facebook and share with friends and family: www.facebook.com/ChildAccidentPreventionTrust

Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: www.capt.org.uk

The baby’s bedroom can be packed with helpful products, but some come with hidden dangers. Here are things to keep in mind to help children stay safe from choking, strangulation and suffocation.

Subject to availability. While stocks last . Excludes the Orangutan range.

Tommy & Lottie produces unisex, ethical and sustainable, capsule, baby, children and adult clothing range and wall pr ints

The designs are inspired by nature and nostalgia that are hand drawn by founder, K a t i e C a r r Katie is passionate about the environment and wildlife and believes in making sure it’s protected for now and for future generations

Processes such as screen pr inting or embroider y are used as these are better for the planet and produce a better quality finish that will last longer They are also completely plastic free.

The clothing designs are unisex and non-seasonal making it easier to hand down, as reuse, recycle is the brand’s ethos Helping towards reducing the impact fast fashion has had on the global textile waste problem.

Cute, unisex, animal design baby clothing sets which include a super soft, chemical free, oeko tex cotton tee and little harem leggings are a must have addition to any little ones’ wardrobe and are ideal to give as a gift for a new baby, bir thday, baby shower or chr istening.

The sets are ver y good quality, wash well, are plastic free and are suitable for a boy or gir l making it easier to be handed down after use. Choose from hedgehog, fox, badger, panda and bunny.

Tommy & Lottie have recently launched a new range of animal wildlife sweatshir ts Each design is embroidered onto, organic cotton, vegan, cr uelty free cotton (PETA cer tified) and are available in sizes from age 3 years up to adult, so perfect for parents who like to have a matching top with their babies and children.

Making a difference to the wor ld is really impor tant at Tommy & Lottie, no matter how small, this includes who and how its made, how well they are treated and paid, what impact manufactur ing the product and it’s materials has on the environment and ways this can be reduced T&L believe it is impor tant to give back and help wildlife which is cr ucial for a healthy eco system and human sur vival

You can browse their cute range at www.tommyandlottie.com

THE LOCKEY METHOD

The Lockey Method offers an opportunity for professionals to offer the following workshops to parents who have suffered birth trauma or who are pregnant with a subsequent pregnancy after pregnancy or infant loss:

Private 1:1 sessions in clients home or in your office Group sessions (Typically a 2 hour weekly session over 4 weeks)

Skype sessions to parents anywhere in the world

There is also scope to deliver this training to other professionals

• 1 in 4 Pregnancies end in miscarriage in the UK

• 17 Babies die every day to Stillbirth and 2,651 Infants (The under 2’s) died in 2017.

• Support offered to parents is limited and NHS Trusts “A geographical lottery”.

• Subsequent pregnancies after loss can be described as an “emotional roller coaster” and a highly anxious time.

• There are NO workshops of this nature offered anywhere in the UK to parents.

For more information email Chantal: info@chantallockey.co.uk

Are you interested in advertising with Bump 2 Baby & Beyond?

We have great National and Regional opportunities. Reach thousands of Parents and Parents to be across the UK

For more information please request our Media Pack by emailing: info@foundationforinfantloss.co.uk

Or send us an email with your phone number and we will call you back for an informal chat

The Foundation for Infant Loss are here to help Via their online directory we can help with:

Finding a suitably trained counselling professional if you have suffered a Pregnancy or Infant Loss

Birth Trauma

Legal Issues

Support with Subsequent Pregnancies after loss “Rainbow Babies”

Finding childcare provisions that are trained in First Aid and Safe Sleep

Training for healthcare professionals

Employment rights

Support Groups and resources

W: https://www.foundationforinfantloss.co.uk

E: info@foundationforinfantloss.co.uk