Maternity & infant Family, Spring 2018

PA S A S OR E V V N R TI Y TE N D G

M AT E R N I T Y & I N FA N T

maternityandinfant.ie

WIN! A 3 night family break worth €1000

NEW NAME NEW LOOK!

DOUBLE TROUBLE What no-one tells you about having twins

Simply Scrumptıous FAMILY RECIPES

ARE YOU READY TO BE A STAY AT HOME MUM? €3.75/ £3.30 SPRING 2018

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NO-GO ZONES Maïa Dunphy on socialising with a baby Cover_Family_Spring_JB.indd 1

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Plus Fun days out School run style Gorgeous kids' décor 15/02/2018 12:13

Ready for the daily obstacle course The new Maxi-Cosi Laika

Stylish, compact and urban pushchair From birth with the Laika soft carrycot Easy one-hand fold and lightweight (6.8kg) Cosy ultra-padded seat Lifetime warranty

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Find out more: www.maxi-cosi.co.uk

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Contents JUST FOR YOU

PARENTING

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DOUBLE TROUBLE 10 things no-one tells you about having twins

DOWN TIME Because it’s OK to put mum first, once in a while

I N STA M U M Life through a lens with stylish Dublin blogger, Emma Coogan

NO-GO ZONES Maia Dunphy on learning that baby isn’ t always going to be welcomed with open arms

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THE HOT LIST Gorgeous spring additions you deserve

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BEAUTY SPOT Hard working new products especially chosen for busy mums

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M U LT I - TA S K I N G MIRACLE The multi-tasking beauty products you need to know about

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THE 5 RULES OF NEW PA R E N T H O O D Your little bundle comes with new rules of survival!

YOUR PREGNANCY

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THE TOY BOX Our pick of fun and educational new toys

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YOUR A-Z of pregnancy health

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YOUR PREGNANCY Maternity news

6 OF THE BEST Great 3-in1 travel systems you can rely on

CONFESSIONS OF A G R A N D PA R E N T Are granny or granddad really happy minding your children?

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BABY GEAR Smart and stylish nursery and baby gear

SMALL WORLD Care tips and best buys for baby

DADLAND Dad's first trip to a Mum & Toddler group maternityandinfant.ie 1

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CONTENT S | SPRING

YOUR STYLE

YOUR HEALTH

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MATE RNITY ST YL E Work that bump in 3 great work outfits

FI T FAMI LY Gorgeous gym gear and virtual training

BED-TIME STO RIE S Super soft sleep suits for little babes

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SPR ING GR E E N S 40 shades of fabulous kids fashion

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RAINY DAY BRIGHTS Waterproof wear that packs a punch

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JEAN GENIE Denim looks for every age

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SCH OO L R U N STYLE 4 great looks for mums on the run

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AR E YOU R E ADY? 5 questions to consider before becoming a stay at home mum

FA M I LY L I V I N G

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FAM I LY KITC HE N Treats, tips and trends

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DI N N E R L I KE A B O SS Delicious family dinners everyone will devour

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I ’M N OT E AT IN G T HAT How to handle a fussy eater

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FA M I LY H O M E Gorgeous looks for a home with heart

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O UT O F F T HI S WO RL D Space themed decor for budding astronauts

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YO U R P E T Furry fun with dogs and cats

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FA M I LY TR AV E L Destinations, deals and insider reveals

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GLA S GOW W I TH KIDS Family fun in Scotland’s Merchant City

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STY LE & S PACE We road test four seven-seater SUVs

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TH E R E A L CO ST O F H AV I N G A FA M I LY Hidden extras and the realities of childcare

CO M P E TI TI O N Win a fabulous 3-night family break for 5, worth €1000, in Gorey’s Amber Springs Hotel & Spa

MEET THE EXPERTS Our panel of medical experts answer your family health questions on everything from fertility, breastfeeding, and sick babies to anxious children.

REGULARS

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I M MEDI ATE FAMI LY News, views, advice and fun for modern families

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FA MI LY C ALENDAR Our pick of the best festivals, events, workshops and activities to help you make the most of precious family time

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TH E B OOK S HELF Brilliant new reads for toddlers, children and young adults

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FI VE MI NUTES W I TH… Children’s illustrator Chris Judge, who lets us into his colourful world

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Nursery at its very best

Finches Park, Longmile Road, Dublin 12 ● Tel. 01 419 7090 Airside Motor Park, Swords, Co. Dublin ● Tel. 01 897 0970 Ballyogan Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18 ● Tel. 01 426 3605

www.eurobaby.com

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E D I TO R ' S N OT E | S P R I N G

Welcome

FA M I LY F R I E N D S

We l l , t h i s i s e x c i t i n g – o u r launch issue of Maternity & I n f a n t Fa m i l y m a g a z i n e !

L

oyal readers will recognise that we’re a grown-up version of our younger self, a fresh new take on the much-loved Maternity & Infant.

I’ve joined the team as editor, and along with a fab new art director, Aine, we have the exciting task of nurturing this ‘new baby’ and ensuring M&I Family grows up into the kind of magazine we can be proud off.

Celebrating the modern family, we’re thrilled to welcome old and new readers to our pages, which we’ve filled with the kinds of things you told us you wanted more of (thanks to the thousands of you that filled in our survey!) Alongside our trusted coverage of pregnancy and baby issues we’re bringing you more great content that addresses children of all ages and beautiful new lifestyle sections that focus on the needs of the modern parent.

That means you’ll find serious topics and expert recommendations on pregnancy, children’s health, nutrition and development alongside the frivolous things that make family life fun. Think simple and delicious family recipes, beautiful home décor, pets, fashion, holidays and memorable activities for Tell making the most of precious family time. us what you think of Giving busy mums and dads the tools Maternity & Infant to raise happy and healthy children, Family’s new look at Maternity& Infant Family has big plans to Facebook, Instagram, become your essential guide to savvy Twitter, and online at parenting. We’re here to advise, inspire, maternityandinfant.ie excite and support you.

Welcome to the family!

Jillian Editor

Jillian

Katy Holder is a freelance food stylist, recipe writer and food editor. Her career has taken her from London to Sydney, Japan and back to Sydney. As well as styling and writing, she has worked behind the scenes on television cookery shows, been food director or editor of women’s magazines and has taught cooking lessons. Author of several cookbooks, Katy shares recipes from her latest book Dinner Like a Boss, on page 54.

Katy Holder

Yasmina Lenahan is owner of The Wellness Circle and runs deeply bonding baby massage classes (privately and group classes) for parents. She also brings wellness to the workplace through wellness days and onsite massage, helping staff feel relaxed and energised.

She is building an online wellness community at thewellnesscircle. ie and sharing her love for the great outdoors with her wellness days. She talks baby massage on page 38.

FA M I LY M E M B E R S

Ciara Attwell is a mum to two young children and founder of the website My Fussy Eater where she shares healthy family recipes.

Ciara started her website in 2014 in an attempt to get her fussy eating daughter, then aged 3, to eat a better and more varied diet. She has since shared over 400 recipes online and now works full time as a food writer and recipe developer. Her first cookbook is due to be published in April 2018. Read her tips for handling fussy eaters on page 58.

Yasmina Lenahan

Ciara Attwell

Editor Jillian Bolger Editorial & Production Director Mary Connaughton Beauty Editor Odharnait Kiernan Art Director Áine Duffy Creative Director Jane Matthews Sales Director Heidi Vambeck Digital Editor Ellen Flynn Social Media Manager Sara Perez Email: jillian@maternityandinfant.ie or write to Maternity & Infant Family, Ashville Media Group, 55 Park West Road, Park West, Cherry Orchard, D12 X9F9. Tel: 01 432 2200 www.maternityandinfant.ie All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers can not, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2018. All discount, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Maternity & Infant Family. The promoter/ advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

FA M I LY FAVO U R I T E S

String of bunny lights, €22.71 at HomeSense

Cloud notebook, €2.22 dotcomgiftshop.com

Pink rabbit cardigan, €29 from JoJo Maman Bébé

Little Brother top, €4.54 mandco.com

Elizapeck chocolate eggs, €6.50 Hotel Chocolat

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FA M I LY | N E W S

Monsters, inc Now here’s a box of monster your kids will definitely want to live with. Densters are a family of 8 different shaped monsters that act as clips and pegs to help children build amazing dens with bed sheets and blankets.

Children from 3+ can use them with ease, rigging up dens and forts alone or together, while developing their imagination and basic engineering skills. Every home should have a pack! €28.50, from kidesign.org.

News + views + advice + fun

immediate family

Tooth Fairy

SNUG AS A BUG Here’s one bedbug we love! Lumie is more than a cute looking bedside lamp – he’s also an award-winning sleep optimising aid for babies and children. Using low-blue light to create calm bedtimes and promote restful sleep, the combi product offers a 15-minute sunset, reading mode and nightlight. The sunset can fade to off or to a comforting nightlight for little ones who don’t like the dark. €69.99 at Boots and lumie.com.

Throughout March 2018, Dental Care Ireland is offering a free first dental visit to all patients under five. Secure a booking now!

1. When to visit The ideal time to bring your child to the dentist is before the age of two, and preferably when the first tooth arrives. This gives you an opportunity to ask dietary and hygiene questions, and seek advice on best maintenance. It also allows your dentist to establish a record of your child’s dental health and development.

2. Appointment time For a first visit, it is important to ensure that your child is as relaxed as possible. Pick a time of day that suits you both, so nobody feels rushed, tired or hungry.

3. Talk about teeth Be mindful of the language used in preparation for a dental visit. Use positive words and phrases such as check-up, counting teeth or looking at the mouth, rather than referring to unfamiliar terms such as fillings. Why not introduce baby and child-friendly books or songs about brushing teeth or trips to the dentist.

4. Establish a brushing routine For very young infants, merging a brushing routine into bath time is an excellent way to inspire a regular dental health regime for the future.

Incorporating supervised brushing into your child’s usual morning and evening schedules is key.

For 0-2 year olds, brushing with a toothbrush and water is best. From 2-7 years, children should brush twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.

5. What to expect Depending on the child’s age, they can either sit on your lap for the examination, or sit on the chair by themselves. The dentist examines the child's mouth and gums, in order to identify any issues. If needed, they may take an X-ray.

They will then polish the child's teeth and offer you preventative hygiene and dietary advice.

Many dental practices now offer child-friendly waiting areas or surgeries too, as well as post-visit rewards.

For details of practice locations nationwide, visit www.dentalcareireland.ie

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FUN LIST

Q U I T E A YA R N

The Boody Baby collection is made from organic chemicalfree bamboo yarn, making it the ideal fabric for sensitive baby skin. Organic, hypoallergenic, thermo-regulating, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, it’s also an eco-friendly choice (bamboo requires no irrigation or pesticides to grow and is 100% biodegradable.) From €9.10 at boody.co.uk

POCKET-SIZED FUN

Editor’s

PICK

The latest kids’ obsession?

Hallmark’s Itty Bittys, little plush toys featuring their favourite characters from collections like DC Comics, Frozen, Star Wars, Marvel and Disney Princess, €6.99 each.

Cosy toes From dinosaurs to bunnies, pandas to fox cubs, Chipmunks’ children’s slipper range is beyond cute. Soft and cosy, we reckon little ones will want to live in theirs, once they put them on. Good value too, they’re priced from €13.72 at chipmunkskids.com

JINGLE BELLS

TIME TO

SHINE

FEEDING TIME

Smart and discreet, the Bshirt has been created by two mums to make breastfeeding even more accessible. Rather than buying a new breastfeeding wardrobe the neat vest can be worn under your favourite clothes, keeping your belly and boobs covered as you feed your baby. Available in white, black and grey, the clever Lift the Flap vests cost €22.86 each at thebshirt.clothing.

Keen for you or the kids to stand out at night? Invest in Fhoss’ wearable technology. Their glow in the dark Illuminated Cord is perfect for cycling, running or dog walkers and can simply be attached to bike helmets, rucksacks, arms or legs for illumination without a primary source. Featuring blink and glow mode, with 100 hours’ replaceable battery life, it comes in four colours, €18.70 at poweredlightsafety.com

A lovely gift, these colourful wearable rattles encourage babies to wave and kick, helping to improve coordination and strengthen their muscles. Featuring cute sleepy faces, the Say Hello soft rattles easily attach to baby’s wrist or ankle, rewarding them with gentle jingling bell sounds when they move. This teaches baby cause and effect while helping them to discover their own body. €8.57, at babysensory.co.uk.

TREASURE CHEST

We’d like one of these please… especially as they can hang off the back of a buggy and stash all our essentials. €38.95 at childhome.com

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Breaffy House Resort,Castlebar, Mayo

Celtic Ross Hotel, West Cork

Westgrove Hotel, Clane, Kildare

Twin Trees Hotel, Ballina, Mayo

Kenmare Bay Hotel & Resort, Kerry

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Talbot Hotel Carlow

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Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig, Cork

Ardiluan Hotel, Galway

Talbot Suites at Stonebridge, Wexford

Dingle Skellig Hotel, Dingle, Kerry

Select Hotels of Ireland, 29 independent Irish Hotels,located nationwide.

Our Hotels understand the importance of ‘family friendly’ most of our properties offer full leisure facilities and have family or interconnecting rooms available, along with a wealth of family facilities, kids Clubs and much more. We offer Self-Catering options in some properties with full use of hotel facilities, ideal for families.

Our hotels are located in key destinations with lots of activities for all the family.

A number of our Hotels are award winning family friendly properties, at Select Hotels we love looking after families.

To book your next family break, with lots of great value family packages check our website selecthotels.ie or call us on 1850 200 560

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NEWS | BOOK REVIEWS

BOOKSHELF Our favourite new reads, as reviewed by our panel of little book lovers.

AGE 0+

AGE 1+

AGE 4+

AGE 3+

HELLO YOU, HELLO ME

TIME TO GO WITH TED

NOTHING!

SOCKS FOR MR WOLF

BY S U R YA S A J N A N I

A soft book with mirrors, introducing baby to smiley new friends and their own reflection.

The mix of large, pastel faces, simple words and mirrors appear on easy to grab soft cloth pages helping develop visual and language skills.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The mix of characters on each page.

(WEE GALLERY)

AGE 3+

KEVIN

BY ROB BIDDULPH

BY SOPHY HENN

Ted’s story unfolds through a series of sturdy flaps which even the littlest of hands can open.

It follows Ted, a little boy, as he busies himself at the park, the pool and zoo making new friends along the way.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

BY YA S M E E N I S M A I L

Lila’s lively imagination means she's always busy with her thoughts. Yet when she’s asked what she’s doing, her answer is always the same: ‘Nothing.’ She whirls and twirls like a spinning top, battles fearsome beasties and explores far-flung places. Where will she go to next?

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The colourful, largerthen-life illustrations.

The rhythmic text and high-energy illustrations.

(BLOOMSBURY)

(BLOOMSBURY)

A fun picture book about Sid and his big furry imaginary friend, Kevin, who gets blamed whenever Sid's up to mischief. Sid gets an unexpected surprise when he finds out that Kevin and his make-believe world might not

BY TAT YA N A F E E N E Y

Mr Wolf likes to look good but when one of his stripy socks gets a hole in it he is devastated. Efforts to repair them fail so he sets off on a woooly adventure around Ireland to learn how to knit a new pair.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

This laugh-out-loud caper.

(O’BRIEN PRESS)

be so imaginary after all.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The fun illustrations and rhyming tale of friendship.

(H A R P E R C O L L I N S CHILDREN’S BOOKS)

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Editor’s

PICK #1

AGE 5+

AGE 7+

AGE 8+

TEACUP THE RORY HOUSE: TRAVELS BRANAGAN MEET THE OF ERMINE DETECTIVE TWITCHES BY H AY L E Y S C O T T

An inclusive new series starring four tiny toy rabbits, the Twitches, who live inside beautiful Teacup House and come alive when no one is watching. When Daddy Twitch goes missing in a house move, the bunnies have some creative work to do to find him.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The secet lives of the bunnies when no-one is looking.

BY J E N N I F E R G R AY

BY ANDREW CLOVER

Ermine, a determined stoat, may be small but she’s a force to be reckoned with. On a journey around the world we meet her as she heads to New York. But when her suitcase is switched, Ermine discovers that she has robbers hot on her tail…

Rory Branagan is the best detective in town and is on a mission to find out what happened to his dad. This is the first in a hilarious seven-book, comedycrime series that’s set to become huge.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The cartoon images and frenzied pace of Rory’s life.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

Gutsy Ermine and her thrilling adventure.

(USBORNE)

(HARPER COLLINS CHILDREN’S BOOKS)

(USBORNE)

BY SM WILSON

AGE 9+

WHERE’S JANE?

THE 1,000 YEAR OLD BOY

BY REBECCA SMITH

This book is a real original, one to be treasured and kept.

Written by Jane Austen’s great-greatgreat-great niece, it introduces children to her stories, alongside Regency and Georgian life. There’s a snappy synopsis of ten of Austen’s novels, written in simple narrative.

Here you meet the characters in the different stories, before becoming absorbed in the wonderfully detailed illustrations as you search for Jane through the pages.

BY ROSS WOLFORD

Lots of people want to live forever, but Alfie Monk has lived for a thousand years and is fed up. When everything he owns is destroyed in a fire, Alfie sets off in search of friendship, acceptance and a different way to live.

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The suspense and richly imagined historic settings.

HARPER COLLINS CHILDREN’S BOOKS

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

YOUNG ADULT

THE EXTINCTION TRIALS

AGE 8+

Editor’s

PICK #2

The engaging text and intricate pictures.

(IVY KIDS)

Betrayal, sacrifice, survival – that’s what you get in this gripping young adult book – an impressive adventure described as a cross between the Hunger Games and Jurassic Park.

Readers enter Stormchaser and Lincoln’s ruined world where the only chance of survival is to risk everything. But in that world full of monsters – human and reptilian – they can’t afford to trust anyone. Perhaps not even each other…

OUR REVIEWERS LOVE:

The dark world, the suspense and the complex twists. ( YO U N G A D U LT U S B O R N E )

Scene from Where’s Jane?: Find Jane Austen Hidden in Her Novels (Ivy Kids); written by Rebecca Smith and illustrated

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CALENDER

9-18 FEBRUARY

16 FEBRUARY - 4 MARCH

F R E E D O M F I T F E ST I VA L , GOREY

CHINESE NEW YEAR F E ST I VA L , D U B L I N

A brand new family fitness festival in Gorey, the excellent programme includes a guided mindfulness walk, family mini golf competition, family bootcamp, family cycle, kids and teen CrossFit, treasure hunt and night walk. freedomfit.ie

17 days of colourful Chinese-Irish celebrations at the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival 2018, from film, talks, family workshops and visual art to music, dance, sport and great Chinese food! dublinchinesenewyear.com

24– 25 FEBRUARY

MARCH 3

MARCH 11

ENGINEERS WEEK, DUBLIN

M OT H E R ’ S DAY G I F T M A K I N G WO R K S H O P, CASTLEBAR

M OT H E R ’ S DAY !

YOUR FAMILY CALENDAR Ou r p ic k o f t h e b est s p r i n g even ts a n d fu n fa m i ly o u t i n g s

(Might be time to start dropping hints about brekkie in bed – at the very least!)

A fun filled weekend of shows and workshops at Engineers Ireland in Dublin 4. Discover more about engineering through LEGO workshops, fun problem solving and special shows. engineersweek.ie

The National Print Museum heads to the Museum of Country Life for a traditional-meets-modern gift making workshop. Children aged 7+ to adults, 2.30-3.30pm. Booking required. museum.ie/Country-Life

MARCH 11

MARCH 16-18

MARCH 17 – 19

W E L L’ S H O U S E T I N Y T E A PA R T Y, W E X F O R D

ST PAT R I C K ’ S F E ST I VA L , CORK

T H E D U B L I N BAY P R AW N F E ST I VA L , H OW T H

The Tiny Tea Party at the beautiful Victorian Wells House & Gardens sees families celebrate Mother’s Day in the Great Dining Hall with a high tea picnic.

Explore the wonderful house, grounds and playground too. wellshouse.ie

A citywide carnival for all, including the St Patrick’s Day parade at 1pm on March 17th, street entertainment, music, fairground fun, a street market and weekend-long activities. corkstpatricksfestival.ie

In the seaside village of Howth, the popular Dublin Bay Prawn Festival offers family fun from shellfish experiences to street entertainment, cooking demos, music, walks and talks.facebook.com/ dublinbayprawnfestival/

MARCH 18

MARCH 24 – APRIL 8

APRIL 20-22

KILKENNY TRADFEST D R U M M I N G WO R K S H O P, KILKENNY

G A LWAY S P R I N G F E ST I VA L , LO U G H R E A

WEST WATERFORD F E ST I VA L O F FO O D

Head to Slieve Aughty Centre with the kids for an Enchanted Forest walk looking for Easter Bunny prints, horse and pony rides, craft making, face painting, and family dress up. slieveaughtycentre.com

Ireland’s best attended food festival, Dungarvan’s creative programme includes food markets, cookery demos, workshops, tours, children’s cookery classes and a restaurant trail. westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com

Join Jeremy Hickey in Kilkenny Castle for a fun drumming workshop using pulse, tempo, tones, and instruments.

10am - 4-6 year olds (45 mins); 11am 7-12 (45 mins); 12 noon 13-17. kilkennytradfest.com

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J U S T F O R YO U

DRESS TO IMPRESS

If you thought Laura Ashley was all mumsy style and chintzy prints it’s time to get reacquainted with the heritage brand’s gorgeous fashion offerings. Our pick is this cool Hummingbird tie waist dress, currently on sale for €28.21 at lauraashley.co.uk

Just for you BAGS OF STYLE

1

2

Quilted chain shoulder bag, €39 Lipsy

THIS SPRING WE WON’ T BE L E AV I N G H O M E W I T H O U T…

Ou r ro se g o l d pl a n n er, f ro m Wil ko , €6 .80

L’ Oc c i tan e ’ s irresistible Li m i te d Edition Rifle Pap e r C o R o s e h an d c r e am , € 2 3.

These Swish To Go sachets, for days when we’ve dashed out on the crèche run without having time to clean our teeth. (They’re suitable for kids and pregnancy too!) €3.99, for six at from Boots.

A b o ttl e o f Ar ma n i ’ s b ra n d n e w f ra g ra n ce, S ì Pa ssio n e, a sen su a l a n d s o ph istica ted s c en t. €58

G R OW N - U P S O N LY

F O R T H O S E R A R E T I M E S W H E N YO U C A N L E AV E T H E H O U S E W I T H O U T C A R RY I N G T H E K I TC H E N S I N K …

Black tassle crossbody bag, €19 Dorothy Perkins

HANDBAG ESSENTIALS

3

Definitely one to hide from the kids, we’re stockpiling Butler’s scrumptious Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles, and their gorgeous powder puff packaging! €10, from Butler’s Chocolate Cafés or butlerschocolates.com

Kessy clutch, €45 Dune

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J U S T F O R YO U | D O W N T I M E

DOWNTIME Because it's OK to put yourself first, once in a while

your perfect

chill out kit

SILK ROAD

WE LOVE THE LOOK OF THESE LOOSE

SLOUCH IN STYLE WITH A COSY SWEAT SHIRT

5

FLORAL PYJAMA-STYLE TROUSERS AT DOROTHY

1

PERKINS, €30. (THERE’S Fiona sweatshirt, €95 baukjen.com

A MATCHING TOP, TOO, 2

IF YOU FANCY FULL-ON PJ CHIC, BUT WE LIKE THE IDEA OF TEAMING

Ta l l J u l i a r o s e embroidered sweatshirt,€24 boohoo.com

IT WITH A CRISP SHIRT) PERFECT FOR DATE NIGHT AT HOME!

Endless sweatshirt, €10 Penney’s

3

Editor’s

PICK

A FRENCH KISS 4

1 COSY PYJAMAS You can’t beat Penney’s for PJs and we fancy a lazy day in these cheeky ones. The mesasge: On Sundays we wear pyjamas. (Just for any visitors who didn’t get the memo!) €19.

2 COOL HEADPHONES Podcast time or a session with Spotify? Whatever ear candy you fancy, plug in with Cath Kidston’s comfy and cute earphones,€46.

3 A GENEROUS MUG Drink your favourite cuppa – strong tea or hot coffee – from a fab statement mug like this one from Paperchase, €11.50. There’ll be no doubting you mean business!

4. A COMFY CHAIR Sometimes mum just needs her own seat in the house. We’d like to curl up in this slick looking Bermuda chair in charcoal, €599 at michaelmurphy.ie 5. A GOOD BOOK Peace of Mind Calm Mum Book, offers a little escapsim between the pages, €7.99 at TK Maxx

Seeing as we can’t all jet off to France at a moment’s notice the kind people at L’Occitane en Provence have created a beautiful new perfume that smells ‘like a morning in Provence’.

Terre de Lumiére smells as good as it sounds, with bergamot, peony and white musk. The pretty fragrance comes with shower gel, body milk, balm and soap so you can layer your scents. €65, 50ml.

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I N S TA M U M

@lyla_and_co Emma Coogan, lifestyle blogger and mum of two, talks Dublin, loneliness and life behind her lens.

Why d id you st a r t you r b l og?

I started blogging over 3 years ago, just after I had my first child, because of how alone I felt in motherhood. What I was hoping to find through blogging I ended up finding on Instagram. There is an amazing community of mothers on there and I’ve connected with mums from all over the world, as well as making real-life friends. Instagram is full of amazing, talented, funny parents who are my go-to when I have any parenting related questions.

Who do yo u t a ke i n s p i rat i on f rom on I nsta gra m?

My absolute favourite accounts include @apphia (she has a very clean, minimalist feed, it makes me feel like I’ve way too much pink plastic in my life but her photos are beautiful); @blossomingbirds (Anna is just someone I want to be friends with. She’s so down to earth, relatable and funny); @Sienna.and.i and @Allthatisshe for how insanely creative their images are; and @dreaming_always_ because I love everything that they are doing. Their blog, their photos and their meet-ups are all just gorgeous.

What’s the secret to an engaging instagram feed?

It helps to have a theme. So instead of focusing on just one image, you need to look at your page, particularly the last 9 photos, as they are what someone will see if they click on your feed. So similar colours/filters throughout. Relatable captions are always a winner and engaging with other feeds in your niche. Social media is all about being social. So if you want someone to check out your feed, comment on your photos, you should be out there, doing the same.

What a re yo ur fa mily drea ms fo r 201 8?

For the kids to stop killing each other and for them both to start sleeping through the night. We are getting married in early 2019 so 2018 will hopefully be relatively quiet for us.

What ’s the ha rdest thing a bo ut being a parent?

The sleep deprivation. 100%. It’s torture, plus it exacerbates all the other difficult parts, like the guilt, the constant second guessing yourself and the loneliness. maternityandinfant.ie 15

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15/02/2018 14:02

T H E H OT L I S T | S P R I N G

S t r i p e h al f an d h al f s c ar f, € 37. 50 Fat Fac e

C l a r in s 4 C o l o ur f o r e s t e y e s ha do w p a l e t te , € 4 3 D e be n ha ms

M y H e a rt I s Open R i n g I n Go l d € 1 39 , Ch u pi Tau pe stretch O slowh ankle boot , €215 Du ne

Editor’s

PICK

The

Hot List Our seasonal shopping list has springtime in mind…

It’s time to treat yourself!

Te d Baker kim ono d ressing gown, €62 Debenh am s

W h i te Gin a to p, € 1 0 2 Ho b b s

Yello w cr o c bl o ck cu tawa y he e l mul e s , €59 Riv e r I s l a n d

Gr e y to p w i t h co l l a r de ta il , € 5 0 o a s is -s to r e s . c o m

S m al l c an ar y y e l l o w s u e d e to te b ag , € 27 5 b ai ab ag s c o . u k Fan tas i e S o f i a u n d er wire b r a an d t h o ng , €83 f i g l e av e s . co m

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15/02/2018 13:32

B E AU T Y | N E W S

FIVE MINUTE

BRIGHT

GLOW

EYES

Nothing rewards a good night's sleep like a glowing complexion.

Grab these star buys and cheat your way to instant radiance with the swish of a brush!

Refresh tired eyes with nourishing active ingredients that get to work while you catch some zzzzs.

Catrice Strobe to Glow Highlighter Stick, €4.95 Penney’s

beauty

Editor’s

PICK

LOV t h e Contourios 4-in-1 contouring palette, €15.95 Shaws

SPOT

Hard-working products for hard-working mums.

By Odharnait Kiernan

Delarom Decongesting Hydrating Eye Cream, €38

BUMP

IT UP D r. H a u s h k a E y e Balm, €31.45 Soft Sparkler face, eyes and body h i g h l i g h t e r, €24 Inglot

1

Skin Salvation Intensive €15.95 Holland & Barrett

2

Mummy Loves Organics Melting Body Candles, €35 , Bellababy

3

Aromatherapy Associates Rose Renewing €30 SpaceNk Dublin Pestle & Mortar Ultra Rejuvenating Eye Cream, €38

Lotions and potions are a minefield while you’re expecting. Here are some of our favourite pregnancy approved beauty essentials.

AND

RELAX Dreaming of escaping to the spa?

Why not bring the spa to your home, with one of these indulgent new finds. Perfect for a bit of ‘me’ time.

Olverum Bath Oil, from €22 Harvey Nichols

Moa Dreamy Mineral Soak, €29 moa.london

Editor’s

PICK

+

Aromatherapy Associates Support Body Oil, €45 SpaceNK

+

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15/02/2018 11:47

B E AU T Y | I N S I D E R

multi-tasking

First up is your handbag staple, Dr. PawPaw Shea Butter Balm. Not only will it soothe chapped lips, condition eyelashes, repair dry cuticles and tame unruly eyebrows, it also creates a beautiful base for makeup, €9.95

MIRACLES

Another base essential is Note Cosmetics BB Skin Corrector which provides hydration, sheer buildable coverage and corrects redness. It’s school run makeup in one easy product, €11.95 For an instant radiance boost or to minimise signs of fatigue, stock up on Clarins new wonder primers (there’s ones for minimising dark spots and redness too.)

Beautifully hydrating, these Clarins SOS Colour Correcting Hydrating Primers are bound to become beauty classics, €31

Editor’s

PICK

A must-have in all family cupboards, the cult Moa The Green Balm treats everything you can imagine, from eczema to athlete’s foot and tattoo recovery to insect bites, €21.50 from Skinfull Affairs

HERO Product

Only got 5 minutes to get ready in the morning?

Don’ t stress, writes beauty editor Odharnait Kiernan, who’s selected the smartest multi-tasking beauty buys around.

Beauty routine? What beauty routine? So say us, the many mums around the country who feel a success if we manage the crèche drop with our teeth brushed.

For a hit of essential oil, try Mac Prep + Prime Essential Oil Stick.

Perfect to slick across the lips and cheeks or banish dry patchy skin, €21.50

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair is a great all-rounder.

Sensitive enough for acne prone skin, it’s a serum, a treatment and repair mask all in one. At €60 it’s pricey, but it is doing the job of three products

Barely finding the time to brush your hair, never mind

Our hero product of the moment, Image Restoring Facial Cleanser, contains glycolic, salicylic and lactic acid to rejuvenate, exfoliate and remove all traces of makeup, €36.

(We know you mightn’t get the time to use it every night, but you do try to!)

Finally, for those special few trimesters, pick up some Unity Complete Duo Stretch Mark Cream and Oil. The first ever stretch mark cream and oil in a single product, it contains the pregnancy superfood, Indian Gooseberry and no nasty parabens, sulphates or mineral oils. €45 from unitybeautyessentials.com

cleanse, tone and moisturise? Then make room on your bathroom shelf for these multi-tasking products, the kind that do more than one thing at a time.

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16/02/2018 11:56

J U S T F O R YO U | F E AT U R E

the five rules of

NEW PARENTHOOD Becoming a parent doesn’ t mean you’ ll miss your old life or lose your identity; it just means you need to find a new way to b e y o u r s e l f.

L

ife changes forever when you something special at home and sit down start a family. You’ll have to kiss together to enjoy quality time without goodbye to life as you knew it, the interruption of small people. Too tired which means fewer romantic to cook? Order a take-out, share a bottle of wine and snuggle up on the sofa dinners, breakfasts in bed and lazy afterwards with a new release movie or Sunday brunches perusing the newspapers. Suddenly your calendar Netflix series you both love. is dominated by play dates, GAA Your old life: Out somewhere practice and birthday parties, and different every night before you know it it’s Monday morning New parents: Find a new again, and you never even opened your hobby Sunday newspaper.

If you’re a stay-at-home parent it’s But you needn’t abandon your social important that you get out of the house life completely; in fact, it’s essential at least one night a week on your own. that you don’t. Relationships need It will give you headspace and help you external stimulation to thrive, and even escape that pile of laundry. If you feel if you’re a single parent, you need an guilty about disappearing off to the gym, outlet that doesn’t revolve around consider taking a weekly class that gives buggies and breastfeeding. Research you a new hobby you can continue to shows that we’re better parents if we’re enjoy at home. Skills like baking, cooking, ... y o u n e e d n ’ t a b a n d o n y o u r relaxed, and relaxation comes from yoga, interior design or even wine tasting s o c i a l l i f e c o m p l e te l y ; i n doing things we enjoy. By making a are good starting places. few small changes you’ll survive baby’s Your old life: Spending hours fact, it’s essential that you younger years and ensure you never on-line don’ t. Relationships need feel stuck at home.

New parents: Take on a Your old life: Sunday brunch in project together e x te r n a l s t i m u l a t i o n to town with your best mates It would be too easy to lose ourselves thrive. in cyberspace once the children have New parents: Family dates with gone to bed. Instead of ignoring each friends Don’t be annoyed with child-free friends other while interacting with friends on who seem to have disappeared off the radar since your little bundle line, why not take on a new project together. Start by organising arrived. (You probably did the same in the past, because you found that stash of digital photos, labelling them and deciding which to get printed and framed. Looking through old photos will bring back toddlers less than great company). Instead, start spending time with friends whose children are of similar ages. Replace nights out with day happy memories and remind you both of the fun and exciting times trips where everyone goes. Plan outings to parks, festivals and you shared as a couple before parenthood came along. playgrounds followed by lunch or tea back home where you all dig in.

Your old life: Date night It’s fun for the kids and you get in some much-needed grown-up New parents: Date night conversation too.

You may go on fewer dates these days, but there’s no reason they have to stop. Keep the romance alive by budgeting for Your old life: Dinner and the cinema after work a monthly date plus babysitter. Take it in turns to plan the event, New parents: Dinner and Netflix Unless you have extended family nearby it’s costly to hire a whether it’s dinner, clubbing, a gig or a long walk. No meeting up babysitter for a weekly night out. Instead of missing out on with buddies and no talking about the kids – remember this is your dinner at your favourite Italian make an effort once a week to cook time to be a couple!

3

4

1

2

5

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15/02/2018 13:17

What is in my food?

Lots of snacks meant for little ones like me have nasty extras including added salt Yuck!

That’s why my mum only chooses Organix.

They’re always 100% no junk.

Food you can trust WINNER BEST BABY FOOD

Always organic Nothing unnecessary Setting standards

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14/02/2018 12/02/2018 15:49 11:39

PREGNANCY

THE SMART BAG

Your Pregnancy

In the market for a baby bag?

Pacapod are mighty stylish, but they’re also mighty clever. The 3-in-1 organising system functions as a handbag, an insulated chill bag for food and a changing bag, all in one, keeping everything in the right place. Available in multi styles, from backpacks to leather totes and men’s bags – they even have a special twin bag – they’re good looking and hard working. From €82.

BE PREPARED Blood folates are necessary for the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs) in early pregnancy yet, according to a new report

by Safefood, 33% of women in Ireland are not meeting World Health Organisation recommended levels in early pregnancy. Only 1 in 4 women who took folic acid started it at the recommended time (at least 12 weeks before conception) however almost all (98%) started taking it after they found out they were pregnant.

Folic acid is needed to support the effective closure of the neural tube of the spine and brain, which happens very early in pregnancy (approximately 21–28 days after conception). The daily supplement should be continued until at least the twelfth week of pregnancy. The UK and Ireland have had a higher rate of NTDs than other European countries.

Learn more at safefood.eu/folicacid

Editor’s

PICK

BACK TO BLACK

E A R LY B I R D

1

Katy crepe wrap midi dress, €24 boohoo.com

2

Loopback dungarees, €41.99 Mothercare

3

Anna shift dress in Night Blossom, €140 tiffanyrose.com

We love this booklet for siblings of tiny preemies or sick little newborns, to help big brothers and sisters understand the neonatal unit. Written and beautifully illustrated by TiNY Health, it spans 20 pages, introducing children to the neonatal unit and caring for their new sibling. Available from CUMH Neonatal Unit and tinyhealth.info

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14/02/2018 14:43

P R E G N A N C Y | H E A LT H

YOU R A-Z of pregnancy health

Mums-to-be need to put health top of their agenda.

Jessie Collins makes it as easy as A, B, C

Unfortunately there are certain bacteria found on raw meat, dairy and fish that may harm the foetus, so pregnant women are advised to avoid all raw or undercooked foods or unpasteurised dairy. Sorry, sushi lovers, those nori rolls will have to wait till your baby naming ceremony.

IS FOR… ANTENATAL CLASSES

The first word in pregnancies, and if it's your first time, these offer an essential guide to the basics of birth and caring for a new-born. Even if you get nothing more than to connect with other first-timers who are as equally freaked out as you, it's time well spent.

b

IS FOR… BACTERIA

D

C

IS FOR… CALCIUM

Essential for your baby to grow a healthy heart, nerves and muscles as well as develop a normal heart rhythm and blood-clotting abilities, it can also reduce your risk of hypertension and preeclampsia. About three cups a day of calcium-rich food is the guideline.

IS FOR…DENTIST

Boring, we know, but you need to get your teeth checked to make sure you are getting enough of the right stuff (see above), plus making an appointment post-baby in the early days can be very tricky.

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A-Z Pregnancy_JB.indd 22

IS FOR… EXERCISE

For better or worse, you need to accept that you're in a form of training: giving birth is the most full-on physical experience you are ever going to have. The stronger, fitter, more in tune with your body you are, the better chance you have of a better birth.

14/02/2018 15:00

P R E G N A N C Y | H E A LT H

IS FOR… FOLIC ACID

IS FOR… HORMONES

Particularly HCG, the key hormone present during pregnancy, which tells your body that you are indeed pregnant and need to start making preparations for it, internally at least, for starters. Typically, during the first 10 weeks of your pregnancy, HCG levels double every two days. But other hormones such as progesterone and oestrogen play important parts in pregnancy and can be up to 10 times your normal levels for the full term.

If there is one essential nutrient you are advised to take, pre and during pregnancy, this is it. Folic acid is significant to the production of red blood cells and the development of a baby’s neural tube into the spinal cord and brain, and necessary for producing and repairing DNA.

G

IS FOR… GOING GREEN

H

More and more research is pointing to the importance of limiting your exposure to harmful chemicals found in your average domestic cleaning products during pregnancy, particulate bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic oestrogen found in countless products, including plastic containers, as they can be harmful to you and your baby.

IS FOR… JUICE

Or more specifically orange juice, which some women experience intense cravings for.

Not only is the hit of vitamin C and folic acid important, orange juice is also a good source of potassium, which has been shown to help lower high blood pressure, a particular danger during pregnancy.

AKA pelvic floor exercises. The best advice on these? Ignore them at your peril. Many women are plagued by weak pelvic floors post-pregnancy and it can cause leaking and incontinence that, let’s face it, is an extra physical complaint you don’t need post-baby. There is still only one sure-fire way to prevent them, and that’s by regularly exercising your pelvic floor during your pregnancy. Simple exercises that take just a few minutes at a time, a few times a day will stave off any issues. Set a reminder on your phone or try a kegel app which will remind you as well as put you through your pelvic floor paces.

IS FOR… KEGELS

IS FOR… INFORMATION

It may seem that there is an overwhelming amount of information already out there, but there are a few books that will stand to you over the course of your pregnancy. What to Expect When You're Expecting is pretty much the go-to bible and gives plenty of useful information in a warm and real way, while Dr Peter Boylan’s useful guide, The Irish Pregnancy Book, A Guide for Expectant Mothers give you all the detail you need about Irish child birthing options, the hospital system and how to make an informed choice.

IS FOR… LISTERIOSIS

An infection caused by listeria bacteria and though rare for pregnant women to be affected by it, it can have serious effects. It can be found on unwashed and uncooked foods, so thoroughly wash utensils, boards and your hands after handling raw meat.

Also, throw out salad that has been in an opened bag for more than a day.

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15/02/2018 16:07

P R E G N A N C Y | H E A LT H

IS FOR… MIDWIFE

The absolute essential element in your birth plan.

You can choose one if you are going privately or going to have a home birth, and there are extraordinary ones out there, or else you will be assigned one in hospital.

These, still largely, women, have seen it all, and trusting yourself to them is the best way to concentrate on your part of the process.

P

A pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure, it usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in women whose blood pressure IS FOR… had been normal.

PREECLAMPSIA Unfortunately, even a slight rise in blood pressure may be a sign of preeclampsia. All women are tested regularly now, and it is manageable for the term of your pregnancy. The only cure, however, is giving birth.

IS FOR… QUESTIONS

As in, ask lots of them. Be it from your obstetrician, your midwife, GP, doula, whomever. Even if it seems silly, it is better to dispel any myths or concerns you may have picked up along the way, rather than carry them around needlessly.

24 maternityandinfant.ie

A-Z Pregnancy_JB.indd 24

n

Count them, not your calories, is the best advice in terms of what you should eat. Most health practitioners say as long as you are eating healthily, supplements other than folic acid are not necessary.

But you need to be getting a good variation in foods, so fish, dairy, eggs, pulses, beans, whole grains, Greek yoghurt, greens and lean meat are all recommended.

IS FOR… NUTRIENTS

IS FOR… OMEGA-3

One thing you might think about boosting your intake of.

Research shows that Omega-3 fatty acids can have a positive impact on the neurological and early visual development of the baby. Foods rich in Omega-3 oils include salmon, mackerel, herring, rainbow trout and tuna.

IS FOR…RELAXATION

To be taken wherever and whenever you can get it. Treat yourself to massages, facials, holidays, or just a pamper day at home, if you can, in advance of your due date. Remember, it’s not just you who will feel the benefit.

S

IS FOR… STRETCH MARKS

The thing many dread, but there are fantastic oils and creams out now that do help to offset the propensity for stretch marks.

Bio Oil is already known the world over, but things like rosehip oil work wonders too.

14/02/2018 15:01

P R E G N A N C Y | H E A LT H

IS FOR… TEA, COFFEE AND CAFFEINE

V

t

Most health professionals now advise lowering your intake of these when pregnant. Most recommend the maximum of about two instant cups, or 200mg a day. Do remember that there's caffeine in chocolate, fizzy and energy drinks so you need to be careful of your intake there too.

IS FOR… UNDERWIRE

Something of a contested issue, some sources claim little harm can be done to the baby by exposing the mother to an X-Ray, however many hospitals will ask you in advance if you are pregnant and may not conduct one if they are concerned that you are. Dental X-Rays, however are safe. .

IS FOR… VITAMINS

Other than folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B12 are all recommended to take.

Your body requires extra iron too, to support additional red blood cells, the placenta, and baby’s growth. Supplements like Floradix, Active iron and Spatone are all safe to take during pregnancy.

Y

IS FOR… YOGA

Yes, an odd one, we know, but there are some schools of thought that say wearing underwire bras when pregnant can restrict blood flow to the breasts which in turn can inhibit milk flow. This is still largely circumspect, but investing in good, really comfortable bras is something you won’t regret. Great ones like Hot Milk (yes, we know) are so stylish that revealing them in public, if you do end up breastfeeding, will feel a lot less intimidating.

IS FOR… WATER

And lots of it. Adults should drink 2 litres of water every day, but pregnant women require an additional 300ml (1-2 extra glasses per day). This is to help prevent common pregnancy issues such as constipation, haemorrhoids, and bladder infections. It's particularly important to stay hydrated in the last trimester, when dehydration can cause contractions that can trigger pre-term labour.

Exercise is essential all through your pregnancy, with yoga one of the best ways to keep fit and prepare your body for childbirth. Specialist pregnancy yoga classes, such as Lou Yoga’s in Dublin, can help alleviate pregnancy issues like back pain and help you with breathing techniques and flexibility. Yoga also offers nice downtime for tried mums-to-be.

Z

I S FO R … X - R AY S

If you haven’t succumbed to the narcolepsy that can accompany (particularly) the first trimester, then don’t hold back. If there is one piece of advice many mothers would pass on, it would be to sleep as much as you can, when you IS FOR… ZZZZZ can, during your pregnancy. It will help you and your baby, and build up the reserves you will need when the big day does come. Also, the quality of sleep as you get further into your pregnancy tends to decline, so it really is important to nap while you can. maternityandinfant.ie 25

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14/02/2018 15:02

PREGNANCY | NEWS

DRESS TO IMPRESS

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Got a special occasion

New Irish company, The

coming up? Tiffany Rose’s

Stork Box, specialises in

midnight blue Cathy dress

products for mum and

in Oriental Bloom is a

baby, including a

stylish choice for a

pre-packed maternity

beautiful bump. €115 at

hospital box. The Stork

tiffanyrose.com

Box’s Maternity Hospital Box contains a Mum Bag and a Baby Bag, both of which provide the essentials you and baby will need for a 2-3 day hospital stay. Each comes in a bespoke laundry-style

Pretty in pink How cute is this dusty pink Mama sweatshirt!

From Mothercare, €27.99.

bag and can be purchased individually or together. The

GOOD MORNING

Mum bag costs €65 and

Suffering from morning

contains products worth

sickness? Almost 80% of

€80 while the Luxury Mum

pregnant women will,

bag has a value of €125 but

and while symptoms will

is sold at €100. A full range

usually ease around

of boxes can be viewed at

week 14, nausea and

thestorkbox.ie

nine months news HERO Product

Everything you need for three smooth trimesters

S K I N A N D TONIC My Expert Midwife offers specially formulated products for women to soothe, calm, prevent infection and aid healing in pre- and post-natal bodies. We’re impressed with the quality collection, which includes Spritz for Bits, No Harm Nipple Balm, Fantastic Skin Elastic and Peri Prep Your Bits. From irritated, stretching skin and sore, cracked nipples to vaginal swelling, perineal tears and episiotomies, the My Expert Midwife range has been formulated with tender, changing bodies in mind. Products are priced from €17.56 to €31.16 at myexpertmidwife.com

vomiting can continue into pregnancy.

Sea-Band acupressure bands provide an easy and natural solution to morning sickness without taking drugs.

The acupressure knitted wrist bands are clinically proven to relieve morning sickness and nausea. From good pharmacies and online at €9.80.

CONSTANT

C R AV I N G S New research commissioned by Deliveroo reveals that the top foods craved by Irish mums-to-be are chocolate, cheese & onion crisps and ice-cream. Sound familiar?

Taking this information, the food delivery company has teamed up with ice cream brand, Scoop, to create two new ice-cream flavours especially for mums-to-be: Cadbury Dairy Milk ice-cream and Cheese & Onion crisps ice-cream. Both are available from Scoop on the Deliveroo app for a limited time only.

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15/02/2018 08:59

P R E G N A N C Y | B A BY G E A R

baby gear

TAKE A S E AT

Smart and stylish kit to make family life run smoothly

HIGH CHAIRS HIGH ON STYLE

SNUZ TIME More than a Moses basket, the SnüzPod Bedside offers a safe (and stylish) alternative to bed sharing or co-sleeping. The clever design, with adjustable height, allows you to easily comfort, settle and feed your baby without having to leave

Ickle Bubba Orb+ highchair i n w h i t e a n d y e l l o w, f r o m €158

your bed. Transforming from a

ALL TERRAIN T R AV E L Solid, lightweight and smart, the all-terrain four-wheel Nova pushchair from Maxi-Cosi is a robust

bedside cot (with removable side so baby is lying by your side), it’s also a stand-alone cot and replacement for a portable Moses basket, Suitable for new borns to 6-months. €226 from kiddies-kingdom.com

K o o - D i h i g h c h a i r i n g r e y, €180 at Jojo Maman Bébé

crossover buggy with puncture-proof tyres perfect for the city, countryside and mountains.

Editor’s

PICK

Hands-free folding comes via a foot pedal that allows it fold up automatically in seconds. In just 2 clicks you can add a Maxi-Cosi carrycot or baby seat, making it suitable from birth to age 3.5, €549.99

TAKE IT HANDY

Nuna Zaaz in Plum, €227

How many times have you left home without a pack of baby wipes? Banish the frequency with Oxo Tot’s clever On-the-Go

Dream machine

wipes dispenser. Featuring a

Tommee Tippee has perfected its best-selling Perfect Prep

rubber band to attach it to a

machine. The new Perfect Prep Day & Night prepares a formula

pram or buggy it has a pop open

feed bottle to the perfect temperature in just two minutes, with

dispenser lid for quick access.

new features including volume control and a glow light setting

Holding up to 20 wipes, there’s

for easier, happier night feeds. Exclusively available to Mothercare

also room for 5 nappies and

Ireland from February 8th and on general sale from March 18th.

barrier cream. Simple but effective, €20.40.

Tr i p p Tr a p p i n S t o r m G r e y, €188.99 (with baby set, €49.99)

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15/02/2018 08:59

FLU FLU VACCINE VACCINE INFORMATION INFORMATION FOR FOR PREGNANT PREGNANT WOMEN WOMEN

BE BESURE. SURE.BE BESAFE. SAFE.VACCINATE. VACCINATE. Now Nowthat thatyou youare arepregnant pregnantititisisimportant importantthat thatyou youprotect protect yourself yourselfand andyour yourbaby babyfrom frominfluenza influenza(flu). (flu).Vaccination Vaccinationisisthe theonly only way wayto toprotect protectyou youand andyour yourbaby babyfrom fromflu fluand andits itscomplications. complications.

Why Whydo dopregnant pregnantwomen womenneed needto toget getseasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine? vaccine?

Seasonal Seasonalflu fluisisaahighly highlyinfectious infectiousviral viralillness illnessof ofthe therespiratory respiratory tract tractthat thatcan canbe belife lifethreatening threateningfor forthose thoseininat atrisk riskgroups groups including includingpregnant pregnantwomen. women.Pregnant Pregnantwomen womenneed needto toget get seasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine vaccineas asthey theyare areat athigher higherrisk riskof ofserious serious complications complicationsfrom fromflu. flu.Flu Fluvaccine vaccineprotects protectspregnant pregnantwomen women during duringpregnancy pregnancyand andprovides providesongoing ongoingprotection protectionto totheir their newborn newbornbaby babyduring duringthe thefirst firstfew fewmonths monthsof oflife. life.

THE THEVACCINE VACCINECAN CANBE BEGIVEN GIVENAT ATANY ANYSTAGE STAGEOF OFPREGNANCY. PREGNANCY. What Whatisisthe theseasonal seasonal(annual) (annual)flu fluvaccine? vaccine?

Each Eachyear yearthe theseasonal seasonal(annual) (annual)flu fluvaccine vaccinecontains containsthree three common commonflu fluvirus virusstrains. strains.The Theflu fluvirus viruschanges changeseach eachyear yearthis thisisis why whyaanew newflu fluvaccine vaccinehas hasto tobe begiven giveneach eachyear. year.

How Howdoes doesseasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine vaccinework? work?

Seasonal Seasonalflu fluvaccine vaccinehelps helpsyour yourimmune immunesystem systemto toproduce produce antibodies antibodiesto tothe theflu fluvirus. virus.When Whensomeone someonewho whohas hasbeen been vaccinated vaccinatedcomes comesinto intocontact contactwith withthe thevirus virusthese theseantibodies antibodies attack attackthe thevirus. virus.

IsIsititsafe safefor forpregnant pregnantwomen womento tobe bevaccinated? vaccinated?

Yes. Yes.The Thevaccine vaccineisissafe safefor forpregnant pregnantwomen. women.Seasonal Seasonalflu flu vaccines vaccineshave havebeen beengiven givenfor formore morethan than60 60years. years.Reactions Reactionsare are generally generallymild mildand andserious seriousside sideeffects effectsare arevery veryrare. rare.Seasonal Seasonal flu fluvaccine vaccinehas hasbeen beenrecommended recommendedfor forseveral severalyears yearsfor forall all pregnant pregnantwomen womenininthe theUSA. USA. Will Willmy mybaby babybe beprotected protectedififIIam amvaccinated? vaccinated?

Yes. Yes.Vaccination Vaccinationduring duringpregnancy pregnancywill willprotect protectyour yourbaby babyand and preventyou yougetting gettingflu fluand andpassing passingititon onto toyour yourbaby. baby. also alsohelps helpsprevent Who Whoshould shouldNOT NOTget getseasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine? vaccine?

The Thevaccine vaccineshould shouldnot notbe begiven givento to ••those thosewith withaahistory historyof ofsevere severeallergic allergic(anaphylaxis) (anaphylaxis)reaction reactionto to aaprevious previousdose doseof ofthe thevaccine vaccineor orany anyof ofits itsconstituents. constituents.

What Whatabout aboutpregnant pregnantwomen womenwith withegg eggallergy? allergy?

Pregnant Pregnantwomen womenwith withegg eggallergy allergycan canget getseasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine. vaccine.

This Thismay maybe begiven givenby byyour yourGP GPor oryou youmay mayneed needreferral referralto toaa hospital hospitalspecialist. specialist.

When Whenshould shouldvaccination vaccinationbe bepostponed? postponed?

There Thereare arevery veryfew fewreasons reasonswhy whyvaccination vaccinationshould shouldbe be postponed. postponed.Vaccination Vaccinationshould shouldbe bere-scheduled re-scheduledififyou youhave havean an acute acuteillness illnesswith withaatemperature temperaturegreater greaterthan than38°C. 38°C.

FLU FLU IS IS ONE ONE THING THING YOU YOU DON’T DON’T WANT WANT TO TO SHARE SHARE WITH WITH YOUR YOUR BABY. BABY. Can Canthe theflu fluvaccine vaccinegive giveme methe theflu? flu?

No. No.The Theflu fluvaccine vaccinecannot cannotgive giveyou youthe theflu flubecause becauseititdoes doesnot not contain containany anylive liveviruses. viruses. doesitittake takethe thevaccine vaccineto towork? work?

How Howlong longdoes The Thevaccine vaccinestarts startsto towork workwithin withintwo twoweeks. weeks.

What Whatcan canIIexpect expectafter aftervaccination? vaccination?

The Themost mostcommon commonside sideeffects effectswill willbe bemild mildand andmay mayinclude include soreness, soreness,redness rednessor orswelling swellingwhere wherethe theinjection injectionwas wasgiven. given.

Headache, Headache,fever, fever,aches achesand andtiredness tirednessmay mayoccur. occur.Some Somepeople people may mayhave havemild mildsweating sweatingand andshivering shiveringas astheir theirimmune immunesystem system responds respondsto tothe thevaccine, vaccine,but butthis thisisisnot notflu fluand andwill willpass passafter afteraa day dayor orso. so.

What WhatififIIdon’t don’tfeel feelwell wellafter aftervaccination? vaccination?

IfIfyou youhave haveaatemperature temperatureafter afterthe thevaccine, vaccine,take takeparacetamol, paracetamol,as as ititisissafe safeininpregnancy, pregnancy,and andit’s it’simportant importantfor foryou youand andyour yourbaby baby to toavoid avoidfever. fever.Do Donot nottake takeibuprofen ibuprofenor oraspirin aspirin(unless (unlessadvised advised by byyour yourobstetrician). obstetrician).Remember Rememberififyou youare areunwell unwellafter aftergetting getting aavaccine, vaccine,ititcould couldbe befor forsome someother otherreasons reasons--don’t don’tassume assumeit’s it’s the theflu fluvaccine vaccineand andseek seekmedical medicaladvice adviceififneeded. needed.

When Whenshould shouldIIget getthe theflu fluvaccine? vaccine?

You Youshould shouldget getthe theflu fluvaccine vaccineas asearly earlyas aspossible possibleininyour your pregnancy. pregnancy.The Theflu fluseason seasonusually usuallyoccurs occursbetween betweenSeptember September and andApril Aprilso soififyou youbecome becomepregnant pregnantduring duringthis thistime timeyou youshould should get getthe thevaccine. vaccine.

How Howdo doIIget getvaccinated? vaccinated?

Flu Fluvaccination vaccinationisisavailable availablefrom fromyour yourGP GPor orPharmacist.

Pharmacist.IfIfyou you have haveaa‘Medical ‘MedicalCard’ Card’or or‘Doctor ‘DoctorOnly OnlyCard’ Card’the thevaccine vaccineand and consultation consultationare arefree. free.

IfIfyou youdo donot nothave haveaa‘Medical ‘MedicalCard’ Card’or or‘Doctor ‘DoctorOnly OnlyCard’ Card’you youwill will be becharged chargedaaconsultation consultationfee feefor forseasonal seasonalflu fluvaccine. vaccine.

PLEASE PLEASE MAKE MAKE AN AN APPOINTMENT APPOINTMENT NOW. NOW. FOR FOR MORE MORE INFORMATION INFORMATION VISIT VISIT WWW.IMMUNISATION.IE WWW.IMMUNISATION.IE

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24356 24039 23549 24039 23549

What Whatis iswhooping whoopingcough? cough?

Whooping Whoopingcough cough(also (alsoknown knownas aspertussis) pertussis)isisaahighly highlycontagious contagiousillness. illness.The Thedisease diseaseisismost most serious seriousininbabies babies under under66months monthsofofage agewho whoare aretoo tooyoung youngtotobe befully fullyvaccinated. vaccinated.

Whooping Cough Vaccine for Pregnant Women What Whatare arethe thesymptoms symptomsof of whooping whoopingcough? cough?

How Howoften oftenshould shouldpregnant pregnant women womenget getthe thevaccine? vaccine?

What Whatcan canIIexpect expectfollowing following vaccination? vaccination?

Whooping Whoopingcough coughcauses causeslong longbouts boutsofof coughing coughingand andchoking chokingmaking makingitithard hardtoto breathe. breathe.Not Notall allchildren childrenget getthe the‘whoop’ ‘whoop’and and often oftenolder olderchildren childrenand andadults adultsjust justhave have aacough. cough.The Thedisease diseasecan canlast lastup uptotothree three months. months.Infection Infectionwith withwhooping whoopingcough cough does doesnot notgive givelong longlasting lastingprotection protectionso sorereinfections infectionscan canhappen. happen.

The Theantibodies antibodiesyou youdevelop developafter after vaccination vaccinationdecline declineover overtime timeso so you youneed needto toget getthe thevaccine vaccineagain againinin your yournext nextpregnancy. pregnancy.You Youshould shouldget get whooping whoopingcough coughvaccine vaccineduring duringevery every pregnancy pregnancyso sothese theseantibodies antibodiesare are passed passedto toeach eachofofyour yourbabies babiesininthe the womb. womb.

You Youmay mayget get soreness sorenessor orredness rednessaround around the theinjection injectionsite siteor oraamild mildgeneralised generalised reaction reactionofoffever feverand andfatigue fatiguefor forup upto to48 48 hours hoursafterwards. afterwards.

How Howdoes doeswhooping whoopingcough cough spread? spread?

What Whatvaccine vaccineshould should pregnant pregnantwomen womenget? get?

Whooping Whoopingcough coughisisspread spreadfrom fromperson person totoperson personby bycoughing, coughing,sneezing sneezingor orclose close contact. contact.Someone Someonewith withwhooping whoopingcough coughcan can spread spreadthe thedisease diseasefor forup uptotothree threeweeks weeks after afterthe thestart startofofthe thecough. cough.

You Youshould shouldget getaaTdap Tdapvaccine. vaccine.This This protects protectsagainst againsttetanus, tetanus,diphtheria diphtheriaand and whooping whoopingcough. cough.

How Howcan canwhooping whoopingcough cough be beprevented? prevented?

The Thebest besttime timeto toget getthe thewhooping whooping cough coughvaccine vaccineisisbetween between16-36 16-36weeks weeks ofofyour yourpregnancy. pregnancy.Giving Givingthe thevaccine vaccine atatthis thistime timewill willgive giveyour yourbaby babythe thebest best protection. protection.

Vaccination Vaccinationcan canprevent preventwhooping whoopingcough. cough.

This Thisisisoffered offeredtotoall allchildren children •• as aspart partofofthe the66inin11vaccine vaccineatat2,2,44and and66 months monthsofofage age •• atat4-5 4-5years yearsofofage age(4 (4inin11vaccine) vaccine) •• inin1st 1styear yearofofsecond secondlevel levelschool school(Tdap (Tdap vaccine) vaccine) All Allchildren childrenshould shouldget getthese thesevaccines vaccineson on time timetotoprotect protectthem themand andbabies babiestoo tooyoung youngtoto be bevaccinated. vaccinated.

How Howdoes doesthe thewhooping whooping cough coughvaccine vaccineprotect protectyou you and andyour yourbaby? baby?

The Thevaccine vaccinestimulates stimulatesyour yourimmune immunesystem system totoproduce produce antibodies. antibodies.These Theseantibodies antibodies pass passtotoyour yourbaby babyininthe thewomb womband andprotect protect

months monthsofoflife lifeso soititisisimportant importantyour yourbaby baby gets getsthe theroutine routinechildhood childhoodvaccines vaccines(which (which include includewhooping whoopingcough coughvaccine) vaccine)on ontime timeatat 2,2,44and and66months. months.

14:12 16:57 16:57

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When Whenshould shouldIIget getthe the whooping whoopingcough coughvaccine? vaccine?

Is Isthere thereanyone anyonewho whocannot cannot get getthe thevaccine? vaccine?

The Thevaccine vaccineshould shouldnot notbe begiven givento to •• those thosewith withaahistory historyofofaasevere severeallergic allergic (anaphylaxis) (anaphylaxis)reaction reactionto toaaprevious previous dose doseofofwhooping whoopingcough coughvaccine vaccineor or any anypart partofofthe thevaccine. vaccine.

ItItisisnot notrecommended: recommended: •• ififthere thereisisaahistory historyofofaasevere severelocal local reaction reactionto toaaprevious previousdose. dose.You You should shouldnot notget getaatetanus tetanusor ordiphtheria diphtheria containing containingvaccine vaccinemore moreoften oftenthan than every every10 10years yearsififyou youhave haveaasevere severe local localreaction. reaction.

When Whenshould shouldvaccination vaccination be bepostponed? postponed?

What WhatififIIdon’t don’tfeel feelwell well after aftervaccination? vaccination?

IfIfyou youhave haveaatemperature temperatureafter afterthe the vaccine, vaccine,take takeparacetamol, paracetamol,as asititisissafe safe ininpregnancy, pregnancy,and andit’s it’simportant importantfor foryou you and andyour yourbaby babyto toavoid avoidfever. fever.Do Donot nottake take ibuprofen ibuprofenor oraspirin aspirin(unless (unlessadvised advisedby by your yourobstetrician). obstetrician).Remember Rememberififyou youare are unwell unwellafter aftergetting gettingaavaccine, vaccine,ititcould couldbe be for forsome someother otherreasons reasons––don’t don’tassume assumeit’s it’s the thevaccine vaccineand andseek seekmedical medicaladvice adviceifif needed. needed.

Is Isititsafe safefor forpregnant pregnant women womento tobe bevaccinated? vaccinated?

Yes. Yes.The Thevaccine vaccineisissafe safefor forpregnant pregnant women. women.This Thiswhooping whoopingcough coughvaccine vaccinehas has been beenstudied studiedininpregnant pregnantwomen womenininthe theUS US and andno norisk riskhas hasbeen beenfound. found.Reactions Reactionsare are generally generallymild mildand andserious seriousside sideeffects effectsare are very veryrare. rare.

How Howdo doIIget getvaccinated? vaccinated?

Contact Contactyour yourGP GPor ormaternity maternityhospital hospital to toarrange arrangefor forvaccination. vaccination.The Thevaccine vaccine isisfree freebut butyou youwill willbe becharged chargedfor forthe the administration administration(even (evenififyou youhave haveaamedical medical or ordoctor doctoronly onlycard). card).You Youshould shouldalso also vaccine. vaccine.

For Formore moreinformation informationplease pleasesee see www.immunisation.ie www.immunisation.ie

Vaccination Vaccinationshould shouldbe berescheduled rescheduled ififyou youhave havean anacute acuteillness illnesswith withaa temperature temperaturegreater greaterthan than38°C. 38°C.

14/02/2018 16:56 15:54 29/11/2017 14:12 14/07/2016 18/03/2015 18/03/2015 14/07/2016 12:17 12:17 16:56

COMPETITION

Amber Springs’ new Family Suites

WORTH

WIN A 3 - N I G H T FAM I LY

€1000

BREAK FOR 5 IN AMBER SPRINGS

T

To celebrate the launch of their brilliant new Family Suites with Kids’ den, Maternity & Infant Family has teamed up with Amber Springs to offer our readers the chance of winning a 3-night break for 2 adults and up to 3 kids, staying in their new Family Suites.

You’ ll all enjoy scrumptious breakfast each morning and one dinner in their Italian restaurant and a lunch in BBG.

his amazing Wexford hotel is a dream destination for families, with loads of things for the kids to do. The hotel is minutes from excellent beaches, and offers adult and kids’ swimming pools, a great kids’ club, pet farm, mini golf, go-karting, Amber Train and Village and a dedicated VR room for the tweens and teens!

Only an hour from Dublin, with motorway all the way, the multi-award-winning hotel has its own farm and also has four restaurants, including an Italian garden pizzeria and an adult only FARM steakhouse. There’s an excellent Elemis Cocoon SPA with relaxing treatments in abundance, a leisure centre with Ireland’s first ever poolbiking (water cycling) and an intensive cardio gym (if you really want to!)

There's a choice of beaches within 6 minutes of the hotel and it’s walking distance from Gorey town, with its cafés, boutiques, restaurants, traditional pubs, art galleries and bookstores – perfect for a meandering type of afternoon. The hotel is surrounded by family visitor attractions, activity centres, watersports, horse-riding and much more.

Amber Springs’ new Family Suites are the

first of their kind in Ireland, with an open plan room that has a private internal kids' den where the children can sleep and play while you get to relax in comfort! Each Family Suite has WiFi, smart TVs, mini fridge and a larger family bathroom with walk in shower. The best bit is that the family get to stay together, (like a fun family slumber party) in a luxurious, spacious and contemporary designed room and have exclusive access to the hotel's brand new Family wing. Honestly, what’s not to love about the Amber!

HOW TO WIN

To be in the draw for this amazing prize, simply answer the following question: How many restaurants does Amber Springs Hotel & Health Spa have?

Email your answer and contact details to competitions@maternityandinfant.ie with AMBER SPRINGS in the subject line. Or send a postcard with your answer and contact details, marked AMBER SPRINGS, to Maternity & Infant Family, Ashville Media Group, 55 Park West Industrial Park, Park West Rd, Cherry Orchard, Dublin 12,

T&Cs: Prize include 3BB1D1L for 2 adults and up to 3 children, subject to availability, is non-transferable and not valid during Easter, New Year, Christmas and Bank Holidays. Closing date for all entries is 7 May 2018. Competition is not open to employees of Ashville Media Group or Amber Springs Hotel & Health Spa. No cash or gift card will be awarded in lieu of stated prize.

Winner will be selected at random from a draw and will be contacted by phone. Competition entrants must be resident in the island of Ireland. One entry per person.

Competition is also subject to all usual terms and conditions.

30 maternityandinfant.ie

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PREGNANCY | 6 BEST

YSTEMS T R AV E L S

BABY ELEGANCE VENTI

BUGABOO BUFFALO

Baby Elegance Venti’s puchchair-

Designed for all terrains, and

to-carrycot technology means you 2 COLOURS GREAT VALUE €449

can easily convert from buggy mode to the carry cot when it’s time for a nap. There’s forward and

engineered to be robust, the hard 10 COLOURS CUSTOM OPTIONS €1,079

solid and spacious, the one-piece fold has multiple luggage options, a

roomy for a natural lie-flat sleep. A

high and spacious seat and an

triple section hood gives good

extendable sun canopy. The

protection in all weather and the

four-wheeler has a roomy carrycot

one foot fold makes it simple to

and seat suitable from birth up to 3

fold away. It easily transforms into a

years and there’s a generous

travel system with its Venti car seat.

underseat bag.

MAXI-COSI ZELIA

Lightweight and agile, iCandy’s

Lightweight with a large shopping

Raspberry pushchair is easy to push and easily foldable. The new carrycot makes it suitable from birth and the seat faces frontwards

basket, the new Maxi-Cosi Zelia is a 3 COLOURS GREAT VALUE €369.99

compact, two-in-one travel system with an adjustable handlebar and roomy seat that fully reclines.

or back. Special adaptors raise the

Suitable for children up to 3.5 years

height of the seat and carrycot to

it converts into a carrycot in two

allow better parent and child

simple steps. The seat can face front

interaction (It also means the seat

or back and it folds up with

can double as a high chair!) It

one-hand. It’s compatible with Maxi

comes in five colours with car seat

Cosi’s Cabriofix, Pebble or Rock car

adaptors available for €37.50.

seats, which are sold separately.

N U N A I V V I S AV I

QUINNY ZAPP FLEX PLUS SPORT

A lighter, modified version of the Nuna Ivvi, the smart looking Ivvi 5 COLOURS & SPORTY LOOKS €905

for the city or countryside. Versatile,

rear facing seating that’s extra

ICANDY RASPBERRY

5 COLOURS AND 2 FRAME COLOURS €525

working Bugaboo Buffalo is perfect

Savi weighs just 13.7kg, making it smooth and slick to push (thanks to its puncture-proof foam filled,

The Luxe Sport collection, designed LIMITED EDITION STYLING €569.99

by Rachel Zoe for Quinny, brings sporty black and white fabric with a champagne frame to Quinny’s sporty Zapp Flex Plus. The

airless tyres and progressive

ultra-lightweight favourite enjoys all

suspension.) Use the carrycot from

the benefits of the Zapp Plus

birth, then at 6 months move into

– smooth strolling, a two-direction

the supportive padded seat, which

seat, easy switching to a travel

reclines and comes with breathable

system, extra large shopping basket

mesh. Compatible with the Nuna

– and it’s sold with car seat adapters

Pipa icon car seat.

for a Maxi-Cosi Pebble. maternityandinfant.ie 31

6 of the best_JB.indd 23

14/02/2018 14:50

B A BY | N E W S

A FINE MESS

SAFE SLEEP FOR BABY

Perfect for messy play time and

Cot death, another name for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is

self-feeding, Messy Little Thing is a

the sudden and unexpected death of a seemingly healthy baby

clever solution to an age-old problem.

during sleep. No cause of death can be found, even after a

Made from lightweight water repellent

post-mortem examination. Cot death doesn’t only happen in a

materials, this long sleeved weaning

cot: it can occur in a bed, car seat, pram, Moses basket, baby seat

bib offers full coverage against

or anywhere a baby is sleeping. Doctor’s don’t know what causes

spills and stains. €17.19 at

cot death but research has shown that you can significantly

messylittlething.glopal.com

small world E a t . S l e e p . P l a y. R e p e a t …

reduce the risk of it occurring.

1. Always place your baby on their back to sleep, not on their tummy or their side.

2. Don’t let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby.

3. The safest place for your baby to sleep at night is in a cot in your room.

4. Place your baby with their feet to the foot of the cot.

5. Keep your baby’s head and face uncovered while asleep.

6. Keep their cot free of soft or loose items. Pillows and cushions are not necessary and pose a risk of suffocation.

7. Don’t let your baby get too hot. Overheating can increase the risk of cot death.

8. Don’t use duvets or quilts. Cotton cellular blankets or specialist sleeveless baby sleeping bags are best.

9. Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.

10. Breastfeeding your baby reduces the risk of cot death. It’s safe to feed your baby in bed as long as you put them back into their own cot to sleep.

BATH TIME

FUN

12 rubber ducks, €9.95 at coolgift.com

Peppa Pig foam bath bubble blower €5.20 in Boots

Boon Jellies suction cup bath toy set, €11.23 at m e a n d b u d d y. c o m

Miko the Panda b a t h m i t t , € 7. 8 7 at dotcomgiftshop.com

Mori Panda toddler bathrobe, €36.05 at m e a n d b u d d y. c o m

BATH BASICS

Baby soft Super soft new skin calls for super skin saviours.

1

Mamia Baby Bath €0.65 at Aldi

2

Boots Baby Head t o To e Wa s h , €1.69

3

Cien Baby Bath Gentle & Cleansing, €0.79 at Lidl

Sudocrem Care & Protect, €5,49 at pharmacies, Pure Potions Lavender Nappy Salve, €12.19 at Holland and Barrett, Mustela Gentle Cleansing Gel, €9 at pharmacies

32 maternityandinfant.ie

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16/02/2018 10:34

PA R E N T I N G

MINDFULNESS AT BEDTIME According to Danish author Gitte Winter Graugaard, meditation enables children to fall asleep within minutes at bedtime. Seeing the positive effect it had on her own children she wrote down their bedtime meditations and has shared them in her thoughtful book, Children’s Meditations In my Heart. The collection of four meditations are designed for parents to read to their children, with parents taught how to teach their child the importance of self-esteem and self-love, enabling them to drift off into calming, reparative sleep, their hearts full with love. Difficulty in falling asleep is one of the most obvious tell-tale signs that a child may be worried and, in general, children today sleep for one hour less than they did 25 years ago. €17.05 at amazon.co.uk

Savvy Parenting WAT E R BA BY Can your children swim? If not, sign them up for swimming lessons today!

Drowning is the leading cause of accidents and deaths in children. Introduce them to the joys of water from an early age but never allow babies or toddlers near a pool, pond, river or water feature unsupervised, even for a minute. Most drownings occur in children under two years old.

Editor’s

PICK

DAD’S WORLD Looking for a gift for the world’s best dad? We reckon Dadmin gear ticks all the boxes – stylish, fun, comfy and it spells out what a good job you and the kids think dad is doing! Check out the full range at dadminstore.com

ITALIAN STYLE APPY FAMILIES A clever app for teaching children about money, RoosterMoney Pocket Money App lets kids keep track of their money. Install the free app and assign an account to every family member. Children can then track exactly how much money they have while parents get an overview of their children’s accounts. We love that kids can upload goals to save for and that parents can boost accounts for rewards. Children learn about saving and when they reach their target mum or dad can approve and fulfil the goal. No more pocket money pestering! Worth downloading today.

Worried all that baby equipment is going to cramp your sense of style?

Why not splurge on Alessi ’s fun new 2018 collection, featuring bold prints, curves and playful patterns.

It’s been especially designed for small hands! alessi.com

maternityandinfant.ie 33

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PA R E N T I N G | F E AT U R E

2.VOLUME LEVELS

It’s either really, really loud or very quiet. The latter is the one to really worry about as that’s when they’re probably devising some plan involving your kitchen spatula and a pencil sharpener to saw each other’s legs off or, better yet, are busy stuffing all your underwear down the toilet.

Double Trouble

TWINS

10 things no-one tells you about having twins!

By mum of three, Orla Neligan,

3.YOU ARE A LWAY S A SINGLE PARENT

Parent of singleton baby: “Here honey, take the baby. I’m nipping out to the shops.” Parents of twin babies: “Here honey, let’s swap.” There’s no easy way to put this: a baby will become a permanent appendage to your body. Mum-and-me

1.TWINS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

yoga and other such

Twins behaviour is often considered to be in harmony. You wouldn’t

lovely one-on-one-

believe the amount of times I have been asked whether they can feel

activities are not so lovely

each other’s pain akin to having some kind of extra-sensory paranormal

when you are chasing

capabilities. No is the answer (unless you count their secret Minio

two toddlers around the

language); we had twins, not Star Wars characters. Our twin girls are

room, apologising to

non-identical, in every way: one is blonde, one dark, one bigger, one

fellow class members for

smaller, one shy, one outgoing. They may have shared a womb but they

disturbing their

don’t have the same taste in everything: there were a few matching outfit

well-deserved ‘down-

moments but with the risk of them looking like Bucks Fizz or worse, The

time’. In lieu of quality

Kray Brothers, I avoided the hers and hers wardrobe. Even potty training

me-time you may have to

was done independent of each other, one nailing it in a week and the

settle for a trip to the

other four months later – despite being twins, they are different people

dentist where, at least,

with different personalities and I try to celebrate that.

you get to lie down.

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The only thing worse than having no toy is having

9.YOU’RE ON A PERPETUAL P L AY DAT E

one toy. In the world of twins there is no such thing

Don’t get me wrong, this

as sharing. It is inevitable that if one twin has a toy,

is just one of the huge

the other twin will want that same toy, even if there

upsides to having twins,

are 99 other amazing toys in the immediate area.

especially when you’re

Their birthdays involve two cakes, not two different

juggling a job and three

cakes, two of the same cakes. If you want to avoid

toddlers. Even at six

bloodshed, buy two of everything. Just be grateful

months the girls would

you have two arms for when the fight over who gets

spend a good hour

to hold ‘mummy’s hand’ kicks off.

staring at each other’s

6.CARING IS NOT SHARING

faces and laughing while I made the dinner. At

7. YO U W I L L N E E D A M I N I VA N

4.YOU WILL BE SO TIRED YOU L I T E R A L LY W I L L N OT R E M E M B E R YOUR OWN NAME

six-years-old they are still

Double prams, double car seats, two-of-

joined at the hip; they

everything toys. If, like us, you were stupid

always have an in-built

enough to get pregnant when your twins were

buddy to play with, even

six months old, you’ll have Irish triplet

if 50 per cent of the time

syndrome so you’ll actually have three of

they’re squabbling over

everything. Don’t waste your time trying to fit

who’s turn it is to go

Or your children’s names – I regularly called them

three seats across the back of a sleek Audi TT.

down the stairs first.

after our cats in the first six months. You will forget

I’ll save you the time - they fit comfortably in a

where you put your car keys, your car, your bag,

minivan. Now go home and cry, you are the

your children (just the once). You would willingly

proud owner of a minivan and can officially

sleep anywhere given the chance: in a shopping

refer to yourself as a soccer mom.

10.IT’S ALL A PHASE

Four of the most

trolley, in the dog’s basket, on a bed of nails. About

important words when

three months after the twins were born, I found my

you’re parenting twins.

husband asleep standing up at the kitchen sink

Those early days of

during a 4am feed. Nothing overwhelms like two

perpetual feeding, little

babies with reflux who don’t sleep through the

sleep, colic, teething,

night. The initial stages were a blur of constant

fighting with your

feeding – as soon as you were finished the feed, it

husband over who’s had

would be thrown up and you would start again, only

five minutes more sleep

to discover that your four hours were up and it was

than the other, feels like it

time for a feed again. I won’t lie, the level of

will never end. But in

exhaustion is intense – invest in a serious coffee

those early days my own

maker and some mini caramel bars that fit neatly in

mum reminded me that

the pockets of your breastfeeding cardigan,to be

it’s all a phase. I hung on

taken eight-times-a-day in between feeds.And,

to those words for dear

there is nothing wrong with a siesta being the

8.THE DOUBLE FOOTBALL HOLD ISN’T FOR EVERYONE

highlight of your weekend.

‘You’ve got your hands full’ – five words you will

remember the six months

hear each and every time you leave the house with

of reflux; they grow out of

5 . YO U W I L L H AV E N O M O N E Y

your twins, a tenet that underpins life in general

everything, including the

Because you’ll have spent it all on nappies and bin

with twins, especially when it comes to feeding. My

cuddles in bed and

charges. The sheer volume of nappies is staggering

expectations of mastering the double football hold

holding your hand. I feel

– we clocked 150 a week. I shouldn’t have been that

were high until I realised nothing with twins is a

very lucky to have had a

surprised that our biggest outlay was our waste bill.

smooth run. Occasionally it worked, more often I

chance at this twin

In those early years, my husband and I used to hide

resorted to the hospital grade pump in between

parenting challenge and I

behind the bedroom window watching bin men

breastfeeding one-at-a-time. Do whatever works

often forget to stop and

dislocate their shoulders as they attempted to move

best for you and don’t be polite, ask for help when

appreciate all those

the mass of nappies down the driveway.

you need it.

moments, good and bad.

life. Now I can hardly

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F E AT U R E | M A I A D U N P H Y

no-go

B r o a d c a s t e r, w r i t e r a n d b l o g g e r, n e w m u m M a ï a D u n p h y on discovering that your darling baby isn’ t welcome everywhere.

Barry McCall

ZONES 36 maternityandinfant.ie

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F E AT U R E | M A I A D U N P H Y

O

ne of the biggest adjustments of parenthood comes long after the baby does; OK, so there are endless daily adjustments until your kids are 18 (translation: until you’re dead), but there is one in particular that you may not have considered until you try to get back to your normal life.

Just because a baby is now a permanent part of your life doesn’t mean everyone else will want him or her as part of theirs. There are plenty of things now off-limits to you with a baby in tow, and most you will have anticipated: nightclubs, long weekend brunches, lie ins, and that sort of thing. But then there are all the ones you hadn’t considered: many train stations (just try getting around London on the Tube with a buggy and you’ll soon lose the will to live), some parts of your own town or city, (there’s really no excuse for the majority of places not to be accessible these days), and Your Mate’s Wedding.

‘What?’, I hear you cry? ‘Not my mate. She understands how much we love our babies and there’s no WAY she’d plan her wedding and exclude them.’ Well brace yourself, because chances are she has.

I remember that a few years a g o a c h i c h i r e s ta u r a n t i n Dublin 4 let it be known that anyone with a baby w o u l d h a v e to g o e l s e w h e r e .

I have lost count of the angry parents I’ve heard over the years discussing how a family member or friend is ‘selfishly’ having a no-kids wedding or party.

I used to mumble in agreement, when secretly I wondered why they wouldn’t be glad of the enforced night off. Also, it was someone else’s wedding and maybe they didn’t want to have to worry about booking a clown and some kind of nuggets for dinner on top of everything else.

My husband and I had a no-kids wedding, and initially, he was horrified by the idea. But our venue wasn’t child friendly, we were planning a late-night event, and it was abroad. In the end he was glad I’d insisted on it as all of our friends were tipsy and dancing in their bare feet at 4 a.m. thanking us for taking the decision out of their hands. Of course, however, not all of them were, and some didn’t come presumably because of the ‘thou shalt not bring babies’ edict. But hey – our wedding, our choice.

Well, our wedding, my choice, truth be told.

Since having my own baby, I understand the tricky logistics of organising babysitters for an event like a wedding, and when Tom was really small, I just turned most invites down. But even

WE ASKED YOU To share an experience of a place where you felt unwelcome with your baby.

LILY CORCORN says…

After having my baby I was quite shocked at how few cafés have changing facilities. I have had to change my baby on floors and toilet seats – a portable changing mat is a must! Just because I have a baby doesn’ t mean that I want to start going to different places.

JEN QUINN says…

I always plan trips in advance and look online to see if it’s accessible by buggy and if it’s familyfriendly. @UNA NOLAN says…

The mother and baby room in the Aldi tent at the National Ploughing Championships was excellent. They had changing tables, couches and high chairs for feeding and gave loads of free stuff. I even got a cup of tea while I breastfed my little man… now I shop in Aldi.

SARAH TUBRIDY says…

Aer Lingus are the most helpful staff with babies. Our first tentative flight with our 3-month-old went so well because the staff were amazingly friendly and helpful.

Have something to add? Get in touch on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter

now, I don’t understand the unique umbrage that some parents seem to take at their offspring being excluded. Suck it up, people. Suck it up or don’t go.

Less easy to separate are other venues and events.

Bars and many restaurants have a ‘no kids after 6 p.m.’-type policy, which seems clear and fair, but it’s the daytime places that aren’t always so simple to navigate. Gone are the days of our grandparents, when mums stayed at home apart from a trip to pick up the meat for the week with the giant-wheeled pram. We are ladies who lunch, mums who munch (that sounds wrong) – walk down any high street during the daytime and you’ll see the buggies lined up outside coffee shops like motorbikes outside a Hells Angels bar. And with this relatively new trend came the slew of cafés and other establishments who decided that children were not welcome. Yes, they banned the buggies …

In certain cases, I wondered if the business owners were insane and if they knew who their demographic was at all. If you have the space and are attracting the lucrative mummy market, why not embrace it? Don’t underestimate the parent pound.

I remember that a few years ago a chichi restaurant in Dublin 4 let it be known that anyone with a baby would have to go elsewhere (as politely as is ever possible when you are banning tiny people who are the centre of the person who’s footing the bill’s universe). Despite the inevitable uproar, however, I agreed with their decision. Mums and babies weren’t their demographic. It was a small, pokey, overpriced place frequented by bankers, and to be honest, I wondered why they ever had to implement that rule in the first place as I was at a loss why any parent with a baby in tow would have wanted to go there. It’s a contentious issue, but I would rather go to a family-friendly location when I have my baby with me than a bar or restaurant where my money’s not wanted and we will feel in the way. It’s not discrimination – it’s the reason there are family-friendly places at all. When I have a babysitter and want a night out or have a work meeting, I’ll go to one of the baby-free places and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with not

Just as I respect anyone c h o o s i n g to m a k e t h e i r business/ party/wedding a c h i l d - f r e e a f f a i r, e q u a l l y I expect the person making t h a t d e c i s i o n to r e s p e c t t h e fact that sometimes…I may h a v e to s ta y a w a y. maternityandinfant.ie 37

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F E AT U R E | M A I A D U N P H Y

Having kids doesn’ t mean you’ve lost yourself or your social life, but you may do less of what you used t o d o . A n d o t h e r s n e e d to u n d e r s t a n d t h i s to o . having to keep one eye on a crazed mini-crawler.

And possibly have a mojito at midday. But if I’m meeting another mum and baby for a coffee, give me a ball pit instead of an amuse-bouche any day.

Just as I respect anyone choosing to make their business/ party/wedding a child-free affair, equally I expect the person making that decision to respect the fact that sometimes, as a direct result of that ruling, I may have to stay away. It may sound obvious, but when Tom was small, I was invited to a 40th birthday party. I had no childcare so politely told them that unless I could bring the rug rat, I wouldn’t be able to make it. I was told in no uncertain terms that no children were welcome. Fine, I couldn’t go, QED. However, suddenly I was chastised for not sorting childcare for this Terribly Important Party.

Why couldn’t I come? Why couldn’t I just find a babysitter? Did I not have a neighbour who could watch him for a few hours? The questions were relentless.

Having kids doesn’t mean you’ve lost yourself or your social life, but you may do less of what you used to do. And others need to understand this too. It’s not personal, it’s just a fact of life at this moment in time. I’m not having a covert dig at the no-babies brigade, I’m honestly not (I’m often one of them), but just asking that the respect works both ways.

Maybe I genuinely couldn’t get a babysitter or maybe I thought your party wasn’t worth the extra cost. I guess we’ll never know.

The M Word by Maia Dunphy is published by Gill Books, at €14.99.

10THINGS YO U N E E D TO K N OW A B O U T…

I N FA N T M A S S AG E w i t h Ya s m i n a L e n a h a n

If you have ever had a massage treatment you can relate to the elated feeling of well-being and complete relaxation afterwards. In many Asian countries massage is an ancient art with its health benefits widely known. Today in Ireland, infant massage awareness is increasing with Irish health providers and maternity hospitals encouraging parents to participate in classes. Infant massage offers complete time-out from the worries and pressures of every day life for both the parents and baby. It’s a truly special way to give your baby a sense of wellbeing and security and helps to develop positive self-esteem from a young age.

Infant massage can be beneficial for mothers who have had difficult births and perhaps experienced delayed bonding. It promotes closeness and gives confidence to parents. When a baby is brought into the world doctors and midwives encourage skin-to-skin contact, which not only helps with bonding but also prepares a mother’s body for her baby.

I can remember my first-born and whilst I was over the moon with happiness, I was also worried about lots of things that a new parent is faced with. However, I remember fondly our time massaging, the giggles, the pure joy and how it helped me relax and boost my confidence as a new mum. The body language of a little baby tells you a lot!

Touch is one of the most important senses for a baby. It begins from birth and it’s how a baby interprets the world around them. It promotes deep bonding and communication.

• Baby massage offers baby relief from gas, colic, constipation and teething.

• It strengthens baby’s immune system.

• It regulates and stimulates baby’s digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems.

• It helps promote better and longer sleep.

• It helps you and your baby learn to relax.

• It helps premature babies gain weight.

• Feel-good hormones – Oxytocin and Prolactin – are released during massage • It helps baby’s co-ordination.

• It creates a powerful bond between you and your baby.

• It’s a fun activity that allows you meet new mums and learn a new life skill.

Learn more about Yasmina’s baby massage classes at thewellnesscircle.ie

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BEAR NECESSITIES The most collectible teddy bears in the world Geman-made Steiff bears are the kind of cuddly toy kids keep into adulthood.

Alongside their classic bears you’ll find other animals, like these seasonal favourites – Easter bunnies and spring lambs! We’ll have one of each, please! From €25 at bearessentails.ie

PAINTED LOVE We just love these Little Brian Paint Sticks. The reason?

They’re mess-free, simple to use and deliver beautifully vibrant colours for creative kids. The perfect paints for small hands with big ideas. €16.99 from Toymaster and amazon.com

Editor’s S AY M Y N A M E Show us a child that doesn’t love their name emblazoned across their favourite toy!

Cubbies offers really attractive customised embroidery on all their cuddly toys, from monsters to animals, teddies to unicorns.

They’ll add anything from a new baby’s name, weight and date of birth, to personalised happy birthday messages, little sister messages and even your own design.

From €31.95 at eu.cubbies.co

the toy box ADD IT UP The brainchild of a secondary school maths teacher, The Curious Dragons is a colourful and clever maths game for pre-schoolers designed to nurture and develop their numerical and reasoning abilities. Using a ‘touch, visual and symbol’ approach employed with great success in Singapore (Singapore is routinely ranked at or near the top in global comparisons of mathematical ability) The Curious Dragons offers a novel approach to teaching maths.

The Curious Dragons Box one is £29.99 and available at Amazon.co.uk

PICK

BEDTIME FUN With 3 lullabies and 40 melodies V-Tech’s Pack & Go portable mobile can attach to everything from baby’s cot and playpens to their pram, helping to soothe them to sleep wherever you are. The head detaches so baby can hold the soft animal baubles while on the go. €33.95

3 more number toys to try TAKE THREE

1

Wo o d e n t o y w e i g h i n g scales, €33.90 cuckooland.com

2

I Know My 1,2,3 Wo o d e n P u z z l e € 2 8 . 3 8 wentworthpuzzles.co.uk

3

Wo o d l a n d a n i m a l s stacking blocks €14.66 dotcomgoftshop.com

HEAR ME ROAR Dinosaur fans will enjoy these cool kits from Britain’s Natural History Museum.

The tin contains over 40 wooden model parts, glue, dinosaur fact cards and instructions, with sales supporting museum and its scientists. €20.30 from nhmshop.co.uk.

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G R A N D PA R E N T | F E AT U R E

Want your say?

Continue the discussion online, on Facebook at maternityandinfant.ie and on Twitter at @maternityinfant Tell us what YOU think!

Confessions of a

Grandmother GRANNY OR DE FACTO CHILDMINDER?

Many grandparents find themselves becoming primary childminders for their grandchildren. But that doesn’ t necessarily mean they’re happy about it, reveals one mildly m i f f e d g r a n d m o t h e r.

B

eing a grandparent is a glorious stage of life, and that wait while the mother of your grandchild is in the labour ward is even worse than giving birth yourself. Then there’s the joy of that first meeting. Those perfect little ears, fingers, the locks of fuzzy hair, and the smell of a new baby triggering all those maternal or paternal emotions you had when your own were born.

Being a grandparent is an unasked for privilege, and a very special one at that.

It’s one of unconditional love – a two-way street between the new generations and the older ones.

Much as we love our g r a n d k i d s i t ’ s g r e a t to b e a b l e to g i v e t h e m b a c k a f te r a f e w h o u r s , put the feet up, have a c u p o f te a a n d s a v o u r the silence.

You have an overwhelming instinct to want to protect them from the big bad world and teach them everything you know.

Then the balancing act begins. It’s difficult to watch the new parent or parents struggling to manage breastfeeding, juggling laundry, work, cooking and all the other everyday chores. You want to step in, but have to keep asking yourself, ‘Would I have wanted my mother or mother-in-law dropping in unannounced, telling me how they used to do it?’ And the answer is a definite no.

But we all know patterns establish themselves without really planning them and things change dramatically from one

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generation to the next. Much as we love our grandkids it’s great to be able to give them back after a few hours, put the feet up, have a cup of tea and savour the silence.

For many of my friends the experience is not so joyful. Helping out when the first grandchild came along became the norm.

No one had foreseen the Celtic Tiger bust, and the skyrocketing cost of childcare. A second mortgage, it was often described as, so many of my friends stepped in. In most cases it was never meant to be a permanent solution. Then many of their offspring produced a companion for their little one, and sometimes a third one.

Now I know it’s their business, but none that I know of actually had the conversation with grandma or granddad:‘If we have more children are you happy to be full time minders, cooking, doing school runs, doctors’ visits, playgrounds, after school activities?’

One lady needs a hip replacement – for the past three years – and keeps putting it off because there’s no o n e e l s e to m i n d h e r t w o l i v e l y to d d l i n g g r a n d d a u g h te r s . S h e ’ s n o t a b l e to b e n d without pain, never mind pick them up.

No, these situations just evolved and no matter how resentful some of my friends feel they can’t bring themselves to introduce the topic for discussion.

One lady needs a hip replacement – for the past three years – and keeps putting it off because there’s no one else to mind her two lively toddling granddaughters. She’s not able to bend without pain, never mind pick them up.

Another’s husband has had a stroke and is now back home after a month’s rehabilitation. He’s doing well, but can’t tolerate noise. His boisterous grandsons don’t understand that.

Another finishes her job as a teacher and every evening heads to her recently separated daughter’s house to make the dinner, supervise homework and be there with her grandkids until mum returns from

THE BIG QUESTION WE ASKED: Do your parents help you with the childcare? If yes, how often do they help out? If no, is there a reason why? What do you think about parents asking granny or granddad to help mind their grandchildren?

YOU ANSWERED: ““I’m a SAHM (stay at home mum), so it’s just me and the kids everyday. My parents have minded my little boy when I was working previously and it was the best thing.

You can’ t trust someone more than you can trust your own parents with your children. Being able to rely on your parents to help mind your children is an amazing thing. Some grandparents are not able and not willing and that is understandable.

Once you are happy and they are happy to do it I am all for it.”

SUE @DUBLINMOMBLOG “I don’ t think that people that ask their parents to care for their children are unfair. Not everyone has money to pay for a childminder and some of us need to work! My mam takes care of my sweet baby three times a week and sometimes she even asks to take care of her for the rest of the week. My girl loves her and I can’ t thank her enough.

Grandparents are a blessing for some of us.”

GRACE MITCH “I was asked back to work to lead a project so now I work from home every day and one of my parents minds my 8-month-old for a few hours every day to let me get work done. Would be lost without them.”

AO I F E RYA N My daughter ’s grandparents don’ t help with childcare because I am a stay-at-home mum, and that’s the way I wanted it. I feel that I have responsibility to be here, especially while my daughter is so little. They do, however, step in for babysitting duties about once a month, sometimes not even that (often) for a night at a time. The odd time it has been more (frequently) than that, as all of us parents need a break too! I do think, however, that grandparents shouldn’ t be taken for granted. They have done their bit with raising children, but should also enjoy their grandchildren and be involved in small doses that is happier for everyone all round.”

RACHAEL ROCHFORD

I’ve seen this woman and several other granddads and grandmas too, give up their hobbies, drop out o f o t h e r i n te r e s t s a n d miss out on meeting up with friends… her hospital shift at eight or half past. Then Grandma drives home from Dublin to Kildare exhausted and is back to Dublin to her own job the following morning.

I have two other friends whose adult children had unplanned pregnancies while living abroad. Both have come back to live in their family homes with their partner and baby, supposedly on a short term basis, but with no savings, and a housing shortage here we all know what that means. One partner has no English and, apart from going to language lessons, is now at home all day with my friend. They don’t like each other.

They didn’t from the word go. Grandma is not allowed do anything for the little boy.

The other goes to work and my widowed friend minds their child full time.

I’ve seen this woman and several other granddads and grandmas too, give up their hobbies, drop out of other interests and miss out on meeting up with friends as they’ve essentially become parents again and are quite frankly too tired by the evening to do anything but collapse into a chair. Minding your own children is a huge responsibility, minding someone else’s adds another layer of responsibility.

With women having babies at a much later age than their parents did, in some cases 20 years later, that makes grandparents much older, and, in many cases, less able to take on the full-time child-minding role. With high blood pressure it’s not easy to watch kids climbing on walls and trees, just waiting for them to fall, or to chase active little ones around a playground with gammy knees.

Now I know some of you reading this will think I’m heartless. I’m not. I’m being honest.

I’m saying what a lot of my friends think, but won’t say it where it should be said.

Perhaps it’s time to start up Grandparent & Toddlers’ Groups where such matters could be discussed openly and honestly while the kids play together. maternityandinfant.ie 41

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DA D ’ S V I E W | S P R I N G

DADLAND Would a dad be welcome at his local ‘Mother and To d d l e r ’ g r o u p ?

Full-time parent, Benny Finlay, went along and found out.

M

other and Toddler’ groups or should I say, ‘Parent and Toddler’ groups: is there any difference? In this modern day and age are men accepted?

Welcomed? Or just...tolerated?

Prior to my first visit, in my mind, I envisioned the ‘Mother and Toddler’ group to be a tight knit collection of extremely stereotyped ‘ICA style mothers’ sitting in a circle drinking tea, comparing knitting patterns and finally (but reluctantly) agreeing to update the name to ‘Parent and Toddler’ group, in the hope that men didn’t actually show (‘rebranding’ for the sake of political correctness rather than inclusivity).

It begs the question, is this a construct of the times I grew up in? Am I genuinely not welcome? Rebrand or not. Am I reinforcing male/female stereotypes?

Why did I have this archaic view? Am I and others like me, in fact, the issue here?

Or are there actually groups of modern thinking parents sitting in a circle in your local parish hall brainstorming about how to lose the ‘Mother Toddler’ tag and bring their ‘inclusive group’ kicking and screaming into the 21st century?

As a man who recently became a stay at home parent there was only one way to find out. I decided to take a big gulp and go.

The first thing was to try and find one, so I popped onto the internet. There were thirty-two different groups in my locality: Result (however, some were related to breastfeeding support). No matter how inclusive the ‘Mother and Toddler’ groups have become I’m not sure they’d be thrilled to see me rock up at one of these, I’m literally not ‘equipped’ for that experience.

Wa s i t t h e b a s t i o n o f b r e a s t ta l k a n d female chit chat I had presumed it would be?

In a word, No. I decided upon a group, the one in my local parish hall, and off I went… So, what happened?

Well, I was greeted at the door, by a man. Sorry, what?

Yup, my first time ‘going where no man has gone before’ I met a man, who’d been there before. In fact, he’d been there before a good few times (every second week for almost a year as it turned out).

Was it the bastion of breast talk and

female chit-chat I had presumed it would be? In a word, No. It was a group of parents (of both sexes) getting out of the house for an hour or two, watching their kids play with other kids their age and having some adult conversation. Yes, being parents, a lot of it was ‘kid centric’ talk but that’s what parents tend to talk about (I didn’t hear the words ‘cross stitch’ at any point during my visit). I felt as welcome there as I have been anywhere in my life, the only one who was initially awkward about me being there was, in fact, me!

So, what did I conclude from my visit to the very appropriately named ‘Parent and Toddler’ group? Well, maybe my initial mindset was the problem. Dads are accepted as parents too. OK, OK, this was taken from a decidedly small survey of one dad (and one group) but my experience was a very positive one. In society you’ll find plenty of people with different views and opinions, it’s what makes life interesting, but by not taking that big gulp and trying things you’ll never know anything for sure.

So, if you’re a dad considering venturing to one of these groups should you be scared? Hell no, get out and do it fella. It’s a great way to get out of the house and meet other parents in your area, plus there’s coffee. (Us parents need coffee.) Oh! And bring some chocolate biscuits if you want to make a good first impression.

Benny Finlay quit his job as an auctioneer in 2016 to concentrate on bringing up his 2 beautiful children in Waterford. He felt their childhood was passing him by and wanted to spend more time with them as they grew. He’s been telling dad jokes, making puns and sharing the inside track on what it’s like to be a stay at home dad in Ireland on daddypoppins.com and social media ever since. He’d love you to pop by and say hello.

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STYLE

RETURN OF THE MAC

HAPPYFEET

Perfect for the school run, crèche dash or commute to work, the mac is back in a big way for 2018.

Bobux’s Xplorer shoes, designed specifically for children who are ‘ learning’ to walk, come with a cute gift set to record baby's first steps and store away as a cool memento. bobux.co.uk

Family style

Stone belted long-line mac, €44.99 New Look

Stone mac, €18 Penney’s

Detachable collar mac, €318 (worn with Etta clutch and Hoxton crop flare jeans) all at Jigsaw

PRETTY IN PINK

SPRING CHILLS Anyone else notice how most boys seem pretty sure they don’ t ever need to wear a coat – even in the depths of winter? Just as well mum know best…

1

Hooded blue twill gilet, €24.99 at Mothercare

2

Blue padded jacket, from €23 at Next

3

Nothing says farewell winter like a spring wardrobe of pretty pastels.

It may be daffodils and crocuses outside but what’s not to love about this rosy dress.

From a selection at Debenhams, it’s perfect for parties or special family celebrations.

Puff Me Up coat, €44.95 a t w h i t e s t u f f. c o m

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S T Y L E | M AT E R N I T Y

maternity

STYLE Wo r k t h a t b u m p i n t h e s e sharp workwear looks

LOOK ONE

LOOK TWO

LOOK THREE

Double layer nursing dress in grey marl, €34.99 Mothercare; M&S Collection block heel courts, €27 and faux leather tote with removable clutch, €55 M&S; Serpentine 18ct gold vermeil and chalcedony gemstone stud earrings, €110 Links of London

Enya large grid oversized shirt, €24 boohoo.com; Maya check trousers, €145 isabellaoliver.com; Silk neck scarf, €75 Dubarry; Ada A-line tote €55 Gionni; Blue ballerina pumps, €5 Penney’s.

Elisha shirt dress, €169 isabellaoliver.com; Pointed mules, €32 Dorothy Perkins; Linea tote, €50 House of Fraser; Colourblock necklace, €29.95 whitestuff.com

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STYLE | BED-TIME

3-pack cloud sleepsuits, €20 Next

To m m y H i l f i g e r pink jersey b a b y g r o w, € 4 6 childrensalon.com

F&F nautical r o m p e r, € 5 Te s c o

Little Bee 2-pack of girls’ pyjamas, € 19.99 Mothercare

The Bonnie Mob organic cotton b a b y g r o w, € 4 0 childrensalon.com

Frugi rainbow b a b y g r o w, € 2 4 welovefrugi.com

Last Clean Outfit b a b y g r o w, € 1 1 manco.com Mothercare

Ido Mini bear b a b y g r o w, € 2 4 childrensalon.com 3-pack newborn sleepsuits, €22.99 Mothercare

Newborn baby boat sleepsuit, €23 Monsoon

Paz Rodriguez knitted babygrow € 5 7. 5 0 childrensalon.com

Everything Must Change girl ’s butter fly Ivory b a b y g r o w, € 3 2 childrensalon.com

bed-time stories Super soft sleep suits for snug little babes maternityandinfant.ie 45

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STYLE | SPRING GREENS

For when it rains...

We e k - E n d a l a M e r raincoat, €38 childrensalon.com

spring

GREENS

F r e s h a i r, f r e s h f a c e s , f r e s h fashion. Embrace the new season with a natureinspired wardrobe.

Editor’s BABY

BRIGHTS

Angelfish hoody in Eden, €25 Fa t Fa c e

PICK

Dude sweatshirt, €11.27 mandco.com

Duck embroidered dress set, €20.30 mandco.com

! c i h p a r G Go

UNDER

COVER This spotty mac from River Island is perfect for fashion-conscious kids who don’t want to cover up their favourite clothes!

Embossed sweatshirt, €18.50 Next

TAKE THREE: JUMPERS A-line duck dress, €29 JoJo Maman Bébé

Baby lily dress, €28 Monsoon

1

Explorer sweatshirt, €29.95 w h i t e s t u f f. c o m

2

Loopback sweatshirt €9.99 Mothercare

3

F & F r h i n o j u m p e r, € 5 . 6 5 Te s c o

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S T Y L E | R A I N Y DAY

COVER

UP

Crocodile and Daisy the Rabbit children’s umbrellas, €12.53 each from dotcomgiftshop.com

rainy day

BRIGHT S

ALL IN

ONE A cosy head-to-toe

Who says you need to hide indoors in the rain? Kitted out with the right waterproofs, kids love a good old splash about in wet w e a t h e r. G e t s e t f o r A p r i l s h o w e r s w i t h t h e sunniest rain gear around!

rainsuit ensures bad weather will never dampen the mood

1 . F & F b u t t e r c u p y e l l o w m a c , € 1 1 . 5 0 , Te s c o 2 . C a t i m i n i f l o r a l p r i n t r a i n c o a t , € 8 4 , childrensalon.com 3. Joules skipper shark raincoat €50,childrensalon.com 4.Hatley Roaming Horses raincoat, €40 childrensalon.com

TAKE THREE

Editor’s

PICK

Frugi unicorn all-ino n e w a t e r p r o o f, €56 welovefrugi.com

1

Celavi Black elephant wellies, €33 childrensalon.com

2

Playshoes green and silver reflective wellies, €25 childrensalon.com

3

Butter fly print wellies, €31 mandco.com

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STYLE | KIDS JEANS

Boy’s skinny jeans, €10 Penneys

Ikks denim star mini, €55 childrensalon.com

London bus knitted tank top, €34 Cath Kidston

PINAFORE

PICKS

F&F embroidered denim dress, €11.50 Te s c o

CASUAL

S

COOL Dungarees are back with a bang and we love this easy-breezy loose fitting pair from Tommy Hilfiger.

Editor’s

PICK

Denim daze...

F & F b e a r j u m p e r, € 7 Te s c o

jean

GENIE

Denim dress, £14 mandco.com

MOODY

BLUES Double denim, denim frills, colourful appliqué, designer rips: anything goes with the world’s favourite fabric.

Billieblush girl ’s denim dungaree dress, €58 childrensalon.com

C o o l , c a s u a l , c o m f y. L e t t h e kids start their love affair with durable denim.

Mayoral denim ruffle blouse, €31 childrensalon.com

TAKE THREE: JACKET S

Cool and cosy...

1

Girl ’s embroidered denim jacket €24, at boohoo.com

2

Fleur denim jacket, €36 at Monsoon

3

Boy’s Borg collar denim jacket, €34 boohoo.com

Denim bomber jacket, €29.99 Mothercare

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STYLE | SCHOOL RUN

LOOK ONE

M&Co denim skirt, €33 mandco.com

LOOK TWO

S t r i p e b o a t n e c k j u m p e r, €78 hush-uk.com

G r e y p o m p o m s w e a t e r, €34 Next

Alicia mid-rise skinny jeans, €27 boohoo.com

Editor’s

PICK

Green retro s n e a k e r, € 1 2 5 bimbaylola.com

For mums who walk...

M&S Collection red boots, €45 Marks & Spencer

school-run

STYLE Dress up denim for a look that you own

LOOK THREE

Tu p r e m i u m m u s t a r d l o n g l i n e j u m p e r, € 3 2 Sainsbury’s

Ankle boot, €195 Dune

LOOK FOUR

Grey marl studded sleeve sweatshirt, €16 boohoo.com

Moto indigo wide leg j e a n s , € 6 4 To p s h o p

Relaxed and stylish...

M&S Collection jeans, €34 Mark & Spencer

Oliver Bonas ‘Maybe swearing would help’ s c a r f, € 3 4 oliverbonas.com

Betty Barclay athleisure coat, €220 Arnotts Te t b u r y p u m p s , € 2 5 0 hush-uk.com

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PA R E N T I N G | F E AT U R E

Are you prepared to be a

stay at home mum?

Don’ t take the leap into full-time parenting without answering these questions, writes new stay at home mum, G e r a l d i n e Wa l s h Choosing to leave behind a career to become a Stay at Home Parent is a life changing decision that will send your mind into overdrive.

There will be lots of panic, plenty of excitement and an intense anxiety, even after you go through all of the “what if” scenarios and turn them into hopeful positives. I should know.

I’ve been there. I’ve spent the best part of my maternity leave bouncing the calculator off the wall to see if the option of staying home with our two kids is viable. So, here I am, a recent graduate to the stay at home lifestyle, leaving behind a 12-year career.

For many parents, the logistics of life with children and careers means something has to give. The incredible and terrifying cost of childcare, the long hours, long commute and dwindling quality of life gives way and in the end, as the calculator tosses up numbers that seem doable, the decision is made.

Are you ready to be a stay at home mum?

You may think you have worked through every scenario but staying at home with the children may not live up to your expectations. And the adjustment period can be longer than you

imagine. Going from career to home is a complete lifestyle change. It takes time to settle into a new routine and even now, eight months in, I’m still readjusting. The best you can do is prepare yourself for the realities of this new road to make the change that little bit easier Are you being realistic about the daily grind?

Life is not Pinterest. Your days will not be spent making cupcakes with perfect icing as cute kids pose with their creations. Your kids may not happily settle down with arts and crafts for the afternoon. And if the glitter comes out for DIY Valentine’s Day cards, you will spend more time cleaning it up off the floor, cursing the Pinterest mom who made it look so easy.

The school run is a never-ending nightmare, your fridge door may never close and you’ll be lucky if you get to sit for more than ten minutes at a time. The daily grind can be just that, a grind.

We all know parenting is tough. It has its good days and tedious days. Staying at home 24/7 with the kids is one of the hardest jobs you’ll ever do. Ultimately rewarding but never easy. It won’t be picture perfect but you can make it ‘your perfect’.

Do you have back-up?

You may think, since you are home with the kids, you don’t need back-up. If the kids are sick, you’re there. If the kids need to be picked up, you’re there. If an emergency occurs, you’re there. Being a stay at home parent doesn’t mean

you have to do it all alone. In fact, knowing you have back-up in case something crops up will ease any anxiety or worry you have that you’re doing this alone. From friends and family who can help out, to someone you can call on to share worries or stresses, having back-up, friends to call on or your so-called tribe, is always essential.

Are you afraid of losing your identity?

Becoming a parent changes all of us, whether we like it or not. Our lives and personalities are rocked by these tiny humans who consume our world. Take away the career you worked hard at and the daily working life you were used to and this can have a negative effect. It’s easy to get lost in the lives of your children as you run after them all day long and manage the house they are intent on destroying but that doesn’t mean that you lose the special characteristics that make you who you are. Taking time for yourself, which admittedly is easier said than done, and making yourself a priority is almost essential in keeping your identity.

But can you afford It? For most, this is the first question to answer when making this decision and it would be remiss not to mention it. If you are savvy, you will have built up a rainy day fund in your savings account before your last pay cheque is due. Once the maths has all been laid out with the rent and bills guaranteed, ask yourself did you include everything? Did you factor in the TV licence, car tax, car, home and health insurance and yearly bin charges? And remember the little things that mount up - petrol, birthday presents, a Penney’s haul for those ever growing legs. If you haven’t added in a buffer for the miscellaneous items that always crop up, those savings you worked so hard to build could quickly and easily dwindle down to nothing.

You will spend days pondering this decision.

There will be sleepless nights. The reality is terrifying and exciting. But if you find a way to make it work for you and your family, it’s a decision you won’t regret.

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Family living

LIFESTYLE

SHAKE ‘N’ BAKE Make time to bake with the kids.

They’ ll love it and the rewards always far outweigh the mess. For extra fun, start with some quality, colourful cookware!

Jane Asher cookie cutter set, €1.13 Dealz

London Spots double oven glove, €18 Cath Kidston

Katie Alice heart-shaped silicone cupcake c a s e s , € 7. 9 2 creative-tops.com

Royal Albert Miranda Kerr Blessings cake stand, €59 royalalbert.eu

P i g e o n a n d J e l l y Te a To w e l , €13.54 annabeljames.co.uk A selection of bakeware from HomeSense

PARTYBAGS

ON THE CASE

Fed up wasting money on silly party bag fillers? Alongside bubbles and a lollipop, these cute colouring pencil sets, featuring 12 pencil per pack, keep costs and waste down. At €1.50 each they’re great value and kids will love them. From dotcomgiftshop.com

Give the kids a little independence with a cute carry-on case or overnight bag they can manage

Editor’s

1

Olivia the Owl midi F l y t e c a s e s c o o t e r, € 7 7. 8 7 A r g o s

2

Disney Patches cabin wheeled suitcase, €118.80 Cath Kidston

3

PICK

Mylene Klass cabin case, €79 Littlewoods

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FA M I LY | K I TC H E N

Cover

STAR

CHILDHOOD

MEMORIES Got a favourite childhood recipe your mum used to make? Why not invite granny around to cook it up for your kids and learn how to make it together.

Editor’s

Favourite flavours have the

PICK

magical power to transport us back to happy, care-free

the

times and cooking together is one of children’s favourite activities. Whether it’s apple pie or Irish stew, meatballs or Shepherd’s

family kitchen

ASSETS New to the world of weaning? We recommend

pie, make it your mission to carry on a family tradition.

FROZEN

The heart of the home, turn your kitchen into a welcoming space with nourishing meals, treats and laughter in abundance

stocking up on Oxo’s baby food freezer tray, which comes with a silicone lid to protect food while freezing. Each tray in this set of two makes six 1 oz cubes. €13.65 oxouk.com

EGG HUNT Check out what the Easter Bunny’s bringing this April 1st.

A new leaf Next time you’re in the supermarket grab a few pots of fresh herbs. They’re super cheap but add freshness and flavour to any dish. Basil, flat leaf parsley and thyme are our go-tos. Then head to Flying Tiger and pick-up a cool set of zinc pots with matching tray, €5, to show them off.

1

Dippy hollow egg, with caramel-filled yolk, €15 Marks & Spencer

2

Pandora Bell real egg shell with praline chocolate gift box, €10.95 pandorabell.com

3

Lindt gold bunny 200g, €6.49

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FA M I LY | K I TC H E N

A WELL STOCKED KITCHEN We’re big fans of Claire Thomson. The chef frequently inspires mealtime in our homes with her daily Twitter posts tweeting her home-cooked family tea at 5pm. From that her '5 o’clock Apron' blog evolved and then came a super book – The Five O’Clock Apron, especially for modern, busy families. Now she’s back with another great book: The Art of the Larder, featuring 150 tasty, manageable dishes that can be created from a well stocked kitchen. “But life would surely be a crumply, monotonous existence for everyone if all the food you ever made came solely from the dry store,” she writes. “So (full disclosure), this is in fact a book of two halves, since a store cupboard cannot stand entirely alone if your cooking is to remain inspiring and varied. For a pantry to work at optimum, it must exist in conjunction with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Meat, fish, cheese and eggs can be viewed as culinary stimuli to inspire and govern which particular store cupboard staple you then turn to. Easy.” Get your house in order, quite literally, and have this brilliant cookbook by your side when you do. Quadrille, €35.

On the menu...

Piccolo is the UK’s fastest growing baby food brand, featuring really tasty Mediterranean-inspired recipes. 100% organic, there’s over 30 varieties, using fresh fruits, vegetables, olive oil, herbs and spices.

Available from SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and Asda, from €1.00 (100g pouch)

Featuring the grain du jour, quinoa, Quinola Mothergrain offers six vegetarian recipes for baby, featuring nutritious and filling quinoa alongside appealing combinations like Sweet Potato & Beetroot and Swede & Parsnip. Designed for stages 1, 2 and 3 of eating, 190g pouches cost €2.69 each.

INSTAFEED

Bake

OFF!

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE W I T H M U S COVA D O S U G A R A delicious treat to make with the kids (they’ ll love dipping the sweets in the chocolate), these pretty toffees taste great and make an impressive gift… if you can stop the family scoffing them all, first!

MAKES: 40

1 0 0 g b u t te r

7 tbsp maple syrup

20g cocoa powder

1 / 2 ts p v a n i l l a e x t r a c t

200ml whipping cream

1 5 0 g to a s te d h a z e l n u ts

210g Siúcra Rich Dark Brown Sugar

1 0 0 g d a r k c h o c o l a te f o r decoration

1 Combine all the ingredients, except the nuts and chocolate, in a heavybottomed saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 125°C. It is easiest to do this using a cooking thermometer.

2 Otherwise, test the toffee by dropping a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water. If it makes a round, medium-soft ball, the toffee is ready. It will take about 30-40 minutes for the toffee to reach the right temperature.

3 Carefully stir in the hazelnuts. Pour the toffee into a parchment-lined pan and leave to set. Cut into pieces.

4 Melt the chocolate over a water bath and dip the toffees in the chocolate.

Allow to cool on a rack. If you like, wrap the toffees in pretty paper.

3 FOODIE PARENT S TO FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

IRELAND’S BEST FOOD

@naturallynourished kid For creative a n d healthy lun ch box ideas, ev e r y post feature s appetisin g packed lunc he s

@realfoodbydad A food and l if e s t y l e bl o g f e a t ur in g he a r t y, cr o wdp l e a s in g dis he s t he kids a r e s ur e to s co f f

@weelicious H e al t h y, f u n an d c o l o u r f u l , this wholesome lifestyle feed bu r s ts w i t h f r e s h a n d i m ag i n at i v e l u n c h b o x i d e as

If you parked your fine dining days when the kids came along, it’s time to get back in the game. A new edition of this hand-picked collection, Georgina Campbell’s Ireland - the Best of the Best, is a guide to the very best places to eat, drink and stay in Ireland. Georgina Campbell Guides follow a strict policy: establishments are selected on merit alone, judged through unbiased assessment made by anonymous inspections and there is no charge for inclusion in the guides. If you love family drives, day trips or are dreaming of a sneaky weekend away – either with the kids, your pals or for a romantic break, this selective guide is your best friend. Covering everywhere from cafés, pubs, hotels, farmhouses and restaurants to country houses and secret hideaways, there’s ideas for every budget and occasion. Pop it in your glove box and you’ll never have to eat a service station sambo again! €20 from Ireland-guide.com

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FOOD | RECIPES

DINNER LIKE A BOSS

Fo o d w r i t e r a n d m u m , K a t y H o l d e r, i s o n a q u e s t t o m a k e m e a l t i m e s f u n f o r e v e r y o n e . Tu c k i n t o t h e s e d e l i c i o u s dishes from her latest cook book, Dinner like a Boss, and prepare for clean plates all round.

Photography by Benito Martin

I

may not be the toughest of mums when it comes to making my kids eat, but I’m certainly no push-over. I have consistently encouraged them to try new foods and flavours. More importantly, I never give them an option for their dinner or cook more than one meal. Dinner is the same for all members of the family, but with tweaks here and there – I love to mix things up and try new additions to old favourites.

We all lead pretty busy lives and sometimes it can be hard to sit down as a family; and maybe after a long day it is the last thing you want to do. However, I try to eat dinner with my kids most nights. Not only is this

a great time to find out what they did at school that day, but also I can see exactly what they are eating and – equally importantly – they get to see me eating and enjoying a wide range of foods.

They also learn good table manners, and if Dad or other adults are eating with us they learn the art of respectful table conversation. Now that they are a bit older, they are definitely less fussy and are very aware of what a good balanced diet is, so the dinnertime battle is certainly less intense than it used to be. If you’re still in the middle of it, hang on in there – for the majority it gets better.

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PORK WITH RICE AND BLACK BEANS This is a sort of pork chilli con carne. I’ve kept it mild but, if your family likes a bit more s p i c e , f e e l f r e e to i n c r e a s e t h e a m o u n t o f c h i l l i powder and smoked paprika. Tinned black beans are available from the supermarket.

P R E P T I M E : 1 0 m i n | CO O K T I M E : 1 5 m i n

SAN CHOY BAO

S E RV E S : 4

200 g basmati rice pinch of salt 1 ta b l e s p o o n o l i v e o i l 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 s m a l l r e d p e p p e r, c o r e and seeds removed, cut i n to 1 c m c u b e s 1 te a s p o o n g r o u n d c u m i n ½ te a s p o o n s m o k e d paprika

¼ te a s p o o n c h i l l i p o w d e r (optional) 6 0 0 –70 0 g m i n c e d p o r k 400 g tinned diced to m a to e s 400 g tinned black beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

San choy bao is a delicious Chinese dish, w h i c h i s g r e a t to s e r v e to k i d s – t h e y c a n e a t i t w i t h t h e i r h a n d s , s o n o m o r e a r g u m e n ts a b o u t h o l d i n g c u t l e r y p r o p e r l y f o r t h i s m e a l ! Yo u c a n make it with either minced pork or chicken.

There are many different versions of san choy bao, but I’ve kept mine as child-friendly as p o s s i b l e , w i t h s o m e o p t i o n a l e x t r a s f o r a d u l ts .

P R E P T I M E : 1 5 m i n | CO O K T I M E : 6 m i n S E RV E S : 4

2 corn cobs, husk and silk removed 2 ta b l e s p o o n s f i n e l y chopped coriander (optional)

1 Rinse the rice well. Put the rice, 375 ml of water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan and place it on the stove top, but do not turn on the heat yet.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes. Add the capsicum and cook for 1 minute. Add the cumin, paprika and chilli powder (if using) and stir-fry for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the pork and stir, using a wooden spoon, to break up the mince.

3 As soon as you put the pork in the pan, bring the rice to the boil.

Once it boils, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam, still covered, for a further 8 minutes. Do not lift the lid at any time during cooking.

4 Continue to cook the pork for 3–4 minutes until it has browned.

Add the tomato and beans, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

5 While the pork is cooking, lie the corn cobs on a board, then slice the kernels off each side using a sharp knife. Add the corn kernels to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, covered, then remove from the heat.

6 Stir the coriander (if using) through the pork just before serving, or serve it on the side for whoever wants some.

Optional extra

If your kids are fans of avocado and sour cream, serve some mashed avocado and a bowl of sour cream on the side for dolloping on top.

1 baby cos (romaine) lettuce

5 cm piece of fresh g i n g e r, f i n e l y g r a te d

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 ts p w h i te o r b r o w n sugar

2 t b s p o y s te r s a u c e 1 ts p s e s a m e o i l 1 t b s p v e g e ta b l e o i l 600 g minced pork or chicken, preferably free-range 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½–1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 large carrot, peeled a n d c u t i n to m a tc h s t i c k s about 5 cm long 7 5 g b e a n s p r o u ts , trimmed small handful of coriander leaves (optional) l i m e w e d g e s , to s e r v e (optional)

1 Separate the lettuce leaves, then rinse and pat them dry. Place them on a plate and chill in the refrigerator until needed to keep them crisp.

2 In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

3 Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan, then add the meat and garlic and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until the meat just changes colour – if you are using chicken, cook it for an extra minute.

4 Stir in the chilli (if using), the ginger and sugar, followed by the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.

5 Divide the mixture between the lettuce leaves and top with the carrot, bean sprouts and coriander leaves (if using). Alternatively, place all the ingredients on the table and get each person to build their own san choy bao. Serve immediately, with lime wedges if desired, and with lots of serviettes – the dish can be messy to eat. maternityandinfant.ie 55

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FOOD | RECIPES

T E R I YA K I S A L M O N WITH UDON NOODLES AND STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES T h e te r i y a k i s a l m o n p a r t o f t h i s m e a l i s a n o t h e r o f m y ‘ g o - to ’ d i n n e r s , a n d m a k e s a regular appearance when we go camping.

I t ’ s a l s o a g r e a t d i s h to k e e p i n t h e f r e e z e r – m a r i n a te t h e f i s h to b e f r o z e n i n a f r e e z e r b a g f o r 2 – 3 h o u r s i n t h e r e f r i g e r a to r, t h e n f r e e z e i t . D e f r o s t i t i n t h e r e f r i g e r a to r b e f o r e c o o k i n g . T h e s t i r - f r i e d v e g e ta b l e s a r e f a i r l y s i m p l e b e c a u s e t h e te r i y a k i s a l m o n i s v e r y flavoursome.

P R E P T I M E : 2 0 m i n ( p l u s 1 0 - 1 5 m i n u te s m a r i n a t i n g ) | CO O K T I M E : 1 5 m i n S E RV E S : 4

Te r i y a k i s a l m o n

1 te a s p o o n s e s a m e o i l

60 ml soy sauce 2 ta b l e s p o o n s m i r i n

1 ta b l e s p o o n v e g e ta b l e oil

2 te a s p o o n s c a s te r s u g a r

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 ta b l e s p o o n h o n e y

2 te a s p o o n s f i n e l y g r a te d fresh ginger

600–800 g skinless salmon fillet

1 5 0 g m a n g e to u t , e n d s trimmed, thinly sliced lengthways

S t i r - f r i e d v e g e ta b l e s and noodles 1 bunch baby bok choy 270 g d r i e d u d o n noodles

small handful of coriander leaves (optional)

1 For the teriyaki salmon, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil,then simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Set aside the saucepan to reuse later.

2 Meanwhile, cut the salmon into four portions and remove any remaining bones. Place the fish in the cooled marinade and turn to coat. Set aside for 10–15 minutes. Line a baking tray with foil and place a grill (broiler) shelf about 10 cm (4 in) away from the heat.

3 To prepare the noodles and vegetables, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for the noodles. Next, trim the ends of the bok choy, then shred the stalks and leaves, keeping the stalks and leaves separate.

4 Cook the noodles in the boiling water for 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions. Drain the noodles well and rinse them under hot water to prevent them from sticking.

Return the noodles to the saucepan, add the sesame oil and toss to coat.

5 While the noodles are cooking, heat the grill to high.

Remove the salmon from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place it on the lined tray. Grill (broil) the salmon for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until the fish is just cooked through. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fish. Pour the reserved marinade back into the small saucepan and warm it through over a very low heat.

6 Once you turn the fish, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Increase the heat to high, add the bok choy stalks and 1 tablespoon of water and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the snow peas and bok choy leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

7 Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the stirfried vegetables and a piece of salmon. Spoon over the hot marinade and scatter over coriander leaves (if using).

Va r i a t i o n s

You can swap around the vegetables to suit your family.

Green beans, red peppers and mushrooms all work well too.

Carrots can be used, but slice them thinly and add 1–2 tablespoons of water to the pan to help them cook – they will take 3–4 minutes Note: Mirin is a sweet, spiritbased rice liquid available from some supermarkets and from Asian food stores. Along with soy, it is the traditional ingredient of teriyaki.

Dinner Like a Boss by Katy Holder (Hardie Grant, €14.65) Photography © Benito Martin

INSTAINSPO @katy_holder Follow Katy on Instagram to see what else she's cooking up at home.

@hardiegrantbooks Follow Hardie Grant books on Instagram to see all the gorgeous new titles they're launching in 2018.

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Editor’s

PICK

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F O O D | F E AT U R E

I’M NOT EATING THAT M u m a n d f o o d w r i t e r, C i a r a A t t w e l l a d d r e s s e s the carrot in the room.

F

ussy eating is something that most parents will have to deal with at some stage in their child’s life; be it as a toddler, maybe when their child starts school or even right up to the teenage years.

When faced with a picky child refusing most foods on a daily basis, it can be easy to give up and give in to their demands, but by taking small steps every day you can make big improvements to their diet overtime.

Here are my top 6 practical tips for dealing with fussy eating on a day-to-day basis.

1. RELAX My first tip to parents is always to relax and try not to get too stressed about it. Most parents admit that they deal with fussy eating at some stage in their child’s life so you are not alone.

Children can intuitively

pick up on your stress and frustration so don’t let it become an issue that they know they can use against you.

2. SLOW INTRODUCTIONS Recent research has shown that a child may have to be offered a new food up to 20 times before they will accept it and eat it.

That might seem a bit daunting but start by introducing foods in really easy ways. If, for example, you really want your child to start eating broccoli, firstly have it on the dinner table regularly.

Let them see it and let them see you eating it.

Next, encourage them to try just a very small amount, making it clear that if they don’t like it then they don’t have to have any more. Slowly, over time, you may be able to get them to eat a little bit more so keep persevering!

3. GET THEM INVOLVED Get the kids into the

kitchen making food with you… and not just baking cakes and cookies.

I’m talking about tackling the day-to-day food preparation and cooking that happens at home.

For toddlers it can be as simple as allowing them to choose which vegetables you cook for dinner or helping you to make a sandwich.

The older your child is the more responsibility you can give them in the kitchen but any kind of involvement is proven to make them more interested in the food when it actually reaches the table.

4. BE CAREFUL OF PORTIONS As parents many of us try to fill up our kids up with as much food as possible.

Be careful about portion sizes, particularly for younger children and toddlers, as their stomachs really are quite small. Large plates of food can also appear over-whelming so start with small portions and

you can always add more food.

5. HIDE THE VEGGIES I know that not all parents agree with hiding vegetables from children and instead believe it’s better to encourage children to eat them in their whole form. I completely understand this but I also know what it’s like to deal with picky eaters who will refuse point blank to eat most nutritious veggies. So, if you have to resort to hiding them, then don’t feel bad!

6. MAKE IT FUN Meal times can be a little dull for children so try injecting a bit of fun into them. I love using bright and colourful plates and cutlery.

My kids, in particular, love compartment trays. They are a lot more fun than boring white plates and are fantastic for fussy eaters who don’t like the different food elements of their meals to be touching! Munchkin apple

Check out myfussyeater.com for over 400 of Ciara’s recipes. And look out for her new app and first cookbook this April!

plates (munchkin.com) and Tyrrell Katz (tyrrellkatz.co.uk) compartment trays are both popular in my house. Special snack plates, featuring a mix of finger food, are also great as they can encourage children to eat a variety of fruit and veg along with a small sweet treat.

T H I N G S YO U SHOULD NEVER S AY TO A F U S SY E AT E R If you don’t eat your dinner there’s no dessert You must finish what’s on your plate Be a good girl/boy and eat some of your dinner Veggies are good for you and cake is bad for you You’re not getting anything else for the rest of the day You’re such a fussy eater

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PEPPERMINT

BOWLED

PERFECTION

OVER

Quick! Dash to the nearest branch of Søstrene Grene (there are 6 stores nationwide) and snap up this gorgeous children’s décor.

Suitable for boys or girls, the muted palette includes animal illustrations, a teepee, animalshaped nightlights and cushions, wall stickers, a bed sky and much more. All items are available for sale while stocks last.

Sweets, snacks, cereal. A busy home needs an endless supply of bowls. We’re snapping up these stylish ones from Flying Tiger, €3 each, with smaller ones available for €1.

r Supe sh stylid an le! ab stack

ADD TO THE LOOK WITH THESE CUTE ADDITIONS…

Emma Bridgewater Dancing Mice retro r a d i o w i t h DA B a n d Bluetooth, €102

family

HOME

Pastel floor lamp, €89.99 HomeSense

Editor’s

PICK

Love Mae birds f a b r i c w a l l s t i c k e r, € 2 4 . 76 m e a n d b u d d y. c o m

Smart storage and pretty pastels TOY

TIDY UPPERS

1

2

3

4

3 Sprouts elephant toy storage chest, €42.50 cherishme.com

Set of 2 pink glitter c u b e s , € 2 7. 9 9 littlewoodsireland.ie

Nobobobo storage box with wheels, €107.64 minimaison.co.uk

Blue patterned storage basket, €12.99 TK Maxx

Orla Kiely Linear Steam cushion, €54.99 littlewoodsireland.ie

Fishbone throw in Seafoam Green, €40 at The N a t i o n a l Tr u s t

SWEETDREAMS Leading bedding brand, Silentnight, has launched its first nursery products and the white and grey star pattern is our favourite (though it comes with pink stars too.) The Safe Nights collection includes sleep bags, fleece blankets, hooded towels and cotton bedding, all designed to the highest industry standards. Silentnight.co.uk

Unicorn shaped cushion, €7 Penney’s

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Cosmos rocket night light, cloud and moon, from a selection lights4fun.co.uk

Spot kids tipi bed and trolley with trundle drawer €446 cuckooland.com

Reach for the stars with a cosmosinspired bedroom that’s perfect for a boy or girl.

Indoor Outdoor star rug in Swedish blue, €220 cuckooland.com

Blue cloud mobile, €54.95 takamoto.de

this world

Wilko Summer Rain paint in numerous finishes, 750ml, €13.55 each

A Little Lovely Company star night light, €12.90 takatomo.de

out of

INTERIORS | TRENDS

Editor’s

PICK

Snurk astronaut duvet set, €55.26 amara.co.uk

Ideal Home knitted pouffe, €84.99 littlewoodsireland.ie

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The Final Frontier blue P a p e r B o y w a l l p a p e r, € 67. 7 0 p e r 1 0 m e t r e roll; matching hand screen printed linen, €90.21 per metre, p a p e r b o y w a l l p a p e r. co.uk

Cloud light, €4 Penney’s

Moon and Stars wall s t i c k e r, € 5 0 . 5 8 kokokids.com Silver glitter star wooden bunting, €6.73 g i n g e r r a y. c o . u k

Another Moon print, €28.10 andshine.co.uk

Limited edition Rocky Rocket a r m c h a i r, P OA circu.net

M o o n r u g , P OA circu.net

'I love you to the moon and back' print, €16.30 oflifeandlemons. co.uk

Debenhams Collection fluffy cushion, €51, Debenhams

Lilipinso and Co green and white cloud rugs, €58.64 each minimaison.co.uk

Bartsch Moon Crescents grey w a l l p a p e r, €146.12 a roll minimaison.co.uk

Tu r q u o i s e c e r a m i c star door knob, € 3 . 0 9 i a n s n o w. c o m

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family pets

FA M I LY | P E T S

In celebration of our furry friends

2018 IS THE CHINESE YEAR OF THE DOG. T I M E TO S H OW YO U R LOV E …

M o n o D o g i n t a r s i a j u m p e r, €84 Cath Kidston

Lucky Dog silver plated long necklace, €120 Fo l l i Fo l l i e

6 reasons your family needs a dog Send us your pics! @maternityandinfant.ie Don’t forget to tag us in your #instapet pics.

SHARE THE CUTENESS!

Navy coin purse, €32 Radley at Arnotts

#INSTAPET S @nala_cat Nala, a 7-year-old Siamese and Tabby mix with 3.5m followers. @iamlilbub Bub, a little kitty with big personality who always gets up to fun capers.

@blue_thecat Blue , an inquisitive Dublin cat with gorgeous amber eyes.

WHEN CHILDREN ASK FOR A DOG THEY ONLY THINK OF THE UP SIDES – THE FUN, THE CUDDLES, THE ENTERTAINMENT. OUR JOB, AS PARENTS, IS TO TEACH THEM ABOUT THE CARE, PATIENCE, EFFORT AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GO ALONG WITH OWNING ONE. HERE ARE 6 GOOD REASONS TO ADOPT A CANINE COMPANION.

1. They teach children about responsibility From fresh food and water to daily walkies and grooming, children soon realise that their pet needs them.

2. They nurture compassion and improve social skills Children fall in love with their pets, investing in their wellbeing and helping them to think of others. Dogs repay with loyalty and affection, teaching children the value of compassion.

3. They offer unconditional love and boost selfesteem Good day, bad day, cranky day; children soon learn that even when they’re feeling sad, lonely, angry or anxious that their dog will always be there for them to cuddle and share with. They make you feel like the most important person the world.

4. They encourage exercise Children with dogs get outside more – to go for walks, run and play together – delivering all the associated health benefits.

5. Pet owners require fewer doctor’s visits Children who have a pet during the first year of life are less likely to develop asthma, have lower blood pressure, less risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol, and are more physically active.

6. They bring the family together With the arrival of a new pet comes shared responsibilities, shared love, shared joy. All the activities, from feeding to grooming to exercising and playing with them, requires teamwork.

Even taking your dog out to the park can bring a whole new and fun dimension to a family’s interaction.

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FA M I LY | T R AV E L

family travel Inspiration for your next holiday

HOW DO I GET THE BEST DEAL ON M Y FA M I LY H O L I DAY ?

C h a r l o t t e B r e n n e r, M a r k e t i n g M a n a g e r a t T U I

Do your homework Make sure you are aware of the total cost of your holiday from the outset, Insider especially if you’re considering assembling your own DIY package. Check-in, baggage allowance, flight, transfer, accommodation and a resort rep are included in the price of a package holiday, as well as peace of mind that you will have care and assistance in the event of a delay.

Book early Booking early means you can grab the best of the offers and take advantage of facilities that enable you to pay your holiday off in stages. This can help ease any undue pressure over a period of time and help with your general planning and spending.

Travel off-peak If you are flexible with dates, then travelling in the low season (May, June, September or October) can offer great value for money. A top tip is to book a sevennight holiday early summer and another seven-night holiday late summer to ensure you still get that all important twoweek annual break but with enough time in between to save for your spending money.

Onsite entertainment The cost of happy and entertained kids on holiday is priceless. Properties with kids’ clubs COOLPOOL or on-site entertainment can eliminate paying for children’s entertainment in resorts. TUI’s summer brochure (see tuiholidays.ie) features kids' club hotels Boy’s swimming trunks, €11.40 that are free of charge and offer a range mandco.com of activities for kids aged 3 to 11 (16 in Holiday Villages).

Cost in resort The cost of a holiday isn’t just the price that you pay to get there but also what you spend when you arrive. Many resorts offer great value for money with countries like Bulgaria increasingly popular due to the value they offer. With a family, consider an Girl ’s swimsuit, €8 all-inclusive board basis where all meals, Penney’s snacks and drinks are included in the price. You’ll have your cost of living paid for in advance as well as the holiday!

TIP

FIVE-STAR FAVO U R I T E Popular with Irish visitors, Lanzarote’s seafront Princessa Yaiza offers spacious family suites, a huge children’s park with kids' pool, football school, playhouse, shows and a 7-nights B&B for 2 adults and 2 chidren ex-Dublin, from €943 pps sunway.ie

special family restaurant as well as kids’ menus in the hotel’s other restaurants. Royal Kiko Family Suites feature two bedrooms, Play Station, DVD Player and kid’s mini bar, and two hours complimentary babysitting one night so you can enjoy dinner in the swanky Isla de Lobos !

HAPPY

HOTELS It’s great to see hotel groups making more of an effort than ever to impress their younger guests. Two noteworthy programmes include NH Hotel Group’s new Welcome Families initiative, that includes kids corners in breakfast rooms, family assistants, fun characters to help teach the importance of a healthy diet and gorgeous age-appropriate welcome gift boxes at almost 300 properties across 19 countries. nh-hotels.com Check out Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (pictured above) too; their new Family Programme offers complimentary family-friendly services like on-demand baby essentials (everything from strollers to bottle warmers), special healthy kids’ menus and the new Little Bird’s Clubs for 2-12 year olds, with daily programmes of age-appropriate fun and cool family activities. movenpick.com

Boxing clever Keep kids happy in transit with a brilliant Plox Box. These colourful play boxes are designed for kids on the go to keep them entertained and stimulated, without the use of a screen. The Ultimate Travel box includes a customisable rucksack with fabric pens, activity books, journal, playing cards and more. With four high quality themed boxes, they’re perfect for long flights, ferry rides or long road trips. Prices from €26.18 to €39.85 at plox.co.uk

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West End spires

T R AV E L | FA M I LY E S C A P E

Glasgow

WITH KIDS

C

Ashton Lane

Scotland’s biggest city is a great choice for a long-weekend away with kids of a l l a g e s . F r i e n d l y, compact and jammed with fun attractions, it’s a short flight from Ireland and, at the moment, great value.

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elebrated for its heritage buildings, Glasgow’s city centre is immediately atmospheric. A blend of rich Scottish culture, industrial roots and maritime importance means the Merchant City buzzes with energy and lively neighbourhoods. It won’t take an architecture buff to appreciate the signature stone buildings and the Victorian city centre has the kind of charms even young Harry Potter fans will relish. (Older kids will dig the buildings and designs of local star, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose iconic House and Art School are fun to tour.)

Culturally rich, you’ll find an impressive collection of museums, attractions and galleries to explore, should the weather disappoint. Rain gear and warm clothes are smart choices – even in summer the exposed city can suffer from chilly winds whistling up the Clyde River – while the warm Scottish welcome will cheer you, no matter what the season.

PLAY

Anyone who thinks science is boring will change their mind set after a day at Glasgow Science Centre. Spread over 2 acres, the interactive experience offers

up the chance to play, experiment and learn in a colourful, high-tech environment. Headmelting puzzles, physical challenges, mindblowing exhibits, learning activities and fun demos will keep everyone challenged and entertained (bets you’ll have to drag them out of this place at home time.) The planetarium experience costs extra (just £3stg each) but is a brilliant add-on for any space enthusiasts. Adults £11, children £9, glasgowsciencecentre.org.

FREE FUN

Two of Glasgow’s top attractions are free (making for a very cheap family holiday). The impressive Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, ranked as the city’s top attraction, offers 22 themed galleries, ensuring something interesting for all tastes.

From Monet to Van Gogh masterpieces, armour to ancient Egyptian artefacts, a 1940s Spitfire to an Asian elephant, children will find much to keep them engaged. The changing programme of temporary exhibitions and displays adds to the fun and delivers up unexpected treasures at every turn.

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Glasgow Science Centre

Riverside Museum

Equally appealing is the Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum, a cavernous attraction that holds over 3,000 transport displays, including a full-size historic Glaswegian streetscape to explore. Here you can climb aboard a train, tram or bus, discover Glasgow’s important shipbuilding history, and ogle skyhigh walls hung with unique cars from all eras.

Outside the kids will love climbing all over the Glenlee, a fully restored Tall Ship from 1896.

SOMETHING UNIQUE

Fancy playing family detectives? Explore Glasgow’s West End on a self-guided spy mission treasure trail, following a special route and solving clues as you go to crack the code. Suitable for ages 4 upwards, teens will enjoy the trail too. The mission takes about 2 hours over a 2-mile loop, and maps, which are suitable for 4-5 people sharing, cost £6.99.

SLEEP

Within walking distance of the Riverside Museum, Glasgow Science Centre and IMAX, the modern Village Hotel Club at Festival Gate is in a great location.

Offering spacious and stylish family rooms that sleep four, breakfast is good and there are in-room tea and coffee facilities. There’s a restaurant, bar, bright swimming pool and Starbucks in-house too. Rooms from £79, at village-hotels.co.uk

Riverside Museum

Royal Exchange Square

GETTING THERE Aer Lingus Regional operates daily flights from Dublin, Cork and Donegal to Glasgow, from €27.99 return, aerlingus.com. Glasgow Airport Express runs every ten minutes, connecting the airport and city centre. Family return tickets £24stg. firstgroup.com

WHERE TO EAT

3 FAMILY FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS 1. Darcy’s Just off Princes Square, this casual brasserie welcomes children and offers tasty fare, including a kids menu with colouring. darcysglasgow.co.uk 2. Biscuit A buzzy Southside café serving all-day breakfasts, burgers, sambos, smoothies and wraps. There’s a short kids’ menu and lots of great baked treats. biscuitcafe.co.uk 3. Las Iguanas From tortillas and tacos to flame-grilled steaks, Latin America’s delicious cuisine is served up at Las Iguanas, the Glasgow branch of the popular UK chain. Familyfriendly and modern. iguanas.co.uk

George Squarre

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FA M I LY | M OTO R I N G

STYLE AND SPACE Motoring journalist Suzanne Keane road tests four 7 - s e a t e r S U Vs , p e r f e c t f o r i m a g e - c o n s c i o u s p a r e n t s .

Crossovers have become the vehicle of choice for Irish drivers over the past decade.

For those in need of something a little more spacious, an MPV (a multipurpose vehicle, like an Opel Zafira) used to be the only option but now a growing number of image conscious motorists are upgrading to 7-seater “SUVs” that combine stylish looks with room for the whole family.

Despite retaining the name, the Peugeot 5008 has been reborn as an SUV and abandoned its MPV roots.

Starting from €29,345 with 7 seats as standard, the base level trim comes with a 12.3” digital instrument panel, an 8” touchscreen, cruise control and multifunction steering wheel. The Active trim level comes with Mirrorlink/Apple Car Play and a visibility pack including auto headlights & auto wipers. Upgrading to Allure spec will get you the safety plus pack to further enhance its 5-star Euro NCAP rating along with front and rear parking sensors.

Inside it’s like an enlarged version of the award winning 3008 and the use of different textured materials gives it that upmarket feel. 3 ISOFIX points on individual seats across the middle row ensure that there’s plenty of room for child seats and the third row offers space for older kids. With the rear row of seats folded flat boot space is 952 litres rising to 2,150 litres with both rear rows of seats folded.

Available as a 1.2l or 1.6l petrol & 1.6 or 2.0l diesel road tax for the 5008 will range from €190 to €280. Fuel consumption is from 4.1l/100km (1.6 diesel) to 5.8l/100km (1.6 petrol automatic).

New kid on the block, the Skoda Kodiaq, is a strong and capable looking car with styling more akin to a premium brand. On the road, it is steady and comfortable, and tackles bends with ease.

Inside the Kodiaq is bright and airy. There are 5 trim levels available. The entry level Active comes with cruise control, a 6.5” touchscreen and an emergency call function. Upgrading to Ambition will include front and rear door protectors – ideal for children jumping in and out of the back! The 7-seater option is an additional €1,000 on all versions. The boot will hold 720 litres with the third row of seats folded and 2,065 litres with both rows of rear seats down.

The Skoda Kodiaq is available with a 1.4 petrol and a 2l diesel engine in both manual and automatic and motor tax will range from €280 to €570 (1.4 petrol 4-wheel drive). Prices start from €29,750 for a 1.4 petrol in Active trim rising to €50,395 for a 2.0 diesel 190bhp 4-wheel drive model in Scout trim which is especially designed for off-road fans. Fuel consumption ranges from 5.0l/100km to 7.4l/100km.

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MID-TERM ROAD TRIPS M a k e t h e m o s t o f m i d - te r m b r e a k with one of our recommended road trips!

1, The Ring of Kerry might be the more popular drive but the Dingle Peninsula offers the perfect mixture of scenery and activities. Take a break in Dingle town to see Fungi and the aquarium and don’t forget to add in the Skellig Loop so that fans of Star Wars can catch a glimpse of Skellig Micheal.

The Nissan X-Trail has taken styling cues from the everpopular Qashqai, with muscular lines and a sporty stance. The 1.6 Diesel engine comes with a manual or automatic gearbox in two-wheel drive guise with a 4-wheel drive manual option also available for those off-road adventures. Road tax will set you back between €270 and €390. The roomy cabin has plenty of storage space. With the 2 rear seats lying flat the boot can take 550 litres (rising to 1982 litres with the second row of seats folded). The entry level XE specification comes with front and rear parking sensors, cruise control and a folding, reclining and sliding rear bench for extra versatility.

Prices start from €33,250 for a 7-seater XE rising to €43,750 for a range topping SVE with 4-wheel drive. The Nissan X-Trail’s fuel consumption is between 4.9l/100km and 5.4l/100km and it has a 5-star Euro NCAP rating.

At the higher end of the price scale the Land Rover Discovery Sport starts at €38,050 rising to €66,720 for a HSE Luxury automatic version. While the external styling is a winner the entry level specification can be quite basic. Cruise control and parking sensors are available from the second level SE trim. The extra 2 seats in the third row cost approximately €2,000 and the second row of seats can be ordered as sliding for additional space in the third row.

Boot space with 5 seats in place is 981 litres and with both rear rows folded it extends to 1,698 litres. There are 2 litre diesel and petrol engines available in both front and 4-wheel drive and fuel consumption starts at 4.3l/100km. Motor tax is €270 for a manual diesel version and rises depending on your engine and gearbox choice. While the Discovery Sport may be a more expensive 7-seater option it is a very capable off-roader in 4-wheel drive guise and with the right options can make a very luxurious family car.

2, If you’re heading north the Causeway Coastal Route begins in Belfast and weaves along the Atlantic towards Cushendun. Continue to the Giants Causeway taking in the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge along the way. Don’t forget to stop off at the Titanic Museum in Belfast!

3, The South East Coastal Drive will take you from Ardmore, through the Ring Gaeltacht and towards Dungarvan taking in the Copper Coast Drive along the way to Tramore. Have a picnic on a quiet beach if the weather suits or visit the Copper Coast Geopark UNESCO site.

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F I N A N C E | F E AT U R E

The real cost of having a

FAMILY Kitting out your nursery is just the start of it. Paddy Delaney r e v e a l s t h e h i d d e n c o s t s o f r a i s i n g a f a m i l y.

If you’re on a tight budget check out the free-cycle groups on Fa c e b o o k ... ”

E

ven before baby arrives many expectant parents feel the need to deck out the house with the latest and greatest baby equipment and furnishings. If you go all-out this can add up to quite a sum: we’ve often seen new parents spending upwards of €4,000 before the baby even arrives.

Buggies can range from €200 to €2,000, depending on the quality and functionality.

It is a large outlay, and, from experience, it pays to buy as decent and adaptable a one as you can afford. For example, if you are hoping or planning to have a second child in the future it makes financial sense to purchase a buggy which can adapt to twin-mode in a few years’ time. If you invest in a quality buggy which will last you years, you can also be assured of getting a decent re-sale price when your kids have out-grown it. Resale prices on

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buggies like a Bugaboo Donkey can be 60-70% of their original purchase price.

Another early and large expense is a travel system. You can buy a buggy/car-seat combo for €300, which will do you perfectly but, long-term, will it go the distance? Read the reviews and talk to friends with babies. It pays to do your research and think about the future. As baby grows car seats needs changing, so take this into consideration before blowing your budget on the early purchases. Try to buy right and buy once.

The very same applies to nursery furniture and cots. If you’re on a tight budget check out the free-cycle groups on Facebook, which are a great place to pick up and/or exchange items with other parents, often at no cost.

Aside from big purchases, the next large outlay will be mum’s pre- and post-natal medical care. This cost is often over-looked by expectant parents until such time as they receive a hospital bill, so it pays to be prepared.

Private maternity care is the most expensive option, costing anything from €2,000-5,000, and, in some cases, can balloon to €10,000 depending on the hospital and length of stay.

Many parents opt for this as they feel it will give them access to the same consultant throughout their pregnancy, less waiting ahead of appointments and a private room

for the days after baby’s arrival. However, these benefits are not necessarily guaranteed.

Availability will depend on how busy your consultant is on the dates of your visits and whether a private room is available on your delivery date. Medical insurance may refund a small refund part of your overall costs, but you should check this out with your policy and provider.

just a few beds, and some health insurance companies will refund a portion of this to you after the birth.

Choose to go Public and your whole maternity hospital experience will be free, regardless of whether you have medical insurance or not. Some hospitals offer midwives’ clinics for women with uncomplicated pregnancies. All scans, antenatal care, delivery procedures and post-natal care is fully subsidised.

The difference is that you will be seen potentially by different consultants at P r i v a te m a te r n i t y c a r e i s t h e m o s t your check-ups, and at expensive option, costing anything your birth. You will likely be in a larger ward for the from €2,000-5,000, and, in some few days after birth also. c a s e s , c a n b a l l o o n to € 1 0 , 0 0 0 The public system is d e p e n d i n g o n t h e h o s p i ta l a n d very well run and whatever route you l e n g t h o f s ta y. ” choose you will be in the safest of hands. Going Private or Semi-Private Semi-Private is a more affordable option, doesn’t guarantee your consultant will be costing €1,200-2,000, however semi-private available for your delivery, and it’s worth parents aren’t guaranteed the same noting that in most complication-free continuity of care. Semi-Private wards are pregnancies, it’s the midwives who do most significantly smaller than public wards, with of the work in delivery rooms around Ireland!

IT COSTS HOW MUCH!?

The average age at which Irish parents believe their children will become fully financially independent from them is 24, according to a recent study by Empathy Research.

So how much does rearing a child cost? Research points to an average of €125,000 per child from cradle to financial independence. Other research we have seen puts that number closer to €200,000. Irrespective of which figure you lean towards there is no doubt that it is not a cheap endeavour!

Childcare is a large expense that many parents are faced with.

Expect to pay €40-70 per child per day, depending on whether you choose crèche or childminder, and the number of hours you leave them in care. That adds up €800-€1,400 per month, which, for many, equals another mortgage repayment.

Health insurance and life cover are other items which parents of young children often feel obliged to have. A health insurance plan of medium coverage with access to public and private hospitals will cost a minimum of €2,000 per year for a family of 2 adults and 2 young children.

Life Cover is designed to financially support the family if one of the parents dies prematurely. To provide €500,000 cover for a 30-year-old couple will cost approximately €500

per year, depending on smoking status and general health.

As you get older it becomes more expensive to put these plans in place, so if you are going to commit, it might be wise to begin that process.

While we have access to free education here in Ireland the all-in costs for parents with a child at primary school run to approximately €600 per year; secondary school costs €1,0002,000 per year, and for university expect to pay an average of €8,000 per year. That puts primary-to-third level education costs in the region of €40,000. If you want to include a Masters degree you can add another €10,000-20,000… Quite a sum!

These expenses can seem a lot, however, for many they are all must-haves. The most impactful thing that we, as parents of young children can do, is to get our finances in order as early as possible, to have a firm understanding of our current incomes and expenditure, and then to begin planning for these future expenses.

Paddy Delaney is creator at the award-winning Informed Decisions Finance Blog & Podcast - On A Mission To Make A Positive Difference. informeddecisions.ie

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FA M I LY | O N L I N E

PHOTO CALL Do you want to feature on our Instagram page? Take part in our Spring challenge and share an Easter-themed image with us! We’ll give a shout out to the top five! Find us at instagram.com/ maternityandinfant

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maternityandinfant.ie

We ’ v e g o t a n e w a n d i m p r o v e d w e b s i t e j a m p a c k e d w i t h a l l y o u r f a v o u r i t e f a m i l y, p r e g n a n c y a n d p a r e n t i n g c o n t e n t . Tr y o u t o n e o f t h e d e l i c i o u s r e c i p e s i n o u r Fo o d s e c t i o n , o r s e e s o m e b r a n d n e w a r t i c l e s e s p e c i a l l y f o r m u m s i n t h e M y L i f e c h a p t e r. I f t h e r e ’ s s o m e t h i n g y o u w a n t f e a t u r e d o n t h e s i t e , o r i f y o u h a v e a q u e s t i o n a b o u t p r e g n a n c y, p a r e n t i n g o r a n y t h i n g i n b e t w e e n , g e t i n touch with us at editorialdesk@ashville.ie WHAT 'S TRENDING? Our Facebook page is getting bigger and better every week. Here are the articles that you enjoyed the most!

SIX REASONS WHY SECOND BABIES ARE EASIER…AND THREE REASONS WHY THEY’RE NOT! Simone Doyle Second time round it's easier because you are in a routine. You have already altered your journey times, your sleep patterns and meal times. [...] It's all about timing, but second time round is not quite the shock that the first one is because you know.

maternityandinfant.ie

Jen Hogan (Author of The Real Mum’s Guide to Surviving Parenthood) Yes! Don't think it necessarily gets progressively easier though. Personality and numbers have a big impact on the workload involved. By the time baby number 7 was born, I was an old hand at the whole newborn thing - but trying to meet the needs of a new baby and the needs of all the other age groups I had was a different type of challenge!

HOW TO EASE YOUR CHILD’S FEAR OF GHOSTS Alma Ryan I just spray my hair detangler into the air and tell her it's ghost spray. Job done.

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COMPETITIONS To celebrate the launch and redesign of maternity & infant Family, we have brand new competitions on our website right now! If you want to be in with a chance to win a luxury trip away, or one of our numerous spot prizes, head over to our website at maternityandinfant.ie to enter. Good luck!

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H E A LT H

5 TRICKS TO GET YOUR KIDS MOVING

Family health CHEAP THRILLS

P R OV I D E C H I L D R E N W I T H A F E W P R O P S A N D S E T T H E M UP FOR SOME OUTDOOR FUN

1

Bunny skipping rope, € 7. 9 0 a t A c c e s s o r i z e

2

Adidas football, €20.99 at Argos

3

Chalk bucket, €2.25 at Flying Tiger

JOIN IN Children love when we find time to play with them. So make yourself available for outdoor activities. Take a ball to the park, play chasing, draw hopscotch on your pavement and join in.

Plan a family hike or cycle on the weekend. Go for a beach walk together or try Gruffalo hunting in the forest. All these activities require is you.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE If children see you having fun while exercising this conveys a powerful message. If they hear mum or dad talking about enjoying the gym, soccer, cycling or playing tennis they understand that it’s a hobby, as opposed to a hassle. If they’re used to finding you on the sofa watching TV every evening and weekend, that sends out messages too. Consider your own behaviour and the effect it has on their development. You can’t expect children to go outside to kick a ball if they never see you exercising. Introduce them to the idea of fitness for fun and lead by example.

THINK OUT SIDE THE PITCH Not all children are competitive, which means they won’t necessarily enjoy team sports. If soccer, camogie or rugby isn’t their thing don’t simply label them non-sporty and give-up.

Encourage them to try an alternative activity they may love, like dancing, swimming, hiking or martial arts. It’s important to get non-athletic children moving and foster a love of activity from an early age, no matter what the activity.

ENCOURAGE EVERYONE Children are often put off an activity or sport when they realise they’re not the best in the group or haven’t been picked for the A-team.

Modify their expectations and focus on their personal strengths and goals. Encouragement plays a key role in children continuing a sport, whether that’s you standing pitchside in the rain, acknowledging a great contribution they made or applauding a skill they’ve had to work on to master. Don’t just reward their victories, be sure to praise their efforts, even if it’s just in training sessions.

BRING ALONG A BUDDY Kids love hanging out with friends, so consider including these when you’re planning an activity. A child is far more likely to be enthusiastic about a walk or bike ride if their pal can come too. Younger children always enjoy the playground and park more if they have someone to play with. When it come to signing them up for new activities ask your children’s friends what extra-curricular sports they enjoy doing and encourage your child to go along and try out it out with their pal. maternityandinfant.ie 71

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H E A LT H | F I T N E S S

fitfamily family

Acai Berry sports bra in purple, €51.20

Smart gym gear and online workouts

Nike Air Max pink Jewell SE, €150 littlewoodsireland.ie

Adidas Originals Hu H i k i n g S w e a t e r, € 7 5 littlewoodsireland.ie

V I RT UA L LY

FIT

Black and pink lace-up t r a i n e r, € 1 6 Penney's

Can’t commit to a regular class at the gym? Sign up for members-only online sessions and get fit in your front room. From virtual classes to 30-day challenges, nutrition advice to online communities, handy apps to varied intensities, you get to train when and where you can. No regular commitment, no leaving the house (if you don’t want to) and you can even squeeze in a session when baby is napping. What’s not to love!

KIT

BAG I T ’ S T I M E TO R E F R E S H YO U R G Y M WA R D R O B E !

Pink crossback T- S h i r t , €27 M&S

O U R F AV E S T H AT G I R L LO N D O N

Grey racer back sports vest, €9.99 New Look

Trainer to many stars, Christina Howells' programmes, developed specifically for the female form, are based on the foundations of HIIT, resistance and bodyweight training.

Her 12-week body plan mixes interval training with body weight exercises, lifestyle support and recipes. thatgirllondon.com, £59 for 12 months

Tr o p i c a l orchid print leggings, €45 Oasis Marl active top, €11.40 TK Maxx

M Y YO G A W O R K S Offering access to over 1,000 online yoga workouts from a variety of expert teachers, they all work at the original Yoga Works studios in the US. Online classes are 5 to 60 minutes long, making them great for time-pressed mums. myyogaworks.com, $15 a month

I B O DY F I T From pregnancy to post-pregnancy, Pilates, cardio, weight loss and high intensity, the iBodyFit personal training programme offers the biggest choice of workouts alongside videos, diet plans and PTs. ibodyfit.com, from $29 a month

DA I LY B U R N Stream 600 workouts by expert certified trainers, including a live workout every day. For all levels, whether you've 15 minutes or 1 hour. dailyburn.com, $19.95 a month

Aircontrol Anita Active bra, €60 at boobydoo.co.uk

AND

Orange and grey crop leggings, €10 Penney’s

STRETCH…

Tribeca Love yoga mat, made from natural tree rubber and recycled plastic bottle microfibers by Yoga Design Lab, €74 at yogadesignlab.com

Grey camo active leggings, €23 TK Maxx

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W

inter’s gone and it’s time to say goodbye to life indoors. Kiss colds, coughs and flu goodbye by moving your life outdoors. Ditch the central heating, throw open the windows and fill your home with fresh air.

Embrace the longer evenings and make outdoor time part of your family’s life. Whether it’s walking to school, getting up earlier, taking up a new activity or planning beach walks or forest hikes with the kids, now’s the time to put a spring in everyone’s step.

E X P E R T A DV I C E

Spring Health maternityandinfant.ie 73

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E X P E R T A DV I C E | H E A LT H

ASK THE GP D r Ta r a G a l l i g a n h a s b e e n w o r k i n g i n general practice for 18 years. She set up Marino Medical Centre in Dublin 3 in 2009, where they cater for the GP needs of the l o c a l c o m m u n i t y.

There has been an outbreak of measles at my children's school.I thought vaccinations meant these were a thing of the past. Can my child still catch them?

is it exactly and am I at risk as a pregnant woman?

Vaccinating your child with 2 doses of the MMR vaccine gives 99% protection against your child contracting measles. Unfortunately, only 79% of children in Ireland have received their ageappropriate vaccine. In order to eradicate a disease, it requires 95% of the population to be vaccinated.

This would then give what we call herd immunity.

Herd immunity protects those that cannot receive the vaccine for medical reasons and this who do not respond to the vaccine.

The best protection you can give your child is to give them the MMR vaccine aged one and again when they are in Junior Infants. If your child has been in contact with measles and has not received their age-appropriate vaccine you can bring them to your GP to receive the vaccine.

You can find more information about measles and the MMR vaccine on hse.ie/eng/health/ immunisation/ or you can contact you GP.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral infection in children and infants under 5 years old. It usually causes fever, painful sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. As it is a viral illness it is contagious and can spread easily from person to person. This spread can be reduced by frequent hand washing. There is no specific treatment for HFMD, though fever and pain can be managed with paracetamol and ibuprofen. Oral fluids should be encouraged to avoid dehydration.

If your child won’t drink, pain is not responding to the above measures or they become very lethargic you should bring them to your GP. Pregnant women rarely get hand, foot and mouth disease. In the event that a pregnant women did contract the disease it normally does not cause a risk to the unborn baby. However, in very rare cases, if you are in the first trimester and develop a high fever this can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage.

If you develop the disease shortly before delivery it can be passed to your baby. In general, it is a very mild disease in newborns.

My toddler picked up hand, foot and mouth disease at crèche. What

If you develop a rash when pregnant you should contact your GP or maternity hospital for advice.

M & I FA M I LY K N O W S

Can I get the flu vaccination while pregnant?

There has been an increase in the number of cases of flu recently. The flu vaccine is a safe, effective way to help prevent flu infection, avoiding hospitalisation and reduce flu related deaths and illnesses.

The HSE recommends that all pregnant women get the flu vaccine as you are at increased risk of complications.

You can get the flu vaccine at any stage of pregnancy, ideally as early as possible in your pregnancy. The flu season usually occurs between September and April. If you are pregnant through two flu seasons, two vaccines, one in each season, may be necessary. Women who become pregnant at any stage during the flu season should get the flu vaccine.

Flu can cause severe complications in a pregnant woman, due to changes in your heart and lung function.

You are also more likely to be admitted to hospital and the Intensive Care Unit.

Getting flu in pregnancy may also lead to premature birth, lower birth weight and even stillbirth. There is evidence that the vaccine reduces the rate of stillbirth by over 50%.

Infants under the age of 6 months have the highest rate of hospitalisation and death from influenza.

The flu vaccine has been given to millions of pregnant women. It has been given to pregnant women for almost 60 years in the US. Reactions are generally mild and serious side effects are very rare.

Getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy can protect your baby in the womb and for up to the first six months of life. It can prevent you getting flu and passing it on to your baby. The vaccine is available from your family doctor or pharmacist.

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Children thrive o n p r e d i c ta b i l i t y, so have a steady routine including regular physical a c t i v i t y, p r e f e r a b l y o u td o o r s .

ASK THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST D r. C a r l a G o w e r i s a c l i n i c a l p s y c h o l o g i s t w h o s p e c i a l i s e s i n w o r k i n g with young people and their families.

My eight-year-old is a real worrier and gets particularly anxious in social situations. Is there anything we can do as parents to help her?

Some kids are naturally more introverted than their peers and can take time to warm up in new situations, often carrying this trait into adulthood. Many others will go through phases of worry, particularly around times of transition such as starting school, or have specific fears such as dogs, the dark or being away from home. Mostly these worries are transient and a normal part of childhood development. However, sometimes the issue is more than simple shyness, and anxiety becomes a real problem. An anxious child may engage in avoidance behaviours – refusing to go to school or do certain activities, perhaps. You may notice changes in their sleep or appetite, nightmares, tearfulness, or unexplained physical symptoms like tummy aches or headaches.

If this is the case:

Children thrive on predictability, so have a steady routine including regular physical activity, preferably outdoors. This includes a consistent bedtime routine to ensure she is getting enough sleep (around ten hours). Include time for a chat about her day to give her a chance to offload.

Sometimes children just need someone to ‘hold’ their worries for a while.

Let her know you’re there to talk. It may be helpful to set aside some daily ‘worry time’ for 10-15 minutes; this helps contain the worry and limits it to a specific time. A ‘worry box’ can be also be useful; have her decorate a shoebox or other container and then ‘post’ her worries through – she can even draw pictures if she’d prefer. You can then read these together. This is especially useful for kids who struggle to verbalise their feelings.

Prepare in advance for new situations. If she is due to attend a party, chat with her about her expectations. Who will be there? What will they do? Encourage her to think about the fun she’ll have.

Anxiety thrives on avoidance, so don’t reinforce it by allowing her skip social situations

and activities. Instead, concentrate on helping her develop the skills to face her fears gradually.

Start with yourself – if you’re calm and confident, she’s more likely to be too.

Invite friends over to ease her into social situations on her terms. Start with one friend and stay close to support her, then when she’s comfortable you can retreat and allow her gain confidence in managing herself.

Basic relaxation strategies can help reduce the physical impact of anxiety; encourage her to take slow, deep breaths when she notices herself getting worried. Blowing bubbles is a great way for younger kids to practice, while older kids might prefer “square breathing”: breathe in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four.

“What to Do When You Worry Too Much”

by Dawn Huebner is a lovely interactive book for 6-12 year olds all about worries and includes some very practical strategies for managing them, so this may be worth a look.

I hope this helps. And remember, trust your instincts. If you think she needs further help, ask your GP for a referral to an appropriate therapist. maternityandinfant.ie 75

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E X P E R T A DV I C E | H E A LT H

ASK THE MIDWIFE Liz Halliday is a midwife at Private Midwives. Private Midwives connects expectant women with experienced midwives, who provide birth support, antenatal and postnatal care at times and locations that work best for them. Visit privatemidwives.com

My baby seems to latch on to my right breast much easier than my left. Is there anything I can do to help him feed better from my left breast?

There are a number of issues that can influence a baby latching well or choosing to feed more on one side. These include: Normal anatomical differences. Breasts are not symmetrical. Differences in breast shape, nipple shape, milk production or flow can influence a baby’s preference for one side. A baby may prefer either the breast with faster flow that allows them to feed quicker, or the breast with a slower flow that makes it easier for them to manage a feed without coughing or choking on a strong let down. Often, as they grow, they can manage a faster flow and may change their preferred side several times during their feeding journey.

Baby’s preference. Feeling safe and secure while feeding will have a great impact on a baby, so it’s not unusual for baby to prefer a position

in which they are supported by the mother’s dominant arm. Making sure your baby is well supported by cushions, or changing position can help in this instance. For example, if you use a cross cradle hold on the right side and support with your left arm, you might find a football hold on the left works better for you.

Pain. Occasionally a baby may have suffered a minor birth injury that is causing some neck or shoulder discomfort on one side. Some mothers report good results after seeing a Cranio-Sacral specialist who may be able to gently release those muscles.

If your baby has suddenly started refusing one breast and you have concerns, please contact your GP.

My first baby is due this spring. How often should I breast feed them and how will I know they are getting enough milk?

There is no hard and fast rule about how often you should feed your baby, every baby is

different and having set feeding schedules can be unhelpful. You will find your baby changes frequency and duration of feeding over time, so being aware of feeding cues and acting on them is the most useful way to gauge feeding frequency.

Signs of wanting to feed are: • Licking or smacking sounds • Turning the head and opening the mouth wide • Sucking on hands or fingers • Trying to latch on to your face or neck • Fidgeting, fussing and squirming a lot • Pulling at your clothes • Pulling back and hitting out at you • Crying (late sign, calm baby before feeding) With breast feeding we can’t gauge how much milk the baby is getting, so we have to look at what is coming out. Frequent wet and dirty nappies is a good sign that all is well. Look for the following: Day one: One wet and one dirty.

Day two: Two wet and two dirty.

Day three and onwards: Fiveseven wet or dirty nappies, with at least one dirty every day. Dirty nappies should change from being black in colour, to brown, green/ brown and then a yellow mustard colour with little “seeds” in it.

If the nappies are good, your baby is putting on weight well and is settled between feeds, then you know that your baby is getting enough milk.

I’d advise joining your local Cuidiú (cuidiu.com) or La Leche League (lalecheleagueireland. com) group for support. Pop along before your baby is born to meet the group and link in with them.

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ASK THE OBSTETRICIAN D r S a m C o u l t e r - S m i t h i s a c o n s u l t a n t i n o b s t e t r i c s a n d g y n a e c o l o g y, former Master of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, and a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal College of Surgeons.Visit rotunda.ie

I am overweight and recently found out that I'm pregnant with my first child. What kind of problems can my weight cause for the baby and what are the implications for my own health during pregnancy?

Firstly, you are not alone. About 30% of our childbearing population falls into the category of being overweight with the problem significantly increased over the last 10 years.

Most young women find themselves in this situation because they are eating too much of the wrong thing and are not exercising enough.

Just because you are now pregnant does not mean you cannot start to address this and begin some new good habits. You can exercise in pregnancy and you can also eat sensibly. Going for a good walk everyday and watching your calorie intake may be sufficient to start reversing the process.

The sort of issues and complications which can be more frequent if you are overweight are gestational diabetes, which allows your higher blood sugar levels to get to the baby causing it to grow bigger and making it likely that either instrumental delivery or Caesarean section may be required. If you do have a vaginal delivery with a big baby, then vaginal tears at the time and nerve injury to the baby

at delivery are a bigger risk.

In the longer term, the combination of a more difficult vaginal delivery and increased weight on your pelvic floor will lead to issues like vaginal prolapse and urinary incontinence. The incidence of complications of Caesarean section are also increased in overweight women; things like wound infections, chest infections and urinary infection post-op are more frequent.

The risk of blood clots in the legs and lungs is also increased.

Lastly, babies of women who are overweight are often bigger and their blood sugars can drop quickly after delivery so this has to be watched carefully, particularly if you are breastfeeding.

I've heard that bladder control can be difficult after p r e g n a n c y. I s t h e r e a n y t h i n g I can do to help?

You are absolutely correct. Many women will suffer from stress incontinence after vaginal delivery. Whenever they cough, sneeze or laugh they can leak and when they exercise the same can happen. When you deliver vaginally, as the baby descends the birth canal the skin and muscles around the pelvis and birth canal are stretched. The ligaments and muscles do recover to some extent over about two months or so.

However, for some women the damage is permanent and requires a lot of hard work and effort with very regular pelvic floor exercises. It is absolutely essential that, after you deliver, you prioritise your pelvic floor. You must exercise and keep your weight normal, you must strengthen your back and core and you must regularly engage your pelvic floor.

Most hospitals will have a women’s health physiotherapist who will visit you postnatally and go through what you need to know but it is up to you to do the exercises. Unfortunately most people either forget to do them or think they don’t need to. I would advise you to find something you do several times a day and do your exercises at this time. It can be a feeding time, whenever the news comes on the radio or at every red traffic light. If that is not working, then set reminders on your phone or download one of several special apps to help you remember.

For most women who don’t do enough pelvis floor work the real problems won’t arise until around menopause. At that stage, muscle bulk and strength deteriorate and weight can increase. This combination leads to vaginal prolapse and urinary incontinence which can be difficult to treat fully requiring intensive physio, vaginal pessaries or surgical repair. You only have one pelvic floor and it needs to be looked after. maternityandinfant.ie 7 7

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E X P E R T A DV I C E | H E A LT H

ASK THE FE RTILITY EXPERT Dr Conor Harrity is a member of the Royal College of Obstericians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.

H e j o i n e d R e p r o M e d Fe r t i l i t y C l i n i c s i n 2 0 1 7, b r i n g i n g w i t h h i m a wealth of experience and patient-focused attitude. Visit repromed.ie

Is there an optimum time of day to have sex or a sexual position that can increase my chances of conception?

There are so many myths surrounding fertility that sometimes it can be very difficult and frustrating to find the correct information. To be frank, the answer to your questions is no: neither the time of the day, nor the position of intercourse increases or decreases your chances of becoming pregnant. What is important though, is the time of your cycle that you are having intercourse.

If you have regular 28 day cycles, for most women the egg is released from the ovaries generally between days 12-14 of your cycle.

We consider Day 1 to be your first full day of bleeding, so you can count from there to pinpoint your likely “fertile window”.

From there, the egg travels through the fallopian tubes where ideally it would be met by sperm that could fertilise it. Sperm can live in the body for approximately 2-4 days, and

the egg can be fertilised for 24 hours, so even if you do not have intercourse exactly at the time of ovulation there is still a good chance that conception will occur.

Fertility clinics have many precise clinical methods of predicting what time of your cycle you should be having intercourse, however there are a couple of tools you can get quite easily to help you track when the right time is for you. Firstly, consider downloading a cycle-tracking app for your phone. You can enter the length and dates of your menstrual cycle, how you’re feeling and other symptoms so that the app can help you ascertain when your fertile window may be. The second tool is an ovulation prediction kit, which is similar to using a urine pregnancy test. The kit looks for an elevated level of a hormone called luteinising hormone in your urine, to help indicate when you may be ovulating.

Neither of these methods are 100% accurate, but are certainly a good starting point for couples trying to conceive.

I h a v e b e e n t r y i n g to conceive for over a year without success. Are there any lifestyle changes I should m a k e to i n c r e a s e m y o d d s ?

Firstly, it’s important to remember that 9095% of couples will achieve a pregnancy within the first two years of trying, so even if it hasn’t happened for you yet, stay positive!

It is important that you are fit and healthy in order to ensure your body is in peak condition to conceive and sustain a healthy pregnancy. Being under or overweight may negatively affect your chances of conceiving.

If BMI is elevated it is normal to encourage couples to lose weight before having

treatment, and we often find that some will fall pregnant naturally when they do!

These are the four important lifestyle factors to focus on:

Diet •

• •

•

•

Reduce your intake of saturated and trans-unsaturated fatty acids, while increasing the amount of healthy fats in your diet – things like avocados, olive oil, raw nuts.

Add more fibre to your diet by consuming whole grains, vegetables and fruit.

Try to include more vegetarian sources of iron such as legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Take a multivitamin. Certain vitamins are essential for optimal egg and sperm quality. These include: Vitamin D, C, Zinc, selenium, Co10 and omega 3 fatty acids.

Make sure to stay hydrated.

Quit Smoking This is crucial not just for your overall health but for your fertility. Research studies have shown the harmful effects of smoking on sperm quality, egg quality, implantation rates, and miscarriage, as well as harmful effects on a developing pregnancy.

Exercise Regular exercise improves physical fitness, helps with weight loss and decreases stress levels. Aim for some form of aerobic exercise three times per week, i.e. any activity that increases your heart rate, such as brisk walking, jogging or swimming for at least 20 minutes per session

Alcohol Excessive alcohol reduces fertility and damages sperm. Men and women trying for a baby should limit alcohol intake to no more than 6 units per week for men and women should avoid alcohol completely.

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ASK THE SLEEP EXPERT L u c y Wo u l f e i s a p a e d i a t r i c s l e e p c o n s u l t a n t a n d m u m o f f o u r.

She runs a private sleep consulting practice where she provides knowledge, expertise and valuable support to families across the c o u n t r y. V i s i t s l e e p m a t t e r s . i e

My baby only seems to fall asleep with motion. Is there any way I can ease him into falling asleep in his cot rather than going out for a walk or drive?

If your baby is older than 6 months of age and you can report that he can put himself to sleep at bedtime without assistance from you or a bottle or a breast, then you can start to help him develop the skill for naptime too. Your baby will nap until he is close to 3 years of age and napping on-the-go may mean that you always need to go for a walk and it may also result in a shorter nap duration for some children. So, it is a good idea to attempt to work on naps in the cot and then you can have flexibility between both the cot and the buggy and the car over time.

You may be surprised that I mention bedtime, but if the skill is not there at bedtime specifically, naps can be harder to master. When you are ready to begin, then I would set aside a week or more to focus on this if you can. It may also mean that you feel that all you are doing is putting your baby for a sleep but this will pass and get easier over a few weeks: • •

•

• • •

Always start with nap 1.

Try to identify your child's sweet spot for sleep. Look for a brief eye, yawn or zoning out.

Develop a nap time pre-sleep ritual.

Spend 10- 15 minutes on this, preparing baby for sleep in his bedroom Use my stay-and-support-method to help him go to sleep.

Be patient. It will take time to learn something new.

Don't worry if at first he doesn't sleep

•

for long. That will improve over two weeks.

Make sure the room is super dark, quiet and warm.

My ten-month-old wakens a few times a night. Are there any tricks to getting her to start sleeping through the night?

Learning to stay asleep overnight can take time to achieve for all of you. I would suggest making the following adjustments to help this to start to happen.

Implement an age-relevant feeding and sleeping balance to the day. At 10 months I would anticipate 2 naps per day and I would encourage a wake period not longer than 4 hours between the end of the final nap and being asleep at bedtime: finishing the last nap by 3.30pm and aiming to be asleep about

7pm is a good starting point. Although this can feel very early for some, you can always push out bedtime further when you observe that your child is sleeping deeper and longer.

It can be a good idea to provide the last milk feed about 45 minutes before sleep time to ensure that the milky feed is not putting them into a sleepy state and then making it harder for your baby to cycle through the natural sleep phases overnight.

Following your calm, bedtime routine in your child's bedroom, encourage your child to go to sleep with less input from you. Initially, if they are struggling, be very physically, verbally and emotionally available to them, later on scaling back this input and enhancing their own ability to go to sleep.

Overnight then, help your child to return to sleep when they wake with a predictable and loving response. Good luck with your efforts, it will take a few weeks to really see the improvements, but they will come!

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L I F E S T Y L E | I N S P I R AT I O N

Five minutes with...

Illustrator Chris Judge How has life changed since becoming a dad?

Life has changed in so many ways, and while it’s exhausting to have two small kids while we are both juggling freelance careers, I couldn’t be happier. It’s incredible watching them change and develop before my eyes.

What were your favourite childhood books?

Richard Scarry’s books! I was obsessed with them and they are still a favourite in our house. When I was a bit older it was Tintin and Asterix.

What inspires your work?

So many things, but I always feel like my creative juices get a full recharge when I travel. I love visiting foreign cities and galleries. My three-year-old really inspires my picture book work and my next book is entirely based on things she loves. My next Beast book – The Baby Beast, is very much inspired by our nine-month-old, Juno.

Which piece of work is your favourite?

My first picture book, The Lonely Beast, will always have a special place in my heart. It was a monumental task to make and then to get it published was a defining moment. It has changed my whole career and set me off on a totally new path.

Which of your books do your children like best?

Our three-year-old, Joey, has only just discovered my books (‘Dada books!’) and it is such a joy to read them to her. She loves The Great Explorer at the moment. Our nine-monthold, Juno, enjoys chewing on them when we are not looking.

Do your children have a dedicated art space in your house?

Yes! We have a big box of art supplies (which I probably buy too much stuff for) and a little table and chair for Joey to sit on. About a year ago we stopped letting her use our phones and iPad (which was hell for a few days) but now she doesn’t care about them at all now. So now we read and draw and make stuff everyday. It’s a bit more effort but it’s so much fun the better she gets at it. My wife, Cliona, is amazing at making things with her.

How much work goes into your murals?

The murals are a huge undertaking as I like to work closely with the schools or organisations to make sure everyone is involved in the creative process. I am very lucky that I get to collaborate with my brother-in-law, Jay, and his company Triskill, who make all of the mosaics and murals with me. It generally takes about 6 months from start to finish.

Do you prefer creating books or murals?

I really love making both as they are very different ways of working. While both need to tell a story, often the murals need to do so in one or two images while a picture book has 32 pages. Both are very difficult to get right so there are often many ideas along the way before the final piece.

Where’s your favourite place for a family day out?

At the moment it’s somewhere nearby! We live 5 minutes away from the very special National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, which we all love, so we go there at least once a week. I am hoping, through some strange turn of events, they ask us to mind the gorgeous old house in the grounds for a year.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

Maternity & Infant Awards 2017

The Boots maternity & infant Awards hosted

by RTÉ’s Maura Derrane took place on Friday 13th October in the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire and rewarded the finest in baby and family products as tested, voted and approved by parents, for parents. As well as celebrating top products we also got the chance to meet a number of truly inspiring people and hear their stories. These individuals are selfless, brave and hardworking people who have overcome challenges with exceptional attitudes or who have gone above and beyond their call of duty to help others.

From l-R: Joeleen Coy from One Yummy Mummy, Jen Hogan from Mamatude, Becky O’Hare from Cuddle Fairy and Cliona O’Connor from LeanMeanMama, dad Aidan Barrett, mum Ann Barrett and son Sam Barrett from Belturbet, Lillian Fadden, Ann Marie Fadden and Oonagh Fadden from Clane, Co. Kildare, Jennifer Rebaudo and Cristina Ceobanu from Clevamama and Ann Marie Graham from Canavan Byrne, Siobhan Wilmont, David Ward and Laura Ward from Mothercare Ireland, Molly Byrne and Melanie Byrne from Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ruth Marnell and Roisín O’Hea from O’Hara PR representing Renault, Emma Bayley from Eurobaby, Pauline Harmon and Liz Warren from Dorel and Maureen Hyland from Eurobaby, Sarah Walsh and Terry Widger from Baba Bop, RTE's Maura Derrane

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

The Stats

250

ENTRIES

Our Sponsor On behalf of Boots Ireland, I’d like to congratulate all of this year’s finalists and winners. The Boots maternity and infant Awards are about recognising unsung heroes and we look forward to this day every year, when we meet inspirational people from all across Ireland and share their remarkable stories. These awards are the perfect fit for Boots Ireland and complement our Boots Parenting Club, which provides support for parents throughout Ireland.

Gillian Hennessy, Head of Marketing, Boots Ireland

Thank You… childcare

canavanbyrne childcare canavanbyrne

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Congratulations to each of the winners! It has been another great Boots maternity and infant Awards this year and we’re delighted that we were able to celebrate some of the most inspirational people in the country, while also shining a light on the best products on the market for parents, babies and children. These awards are considered to be the most rigorous in the industry, because they are judged by real experts, parents themselves.

We had a fantastic response to our ninth year of product testing. We had over 1,300 parents sign up this year and over 200 products to test. Parents tested smaller items at home and the bigger ticket items at our Academy Day which took place in the same venue as the awards ceremony, The Royal Marine, in Dún Laoghaire. Check out our behind-the-scenes photos on the next page.

A massive thank you to Boots Ireland, our headline partner, for the third time, and our TV partner, RTÉ's Today show. It was a pleasure to work with you once again.

TRACEY CARNEY, EVENT DIRECTOR, ASHVILLE MEDIA GROUP

PRODUCT WINNERS

1,300+

PRODUCT TESTER SIGN-UPS

175

ACADEMY DAY TESTERS

138

PEOPLE NOMINATIONS

14

PEOPLE WINNERS

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Our Host We were delighted to welcome back Maura Derrane to host the Boots maternity & infant Awards for the third year running. Maura is a big hit thanks to her genuine interest in the parenting industry, having a small child of her own and her caring and thoughtful interviewing of the People Award winners.

“The people who win are so inspirational. You read their story before the Awards, but it’s only when you meet them that you realise what they have been through and how truly inspirational they are and what they have achieved”. Maura, who is mum to a little boy, Cal, said : “‘I’m absolutely thrilled to be involved with the Awards, both as MC and following the Awards journey on the Today Show. It’s a great celebration of parenting and also the people who take care of our precious little bundles and to those who go the extra mile to help parents in difficult circumstances. I was also excited to see which baby products come out on top because the Awards are voted for by the public who are the best judges.” Thank you to Maura for helping to make this year’s awards so entertaining, inspiring and successful!

The people who win are so inspirational.

Yo u r e a d t h e i r s to r y b e f o r e t h e A w a r d s , but it’s only when you meet them that you realise what they have been through and how truly inspirational they are and what they have achieved."

Social buzz Tren din g o n Tw i tte r

Dingle Skellig Hotel @DingleSkellig We did it…. Winner of Best Family Hotel / Holiday Destination at @ maternityinfant #bootsMIAwards17 #familyfriendly Select Hotels @SelectIreland @MauraDerrane from @RTEToday hosting the @maternityinfant awards today at the Royal Marine Hotel #BootsmiAwards17 Sinead-BumblesofRice @BumblesofRice Congratulations @Aldi_Ireland best family brand #bootsmiawards17 Pip & Pear baby Food @pipandpearbaby Congratulations @organixbrands !! #BootsmiAwards17 Lilly’s Eco Clean @Lillysecoclean Bronze for Best Family Cleaning we are delighted #bootsMIAwards17 Host & Co @hostandcompany @MauraDerrane doing a wonderful job hosting the @maternityinfant awards this afternoon #BootsmiAwards17

TV Coverage We were delighted to team up with RTÉs Today show once again for exclusive coverage of the Boots maternity & infant Awards, hosted

by Maura Derrane and Daithí Ó Sé.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

Product Testing When it comes to buying baby products for your little ones, parents can be inundated with choices and after trawling through store after store, it still can be hard choosing a product that’s right for your family. The Boots maternity & infant Awards have taken away all that hard work and can recommend products that have been voted for, tested and approved by parents, for parents.

Products entered into the Boots maternity & infant Awards in all 36 of our categories went through a testing period by our judges and parents. After the testing period the products were then voted for by the public.

The Academy Day Over 100 parents and children came together on a beautiful sunny day in the Royal Marine hotel, Dún Laoghaire on July 11th to test baby and family products. Everything from travel systems to safety gadgets and family cars were put under the telescope and analysed.

They then rated their favourite products after discussing their feedback with the maternity & infant team and other parents.

It’s safe to say it was a riveting day of testing and discussion.

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Home Testing Small products like baby wipes, nappies and skincare creams were sent out to family homes across the country to test over a 5 week period.

Each household was assigned a category and were sent all the products in that category.

The parent then answered a questionnaire and gave their honest feedback. Sometimes, the category assigned to certain families brought their testing outside of the home! In order to successfully test categories like Best Family Hotel/Holiday Destination, the families were given the opportunity to visit the locations and fill out their questionnaires on site. A tough job for some!

Sign up for next year Want to take part in 2018? It couldn’t be easier to sign up via www. maternityandinfant.ie/awards. Be part of one of Ireland’s biggest and most prestigious awards that are voted for, tested and approved by parents, for parents.

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Super Sibling OF THE YEAR WINNER KYLE O'DRISCOLL NOMINATED BY EMILY PIPER

A sensiti ve and inspiring child, Kyle was nominated for Super Sibling of the Year award by his Mum for his compassionate and caring relationship towards his sister, Maria.

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yle first showed he was deserving of this award when his sister Maria arrived into the world. Although it was difficult to form a bond with Maria due to her autism diagnosis, Kyle is every inch the loving big brother; looking out for her and constantly checking that she’s okay. Ten months older than Maria, Kyle takes his big brother role very seriously. This sensitive, compassionate and caring nature transfers effortlessly into his social life, where he constantly makes others around him happy and content, especially those younger than him and more vulnerable. “Straight off, if anyone were to be upset in school, he’s over wiping their tears, and giving them hugs and kisses,” says mum, Emily. Kyle’s nature really came to the fore when the family were involved in a car accident last February. Maria was quite badly injured and got a fright from the experience, but Kyle did everything he could to make sure she was okay, even at the tender age of just three. Emily explains, “Maria broke her nose and broke her eye socket and she lost her three front teeth, but it was amazing to see Kyle: he was straight over to her. He was checking on her, rubbing her head and giving her kisses and if anyone were to come over and upset her he would mind her.” There seems to be no apt way to describe Kyle, but his mother does put it best. “He’s one of a kind, definitely.”

Kyle has always been very caring.

H e a l w a y s p u ts o t h e r p e o p l e f i r s t , p a r t i c u l a r l y h i s s i s te r M a r i a w h o has autism, she’s non-verbal and he’s been nothing but patient, k i n d a n d u n d e r s ta n d i n g . "

Midwife OF THE YEAR WINNER MADELEINE COHR NOMINATED BY ELLY BRENNAN

This year ’s Midwife of the Year provided her patient with outstanding care and advice when she wanted a home birth.

A

traumatic experience during labour can be a difficult thing to get over, especially when another pregnancy presents itself. The desire to do things differently, to do things the ‘right’ way can be overwhelming and sometimes, unfortunately, out of reach. For her fourth pregnancy, Elly was sure she wanted a home birth; a birth that was a gentle and healing experience for her and her family. Elly was searching for the right midwife to help her achieve this goal and soon discovered Private I a m a m a z e d t h a t Midwives Ireland, who put her h e ’ s h e r e a n d h e ’ s in touch with Madeleine. Elly describes Madeleine as a h e a l t h y a n d h e ’ s caring and kind person and h u g e . B u t I ’ m above all, a good listener. She also amazed that says, “I never had to worry about going to the hospital, I I h a d t h e p o w e r knew that Madeleine would to d o t h a t m y s e l f. support me, I knew that she would be behind me if T h a t ’ s w h a t m a k e s anything went wrong.” Under h e r s p e c i a l . S h e Madeleine’s care and helped me to attention, Elly overcame her fears and insecurities about r e a l i s e t h a t . ” home birthing. Through her time with Madeleine, she realised her ability to birth her son without pain relief and at home; something that she greatly desired to do after her previous pregnancies. She says, “Every time I look at my son, I am amazed that I actually did that. I am amazed that he’s here and he’s healthy and he’s huge. But I’m also amazed that I had the power to do that myself. That’s what makes her special. She helped me to realise that.”

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Child Hero

BEST FAMILY CAR

OF THE YEAR WINNER MOLLY BYRNE NOMINATED BY MELANIE BYRNE

This year ’s Child Hero of the Year award was born with a rare genetic condition called OFD Type 1, which meant that it was highly unlikely that she would ever walk or talk. But Molly Byrne persevered and surprised everyone, defying expectations with a smile and a sunny disposition.

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hen Molly was born, her parents were told there was little chance of her ever walking or talking.

Little did they know, that Molly would achieve things that, at the time, seemed well beyond her reach. Physio and occupational therapy from an early age had Molly crawling at the age of two but she didn’t stop there. With the help and support of her parents, Molly learned to pull herself up to stand and after taking on two weekly sessions at First Steps in Limerick, she started walking just before beginning school last year. Although she has been through so much for one so young, she conquers every challenge with a smile on her face. Mum and nominator Melanie recalls, “I remember when she was born,

my mother held her for the first time and said, ‘You made the wrong choice on the name. You should have called her Sunshine. Because I can already tell that she’s going to bring so much to your life.’ And she has.” Molly’s sunny demeanour never dims, whether she is at physio, school or relaxing at home with her family. While she has always been a hero in her parents eyes, Molly is widely known for her infectious positivity. Her physiotherapist even leaves Molly’s appointments to the last, simply because it’s a great way to end his day. Melanie says, “She’s a hero to us, but it’s just fantastic that someone else has recognised all her hard work as well.”

WINNER ŠKODA KODIAQ One Tester said: “The Kodiaq is a terrific SUV, with all the room you’d expect of a large family car, excellent driving manners and lots of equipment”.

FINALISTS RENAULT SCÉNIC, NISSAN X-TRAIL BEST STROLLER

WINNER OUT'N'ABOUT NIPPER SINGLE V4 One Tester said: “It is a great stroller that is easy to fold down for getting in and out of the car. It is amazingly durable and dependable, with great wheels that make it great for running with a child” FINALISTS MOTHERCARE NANU STROLLER, STOKKE XPLORY

I remember when she was born, my mother held her for the first time and said, ‘ Yo u m a d e the wrong choice on the n a m e . Yo u should have called her S u n s h i n e ... ‘ ”

BEST BOOTS GRAND PRIX

WINNER MAM EASY START ANTI COLIC BOTTLE The Grand Prix Award is a special commendation for outstanding excellence and exceptional achievements in a product or service. The MAM Anti-Colic Bottle is an innovative market leader, standing out for their dedication to the highest quality of standards, and an outstanding contributor in the industry.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

Pharmacist

BEST NAPPY CREAM

OF THE YEAR WINNER ANNE MARIE FADDEN NOMINATED BY ANN MARIE O’FLAHERTY

This year ’s Pharmacist of the Year winner proved herself a valuable asset to her community through her caring and compassionate nature. She has frequently gone above and beyond to help her customers, offering advice and reassurance through difficult times.

WINNER SUDOCREM CARE & PROTECT One Tester said: “Sudocrem cream has a texture that is really easy to apply on my baby’s skin because it is not too thick which makes it easy to wash off and perfect for on-the-go.”

FINALISTS ALDI MAMIA NAPPY CREAM, CHILDS FARM NAPPY CREAM, ELAVE SENSITIVE BABY NAPPY CREAM ECOCERT NATURAL & ORGANIC. BEST FEEDING PRODUCT

WINNER MUNCHKIN GO BOWL SILICONE BOWL

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hen Ann Marie’s daughter became ill a few months ago, it was a difficult time for her and her family. Six different courses of antibiotics, surgery and numerous trips to the doctor left Ann Marie and her daughter with a lack of consistency and reassurance in their lives. This changed when they met pharmacist Anne Marie Fadden. “Anne Marie always listened and she always cared. I was always seeing different GPs and different doctors and she was the only constant. She was reassuring, and she’d give me advice,” says customer, Ann Marie O’Flaherty. Anne Marie’s genuine concern as to the welfare of both mother and daughter provided a welcome comfort. While a personal touch goes far for any patient, for this mum of two, it went miles. When she realised how far mother and daughter had to travel to the pharmacy, Anne Marie even offered to drop off medication to their home. “I didn’t want to take her up on that offer, but that’s not I w o u l d l i k e to t h a n k A n n that point,” notes Ann Marie O’Flaherty. “The point is she Marie for nominating offered it in the first place.” While me and the sponsors her daughter is now recovering well after surgery, she feels it was and the judges for this the professionalism, and caring v e r y s p e c i a l r e c o g n i t i o n . attitude from Anne Marie that It makes what we do gave her strength during this time. “I don’t know how much even more worthwhile thanks pharmacists get but I just in a very challenging really appreciated everything she did for me.” environment.”

One Tester said: “I loved that the bowl can fit perfectly in my nappy bag. It is very handy for when I am out and about to be able to take it out and use.”

FINALISTS ACCESSORIES4BABIES MY FEEDING PAL, MAM EASY START ANTI COLIC BOTTLE, MILTON SOLO TRAVELLER STERILISER, TOMMEE TIPPEE CLOSER TO NATURE FEEDING BOTTLE. BEST FOR BABY COLIC

WINNER INFACOL ORAL SUSPENSION One Tester said: “It is a remedy that works.

An absolute gem that is really safe as well.”

FINALISTS BFREE CLASSIC BOTTLE, BIO-KULT INFANTIS.

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BEST PARENTING BLOG

WINNER ONE YUMMY MUMMY One Tester said: “It is an excellent blog with great recipes, fantastic stories, that really give a great insight into everyday mummy life.”

FINALISTS BUMBLES OF RICE, CUDDLE FAIRY, LEANMEANMOMMA, LOVEPARENTING.IE, MAMA-TUDE, MY LITTLE BÁBÓG, THE S-MUM, THE STENTED PAPA, THE TWO DARLINGS.

GP

BEST BABY RETAILER

OF THE YEAR WINNER EIBHLIN O’CALLAGHAN NOMINATED BY WENDY DUNNE

WINNER MOTHERCARE

This year ’s GP of the Year has shown remarkable care and kindness with her patients, becoming a much needed support for those in need.

One Tester said: “There was a great selection of products in store to be able to choose from. Really helpful staff and they made the process of buying all my first time baby products really easy.”

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r Eibhlin O’Callaghan has shown an unending compassion and care towards her patients. One in particular, Wendy Dunne, has felt the full force of Eibhlin’s support throughout recent years. Although Eibhlin came into her life at a difficult time, after the miscarriage of her child, it was her warmth and guidance that prevented Wendy from becoming overwhelmed by grief. During her following pregnancy, Eibhlin offered comfort to Wendy’s fears. “I think I was in with Eibhlin every week terrified and upset and always expecting something to go wrong. But not once did she make me feel like I was annoying her or hindering her with over-the-top worries or complaints,” explains Wendy. “I was welcomed with N o t o n l y d i d s h e h e l p h e a l a lovely smile and always sent home happy.” Thankfully, my broken heart but she Wendy gave birth to a healthy little girl. During Wendy’s next helped me through the pregnancy she shared with fear and worry of losing Eibhlin her anxiety of losing a n o t h e r b a b y a n d to e n j o y another child and as expected, these worries were met with my pregnancies.” the care that Wendy had come to know as a core component of Eibhlin’s character. Wendy’s baby was born two months premature, however Eibhlin was able to guide her through this difficult time. Wendy says, “Not only did she help heal my broken heart but she helped me through the fear and worry of losing another baby and to enjoy my pregnancies.”

FINALISTS BOOTS IRELAND, IKEA IRELAND, ME MAMMA B. BEST BABY CARRIER

WINNER STOKKE MYCARRIER One Tester said:“I appreciated how comfortable and easy it was to use. I could get my baby in and out of the carrier effortlessly.”

FINALISTS CLEVAMAMA ERGONOMIC BABY & HIP CARRIER, MIAMILY HIPSTER PLUS 3D BABY CARRIER.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

BEST BABY FOOD

WINNER ORGANIX GOODIES RASPBERRY & APPLE SOFT OATY BARS One Tester said:“These bars are perfectly sized and the packaging is good too. Both my toddler and baby loved them.”

FINALISTS HEAVENLY BABY & TODDLER ORGANIC SNACKS RANGE, ORGANIX CARROT STICKS, PIP AND PEAR CHILLED BABY FOOD RANGE, SUPERVALU KIDDIES ORGANICS RAISINS

Business Parent

BEST BABY GADGET

OF THE YEAR WINNER SARAH WALSH NOMINATED BY AMY KIBERD

This year ’s Business Parent of the Year has been labelled as the per fect example of what can be achieved when you combine passion and hard work.

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ith a background in marketing, Sarah Walsh decided to begin her first business BabaBox, not only while she was pregnant but also during a hectic move from London, back to Ireland. BabaBox specialises in unique subscription boxes for new mothers, that feature a distinctive collection of

Through it all Sarah just kept moving forward, methodically t a k i n g o n e s te p a f te r a n o t h e r, s h o w c a s i n g her remarkable grit and her excellent time management and organisational skills in the process.”

beautifully selected products from independent brands. “When I was thinking about what I wanted to do when my maternity leave was over, I was looking for something that would be more flexible so that I could spend the time with my son.” Six months after Ted was born, BabaBox was up and running. In between afternoon naps (for Ted) and snatched moments in the evening, Sarah worked tirelessly to perfect her new brand.

Nominator, Amy says, “Through it all Sarah just kept moving forward, methodically taking one step after another, showcasing her remarkable grit and her excellent time management and organisational skills in the process.” Sarah has transformed BabaBox into a business that is garnering attention at both home and abroad. With Ted now at toddler status, Sarah has taken on a second enterprise, Slingshot Digital and impressed those around her with her ambition and unwavering work ethic. She says, “I’m really honoured and delighted to receive this award and it’s a great culmination of the couple of years' work.”

WINNER GUMMY GLOVE One Tester said: “Easy to use and clean, Gummy Glove is great for babies who can’t pick things up on their own. It is nice and bright but also good quality. A little extra, baby loves it.”

FINALISTS BABYBJÖRN BOUNCER BLISS, MIKA B COLOURFUL PACIFIER CLIP, SOCK ONS, TINY LOVE KANGY CHANGING TIME TOY BEST BABY MONITOR

WINNER SUMMER INFANT PANORAMA DIGITAL VIDEO MONITOR One Tester said: “The screen is large and bright... Also, the sound coming out of the speaker is loud and distinct.”

FINALISTS BT VIDEO BABY MONITOR 6000, TOMMEE TIPPEE CLOSER TO NATURE DIGITAL VIDEO & MOVEMENT MONITOR

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Young Achiever

BEST BABY WIPES

OF THE YEAR WINNER KAYDI SMITH NOMINATED BY ANGELA DOHERTY

This year ’s Young Achiever of the Year winner goes to a young girl who has achieved more in her short life than most adults ever will. On top of the peaks she has summited, is the determination and will of a young girl who effortlessly puts others needs before her own.

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aydi Smith is a quiet, unassuming young girl with a love for the outdoors. Hiking from the tender age of three, she has achieved things most adults would only dream of doing; climbing Carrauntoohil multiple times, getting to Everest Base Camp and undertaking Mt. Kilimanjaro. But it’s not only Kaydi’s physical achievements that make her so special. While in Tanzania, she quietly donated the money she both fundraised and received for her birthday, about $200, to local orphanages and clinics. On her trip to Nepal in October 2016, they brought with them more funds they raised, plus a suitcase full of clothes to help earthquake victims. During this trip, Kaydi hiked for 18 days to get to Everest Base Camp and trekked across glaciers and the Cho La Pass, something most adults would only dream of doing. Kaydi’s achievements are made all the more special by her humility in discussing them. “She wouldn’t really tell people all about what she does a lot, she tends to keep it to herself,” says grandmother, Angela. Her determination Fo r h e r, s e e i n g k i d s to conquer mountains is matched only h a v i n g t o w a l k f o r t w o by the depth of admiration from her h o u r s u p h i l l to s c h o o l family, and although she has achieved much already, we’re sure that Kaydi e v e r y d a y, k i n d o f g a v e so has many more mountains to climb in her perspective and the future. Angela notes, “She’s very laid m a d e h e r r e a l i s e t h a t back, she really doesn’t see it as an achievement. For her, it’s just something s h e h a d i t v e r y e a s y. ” that she loves to do.”

WINNER ALDI MAMIA NEWBORN EXTRA SENSITIVE WIPES One Tester said: “These wipes are an excellent wipe, soft and moist. They give a real smooth touch to my baby’s bottom.”

FINALISTS BOOTS BABY SOFT CLOTH WIPES FRAGRANCE FREE, HUGGIES NEWBORN WIPES, LIDL TOUJOURS BABY WIPES, PAMPERS SENSITIVE WIPES. BEST BABY SKINCARE

WINNER BEPANTHEN OINTMENT One Tester said:“Fragrance-free and colourless, this ointment is easy to apply and absorbs well into the skin."

FINALISTS BOOTS BABY TALCUM POWDER, CHILDS FARM BABY MOISTURISER, ELAVE SENSITIVE BABY CREAM ECOCERT NATURAL & ORGANIC. BEST BABY PANTS

WINNER PAMPERS NAPPY PANTS One Tester said:“My favourite pull-up; Extremely soft & comfortable. No complaints whatsoever and this will be my pull-up of choice for nappy training with my other children.”

FINALISTS BAMBINO MIO REUSABLE POTTY TRAINING PANTS, BOOTS BABY EASY ON POTTY TRAINING PANTS, HUGGIES PULL-UPS.

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BEST BABY THERMOMETER

WINNER BOOTS NON CONTACT THERMOMETER One Tester said:“This is a fantastic thermometer which is simple and easy to use.”

FINALISTS BUBBLEBUM OBLUMI TAPP - DIGITAL INFRARED THERMOMETER, INHEALTH DUAL MODE INFRARED THERMOMETER, TOMMEE TIPPEE CLOSER TO NATURE DIGITAL EAR THERMOMETER. BEST BABY / TODDLER SUPPLEMENT

Outstanding Achievement OF THE YEAR WINNER KEVIN BELL NOMINATED BY CAROL DESMOND

This year ’s Outstanding Achievement of the Year winner went above and beyond the duties of his job to help those in need.

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hen a woman arrived frantically at Kevin Bell’s workplace, UPS Cork, looking for the truck that would be carrying packages to the UK, she was quickly informed that the vehicle had already departed. She was the aunt of a one-week old little girl, who was gravely ill and the package she needed to be shipped was urgent test results to be reviewed by a specialist in London before morning. Upon hearing this, Kevin jumped into his car and pursued the truck to Dublin. With the petrol light on his car flashing and thick Dublin traffic, Kevin arrived with the package just in time for it to be loaded onto the truck. Kevin says, “The child was only a week old and every child has a god-given right to grow up and see what kind of person they turn out to be.” It’s for this act of kindness that Kevin has shown to total strangers, that he has been selected for this year’s Outstanding Achievement of the Year. He notes, “I’m really taken aback by this award, to be honest. To think that people look at me in that light.” Kevin’s family feel that this incident is just one example of his selfless nature. Nominator Carol says, “Kevin is one of life’s gentlemen. He’s so thoughtful and compassionate and such a great dad to his daughter and stepchildren. We are all so hugely proud of him.”

The child was only a week old and e v e r y c h i l d h a s a g o d - g i v e n r i g h t to grow up and see what kind of person t h e y t u r n o u t to b e . ”

WINNER BABYVIT D3 DROPS One Tester said: “It is a very good product.

Really easy to use and safe application.”

FINALISTS BOOTS PHARMACEUTICAL MULTIVITAMIN SYRUP, VIVIOPTAL JUNIOR. BEST BABY BREASTFEEDING PRODUCT

WINNER CLEVACUSHION 10 IN 1 NURSING PILLOW One Tester said: “The cushion is very comfortable, soft and nice material. It is good quality and has great material for myself and the baby. It makes feeding my baby more comfortable even when I am breastfeeding and can also can be used for multiple jobs.”

FINALISTS BOOTS BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT TABLETS & CAPSULES, BOOTS ULTRA SLIM BREAST PADS, FRUGI SPRING SMOCKED DRESS, TOMMEE TIPPEE ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP.

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introducing points for every €1 you spend on baby products every time you shop

Plus • Tailored gifts and offers for you and your little one • Exclusive advice, inspiring ideas and the latest news when you need it

Join in store today or at boots.ie/parentingclub

Parenting Club is exclusive to Boots Advantage Card holders who are pregnant or have a child under 3. Offers are available through the Boots App and Parenting Club emails only. We will only send you Parenting Club emails if a valid email address has been provided. Email communications will cease as your child turns 2. For full latest terms and conditions see boots. ie/parentingclub. Featured products available in larger Boots stores and on boots.ie, subject to availability.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

BEST SKINCARE FOR MUM

WINNER ALDI LACURA CAVIAR ILLUMINATION DAY CREAM One Tester said: “Excellent product, only issue is my 3-year-old managed to get it open. I have to keep it out of reach in future!”

FINALISTS BIO-OIL, ELAVE DERMO RENEW DAILY SKIN DEFENCE, ELAVE DERMO RENEW SKIN BALANCING MOISTURISER, HUMAN+KIND BODY OIL

People's Mum

BEST PREGNANCY SUPPLEMENT

OF THE YEAR WINNER ALISON O’REILLY NOMINATED BY CALBHACH HARTE

Apart from being an excellent, attentive mother to her own children, this year ’s Mum of the Year winner goes above and beyond to help children in need.

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y mum is one of the hardest working and most selfless people I know,” explains Calbhach. Alison O’Reilly has been the backbone of her family since day one when she welcomed her first child into her life. She not only goes above and beyond to provide love and care for him, but also those she has adopted and

My mam does the work of five people i n o n e d a y. A n d everything is about her children and anyone who needs help. She is a really good person and my hero.”

fostered. Beyond that, Alison makes time to care for patients in hospital who have little or no family support. Calbhach says, “She has a very big heart and is a mother to lots of children whom she always puts first.” After spending some time in both Ethiopia and Calcutta caring for street children, for the past seven months, Alison has been taking care of a child with severe special needs, while driving 120km a day to the hospital every evening and weekends. A foster parent, and a legal guardian to a couple of teenagers, Alison is driven to provide support for children who are troubled by their past, without access to the support that they need. Yet, she perceives these accomplishments as less than extraordinary. “I really don’t think I am doing anything extraordinary. I am only doing something I like doing,” she notes. Yet, Calbhach can’t think of a more deserving or worthy winner. And from his hands-on experience of her care, kindness and drive, we are sure that this award could be in no better hands.

WINNER BOOTS PREGNANCY SUPPORT PLUS One Tester said:“This is the only one pregnancy supplement that I can take without feeling sick. It provides all the nutriments my baby and I need during my pregnancy.”

FINALISTS BLUEIRON FE, PREGNACARE. BEST TIME-SAVING PRODUCT

WINNER TOMMEE TIPPEE CLOSER TO NATURE PERFECT PREP MACHINE One Tester said: “This product is a great time-saver, especially during the night with hungry babies and tired eyes. It is well made and easy to clean. Definitely worth it.

FINALISTS IKEA ÖNSKLIG STORAGE BASKETS, MILTON ANTIBACTERIAL SURFACE WIPES.

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Miracle Baby

BEST INNOVATIVE PRODUCT

OF THE YEAR WINNER SAM BARRETT NOMINATED BY ANN BARRETT

This year ’s Miracle Baby of the Year faced seemingly insurmountable odds even before conception. However, his fighting spirit has seen him grow into the thriving young boy he is today.

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hen Ann and Aidan Barrett decided to start trying for a baby, they soon discovered that this process would be a considerable challenge.

After undergoing IVF eight times without success, they were beginning to lose hope.

drilling. Two weeks after Ann’s ninth round of IVF, finally, she was pregnant. The couple soon discovered that they were due to have twins but unfortunately, the second child miscarried later in the pregnancy.

Thankfully, the other baby continued to thrive and at 34 weeks, decided it was time to see the world. Ann underwent an emergency C-section and at 2:02am on the 21st of June 2017, weighing 4lb 9oz, Sam Barrett This award means that in was born five weeks premature. t h e f u t u r e S a m w i l l r e a l i s e Despite complications, due to his umbilical cord becoming that he was my miracle entangled around his throat, Sam showed his immeasurable but other people viewed strength and kept fighting. him that way as well. It’s “Eventually, he started crying and still so raw and it’s still they brought him over and put him on my chest. He was perfect. so emotional, it’s just He was tiny but he was a wee amazing, he’s amazing.” fighter,” recalls Ann. “This award means that in the future Sam will realise that he was my miracle but Ann chose to undergo IVF one last time other people viewed him that way as well. and attempted to increase her chances of It’s still so raw and it’s still so emotional, it’s fertilisation by also carrying out ovarian just amazing, he’s amazing.”

WINNER COGNIKIDS SIP One Tester said: “I love the product because it is easier for my baby to learn how to grip a bottle properly and make it an easy transition for them to holding the bottle themselves” FINALISTS BUBBLEBUM THERMOMETER, ATTIPAS BABY & TODDLER SHOES, SLEEPYHEAD MOBILE TOY ARCH, SPLASH ABOUT NEW HAPPY NAPPY. BEST TRAVEL SYSTEM

WINNER BABY ELEGANCE VENTI TRAVEL SYSTEM One Tester said: “It lets you easily convert between carrycot and stroller. It is well padded, which is reassuring knowing my baby is well protected. An absolute gem."

FINALISTS CHICCO STYLEGO, JOIE CHROME DLX, MAXI COSI ZAPP FLEX PLUS LUX CARRYCOT & PEBBLE PLUS, MOTHERCARE JOURNEY. BEST SLEEP PRODUCT

WINNER MAM NIGHT SOOTHER One Tester said:“These soothers have orthopaedic teats which are better for babies.

There is a good balance between quality and durability for this product.”

FINALISTS HUGGIES DRYNITES, PRINCE LIONHEART SLUMBER BEAR, SLEEPYHEAD DELUXE, THE BED ANGEL.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

BEST SANTA EXPERIENCE

WINNER FOTA ISLAND RESORT One Tester said: “One of the best experiences that the children had and for the parents too. It was like we really headed up to visit the North Pole to visit Santa.”

FINALISTS AIRFIELD ESTATE CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE, TAYTO PARK, WATERFORD CASTLE HOTEL AND GOLF RESORT.

Grandparent

BEST SAFETY PRODUCT

OF THE YEAR WINNER ANN-MARIE HOURIGAN NOMINATED BY CARON HOURIGAN

This year ’s Grandparent of the Year has not only been a lifeline for her daughter and grandchildren but also a best friend and deser ves to be recognised for all she does.

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hen Caron fell pregnant her mother Ann-Marie instantly became grandparent of the year! Her grandchild, Lily, is now six years old and there’s nothing she looks forward to more than time spent with granny. Three years after Lily’s birth her second grandchild,

Mum was always t h e r e to h e l p i n any way she could, minding Lily while I w e n t to S C B U to visit Dylan, driving m e t o t h e h o s p i ta l , cooking, cleaning and just being a s o l i d r o c k to m e and my little

Dylan, was born at 26 weeks. At four years old, Dylan was diagnosed with autism and Ann-Marie was always onhand to offer assistance. Whether it be taking on the role of babysitter, cook, maid, taxi driver or counsellor, Ann-Marie could always be counted on. “Mum was always there to help in any way she could, minding Lily while I went to SCBU to visit Dylan, driving me to the hospital, cooking, cleaning and just being a solid rock to me and my little family,” says Caron. AnnMarie even petitioned local TDs to ensure there were suitable classroom supports for Dylan in school. Even, during the celebrations for her daughter’s wedding, Ann-Marie could be found taking care of her wonderful grandchildren, gifting the bride and groom with the peace of mind that they were in good hands. Yet, outside of the extraordinary acts of love that she has undertaken, it’s the everyday contributions Ann-Marie makes to her grandchildren’s lives that leave her friends and family in awe. It’s for this selflessness that she is named our Grandparent of the Year.

WINNER PRINCE LIONHEART CHILD VIEW MIRROR One Tester said:“This safety product, which is very good quality, is absolutely necessary to have in your car when travelling with baby.

Makes keeping an eye on your baby much safer.”

FINALISTS BOOTS SOCKET COVERS, DINOSAUR TODDLER BACKPACK, MILTON ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY, SAFETY 1ST SECRET BUTTON COLLECTION. BEST FAMILY BRAND

WINNER ALDI MAMIA One Tester said: “This is a fantastic brand, it provides not only amazing products and food for my baby but also for the family.”

FINALIST ANNABEL KARMEL, FAIRY NON-BIO, SUPERVALU, STERIMAR.

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BEST IN FERTILITY

WINNER PRE-CONCEIVE One Tester said: “Contains a lot of nutritional ingredients that can help boost fertility levels” FINALISTS PROCEIVE ADVANCED FERTILITY SUPPLEMENT, LADY-COMP - ADVANCED FERTILITY MONITOR, CONCEIVE PLUS FERTILITY LUBRICANT TUBE, SWIM COUNT SPERM TEST. POTTY TRAINING PRODUCT

Dad OF THE YEAR WINNER KEITH LYNAM NOMINATED BY EMMA LYNAM

This year ’s Maxi-Cosi Dad of the Year is someone who has given selfless and unrelenting support to his growing family.

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t 37 weeks gestation, dad Keith Lynam had his babies, Archie and Pippa, in his arms. When he noticed Archie was experiencing laboured breathing, Keith didn’t stop when the first, second or indeed third doctor told him it was normal.

Instead, he insisted his son visit a neonatologist, which led to the discovery that Archie’s airways had not fully developed. Without Keith’s persistence, the outcome could have been potentially devastating. When Archie was finally able to come home, it was required that Keith and Emma place an oxygen mask on him each night. This was a harrowing experience for both parents and little Archie. Emma says, “Keith held me as I cried every night as our little boy lay next to us connected to his machine. If our little girl as much as squeaked he jumped to hold her. Add to that the trauma of daily medication that caused Archie to howl in pain as it hit his tummy – without Keith’s support I would have given up so many times.” With things now looking up for this growing family, Emma wants to

express her awe of this amazing dad. She says, “I just keep thinking, ‘What if I didn’t have him?’ Other people don’t have this support. I’m so grateful for him. We’re delighted that we’re not the only people that know he’s Dad of the Year anymore.

Everybody else can verify it for him now!”

WINNER IKEA LOCKIG CHILDREN'S POTTY One Tester said:“Gives great back support for children and the easily removable green insert makes it so handy to dispose of everything and clean it.”

FINALISTS CLEVAMAMA TENCEL TOILET TRAINING SLEEP MAT, LIDL TOUJOURS KIDS TISSUES, HUGGIES PULL-UPS, SUPERVALU FLUSHABLE TODDLER TOILET WIPES. BEST BATH TIME PRODUCT

I just keep thinking, ‘What if I didn’ t have him?’ Other people don’ t have this support. I’m s o g r a te f u l f o r h i m .

We ’ r e d e l i g h te d that we’re not the only people that know he’s Dad of t h e Ye a r a n y m o r e ... ”

WINNER CHILDS FARM BUBBLE BATH One Tester said:“My baby loves the smell of Childs Farm Bubble Bath. She enjoys bath time even more than usual when I use it. It is really good for her sensitive skin” FINALISTS BRUSH-BABY TEETHING WIPES, CLEVAMAMA APRON BABY BATH TOWEL, CHILDS FARM HAIR & BODY WASH, IKEA LÄTTSAM BABY BATH.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

BEST HOLIDAY PRODUCT

WINNER HUGGIES LITTLE SWIMMERS One Tester said: “This nappy made a promise to not weight the baby down or bulk out and it held true. Fantastic nappy. Will be purchasing these in the future” FINALISTS ELAVE SENSITIVE SUN SPF 30, MILTON MINI PORTABLE SOOTHER STERILISER, MUNCHKIN LATCH STERILISE BAGS,SPLASH ABOUT NEW HAPPY NAPPY. childcare

canavanbyrne childcare canavanbyrne

BEST FAMILY HOLIDAY DESTINATION

Early Educator OF THE YEAR WINNER DINGLE SKELLIG HOTEL WINNER IDA LANE NOMINATED BY JENNIFER TYLIM

This year ’s winner of the Canavan Byrne Early Educator of the Year award goes to Ida Lane. Ida works as a Montessori teacher whose compassion and love of her students shines through everyday.

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hen Jennifer’s youngest daughter became paralysed from the chin down last, she was told that she would be unable to attend preschool for at least two years. This all changed when the family became introduced to Ida. “When the HSE said that Poppy couldn’t go to school for two years, I spoke with Ida and she said, ‘No, mentally she’s absolutely fine and she needs to be here. Simple as that,’”

We s e e I d a o n a day to day basis and how she works.

She’s very patient and very caring.”

explains Jennifer. “She didn’t have any reservation in taking her on.” From this, and from seeing her son go through Ida’s care along with a few nieces and nephews, means that Jennifer has a pretty good idea of why Ida deserved to be in line for this award. “We do see Ida on a day-to-day basis and how she works.

She’s very patient and very caring,” says Jennifer. “I think she does the job for the love of the job and not for money. I can’t see her making any money with all the stuff she provides for each child.” Even when it came to the physical implications of having a child with a disability in the facility, Ida made the necessary applications to provide for her students; making changes to her own home in the process. Ida’s provision, love and care for the children in her Montessori are a testament to the Early Childhood Education sector and profession. It just goes to show, what one woman can do.

One Tester said: This was a fantastic family hotel/holiday destination. There were great activities for the children and such a gorgeous location. Would definitely recommend.”

FINALISTS FOTA ISLAND RESORT, GARRYVOE HOTEL, SLIEVE RUSSELL HOTEL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, TAYTO PARK THEME PARK & ZOO. BEST CAR SEAT

WINNER MAXI-COSI AXISS One Tester said: “This is a great car seat that parents can turn to the side so that it is easier to put their child in and out of the car.”

FINALIST MAXI-COSI CABRIOFIX & EASYFIX BASE, BESAFE IZI MODULAR I-SIZE & MODULAR BASE, BESAFE IZI MODULAR INFANT CARRIER.

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BEST FAMILY CLEANING PRODUCT

WINNER MILTON WASHING UP LIQUID One Tester said:“Excellent product, I'd definitely recommend to families with babies as it does seem to wash beakers and teats perfectly clean.”

FINALISTS ALDI ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES, BIOMEX HOME CLEAN PACK, LILLY'S ECO CLEAN WASHING UP LIQUID WITH LEMON, LILLY'S ECO CLEAN FLOOR CLEANER WITH ORANGE OIL. BEST FAMILY DETERGENT SPECIAL MERIT FOR

Courage and Compassion WINNER MARIE WHITE NOMINATED BY SONYA DUGGAN

This Year ’s Boots Special Merit for Courage and Compassion winner is a woman who, throughout her life, has exhibited unrelenting charity to all who have met her.

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s the first-born in her family, Marie White has always exhibited a talent for taking care of others. Throughout her life, Marie has given as much of herself as humanly possible to those around her and for that reason she has been awarded our Boots Special Merit for Courage and Compassion. While Marie tragically lost a son of five months of age, she soon went on to have three more children, Marcus, Katrina and Jerome, whom she cared for lovingly every day. When Marcus was one year old, he began to have seizures as a result of hypoglycemia, a condition that would also be shared with his brother Jerome. Marie took care of her son diligently, undertaking the awe-inspiring task of feeding him every two hours, for five years. She says, “The doctor told me he’d give me a medal, feeding a child every two hours, for five years. All I had was a tea maker waking me up!” Two years later, tragedy struck again as Marie and her husband lost their little girl to a car crash, which Marie can only describe as the worst nightmare for any parent. During this time in her life, Marie also took care of her ailing

mother and uncle, while working as a sacristan in her local church and holding down a third job at a local shop. She undertook all of this, in almost impossible circumstances, without a word of complaint. For this reason, she has been awarded the Boots Special Merit for Courage and Bravery award. Nominator Sonya says, “Her life has been tragic in some respects and one cannot imagine the grief she has been through, but the strength, bravery, perseverance and positivity she continues to have is nothing short of admirable'.”

WINNER FAIRY NON-BIO One Tester said:“ I love this product. It's so good on my family’s skin: there is 7 of us. It lasts a lot longer than any other products and it smells fab and clothes come out really nice and fresh. Definitely recommend it” FINALIST LILLY'S ECO CLEAN MULTIACTION DISHWASHER TABLET, LILLY'S ECO CLEAN NON BIO LAUNDRY LIQUID. BEST NAPPY RANGE

WINNER PAMPERS PREMIUM PROTECTION NAPPY

T h e d o c to r to l d me he’d give me a medal, feeding a child every two hours, for five years.

A l l I h a d w a s a te a maker waking me u p . ”

One Tester said:“These nappies are brilliant.

They hold moisture very well and are reliable for over night and for long periods of time during the day.”

FINALIST ALDI MAMIA NAPPIES, BAMBINO ALL-IN-ONE NAPPY, BOOTS BABY SUPER DRY ACTIVE NAPPIES, LIDL TOUJOURS NAPPY.

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M & I AWA R D S | C OV E R AG E

Thank you

We want to say a huge thank you to all our sponsors, finalists, winners, judges and parent testers. We are already planning the 2018 awards so make sure to keep an eye on our website for updates in the coming months www.maternityandinfant.ie/awards @maternityinfant.

Clockwise from top left: Best Baby Thermometer Boots Non Contact Thermometer: Maura Derrane & Avril Farrell Innovative Product of the Year Cognikids Sip: Maura Derrane & Ollwyn Moran Best Time Saving Product tommee tippee Closer to Nature Perfect Prep Machine: Maura Derrane & Fiona Fenlon Best Potty Training Product IKEA LOCKIG Children's Potty: Maura Derrane & Emanuel Olaniran Best Breast Feeding Product Clevamama ClevaCushion 10 in 1 Nursing Pillow: Maura Derrane & Cristina Ceobanu Best Baby Wipes Aldi Mamia Newborn Extra Sensitive Wipes: Maura Derrane & Noel Birchall Best Bath Time Product Childs Farm Bubble Bath: Maura Derrane & Joe Maskell, Best Family Car ŠKODA KODIAQ: Maura Derrane & Jack Slattery Boots Grand Prix Award MAM Easy Start Anti Colic Bottle: Maura Derrane, Conor O’Farrell & John Meaney-O’Brien Best Baby Carrier Stokke MyCarrier: Maura Derrane & Alannah Coghlan.

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Home is the place where memories are made.

There are 5,000 people homeless in Ireland. One in seven people accessing homeless services is a child. By remembering Focus Ireland in your Will, you can provide more people with a place to call home, a place to create their own happy memories.

We understand that when making your Will, you’ll want to care for those closest to you first, but once you have, any contribution to Focus Ireland can make such a big difference. Please contact Pauline Costello in Focus Ireland, in complete confidence, on 01 881 5900. Thank you.

1850 204 205 www.focusireland.ie

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Now with an optional Carrycot and unique elevators the lightweight and compact iCandy Raspberry offers the ultimate travel solution for urban parents.

www.icandyworld.com

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