Natural Nursery Blog

Becoming parents has certainly slowed down our travelling. It is not just that travelling is a bit of a mission with children. Staying home with the children is never boring. From the children’s point of view, a trip to the local farm is an adventure in itself.

With many of our relatives living far away, hardly two months go by without us jetting off somewhere for the weekend.

Here are a few things we have learned over the last two years of travelling with a baby:

• Breastfeed as long as you can: Food for the little one is always ready even when the plane is delayed by a few hours. Breastfeeding babies during take-off and landing also stop their little ears hurting. Don’t worry too much about flying with small children, the white noise of the plan engine often puts them to sleep offering you a peaceful journey.
• Use a baby sling. A baby sling is one of the essential items for smooth travelling and once you have arrived to your destination. You don’t have to worry about the buggy not being delivered to the aircraft door when you land. If you are connecting planes, the buggy is often transferred straight to your second flight, living you to carry your child through the long corridors. Buggies are often damaged during transport too while you can keep your baby sling with you. I have found myself a few times walking up and down the aisle with a fractious baby in the baby wrap to put her to sleep. The baby wrap provided her with a familiar feeling which gave her the reassurance she needed to doze off. A Godsend!
• Bribes, bribes, bribes: bring plenty of biscuits. Oat biscuits are a good choice as they keep them full for longer and avoids the sugar rush which can make them over-excited. For the same reason, bring some water (within the limits allowed) and avoid sugary drinks. Fruit make easy snacks as well.
• Let them run around whenever you can. The children have to sit still for a long time while they are in the plane. While you’re waiting, give them a chance to stretch their legs. Most airports have a play area with crayons or toys.
• Keep the bare minimum hand luggage. It is easier to take care of the children if your hands aren’t full with luggage.
• Tag your tots. There is no worse feeling than turning around for a split second and not being able to spot your child. It happens so quickly. Plan ahead and get a wristband where you can write your mobile number.
• Choosing a seat by the window goes a long way to keep the toddlers entertained: seeing the plane take off and land, seeing how the plane slows down after landing, spot the colours or talk about the clouds…

We hope that you find these few tips on travelling with the children helpful. We would love to hear from you, what are you super-tips for smooth travelling?

Photo credits: Calin Bleu

Magazines upon magazines present pregnant mums with a long shopping list for the new baby. While you may not need everything on the list, choosing the new baby’s essential buys carefully can make your life much easier. So what do you truly need for a new baby?

A baby sling is in the opinion of mums who have tried one, the most essential buy for a new mum (and dad!). Newborns need to be held for the first few months of their lives and carrying them is often the most convenient to go places or get anything done around the house. A well made baby sling allows parents to carry their baby comfortably, have their hands free and provide the child with the attention he needs.

A well fitted breastfeeding bra. There may be no need to buy a maternity bra and a breastfeeding bra. Most breastfeeding bras can be worn during pregnancy. The wide straps and soft fabric provide optimum support during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. A good quality breastfeeding bra will be durable and good value. Breastfeeding bras are now available in gorgeous designs and colours.

A nursing pillow may not seem like an obvious essential buy but it provides pregnant and breastfeeding mums the support they need. A nursing pillow can be used during pregnancy to sit or sleep more comfortably. Once the baby is born, it can be used to support the baby’s weight during breastfeeding or bottle feeding. When baby is about to sit unaided, the breastfeeding pillow can be placed behind the child’s back.

It may seem trivial to mention breast pads but any new mum knows that leaky breasts can make a mum feel very self-conscious. Choosing good quality breast pads – either disposable or reusable – and buying plenty is essential.

Before baby is born, it is wise to stock up on healthy snacks. The first few weeks as a new mum are exhilarating but can also be exhausting. Healthy, hearty meals are a good way to sustain energy levels. Babies seem to have a sixth sense to need a feed right when mum was about to eat her own meal, so healthy snacks will be handy.

We’d love to hear from you. What were the essentials you used for your new baby?

Close your eyes for an instant and imagine your baby’s head snuggled up against your chest, his little body tucked up against you in the baby sling. Imagine for an instant meeting up with friends for coffee, getting on the bus without worrying if there is space for your pram. Imagine walking home without worrying that your baby will wake up when you lift him out of the car seat.

Sounds ideal and unrealistic? Well it doesn’t have to be. Using a baby sling for your baby will allow you to keep your hands free. You can keep your baby snuggled up against you and continue doing the things you like doing, inside or outside the house. The Calin Bleu is an excellent baby sling to learn to carry your baby.

The Calin Bleu is extremely soft. The fabric has been especially chosen and dyed in to preserve the fibre’s natural flexibility. The fabric moulds around your baby and your body without creating pressure.

It provides excellent support. The fabric forms wide straps over your shoulder, your back and around your hips to spread your child’s weight effectively.

The Calin Bleu is also remarkably light. At around 1lb it is one of the lightest baby carriers available. It folds neatly in your handbag when you are not using it.

The Calin Bleu offers versatile baby carrying position. Many parents use their baby wrap from birth until toddlerhood. You can carry your child on your front, preferably facing you. You can also carry facing forward for shorter periods of time. Once your baby can sit unaided, you can carry him on your hip. When you feel confident, you can also carry your baby on your back.

Although two sizes are available for convenience, the same baby wrap can be used by parents of different sizes. The parent can choose the carrying method that is the most comfortable for their size.

Your baby wrap can be washed and dried with your regular laundry. The wraps are so light that you can wash it in the evening and it will be dry and ready to use in the morning.

And last but not least, Calin Bleu wraps are extremely good value! Soft, comfortable and versatile, everything you need from your baby sling.

At the end of this month we have the mammoth task of stock taking, so to make our life easier, and give you the opportunity to bag a bargain, we are holding a stock clearance sale.

You can find our sale section on the website, where we already have organic baby clothes at up to 70% off, reduced organic toiletries plus bargains on reusable nappies.

Each day, we will be posting about a fabby new bargain, so don’t forget to watch this blog, follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook – that way you will get to hear of the best bargains first.

Today, we have further reduced the price of the Huggababy Ring Sling.  We only have limited colours and sizes left and at £24.99 each that’s a saving of £15 so they won’t hang around for long.

Ergo baby carrier – ERGObaby makes baby carriers that are suitable from birth to toddlers. The soft structured carriers can be used on your front, on your back or on your hips. They come in a range of fashionable colours with matching accessories. The infant insert allows you to adapt this baby backpack for a newborn.

Fleece – a baby sling can be made of various fabric, and fleece is a lovely option. It is soft, durable, has just the required ’stretchiness’ to snuggle and support your baby. It is easy to wash, doesn’t even need to be tumble dried and will protect your baby from the weather.

Forward Facing – Many parents like carrying their baby facing forward i.e. facing away from the mother. Many baby sling manufacturers recommend that this forward facing position not be used at all or be used for short periods of time.
When the child is placed facing forward, his spine is curved back, putting pressure on his lower back, and leaving the weight of the head resting on his spine. Babies’ spine is still too fragile to hold the weight of their head, especially if you’re planning to carry for longer periods of time. It also means that the child has no contact with his mother. He takes the world full on without having mum’s reassuring voice, heartbeat and scent to help him ‘interpret’ what’s going on.

Frog position – The child’s optimum position in a baby sling is often referred to as being in a frog-like position. This is the position that allows his spine to develop harmoniously.
His back should be curved forward, his head able to rest on your chest or on your back if he falls asleep. His legs should be wide apart, slightly flexed and the knees higher than his bottom. Try squatting and resting your bottom on your heels, that’s pretty much the position you’re aiming for your baby.

Earlier, we started giving tips and information on carrying your baby on your back. Here is the second part of this article. We look forward to hearing from you and hope to continue adding your babywearing advice.

The manufacturer of your child carrier often recommends one back carrying position as the easiest to learn. Read that carefully and try that first. For example, tying a knot in the front with a baby wrap makes the rest much easier.

Baby should be sitting deeply in the baby sling. His legs should be spread wide apart, his knees flexed and slightly higher than his bottom. This is called the frog position and will be essential both for your baby’s comfort and yours.

Make sure the fabric of the child carrier is stretched widely across his back and stretching from the thighs to the neck.

The baby sling should feel snug and baby should be carried high. If it is well adjusted, you don’t need to lean forward or backwards to compensate for your baby’s weight. You should be able to carry your baby for a couple of hours without the need to tighten your baby sling along the way.

Once you’re more confident back carrying, you can experiment different positions. It is always surprising to parents and professionals that children seem to have their favourite position. Some children like to have their arms out, other their arms in, some will only tolerate to be carried high on your back in order to see above your shoulders while others won’t mind. Some parents like carrying high on their waist, others lower on their hips…

You could also email us a photo of your baby in the baby sling so we can help you adjust it. It helps if you send a photo of the back, the side and front.

Keep in mind that some baby slings are easier than others to use on for back carries. Baby wraps are a bit more complicated to learn to use but very comfortable once you’re used to it. A soft structured child carrier is easier to learn but offer less flexibility. If you need any help choosing your baby carrier, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Remember you can also find experienced ‘babywearers’ locally on SlingMeet.co.uk. They will be delighted to help you learn to carry your baby on your back.

Keep trying, the pleasure of carrying your baby on your back is worth the effort.

These are our tips. Have you found something that works for you and your baby? We’d love to hear from you and share them with other babywearing parents…

There are many reasons to use a baby sling. You can use one just to go places, or around the house. Because ‘babywearing’ is convenient or because NOT using a sling was just driving you mad and tying you to the house. Here are our favourite reasons for using a baby sling, what are yours?

1. You need your hands free to get things done around the house or look after older siblings.
2. Using a pram on a bus or on the tube is hard work.
3. The closeness is just lovely. Babies grow up so fast, enjoy their baby hood as much as possible.
4. Daddy can catch up on bonding time with baby.
5. Being carried comforts a baby. Babies carried during the day cry 50% less in the evening.
6. A baby sling can help soothe a baby with reflux.
7. Baby can nap any time he wants snuggled up against your chest, you’re not stuck at home.
8. You can breastfeed your baby discreetly when you’re out and about. At home, using a baby sling while breastfeeding frees one hand to read a book with your toddler, stroke your baby’s head or chat to friends on the phone.
9. A well fitted baby sling will avoid strain on your back by spreading the weight efficiently.
10. Baby slings are just so pretty, it’s like a whole new shoe addiction!

We’d love to hear from you, what are your favourite reasons for using a baby sling?

Wrap up warm this autumn and Winter with the Ergo baby baby carrying coat!

This coat is especially designed to be worn over a baby sling. The soft grey fleece has a smooth lining so it slips over the baby sling easily. It is also reversible, you can wear it when your baby is on your front or on your back. Designed by ErgoBaby, it can be worn over any baby sling.

The fabric of this coat is perfect to protect you and your baby from the rain and the cold. It is both cozy and incredibly lightweight. The ERGO Baby Papoose Coat is the perfect solution for the cooler seasons. It will keep you and your baby warm together, and can also be worn as a maternity coat.

The baby carrying coat is adjustable for the size of your baby and wraps around the neck and shoulders for maximum warmth. Since you and your baby generate heat there is no need to wear many layers underneath.

The sleeves are designed intentionally long to protect you when it’s really cold and can be rolled up. The width is designed to accommodate the legs of the child when it’s carried in the baby sling. The one-size coat is suitable for all parents.

Have you tried the baby carrying coat? Let us know what you thought of it, and we love to see your photos!

The amazing sale continues at Natural Nursery. The Baby Sense Ring Sling is reduced to £19.99
This baby sling has been designed to encourage parents to carry their babies in the optimal position. The baby sling’s soft fabric cocoons the new baby in a foetal position, which supports the neck well – essential for the newborn. Curled up snugly and close to the parent the baby is calmed in a familiar womb-like environment.

New in stock is the the Baby Sense Sling, which has been designed to encourage parents to carry their babies in the optimal position.

The Sling’s soft fabric cocoons the new baby in a foetal position, which supports the neck well – essential for the newborn. Curled up snugly and close to the parent the baby is calmed in a familiar womb-like environment.

The sling is available in the pretty trail fabric shown and in blue gingham too, and costs £34.99.

Also avaiable from Baby Sense are the practical and informative range of parenting book, including The Sleep Sense Book, £9.99.