One of the coolest things about being pregnant is being able to hear the heartbeat of the little being growing inside your belly.

It is a sure sign of life and is something to be treasured. Thanks to the gift of modern technology, Mums and Dads are now able to hear their baby’s heart beat from the comfort of a home environment, from as early as ten weeks.

What? you say. I promise, it’s true.

The Hi Bebe Fetal Doppler is a device often used by midwives. It can be rented from around £9.95 per month and purchased for prices ranging from £69.95.

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The other day we were wandering around the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and I spotted a mum heading into a baby changing room with an oh-so-cute little mite attached to her hip.

As I gave the little cherub my best beaming smile, I noticed that cherub’s mum was not encumbered by the usual amount of paraphernalia that accompanies most mums into changing rooms – mostly spilling out of a monolithic nappy bag that is balancing precariously on a stooping shoulder.

This mum had a neat little parcel tucked under her arm. I was immediately interested.

The aforementioned parcel is in fact known by mums as a ‘mat bag.’

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The first UK approved and regulated DNA paternity testing kit is to be made available nationally via Boots.

The £30 test, Assure DNA, compares a man’s DNA with a child’s to discover whether he’s the biological father. It works by collecting cells from the inside cheek, which are then placed inside sterilized envelopes and, for an extra £130, sent for processing at a laboratory.

Customers receive results by phone or email within five days, or a 24-hourservice is available at a cost of £329. The Assure DNA test kit claims accuracy in excess of 99.99%.

Research has estimated that 1 in 25 assumed ‘fathers’ in the UK are actually not the biological father, and every year in the UK the father’s name is left blank on approximately 50,000 birth certificates.

These stats translate a need for ‘quick fix’ paternity testing, and yet the introduction of the test to the High Street has sparked some hot debate.

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Did you know that parents spend more than £300 a year on chocolate, cakes and sweets for their children, with a fifth of mums and dads admitting to using treats regularly as a form of bribery – up to four times a week!  (source – Vouchercodes.co.uk).

When I read this, the first thought that came to mind was sugar rush!

So maybe a child is temporarily placated but the effects of a sugar high can’t be too much fun for a stressed out mum or dad. So, what exactly happens in your body when you consume sugar?

After sugar enters the bloodstream, blood sugar levels rise, causing the pancreas to release insulin (insulin is needed to convert sugar into energy).

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Fact: having a baby is life-changing.

I doubt that any mum out there is going to debate that point. But life as you know it does not have to be over.

According to Abeautifulmummy.com, it takes 18 months to stop thinking that life will never be the same again. During that time, weight worries, sleepless nights and loss of independence all contribute to a crisis in confidence.

This is obviously a statistical generalisation – life philosophy will be different for each new mum. Mums adjust to the routine of a new baby in different ways and some may take longer than others but who cares right?

You have your precious little one and that’s what matters. In any case, life will never be ‘the same’; it will be better – by a long mile.

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