Baby Shower Gift Ideas

As a last post in this series - Baby Showers. What do you buy that won't just get popped in the trash?

1. Cloth Nappies. Modern Cloth Nappies (diapers) are becoming hugely popular, which is wonderful for our environment as well as much healthier for baby bums. But it can also be a huge investment to get started. Receiving a couple quality covers or package of prefolds is a huge help.
2. Baby Soap/ Nappy creams. Try and buy local and natural. A good quality product is worth it's weight in gold.
3. Restaurant gift cards. Some days it’s just a juggling act and to have dinner taken care of is a complete relief. Grocery store gift cards and coffee shop gift cards are also very nice to receive.
4. Spa Packages. Being a parent of a new baby is pretty exhausting. Most days are considered a success if everyone got fed and mom got a shower. Giving a massage, hair appointment or facial/manicure/pedicure are all great gifts that celebrate the mum.   
5. White Noise maker. For first time parents, it’s nice to have baby used to noise while sleeping, so parents can vacuum, have the doorbell ring or talk on the phone while baby is napping and not worry about waking baby. It’s also great for the baby with older siblings, so baby can nap and the siblings can play.
6. Baby Proofing. Plug outlet covers are great, or a baby gate.
7. Camera. If you know the parents well and know what their camera situation is, this is an excellent idea.  Having a nice camera makes a big difference in picture quality.
8. Photo Session. There are many wonderfully creative photographers these days, and having sweet pictures of your family is really special.
9. Pamper with Smells. Gift an essential oil diffuser and a bottle of essential oil. 
10. Blankets. Just to warn you, most babies get a lot of blankets. But a good quality swaddle can be a life saver- these swaddling blankets are fantastic.
11. Books. It’s never too early for books.
12. Clothes. Ok, I’m going to be honest here: people love baby clothes and love buying baby clothes. The issue is that most of the clothes they give baby, just aren’t practical. I always had plenty of dresses for my daughter and cute sweater vest outfits for my sons, but what I really needed were some basics: Sleepers, bodysuits, pants, socks, a jacket and wool tie-on hat. Think ahead about what size you buy for what season, a summer baby won't want a summer dress in size 6 months!
13. Meals. Dinners are great, but if the family has a good support network and is receiving meals, how about some easy breakfast and lunches? Yogurt parfaits, granola, artisan bread, butter and jam or bagels and cream cheese are lovely gifts. 
14. Doula Service. If mom hasn’t given birth yet, doulas are amazing to have with you, Dad’s particularly love this gift. An experienced doula will help set the new parents mind at ease, and assist any support people in helping mom the best way possible.
15. A voucher for a cleaner for the first few weeks. Getting out of bed is hard enough in the first few weeks, knowing that someone will come in and vaacume and clean the toilet can be a big relief.
16. Offer to babysit the older kids. A day at the park or the museum so mum and baby can just sleep. 
17. A older sibling bag of goodies. simple activities and books/puzzles to keep the older ones occupied while mum tends to the baby.

 

What makes a good baby swaddle?

 

Choosing swaddle for yourself or a loved one's baby can be a daunting task! We have looked at the 3 main types of wrap, weighing up the good and the bad points of each. First things first: What is swaddling? Swaddling a baby is simply wrapping them firmly in some sort of cloth to help aide sleep. Babies under 3 months sleep better swaddled, and many prefer to be swaddled much later than this. Swaddling increases the length of sleep, makes it easier to get baby to sleep and can reduce the symptoms of colic. So getting it right may make your sleepy times much easier.  There are so many different styles of swaddle available to choose from and they fall in to three main categories:

A simple flat blanket:

http://www.itibaby.co.nz/

Wings and a pocket for the feet:

http://www.miracleblanket.com/index.htm

or one that zips up the front/acts like an all in one suit:

 

http://www.ergopouch.com.au/swaddles/aircocoon-swaddle.html

There are good and bad points for all of these choices, and you need to think what works best for you and your situation.

A simple flat blanket

With a simple flat blanket there are endless ways to swaddle, a simple Youtube search will bring up many tutorials. These can get confusing and can be difficult to execute quickly and efficiently when they are required. They do need some practise to master - I recommend practising on a baby sized doll until you are confident. See the Iti Baby website for 2 methods that I recommend trying. There are some ways of folding that means their top half can stay swaddled while you change their nappies, other folds will have to be totally re-done each nappy change.
Flat swaddles come in a range of sizes and fabrics. You need a natural fabric with a good diagonal stretch, that is not too thick and can breathe when baby gets hot - ideal fabrics are merino, bamboo and cotton. Square swaddles are much easier to use than rectangle ones. In regards to size - I would not recommend any swaddle under 95cm square for a baby under 12 weeks. After 10-12 weeks babies need a wrap over 120cm square Any swaddle under these sizes are pretty useless to wrap with and you will get frustrated, and baby will escape. A larger swaddle can be used right from birth - making it a great investment. A merino swaddle can then be used as a great cot, TV, or travel blanket. 

Side note: Please do not use polar fleece to swaddle - babies overheat and are at greater risk of SIDS.

A swaddle with wings and feet pouches

These are great for Houdini babies, you strap their arms down and swaddle around them. Many people swear by them. However the aren't so helpful for babies who like their hands across their chest or near their mouths to self soothe. You need to be aware that babies will grow out of these - always check that baby has plenty of foot room. Many of these style swaddles you can change a nappy without removing the whole swaddle. These come in a range of fabrics, but are usually made from either merino or cotton knit - both of which are natural breathable fibres.

All-in-one swaddles

Similar in concept to the above swaddle, but they allow baby to have their hands up by their chest or face depending on the brand. They are nice and quick to put on, with no tricky manoeuvres to master. Again they have a size limit - you may think they are a cheaper option, until you find you need to buy several different sizes. These are very Houdini proof, but some babies find they allow too much movement to settle easily - defeating the purpose of swaddling altogether.

Many babies enjoy being swaddled well into the second half of their first year, some continue to sleep better swaddled over one year of age, so which swaddle you choose may be with you for a while - choose quality. A good quality wrap will last several children. Whichever choice you make, you need to make sure that baby can relax into a hip-healthy position when asleep.

Please remember: It is important that baby's face is kept clear at all times, and that a swaddled baby always sleeps on their back!

 

I hope this make swaddle choosing a little easier.

 

 

Coping with Colic

I have heard a lot of new parents struggling with babies with 'colic' in the last few weeks. I thought it was about time for a colic blog post.

Both my babies had classic colic, and the second one had silent reflux as well. NOT A FUN TIME!

Colic is defined as: Unexplained crying for 3 or more hours a day, for 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks.

What this really means is life is miserable! There is no known cause (though there are A LOT of theories) and there is no real treatment available. Colic typically starts around 3 weeks of age and seems to be gone again by 14 weeks. Leaving the longest 11 weeks of your life in the middle. 

It is often assumed that colicky babies are in some kind of pain, as they are not relieved by the comforts of feeding and holding, often writhe and grunt, may start and stop their screaming very abruptly, and have a shrill cry that resembles the sound they make when they are in pain, they are often said to 'pull up' their legs while crying.

 

One of the compelling reasons why colic is NOT something parents have to put up with or accept is that in a number of cultures, colic is virtually absent.

 

What causes colic?

 

Over the years many explanations have been put forward about the cause of colic. Common explanations have included that colic is caused by wind, by maternal anxiety, by tummy troubles, by a baby’s sensitive temperament, or by a baby’s immature brain.  The ideas of stomach migraines and early food allergies have also been thrown around. While there is an element of truth in all of these explanations, none of them fully explain colicky behaviour, or point to what we can do to calm a colicky baby.

The true cause of colic is what is now often referred to as a missing '4th trimester'. Human babies (as opposed to other animals) are born before their brains are fully developed, and before they are fully ready for the world.

 

Inside the womb, a baby is very tightly bundled, she is constantly fed, she is exposed to 80-90 decibels of ‘white noise’ 24/7, and she constantly swings and jiggles about inside a sea of amniotic fluid. These are the conditions that calm a baby in the womb, and unless we make a concerted effort to replicate these conditions once a baby is born, their absence will be a cause of considerable distress to a newborn.

 

Many other cultures will carry a tightly swaddled baby in a sling carrier the whole day, and co-sleep at night. These babies are breastfed as soon as they become unsettled and are not expected to self-sooth or go with out their mother for the first 3 or more months.

 

Interestingly these cultures also do not experience colic in the way the western culture does.

 

Your baby wants to be held, she will sleep in your arms or on your chest but not in her bed, she will wake as soon as you put her down. It is a survival instinct, they are too young to sleep alone naturally. They need your warmth and comfort, all the tricks in the book are really trying to replicate you, why don't we as a society accept that maybe baby just needs some parent time?

See our Sleep and Settling page or Swaddling page for more details

If you think of the times of day your baby gets upset and try and re-look at your routine at this time of day. It is often tea time - other children are tired and hungry and need their dinner/bath/bedtime routines too, so baby gets handed to someone else or left to their own devices while mum gets dinner ready.

 

Some suggestions:

 

- Pre-prepare dinner/meals when baby is settled

 

- Enlist some help at tea time - Dad, Nana, Aunty, an older sibling or a DVD (shock horror)

 

- Put baby tightly swaddled in a bouncer or pushchair by the dinner table and keep baby moving with your feet while you eat.

 

- Sling or wrap style carriers are great - pop baby in and have two hands free to continue with what you were trying to do.

 

- Use a pacifier to help soothe baby

- Some babies find a deep, warm bath relaxing.

- If baby is unsettled it will do no harm to future sleep patterns if you spend the evening with baby napping on your chest in the lounge while you read or watch TV. In fact you will both be more relaxed and baby will probably get more sleep then trying to settle them alone in their own bed.

 

- If you choose to co-sleep it is recommended that you do so by using a 'side car' style bed - where baby has their own space.

 

http://spiritedmamadotcom.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/bednest.jpg

Warning: Bed Sharing /co-sleeping should not be undertaken by people who smoke, have been drinking alcohol or are under the influence of drugs, these things greatly increase the risk of SIDS (cot death). Do not co-sleep on a couch or lounger chair.

 

I hope this is helpful for those out there struggling. It's not an easy time, but it does pass (like most things with babies). If you are really struggling with your crying baby, put them down somewhere safe and have a break, call for back up if need be. Kia kaha.

 

 

The meaning of life

 

I was reading one of my favourite blogs today and came across this quote (see original post here). It resonated with me all the way to my core. How true is it that we spend our lives wanting bigger and better things, more of this, fancier that. While managing to ignore or get annoyed at the most amazing simple little things in life. How many times do I brush off the kids because I'm busy right now? How often do I sit on the couch (or the floor) instead of being out enjoying the wonderful sunshine on bare feet before it goes and hides for the winter?
I guess the message today is simple. Take stock, what do you reaaaaallly want to be doing right now? Maybe you should just get up and do it. Sit and play with your kids, walk or sit in the sunshine, visit a friend, read a book just because you want to. Enjoy the week that is coming, find the good bits that are happening around you and relish in them. Live in the now, it really is all we have.

6 Chemicals to avoid putting on your baby

Choosing baby skin care products isn't as easy as it appears. If you think just grabbing the popular products off the shelves is a good idea, or even splashing out on something labelled organic is the way to go, then you have some reading to do! Unfortunately as much as the packaging may be super cute and the advertising very convincing, you cannot just trust what a company says at face value. They do however legally have to tell you what is in the products you are buying. To make products cheaper and cheaper, companies now use all sorts of chemicals that you don't find in nature. Some of these are totally harmless, others unfortunately are not.

 

To be labelled "organic" a products does not even have to have 100% organic ingredients! Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs many things straight into the blood stream. This is helpful for trans-dermal pain/nausea relief in the medical world, but it is scary considering how much we put on our skin in our daily lives. Safe baby products are even more important than adult products as a baby's skin is much more fragile, sensitive and thin, meaning they absorb more through their skin and react more strongly to chemicals.

A lot of conventional baby products that are marketed for sensitive skin contain ingredients that will cause irritations, rashes, teary eyes, rashes and more. All things you would never wish upon your new bundle of love.

What can you do? While you may not be able to avoid all the chemicals around, here are 6 that are worth avoiding. Read your ingredients lists, and avoid products with these chemicals.

 

1. Synthetic Colours

By definition, synthetic colours are made up from petrochemicals and Coal tar. These are too often a major contributor to many skin irritations, synthetic colours used to supposedly make a cosmetic “pretty” should be avoided at all costs, along with hair dyes. They will be labelled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a colour and a number.

Some products may use natural methods of creating a colour but more often than not, the colour in baby bathes, washes and lotions is achieved by adding synthetic colour's.
 

 2. Mineral Oil

By definition, mineral oil is a distillation product, a by product of petroleum. It is used as a moisturiser, lubricant and laxative. Many companies use this product because of the low cost. Involved in mineral oil’s production is sulphuric acid, absorbents, solvents, and alkali's which is not exactly what I’d want to put on my baby’s skin!

It acts as a coating, basically suffocating your skin (think: having plastic wrap coated on your body) and, if there are any beneficial ingredients in the product, mineral oil will not allow them to absorb.

3. Propylene Glycol

By definition, propylene glycol is a liquid alcohol used as a solvent, in anti freeze, and in the food, plastic and perfume agencies. Meaning, if products have the word “fragrance” in it, there is a large chance that propylene glycol is included. In baby products, you can find propylene glycol in baby wipes and you may even find them in ointments, shampoos/conditioners, etc.

Propylene glycol may not have such high concentrations that it could seriously hurt your baby, but the fact that it does have irritating, allergenic properties should be enough to keep it away from your baby’s gentle, sensitive skin.

4. Parabens & Other Preservatives

By definition, a paraben is any of a group of compounds used as preservatives in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products and in the food industry. The whole reasoning behind using parabens is to prohibit the growth of any kind of microbe in cosmetic and personal care products. Parabens are found primarily any products that contain significant amounts of water, as water can encourage the growth of microbes. Parabens can be found as any of the following ingredients: Ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, other ingredients ending in –paraben.

The biggest concern with parabens is they are known to disrupt hormone function, an effect that is linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity. Parabens have even been found in biopsies from breast tumours. There have been no studies confirming the safety of paraben preservatives for babies.

 

5. Fragrance

 

By definition, a fragrance is a pleasant, sweet smell. The word fragrance is a trade secret, which means they are not required to disclose fragrance is. There can be up to 12,500 separate ingredients that make up the word fragrance, so that vanilla smell may be a concoction of who knows what.

Baby products are no different! It seems many companies put all sorts of “sweet” smelly ingredients to make mama’s feel all warm inside, which makes the product sell better. The bottom line is this, most synthetic fragrances are an irritant. It’s best to stick to unscented or products that use natural essential oils as the fragrance.

6. Triethanolamine (TEA)

 

By definition, triethanolamine is an alkaline substance used as a surfactant and pH adjusting chemical. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid.

The concern with TEA is that it may be linked to organ system toxicity or infertility and can be irritating to the skin. TEA — and it’s cousin’s DEA and MEA — can be found in a range of baby lotions and creams.

What Products Could You Use Instead?

Have a read of the ingredients list on what you buy, if you can't pronounce it, its probably not natural and unprocessed. Find a brand that uses natural ingredients, the more simple the list, usually the better. Iti Baby proudly makes all natural baby care products.

 

 

Tips to make housework less of a chore

 

Getting housework done can seem totally impossible now that you have a baby. While the first 12 weeks of new parent hood is probably the most challenging time of your life, living in a chaotic living space at the same time will make it much more difficult to cope! Here are some little tips to help you contain the mess.

1) Pre-baby Spring clean

Before baby arrives, use your nesting energy to have a big clean out. A clutter free home is MUCH easier to keep tidy.

2) Invest in some storage

Large clear plastic tubs with lids are invaluable in sorting excess toys, clothes that are too big and too small (for both mum and baby!).  Before you buy them, measure your storage cupboard to make sure they fit! Use a marker pen to label them clearly.

3) Use your networks

If a friend or family member says "just let me know what I can do to help" they actually mean it. So ask! A simple "Actually would you please turn the washing on for me?" or "Could you please watch the baby for 10 minutes while I put the washing out" is all you need to say. Mothers, sisters and best mates are probably the easiest to ask without feeling like you are a pest.

4) Get your older kids to help

Even a toddler can help do some simple dusting, or run their toys to their room. Try to make tidying a race or a game with afternoon tea as a prize at the end. Encourage your kids to put away one game before they start with another.

5) Use a baby carrier

A sling, or Moby wrap or a front pack are wonderful when you need to get a few things done but baby needs mummy time. This is great for vacuuming, getting groceries or folding washing. Some skilled mamma's even manage to feed while baby hangs out in a sling.
Tip: Avoid spraying nasty chemicals or hanging upside down while baby is being carried.

6) Don't waste your time

Instead of constantly tiding and going backwards and forwards all day, use a washing basket or similar and put things that need to go away into it. Then at the end of the day carry it room to room putting away things (or better yet, get someone else to do it!).
When folding washing take a little more time to have a pile for each drawer for each person, this makes putting away so much easier.

7) Get things done as you can

There's no rule that says you have to clean your house all one one day, all before lunch. Complete a few cleaning tasks each day to get housework done while still leaving you plenty of time for bonding with your newborn. For example: make Monday fold washing day, vacuum on Wednesday, shop on Thursday etc, this allows you to ignore it until then, knowing you have a time set aside for it.

8) Use the noise of the vacuum to help baby sleep.

Secure your newborn into a bouncer seat or bassinet and let the sounds of the vacuum send him off to sleep, Hopefully he'll get a good rest while within eyesight while you accomplish some household chores!

9) Spray and walk away
Spray your kitchen and bathroom down with white vingar and leave it for a while, when you go back the grime will have broken down and a simple wipe with a microfibre cloth and you are done!

10) Employ a cleaner

For busy mums who aren't comfortable accepting help from friends and family, consider hiring help. Paying a cleaning service to take care of household chores will let you focus on bonding with your newborn without the guilt of letting friends and family pitch in when there are chores to do.

At the end of the day, people come to see you (and baby) not your house, and most of us live day-to-day in more mess than we would like you to know. So RELAX and spend some time on you and baby, after all no one ever wishes they had spend more time cleaning and less time with their baby!

Real Advice for New Parents

Becoming a parent for the first time is exciting. It is also quite scarey. Some of the stories people kindly share would terrify even the bravest of souls. But there is no love without pain, and no win without sacrifice and every single parent I know, given the choice, would do it all again in a heartbeat. The little people that we love so unconditionally are very very much worth it!

Here is some advice from those that have been there and done that:

Said by a wise not-quite-old man (my Dad)

Be realistic

 

Children WILL change your life. You may think right now that nothing much will change. It will defiantly change, significantly. You can lug them around in a capsule to all your social engagements for a while, but this won't work forever. But it is good change, embrace it.

Your life for the next two years (per child) will feel similar to a constant hangover. Don't worry, go with it, even try to enjoy it - it will get better. Try to enjoy that 2am (and 3am and 4am...) snuggle, there will come a time when you kinda wish you still got them.

 

"Don't sweat any of it. The small stuff or the big stuff. Humans have been raising babies for hundreds of thousands of years. No matter what people tell you, there is no one best way to do it. An abundance of love, gentleness and care (for yourselves and for baby) will see you right." - Stacey Wilson mum of 3

 

 

As long as both you and your little ones are in clean-ish clothes (seriously unless they have covered head to toe in spaghetti sauce, a little  juice on their front is no worries), they are fed (always keep snacks on hand - fruit, jelly, yogurt, cheese), happy and healthy you are doing great as a parent.

 

Practical tips

Buy a truckload of facecloths - they are invaluable at cleaning pretty much anything off of everything.

When getting bibs, get good quality thick ones, preferably with domes rather than valcro. Valcro wreaks havoc in the washing machine.

If you use cloth nappies, always do the valcro up before washing them! (see above)

Holding a child throwing a tantrum is much easier side on (yes, yours will do it too, probably in a busy supermarket, when you are in a hurry to get home), you wear less kicks to the groin and they can't hit you in the face so easily. This also works carrying a screamer who won't hold your hand across the road.

Buy a drop-sided cot for your first child so that you can still reach in to get them out when you are pregnant with the next (assuming having the first hasn't put you off).

Keep a box of tissues handy in every room to mop up nasty spillages.

Keep all your nappy creams well out of the reach of toddlers at all times. Sudo-cream and carpet DO NOT MIX.

Do it your way

"You will know a multitude of great parents who give you heaps of great advice and suggestions. ....and it will all conflict with each other. They are still great parents and so will you be. Your baby will grow up - they will not remember whether you breast fed or bottle, used disposables or cloth, fed to sleep or self settled- they will remember you love them and cared for them- always have and always will." - Letitia McRodden mum of 2

You will be on the receiving end of all kinds of advice, the best idea is to smile sweetly, nod politely and go and do things exactly how you want to. Mum knows best. Unfortunately this may include conflicting advice from health professionals. Usually this just means there are several options that will work, pick one and stick at it for a while.

If your baby will only sleep on you, or with you or be rocked or fed to sleep. THAT'S OK! most of us do this anyway, we just don't tell everyone because it is seen as the wrong thing to do. I don't know why we hide it, it's instinctive and it is what most indigenous cultures have done for thousands of years, but now some  researcher says we shouldn't and it is now seen as being the worst thing to do.

If you bed share, learn to do it safely and drop the guilt.

If you bottle feed, learn to do it safely and drop the guilt.

If you have to leave your baby to scream in the cot, so you can go outside and calm down for a few minutes so you don't shake the living daylights out of it because you haven't slept at all for 48 hours and it is still not asleep, do it safely and drop the guilt.

Also remember you can ring the Plunket helpline! 0800 933 922 for pretty much anything.

 

Doctors, nurses and others don't know everything. They are human too, you know your baby the best, if you think something is wrong and no one is listening to you, keep asking, keep getting others to look until you are satisfied. Follow your instincts, you have them for a reason :-)

Wise words

Love them a lot. Say it often.

Enjoy all the snuggles and cuddles you can get.

Keep a book or box of special things, their first hat, or shoes, funny things they say and do, you will forget them.

Let them climb things, jump off things and generally play. Let them get dirty and don't sterilise everything around them. Generally kids know their own limits and won't do what they can't do. Some germs are good to grow a strong immune system.

No one on their death bed ever said "I wish I spent more time in the office" - don't regret placing your children above your career.

Set strong boundaries when it comes to expected behaviour, manners, responsibility and safety. Then let them play within these bounds. Try not to say no too often.

Kids are all gifted, some just take a little longer to unwrap it! Don't rush them and don't compare, they will get there in the end. If you are genuinely concerned, check with your doctor.

Get your first aid certificate in infant and child CPR, heaven hopes you never have to use it, but the 10-20 minutes it takes an ambulance to get there may be too late for a fragile little life. Arm yourself with some knowledge and skills and don't be afraid to use them!

 

If anyone offers you a cooked meal, folded washing or ironing, or babysitting so you can have a nap - Never say no.

In the first few months try and get outside everyday, even if it is just to the letterbox or around the block. Fresh air and sunshine can do wonders for altering your perspective and helping your outlook.

 

Never underestimate the power of sleep deprivation. It can turn the most pleasant of persons into a raging crazy-person.

If you feel yourself slipping, and unable to cope -  please, please don't try and go it alone. Ask for help. Ask your partner, siblings, parents, friends, neighbour, health visitor or Plunket line. Ask anyone that will listen. Parenting can be hard, and it mostly works out in the wash. But get some support if you need it, we all want to see you succeed!

20 Great Baby Shower Gifts that make life Easier

 

 

Baby showers are a lot of fun. It is an exciting time that friends and family get together to celebrate the beautiful new life that will be earth-side soon.
The biggest problem I always have is finding a good gift! Below are some of the newest and ingenious baby and parenting products I have found. The wonders of Internet shopping is you are not limited to what you can buy locally. Many of these products are, however, NZ designed and NZ made.

1) A swaddle or wrap (or two)

 

www.itibaby.co.nz

Get a large sized one, made of all natural fabrics - merino, cotton or bamboo. Get one with stretch, and anything under 95cm square is pretty well useless for swaddling properly, so save mummy some frustration and get her a goody!

2) Contour Burp Cloths

 

http://www.kiwiindustries.com/proddetail.php?prod=B_BPDPTDS

Fashion need not be ruined by streams of baby spew down a new mummy's back, get her one of these contoured burp cloths.

3) Kai Carrier


 

http://www.kaicarrier.co.nz/shop.html#!/~/product/category=0&id=27711960


The innovative multi-use reusable Kiwi food pouch, Kai Carriers are fun and environmentally friendly!

4) Sippy Strap with Suction Cup

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/102789007/bottle-tether-toy-tether-sippy-strap

 

All kids go through the "throw it all on the floor" stage at one point or another, this will save a mothers floor, her sippy cups and her sanity!

 5) Hold Me Close Nursing Scarf

http://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/130048641/ready-to-ship-hold-me-close-nursing

 

Super fashionable and very handy to have when a new mum is out and about! It will make her confident to feed anywhere.

 

6) The Baby Shusher

 

http://www.babyshusher.com/index.php/products/baby-shusher.html



Safely calms the baby down with a rhythmic “shushing” sound, for the times she just can't go "SHHHH" any more!

7) Gentle Battery-Operated Nail Trimmer

http://www.hipbabygear.com/Buzz-B-battery-operated-nail-trimmer-by-ZoLi_p_1702.html

 It safely trims nails with a gentle yet effective oscillating action. The cushioned pads are specially designed for baby's nails so it won't harm surrounding skin.


8) A Sibling Ride-a-Long Board

 

http://www.hipbabygear.com/Stokke-Xplory-Rider-Sibling-Board_p_1118.html

This handy gadget attaches to the axle of your pushchair and allows an older kid to jump on for a ride when their legs inevitably get tired.

9) On-the-Go Changing Mat

 

http://www.quirky.com/products/141-toob-baby-changing-station/timeline

Handy and portable for when you are out and about, protecting the baby from the floor, and the floor from baby!

10) The Safe Sippy

 

http://www.mumiandbubi.co.nz/safesippy2.htm

Invented by a kiwi mum, the BEST drink bottle we have ever bought! You can even buy spare parts.

11) Solids starter Kit

 

http://www.mumiandbubi.co.nz/solidsstarterkit.htm

Help the mum-to-be save hundreds of dollars by making her own baby food!

12)The Travelling Crib

 

http://travelheroes.no/b2c_no/Servlet?page=11&parent=sD117&sort=10&anr=RO855000

Sheer genius! Unfortunately its European, so shipping will be extravagant!

13) Good Quality bibs

 

http://www.littlekiwis.co.nz/#!bibs/c1gim

Good quality bibs will last and last. They need to be large, thick and well constructed!

14) Reusable breast pads

 

http://www.breastmates.co.nz/shop-management/products/h/breastmates-breast-pads-(multipack).aspx?cat=8900

Whether mum to be plans to breastfeed or not, these will come in very handy for those leaky days.

15) Clip-on Cami

 

http://www.breastmates.co.nz/shop-management/products/f/clip-on-cami-(colours).aspx?cat=8925

Turn any maternity bra into a feeding singlet. Great idea!

16) A ring sling or moby carrier

 

http://kiwibabyshop.com/products/easycare-wrap-conversion-ring-sling-with-sbp-shoulder

For the unsettled baby nothing works better than a sling or wrap carrier! Buy quality and it will last for many children.

17) Felted Soap

http://www.itibaby.co.nz/#!felted-soap/c1fdg

What better gift is there than an infant soap and cloth all in one!

18) Baby Kauri Teething Peg

 

http://www.cleverbastards.co.nz/the-store/kids/baby-kauri-teething-peg/36940

A NZ made keepsake handcrafted & a comfort for teething times to soothe sore gums.

19) A Personal Assistant kit

http://www.littleandsorted.co.nz/our-kits/

A handy little kit of everything that you can keep in your purse or car for those moments you wish you had a ....


20) An Iti Baby Giftbox

 

www.itibaby.co.nz

For those times you really can't decide, Iti Baby has you covered - quality products, great price and beautifully gift wrapped.