Yummy Mummy!

Anyone visiting the shop recently can't have failed to notice our new "Yummy Mummy" shopping bags. Bright pink and made of canvas they are going down a storm! Not only are they great for the environment, eliminating the need for plastic bags, they are becoming a bit of a fashion statement. Priced at £2.95 they won't break the bank!

New Beginnings Out & About

As well as visiting us in our shop in Tewkesbury we will be out and about at various events over the next few weeks.

Sunday 9th November finds us at The Little Monsters Baby Show at Pittville Pump Rooms in Cheltenham from 10.00 am to 4.00pm. Visit the website for further details and reduced price advance tickets www.little-monsters.co.uk

Monday 10th November we are at Dumbleton Hall Hotel for their Christmas Gift Fair from 7.30pm onwards. Come and see our range of lovely wooden gifts - ideal stocking fillers!

Saturday 15th November we are at The Baby & Toddler Fair at the Wheatpieces Community Centre, Tewkesbury from 12-4pm.

Buggy Brolly - At last- parents stay dry too!!!

We are really excited about a new product we are stocking. We think its a great idea and hope you do too!

Its a simple solution to the age old problem of trying to push a buggy one-handed whilst holding an umbrella. We know that this is virtually impossible and that we usually give up and resign ourselves to getting another soaking. The Buggy Brolly has been invented to solve this problem. Its a sturdy umbrella which simply clamps onto the pram or buggy leaving you with your hands free. When not in use it folds down for storage on the buggy.

Its on sale now in the shop and on our website http://www.newbeginningsbabyshop.co.uk/ costing £21.99.

New website launched

At last! After many months of work we are ready to launch our new and improved website

www.newbeginningsbabyshop.co.uk

Take a look and see what you think. The site will be continually updated with new products and special offers. If you have any ideas of products you would like to see on it please let us know. We would also really welcome any feedback on any products you have bought recently and want to recommend to others.

Save money with Pop-in reuseable nappies

Here at New Beginnings we are really excited about our new nappies. We initially ordered 6 trial packs and the feedback from our customers are that they are fantastic.

So what makes them different? Well firstly they are a one size nappy which grows with your baby. A clever popper system means you only have to buy one nappy - no more expense of buying different sized nappies.

Secondly they are not too bulky. They consist of an outer shell and bamboo nappy, and an additional super absorbant bamboo soaker, all of which pop in and out for easy and quick drying.
Stretchy velcro fastenings give a snug and reliable fit and a double elasticated leg gusset ensures no leaks . A biodegradable liner catches solids and can simply be flushed down the loo .

Thirdly, they come in arange of gorgeous unisex colours with great names like duck-egg and custard!

If you like the idea and want to try you can buy a trial pack for just £15.00. It contains a complete nappy and a booster for use at night-time, and a couple of liners. Order online at

http://www.newbeginningsbabyshop.co.uk/products.php?catid=13

If you wanted to use Pop-in nappies full time you would need 20 nappies. This would equate to a days worth of nappy changes plus a days in the wash. You can buy a multisaver pack which contains 20 nappies, 6 night time booster pads, 2 laundry bags and 200 liners for £229.50 including postage direct to you http://www.newbeginningsbabyshop.co.uk/product_details.php?catid=13&prodid=108Now that sounds a lot of money but it's only when you start doing the sums on disposables that you realise just how much money you can save. If you have a second child you already have your nappies and thats when you start saving hundreds of pounds. I've just done a quick calculation on pampers cheapest nappies which work out at 11p each. Based on 10 changes a day this works out at £400 in the first year only, and remember your child is unlikely to potty train much before their 2nd or 3rd birthday!

There are also more savings to be had as many councils offer incentives for parents to use reuseable nappies, as it saves them money on landfill. Check with your local council. Gloucestershire and Worcestershire currently offer £30.00 cash back when you spend over £50 on reuseable nappies.

A lot of parents think of reuseable nappies as terry towelling nappies with pins and fiddly folding, and buckets of soaking dirty nappies. This is no longer the case. The Pop-in is so simple to use as it goes on like a disposeable with velcro fasteners. A liner makes cleaning up easier, and you don't have to touch the nappies again after changing. Simply put into drawstring bag and when bag full, put the whole bag in the washing machine! Simple. Go on, give them a try!

Buzz on the street is The Bugaboo Bee!

Anyone passing the shop recently couldn't fail to notice the bright black and yellow stroller in the window. It's the Bugaboo Bee and I must say that my first impressions are that its fab!

Made by Bugaboo, who brought us first The Frog, then Cameleon and Gecko, it has all the functionality you would expect but is compact and folds in one piece (no more taking the seat unit off to fold).

It seems to tick all the boxes - it's suitable from birth (although you would need to purchase the soft carrycot for a newborn), it's forward or rearward facing, the seat unit "grows" with your child, it's light and easy to manoeuvre, and simple to fold.

Being Bugaboo it's not cheap at £359.00 but I feel it is worth the money. The seat unit is black but the very practical (and head turning) hood is available in 5 colours - red, khaki, blue, black and of course, yellow!

TOP 5 TIPS FOR HOLIDAYING WITH KIDS

Does going away for a summer holiday with the family fill you with dread? How will you survive the journey? Will your baggage allowance be sufficient to cope with the extra luggage that babies and children entail? How will you protect them from too much sun?

With some careful planning you can take the worry out of packing for summer holidays.

The top 5 holiday essentials for anybody with a young family are:

1.Toys and games – pack a small selection of toys to keep them amused on the journey, in restaurants or even if the weather takes a turn for the worst. A pack of crayons and a notepad is often a brilliant distraction to help them cope with boredom.

2.A compact, lightweight stroller – children under 4 may not always want to walk and toddlers & babies may very well need a daytime nap. A lightweight, compact stroller, such as the Quick Smart from BabyStyle, which weighs under 6kg and folds into a carry bag for easy transportation on a plane, is ideal http://www.babystyle.co.uk/easyfold.htm

The Quinny Zap and SilverCross Pop are also great for travelling.

3.Sun protection – don’t forget sun cream of at least factor 50 or total sun block, even if you are spending your holiday in the UK. Sun protection suits are also essential if you are planning a beach holiday. Remember to check the UV protection factor in the suit before purchasing as not all suits provide the same level of protection. Matching legionnaire hats will provide vital sun protection to the head, face and back of the neck (an area which is often forgotten when applying sun cream). There are also some very good sunshades for the buggy on the market. Again, check they provide at least UV protection factor 50. Some canopies and parasols will only provide shade and not protection against the sun’s harmful rays. A make such as the Outlook Shade-a-Babe will provide UV50+ sun visor and a drop down mesh for protection from insects and wind.

http://www.cheekyrascals.co.uk/?menuId=670

4.Lightweight travel cot – if you are planning a holiday with a young baby you may well need to take your own travel cot. Some of these can be quite cumbersome but the Phil & Teds T2 Travel cot is ideal. It weighs less than 2kgs and has a self inflating mattress.

http://www.philandteds.com/nz/t2_07_1.htm

5.Water safety – many holidays involve spending time around water, whether on the beach or around a swimming pool. Don’t forget safety aids, such as arm bands, rubber rings or buoyancy jackets, but remember that these are only aids and your child should still have adult supervision at all times. A good swimming nappy that doesn't leak is essential. We recommend the Splash About Happy Nappy as its tight fitting neoprene construction means that it actually works.http://www.cheekyrascals.co.uk/?menuId=261&pageId=1246

So once your bags are packed and you are on your way, all you have left to worry about is relaxing and enjoying your holiday with your family.

What Mums REALLY want on Mothers Day...

We would really like YOUR idea of a perfect Mother's Day Present. To start the ball rolling this would be my prefect present. Dads take note - it doesn't have to cost a fortune. It really is the thought that counts. A lot of pampering with a small gift (ideally homemade from the children) is the best present of all.

Lisa's idea of the perfect Mother's Day present
To be given a lie in! Preferably followed by breakfast in bed with home made cards and a bunch of daffodils on the tray. Heaven!

Other Great Ideas

1. I.O.U notes that can be redeemed on the day or whenever. These could be for a washing up session, a basket of ironing, a lie in, a night out at the pictures or whatever your imagination can come up with. Again, costs nothing and is greatly appreciated.

2. A lasting memento of the children while they are small. This could be simple painted handprints, or a beautiful impression of their hands. See www.babyart.eu for examples. These are so simple to do, no mixing just roll out and press the hand firmly into the clay and leave to air dry. Also can buy in our shop or online http://www.newbeginnings.gb.com/selection.php?Choice=35&FirstChoice=5

3. A gift from Oxfam. Amazing gift ideas that mum will love but will also help others less fortunate. You can give a piece of jewellery, chocolates and know that it will help other. Alternatively you can directly help another mother in a third world by funding training. A real feelgood factor present. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/content/mothers_day.aspx?ICO=UnwrappedHome&ICL=UnwrappedPromo2&ICC=MumsTheWord_content-mothers_day

4. Kinderprint. Beautiful silver jewellery which has an imprint of your childs fingerprint. I know one mum who has a charm bracelet with each charm a different childs fingerprint. Beautiful to wear and immense sentimental value. I have a heart shaped pendant with my daughter's fingerprint and it brings a smile to my face whenever I wear it.
http://www.kinderprint.co.uk/index.asp

5. Lunch Out (or in) Either as long as mum doesn't have to cook that day!

How Can I stop my buggy tipping up when my toddler gets out?

The age old problem. You have shopping on the back of your buggy and your toddler gets out. What happens? The buggy tips backwards spilling out all your shopping. There is a really simple and inexpensive solution. Its called "Buggyweights" and is simply a weight which velcros around the buggy and prevents the tipping.

see attached links for details. They cost £15.00 on average.

http://www.newbeginnings.gb.com/selection.php?Choice=8&FirstChoice=1

http://www.cheekyrascals.co.uk/?menuId=618&pageId=585

Where to start??? How about the beginning.

This blog has been created to provide lot of helpful tips and feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions that you need answers to regarding your baby, prams, pushchairs, feeding, weaning, toilet training or anything else that comes part and parcel with having a baby please use our blog. Similarly, if you have any useful tips or recommendations please let us all in on the secret! There is a huge array of baby equipment out there and we would like to know what you think - good or bad. Fiona and I are both mums, and we talk to other mums on a daily basis so we like to think we are qualified to give an unbiased opinion.