7th May
There is so much baby paraphernalia saturating stores, shelves and Google that it’s sometimes difficult to think of something entirely original to give as a congratulatory birth gift.
If you’re looking for unique gifts for babies, definitely check out My1styears.com.
Names and birthdates impress the usual baby accessories; blankets, bibs, towels, teddies, onesies and sleepysuits but the best are the personalised shoes. The sheepskin booties are way cute but for an extra bit of urban-chic, a pair of High Top Trainers embroidered with baby’s name make an awesome gift.
The trainers are made from quality canvas upper and a soft nylex lining to ensure baby’s comfort. They are also easy to place on and off baby’s feet, and provide extra support with its high top features. Talk about ‘too cool for school.’
28th Apr
I am a sucker for gadgety baby products that make a mum’s life easier. And I have come across one such product.
It’s a baby day bed that multitasks as a bouncer – called the Bounce ‘n’ Sleep, by Stokke.
I used a day bed massively when my daughter was a baby. It helped her transition from sleeping in my arms, the sling, her pram, on the couch to a more formal daytime sleep routine.
I love the idea of a baby day bed because I could cart mine around with me and if visiting friends or in the park during nap time, I could just whip it out and let me baby girl sleep in the security of a bed with which she was familiar. It worked really well for us.
The Bounce ‘n’ Sleep allows you to play with babs when she is awake; then when it’s time for a snooze, recline the bouncer to its sleep position without disturbing your babs. The bouncer has a built in mattress that transfers easily into the day bed.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
21st Apr
Jessica Alba – gorgeous, leggy, pouty… Yes! That Jessica – you know the one! The gorgeous star and, more relevant to this article, mum of two has launched a brand of new ethical baby products described as “eco-friendly, beautiful, convenient, and affordable.”
Honest is a family brand encompassing savvy style, sustainability, integrity and extraordinary service and convenience. Honest products include nappies, wipes, bath and body essentials, and cleaning detergents – all of which are non-toxic, beautifully packaged and made with the highest quality all-natural and organic ingredients.
The Honest Company is a joint effort between the lovely Ms Alba and dad Christopher Gavigan – former CEO of Healthy Child Healthy World (a national non-profit empowering parents to protect their children from toxic risks) and author of a best-selling book.
As co-founders, Jessica and Gavin share a goal; to relieve mums and dads of a few tasks by delivering the best family essentials to your doorstep – to simplify your life (and who couldn’t do with a simpler life!?).
Written by: Andrea Zanin
19th Apr
Looking for toys with a difference? If so, P’kolino is definitely a brand to check out – the American-based toy company recently made its UK debut at the London Toy Fair, on the shelves of exclusive UK distributor Gander Kids.
The P’kolino range features a variety of retro-inspired wooden toys (rattles, tops, stackers and nesting birds), as well as award winning wooden puzzles and eco-friendly Arts and Crafts.
The Arts and Crafts range includes crayons and pencils which are coloured with food dye and angular-shaped so they won’t roll away; a stylish wall mounted Safari elephant easel, which releases the valuable floor space taken up by traditional easels; and Silly Soft modular toddler seating that’s part furniture, part toy.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
17th Apr
As ‘retro’ becomes trendier and trendier, The Slow Toy Movement simultaneously lays claim to the consumer’s consciousness.
‘Retro’ means culturally outdated… and that’s exactly what ‘slow toys’ are; toys that were fashionable or trendy long ago, and are now considered outdated. What is a Slow toy? Slow toys are:
* ethically sourced
* fun to play with
* without batteries
* sold in independent toy shops
* durable
* without thousands of different functions
These types of toys are back in vogue – think… rocking horse, educational abacus, classic wooden toy, much loved train set or traditional Jack-in-a-box. The kinds of toys my mum used to play with.
I am reminded of an old wooden cot that my granddad made for my mum; I then inherited the toy (which I loved) and my two-year-old, when visiting granny, took great pleasure in discovering the little white cot. Pretty cool, I think.
Written by: Andrea Zanin
Written by: Andrea Zanin