To help mums feel confident about breastfeeding in public, L’ovedBaby sell a really nifty little nursing shawl that is practical and simultaneously stylish.

When I was breastfeeding in public, I used a pashmina for discretion and it was great but also annoyingly clumsy. Mastering the art of covering my bits whilst ensuring that my baby was comfy and not smothered by folds of material, was no mean task.

I definitely appreciate the idea of a shawl designed for the task!

The shawl comes in a matching drawstring bag that fits easily into nappy bags or handbags. It’s ‘one size fits all’, machine washable and dryer safe.

The breastfeeding in public shawl’s custom-made fabric is lightweight, breathable, and soft to the touch. It protects baby from distractions whilst nursing and is designed with a roomy neckline for added style and increased visibility between mother and child.

I really like the fact that the shawl looks like an item of clothing as opposed to a nursing bib or apron. It could, in fact, be worn as an accessory and it also multifunctions as a blanket for your babs and even a cover for your pram or moses basket.

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My two-year-old daughter’s favourite Christmas present for 2011 was and still is a fluffy toy hamster, wearing a dressing gown and nightcap, that talks back to her.

The crazy creature has aptly acquired the name “Hammy” and Amelia has spent many an hour – yes hours – talking to her toy.

Favourite cuddly toy Tigger is currently engaged in a battle for ‘most loved’ – it’s a live version of Toy Story: old school Woody (Tigger) versus gimmicky Buzz Lightyear (Hammy). It’s yet to close to call.

A couple of days after Christmas, Amelia realised that if she screeched at her Hammy, he screeched back. After a day of indulging her delight, for the sake of my sanity (and that of my neighbours’), I put an end to the otherworldly screams of both child and rodent.

Not only has Hammy proved to be the best gift for a two year old but my husband and brother have also taken great pleasure in asking Hammy to repeat many a phrase – its funny little chipmunk voice does make for great party entertainment… as we discovered on Christmas day.

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The theory is that women who use upright birth positions (walking, sitting, standing or kneeling) during labour may shorten their delivery time by as much as an hour. Lynn Goodman, spokesperson for British Doulas, says that staying upright and moving the hips helps ease the baby’s head towards the birth canal.

Sounds logical to me.

That said; each birth experience is different and women should be encouraged to do what is most comfortable for them. There are a number of birth positions that can be adopted:

1. The Slow Dance – exactly as the name suggests (think high school disco): stand facing your birth partner, put your arms around his shoulders and neck, resting your head on his chest. He’ll support you by placing his arms around you and clasping his hands behind your back. Best at the ‘active stage’ (initial stage).

2. The Crab – (I laughed out loud when I read this birth position!) Kneel down on all fours, keeping your legs open. Use a birthing ball or lean on a chair for extra support. Best at the ‘transitional stage’.

3. The Rock ‘n’ Roll – Sit on a birthing ball with your feet a comfortable distance apart and flat on the floor. Placing your hands on your knees will offer extra support. Best at the ‘transitional stage’.

4. The Lap Dance – With your birth partner sitting on a chair, rest your head on his lap whilst kneeling on cushions with your legs open. Best at the ‘transitional stage’.

5. The Frog – The most common delivery birth position: sit on the bed with your back against the bedhead, bringing your knees up. Best for delivery.

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My two-year-old daughter is mad about Hello Kitty. And this is not a result of any indoctrination on my part (or on the part of her friends).

My child loves cats in general but there is something about Hello Kitty’s disproportionately large head and invitingly blank expression that attracts Amelia’s attention.

We were out shopping recently and I spotted a fluffy teddy type toy that looked exactly like a real cat. I showed Amelia, anticipating an enthusiastic reaction. I was wrong. She did not like the cat at all. In her mind, the lifelike expression of a cat is no comparison to the Hello Kitty caricature. I find it totally fascinating.

Hello Kitty is the product of Japanese company Sanrio and she made her first appearance in 1974 on a vinyl coin purse. And the brand has since taken over the world – or at least the consciousness of pre-adolescents (although Hello Kitty does have a cult following amongst adults).

The Hello Kitty product range includes purses, dolls, stickers, greeting cards, clothes, accessories, school supplies, dishes, home appliance (such as televisions and toasters), computer equipment, jewellery and a host of high-end consumer products.

Her fame as a recurring Sanrio character has led to the creation of two officially licensed Hello Kitty theme parks, Harmonyland and the indoor Sanrio Puroland.

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If you’re thinking of starting a family, vitamins may help to conceive.

It seems logical to assume that a healthy body will assist in a healthy pregnancy. This, of course, is not always the case but eating a good dose of vitamin enriched food certainly does a heavy dose of good.

To support the above logic, a small pilot study conducted at University College London and the Royal Free Hospital (published in the journal Reproductive BioMedicine online) has revealed that women undergoing a fertility treatment who take pregnancy vitamin supplements have a higher chance of conceiving.

We can take from this that vitamins help to conceive.

Independent.ie reports that the research was carried out on 58 subfertile women, who were split into two groups, with one group receiving the vitamin and the other receiving folic acid.

The results showed that 60% of women taking Pregnacare Conception (containing nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E, zinc and selenium) got pregnant (18 out of 30) compared to 25% of those taking folic acid (11 out of 28).

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