My Child Magazine March 2015 Issue

AUSTRALIA’S BEST PREGNANCY, BABY & PARENTING MAGAZINE ISSUE 42

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Avoid the

Vote and win

SUGAR TRAP

Understanding HELP WITH EXTREME

morning sickness Stuttering explained

YOUR BABY’S CRY

REMEDIES FOR post

baby aches

MEET

MARY-RUTH MENDEL AN AUSSIE LITERACY AMBASSADOR

OISHI-M AUTUMN LAUNCH // PROTEIN PUNCH // MUMS IN MOTION 1 * mychild | march 2015

growing babies organically.

Made with love for your baby, the nature baby range always respects the best ethical and environmental practices. With a fresh modern take on all the essentials you will need for your baby, our range includes 100% certified organic cotton and merino wool baby clothing, sleepwear and bedding. A luxurious botanical skincare range for mothers and babies and unique toys to inspire the imagination.

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Editor’s column

Rocket ship shaped space adventure cake stand with three tiers. Perfect for displaying your cupcakes and treats. Ideal for kids birthday parties! From Ginger Ray www.gingerray.co.uk

SAM REES-JONES

First off and very important we have our annual Excellence Awards voting in this issue. You can win wonderful prizes by voting so scroll through the nominations and head over to our website to vote.

I travelled extensively with my parents and consequently went to quite a few new schools. I clearly remember the nervous apprehension as I walked into the classroom for the first time, the sea of nameless faces staring back at me as I scuttled to the vacant desk. But by the end of the first week I had made a friend, by the second week I felt as if I had always been at that school!

For those starting school this year it has been a big change, and hopefully by now the new school shoes should be a bit softer and definitely scuffed, the breakfast routine and run to school is still taking a while to get used to but before long it will be a breeze.

On another note, there has been quite a bit in the media lately about the amount of sugar in our daily diet, we asked a nutritionist to give her views and explain the good and bad sugar, an interesting read and usefull information.

We also caught up with Mary-Ruth Mendel, who is doing an incredible job helping children read and write.

Cover shot

Sa m

Our beautiful march cover was photographed by Absolute Photography. Vanessa and her team produce lasting memories filled with emotion and laughter. (02) 9386 5887 info@absolutephotography.com.au

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~ 2015 ~ Excellence Awards 2012

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

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contents

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COVER STORIES

IDEAS

32 Profile Meet Mary-Ruth Mendel a literacy ambassador 42 When is it more than morning sickness Kelly Winder looks at Hyperemesis Gravidarum and tells us what can be done 52 Beyond Birth Post baby physical effects take their toll, there is help!

62 One lump or two Melissa Lichocik looks at the effects of sugar in our diets 128 Finding the words How to identify stuttering and get help 132 Boys VS Girls How gender differences start

8 Editor’s picks 12 Bits & bobs 14 Best in Websites 16 My 5 favourites 22 My business Vanessa Forbes a brilliant photographer and musician from Bondi

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STYLE 18 Talking Design Babybjorn tell us about their innovative products 30 What we love…The Difrax Training Cup 76 What we love…The Anorak Grobag 104 Fashion Autumn Splash from OISHI-M 112 Party Turtles, Ballerinas and Bows from Styled by Belle

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Cooking Stacey’s delicious biscuits Interiors report Beyond Blue

WIN! 74 Over $3,500 of prizes to be won…Vote and win 78 The Excellence awards…All the finalists!

PREGNANCY & BIRTH 40 48 49 50

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When is it more than morning sickness Shopping What’s new in store News Help for Urinary incontinence News How big is your baby’s tummy

BABY & TODDLER 52 Beyond Birth Post baby physical effects take their toll, there is help!

58 10 Things your crying baby wants you to know 66 One step at a time How to encourage your bub to walk 69 Shopping What’s new in store

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News A new green tea for you

PRESCHOOLER & BIG KIDS 128 Finding the words How to identify stuttering and get help 132 Boys VS Girls How gender differences start 138 News NAPLAN explained 144 Shopping What’s new in store

FAMILY 38 First fit your mask Kylie Kaden delivers another fantastic column 62 One lump or two Melissa Lichocik looks at the effects of sugar in our diets 98 Mums in Motion How to get fit and trim while out and about 124 How To…Pack in the protein 140 Real Life 146 Rent or Buy A long standing argument!

150 Surviving an Auction How to make it less stressful

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR SAM REES-JONES ART DIRECTOR & STYLIST MORGAN ZELL ONLINE EDITOR JORDAN VON HAGAN NEWSLETTER EDITOR & WRITER JORDAN VON HAGEN WRITERS & SUB-EDITORS

JESSICA RILEY, GEORGIA WARD, THE EXPERT EDITOR

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editorial@mychildmagazine.com.au CONTRIBUTING EXPERTS KYLIE KADDEN,STACEY DEUTSCHER, , KELLY WINDER, MONIQUE GILL, HELEN CUNNINGHAM, SUSAN CLARKE, MADELINE MITCHELL, HEALTH & PARENTING, ADAM WADI, TOM BOYLE, MARTY RANKIN, MELISSA LICHOCIK, JO HEGETY

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY iStock ADVERTISING DIRECTOR SAM REES-JONES m 0426 790 398 e sam@mychildmagazine.com.au

CONTACT 61 2 9446 1614 mychildmagazine.com.au

MY CHILD IS PRODUCED & PUBLISHED BY LITTLE BLUE DOG ABN 611 996 81 521

My Child magazine and mychildmagazine.com.au are wholly owned by Little Blue Dog (ABN 611 996 81 521). No other parties or individuals have any financial interest in the company or in My Child or mychildmagazine.com.au. My Child contains general information only and does not purport to be a substitute for health and parenting advice. Readers are advised to seek a doctor for all medical and health matters. The publisher and authors do not accept any liability whatsoever in respect of an action taken by readers in reliance on the recommendations set out in this magazine. Reproduction of any material without written permission by the publisher is strictly forbidden. We cannot accept responsibility for material lost or damaged in the post or for any unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All reasonable efforts have been made to trace copyright holders.

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s m u b g n i sav saving babies

ipes BUY Red Nose Baby WORE & HELP US SAVE M BABIES’ LIVES

Available at: IGA, SUPA IGA, BIG W & TARGET or buy online at aussiewipes.com.au & check out our great promotions!

Selected IGA & Super IGA Stores only. Selected range available in Big W. march 2015| mychild

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IDEAS

EDITOR’S PICKS ALL KINDS OF PRODUCTS CROSS SAM’S DESK EACH DAY. HERE ARE A FEW OF HER FAVOURITES

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Chester is a traditional rocking horse, inside his pocket is Fred, a removable bear. $310.00 from Little Bird Told Me www. littlebirdtoldme.co.uk.

Everything would be so sweet if you lived in a pear house! $110 from Oliver’s Twisty Tales. www. oliverstwistytales.com.au.

No more clothes left on the floor! With this clothes reindeer. $36.24 from Trendystyle online www.trendstyle-online. de Kids will have hours of fun playing and drawing on this washable mat. $42.65 from The Little British Company www thelittlebritishcompany.co.uk This pretty tin tea set is ideal for both indoor and outdoor tea parties with friends, dolls and teddies! $31.00 The Oak Room www.oakroomshop.co.uk Encourage kids to discover the outdoors with this fantastic Nature Explorers Kit: $38.75 from The Oak room shop www. oakroomshop.co.uk A little blue pouf for a little ones room: $ 45.00 KSL LIVING www.ksl-living. fr$99.95.

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Stay close to the heart of your home from any room with a VTech Safe & Sound baby monitor.

Refined audio and full-colour video bring you every smile, giggle or sigh, so you can rest assured your little one is sleeping safe and sound.

Find out more at auphones.vtech.com

Join the ‘VTech Baby Monitors Australia’ Facebook community facebook.com/auphones.vtech

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IDEAS

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PRODUCT

OF THE MONTH

TELLING TIME

How do you get your children to understand when it’s time to get up? Simple! Tell them to“stay in bed until you see the sun!” The Gro-clock uses fun images of the stars and sun to communicate when to go back to sleep and when it’s time to get up. It is this combination of the simple glowing images and the bedtime story book which has already made the Gro-Clock a phenomenal success.

From Gro-Store

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IDEAS

BITS&BOBS

BEST BOOKS The Runaway car There’s runaway vehicle without any brakes, and it’s headed for disaster. Can the characters of the Magic Car wash band together to save the day?

By Rosie Smith, Bruce Whatley & Ben Smith Whatley. $12.95 Five mile press.

loves The Bamboo Bouncer from Danish by Design is a stunning product for your child. The Bamboo frame reacts to the slightest of baby’s movements while being strong enough to hold a toddler of 18kg. By removing the harness the Bamboo becomes a little chair. $299.99. from Danish by design.com.au

Fish jam A jazzy little fish called Toot has trouble finding a friend to play with in the wide blue sea because he is a little noisy. Make that very noisy!

His loud musical ways are not appreciated by those that he meets, until something unexpected happens! $19.95 Five Mile press.

Ducks to water We’re back on Mum and Ted’s farm in another hilarious adventure.

When the Duck Pond dries up, Bryn and Oscar the dog go on a quest to uncover the problem. It seems the drain to the pond is clogged and only a large crane will be able to fix this problem. Meanwhile, Oscar finds he is a surrogate Mum when some ducklings hatch on his watch. $14.95 Five Mile Press

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CUTIE PIE The really cute mustard coloured bowler hat is 100% wool and finishes off any outfit, suitable for little boys or girls available from Lacylaneshop.com

A GRAIN OF TRUTH A Grain of Truth campaign reveals that 82 per cent of parents change the meals they prepare for their children when they themselves are dieting. Despite most parents saying they would like their kids to eat more food rich in fibre, almost half admited to limiting the amount of bread their children eat.

New research has highlighted parents are passing on their own dietary restrictions to their children, with some admitting to actively changing their children’s meals to cut carbohydrates from their diets.

In the wake of current trend toward the ‘antiexpert’, with Australians increasingly relying on family members, bloggers, chefs and personal trainers for dietary advice, the research shows that Australians are a nation of confused eaters, who are struggling to choose healthy everyday staples for themselves and their families.

Parents are calling out for help, saying it’s a struggle to get their children to eat a balanced diet, citing picky eaters and too much snacking as causes.

It’s really important that parents recognise that kids have different nutritional needs and generally require more carbohydrate to fuel their active bodies. Bread provides carbohydrate, but also protein, a bunch of essential nutrients and is an easy way to get more fibre into their diets.

The A Grain of Truth campaign from Tip Top Bakeries and supported by Dr Joanna McMillan and GLNC is calling on Australians to farewell the fads and go back to the smart basics.

This means making sure that meals consist of real foods and include a healthy balance of all the key food groups; plants, proteins, smart carbs and good fats.

Difrax S-Bottle

Difrax “S-bottle” is specially designed to reduce the risk of colic as the unique S-shape means the teat is always full with milk.

Difrax Microwave Steriliser

Difrax S-Bottles

Difrax Soother

www.difrax.com.au

Follow us on facebook.com/ march 2015| mychild DifraxAustralia

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MY CHILD PROMOTION

THE BEST IN WEBSIT

SHOPPING ONLINE FOR PREGNANCY, BABY AND KIDS’ GE

> JUST FOR MUMS

BABYBJORN

boowiggie.com.au

babybjorn.com.au

Luxurious leather nappy bags in the disguise of a designer handbag. Designed in Australia.

Affordably priced.

> JUST FOR MUMS TOTAL BAG ENVY

totalbagenvy.com.au Professional nappy bags for the working mum. looking good but being practical.

> MATERNITY FASHION MATERNITY SALE

maternity sale.com.au Maternity clothes infashion, on sale and on lin

> MATERNITY FASHION FERTILE MIND

> TOYS/PARTIES/GIFTS SOLVEJ solveJswings.com.au Babies and children love to swing. Swinging has really great benefits for your baby and child.

> CHILDRENS FASHIO OUCH

ouchclothing.com.au

a unique childrenswear collection fit for boys and girls from newborn to twelve years

> TOYS/PARTIES/GIFTS MISS KIKI OF CHERRY BLOSSOM LANE

misskikiofcherryblossomlane. com.au

The best place to start the minute you’re pregnant. Early stage accessories, bellybelts, bandos, bellybra plus load more

Bespoke collection of unique, petite luxury companion dolls, crafted for play. Artisan handcrafted in studio, Australia.

FAIRY BLOSSOM fairyblossom.com.au Stocking over 2500 products from leading brands, we welcome to you Fairy Blossom and Friends.

> OUT & ABOUT BELLAS LITTLE ONES bellaslittleones.com.au Baby Carrier Specialists, Ergobaby, Manduca, lillebaby,Hugabub, Boba – Huge Range

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BabyBjörn’s new generation baby carriers are easy to use whenever and wherever you need it. Suitable for 0-3 years.

www.fertilemind.com.au

> OUT & ABOUT

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> OUT & ABOUT

BOOWIGGIE

mychild | march 2015

> TOYS/PARTIES/GIFTS DINOSNORES

dinosnores.com Award winning stories that take children on an imaginative journey full of sleepy little creatures

> TOYS/PARTIES/GIFTS PIKAPU

pikapu.com

A nappy to take bub from newborn to toddler, the pikapu nappy’s original design is all you need

TES

EAR? GIVE THESE GREAT SITES A GO! > ECO FRIENDLY

> CHILDREN’S FASHION

KIDS CIRCLE

TINY TRIBE

kidscircle.com.au

tinytribe.com.au

Recycle the outgrown clothes from your children in bundles by swapping them online. Save time and money Australia wide

> BABY FASHION SOOKIbaby

sookibaby.com.au Unique clothing for your baby and child available online and in store

> BABY FASHION OUCH

ouchclothing.com.au

A unique childrenswear collection fit for boys and girls from newborn to twelve years

> BABY FASHION BABBLE ON BABY

babbleonbaby.com.au Beautiful clothing for your baby for all stages and ages.

> SMART INTERIORS THE LITTLE KIDS CLOSET thelittlekidscloset.com.au The little kids closet- Ingeriors for the modern child. Furniture -Bedding-Decor.

> SMART INTERIORS LILLY & LOLLY lilly&lolly.com.au Lilly & Lolly produce kid’s furniture and bed linen with distinctive designs and exceptional quality.

Tiny Tribe - Australia’s new online destination for fashionable baby and kids clothing.

> NUTRITION/FEEDING QUIBIES quibies.com.au Food storage containers give you a simple way to store and freeze breast milk and purees into convenient 30ml sized cube

> NUTRITION/FEEDING DIFRAX difrax.com.au The Difrax S-bottle features a unique S-shape. This S-shape ensures that the teat contains only your baby’s food and no air

> NUTRITION/FEEDING CHERUB BABY cherubbaby.com.au These reusable baby food pouches are a portable way to store, freeze, warm and serve homemade baby food.

> SMART INTERIORS

SPECKLED HOUSE speckledhouse.com From decals, to storage and blankets – we are all about creative, fun and practical decorating for kids.

> SMART INTERIORS PETIT

petit.com.au Everything you will need in bedding and decor to create a dreamy nursery or your child’s first big kid room!

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IDEAS

THIS PAGE: THE BELLY BEAN PILLOW $89.OO

My5 favourites CAROLINE BANNISTER IS THE THE DESIGNER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE BELLYBEAN MATERNITY PILLOW. THE PILLOW WAS INVENTED OUT OF A DESPERATE NEED TO GET COMFORTABLE DURING HER PREGNANCY IN 2005

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The Bellybean Maternity Pillow- because it provides comfort and support during pregnancy, and I designed it! www.bellybean.com.au Qubies-These wonderful silicon trays make freezing baby food so easy and feeding little ones so time efficient for busy mums and dads.www.qubies.com.au Xquisit Organics- seriously delicious and nourishing organic body creams for you and your baby. www.xquisit.com.au

Taxiride Textiles- hand made in Margaret River. These are made out of fabulous fabrics, multi-purpose bags and purses of all shapes and sizes. Useful for just about everything from toiletries, nappies, stationery and more.

Banana Guard- The first time I saw it I laughed out loud. It is so practical. No more squished bananas at the bottom of school bags. www.bananaguard.com

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IDEAS

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Talking design SWEDISH FAMILY-COMPANY BABYBJÖRN HAS PROMOTED BABY WEARING FOR MOTHERS AND FATHERS AROUND THE WORLD SINCE THE 70’S. BUT IT TOOK BABYBJÖRN 40 YEARS BEFORE THEY MADE A BABY CARRIER THAT COULD BE USED ON THE BACK. WE ASKED THEIR PRODUCT DEVELOPER DAVID THALÉN WHY?

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orty years ago, when we started to make baby carriers it was all about carrying small babies and bonding with your newborn. Nowadays, baby wearing is huge and there’s an expectation to carry heavier babies for longer periods of time as well. We always wanted to keep the newborn baby in focus so the whole design is centered around a newborn baby, then we’ve added features to make it possible to use until the baby is three years old.

WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY? Safety, Quality, Style, in that order.

As safety always comes first, the challenge for us was to find a safe way to get the baby on your back without anyone helping you. It took us a long time before we thought we had nailed it. But simple solutions are often the best! Design-wise we always strive for a simple, yet refined Scandinavian design that will appeal to mothers and fathers alike.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE DESIGN? You can use the baby carrier as it comes in the

box for a newborn. You don’t need any additional features like an infant insert, it’s designed to be ideal for the small baby. It’s important for a newborn to have enough support around the whole body. The babies’ hips should have the right amount of support and at the same time they should offer freedom of movement for the muscles and joints to develop. The head makes up one for third of the body weight and they can’t support their own heads yet so you need a proper head support. During their first year, children can triple their weight and their center shifts. To allow for toddlers the seating width is adjustable, bigger kids need a bigger seat.

The parents can also be of different size and this also needs to be accommodated. The carrier fits both tall, short, big and small parents.

We’re very proud of our unique way of getting the baby on to your back. You always put the baby in while you have the carrier on your chest. You move the baby carrier from front to back while your child sits in the baby carrier, safely and securely. The shoulder

Visit babybjorn.com.au

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straps will remain on your body like a closed loop during the process. This unique solution allows you to place your child on your back without assistance. Simple, safe and comfortable!

The buckles are always a challenge. That’s why we develop all buckles for our baby carriers in-house. They need to be intuitive and safe. We look at how parents grip and use the buckles. Where the buckles are on the baby carrier is also important. We spent a long time looking into exactly where on the baby carrier the best place for the front buckle was.

I became a father myself during the design process so I had a lot of opportunities to try out all the details with my own daughter. As an engineer I could go on forever explaining about why we placed certain seams a certain way or why the buckles make a distinct click sound when you close them (so that you know that they are properly closed) but the bottom line is: a baby carrier should be simple to use.

You should just be able to grab it, put it on and use it without having to think too much about it. At BabyBjörn we try to make everyday life for parents more enjoyable by making it a little bit easier. Carrying your baby is practical – but it’s also a really nice thing to do!

WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES?

WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED?

http://www.babybjorn.com.au/* David demonstrated how to use the Baby Carrier One in this video

Baby Carrier One comes in two versions, Cotton and Mesh. When we use cotton we want it to be absolutely free from harmful chemicals and allergens. The fabric is certified according to the strictest fabric standard in the world: Oeko-Tex 100 Class 1.

In many countries, however, the Mesh version is more popular since it’s airier and cooler. The whole baby carrier is made from our 3D-mesh material. This makes it ideal for a hot and humid climate.

• Four different carrying positions • Safe way to get your toddler on your back • No infant insert needed • Padded shoulder straps • Sturdy waist belt • All fabrics are hazard-free and safe to taste • Machine washable • Proper support for the babies hips and spine • Grows with the baby • Adjustable head support • Compact, easy to stow away • Developed with pediatricians • Thoroughly tested by test families • Super safe, unique, in-house made buckles • Adheres to the recommendations of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute

HOW DO YOU USE IT? Newborns are carried close on your front.

Larger babies can be carried facing outwards and toddlers can be carried on your back. You can put your baby unaided in all positions.

WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED CONTACT INFO?

Visit babybjorn.com.au

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Leander remarkabLe furniture “To design quality furniture for children, one has to see the world through their eyes and understand their need for safety and opportunity to develop.�

Stig Leander, founder & designer.

Phone: 03 9588 0999 info@danishbydesign.com.au www.danishbydesign.com.au march 2015| mychild

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IDEAS

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Absolutely

Fabulous

VANESSA FORBES HAS A PASSION FOR PHOTOGRPAHY AND IT SHOWS AS SHE NATURALLY CAPTURES EMOTION IN HER STUNNING IMAGES march 2015| mychild

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V

anessa is an inspirational photographer.

She creates emotive and soulful portraits capturing the natural essence of human beauty and love and the magical bond between parents and their children. We caught up with her and asked her a few questions.

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When did you launch the business and what inspired it?

I must be the only person who still remembers my photo shoot when I was 3 years old. My twin and I traipsed across the street in our little black velvet dresses with the white lace trim feeling very special. I remember in the

studio being shy for a long time with a strange man trying to talk to me but when he suddenly threw me a ball I smiled and laughed. Click. He got it. That photo series of me smiling was in our house all my childhood.

I used to see it every day and so many times it gave me such a positive feeling to see myself up on the wall. I felt validated, celebrated and that I was an important part of the family.

I always wanted to be a photographer and I got my big break in the 90’s when I was taken on as a TV stills photographer at Channel 7. The work was competitive and so stressful that in the early months I often used to drive home from work in tears. While my boss was mostly supportive, he threatened that if I didn’t get good results with every shoot, there was a line of photographers waiting for my job. It was the most incredible training ground though and my hard work paid off - I learned to create photos under any conditions, and they were always good.

In 2002 my twin nieces were born and I started photographing them for fun. I quickly discovered that documenting family and capturing the love between mother, father and child was so much more meaningful and fulfilling to me than being a cog in the corporate TV world. I remembered my childhood photo up on the wall and the positive influence it had on me. I decided there and then that photographing children was not only fun, but I would also be creating something valuable for other families.

It wasn’t long before people started commissioning me to photograph their own families and soon Absolute Photography was born.

What is your role in the business?

My role has changed over the years. I used to do everything from the photography through to all the organisation and production of the photos. As I got busier I had to hire staff and

then I was automatically thrown into the role of manager and employer. I found managing staff really tricky and it took me a long time to become better at it. These days I don’t work full time but I do a combination of photography and generally oversee the business.

Can you tell me about the team?

We are an all female, creative team in our 30s and 40s. (You can imagine all the cooing that goes on in our offices, both of photos that we have taken and of the babies themselves.)

Niki, our principal photographer has been an art photographer for the past 15 years and she’s been working at Absolute Photography for 2 years.

Sian is our customer service and office manager and Sarah is our design consultant who guides families through their viewing session.

Simone is our expert retoucher – she works her magic wherever and whenever it’s needed to produce our end result. We also have a child specialist assistant who comes along to the photo shoot to help make children (and adults) laugh.

What products/ services do you offer?

We specialise in portraits. Everyone needs photos of themselves or their family at some point in their lives, whether it be capturing fleeting childhood, or creating sexy shots in their prime, or needing a headshot for their work or social media.

I completely understand people’s discomfort in front of the camera because I’ve had that too. It doesn’t worry me though that my subjects can be nervous - I know how to make them feel comfortable and after so many years I have the skill and expertise to make people look good in a 2D image.

What has been the most challenging

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aspect of setting up the business?

The overall business side has been most challenging for me. I’m more of an artist than a business person and I’ve had to learn the business side through trial and error. I also really struggled becoming a boss – I found I was micro-managing and that didn’t go down with my staff too well. I realised that I had to let go of control and that even if things were done differently it didn’t mean they weren’t as good.

The other difficultly was learning to stop work at a reasonable time. For the first few years of my business I became a workaholic, just trying to get through everything. Eventually I realized that a business never stops, there’s always something that needs to be done and I had to put boundaries in place regarding business and just enjoying life.

Is there any advice you wish you’d been given?

I would have liked to have had the guidance (and courage) to employ staff sooner. I learnt the hard way when I became so busy running a business on my own that I suffered burnout.

The team that now makes up Absolute Photography contributes so much on a daily level to the atmosphere, feel and outcome of the business. Now I couldn’t do without them.

What do you enjoy most about the business?

After so many years photographing I still get a buzz out of capturing a shot that has all the elements perfectly woven together - an expression that captures the personality of my subject mixed with lighting that creates atmosphere and composition that helps tell the story. Every shoot requires a combination of technical expertise and creativity - and that has to be mixed with enough guidance and personality to make everyone feel comfortable in front of the

camera. Often a shoot will end and I realise I have been so deeply ‘in the moment’ that I have thought of nothing else for the entire duration.

Having clients that return time and again to document their families’ growth really gives me job satisfaction and I’ve watched some children grow from crawling in nappies right through to their teenage years.

What are the advantages of working for yourself?.

While it’s been such a challenge running a business and the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it also has given me so many different opportunities for growth.

In the studio for the last 7 years I’ve held community music nights once a month, and we’ve had musicians from all over the world perform here. We would often have 100 people squeezed in, sitting on cushions, listening to the music. Through these nights I met so many people from the community around me. People from all walks of life have come through these doors. I connected with many musicians and I got to develop my other passion – music.

As the business has grown and more staff have come in, I’ve managed to make my work hours more flexible. (Phew!) and in 2013 I recorded my debut album titled “Love letters from the Universe”.

Owning my own business now gives me flexibility of time to continue to perform around Sydney and to travel with my music.

How is your business different to other similar businesses?

Our photographic work holds a creative edge while at the same time we really know the importance of capturing a natural and authentic part of someone’s personality. We go that extra mile to get kids laughing, parents comfortable and everyone having a good time.

This reflects in the end result.

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I believe there’s no point having a beautifully crafted image if you have a smile that’s fake. If you don’t have a good expression, it doesn’t matter how good the background is - you don’t have a decent photo.

What gives your product the edge?

Our work speaks for itself and clients consistently love their images. We deeply understand the use of light and angles and composition to create artwork that will be handed down through generations because its quality is high enough to stand the test of time.

We have had many a client cry when they see their pictures so we have a box of tissues at hand in the viewing room.

We also focus on giving the best service that we can so that when people look at their photos they remember the experience as being a great one.

How do you market the business?

We have been around for a long time and we have artwork hanging in family homes all around Sydney and beyond. Clients come from word of mouth, our website, social media and existing clients coming back again and again as their children grow. We LOVE them!

To contact Vanessa and her team: p. 02 9386 5887 info@absolutephotography.com.au www.absolutephotography.com.au

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Baby Carrier One www.babybjorn.com.au This product features the characteristic BABYBJĂ–RN parallel line design.

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Maxi-mum benefits for you and your baby Swing maxi & Calma

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PROFILE

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The Right to Read ONLY TWO IN FIVE INDIGENOUS CHILDREN IN VERY REMOTE COMMUNITES ARE ABLE TO READ AND WRITE AT THE MINIMUM NAPLAN STANDARD. MEET MARY-RUTH MENDEL WHO IS WORKING TO CHANGE THAT STATISTIC.

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Profile

W

hat are you doing right now? You are doing something that you do every day and you do it without thinking... you are reading!

It is something most of us take for granted, but that is not the case for everyone as there are many children and adults around us who cannot read.

Imagine not being able to read your kids a bedtime story, the directions on a map, or simply send a text message!

There are many reasons for being illiterate, some are cognitive and some are ocular. Many are environmental and these people are the ones that can be helped without medical intervention. Being able to read and write is a basic human right.

Mary-Ruth Mendel has been working as a speech pathologist since 1980 and specialises in helping children with reading problems.

She had an extremely successful speech therapy practice in Sydney and after television coverage of her private practice’s success led to a barrage of phone calls from worried parents, Mary-Ruth and her colleague Kim Kelly, decided to establish a charitable foundation, which would support the local communities and those who need help the most.

Between these two amazing women, The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALFN) was founded and not just to teach children to read, but to also empower communities to help themselves.

Mary-Ruth and Kim spent about six years putting together courses that enable parents and educators to teach games and activities that serve as the building blocks to improve literacy.

Putting this together took an incredible amount of time and energy. While Mary-Ruth maintained her practice, as she continued to build the foundation and programs that would help refugees learn English and help Indigenous children maintain their heritage.

Working over 18 hours a day, Mary-Ruth

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developed a program to translate Indigenous languages into reading and writing resources to support English literacy learning. With the help of local elders, the programs now enable Indigenous children to read and write in their own language, preserving their heritage and culture. The foundation is built on donations and volunteers and we caught up with MaryRuth and asked her some questions about the foundation and herself.

Do you have any children and if so how old are they?

All of my children have grown up and to my delight I now have grandchildren to fuss over. I thoroughly enjoy being a mum, watching my children grow up and learn about the world and themselves within it - sharing their challenges and triumphs.

Where did you grow up? Did you move around a lot?

I grew up in Adelaide and am the eldest of four children, which explains a lot! I am the sensible one, as I like to remind my two sisters.

I had an old fashioned childhood. I remember riding my bike to school and around the neighbourhood with my friends - rain, hail or shine.

I moved to Sydney to study Speech Pathology as the course was not offered in Adelaide - yep, it was that long ago, early 70s. I had been an exchange student in the United States the previous year and that experience gave me the skills and confidence to live away from home.

Tell us how you first got involved with The ALNF and why?

As a Speech Pathologist, I have focused on the development required for fluent listening/ reading accuracy and comprehension and the flip side, which is verbal/ written capacity. In simple terms, the ability to read, write and think. Over the years, research has revealed much about the brains performance that is

needed to do these tasks, making it an exciting time for me as a practitioner. The very real challenge has been to take the research and to convert it into practical activities to ‘fix up’ the difficulties experienced by young people. Over the years, my practice has assisted thousands of children and from this, the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) grew.

Was there a defining moment that made you decide to take the direction in life that you did?

Yes, there is a clear defining moment. I was busy with my private practice when a TV segment was put to air about the work I was doing. We literally received thousands of phone calls from around Australia asking for assistance. That changed my view of the world.

I remember thinking, “How can all of these children receive the help they need if their parents or teachers cannot afford the fees for the extra lessons I was currently offering at my practice.” I hadn’t really thought much beyond my small patch and it was an eye opener to hear all of the stories from these callers.

My friend and colleague, Kim Kelly, answered many of those calls. The two of us decided that we would start a charity dedicated to supporting children, families and communities.

It really was a defining moment. The choice was, turn inward continuing to do our usual daily thing, or either face the issue and take action. Thankfully, Kim and I have walked this journey together, combining our talents to build a strong organisation, which now supports over 6,000 young people.

What do you find most challenging about The ALNF? Simple – not enough money to meet the requests for assistance and not enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done.

What do you wish other people knew

Mary Ruth Mendel

about The ALNF? That we teach people, to teach children. We hand the baton on; so that people are empowered to tackle literacy issues themselves with our help. We have written the essential elements into courses that have national accreditation and university backing. Building capacity in people and their community means that everybody has skills and resources.

Generations are involved, family and classroom literacy practices are positively changed, and a ‘can do’ dynamic is cultivated even where children are experiencing literacy challenges.

This is where the speech pathology comes into it, because our work incorporates those speech pathology-based ‘extra lessons’.

How much work is there for The ALNF? The ALNF supports three main areas: • Indigenous Australian children and families - especially those in regional and remote Australia • Refugee Australian young people • Children and families experiencing financial hardship From our experience, we know that when we begin a new project, the number of people and sites who want to join in grows quickly. For

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example, in the Macleay Valley, we started working in three sites. This quickly grew to 27 sites and now, there is a whole community change occurring. Community members said to us, “We are sick of expecting that our children will go to school and, most probably, not become good readers. We want our children to be good readers, get an education and employment.” And this is exactly what is happening - the community is creating literacy learning change.

Are there any people that you have helped that have made a particular impression on you?

There are so many stories. I will share with you my deep respect for the Indigenous women living in remote Australia who have a vision and resilience that is staggering. I am in awe of them. Even though their days are filled with an array of challenges, they have a vision for their children and for a future that is strong and positive. They know that their children need many things to carry their culture and knowledge into the future and one of those things is the ability to read and write. So, amongst their very busy daily schedules, they work so hard with us to support their children and their teachers to make this happen. They are inspirational – what vision, what determination and what resilience. It is an honour to support them to make their vision a reality.

What is most rewarding about your job; what makes it all worthwhile?

There are too many things to list. All the little things like hearing a child say, “Oh, I get it now”, to the bigger things like seeing Indigenous teaching assistants take the lead in their classrooms using the ALNF resources and strategies. Over all, we evaluate their children’s pre-literacy progress with a test and the great thrill is to see the changes in their scores from the ‘below average range’, rocket up into the

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range appropriate for their age and stage. I particularly love reading the participant feedback sheets that say such positive things about the workshops they do with us and the things they learn to do. There is nothing better than seeing, “This is the best workshop I have ever been to”.

Tell us something about yourself that people might not readily know?

This question caused a giggle in the office... I don’t know if I should tell you but I am teased, kindly, by my colleagues because I like diggers and cranes. The heavy equipment used by the construction industry. I would love to moon light as a digger driver or a crane operator! Go figure - I can’t explain it. But in a way it does fit with my view of the work I do with children. I see our literacy work as a piece of construction work, just not with equipment, but with people.

On a more sensible level, I like the Opera and symphony concerts, but I don’t like birds coming close to me. None of which is at all interesting – not at all.*

Wall of Hands The Wall of Hands Appeal is The ALNF’s annual fundraising initiative in May, which aims to raise awareness around the fact that currently only two in five Indigenous children in very remote communities can read at the minimum NAPLAN standard. The Wall of Hands Appeal asks Australians to raise their hands in support of Indigenous Literacy by donating as little as $5. It gives all Australians the opportunity to do something simple to transform Indigenous literacy for generations to come and help the ALNF work towards its goal of 100% literacy rates among Indigenous children in Australia.

Some of the programs offered by the ALNF EARLY LANGUAGE & LITERACY PROGRAM The Early Language & Literacy Program provides literacy instruction to preschool, early years and special needs teachers as well as teachers’ aides, parents and community members. The program consists of a 5-day course and ongoing assistance to teach communities phonemic awareness activities and early language skill builders and incorporate them into the curriculums of pre and primary schools. These preliteracy games and activities provide children with the basics of English language development that are essential building blocks for learning to read, spell, write and cultivated even where children are experiencing literacy challenges. This is where the speech pathology comes into it, because our work incorporates those speech pathology based ‘extra lessons’.

FIRST LANGUAGE LITERACY Making connections between Indigenous Australian First Language and English is vital for the development of personal and community health, welfare and education.

First Language reading and writing instruction provides learners with the relevant and essential brain stimulation that encourages English language and literacy learning, retention and fluency.

The ALNF provides three interrelated First Language programs that aim to firstly address instruction in First Language literacy and secondly assist in developing connections and comparisons to English language and literacy.

SHARE-A-BOOK Share-A-Book (SAB) provides new and quality pre-loved books to Indigenous, refugee and marginalised communities in need of resources.

Children’s books are donated to the ALNF by schools, corporations, publishing houses, booksellers and individuals. These books are then distributed to targeted regions across Australia such as Tennant Creek, Palm Island, Groote Eylandt, Kempsey, Wagga Wagga and many more.

Once the communities receive books, the ALNF Share-A-Book Libraries are established in local schools, pre-schools, community and language centres. In some cases they have needed to regularly replenish libraries of all their stock because the demand for books has been so high!

COMMUNITY ACTION SUPPORT Through our Community Action Support (CAS) Program, Indigenous high school students are trained to provide valuable reading and writing support for children at their local primary school. The CAS program provides these high school students with the resources and encouragement they need to be effective in their literacy teaching in both English and First Language. The young people participating in the CAS program are viewed as positive role models and become agents of change in their communities.

REFUGEE ACTION SUPPORT Entering a new culture can be a daunting experience, especially for refugees who may have experienced trauma in their lives. The ALNF’s award-winning Refugee Action Support (RAS) program provides effective support for refugee students as they grapple with the language and literacy demands of the classroom.

The Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation 208 New South Head Road Edgecliff NSW 2027 Tel: 02 9362 3388 / 02 9362 4822 Email: foundation@alnf.org www.alnf.org/ march 2015| mychild

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IN MY VIEW

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Fit Your Mask First MY CHILD COLUMNIST KYLIE KADEN’S ECHOES WHAT SO MANY OF US FEEL AND JUST CANNOT SAY...

I

waited thirty years to fulfil my biggest dream – to see a child of my own look up at me with adoring eyes and call me mum.

Yet while the rewards for full-time parents are enormous (forging bonds, making irreplaceable memories, instilling your own values) it’s not all luncheons and wineo’clocks.

There’s also incessant nagging, self-doubt, mundane routines and emotional extremes, and not just from the kids. Some do it tougher than others. For many, there are days when they don’t speak to anyone above knee-height, watch nothing but ABCKids, and wear yesterday’s yoghurt. Days when they can only dream of getting a haircut (or even a toilet stop) alone (all done on six hours of interrupted sleep).

Sure, there’s a lot of joy woven through the

mayhem, and some of us seem to take it in our stride with no interruption of social lives or careers. But for many parents, the emotional stakes are high. After all, if you fail at your office-job, you can get another (or the dole). If you fail as a parent, another person’s wellbeing and safety is at risk. A precious little human is depending entirely on you, twenty-four-seven, in sickness and in health.

Migraine or gastro? Still a mum. Can’t keep your eyes open? Just deal with it. No union would allow those working conditions (or the hours). But no other job pays back, enriches our life the way a child’s love can.

While I wouldn’t have my life any other way, I think motherhood is a tough gig these days.

No longer does a village raise a child generations all under one roof, sharing the supervision. No longer do children run

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in my view rampant in the streets to be home by dark, giving mums time to cook in peace. Media promotes a perfect life, bombarding us with images and ads, all with the same message: you aren’t good enough until you buy this.

These days, there seems to be pressure to be everything to everyone, constantly calibrating the to-do-list against the done.

I used to be the sort who only relaxed when I’d ‘finished my jobs’. But post-children, that moment never comes – there’s always laundry to fold, a lunch to make, a shoe to find. And for working parents, you never quite have that Friday afternoon wind-down when you know your shift starts again at 5am (ready or not). It makes it hard to catch a moment to take stock of the day and savour the memory.

“there are days when they don’t speak to anyone above kneeheight, watch nothing but ABCKids, and wear yesterday’s yoghurt” Some of us love every minute of being a parent – even the bad ones. Some of us, despite financial stability, supportive families, healthy children, can find being entirely responsible for another human overwhelming.

Admitting less-than-positive feelings about your role as a parent is not a crime. It doesn’t mean you are ungrateful or love your child less than the mother who always seems to keep her balls in the air. If left unchecked, that daunting feeling can breed ruminating worries, erode feelings of competence, and even change how we see ourselves.

But stress, anxiety and depression are not signs of weakness. They are not a choice. It’s serious stuff, and in persistent cases, not something you can just ‘snap out of’ with exercise, a night out or attitude adjustment.

Society is the one that needs the attitude adjustment.

People freely admit to anyone at the bus-stop that they have arthritis, or diabetes, or

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melanoma. There’s no shame in those. Even measles - an infectious disease, is more socially acceptable than anxiety or depression.

People know how to deal with physical illness.

It takes courage to seek help in a society such as ours that limits ‘real’ problems to issues more easily understood (grief, cancer, unemployment). Having a beautiful healthy baby is nothing worth ‘crying about’ right?

Because when you have a baby, the congratulations roll in, wishing you all the ‘joy’ a child brings. It is easy to think childless couples would amputate a limb, travel the seas or pay a surrogate for a chance to have what I have – a child of my own, so feeling anything but joy can seem like you’re betraying the very child you would do anything to protect.

All of us have bad patches. All of us struggle on no sleep at some point (even that immaculately dressed one at mum’s group with the confidence of Cher). But it is important while caring for others, to also take care of yourself. Whether it’s simply a bad case of third-day-blues, a rough few months of endless feeds or something more, it is essential to not lose sight of your own health needs – and speak up. Remember – ‘fit your mask first before helping others’.

If you are feeling overwhelmed about never finishing the to-do list, recalibrate your mind.

You’ve finished that task, celebrate the fact before it’s absorbed by the next undone. You love your child, and doing your best at what is an important job– that is enough.

If you experience low mood or worry every day that motherhood is affecting your life, you are not alone.

One in seven new mums feel the same. Help and resources are available: http://www.beyondblue. org.au Kylie Kaden (BSSc.hons) Random House Author of Losing Kate and mother of three. Her new novel Missing You is out 1st April 2015.

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PREGNANCY

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When is it more than morning sickness FOR SOME WOMEN, MORNING SICKNESS BECOMES EXTREME KELLY WINDER LOOKS AT THE HYPEREMESIS GRAVIDARUM AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT

M

orning sickness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy – almost a rite of passage into this new stage of your life. Sometimes morning sickness lasts all day, and sometimes it doesn’t happen in the morning at all but the afternoon or evening.

When morning sickness becomes extreme –

the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy may keep her from getting the nutrition she needs. Called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), this illness in some cases can lead to dehydration, metabolic disruption, and weight loss for the mother-to-be, as well as growth restriction or preterm birth for baby,

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pregnancy & birth among other complications. While not every mom will experience the worst difficulties, all moms with HG need treatment and support.

HG is characterised as severe nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy that results in weight loss and metabolic issues.

Women with HG experience disruptions in hydration and proper nutrition, and may lose 5%-10% of their pre-pregnancy body weight.

In severe cases, hospitalisation with intravenous hydration and nutrition is needed. HG is extremely debilitating and interferes with your normal daily routine. It typically begins very early in pregnancy and continues to 21 weeks or longer.

“Women whose HG is adequately treated as early in pregnancy as possible are at a lower risk for long-term health problems related to the HG.” What Causes Hyperemesis Gravidarum?

Researchers don’t know the exact cause of HG, but they do have some theories. One belief is that the sudden changes in hCG, oestrogen and progesterone in early pregnancy disturb the balance of hormones for some women. Other researchers have explored the relationship between HG and thyroid hormones, since many women with this illness have elevated thyroxine levels.

Another thought is that the same hormones that support pregnancy slow digestions as well. As a result, the gastrointestinal muscles may be slack enough that they cause regurgitation and related nausea and vomiting. An unlikely theory that persists is that HG is related to a woman’s mental state – but most researchers agree that the psychological changes are because of the illness rather than at the root of it.

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So the best answer is that researchers don’t know exactly what causes HG, and the cause may be different for different women. More research is needed in this area.

Do I Have Hyperemesis Gravidarum or Just Morning Sickness?

Nearly half of pregnant women suffer from nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), or ‘morning sickness,’ that usually resolves without treatment by the end of the first trimester. While it may be challenging, it is not as incapacitating as HG. NVP typically does not cause weight loss or your ability to eat and drink enough each day. Though you may vomit occasionally with NVP, diet and lifestyle changes tend to help you feel better.

Women with HG, however, lose as much as 5-20 pounds (approx. 2-9 kgs), cannot eat or drink enough to maintain even a low level of hydration, suffer nearly unending nausea, and vomit severely (sometimes even vomiting blood and bile). Changes in diet that are often recommended, including bland foods and not letting your stomach get empty, aren’t enough to keep nausea at bay.

Mothers-to-be with HG often cannot work, and need help with daily self-care.

“ HG can also lead to deconditioning of the heart muscle, a decrease in blood volume, deficits in blood clotting, and constriction of blood vessels in the brain” What Are The Health Consequences For The Mother-To-Be? While most women don’t have any lasting health consequences from HG, some women suffer complications. Unabated dehydration can lead to kidney stones, and even possibly renal failure. The severe fatigue may lead to

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muscular atrophy. Not only do women with HG have nutritional inadequacies, but they may suffer tears in the oesophagus from persistent vomiting and changes in the gastrointestinal tract including pH imbalance and gastric ulcers. HG can also lead to deconditioning of the heart muscle, a decrease in blood volume, deficits in blood clotting, and constriction of blood vessels in the brain. The liver can be affected, potentially causing jaundice, and the spleen may separate from its normal location.

All body systems are affected by HG. Women whose HG is adequately treated as early in pregnancy as possible are at a lower risk for long-term health problems related to the HG.

maternal nutritiona is so important during pregnancy, nutritional therapy is often included as part of the HG treatment. This may mean parenteral nutrition (nutrition intravenously) in severe cases, and in milder cases, just working with a dietician to ensure the mother-to-be is taking in adequate calories and nutrients.

Medications are often part of the treatment regimen for women with HG. The drugs most often prescribed for HG fall into these categories: serotonin antagonists, corticosteroids, antihistamines, phenothiazines, anti-reflux medications, antispasmodics and prokinetic agents. No drug is completely safe in pregnancy, but the benefits of pharmacologic therapy in most cases of hyperemesis greatly outweigh the risks.

“Since maternal nutritiona is so important during pregnancy, nutritional therapy is often “ she will need to recover from included as part of the HG this prolonged period of illness treatment.” while still growing a baby inside ” What Are The Potential Complications For Baby?

Some researchers believe that chronic stress for a pregnant mother may lead to future health consequences for a fetus. Other complications include an increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital heart defects, neural tube defects, and more.

These consequence are theoretical because no studies have tracked the long-term health of babies born to women with HG.

How is HG Treated?

Intravenous rehydration is typically the first line of treatment for HG. This sometimes requires hospitalisation, with the length of therapy will depend on the severity of the symptoms. Often bed rest is recommended, and even if not, the fatigue a mother experiences leads to this anyway. Since

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What Can Support People Do To Help?

Partners and other support people may question if her symptoms are actually as severe as they seem – the best thing you can do is believe her, and to do anything you can to support her through this challenging time.

She may need you to help her with even the most basic daily tasks. If you have other children, she will likely need help caring for them. She may feel anxious and depressed – these are common occurrences with HG. She may need someone to advocate for her with healthcare providers, who may not have experience with her condition. Keep in mind that even when the nausea and vomiting abate, she will need to recover from this prolonged period of illness while still growing a baby inside – continued support may be

Share it with your family and friends so they can learn more about your condition, including the best ways to help. And share your experience with others through the Support Forums.

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Will I Have HG Every Time I Am Pregnant?

Because no one knows what causes HG, it cannot be prevented. But having gone through it once, you can be prepared. You will likely recognise the symptoms and seek treatment sooner with subsequent pregnancies.

This early treatment may lessen the symptoms and severity of the HG. The absolute best resource for mothers experiencing HG is the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation. Visit their website at www.helpher.org for mother-to-mother forums, research, blog posts, and more. Share the website with your healthcare provider – he or she can find a recommended protocol, as well as practice tools and current research. Share it with your family and friends so they can learn more about your condition, including the best ways to help. And share your experience with others through the Support Forums.

You don’t have to suffer with severe morning sickness. Find a physician who will take your symptoms seriously, and who will help you find a treatment regimen that works for you.

Kelly Winder is a doula (birth attendant), the creator of the BellyBelly pregnancy, birth and baby website, and a mum. Check out bellybelly. com.au for more informative articles.

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NEWS

IT’S IN YOUR HAIR The What Can I Eat Network’s new Hair Test 500 and Back to Wellness Program is turning people’s lives around like never been seen before. It’s seems that the answer is really in your hair!The What Can I Eat.com.au Network was initially born to provide a much-needed service to people with food intolerances and allergies, providing a platform for them to connect with products and services in the Australian retail market, which would match their specific dietary and personal care needs.So many of us have had poor dietary advice in the past, ingested multiple drugs, namely antibiotics and have been exposed to hundreds of environmental toxins since before birth. Our bodies are in fact compromised before

we can even walk and food intolerance symptoms can manifest at a very early age.

The What Can I Eat Network’s new Hair Test 500 gives you the answers to find out what foods are friend or foe without using needles, long-winded elimination diets or multiple consultations.Kylie Hollonds has been recommending the Hair Test 500 with individual clients for over 10 years.

Results create enormous clarity for those who have been frustrated trying to follow the many various dietary protocols promoted these days without success expected.

Finding out what foods are causing your irritation is absolutely the first step to creating optimal wellness in 2015.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE Do you have a fear of sneezing, or running, what about laughing too hard? Is it all for the same reason?

Urinary incontinence is not uncommon, particularly after childbirth. Over four million Australians suffer from this often-embarrassing problem, which can be bought on by the most simple things in life.

The good thing is there is new products that can help to counter the effects of a weak pelvic floor and get you back running, laughing and sneezing without the worry.

PeriCoach, is a training device which uses a web portal and an app to take the guesswork out of Pelvic Floor muscle training. It can even send this data to your doctor or a pelvic health specialist.

It works by using sensors that detect the strength of each muscle contraction you make during the

exercises. The app then collects this info and gives you a picture of how you are getting on.

So there is no need to resort to panty-liners, a weak pelvic floor is easy enough to train, it just takes a little time and patience and the help of PeriCoach.

For more info visit www.pericoach.com

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BABY

HOW...BIG IS YOUR BABY’S TUMMY HOW MUCH MILK WILL YOUR NEWBORN NEED?

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id you know at birth your baby’s stomach is the size of a chickpea? By day three, it’s about the size of a walnut, and not until day 10 is it as big as a golf ball. This small stomach size equals small stomach capacity – tiny tummies can’t hold much at once. The good news is that if you’re breastfeeding, your body has made your milk in just the right quantity for a growing baby’s stomach size.

Think of colostrum – your first milk – in teaspoons rather than ounces. It’s just the right amount for baby’s little belly. The nutrients in colostrum are perfect for a newborn, too. Colostrum is low in fat, and high in carbohydrates and protein. The antibodies in colostrum act as your baby’s first vaccine –

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they keep your baby healthy as his immune system is developing. Colostrum is easy for your baby to digest, and has a laxative effect to help prevent jaundice.

Because breastmilk so easy to digest, babies need to nurse often. Newborn babies typically nurse every 1 ½ to 2 hours. Most of the time, though, the feedings aren’t so evenly spaced.

Sometimes baby will want to nurse every hour, and sometimes he will sleep for a longer stretch without waking to feed. Eight to twelve feedings every 24 hours is what you should aim for.

If your baby is having trouble latching in the early days, it’s important to get some nourishment into him. But using a breast pump for colostrum isn’t always effective.

Because it is thicker than mature milk, and is produced in smaller quantities, colostrum is more easily hand expressed than pumped.

Consider hand expressing colostrum onto a teaspoon, and then dribbling this into your baby’s mouth a little at a time. These calories will help sustain your baby as you work on getting him to latch.

With all of this in mind, here are some tips for successfully starting to breastfeed in the early days after the birth: Plan your birth for breastfeeding success: Pain medications in labor can result in sleepy baby in the early hours and days after birth. A sleepy baby may not nurse very often. This would be a good time to hand express colostrum and spoon feed it to your baby.

Spend time skin-to-skin: As soon as your baby is born, ask that they place him skin to skin with you. Stay this way until the first feeding has taken place. Skin-to-skin contact helps baby adjust to life outside the womb and awakens breastfeeding reflexes.

Nurse early and often: Most babies are ready to nurse about an hour after birth. Ask for help if you need it. Then continue nursing your baby on cue afterwards in order to bring in a strong milk supply.

Room in: Keep your baby with you as much as possible after the birth. You will get to know your baby’s rhythms and hunger cues, which will help get breastfeeding off to a strong start.

No supplements or pacifiers : Unless medically necessary, limit any formula or other supplements. If you do need to supplement, use a spoon, syringe or cup rather than a bottle. Also, try to limit using a pacifier or dummy until breastfeeding is well established. Your baby doesn’t need anything other than your milk at first!

Following some simple steps as you are preparing for breastfeeding will help you set the stage for a strong milk supply and a satisfied and healthy baby.

Sourced from Health & Parenting.

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BIRTH

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Beyond Birth ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY? SARAH SCHELLER O’DONNELL EXPLAINS THE POST-BIRTH PHYSICAL EFFECTS YOU MAY EXPERIENCE AND HOW THEY CAN BE REMEDIED

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inally, after 10 long months of pregnancy and a memorable birth, you can welcome your new baby home – the perfect prize after months of tiredness, hormonal waves, muscular aches and pains and, of course, the climactic labour.

But for many women, just when they think the physical work is over, the next wave begins.

Exhaustion, haemorrhoids, hair loss and even depression are just a few of the childbirth “after shocks” women can experience that can be just as debilitating as the labour itself.

The physical toll of childbirth can extend to far greater concerns than contraction pains and post partum tenderness. It is often said that childbirth is like running a marathon (but without the training and expensive runners), and as any athlete will tell you, marathon running can result in a multitude of ailments.

So what then of childbirth? What are some of the lesser known after effects, and how can they be remedied?

POST PARTUM TENDERNESS Whether or not your labour was a natural or Caesarean delivery, resulted in an episiotomy, vaginal tear or neither, chances are you will suffer from tenderness in the first few weeks afterwards. While bruising and tears will heal quickly, they may call for careful attention when it comes to walking and getting around.

Generally, a natural tear will heal faster than an episiotomy.

REMEDY: Perineum pain can be best eased via cold or warm temperatures. Some women will find much relief through a cold icepack, while for others a heat lamp will help soothe. It is important to avoid infection by keeping the area scrupulously clean every time you go to the bathroom, especially if you have stitches.

Pelvic floor exercises can help tone the uterus back into shape, but only practise these if there is no pain. For those women who have had a Caesarean, walking will definitely help speed up the recovery process but, again, slow

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birth the pace down if there is any pain or severe tenderness.

“The physical toll of childbirth can extend to far greater concerns than contraction pains and post-partum tenderness.”

HORMONAL FLUCTUATIONS The hormonal roller-coaster will continue for many months to come with, typically, the “third day baby blues” the worst. This occurs when the feel-good labour hormones subside and the real loss of the placenta is felt.

Endocrinologist Dr Kylie McLachlan explains, ‘As the placenta leaves the body there is a rapid drop in the level of many of the hormones that the placenta produces, such as oestrogen, progesterone, growth hormone and cortisol.

The pituitary gland hormones, oxytocin and prolactin, both peak at delivery with prolactin starting to drop within seven to 14 days in the absence of breastfeeding.’

Some women are less sensitive to these hormonal fluctuations and may even be oblivious to the changes within. For others, it can be an emotional time with tears and feelings of anxiety and even depression, as the new realities set in.

It’s important to note the distinction between the “third day baby blues” and actual postnatal depression. According to Beyondblue, the “baby blues” will occur between day three and 10, while postnatal depression can start one month after the birth, lasting up until the end of the first year. It goes without saying that any woman experiencing severe sadness or anxiety should seek help.

REMEDY: Unfortunately, nothing can even out these hormonal fluctuations. While, in theory, the contraceptive pill could help by

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elevating oestrogen levels. But Dr McLachlan explains it is not advisable to take it as it can impair the mother’s ability to breastfeed and increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis at a time when women are already at high risk of developing it. Dr McLachlan also stresses that hormonal changes can be but one of many triggers of postnatal depression.

PHYSICAL & MENTAL EXHAUSTION Often mothers never get the opportunity to recharge after a strenuous labour and the next few weeks can be spent in a sleep-deprived haze. The body may ache, with muscles and ligaments still recovering. If you are breastfeeeding, the body will now go into overdrive to produce high-quality milk and you may be surprised at your increasing appetite. Indeed, as the body produces milk you may experience a hunger that even usurps that of pregnancy.

REMEDY: Rest whenever and wherever possible. Exploit the kindness of friends and family, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. A hearty vegie soup made by somebody else will work wonders! When you feel comfortable and ready, a stroll with baby is a great way to unwind.

According to yoga instructor Brook McCarthy, waiting six weeks before returning to exercise is the general rule of thumb. After this period you can ease back into your routine with a number of gentle movements that will help soothe aches and pains and get the blood flowing again.

‘Swinging your legs over the side of the bed first thing in the morning and bending forward over your legs is a good wake-up stretch.

Twists are also great post partum as your organs are compressed. They help to push out metabolic by-products and squeeze the abdominal organs and muscles,’ says McCarthy.

If you have had a Caesarean, it is best to speak to your care provider before returning to

any form of exercise.

Some women may experience post partum back pain, which can be caused through labour stress, soreness where the epidural needle was inserted, or recurring back pain or sciatica that may have started during pregnancy. Treatment for back pain varies and comes down to personal choice. Massage, physiotherapy, osteopathy, acupuncture and chiropractic are all good options.

Breastfeeding mothers will need to keep their calorie intake up and take daily supplements, which will help to prevent anaemia, or iron deficiency, and replenish vitamins and minerals.

BREASTFEEDING DIFFICULTIES Lactation specialists would not exist if problems with breastfeeding weren’t common.

After the milk comes in, the first hurdle can be latching problems. Lactation consultant Georgia Tucker says good attachment is necessary to optimise milk transfer for the baby and comfort for the mother. If left unaddressed, this can have a knock-on effect,

“Exploit the kindness of friends and family, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. A hearty vegie soup made by somebody else will work wonders!” causing pain, nipple cracking and bleeding, and even mastitis. Blocked ducts, which may occur when baby is not feeding properly, can lead to mastitis, a bacterial infection of the breast, which usually needs to be treated with antibiotics.

REMEDY: Seek help as soon as problems arise to prevent further pain or interruption to your milk supply. As Tucker stresses, ‘Pain, stress and anxiety, recovery from a difficult birth, poor breast attachment and some medical conditions can all hinder a woman’s supply.’

A skilled lactation specialist can help to determine what the problem might be should new mums find feeding painful or ineffective (with baby not settling well after a feed).

Successful breastfeeding can take time to perfect and, as Tucker recommends, a call to your local community health centre or council can let you know what sort of postnatal help is available in your area. Breastfeeding calls for pragmatism, and although it may be difficult, it’s important to know when to stop if it really is not working.

HAEMORRHOIDS One of the more unpleasant side effects of pregnancy and childbirth are haemorrhoids.

During pregnancy there is increased blood flow to practically every part of the body. This can lead to extra pressure on the rectum, as well as constipation, which can lead to haemorrhoids.

Also known as piles, haemorrhoids are, essentially, external varicose veins in the anal area. While they can also be internal, these veins are generally pain free and therefore not as troublesome. Despite what many people think to be the result of “pushing” during childbirth, haemorrhoids can equally affect those women who have had a Caesarean.

REMEDY: According to naturopath Carla Mazaroli, to treat haemorrhoids and varicose veins naturally, consider topical creams that contain witch-hazel and horse chestnut, applied directly to the area. ‘Herbal tinctures and tablets containing butcher’s broom, horse chestnut, gotu kola, grape seed and ginkgo work internally to strengthen blood vessel walls and improve circulation,’ she explains.

Dietary changes will also help. Mazaroli says, ‘Foods rich in vitamin C and bioflavonoid, such as citrus fruit, strawberries and broccoli, and increasing fibre and water intake (minimum two litres daily) will help to soften stools, and therefore avoid constipation and straining.’

For medical treatments, there are many>

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ointments and pharmaceutical products on the market aimed at reducing haemorrhoids.

As a more drastic measure, you may like to consider injections and even surgical removal.

HAIR LOSS From someone still reeling from hair loss, or alopecia, one year after the birth of my second child, I know how alarming (and distressing!) this “by-product” of pregnancy can be.

“A skilled lactation specialist can help to determine what the problem might be should new mums find feeding painful or ineffective” Sometimes wrongly associated with breastfeeding, the hair loss that some women experience is more to do with, you guessed it, hormones. During pregnancy, oestrogen hormones not only stimulate growth but also prevent any hair loss, resulting in a full head of enviable locks. Post birth, as the oestrogen levels drop, the fallout begins, as the hair follicles move from a resting phase to a shedding phase. Generally, this occurs at three to four months post birth, and can last right up until baby’s first birthday.

REMEDY: Unfortunately, not much can be done to prevent the hair loss, although you may be able to slow it down. Limiting stress on the hair follicles by less brushing, reducing heat exposure and cutting out any chemical colouring may delay the shedding. To encourage new growth, a haircut may help as well as a tailored diet. Mazaroli says, ‘Ensuring adequate protein in the diet and supplementing with essential fatty acids and zinc may encourage hair growth.’

If the shedding continues for more than six months, Mazaroli recommends seeking medical advice in order to rule out any thyroid imbalances. ‘Continual hair loss, alongside

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fatigue, mood fluctuations and weight gain, could be a sign of hypothyroidism,’ she says.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES Just as pregnancy can deplete women of much needed minerals and vitamins, the postnatal stage can also be a period of deficiency.

Breastfeeding or not, the hormonal and lifestyle adjustments that occur in the first few months post birth will call for careful dietary attention. Although feeling rundown and fatigued will be common in these early months, Mazaroli suggests breastfeeding mums monitor their iron levels and supplement if necessary, as fatigue is an early sign of iron deficiency.

REMEDY:The best way for women to maintain optimum health is to follow a diet rich in protein, essential fatty acids, fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes and wholegrains, to ensure they are receiving appropriate nutrients. There are also, according to Mazaroli, several telltale signs that may help women determine if they are vitamin or mineral deficient.

• Zinc deficiency: white spots on nails, acne, hair loss and moodiness.

• Calcium: cramps, brittle nails, moodiness.

• Iron: anaemia (fatigue, dizziness, palpitations) and brittle nails.

• Magnesium: muscle cramps, insomnia.

• Essential fatty acids: dry skin and hair, acne and hair loss.

SUPERFICIAL CONCERNS Most women find that pregnancy tests the boundaries of self-image and so, too, the postbaby period may take some getting used to.

To make things more difficult, just as you are settling back into home life, hard to ignore will be the mass media’s obsession with celebrities and their post-birth bodies – just what you don’t need to see at this time. Physical adjustments post birth may include weight gain, scarring – especially if you had a

Caesarean – breast changes, dry skin, and tiredness signs such as dark circles and wrinkles.

REMEDY The best piece of advice I received regarding this time was to be patient and open minded.

Tummies will flatten again, breasts may bulge then droop before they return to form, and you may carry a few “battle scars” for some time. But your physique will eventually return to its pre-baby shape or it may change in shape forever. Either way, celebrate your body knowing the remarkable duty that it has performed through carrying and delivering your baby.

Exercise (when safe) will help get your body back in shape, and there are many creams and lotions to help combat dark circles and fine lines. Facials and massages are a perfect way to relax, and will definitely boost your selfesteem. As Mazaroli says, essential fatty acids are great for dry skin and lacklustre hair and can be taken as a supplement if you think your diet is inadequate. For Caesarean scars, the birth.com.au website advises to avoid creams or talcum powders until the wound has healed. Then vitamin E cream, pawpaw ointment or calendula cream can be used to help reduce the scar’s appearance.

ENJOY THE JOURNEY In conclusion, the first months of motherhood are beautiful and humbling. In my experience, as a mother of two, any physical or mental strains are completely quashed by the love and perpetual feelings of amazement towards your new baby. Every woman is different. Some women are immune to the hormonal ride, while others feel every ripple. Some women have traumatic, physical labours, while others breeze through it. Some women struggle with breastfeeding while others take to it like Mother Earth. Whatever your journey, savour it and embrace the exhilarating ride of motherhood. *

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BABY

10 Things Your Crying Baby Wants You To Know YOUR CRYING BABY CAN’T YET EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT IS WRONG, OR TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS HE REALLY WANTS YOU TO KNOW.

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earing your baby cry can be incredibly stressful… you may notice that your heart races, you feel a little anxious, and if you’re breastfeeding, your breasts start to ache, as you urgently try to soothe your crying child. If those first few sobs turn into full on wailing, you may feel pretty desperate as you try everything you can think of to try and ease his woes.

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“I’m Not Crying For No Reason Or To Manipulate You”

Contrary to what your in-laws might be telling you, babies don’t just cry for no reason, or in an attempt to manipulate you. It’s just not what they do.

Your baby simply cannot speak your language, so when he cries, your baby is doing his hardest to communicate his needs to you.

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Crying out for his mamma or dada ensures his survival. It could be that he’s hungry (even if he only just finished a feed), tired, has gas, is too warm, or simply wants to be close enough to smell your reassuring scent. Your baby has just transitioned from a very comfortable world and into a big, new world – it’s a huge transition called, the fourth trimester. So when your baby cries, try to figure out what he’s trying to tell you. You can read about learning baby’s cues here.

Some babies are said to be suffering from colic, a condition characterised by excessive and frequent crying in an otherwise healthy baby. You might like to read BellyBelly’s article on colic for more information. If you are at all concerned about your baby’s crying, please speak to your healthcare provider.

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“You’re Doing A Really Great Job!”

It may not feel like it right now, but you ARE doing a great job. Please don’t take your baby’s tears as a personal attack on your parenting – you haven’t failed, you’re not a terrible mother, and your baby certainly isn’t crying out for a new mother! You are a fantastic mother, and the fact that you are trying to soothe your crying child proves that.

Don’t let this period of crying shake your confidence. Instead, focus on all the time your baby was contented and happy today, even if it only seems like it was for a short time.

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“I’m Not Old Enough To Self Soothe”

Young babies simply do not have the ability to self-soothe – it’s not a skill that babies are born with. It must be learnt over time, with love and patience.

Some people believe the best way to teach a baby to self-soothe is to leave them crying, but studies have found this to be false. In fact, leaving a baby to cry not only makes him panic and feel anxious, but it teaches him not to depend on others – why bother when no-

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one will answer his cries of help anyway?

While these babies may have learnt not to cry, sadly it comes at a cost. Science has shown us that high levels of adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) can flood a baby’s brain, indicating that the babies have not learnt to self-soothe, but simply not to cry. They’ve learnt based on their earliest experiences of what it means to be in the world – there is no point asking for help as they aren’t going to get it, which is learned helplessness. Do you know someone like this?

The best way to teach your baby to self-soothe is to always respond to his cries. By being there and reassuring your baby as he cries, you show him that emotions are manageable, and he will learn to self-soothe in time.

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“I Feel Safer When I’m With You”

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“I Feel So Much Better In Your Arms”

His nappy is dry. He isn’t hungry. His room isn’t too warm or too cold. He doesn’t have a fever or any other symptoms associated with illness. What could be causing your baby’s cries? Sometimes your baby may simply want the security of being with his mamma. He feels safe when you are nearby. Your smell, the sound of your voice and your touch all help him to feel safe and secure. Sometimes all your baby wants is a cuddle, and there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, you are the most important person in his world right now – someone that he knows he can depend on.

There are few situations that are more panic inducing than being unable to soothe your crying child. As his face grows redder and he looks more miserable by the minute, you may start to wonder what you’re doing wrong. You have tried everything, and nothing is working.

Even being in your arms isn’t helping him this time. Rest assured though, while he may still be crying, he does feel better being in your arms (or in a good baby carrier). You help >

him to feel safe and secure, even when he is inconsolable If, however, you are struggling to cope with the crying, don’t beat yourself up for taking a breather. If you feel like your nerves are in tatters, and you really need to get away from the sound of the crying, take five minutes to yourself. If you don’t have a friend or family member who can take over, leave your baby in a safe place like his cot, and go and take five minutes to calm your nerves. Have a cup of tea, listen to the radio, or just take five minutes to focus on something other than your baby. When the five minutes is up, go back to your baby, pick him up and try to soothe his tears. Being mindful can help – when our babies cry we tend to take in all of their unhappy energy and it builds up like a ball inside of us. But if you can be present and mindful, quietening your mind, you may be surprised how much better you cope with crying.

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“I Know It’s Hard Sometimes, But When You’re Calm, I Feel More Secure” Being confronted by a screaming baby is not pleasant. Especially at 3am when you’re exhausted and half asleep. Being unable to soothe your baby can be scary, and you may start to panic about whether something is wrong. Remember though, your baby can read your emotions. Staying calm will help to reassure your baby. If you are panicked and screaming yourself, your baby will quickly pick up on your emotions and may end up feeling even worse.

When we’re stressed, we also make worse decisions. Focus on your breathing or whatever helps to calm you down if you find yourself getting anxious. Be sure to take a good quality fish oil supplement (e.g. krill oil) and eat foods rich in omega oil and magnesium, both of which are great for your brain.

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“It’s Ok To Call In Backup”

Shout for daddy, ring nanna, put out an emergency to auntie Jo or hire a post-natal doula – do whatever you need to find respite care. Looking after a screaming baby can be hard work and emotionally draining, and you will need help to get you through it.

Call in favours from friends and family. Ask someone to come round and look after the baby for a while so you can get some fresh air, or stick a load of washing into the machine while you take care of the baby. There’s no shame in asking for help. Motherhood can be tough at times, and you don’t need to do it alone.

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“Please Take Care Of Yourself”

Put your own oxygen mask on first. You need to look after yourself in order to look after your baby. If you are exhausted, drained and feeling stressed, you won’t be as capable of responding properly to your baby’s needs.

Make sure that you spend some time each day looking after yourself. Have a soak in the bath, read a book, catch up with a friend on the phone, or just spend a bit of time doing whatever it is that makes you feel like ‘you’.

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“This Too Shall Pass – I Promise”

It might feel like it at the moment, but your baby won’t cry forever. The tears will stop, and soon your baby will be back to the happy baby you know and love. In the meantime, be there for him, and repeat the mantra of motherhood – ‘this too shall pass’.

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“I Love You, Mamma”

Your baby can’t yet form the words to tell you he loves you. He may not be old enough to reach his arms around your neck and give you a squeeze to let you know he cares. He may not even be able to flash one of his beautiful smiles to reassure you that you’re doing a good job. One day he will, but until then, remember that he loves you.* march 2015| mychild

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HEALTH

One lump or two?

MELISSA LICHOCIK LOOKS AT THE SUGAR TRAP AND HOW TO READ PACKAGING LABELS

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ugar. It is in everything we consume, whether it is from the fruit that we eat or milk we drink, sugar is in everything.

But it is important to know that not all sugar is bad and certain types of sugar found in fruit and dairy products, are beneficial to our health as well as the health of our children as the naturally occurring sugars are easily broken down in most people and give us added nutrients and dietary fibre. It is the added refined sugar that as parents, we need to be concerned about. Not only can a high sugar diet in children contribute to childhood obesity, but it can also lead to other health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, dental

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caries and an array of diseases as they get older.

The recommended drinks for children over 12 months are water and milk, to ensure they stay hydrated and obtain adequate amounts of nutrients for them to grow and develop. But what about when you are out for dinner, or doing the grocery shop and your child wants a drink as a treat? What are the best options?

What are the drinks to avoid? How can we make sure our children aren’t over doing it on the sugar intake?

Manufacturers are quite clever in their marketing for children. Bright colours, cute pictures and free prizes given away with their

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health product will have your child wanting it right NOW. Some of them even put heading on their products such as ‘All natural’ or ‘no added sugar’, just to get the mums on board too. We are coming to an age where you almost need a degree in reading and interpreting food labels.

So what should you look for?

Firstly, look at the ingredients of the drink in question. How many ingredients does it have?

Do you recognize all the ingredients? How many numbers does it have listed in the ingredients? How much sugar does it have per serve? These are all questions to ask yourself before buying a product.

Fruit drinks will always contain sugar, as fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit. Milk drinks will always have sugar, as lactose is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk. So purchasing a sugar-free drink for your child isn’t recommended as a healthier option as artificial sweeteners used in these types of drinks have been linked to a range of health problems such as hyperactivity, asthma, cancer, seizures and nausea and these products have very little nutritional value in them to support growing bodies.

I recently took a trip to the supermarket to have a look at the different drink options for

TAMING YOUR SWEET TOOTH

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

If you want to reduce your sugar intake then you need to do more than simply cut back on soft drink, lollies, cakes, biscuits and pastries.

You also need avoid those less obvious processed foods that contain excessive amounts of added sugar, in particular: • Sugar-laden breakfast cereals – some of these contain up to 30 per cent sugar • premade meals and sauces • supposed ‘health foods’ such as muesli bars and other snacks found in the health food section • spreads including jams and sugar-free fruit spreads, as well as less obvious suspects such as peanut butter.

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. Some people can eat some sugar without harm, while others should avoid it as much as possible.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are: • Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons).

• Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons).

• To put that into perspective, one 12oz can of coke contains 140 calories from sugar, while a regular sized snickers bar contains 120 calories from sugar.

ADDED SUGARS VS NATURAL SUGARS

SWEET TIPS

It is very important to make the distinction between added sugars and sugars that occur naturally in foods like fruits and vegetables.

These are healthy foods that contain water, fiber and various micronutrients.

The naturally occurring sugars are absolutely fine.

However, added sugars are those that are added to foods.

The most common added sugars are regular table sugar (sucrose) or high fructose corn syrup.

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• There are many different names for sugar: Sugar, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dehydrated cane juice, fructose, glucose, dextrose, syrup, cane sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup and more.

• If a packaged food contains sugar in the first 3 ingredients, avoid it.

• If a packaged food contains more than one type of sugar, avoid it.

• Be aware that other sugars often labelled healthy like agave, honey, organic cane sugar and coconut sugar fall into the same category.

children. First stop was the fruit juice aisle.

One popular drink stated that their product had 45% less sugar in it with no added colours or artificial flavours. Sounds promising? When I looked at the information panel on the back, this product still had a 13g of sugar per 250ml serve. Another product that was a popular juice of choice when I was a child had 20g of sugar per 200ml serve. As mentioned, fruit drinks often have a lot of sugar in them due to the fructose content but it is the added sugar to be mindful of.

So I decided to turn my attention away from fruit drinks and look at milk drinks. In all honestly, I didn’t even look at the flavoured milk in the dairy aisle as I know it is laden with added sugars. But I noticed a chocolate milk drink aimed at children in the health food aisle. With 7.9g of sugar per 200ml serve, this seems like a much better alternative for a kids treat. So it is well worth doing your research and reading the labels prior to purchasing.

In summary, treat drinks are not ‘everyday’ drinks. Save them for special trips out or at birthday parties to avoid sugar overload.

When choosing a treat drink for your child, look for these things: • Minimal ingredients.

• No added artificial colours, preservatives or additives.

• The less sugar per serving size, the better • If you are able to dilute the juice with some water, then that is a good option too. Some fruit drink products are even pre-diluted for you.

• Remember, milk and fruit juices will always have some sugar in them due to the naturally occuring sugars. What you are looking for are those drinks with no added sugar. Milk and fruit is already sweet enough without adding more.

• Sugar-free does not mean healthier, so just look for low-sugar products.

• Water is the best drink of choice for little

bodies to keep them hydrated so if you are able to, always offer water first. * Melissa Lichocik is the Founder,of Healful mums and a Nutritionist, Health and Wellness Advocate healthfulmums@gmail.com www.healthfulmums.com.au

HOW TO MINIMIZE SUGARS IN THE DIET Avoid these foods, in order of importance:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Soft drinks: Sugar-sweetened beverages are awful, you should avoid these like the plague.

Fruit juices: This may surprise you, but fruit juices actually contain the same amount of sugar as soft drinks!

Lollies and sweets: You should drastically limit your consumption of sweets.

Baked goods: Cookies, cakes, etc. These tend to be very high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Fruits canned in syrup: Choose fresh fruits instead.

Low-Fat or Diet Foods: Foods that have had the fat removed from them are often very high in sugar.

Dried fruits: Avoid dried fruits as much as possible.

Drink water instead of soda or juices and don’t add sugar to your coffee or tea.

Instead of sugar in recipes, you can try things like cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract, vanilla, ginger or lemon.

Just be creative and use google to find recipes. You can eat an endless variety of amazing foods even though you eliminate sugar from your diet.

Breakouts Resourced from http://authoritynutrition.com/10di http://authoritynutrition.com/10-disturbing-reasons-whysugar-is-bad/sturbing-reasons-why-sugar-is-bad/

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TODDLER

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One step at a time HOW CAN I ENCOURAGE MY 14-MONTH-OLD TO WALK?

T

here isn’t much you can do to get your toddler to walk before he’s ready. As tiring as carrying him can be, it’s not a good idea to hurry him towards those first steps.

Standing, cruising, and walking are as dependent on your toddler’s confidence and motivation as they are on his muscle development and co-ordination. In fact, if you rush him towards walking and he falls, or senses your disapproval and impatience, it may slow him down.

Bear in mind that children learn to walk when they are ready. Most babies are able to stand holding on to something when they are

between six and 10 months and can walk unaided by 15 months. However many babies don’t take those first steps until well into their second year.

What’s more, even after your toddler starts walking, it’ll be quite a while before you get a break from carrying him. While adults tend to think of walking as a way to get from A to B, toddlers view their newfound mobility quite differently. In your child’s first months on his feet, he will be far more interested in exploring his surroundings than following mum or dad.

You may notice that your toddler does most of his walking while you’re sitting still. This

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toddler way, he can come to and go from you when he wants to, a process that’s much harder when you are moving around. In fact, when you get up and start moving yourself, you’ll probably find that he stops, sits down and stretches his arms up to be carried.

It will be some time before your child will happily trot along beside you when you go out for a walk.

With several months of carrying your toddler ahead of you, it makes sense to think about other ways to lighten your load. A lightweight buggy is a worthwhile addition to the more substantial stroller you may already own.

Keep your buggy at hand for when you most need it, by the front door or in the boot of your car for example. It’s also a good idea to keep any buggy accessories (such as a rain cover or buggy liner) to a minimum as this will make it easier to fold away.

For quick lifts around the house, try wearing a bum bag on one hip (alternatively you could buy a hip seat). This will provide a handy and supportive shelf on which to perch your toddler when he wants to be picked up.

If you’re heading out and don’t want to drag the buggy along, you could consider buying a backpack that is designed to carry toddlers. A backpack has the added benefit of putting your toddler right up where he wants to be and freeing up the use of your arms.

When you’re shopping for a backpack, look for the kind that stands securely on the ground when you take it off. This makes getting your toddler in and out of the pack much easier and safer.

If you will be using the back pack on your own practice putting it on and taking it off with your partner or a friend until you have it down pat.

Sourced from babycenter.com

FINALLY, A DIFFERENT WAY OF PARENTING!

in

If you feel uncomfortable with the traditional authoritarian parenting style then Raising Competent Children is a “must-have”.

It is full of inspiration on how to raise competent children and how to develop relationships based on equal dignity, integrity and authenticity, and how to support your children developing self-responsibility – both personal and social.

Raising Competent Children is easy to read and draws on examples from everyday life. The author, Jesper Juul, is the founder of FamilyLab and a renowned authority on the family. He has written a number of best-sellers and must-have books.

Use the secure cart on Facebook.

FamilyLab ANZ www.familylab.com.au info@familylab.com.au PO Box 354 Summer Hill NSW 2130 02 9799 2424

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pe No.1 , ov er best 50 0,0 selle 00 r cop ie

ss

“Jesper Juul is one of the twelve leading enlighteners, thinkers and visionaries.” Die ZEIT Germany’s largest weekly newspaper

Visit “familylab anz” on facebook and try before you buy. Read 10 pages and receive free postage.

Eu ro

A new way of de veloping relationships wi th children

J ESPER JUU L

old

BABY&TODDLER PLAY POUCH Keeping the bathtub toys tidy is a constant struggle. You want something practical but also something that is easy for the kids to put their bath toys away. This delightful Pelikan toy storage with a difference! Not only is it a fun way to entertain children in the bath, it also helps to keep bath areas tidy (and safer) after bath time. $ 39.95 from Dreambaby. com.au

SHOPPING

NATURE CALLS The Bambino mio miosolo all in one nappy with a super absorbent core, draws moisture into the nappy away from baby the stay-dry inner layer, prevents moisture seeping back onto baby. A unique pull-out tab system for quick drying core.These wonderful nappies provide a complete nappy system suitable for newborn babies to children of potty training age. $29.99 from Bambinomio.com.au

home decorating for kids www.speckledhouse.com ph +61 2 9651 5592

SHOPPING

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BABY&TODDLER

COOL AND COMFORTABLE

BOUNCY BABY

The new 2015 lillebaby 6 Position complete baby carriers’ range are now available in Australia at Bella’s Little Ones and Huggle Baby Carriers. These optimal ergonomic baby carriers are ideal for the Australian Climate.

Lillebaby carriers feature many innovative comfort design features including the very unique and supportive adjustable back lumbar support. $179.99 from

No batteries required! The Bouncer Balance Soft runs on fun alone –Your child can have fun bouncing, while developing motor skills and balance in a completely natural way.

Younger babies can be gently calmed by you carefully bouncing the chair with your hands or feet. This product was developed in close collaboration with paediatricians. RRP $199.95

NOT ENOUGH HANDS?

NATURALLY SOFT

Never be caught juggling a baby in one arm, and a million items in the other. With the Adjustable Peanut Shell from Babes in Arms that offers multiple carry positions from birth to toddler, you’ll be able to be hands free for every moment.

Available from Babes in arms for $79.99

Made from 100% natural pure merino that is safer for your newborn to sleep, the Cocooi Singlet Bodysuit is lightweight, soft, and allergy safe. With all season versatility, and made to regulate body temperature, your baby won’t overheat or wake up chilled and with a crossover neckline, fabric stays clear of the face. $45.00 from

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SAFE AND SOUND This compact and modern cradle that will gently rock your baby to sleep. Being easy to move around your home it is ideal for the first few months when your baby will sleep little but often. The airy mesh fabric of the cradle and canopy allows air to circulate freely.

There are no loose parts making it super safe for baby and you. $399.95 www. babybjorn. com.au

HOP A LONG Nature Baby’s winter collection has little ones covered in soft organic cottons and merinos.

With secret gardens at dusk with topiary trees and maze like pathways. Spot bunnies hiding and popping out every now and then to say hi. This little Bunny Maze Print beanie will keep little one warm and comfortable. $19.95 from Nature Baby. com

NEWS

BABY&TODDLER

Sleep NURSE

When Melissa Downes’ youngest child was diagnosed at two weeks old with a rare, life threatening vascular abnormality, the battle for her baby began.

Encompassing the best part of two years, it was to lead to the development of a unique sleep aid, Sleep Nurse.

Sleep Nurse combines seven carefully selected original recordings of low-frequency sounds that include wind, waves, rain, bush, as well as unique womb sound developed with a specialist in intrauterine sound. You can also record your babies’ favourite sound, like your voice, the washing machine or the vacuum cleaner (believe it or not!). Sleep Nurse®™ has an inbuilt night light and battery is iPod/MP3 compatible, so it can be used as a portable speaker too.

The night nurse is $119.00 available from www.sleepnurse.com

NEW GREEN TEA

Pukka’s new green tea blends have been designed to detoxify, energise, refresh or calm and are made with whole leaf green teas sourced from China, Vietnam and the Western Ghats in India.

As a fine-ground, powdered, and high quality green tea, Matcha provides exceptional health benefits. This super ingredient is blended with the goodness of three whole leaf green teas including Chinese Sencha, Indian Oothu and Vietnamese Suoi Gang for a powerful antioxidant boost. Shezam! Just like that, your super powers will be restored. Just what all mums … and dads need!

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Q&A

NEW

FOUR-POSITION

360 Carrier Top 10

most r ecommended

2014

Q.Since falling pregnant six weeks ago, I have been suffering from headaches and even a bad migraine. Is there any medication I can safely take?

A. The safest medication to take for any pain, including headache or migraine, in pregnancy is Paracetamol. You can take the usual dose – that is, two tablets every four to six hours – as long as you do not exceed eight tablets per day.

For more severe pain, Codeine is fine so you can certainly take a combined Paracetamol/ Codeine preparation. However, chronic use in pregnancy, especially in the last few weeks can result in withdrawal symptoms from the baby. If you suffer from nausea or vomiting in association with migraine, you may be prescribed Maxolon or Stemetil.

The one migraine drug that should definitely be avoided in pregnancy is ergotamine or medications containing it, as this may have adverse effects on the baby.

Dr. Danny Challis is a Senior Staff Specialist in Obstetrics at the Royal Hospital for Women

WATCH VIDEO

Welcome to Ergobaby Gold Class - a revolutionary Four Position Carrier that is Ergobaby’s most flexible solution yet! The Ergobaby Four Position 360 Carrier offers four easily-adjusted, ergonomic positions - so you can nurture them with your loving support and attention. The world awaits ... go far, stay close!

“I am extremely impressed with the ingenious design of the Ergobaby 360 Carrier as it allows for an ergonomic carry for both baby and wearer in all four positions. It keeps parenting fuss-free and fun. ” Dr Amy Giannakis

Chiropractor, babywearing advocate and mother-of-three - reviewbabycarriers.net

ergobaby.com.aumarch 2015|1300 725 276 mychild 73 ergobaby.co.nz +61 3 6240 * 4001

MY CHILD EXCELLENCE AWARDS VOTE NOW TO BE IN THE RUNNING TO WIN A FANTASTIC ARRAY OF PRIZES

W

e all have our absolute favourite, must-have products that helped us through pregnancy, birth and beyond! So why not share your product-related wisdom with other mums and dads? Have your say by voting in our My Child Excellence Awards 2014 and deciding on Australia’s and New Zealand’s favourite pregnancy, baby and children’s online stores, fashion labels and products – ranging from furniture, food and nappy bags to prams, carriers and highchairs.

The winners and finalists will be announced in the May issue of My Child Magazine

VOTING IS EASY! Simply head over to mychildmagazine.com.au, click on the Awards voting section, follow the prompts and then vote. Voting closes at midnight AEST on April 3 2015.

ONE OF THREE CHERUB BABY SUMMER GIFT PACKS VALUED OVER $100 EACH! This Aussie Brand has launched into summer with these handy products to help you and help baby keep cool. Each pack contains 1 X 10pk On the Go Reusable Food Pouches with Bonus Spoon, On The Go Food Pouch Warmer & Cooler, 2 packs of the NEW 50pk Freeze N Squeeze Reusable Ice Pop Pouches, and they come inside your very own Cherub Baby Insulated Cooler Bag!

OVER $3,500 IN PRIZES TO WIN! ONE OF FIVE KIEKABOO DYNAMIC CARRIERS AND A SLING COMBINATIONS WORTH $240.00 EACH The Dynamic carrier bears the weight on your hip, back and abdomen, instead of relying on the shoulders! Plus this amazing innovative carrier can be used for newborns (no extra insert required) up and until 3 years old.

The minimonkey baby sling can be used in multiple ways as a front carrier as a hip carrier and as a hammock in the playpen or cot.

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20 LUCKY VOTERS WILL WIN A FESS LITTLE NOSES® PRIZE PACK VALUED AT $30!

Each pack includes FESS little Noses Spray & Aspirator to help your baby breathe easier, naturally. You will also receive a quick drying bib from Drybib® to catch all your baby’s dribbles.

A KALENCOM NAPPY BAG CITY SLICK MELON NAPPY BAG

A STORKSAK ELIZABETH TAN NAPPY BAG WORTH $4295.99

With multiple storage pockets inside and outside, the adjustable, removable shoulder strap and hand straps make this City Slick Nappy bag a dress up or dress down accessory. With detachable stroller straps, water repellant inside and outside, so no leaking bottles making a mess all over your clothes, the City slick back come with a matching Thinsulate™ insulated bottle bag, coordinating zippered pouch and a large fold-out padded changing pad

The pinnacle of sophistication and timeless style, the Elizabeth has been a classic in the Storksak collection since their launch. Made from luxurious lake washed

THREE PIKAPU TRIAL PACKS WORTH $119.95 EACH

ONE OF THREE DELIGHTFUL COTTON BLANKETS FROM SPECKLED HOUSE. EACH WORTH $72.95

Imagine only having to purchase one type of nappy to get you through to toilet training! No folding terry squares, pins, plastic covers or soaking. Simply place the nappy on your baby and fasten. Once used, rinse and store in nappy bucket ready for wash. Too easy. Each pack consists of 3 nappies, 3 pack boosters, 1 travel wetbag and a 50 pack of disposable liners

ONE OF 4 GIFT HAMPERS OF MATER MATERNITY AND BABY CARE PRODUCTS PRIZES VALUED $50 EACH To ensure the best start for mothers and babies, Mater Midwives + Mums have developed a range of maternity and baby care products. Safe, trustworthy, affordable products that offer quality, and meet the standards required to be endorsed by Mater Mothers’ Hospitals.

Each pack contains: • Mater Body Balm for pregnancy 150g • Mater Baby Wash 500mL • Mater Baby Moisturiser 500mL • Miracle Max plush toy

leather, which ages beautifully, it is finished with antique brass hardware. Big enough to fit most laptops, this is the perfect baby bag to double-up as your every day or work bag. With two outer pockets, including a mobile pocket, ten internal pockets as well as a insulated bottle holder, this is your ultimate baby

bag.

Made from 100% organic cotton and measuring 100 X 100cm each, these gorgeous new cotton knit blankets are perfect for the pram and cot. They come in a mushroom, owl and hedgehog print. Perfect to use all year round.

A BABYMEL CARA NAVY STRIPE NAPPY WORTH $ 144.99 The Cara is made from a durable laminated cotton canvas, with a heart embossed wipe clean lining throughout. This bag gives you the choice of two stylish designs and featuring over five compartments, a magnetic front pocket, detachable shoulderstrap and built in strollerclips, the Cara is still able to retain all the functionality and more of a baby changing bag.

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news | baby & toddler

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT‌ ANORAK GROBAG BABY SLEEP BAGS

F

or the first time, The Gro Company has collaborated with UK brand Anorak to create a special new Grobag collection.

An iconic homeware design company, Anorak is stocked by leading retailers around the world, including Harrods and Selfridges.

Four fun, outdoorsy new designs have been produced for the Grobag sleeping bag, including Rolling Hills, Kissing Rabbits, Kissing Squirrels

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(pictured here) and Trundling Tractor, which has won over 30 major awards and is well known worldwide for its quality and safety.

Made from 100 percent premium cotton, and available in sizes 0-6 months, 6-18 months and 18-36 months, these great Anorak Grobags come complete with bespoke packaging and are priced from $64.95.* Visit au.gro-store.com to view the range.

PRO

CEEDS

SUPPORT

PR

OCEEDS

SUP

DE

VELOPED BY

Mater +Mums

PORT

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EV

ELOPED B Y

Mater +Mums

So many people have already fallen in love with the way our products care for their baby‌ Vote for us in the My Child Excellence Awards and let other mums in on the secret too.

Excellence

Awards

~ RUNNER-UP FINALIST ~

2015 2013

Click to vote

PR

OCEEDS

Proceeds support Mater Little Miracles to help fund specialist life-saving care and research for babies Australia-wide.

Available online at www.matermothers.org.au and selected retail stores: SUP

PORT

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EV

ELOPED B Y

Mater +Mums

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Vote now!

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN OVER $3,500 IN PRIZES!

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Feeding time FAVOURITE BREAST PUMP 2 1

창 1 NUK Luna Breast Pump 2 Medela Freestyle Double Electric

FAVOURITE BABY BOTTLE

2

5

7

4 1

6

3

창 1 Lifefactory Product: Glass 4oz Bottle 2 Comotomo, pure silicone baby bottle 3 Medela Calma Breastmilk Feeding System 4 Lifefactory Product: Glass 4oz Bottl 5 Difrax S-Bottle. 6 Cherub Baby Wide Neck Glass Bottle With Colour Change Sleeve 7 Minbie glass bottle

FAVOURITE BABY FEEDING UTENSIL

1

4 3 2 5

6 7

8

창 1 Heinz Baby Basics Trainer Cup with Handles 2 Heinz Baby Basics First Feeding Spoons 3 Skip Hop Zootensils set 4 Donkey Kids Spoon 5 Difrax Weaning cup 6 Cherub Baby Fresh Food Feeder 7 Kids Melamine Jungle Cups 8 Difrax Weaning Spoons

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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FAVOURITE BREASTFEEDING 4

1 3 2

8

6

9

5 7

â 1 Breastvest 2 NUK Ultra Dry Breast Pads 3 Medela Contact Nipple Shields 4 Cherub Baby Thermosensor Breast Milk Bags 5 Modibodi Antibacterial Leak-Proof Breastfeeding Singlet 6 Pop-in Breast Pads 7 Pea Pods Reusable Bamboo Nursing Pads 8 Pinky’s Boobie Bikkies 9 GAIA Pure Pregnancy Nipple Balm

1

FAVOURITE BABY FEEDING PRODUCT

3 4

2

5

6

â 1 Only Organic Vanilla Bean 2 Only Organic Mini Rice Cakes 3 Pop-in Coverall 4 Cherub Baby Freeze N Squeeze Reusable Ice Pop Pouches 5 Only Organic Bunnies Pasta & Pasta Sauces 6 Zestio Pouch Topper

BROUGHT TO YOU BY 82

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FAVOURITE FOOD STORAGE PRODUCT

1

6

3

4

5

2

창 1 SoYoung Aqua Seahorse Insulated Lunchbox 2 Lifefactory Glass Food Storage Containers 3 Cherub Baby On The Go Reusable Food Pouches 4 Difrax Baby Food Storage Containers 5 Squooshi Reusable Food Pouches 6 Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Box

FAVOURITE HEALTH PRODUCT 1

2

3

5 4

8 10

9 7 6 11

12

창 1 Hydralyte Ready to use Electrolyte Solution 1L 2 FESS Little Noses Saline Nasal Spray + Aspirator 3 Little Eyes Gentle Cleansing Wipes 4 Trostisar Bumpsicle 5 Hydralyte Electrolyte Ice Blocks 6 Trostisar Bumpsicle 7 Essentials In-a-box Ultrasonic Vaporiser 8 NUK Baby bottle cleanser 9 Milton Antibacterial Tablets 30pk 10 Euky Bear Cough Syrup 11 Vicks Vaporiser 12 Euky Vaporiser

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Sweet dreams FAVOURITE BABY SWADDLE

3

4 1 2 â 1 The Gro Company Groswaddle

2 Little Bonbon Christening Shawls 3 Ergobaby Swaddler 4 Bubble Bamboo Wrap 5 Baby Select Miracle blanket 6 aden + anais classic swaddle 7 Merino Kids Cocooi Babywrap

1

2

7

6 5

FAVOURITE BABY SLEEP AID 5 4

3 7

6

9

8

â 1 Sun & Snoozeshade 2 aden + anais Serenity Star 3 The Gro Company Groclock 4 GAIA Natural Baby Sleeptime Bath

5 Plum Sleeping Bag 6 Grohush 7 Euky Bearub 8 Euky Sleepy Time Inhalant 9 Bosisto’s Lavender Spray

FAVOURITE SLEEPING BAG

1

2

3

â 1 Plum Baby Sleeping bag 2 aden + anais classic sleeping bag 3 The Gro Company Grobag 4 Merino Kids Go Go Bag

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Baby care FAVOURITE BABY WIPES

11

2

3

4 5 7 6 창 1 Pea Pods Bamboo Wet Wipes 2 GAIA Natural Baby Bamboo Baby Wipes 3 NUK Baby Wipes 4 Naty by Nature Babycare Sensitive wipes - unscented 5 BabyU Baby Wipes 6 Baby BeeHinds 100% Natural Bamboo Wet Wipes 7 Wotnot biodegradable baby wipes

FAVOURITE THERMOMETER

1

3

2

FAVOURITE NAPPY CREAM 4

1 2

창 1 Oricom FS300 Non-contact Infrared Thermometer 2 Cherub

창 1 Sudocrem Healing Cream 2

Baby 4 in 1 Digital Ear & Forehead Thermometer 3 Vicks Forehead

GAIA Natural Baby Skin Soothing

thermometer 4 Braun ThermoScan

Lotion

FAVOURITE BATH & SKINCARE PRODUCT 1

3

4

5

6

7

2

창 1 GAIA Natural Baby Baby Moisturiser 2 aden + anais Soothing Ointment 3 Banana Boat Baby Pump Spray 4 Mater Baby Moisturiser 5 PeaPods Nappy Liners 6 Cetaphil Restoraderm Skin Restoring Body Wash 7 Wotnot SPF 30 natural baby sunscreen

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Nappies & Beyond FAVOURITE REUSABLE NAPPY

1

5

4

3

2

6

7

8

창 1 Bumboo luxury bamboo flat cloth nappy 2 Baby Beehinds Magic-All MultiFit 3 Pop-in +bamboo 4 Bumboo quickdry staydry pocket nappy 5 Pea Pods one size nappies 6 Pikapu all-in-one cloth nappy 7 Hippybottomus cloth nappies stay-dry natural nappy 8 Bambino Mio Miosolo

1

FAVOURITE DISPOSABLE NAPPY 2

3

창 1 Mater Nappies

2 Naty by Nature Babycare eco disposable nappies 3 Moltex nature no.1 eco-nappy-

1

FAVOURITE TOILET TRAINING AID

2

3

4

5

6

창 1 Bumbo Toilet Trainer 2 Pea Pods Bamboo Training Pants 3 ORICOM intelligent Potty 4 BabyU Cushie Tushie Padded Toilet Training Seat 5 Scanbrands Potty Chair 6 Bumbo Step Stool

BROUGHT TO YOU BY 86

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FAVOURITE BATH WASH

FAVOURITE BATH WASH

2

1

1

2 3

4 â 1 Stokke Flexibath

2 Skip Hop Moby Bath Spout Cover

â 1 Mater Baby Wash 2 GAIA Natural Baby Hair & Body Wash

3 GAIA Natural Baby Bath & Body Wash 4 Wotnot baby wash

FAVOURITE SAFTEY PRODUCTS

1

5

4

3 2

â 1 VTech BM3500 Safe & Sound Pan & Tilt Video & Audio Baby Monitor 2 Oricom Secure850 4.3” Digital Video Baby Monitor with Motorised pan-tilt camera 3 The Gro Company Groegg 4 Oricom Secure710 2.4” Digital Video Baby Monitor 5 VTech BM2500 Safe & Sound Full Colour Video & Audio Baby Monitor

FAVOURITE PORTABLE CHAIR/BOOSTER SEAT 1 2

3

4 5

6

â 1 Totseat 2 Minimonkey mini Chair 3 GroTime Poppet Chair 4 Yochi yochi 3 in 1 portable high chair walking harness - shopping trolley helper 5 Bumbo Booster Seat 6 Bumbo Baby Floor Seat

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Make room FAVOURITE COT

1

3

2

4

창 1 Stokke Sleepi 2 Gotime Melody Bassi-Crib 3 Coccon Nest 4 in 1 4 Ellie Cot by Incy Interiors

FAVOURITE NURSERY DECOR

3

1

2 창 1 Speckled House 2 Happy As Larry Designs Original Larry Felt Ball Rug 3 Pearhead Deluxe Wall Frame

1

FAVOURITE CHANGING TABLE 3

FAVOURITE HIGH CHAIR

2

1 창 1 Tripp Trapp High Chair

창 1 Stokke Care Natural Change table 2 COCOON Change Area

3 Incy Interiors Scarlett change table/ dresser

BROUGHT TO YOU BY 90

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Mums Picks FAVOURITE MUM’S PRODUCT

1

2

4 3

6

8 5

7

â 1 Mommy Nourish Necklace 2 GAIA Pure Pregnancy Belly Butter 3 Bellybean Maternity Pillow 4 Pearhead Belly Casting Kit 5 Tiny Touch Jewellery 6 Difrax Soother Wipes 7 Mater Body Balm for pregnancy 8 Milestone Baby Cards.

FAVOURITE NAPPY BAG 3

2

4

1

5

8

6

7

9 10

11

â 1 Bubba Bags Elite Honeycomb Orange Buckle Bag 2 Babymel Cara Navy Stripe Bag 3 Budu Baby Bag 4 Il Tutto Lola Tote bag 5 Storksak Elizabeth Tan Leather Bag 6 Charlie Lifestyle bag 7 Skip Hop Duo Signature Bag 8 Babymel Satchel Navy Stripe bag 9 Storksak Bobby Quilted Bag 10 Storksak Noa Navy Bag 11 Total Envy Nappy Bag

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On the move FAVOURITE PRAM 1 2

3

4

7

6 5

창 1 Stokke Xplory 2 Joolz Day Tailor 3 Baby Jogger City Mini GT 4 Silver cross Wayfareer 5 Baby Jogger City Select Pram 6 Silvercross Pioneer Pram 7 Stokke Crusi

FAVOURITE STROLLER

1

3

2

창 1 Baby Jogger City Mini GT 2 Stokke Scoot 3 Baby Jogger City Mini 4 SIlvercross Reflex

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Travel tales FAVOURITECHILDREN’S CHILD TRAVEL PRODUCT FAVOURITE TRAVEL PRODUCT

1

4

2 3

5 6 7

â 1 Fridge-to-go Medium Lunch Bag 2 Cherub baby On The Go Food Pouch Warmer & Cooler 3 SoYoung Toddler Backpack Set with Removable Lunch Box 4 Gooie Large backpack (spotti dotti/xtreme sport)

5 Pop-in Car Seat Protector 6 Modern Twist Silicone Mark

Mat with Markers 8 Trunki Ride on Suitcase Bernard the Bee

FAVOURITE BABY TRAVEL PRODUCT 1

3

2

4 8 5

9

6 7 13 10

11

12

â 1 Cherub Baby Click ‘n Go Travel Bottle Warmer 2 Babybjorn travel cot light 3 Raspberries WarmZe Bottle warmer 4 The Gro Company Gro Anywhere Blind 5 SUPPORi Baby Sling 6 Seedling Baby Beach Bag 7 Bambella Pram liners 8 Pop-in Playmat 9 Slingthings Buboose 10 Prince lionheart Wipes

14

warmer 11 GAIA Natural Baby Baby Starter Kit 12 hug-a-bub ® wrap carrier 13 Bellabuttercup travel mat 14 JL Childress Red Stroller Gate Check Bag

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FAVOURITE CARRIER

1

2

3

4

7 8

5

6

9 10

11

12 â 1 Manduca organic baby carrier 2

14

Minimonkey Dynamic Baby carrier 3 BabyBjorn Baby Carrier One 4 hug-a-bub ® wrap carrier 5 Stokke My Carrier 6 Budu Baby Carrier 7 Hipseat 8 Caboo +organic baby carrier 9 Ergobaby Four Position 360 Baby Carrier 10 ByKay Mei-Tai Deluxe 11 Kantan Adjustable Net

13

Sling 12 Ergobaby Wrap 13 Baby K’tan Breeze Baby Carrier 14 Sukkiri Mesh Ring Sling

BROUGHT TO YOU BY 94

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Play time FAVOURITE TEETHING PRODUCT 3

5 4

1

2 â 1 Only Orgaic, Teething Rusks 2 Heinz Baby Basics Little Star Teethers 3 NUK Dolphin Iced Teether 4 Lifefactory Silicone Teether Dual Packs 5 Cheeky Chompers Chew Pack - Neckerchew & Comfortchew

FAVOURITE EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

3 1

5 2 4

â 1 Bop Along Buddies Development Toy 2 Shoezooz, Educational Shoe Stickers 3 Educational meal plates for kids 2-10yrs 4 Eat Learn Interact / The Alphabet Plate

5 Surf Life Saving NSW – First Aid for your Child Course

FAVOURITE TOY 0-18 MONTHS 1

2 â 1 Skip Hop Treetop Friends Activity Gym 2 The Gro Company Grocomforter

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Shop till you drop FAVOURITE MIXED BRAND RETAILER

1

3

6

5

4

2

창

1 Fairy Blossom and Friends 2 Kids in Style 3 Yogee Toys 4 Queen Bee 5 The Little Kidz Closet 6 The Stork Nest

FAVOURITE CHILDRENS FASHION LABEL 2

1

31

창

1 Hootkid 2 MOOCE 3 Attipas

FAVOURITE BABY FASHION LABEL 1

2

3

4

5

1 Attipas Australia 2 Hootkid 3 Precious by Plum 4 SOOKIbaby 5 Purebaby

창

FAVOURITE OWN BRAND RETAILER 1

창

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2

3

4

5

1 Unique Baby Boutique 2 Hootkid 3 Maternity Sale 4 Precious by Plum 5 Lilly & Lolly 6 Tiny Tribe

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BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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WELLBEING

Mums in motion LADIES HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO GET A LITTLE EXTRA BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WHILE YOU’RE PUSHING THAT STROLLER BUT YOUR SLEEP DEPRIVED MIND CAN’T COME UP WITH A SINGLE EXERCISE TO DO?

L

ook no further, Body Beyond Birth has created a simple stroller workout just for you that can be done anywhere you can push a stroller. The only equipment you need is a baby (the bigger the better!) a stroller and some half decent running shoes.

Now as mums ourselves we realise that you may not want to look like a complete tool lunging your way to the shops along a busy

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road! So, we’ve included some sneaky exercises that you can do when you want to keep it cool AND some more traditional exercises that you might want to do away from prying eyes.

But hey, if you want everyone to think you’re a personal trainer you can just recruit 3 friends to do this stroller workout with you and you’ve got a class!

LET’S START WITH THE SLY EXERCISES… Vanilla walking To make plain old walking with the stroller a workout all you need to do is stand up SUPER tall. It’s not just making you look hot, it’s actually a strengthening exercise girls!

• Stand tall with your chest out and shoulder blades down and back • Lengthen through the back of neck • Keep elbows tucked in by your sides or arms straight out in front of you • Turn on core abdominals (gently draw your navel toward your spine, and draw your pelvic floor up). Maintain a slight curve in your lower back and DO NOT clinch those butt cheeks!

Now get walking and breath normally while keeping that core on and posture perfect. It’s not easy and it’s really a workout if you’re doing it right. Just pretend like you’re being photographed for the cover of a magazine!

Aim for a 30 minute walk every day.

Relevés • Stand with heels together and feet turned out at a 45 degree angle (that’s 1st position for you ballerina’s out there) • Stand SUPER tall and turn on those core abs again along with the pelvic floor • With a LIGHT hold on the stroller, rise onto the balls of your feet, exhaling as you rise WORKS: calves, quads, core abdominals Do 10 reps x 2-3 sets Hint: Try to to do this in the line at the grocery store, while standing talking to a friend, or when waiting at stoplights.

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Pliès • Stand with heels together and feet turned out at a 45 degree angle (yep, 1st position again) • Start by standing tall with core on and pelvic floor engaged • Keep a “feather touch” on the stroller • Bend the knees while turning out from the hips as much as possible. This gets the smoke coming off of those buns!

• Lower your body as far as you can while keeping your heels on the ground • Exhale on your return to start WORKS: glutes, quads, core abdominals and inner thighs.

Do 10 reps x 2-3 sets

Core Crunches • Start facing your stroller with core on and one leg extended behind you with toe pointed • Exhale while slowly bringing knee up toward chest (not chest to knee!) then return to start Repeat keeping your trunk upright throughout the exercise.

WORKS: abdominals Do 10 reps x 2 sets each side

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NOW FOR THE I’M OBVIOUSLY EXERCISING ONES… Booty Lifts • Start standing tall with core on • Keep a “feather touch” on the stroller • Slide one leg out behind you on a 45 degree angle • Keep your knee straight and exhale to lift the leg with a butt squeeze • This movement is in the leg not the back.

WORKS: glutes, hamstrings and lower back.

Do 10 reps x 2 sets each leg

Oblique Twists • Stand side-on to your stroller, reach your top arm long overhead and outer leg long with toe pointed • Keeping your core on exhale to bring the elbow toward the knee while rotating trunk WORKS: the core and those obliques (aka the WAIST whittlers!).

Do 10 reps x 2 sets each side

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Traveller Lunges • • • •

Keep your core abdominals turned on and maintain beautiful posture Simply lunge walk forward while pushing your stroller Keep your knee behind your toes to protect your knees, exhale with each lunge If you have any knee pain check your technique and modify with a mini lunge as needed.

WORKS: glutes, quads, hamstrings, and core abdominals.

Do 10 lunges then rest or walk normally do 2-3 sets.

Do these simple excersises every time you are out for a walk and you will feel the effects in no time at all.

Next month we will have some more ‘body moves’ from these wonderful ladies for you.

Click onto the Body Beyond Birth Video for more information.

Body Beyond Birth is an online postnatal exercise and nutrition program created by physiotherapist Becky Dyer and pilates instructor Jackie Steele.

Visit bodybeyondbirth.com.

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night light to

bright light

The Grolight transforms a normal overhead light or lamp into a night light and bright light in one.

Providing a comforting glow for young children and the perfect amount of light to check on your baby without waking them.

Ideal for: breastfeeding comforting young children toilet training night time checks

scan to find out more www.gro.co.uk * 103

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FASHION

BLAST LONGSLEEVE POCKET T SHIRT $44.95 SMASHED UP TRACK PANT $54.95 - $64.95 DA KING HOODIE $69.95 FRESHER FLY HAREM JEAN $64.95 - $79.95

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AUTUMN SPLASH

FROM SKINNY MINI’S TO CHUBBA BUBBAS’ OISHI-M HAVE CREATED FUNKY UNIQUE GARMENTS PERFECT FOR NEWBORN BABIES TO BUSY LITTLE PEOPLE. march 2015| mychild

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HURRICANE LONGSLEEVE T SHIRT $44.95 FRESHER FLY HAREM JEAN $64.95 - $79.95 CHOICE BRO LONGSLEEVE T SHIRT $44.95 Travel Tunes Skinny Jean $59.95 - $79.95 106

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SHELLO CREW JUMPER $59.95 ALL OF MY FRIENDS SKIRT $64.95 DA KING HOODIE RRP $69.95 108

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9| SALTY SAM CHUBBA JEAN 3-6MTH, 6-15MTH, 12-24MTH, 2-3YRS $64.95 3-4 YRS, 4-5YRS, 5-6YRS $79.95

THESE LIMITED EDITION GARMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM OISHIM.COM OR EMAIL INFO@OISHI-M.COM march 2015| mychild

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Heavens Yes Dress $69.95 110

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Oishi-m’s [Oy-shee-em] limited edition garments splash kimono, vintage and retro fabrics together with denim and cotton to create funky unique garments.

This Australian designed range include bottoms that are virtually indestructible, cater for both disposable and cloth nappy bottoms, and come equipped with Oishi-m’s original ‘Tummy Toastie’ to keep bub’s tummy comfortably warm and covered. Their tops and dresses are versatile for layering and growth spurts.

Add to end of the paragraph, Many of Oishi-m’s garments are proudly made in Melbourne. www.oishi-m.com instagram.com/oishi_m

facebook.com/oishim email info@oishi-m.com ph: +61 (0)3 5261 6738

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PARTY

Turtles, Ballerinas and Bows LITTLE ALEXANDRA CHARLOTTE LE CELEBRATED HER FIRST BIRTHDAY IN STYLE

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party

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PROUD MUM AND DAD WITH ALEXANDRA

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auline Pham spent six months planning a birthday for her princess. Even though Alexandra is obsessed with Peppa Pig, her birthday theme was designed around her nickname Turtle.

Why Turtle? When Pauline was pregnant she used to dream of Turtles and they were everywhere in her dreams. Apparently this means the baby is healthy and will have a long life. Alexandra’s nursery, which we have had designed in a ballerina and turtle theme.

And also bows, because Alexandra is known for always wearing a bow in her hair. So it was a ballerina turtle party with a bow theme!

What time of year was Alexandra’s Party?

Alexandra’s birthday in in Summer as we had lots of family and friends around we wanted a fun evening filled with lots of dancing and laughs.

How did you select the colour scheme?

Based on Alexandra’s nursery colour palette and the Niki Macfarlane gown Alexandra was going to wear to her party. The colours were pale pink with creams and gold accents.

It took six months of planning, we had decided we wanted a more formal event for

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ALL THE GUESTS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME

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party

FACE PAINING FOR ALL THE LITTLE ONES

the first birthday, a sit down banquet dinner.

So we hired the venue 501 receptions with Asian catering for a nine-course banquet.

Then I enlisted the talented stylist guru Belinda from Styled by Belle. I also booked the same suppliers from my wedding including Jo from Splendid Servings who made the cake, Karina from Style By Nature for the floristry.

We also chose Lee from Lee Bird Photography to capture the special moments at the party, and Emma Smith Stationery who designed the birthday motif and party stationery.

What sort of a budget did you have?

We had a flexible budget but the total cost was just over $18,000.

could you describe the key elements of the party?

Even though it was a formal dinner event. It was essentially a child’s first birthday and

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ALEXANDRA WAS A BIT OVERWHELMED BECAUSE SHE WASN’T USE TO ALL THE ATTENTION SURROUNDING HER.

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made sure that this was the main focus. We had two clowns to do face painting and balloon twisting from Kiddly Winks and a photobooth from Pop Up Photo Booth. We also had a DJ to keep the music going and to make it fun.

As thank you gifts we gave each child a Little Golden Book “How the turtle got its shell”, since it is Alexandra’s favourite book and the title was fitting for the theme. And everyone received a gold photo frame that doubled as a place card too. The main attraction of the night was of course the beautiful dessert buffet table that Belinda styled with the gorgeous cake from Splendid Servings. It was breath taking!

Another favourite part of the birthday was the well wishes that people wrote for the birthday girl. We bought her a personalised wooden box to put all her first birthday items including her guest’s wishes for her so that she can read it when she gets older.

How many guests attended?

120 guests

Do you have any party tips for parents?

If budget permits, outsource what you can so you can spend more time enjoying the day.

Enjoy the day as it flies by so quickly. Enjoy the special moments with your child because it is their day!

What’s next?

The 2nd Birthday! The theme- an enchanted garden party! And of course we are enlisting Belinda from Styled By Belle again!

Vendor Credits: Event Stylist & Dessert Table: Styled By Belle (www.styledbybelle.com.au) Photographer: Lee Bird Photography (leebirdphotography.com.au) Event Stationary: Emma Smith Event Stationary (www.emmasmith.com.au) Birthday Cake: Splendid Servings (www. splendidservings.com.au) Flowers: Style By Nature (www.stylebynature. com.au) Cookies: Dessert Menu, Please Macarons: Macarahrah Desserts: Queen Baker

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COOKING

Bircher in a Biscuit THESE BABIES ARE SOUL SATISFYING, NOURISHING MORSELS OF GOODNESS WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SPICE. A DELICIOUS RECIPE FROM STACEY DEUTSCHER

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NUTRITIONAL TIP

Biscuit

PREP TIME 10 minutes minutes SERVES 20

COOKING TIME 25

INGREDIENTS ¼ cup Coconut oil 1 tbsp Chia seeds, ground 3 tbsp water ¼ cup maple syrup (plus extra for drizzling) ½ tsp bicarbonate soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon (plus extra for sprinkling) ½ tsp fresh grated ginger 3 large Granny Smith apples ½ cup buckwheat flour 1½ cups whole oats

METHOD • Preheat your oven to 180°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Combine the ground chia seeds with the water and place in the fridge to set. Meanwhile, whisk the coconut oil, maple syrup, bicarbonate soda, ginger and spices together in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

When choosing apples, look out for the Granny Smith variety. They contain less fructose than the red varieties and are just as sweet when cooked.

• In a separate bowl, grate 2 apples and combine with the flour and oats. Add this to the coconut oil mixture along with the chia seed mix and stir until a sticky dough is formed.

• Roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place evenly on the baking tray. Gently flatten each. Slice the remaining apple thinly and top each cookie with a slice. Brush with a little extra maple syrup and sprinkle with extra cinnamon.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crispy.

Allow to cool completely before removing from the tray.

TO SERVE Enjoy as is.

STORAGE Fridge for 5 days & Freezer for 1 month ALLERGIES Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Freezer-Safe

Stace loves to create healthy recipes the whole family can enjoy together. She is an accredited health and wellness coach with years of experience in the kitchen developing recipes for both personal and corporate clients. Jump over to ahealthymum.com to view her long list of healthy recipes and to download her free e-book, 10 in 10 Breakfasts, or visit her on Facebook at facebook. com/ahealthymumpage or Instagram at a_healthy_mum.

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INTERIORS REPORT

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Beyond Blue USING SIMPLE COLOURS YOUCAN CREATE A SOPHISTICATED AND MODERN LOOK

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GET THE LOOK

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NURSERY DECOR You Are My Sunshine print $6.99 by Finny and Zook

LABRADOODLE PRINT US $39.00 by jandjdesigngroup. com

I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON and back steel art $139.00 www.lisasarah.com

DECORATIVE LETTERS $ 9 each by Mooza Designs.com. au

WOOD PANELLING Natural Wood Colouring By

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CHEVRON QUILT COVER $110.00 www.etsy.com

https://www.etsy.com/listing/153802992/baby-bedding-cotquilt-cover-duvet-cover HORIZONTAL STRIPE RUG $575.00 www. xavierandme.com ZAHARA POUFS 178.60 www.kushliving.com.au

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Peanut Elephant $44.95 www.twenga.

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Oasis Cushion Mint $ 49.95

J ARMCHAIR $449 by IKEA Ikea.com 65.00 from The Dharma Door

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TIPS

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HOW TO… PACK IN PROTEIN TRY THESE INVENTIVE WAYS TO SNEAK EXTRA PROTEIN INTO YOUR KIDS MEALS

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rotein is to the body like spinach is to Popeye. It is an important body building and strength building nutritional element.

You might be thinking that your child isn’t getting enough protein, but the amount they need when they are young isn’t staggering.

When they are under three, they only need around 13 grams of protein a day, while a four to five year old needs around 19 grams a day.

Simply spread small amounts out throughout the day and it will be easy for you to meet your child’s protein needs!

favourite cereal and yoghurt go really well together.

If you’re making a recipe that uses sour cream, you can swap it out for yoghurt, for an extra hit of protein.

Milk it for all it’s worth!

I do not like Green Eggs and Ham

Like veggies, not every child will like milk, so you will have to get your thinking cap on and disguise it in other foods. Try making French toast for brekkie, or a fruit-laden smoothie.

Dr. Seuss Can come in handy for this one. If your child is fussy simply because they don’t like the name of something, try to rename it in a fun way.

It is easy to make Green Eggs and Ham the classic dish from the Dr. Seuss classic. Eggs scrambled and mixed with some pesto and parmesan, and then ham sliced into pieces.

Voila!

Use Yoghurt Yoghurt is brilliant for that protein hit your child’s body craves. Try serving a parfait or a trifle with fruit and yoghurt. Or your child’s

Get creative Kids love to eat with their eyes, and protein laden meats and cheeses are no exception. Get creative and make skewers, with cheese and meat on them. Or for little hands make little burgers – sliders as they’re known, can give your child the protein they need.

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PRESCHOOL

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Finding the words AROUND FIVE PERCENT OF CHILDREN WILL DEVELOP A STUTTER, BUT MANY WILL “GROW OUT OF IT”. HERE’S HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS UNEXPLAINED DISORDER – AND KNOW WHEN IT COULD BE A PROBLEM. JO HEGERTY REPORTS

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ittle understood and often going as mysteriously as it came, stuttering is a phenomenon that affects around five percent of all preschool children. The onset usually occurs around the age of two to five, often coinciding with the “language explosion” as children start to form sentences.

It can be gradual or sudden, from mild to severe.

Professor Sheena Reilly, an expert in paediatric speech pathology, says parents will easily identify the problem. ‘Children who stutter have trouble getting their words out,’ she explains. ‘They may repeat words or syllables, such as “can-can-can – I go”, make prolonged sounds like “caaaaaaaaaaan I go” or

experience speech stoppages.’

Stuttering is often accompanied by nonverbal signs such as blinking, head movements or grimacing, as the child tries to get the words out.

WHAT CAUSES STUTTERING? Stuttering is believed to have something to do with the brain function that regulates speech, and has been shown to run in families.

The first sign parents may notice is repetition of syllables.

The stutter may change soon after to include some of the fixed postures of the disorder, such as the child holding their lips and tongue in one position for brief periods

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with the appearance of a complete blockage as they try to find a word.

Professor Reilly leads a team of researchers at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) which is dedicated to understanding speech and language development in young children. Their ongoing study, Early Language is based on 1,900 children and families. The children involved were eight months old when the study began in 2003, and will be seven when it concludes.

Through ELVS, researchers aim to learn which factors influence the onset of stuttering, such as family history of the condition and gender, while considering the age stuttering starts and any medical conditions. In another study at MCRI, three groups of children will have MRI (brain imaging), allowing researchers to compare stutterers to those who have recovered or never stuttered at all.

Initial evidence from the ELVS is surprising.

Researchers found that 11 percent of the participating children, who turn four this year, have started stuttering, double the number expected.

The study has confirmed boys are more likely to stutter, as are children with a family history but has also dispelled a common myth. ‘Our research shows the language skills of children who begin to stutter aren’t worse than in those who don’t,’ explains Professor Reilly. ‘We also found children who stutter are not likely to be more shy or withdrawn compared to others their age.’

There’s no doubt, however, that stuttering in older children can interfere with communication, causing frustration and potential social anxiety as the child becomes embarrassed or uncomfortable about speaking. For this reason, early intervention for children who stutter is crucial.

GETTING THE WORDS OUT Of the five percent of small children who stutter, around half stop naturally, with girls

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being more likely to do so than boys.

Professor Reilly says there’s no need for parents to seek immediate treatment should stuttering develop, as many children will recover spontaneously. ‘Research has also shown treatment can be delayed by six to nine months for preschool children without any detrimental effect. If the stuttering persists for more than six months, seek a referral from your GP to a speech pathologist trained in the Lidcombe program,’ she says.

Shown to be the most efficacious for treating preschool-aged stutterers, the Lidcombe program was developed at both University of Sydney and the Stuttering Unit, Bankstown Health Service. It is now used by more than 80 percent of speech pathologists treating this disorder and has gained popularity around the globe.

The program is implemented by parents, who are in turn instructed by a speech pathologist. As with stuttering itself, no-one is clear on why the Lidcombe program works – but it appears to work very well. Research has shown children who do the program have no or very little incidence of stuttering afterwards. However, as the program is new, it has not yet been determined if any children will regress at an older age.

LISTEN UP Should your child develop a stutter, your inter action with them becomes very important.

Take time to listen and be patient if they take a while to get a word out.

Focus on what they are saying and show them you understand what they have said by repeating or rephrasing it back to them.

Professor Reilly says: ‘It’s OK to refer to the stuttering, you shouldn’t ignore it. Some parents will talk about “bumps” in speech.

It is important, however, not to draw unnecessary attention to their speech – and don’t tolerate any teasing or laughing at your child.’ *

For a cause BRAINWAVE IS AUSTRALIA’S ONLY CHARITY SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING CEREBRAL PALSY, EPILEPSY, TUMOURS AND ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURIES.

B

rainwave was founded 20 years ago by Josephine Nicholls whose six year old son, Nicholas, was diagnosed with a brain tumour – a harrowing situation for any family.

She decided to form a charity whose mission was to provide practical assistance to children and their families with much-needed rehabilitation and mobility equipment as well as hosting a range of family activities and events.

These activities connect people with shared challenges and provide some fun relief for children who live with debilitating conditions.

Brainwave is focussed on reducing the impact of paediatric neurological conditions on families through practical assistance and emotional and financial support.

Former Olympic swimming champion Michael Klim has been a Brainwave Patron for over a decade. His model wife Lindy is a dedicated Brainwave Ambassador. For years, the pair who count their blessings for three healthy children – Stella, Rocco and Frankie – have shown their support by attending Brainwave fundraisers and family days, and by visiting sick children on hospital wards.

For the month of June they’re hoping other parents and their extended families will join them in supporting Brainwave via sales of their all natural, 100% Australian owned and produced Milk Baby products. All money raised will help fund much-needed programs

including mobility and rehabilitation and ongoing therapies and family events which provide emotional support and promote social inclusion.

The Klims discovered Brainwave via a doctor friend and felt an instant affinity with the children it was helping, even before they had children of their own. “I knew as soon as I walked into that room that I wanted to do everything I could to help, so it made sense when we started Milk & Co to nominate Brainwave as our major charity,” Lindy said.

Brainwave aims to reduce the impact of paediatric neurological conditions on children and their families by offering practical assistance and emotional support to help improve their quality of life.

Throughout June the Klims’ company Milk & Co will donate $1 from every 375ml bottle of Milk Baby Bath Time Wash and Milk Baby Shampoozle & Conditioner to Brainwave Australia, the children’s charity for whom they’ve worked tirelessly for more than 10 years. Milk Baby Bath Time Wash and Milk Baby Shampoozle + Conditioner are available at Coles and Woolworths nationally and online: http://www.milkandco. com.au

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BIG KIDS

Boys vs Girls CURIOUS ABOUT SOME STEREOTYPICAL BEHAVIOR YOU’VE NOTICED IN YOUR LITTLE ONE? GENDER DIFFERENCES AREN’T THAT SIGNIFICANT — BUT THERE ARE A FEW THAT START IN THE WOMB AND CONTINUE THROUGH CHILDHOOD

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n terms of anatomy, differences between boys and girls are pretty obvious. But when it comes to brain development, the disparities between the two sexes are actually pretty small. It turns out that behaviour and development have more to do with life experiences than they do with gender — and

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in order to reach his or her full potential, your cutie needs lots of attention and encouragement from the get-go. Here is a general overview on where, and how much, gender plays a role in your son or daughter’s development — and what to do when the playing field isn’t exactly even.

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Toy Preference Babies don’t distinguish between “boy” and “girl” playthings — in fact, studies show (and many parents know) that baby boys love dolls.

So it’s plausible to think that boys like trucks and girls like tea sets because society tells them to. But while gender-specific marketing and peer pressure in preschool can influence a tot’s taste in toys, there’s good evidence that there’s also something innate about preferences for certain playthings, starting around age one.

In fact, girls who are exposed to higher-thannormal levels of sex hormones, including testosterone, in the womb show an aboveaverage interest in cars and trucks. And in a study of monkeys, male primates chose wheeled toys over plush toys, while females liked both. What does that mean for humans?

You can expect your daughter to be more open than her brother about what she plays with — usually starting around kindergarten.

Widen your childs toy horizons by offering all sorts of playthings instead of sticking to the stereotypical stuff.

“gender-specific marketing and peer pressure in preschool can influence a tot’s taste in toys” Social Skills Its a proven fact that females tend to be more in tune to people’s emotions. After reviewing over 100 studies, researchers concluded that even in infancy, girls are better at figuring out people’s emotions based on their facial expressions.

Plus, a British study found that baby girls would rather look at faces than mobiles, while the opposite was true for boys.

While the reading-faces skill begins at birth, both nature and nurture play a role — the differences in ability is more than twice as pronounced in grown-up men and women as

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it is in little ones. What’s behind the difference? Experts think it’s because girls are taught to express their feelings, while boys are encouraged to suck it up.

As moms everywhere know, baby boys aren’t any less sensitive, so teach your son the words for his feelings (“You’re mad because you can’t reach the rattle”) as you talk to him.

Spatial Skills One reason boys consistently outscore girls on the math test is that they have a leg up on spatial skills — or the ability to solve problems involving size, distance, and the relationship between objects. Although social expectations for male mathletes probably play a big role in this gender difference — as does a bigger love for video games and sports — the rift does appear very early in life. Studies suggest that boys as young as three to five months old can visualize how an object will appear when rotated, while girls of the same age can’t.

To make things more even, give your girl building blocks, talk about numbers, play ball with her, and, when she’s old enough, introduce her to kid-friendly computer, video, and smartphone games that focus on targeting objects

Physical Activity Go to any playground and you’re bound to see more boys running, playing ball, and jumping — and that difference in physical activity may start in the womb. After reviewing 46 previous studies, Canadian researchers concluded that baby boys are bigger wiggle worms than baby girls — they squirm more on the changing table, get restless in the stroller, and crawl over longer distances. While the average boy doesn’t move around much more than the typical girl, the most active kids are almost always boys, and the least active, girls.

Get both sexes moving with plenty of active playtime — from dancing indoors to playing chase outside.

Aggression No surprise here: Boys are more physically aggressive than girls even before they turn two, according to studies. Scientists say prenatal testosterone is a big factor, and that boys are subconsciously playing at something they’re much more likely to do in adulthood than girls: get into physical confrontations.

But girls aren’t angels, either: Toddler girls kick, bite, and hit three times more than either gender does by the time kids enter gradeschool (by then both sexes have been socialized so they use their words more than their fists).

Little boys and girls need to learn limits, so be firm about enforcing the “no hitting” rule.

“Study after study shows that there are no significant differences between boys and girls when it comes to grossmotor development” Walking Although many parents say boys reach grossmotor milestones like sitting up, crawling, cruising, and walking earlier than girls, some pediatricians swear the opposite. But both camps are wrong: Study after study shows that there are no significant differences between boys and girls when it comes to gross-motor development.

Both genders usually start walking sometime between nine and 16 months; yet in a study of parental expectations, mothers of 11-monthold infants consistently overestimated their boys’ physical skills and underestimated those of their daughters.

The expectations that boys will walk earlier may have to do with physical size, since boys tend to be heavier and taller than girls by

around six months.

Build up your baby’s muscles by giving your little guy or gal plenty of tummy time in the early months — and making sure your tot doesn’t spend too much time confined to the stroller, car seat, or play yard.

Talking One milestone expectation that does consistently pan out is talking — girls start about a month earlier than boys on average, sometime in the first half of the second year.

British researchers found that girl babies had significantly larger vocabularies than boys as early as 18 and 24 months.

Experts say, however, that gender explains up to only 3 percent of differences in toddlers’ verbal skills, with a child’s exposure to language and his or her environment accounting for at least 50 percent of differences.

Moms and dads should talk to and read to their babies often, whether they’re girls or boys.

Potty Training Girls, hands down, are out of nappies faster than boys — sometimes a lot faster. While most girls start toilet training anytime from 22 to 30 months, boys can take three months to even a year longer than girls to achieve all of the 28 skills experts say they need to be diaper-free forever — from staying dry for two hours during the day to being able to pull down underpants. Girls, on average, can pee on their own (a big milestone) by 33 months, but it takes until month 37 for boys to get there.

Even if your little boy won’t get the hang of potty training until later, bring out the potty around his second birthday and just let him have fun with it. You never know — it may inspire him to beat the statistics.* Compiled from http://www.whattoexpect.com.

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NEWS

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BYO computer! compiled by Georgia Ward

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s we move into a more technologically connected world, schools across the world are introducing the BYOD. The ‘Bring Your Own Device’ can be incredibly daunting to parents at an already costly time of year, so try these tips to make sure you make the best of the BYOD campaign!

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Which Device?

Choosing the right device type for your child’s learning abilities can save you money.

Older students will have different needs to younger ones so take that into account.

• The classic laptop: the most powerful, and the more expensive option, good for storage of files and writing essays and notes.

• The tablet: lighter, smaller and often cheaper. This option doesn’t have a attached keyboard, although you can purchase a case with one, or use a ‘stylus’ pen.

• The combo deal: 2-in-1 combo laptop/ tablets have become the new rage. They’re a notebook with a detachable screen, so you get the best of both worlds.

• The Chromebook: You will see many of these turn up at BYOD schools, they’re lightweight, low cost and use ‘cloud’ online storage instead of using a bulky hard drive.

Think of it as the laptop’s cooler cousin.

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Make sure it does what the school wants.

Your school may provide a set of criteria to look for in a new machine, but to make sure stick to the following basics, so that your your child can get the most out of their device.

• Wi-fi: This way it can connect to the school network and yours at home.

• Specs: Make sure you look for AT LEAST 16gb of storage and 2GB of RAM • Notes: Make sure it can create notes for your child to jot down in class - they’ll come in handy for exams!

• Size matters: Look for 11-13inch models of laptops and Chromebooks, any larger and they’ll be too tricky to carry around. For tablets, try stick to 8inches and larger.

• Brain drain: Make sure the battery life on the device will last a whole school day allowing your to recharge it over night.

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Treat it right: You’ve invested a large sum of money in this device, so make sure your child will look after it.

• Invest in a robust, sturdy case to ensure it can survives the knocks in the school bag.

• Threat detected! Make sure you install antivirus software - McAfee, or AVGFree are just two good examples.

• See if your machine is insured at school, have a chat to your insurer to add it to your policy if it isn’t insured outside of your home.

• Name it: Just like everything else that goes to school, make sure you name your device, engraving is a permanent option, and make sure you keep a copy of the serial number, you’re better safe than sorry.

As scary as the BYOD campaign sounds, it is an awesome new approach to learning that will benefit your child in the long run!

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BIG KIDS

NAPLAN ­

WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR CHILD?

MADELINE MITCHELL, PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER AND OWNER OF HI IQ TUTORING AND EDUCATION CENTRE IN BONDI JUNCTION OUTLINES MORE ABOUT IT.

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he National Assessment Plan – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a controversial and widely debated topic for many parents and teachers. There are strong arguments both supporting and

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criticising this national assessment that commenced in 2008. It takes place annually in May for all children in Australia in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9.

NAPLAN is an assessment of four focus areas:

reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy. The aim of the assessment is to compare students on a national level, as well as compare their individual results and growth between assessment tasks.

Regardless of whether you support or oppose this assessment, the pressures placed on children to achieve great results is only increasing and with the new implementation of our National Curriculum it looks like NAPAN is here to stay.

NAPLAN can be a cause of stress and anxiety for both children and parents as they prepare for these formal school exams. There are several things that can be implemented both in and outside the classroom to help assist children prepare for the exams.

Here are a few helpful hints to get you started.

Understand the paper and what your child is being tested on. During the writing paper students are given a stimulus and asked to write a response using a specific text type.

The text type is not disclosed prior to the test.

In 2015 students will be asked to respond using either a persuasive piece of writing or a narrative. It is important that your child understands what this means and how to respond using this stimulus. The ‘Language Conventions’ paper is assessing spelling, grammar and punctuation. Visit the official website for writing samples, practice papers and stimulous examples Familiarise yourself with the language and features of the text type being assessed.

These can be practiced around the house through language and dialogue, as well as writing tasks Ask your child’s teacher how the class will be prepared for the assessments. If you feel that sufficient amount of preparation is done in the classroom then there is no need to follow up with content at home. If you feel that your child would benefit from extra

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preparation outside of the classroom then organise this accordingly Remember that it is a test of the development of a range of skills acquired over a period of time. Whist preparation is important you need to remember that not all skills can be learn’t in a short period before the test.

NAPLAN is a great opportunity to introduce students to basic study and exam preparation skills that are beneficial in the later high school years. Remind your child of the importance of reading the question thoroughly and highlighting key words. What is the question really asking?

Talk to your child about time management during the exam. It is important that they don’t get ‘bogged’ down on a question that they don’t know. Leave it and come back if there is time at the end.

Discuss multiple choice questions with your child. Explain that you can usually ‘rule out’ a couple of answers that you know aren’t correct. If you still really don’t know, have a go! You still have ¼ chance of getting it right!

Set realistic and attainable goals. Remind yourself and your child that it is one test on one day and that everything will be ok, no matter what happens.

Remember to breath! Taking depth breaths before and during the exam will reduce stress and increase concentration.

Ensure that your child has had a sustainable breakfast on the morning of the test, as well as a decent snack during the day. Avoid anything sugary or artificial as this can lead to a lack of concentration.

Manage your expectations and always reassure your child that you love him and are proud of them no matter what happens in a test.* For more information or to inquire about the Naplan Tutoring sessions on offer at Hi iQ visit our website www.hiiq.com.au

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REAL LIFE

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Boy Meets Girl AND THIS IS THEIR LOVE CHILD... A PRODUCT OF PASSION, HARD WORK AND BAGS OF ENTHUSIASM. SLIGHTLY BLUSHED WITH A HINT OF COLOUR, A WINE THAT STAYS TRUE TO VARIETAL FORM

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drian and Rebecca Santolin were among the first six winemakers in Australia to be handed cheques in 2012, by new niche internet wine company Naked Wines, allowing them to buy 30 tonnes of grapes. This enabled them to produce 2000 dozen bottles of pinot grigio, semillon sauvignon blanc and cabernet shiraz made under their distinctive Boy Meets Girl label.

“We were lucky enough to be a part of that launch, and I was six months pregnant with our second child at the time. 2012 was a whirlwind. Looking after a three year old, we established our company in March, Adrian worked 12 hour days,7 nights a week during vintage (March-April), we launched our Boy Meets Girl range with NWAU in July, had our second daughter in September and launched our wines with NWUK in October.” says Rebecca.

“As any new parent knows, the sleepless nights and exhausting days certainly start to take its toll in those first few months, but add a new business start-up and an international wine launch to the mix and it’s a certain kind

of chaos. A wonderful, crazy, dizzying kind of chaos – but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

“Two years on and things have started to settle down now, we’ve finally gotten into some kind of routine. We have two wonderful daughters. Sienna will turn five in December and Sofia – our Naked Wine baby, has just turned two.

“Wine is already a big part of their lives – of course they’re not allowed to drink it yet, but when Adrian and I have a glass of wine with our dinner or we’re doing a tasting, the girls love smelling it. Sienna enjoys trying to pick out different characters from the aromas, “Mum, I can smell strawberries,” …actually, for a five year old she’s pretty good at picking up different notes in the wine… a winemaker in the making.

“When we have play dates, her little friends are making pretend tea and cakes for all the mums, but Sienna is asking us all if we’d like a pretend glass of wine.

“There’s also this amazing book we found at a cellar door a few years ago called “My dad

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Real life

has purple hands.” The girls love it. It’s a colourfully illustrated hard cover book that explains in rhymes, how wine is made from a child’s (whose dad is a winemaker) perspective. It also helped her and all the teachers at her school understand why Adrian’s hands were always stained purple during vintage.

“From late February to end April is vintage time for us in the Yarra Valley, this happens annually when the grapes have fully ripened and are ready to pick. Different varieties ripen at different times during this period. This is

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when Adrian’s work hours change to 12 hour days 7 days a week – and usually its night shift hours, so he’s sleeping during the day and working at night. For those three months I’m essentially a single mum, and I give full credit to all the single mums out there who do it 365 days of the year. We don’t yet own our own winery or vineyards – that’s our dream.

Adrian still works full time for another winery, whilst making our wines there on the side. At the beginning of this year I left my job to devote more time to running and managing our business, which has grown exponentially in just two short years. We want the girls to see that it takes hard work, determination and continued perseverance to achieve what you want in life, but to also realise how rewarding that can be. If they choose to work in the family business, they’ll start at the bottom and work their way up. It’s the only way to truly learn how every facet of a business is run.

“The balancing act can sometimes be difficult. The start-up and growth phase of a new business is extremely time consuming, and juggling this with the demands of small children can sometimes be tricky - but we make it work as best we can. There’s often times on the weekends we’ll need to be at the winery to do a few odd jobs, so we bring the girls’ bikes and a few toys and turn it into a family picnic day.

There have been, and still are a lot of late nights catching up on emails/work. Up until the start of this year, we were working our day jobs and managing our business at night once the girls were in bed. We just knuckle down and do what’s needed to keep things moving.

Our story is not unique though, there are lots of mums and dads out there working just as hard, who are just as busy and are just as tired – we’re all just out there, doing our best to manage and balance our lives as best we can.” explains Rebecca. Find Boy Meets Girl Wine here

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NEWS

PRESCHOOLER BIG KIDS H2O AT AN ALL TIME LOW A staggering 80% of Australians are substituting good old fashioned water for coffees, soft drinks and fad new green juices on a daily basis.

For many who fail to drink enough water every day, they are facing adverse health effects that are impacting on their already busy lives.

Thermos Australia has released new findings that may make you rethink your water intake this holiday season. If you’re thirsty, your body is already dehydrated, and being dehydrated by just 2% can impair your ability to do simple tasks.

Australia is lucky enough to live in a country with a superior clean water supply, although it can be pricey when you’re out and about, plan ahead and bring water from home, so you’re never caught dry.

The number one way to drink more water is to think about drinking more water. In this modern

world, there are even a number of apps available that can notify and remind you when to drink more water; or even more simple, keep a bottle of water close by you throughout the day.

A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 8-18 year olds consume 7.5 hours of screen time a day, with only 15 minutes spent on study activities. LearnMeter is an online educational tool that measures and analyses children’s computer usage to determine how effectively they are learning. LearnMeter helps children to develop life-long skills for more educational and productive use of technology. It works by analysing children’s computer use and study habits, reporting the results back to the children and the parents.

This allows children to be better aware of how they use computers and parents to keep up with what’s happening in their children’s online world without having to look over their shoulders.

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Compiled and written by Georgia Ward

MONITOR screen time!

SHOPPING

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PRESCHOOLER BIG KIDS

NUT FREE Need a label to alert people to allergies or the special needs of your child? Then get them custom made so that they are clear and provide the warning that your child needs.

With so many unique requirements to allergies, having a clear notification to others of what is going on is critical for everyone. $12 for a set of 40, no lunchbox will go unmarked. From My Name Label

UP AND UP THEY GRO With this out of the world height chart, your children can grow into space! Perfect for budding astronauts, this is a fun way to measure your child and creates a cheerful scene on your wall! $19.95 from The Gro-Store.com.au

FUN AND GAMES

TOTALLY TRENDY

Made from high quality linden plywood that is both strong and durable, the Prairie Wagon

by Moover Toys will last a lifetime with your children. Designed to reflect both the nostalgia associated with times gone by, and the expectations of today, your children will spend hours with this beautiful wagon from Danish by Design for $229.95

Globber My FREE is the coolest new ride in town! The incredibly stylish My FREE has been designed with safe learning in mind for young kids.

With three adjustable handlebar heights and lockable front steering, the the scooter allows your child to learn and master the scooter as they grow.With six bright colours to choose from; blue, red, orange, green, pink and purple, there’s sure to be a favourite colour for every kid. The Globber My FREE is $120 RRP from globber. com.au

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Bunnykins Special Occasion Jewellery Collection

A beautiful new addition to the Bunnykins by Royal Doulton classic china and gifting range. By Dreamtime Licensing Email : Licensing@dreamtimeaustralia.com.au

Phone : +61(0)409961479

Visit us at The Sydney 2015 Home and Giving Fair. 2024 February 2015

directory

An organic range of health and beauty products that won’t cost the earth or your health. Spend $150 or more on your initial Contact Lindsay on order to get 20% off this and all future orders.

0434 644 353 www.naturalbeauty.miessence.com

SIT WITH EASE PROTECTED ON A HYGIENIC BARRIER • RECYCLED PAPER • BIODEGRADABLE AT WOOlWORTHS & INDEPENDENT SuPERmARkETS, TOIlET PAPER AISlE

www.bluelinehygienics.com

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FAMILY

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Rent or buy?

THIS ARGUMENT IS A LONG-TIME FAVOURITE IN FINANCIAL PRESS AND SOCIAL CONVERSATIONS. IT SEEMS EVERYONE HAS A VIEW. TIM BOYLE FROM FINALYTICS FINANCIAL HAS A FEW POINTS TO HELP YOU CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS.

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nfortunately, these types of debates can be quite superficial and only cover a subset of the considerations.

Given the importance of the topic, it naturally deserves a lot more attention.

Tim believes that given the structure of the property market, population demographics, and Australian tax laws, owning your own property is generally the best financial and lifestyle choice.

However, just as strongly, it is not the right answer for everybody all the time and it often makes sense for people to rent according to their current circumstances.

Weighing up the Decision It is important to split the consideration into two groups of criteria: • Financial considerations - these are relatively easy to assess, though often are more wide ranging than many people consider, and they do require future assumptions to be made. We can classify them into short term and long term impacts as the nature of them differs. • Non-financial considerations - these are more difficult to assess - they are more personal and qualitative.

However, starting with a comprehensive and

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in my view complete list enables you to ensure all implications are fully considered and prioritised.

“So why buy? Of course the big financial benefit over the long term is that you own an asset that increases in value” Financial Considerations Obviously, financial factors are a big part of the rent or buy decision and although we all think we consider them pretty well, in actual fact we don’t.

The first thing is to split them into short term and long term implications.

What you inevitably find is that the shorter the time frame you consider, renting is more attractive, but as you lengthen the time horizon, the balance tilts towards owning.

For a home buyer, short term costs include the one-off purchase and then the annual ongoing costs: One-off costs: • stamp duty - up to 0.5% of the property value (varies by State) • legal/ other costs - such as building inspections etc., • moving in expenses - not to be sneezed at On-going costs: • mortgage interest repayments - only includes the interest portion of your mortgage as a true expense • rates / body corporate fees, maintenance, insurance, - will all vary depending on building type (e.g. apartment vs. detached house) For tenants it is simpler: One-off costs • moving in expenses - furniture and belongings moving On-going costs -

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• monthly rent!

Moving costs for tenants are often under estimated. You will be moving house more often than an owner, and apart from being one of the less pleasant tasks of life, it can also be pretty expensive.

You should assume that as a tenant you can expect to move house on average every two years; whether you like it or not.

No doubt though it is generally more expensive to own than rent on a year-byyear basis.

So why buy? Of course the big financial benefit over the long term is that you own an asset that increases in value (assume doubles every 10 years) whereas long-term tenants have nothing to show for it.

Yes money saved can be invested elsewhere but very few investment vehicles in Australia provide the same tax advantages, leverage possibilities, and long-term steady growth as well located residential property.

“For some people, it is important to create a “home” that provides an environment for many long term memories.”

Non-Financial Considerations These can be categorised into four areas:

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Emotional factors Although these are a very individual thing, they are a key aspect of any purchase decision and for many, at least as important as the financial factors. If the following aspects are important to you, then they are compelling arguments for homeownership and indeed lead to many stresses for some long term tenants.

• life stability and certainty As a tenant, you can be forced to move more often than you prefer. This can cause stresses such as finding a suitable

home, organising another move, potentially moving children schools, social circles etc.

• creating a home environment For some people, it is important to create a “home” that provides an environment for many long term memories. This is particularly the case if you have children - think of the house you grew up in - I bet you remember every nook and cranny of it.

• pride of ownership This is all about having a place to call your own - if you live in it for a long time, the chances are you will improve and adapt it as your needs change - for some this is a positive, whereas others hate spending their weekends working on their property!

A first home buyer summed this up pretty well to me recently: “for the first time in my life, I planted a tree in our garden and know I will be here when it is fully grown.”

“roll forward 5 years from now and think about what you want to have done in each of these of these areas”

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Life Stages These are the events in our lives that have major impacts on our life styles. What stage you are at will be a big determinant of whether buying or renting is right for you.

Generally, if you are at or approaching one of these points, it will impact your requirements; so if you have not yet bought, then it may be best to hold off until things are a bit more stable.

The main stages in most people’s lives relevant to home ownership are: • starting full time work • long term relationships • having children

• career advancement • children getting independence • empty nesting

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Family/Community For many people, being part of a community that may include extended family, friends, sports, interests etc. is an important thing.

If you are renting, you may need to relocate from an area thereby away from these communities that you value.

The real problem is that tenants get stuck in a “12 month mindset”. That is, every year they have to put themselves in the landlord’s hands as their lease expires.

Also, if you have to move, don’t think it will be easy to find another. The vacancy rate in many suburbs of major cities is less than 2%, so it can be difficult to find a suitable new property to rent.

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Your Long Term Aspirations This is all about where you want to be in 3, 5, and 10 years from now.

This covers all the considerations above – both financial and non-financial. As a starting point, roll forward 5 years from now and think about what you want to have done in each of these of these areas.

This provides you with a brief view of the factors to be considered when making one of the biggest decisions of your life. Although the weighting and priority of these will differ by person and by time, the considerations are all very similar.

Tim Boyle from Finalytics Financial is a chartered accountant, mortgage credit adviser, and active property investor. Tim is based in Melbourne. Tim can be contacted at tim.boyle@finfin. com.au

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FAMILY

Surviving an Auction AN AUCTION CAN BE HARD WORK AND VERY STRESSFUL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUNG CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED. MARTY RANKIN HAS SOME VERY USEFUL TIPS

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t’s always hard for parents to keep the house looking pristine and ready for inspection when you have young kids. Here are twelve tips to help parents prepare for an auction if they have young kids: Once your home is listed it’s a good idea to allow a few weeks to get prepared for the 3-4 Open For Inspections (openings) that you will

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have, as well as the actual auction.

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Put your ‘buyers eyes on’. Get your agent’s advice as to what they believe you may need to do to maximise your selling potential. Many agents offer a free visit by an interior designer/stylist.

Accept that offer as they can often make suggestions you never thought about.

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As any parent knows, kids’ toys are one of the main reasons for clutter in the home. Pack away any toys the children haven’t played with for some time, into boxes.

Get them to keep a basket of favourites and involve them in the process. Make kids responsible for packing up their toys into that special basket before every open for inspection. Store the old toys in the garage, or if possible hire a small storage shed for the next few months.

The kids will forget about them and it will be like Christmas when they unpack them again! But then again, this is a good time to do a charity run with clothes that have been outgrown, toys that are no longer needed, accessories, old story books, and anything that hasn’t been used or won’t be missed.

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If you have more than one bathroom in your home clean them on a Friday and then ban the kids from using one of them until after the opening.

Share the one with them that’s easiest to clean. On the day of opening you will only need to wipe over one bathroom.

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On the day of opening have a basket for all your last minute clutter, you might find the odd shoe or toy and even last minute dirty washing can be put in it.

Hide somewhere - even in the boot of the car if you can’t find anywhere else.

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Call in as many favours as you can from family and friends. Rather than people coming to help you, farm the kids out. Fridays are good days to try and get them looked after, as well as during the opening itself.

If you haven’t had luck with the babysitters for the day of the open, it’s easier for one parent (or grandparent) to take the kids and dog out for a couple of hours leaving the other to get organised.

Much easier than two parents chasing kids around and cleaning up after them!

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As well as the kids, see if the dog can be relocated for a few hours so you won’t be picking up dog poop just before the opening starts.

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You don’t want to mess up that sparkling kitchen! Go out for dinner on the night before the opening, or order takeaway. And keep breakfast simple on the morning of the opening. If possible do as much cleaning as necessary on the day before the opening. Get in cleaners (or friends!) to help if possible. Generally a thorough clean prior to the first opening makes the next few weeks a bit easier.

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Teenagers! Get them to have a sleepover at their friend’s place. As we all know, teenagers like to sleep in, and getting them up and moving early on a Saturday is not easy! Make sure you get them to clean their rooms before they go!

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Have plenty of clothes, tea towels on hand for last minute wipe downs, finger print removal on windows, oven doors etc.

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.Plan your open times around sleep times.

Open For Inspection times are generally locked in for the whole campaign so make sure you have a say.

The last thing you want to do is have an open for inspection right in the middle of a two hour sleep time.

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Make sure you don’t have to run around after the kids when your most important asset is on the line. Your agent will need you to be focused and quick decisions need to be made with clarity. Ask for one more babysitting favour from family or friends.

Village Real Estate, based in Seddon and Newport, near Melbourne, consider themselves the ‘anti agents’.

They don’t like a lot of the things many real estate agents do or more information about Village or the areas that they cover, go to www.villagere.com.au.

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A life without love is like a year without summer.

- Swedish Proverb march 2015| mychild

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