THE INTREPID BABY

Travelling a long way in a short time: Dos and Don'ts

2012-12-09T03:08:00.000-08:00

We recently went overseas for 17 days in the interest of keeping the family together as much as possible while working in different countries. We went from Melbourne to LA for 4 days then on to London for 9 then Singapore for 2 then back home to Melbourne. Here are a few Dos and Don'ts that I leant and wish to share.

1. DON'T. No, really, don't do this.
2. Sure, DO this if you want to only get one night of actual, 6-8hr sleep in nearly 3 weeks.
3. DO this if you want to spend about 6 nights trying to entertain a 2 yr old for between 3 and 6 hours in the time of the night that, on a good night, you used to be getting last drinks before buying a dodgy kebab and dancing home on the night bus to watch video hits until dawn.
4. DO this if you want to watch High-5 and The Wiggles so much your brain starts to actually implode and you want to hit your face repeatedly with the steering wheel of the Big Red Car.
5. DON'T do this if you want a romantic getaway.
6. DON'T do this in the European winter. It gets dark very early so try telling a toddler who you have rudely awakened at 3pm, that it is in fact day time and they must stay awake in the living room being entertained by a cheap karaoke machine and Play Doh until dinner time.
7. DO get an iPad (or a tablet of some description) and fill it with tv shows that you can handle in bulk (here are some suggestions).
8. DON'T get tricked into downloading High 5, The Wiggles or Dora. NEVER DORA.
9. DON'T accidentally go out in LA until dawn one night trying to keep up with childless actors ten years younger than you. This will in no way help the situation at hand.
10. DO stop in Singapore and go to the Zoo. The water park is worth the ticket price alone (tip - take your bathers and your own food.)
11. DO buy a cheap karaoke machine and Play Doh.

So we are back and thankfully, because of the Singapore stopover, we didn't get much jetlag at all on our return. I highly recommend a stopover once your baby gets to about 2... And fly over night whenever possible as they can sleep as much as you want them to (I wake bubs up early if arriving late in the day so you can go to bed at a reasonable hour at the destination).

Oh, and we bought this recently:

The Gro Clock is a clock that you can set with a wake up time. You can set it for daytime and nighttime sleeps and when you press a button the stars come out (apparently a really fun thing to do for a 2 yr old which is a bonus).Then the stars slowly disappear during the night until the sun comes up at your set time. It is great to help a baby understand what time of the day it is when it changes due to jet lag. It makes no difference in those heavy nights of wide-awake toddler (no clock on earth can convince them that it isn't time to get up and play). But most of the time my bubba will stay in her room until the sun comes out (she looks at her books or talks to her teddies) and then she runs down the hall excitedly to tell us the SUN HAS COME OUT!! Our clock also has the added extra of running a bit slow, so after a week we start to get about 15mins extra sleep. Hooray! In fact maybe that is what they planned all along.. Genius.

ps. I realise that my life is ridiculously lucky and the fact that we are able to travel like this and all be together is a privilege and I was, and will always be happy to do it. But, I will have a bit of a bitch afterwards. That's ok isn't it?

Things I can't live with out #8

2012-09-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 'Things I can't live without #8'. Obviously this is is a rather drastic statement about a bunch of products that I like and are in no way things that my child or I really need to exist. All we actually need is food air and gin (that one is just me). The rest is fancy dressing that makes our lives more bearable... Do with this what you will.

My last blog (which was the first one in about 18 months) was about body image and was written in Perth hungover when I was away from my baby for 5 days and decided that, due to said hangover and extreme weather conditions I needed to get over myself and start wearing shorts instead of covering up like a Greek widow no matter how humid the day. It was pretty much the most open I have even been on paper let alone on the intranet for all to see and it was even published on the wonderful site www.mamamia.com so I had the rare pleasure of sifting through hundreds of comments that strangers made about my most personal thoughts (and typos - I KNOW IT IS THALIDOMIDE - IT WAS A MISTAKE! DONT BE SUCH A MEANIE!). I am going to go back to talking about shiny things that I can buy with money that tell you little to nothing about my frame of mind of inner monologue for a bit. Hope that is ok... x

The only bib you need ever own.

Annabel Karmel red plastic bib

I know that all those cotton ones look cute but honestly, who needs to wash bolognese sauce out vintage lace embroidery? This one is plastic, red, rolls up, wipes off, gets chucked in the dishwasher and catches all the dropped food (second course!). When I found this one I gave all the others away. We have used only this one for OVER a year. Easy.

iBert child's bike seat.

This one attaches to most bikes on the front (better for balance, child's vision), looks funky, is compact and gets massive compliments (this is what my life has come to - counting compliments on my child's bike seat... honestly). I bought it off Amazon in the US. Still cheaper even with postage than buying in Australia (as un-PC as that is - I am frugal first and foremost)

Ikea 'Antilop' high chair.

The cheapest, simplest high chair around. Can't really be beaten to be honest.

Trunki.

We love the Trunki. From age 2 it has been a great travelling companion fitting all the toys, books, spare clothes, nappies (no I haven't potty trained yet, we've been busy. Shut-up). Plus as a bonus you get to swing your baby around airports, scaring the other travellers as your child screams 'Yee haaaa!!!'.

But....

I have just seen this Scoot ride-on suitcase and I'm having major fomo and might need to buy it...

Anyone want to buy a second hand Trunki?!

Saltwater sandals.

We bought a red pair for bubs a year ago (this one above with the thicker sole) and it has seen her through 3 summers (granted that had been over a 12 month span, this incessant travel has its benefits). They are totes retro cool and I even have a pair do we can be all matchy matchy as we ride our bike to get a babycino (I am physically gagging at my own cliched middle class, suburban self to save you the trouble)

AppleTV.

You probably get that we travel a lot, yeah? Well I love my AppleTV at home, I basically watch most of my tv through it via series downloads (Game of Thrones anyone?) and not only do we download kids tv (See next item for our faves) but when bored you can flick through countless movie previews (or in our case the previews for Happy Feet 2, Puss in Boots over, and over and over again...) or look up clips on YouTube (Little Mermaid for her, Sexy Sax Man for me).

But the best thing is that I can take this small unit (about 15cm squared), remote and the HDMI cable Wherever you travel and plug it into the TV in the hotel or flat or friends house. Too easy.

TV shows we have come to love (sort of... The first 40 times they are watched maybe).

Yo Gabba Gabba

Guests like Mos Def, Solange Knowles, The Killers & Jack Black plus good tunes and funky designs keep this a favourite in our house. I even made this cake for bday #2

(one of my proudest moments ever but I'll let you in on a secret - I can't bake so the cake underneath this awesomeness is half unrisen and stuck together with Nutella and half bought from Coles so rest easy...)

Justine Clarke

We love her, the songs, the musicians playing on the songs (there are some top class Aussie Jazz boys playing on her records) and the videos are a treat. It is baby disco often in our house anytime 'Do the hullabaloo' comes on.

Charlie & Lola.

I love this show. The design is quirky and smart, the music great, the stories helpful and Charlie us like the best older brother ever in existence. I love Lola too, she is inquisitive, precocious and a whole lot of other charming big words. I love it.

(postscript - I am a little obsessed with Caitlan Moran at the moment - there may even be a blog in the future about her book 'How to be a woman' and in the introduction to her new book she professes a deep hatred of Lola... I feel a bit sad to be honest but I stand by my love for them both...)

I'm Weaning on a Jetplane...

2010-12-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm not really but it felt like a good day for a pun and it nicely tied into the travel theme of this blog. Huzzah!

Mind you, I have been weaning this past few weeks AND we are flying to Sydney this weekend so I am not too far off...

I have posted before about how hard I was finding it to get my bubba to take a bottle. Well, the good news is that she is now taking some formula but not from a bottle. I had read in Baby Love that by 6 months if they haven't yet taken a bottle then you can go straight to sippy cup so we did and it worked a treat. She is now taking 2 cups of formula a day and couldn't be happier. The other breakthough came in the form of a suggestion form my cousin Chelsea. She said that she had heard that goat's milk tasted more like breast milk than cow's so we bought the Karicare Goat's milk formula and that also went down very well. The final piece to the jigsaw puzzle was an inspiration from my friend Charly who always gives her daughter Flo her bottle cold or at room temperature. We have done the same so now I don't have to heat anything up! Great considering we don't own a microwave -and heating milk up seems to be pretty much the only useful thing about those bulky, ugly things (yes that is why I don't like them - nothing to do with the radiation or anything sensible like that...) Also good for when you are out and about or indeed traveling.

We are following the Baby-Led Weaning method of introducing solids which is fairly simple. Basically baby feeds herself and there is not a mashed up vegie in sight. You can read the book - it makes sense to us and she is thriving on it. She loves her food and just pretty much eats whatever we are eating. She doesn't have teeth yet but she manages to gnaw through bread, avacado, carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, watermelon, noodles (fun...), pieces of chicken, dry biscuits, bananas, apple, mango and the list goes on. We just cut the food into long thin pieces the right size for her to grab. She will try anything and although it can be a messy process, when I am out with her I just don't give her too many messy things to eat. She does eat cereal in the morning but feeds herself with a spoon that we hand to her laden with the stuff. She is mad for it. For dinner I feed her in her nappy only and then just wash it all off in the bath - easy! Oh, and a little tip to get some hidden fibre into the mix - I dust her watermelon (which she adores) with weatgerm or dry cereal and she doesn't even notice!

Some products that I have found useful in this whole process are as follows:

Brother Max milk powder dispenser

I love everything Brother Max. Beautifully designed and very functional. This is great to have in the handbag for bottles on the go. The only disappointment I have is that for some reason you can't seem to buy their bath toys here in Australia - Baby Bunting say that they are yet to be put through the rigorous Aussie testing procedures...

Karicare Goat's Milk Powder

Bebe isn't lactose intolerant or anything like that (she eats pretty much everything with the same abandon) but she just liked this better. It is good for babies who do have allergies though and gets great feedback from mums who have had trouble with reflux etc

Mag Mag Sippy Cup

This is the sippy cup that Bebe like the best. It doesn't spill everywhere and is easy for her to drink from. Not sure if it is meant for milk but it works for us. The only problem is that it really only fits 200ml of formula nd sometimes she wants a little more so I make sure I have another one ready to make up not too far away.

Long-Sleeved Bibs

These are from Giggle Monster. They are Aussie made and machine washable. I bought three and use them every day. They take an absolute beating but wash really well and are still looking decent so when I take her out to lunch she doesn't look like a hobo, yay!

I'd love to hear other stories/tips about weaning and feeding and if anyone has a travel story to tell (and I know you do as you tell me in person but then don't post about it!) tell me or post a comment/email and I'd love to share it with everyone else.

Happy travels xx Ali

Things I can't live without # 7

2010-11-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

This post probably should be entitled 'Things I can probably live without but don't want to...' as there are a few things that are downright luxury items. But there is one new item I have discovered and I cannot believe I didn't find it before now.

Milkies Milk-saver

How has nobody told me about this?! I stumbled across it online as I was looking for advice on breastfeeding. If I had had this product when Bebe was born I would have rarely had to express and may have had an easier time trying to get her on a bottle! If you have read my blog before you will know that I was very slack and didn't keep up the bottle feeds from early on which meant that my baby girl was very reluctant to take anything but the boob (for those interested today we had a break through and she guzzled 100ml of formula from a sippy cup - hurrah!).

Basically if, like me, you leak from the other breast when you breast feed this product is invaluable. I have always leaked quite a bit when I feed and have thrown out litres of precious breast milk in breast pads. Even now, 6 months down the line I now save about 40ml during her first morning feed which I can then use on her cereal (I am no longer trying to get her to take expressed milk but going on to formula). If you are using this from the start you would probably want to express a bit at the end of feeds so you get some of the good hind milk also as this only really collects foremilk. You can also attach a milk saver bag to it so it really can collect as much as you can deliver!

Genius.

Sheepskin stroller liner

We use this in the stroller and in the car seat if going on a long drive (one of our car seats is lush but the other one needs this as it is a bit sparse in the luxury stakes). It is cool in summer and warm in winter and Bebe loves it. What's not to love?

Grass Counter top drying rack

File this under 'things I can probably live without etc...' It is rather handy though for sippy cups/bottles, dummies etc as you can keep it nice and clean and the items are ever lying in their own water as they dry. You can also put the whole thing in the dish washer to keep it sparkly. I also looks rather ace on the counter top. I can pretend I am mega healthy and growing my own wheat grass...

Merino Kids Go-Go bag

This is totally lush and was given to me by my oldest and dearest friend Lizzie. We started to use it when Bebe was about 5 months old and it is so handy and lovely. It has holes front and back so you can keep baby in it while puting in and out of car seat/stroller which is really handy when you are out and about and baby is sleeping (for instance when you take her to the Leonard Cohen Concert at Hanging Rock and she hangs out until she falls asleep in this and then goes into the car and into bed without waking up - precious!)

Food Holder

A few companies make this (we don't have this exact one) but they are all pretty good I think. Bebe is a self-feeder (we are following the 'Baby-led Weaning' book which is working really well for us) so she doesn't need her veggies in this but on a hot day she loves a block of ice or a frozen block of homemade stewed pear. Yum!

That is enough for today methinks.. I am going to write about the sippy-cup weaning thing next so if anyone has anything to add to the discussion then please do!

x Ali

Road Trips...

2010-11-16T01:12:00.000-08:00

I remember road trips as one of the undisputed highlights of my youth. I asked my parents if they were also fun for them or if I am remembering a rosy tinted version but they said they loved them too! The only answer I have for this is that I was an only child until I was 13 so never had any siblings to yell at during the trip. That and I had no problem reading, drawing and writing as we drove so kept myself occupied pretty well.

I have been thinking of the humble road trip and how I can make them fun for my child (and maybe 'children' in the future). I am keen to hold off the lure of the in-car dvd for as long as possible as I would like to give my kids the fun road trips of my youth. Plus, the sound of Dora the Explorer in the back of my head might be unsafe for me as both a driver and a person (honestly - is there any way I can keep that perky, ugly-merchandise selling little girl out of my little girl's life? Please tell me there is...)

We were in Sydney on the weekend (I would talk about the flying but to be honest Bebe is kind of 'another day, another flight' about the whole thing now) both working and visiting the grandparents. We went to dinner with some friends for a 40th bday party (happy birthday Julie!). I met a lovely couple who told me about their massive road trips between Darwin and just about everywhere - I think if was 13,000kms in 6 weeks (could that be right? That seems like a lot - I may have been a bit tipsy). They were determined to not use DVD players so they had some great tips:

1. Cup holders. If you don't have them in the back seat they suggest cutting the bottom off a large Coke bottle or similar and putting that in the door or seat pocket. That way there is always water or juice handy.

2. Fill a large crate with toys (they have one that is about double a milk crate size) which sits in between their two kids and is filled to the brim with books, toys, pencils, crayons etc, etc. One by one each item gets played with and then thrown on the floor so at the end of the day they just fill it back up and it is ready for the next day when it all happens again.

3. Eat in the car. They always take their sandwiches, drinks and snacks with them in an esky and then everyone eats as they drive so that when they stop (every two hours - see below) the kids are given missions like 'run over to that tree and back', go and find a large twig and bring it back here' etc. Otherwise the kids just sit there in the break and don't get the blood moving which makes their threshold for sitting in a car all day a lot lower.

4. Stop every 2 hours, get the kids to run around (see above), stretch your legs yourself, all go to the toilet and fill the car with petrol. They say that even up north in true outback there is generally not more than 2 hours between petrol stations so this is totally doable most places in Australia.

So there you go - anyone else got some good road trip ideas/advice?

x
Ali

Baby Fashion (or 'living vicariously through your child')

2010-11-10T02:47:00.000-08:00

Fashion. Remember that?! I used to wear it. It sometimes even looked nice on me.

These days I get my fashion fix through my daughter/dolly-doll. Excellent. One thing I find though is there is a lot of crap out there. A lot of bad pink and blue and a lot of flowery mush and polyester. I would like to take my child within 14 feet of an open fire at some point in her life so that seems to count out quite a lot of clothes bought in the big stores. So here are some stores I like.

Cotton On.

Cotton. Good colours. In every mall ever. Easy.

Polarn O Pyret

I went a bit crazy pants in this store when I was recently in London. They are not here in Oz yet but the site in USA is cheaps-as with our lovely dollar so.... You will learn something of my Scandinavian obsession as you read on through this post. This brand satisfies many a craving.

Baby Goes Retro

I do love all things Scandinavian. Furniture, shoes, clothes, meatballs. Love it all. This site has lots of lovely things and as I look at it again now I think I deserve a medal for being so restrained in my purchasing so far... Divine.

Lark

This site is pretty exsy but really cute hand made things for a treat?!

no rdickids.co.uk

Ok, so this is a UK website but as I've said the Aussie dollar is awesome at the moment so it is like sugar free chocolate muffins - guilt free! (a lot of the things on this website are also on the aussie based 'Baby Goes Retro also)

Chalk in Yarraville

My local. Lots of really sweet clothes and toys. (and yes, I do have that jumpsuit and yes it does essentially have my daughters name on the front. I have quite a few things by Bebe it has to be said...)

(can't wait for these!)

Rock your Baby

Name says it all...

I just sold a heap of old clothes on Ebay that I'm sure I'll never fit into again. And even if I do I will want to treat myself not wear things that I have been holding on to for years in desperate hope. I made over $1000 - result! I now have a little play money to actually buy some of the things I have just posted about. Might even buy a kaftan for moi. Noice.

See you soon and if you have any sites or shops you want to let me know about (and I think you'd better) then please comment and share the love!

Body Talk...

2010-11-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am back online!

Feels very good to have the safe and calm touch of my mac keyboard once again under my fingertips... I didn't realise how much I would miss it. Actually, yes I did. I am fully aware of my slightly unhealthy love for all things Mac but as far as addictions go this is surely one of the safer (although just as expensive) ones?

Talking of mild addictions, I have had moments (especially when up late at night, traveling, home alone) of getting a little too 'in' to Ebay. Well, that can be great but also an expensive habit but I have now found a new way of obsessing over this fantastic site. Selling!! I came home and got a little angry at my cupboards and what was in them. Essentially a lot of clothes that I will never wear or even fit into ever again. Many of these clothes had minor labels on them and were in reasonable condition so I got together about 35 items and photographed them, logged them and uploaded it all to Ebay. It took me the best part of a day but now they are all selling like hotcakes and I am already dreaming of the big, Camilla kaftan I am going to buy myself with the proceeds. Well, a second-hand one from ebay (who can afford $700 for a bloody kaftan?!) but still!

Talking of fitting in to clothes I am dismayed at most of the reading material out there in books or on blogs talks of how most people lose all of this weight when breast feeding. I hear the phrases 'it just drops off you', 'I had to uptake my calorie intake as I was skin and bones' etc etc... Well, I am not one of those people I am afraid. And it turns out there are many of us who are not. One friend said she asked her maternal health nurse a few months after giving birth why, even though breast feeding had she not shed a single kg and she was told 'well, I have never heard of that, that is very odd'. NO IT'S NOT!! I have talked to many ladies who, like me have not shed a single kg since about the first week after giving birth. I didn't feel huge during pregnancy, in fact I felt rather good, all bumpy with life, but now? I am over my friends.. I need my body back. It seems that in an evil twist of nature those ladies who are always slim and tend to have to make sure they eat enough to stay healthy are the ones who lose the weight during breast feeding. Those of us who have to watch our weight all the time seem to hold on to all the fat like squirrels holding on to acorns over the winter months. Although in a different set of cheeks...

Ho hum. I have decided to start the long haul of weaning my gorgeous, healthy baby girl off the breast and on to formula. Of course she has a different plan and has no interest what-so-ever in a bottle of either my breast milk of formula but I shall persist. For any mothers-to-be out there take this advice - if you are breast feeding, then from the first few weeks express and give your bubba a bottle at least once a week, if not once a day from early on or else it will be hell to pay later when you want to go back to work or any sort of nightlife that doesn't included dashing out in a 4 hour window of opportunity.

The other reason I have decided to wean is my wrists. There is a small group of mothers who experience what is known in come circles as 'mother's thumb' but in medical circles it is known as de Quervains tendonitis. I have had it in both wrists since giving birth and I have been told my my Osteo that my hyperflexible tendons (I always knew I should have kept up gymnastics - I could have gone all the way.?!) will be strained with the relaxin released during breast feeding. I don't know if that is the reason. I have tried my best to not use my wrists awkwardly while feeding with cushions etc but they have just got worse. I had corticosteroid injections three months ago that got rid of the pain for two glorious months but then it came back with a vengeance. I just went and had the procedure again the other day and am waiting to see if it works this time (it takes a few days to show results).

So, I feel a little guilt at wanting to start weaning after only 6 months but hey, I think it will take a good two-three months to get her away from my boobs (they are the downfall of us all in one way aren't they?!) so 8-9 months is good isn't it? She is healthy, in the 50% percentile for everything and smiles like a muppet nearly every waking hour. Tell me it's ok!!

I'd love to hear if anyone else has had issues with their wrists, baby weight or weaning. And if you have any tips for any of these issues I am sure we would all like to know!

I am many blogs behind so I will start to catch up over the next few weeks.

xx Ali

ps I have heard from two of you lovely people who have bought the Samsonite travel cot and are loving it!! We now have our bigger one and I could not be happier. Ten times easier/lighter than the Phil & Ted which we also bought. That is now set-up at my parents and I will never have to put it together or take it apart again hopefully. Hurrah!

Home...

2010-10-25T13:30:00.001-07:00

This blog finds me still without computer (it finally went in to get fixed yesterday), so I am unable to post a real blog with bells, whistles and photos for a few more days.

In the meantime I shall tell you about Bebe and my final flight home after 6 months of dragging the poor wee thing all over the world. That child has bathed in more buckets than I care to admit (by the way, they make a great bath alternative, even if a little hillbilly).

If I am to be perfectly honest I must admit that we traveled in the utmost stye for this final trip. As we were traveling solo without dear husband, I used my points to upgrade to Qantas First Class - I know! I have never flown first class either! It was pretty special and I saw some very nervous looking wealthy people as Bebe and I took our seats. Little did they know she was as impressed with the surroundings as I was and decided to be the perfect baby! Flying First Class long haul is like being in a small, 5 star restaurant for 24 hours where they make you bed up to rest between courses. I almost wish I hadn't eaten in the week previous so I could have dined constantly. The food was superb (thanks 'Rockpool') and the service was tres attentive.

The best part of it was the individual attention, which for a mother traveling alone with their baby was amazing. When we arrived in Melbourne there was a lady whose sole job was to help any first class passengers who needed assistance. I can tell you know that as I was bringing everything I owned back from our flat in London and had made the most of the relaxed luggage restrictions in First Class (I got away with luggage based murder), I needed more assistance than anyone else so she helped me right through customs and out into the terminal where I was met by my parents! I have spent my life trying to be independent and I usually have a problem with anyone helping me with bags or doing anything much for me. I will gladly carry a 24kg suitcase through the london tube system without any help from passersby but I let all those qualms go quicker than you can say 'fast track immigration'. Heaven.

It was an extra gift as I have been suffering with sever tendonitis in my wrists due to the relaxin released in breastfeeding (that's another blog), and each time I travel it does get aggravated. So, joy!

I really cant give any advice as of course due to my luxe surroundings, help, awesome bed and cot beside me for Bebe, the flight was a breeze. Best one ever with the little lady. She slept at all the right times, fed well, played like a trouper sitting in her cot surrounded by things to put in her mouth (or as you might call them "toys"). We had a shower in Hongkers and changed into clean clothes so we didn't even smell that bad on arrival which was a first.

In fact at the end of the flight in Melbourne the hostess was holding Bebe as she said farewell to the passengers and my little smiling machine grinned gormlessly at every passenger as they left the aircraft.

Honestly. I don't think I ever want to fly again as I am sure we will never have it so good.

So, you probably hate me now. I'd hate me too.

If it helps, I am still about 2 sizes and 6 months of rabbit food away from fitting into my old jeans, so feel free to gloat about that if you wish.

Traveling is great and I feel so lucky to be able to continue our gypsy-like existence in such a lush way, but it is really nice just to be in one place for the time being. The time being about 7 months, but still...

My call out to you all now is - who can tell me how to get a solely breast fed 6 month old to take a bottle of formula? It is like I am trying to get her to drink acid for all the faces she pulls and spitting out she does. Any advice would be more than welcome!

x Ali

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Another quick word about strollers & travel

2010-10-19T03:46:00.001-07:00

I am currently without use of my computer so can't post the proper blog that I'd like. I have three on the go 1) Baby clothes (or why Pink is making me turn to the drink), 2) Things I can probably live without but don't want to & 3) Take the goddamn bottle, my boobs are tired (I may rename that after I have eaten and slept..) but I need my computer to add photos and nice stuff.

So hear is a quick word to add to the stroller discussion.

Recently I had to travel across London via tube with Bebe on my own. I have done this a couple of times but this time had the added bonus of trains breaking down and football crowds. Hurrah. I ended up carrying the pram up or down 6 flights of stairs and onto two buses. On three occasions I was offered assistance by a friendly passerby (2 ladies & 1 man - ladies always offer more often, I don't know why) but to be honest I find it easier to pick the pram up myself and carry it. It doesn't hold up the traffic as much and I can keep it nice and level.

So hear is my quick word:

Make sure you can lift your pram (also with the car seat and a bit of gear shoved roughly in the bottom carry space) by yourself up stairs. You can't rely on others when traveling (certainly not in a big city) and you also need to be mobile or you will never leave the house and do stuff.

Bebe & I are now getting ready to fly (on our own this time) back to Australia. Bags are packed, body clock is on edge and books are ready to not be read. Bring it!

X

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad (thank God for this or I'd be stuck without any form of technical civilization at all!)

Things I have bought that turned out to be crap.

2010-10-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

A 'Jane' inflatable bath

This turned out to be not so good for bathing (the inserts for a small bub are held on with velcro that come apart as soon as you add water and a child, two things fairly essential to the process) but is now used as a place for Bebe to sit and play surrounded by all her toys. I have taken to calling it "The Bucket" because it sounds like we live on a hillbilly farm with our baby sleeping in a box. It may be good for older babies 6m+?

A Travel Playgym

I bought this second hand on Ebay as what I thought would be a handy play gym that could fit in the suitcase. Turns out when you open it up the overhangy-arm thing (I am sure that is the technical name for it) slowly falls down, usually on baby's face. It has now gone to the Salvos where no doubt someone will pay £2 for the pleasure of working that out again. Maybe I should have just thrown it out. Oops..

Note #1: this isn't the exact one - this one may be better but I think the principal is the same and will probably fall over like the one we bought.

Note #2: we borrowed a play gym from a friend in London and when we went to the states it actually came apart and fit easily in the suitcase without taking much room up at all. As we were there for a month hiring wasn't so cost effective. As it turns out it was the same mat as Epony-Ray used on Kath and Kim which made it even more awesome. Maybe I'll get Bebe's ears pierced to match...

Every breast pad I've ever bought that wasn't Johnson & Johnson.

I don't usually like to advertise some big conglomerate company but all the other brands leak, itch and usually come in individual wrappers which is both annoying and seems wasteful. Oh, and I did try the reusable, wash yourself ones and they were the most hopeless of all and leaked everywhere and were bulky which sort of defeated the purpose.

Baby nail clippers

Ok, so this one is probably ME being crap but - a small bit of plastic behind the cutting bit is no where near enough protection to make me use this to cut Bebe's nails. I can't imagine a time when I will feel sure that she is not going to fidget and I will cut off a finger tip. Maybe when she turns 16 and can go get a manicure herself? Doing it while she is asleep has been suggested but I have gone with biting them off as she feeds and then filing them down with a soft nail file.

MAYBE NOT CRAP:
As I was looking for nail clippers online I found this product the Baby Light & Clip:

It looks quite good - anyone used one?

What have you bought that was a waste of money or pretty crapola? I love hearing of a good fail purchase!

X

Jetlag theories 101

2010-10-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

I wrote a blog early on about jetlag and how I go about dealing with it with my little bubs. Mostly I went on about how I don't actually believe in jetlag. What may have become clear from reading it was that I simply choose to ignore it and hope it goes away. What I need to make clear is that in said blog I was really only talking about long haul flights (ie London to Melbourne).

But recently we went from LA to New York (3 hours ahead) and then 4 days later we went from NY to London (5 hours ahead). Neither of these flights should be that bad.

Should be...

In NY we simply all went to bed later. Easy. On the flight to London bubs slept the entire way (we left at 9pm and it was a 6 hour flight). But as we landed in London at 9am Bebe didn't get to sleep her normal 12 hours straight so I let her sleep lots during the day. But we had to go to a wedding the next day so I then made some decisions purely to personally get through the day when I should have stuck to my rules. So although she was great during the day we had two pretty full on nights (see my 3am blog). But on the third night I broke it by sitting with Bebe on and off for two hours between 10pm and midnight as she fussed and whinged and generally tried to not go to sleep. I shushed and patted (see The Baby Whisperer), I rocked and I sang but I never left the bedroom and I didn't relent and go and sit with her on the couch and watch The Daily Show on catch up tv for an hour until she fell asleep through metaphor overload (we did that the first night I must admit).

Now we are on a 4 hour eating day starting at 9am which is actually awesome - why can't we always be on that! I get to sleep in and we can take her out to dinner with us. I love it! Bebe and I are flying back to Australia in a week so I am not going to fuss too much at all with the extra feed in the night and I am certainly not going to get her to wake any earlier anytime soon!

So here are my new theories:

Length of flight versus time difference.

When the flight is only 6 hours and the time difference is 5 there are going to be problems getting our brains around it all. A 24 hour flight with a 10 hour difference is much better in a way because you can make up sleep and just get to your destination a bit tired or wired instead of wrecked.

and

Why sometimes the easiest flight = the hardest recovery.

Bebe slept for 5 1/2 hours of the 6 on the last flight. Easiest. Flight. Ever.

Horrid for two nights afterwards....

I have no real theory about this. Just an observation.

So next week is the last big flight for Bebe & I for 6 MONTHS!! (Well, there is a bit of around Australia action but the worst that will be is one to Perth and that is months away - yay!)

I will let you know how much more difficult flying long haul with a 5 1/12 month old is in comparison to a 3 month old. I am told it just keeps getting more difficult - joy!

Keep the feedback coming - I would love another guest blogger so if you or someone you know is a traveller with babies then please send them my way.

x Ali
ps I tried the ear pressure thing again and it worked again - all you need is a boob or bottle, olbas oil on a tissue and a distracting lullaby - easy!

Have stroller, will travel.

2010-10-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

How many of you spent an inordinate amount of time choosing a good stroller? You would have got advice from everyone, stopped mothers on the street, gone to countless stores and looked at every website you could. Some of you may be happy with the choice you finally made, some not. Whatever the result I'd love to hear it!

Some strollers are best for newborns, some better for toddlers, some easy to fold up, some good for running with and some maybe nice and versatile. There is no perfect answer.

Here are a few that you have all told me about. I am only interested in strollers that are good for traveling with. The things I look for are ease of use (both getting around and folding up), compactness and versatility.

Please tell me your favourite and I will add to the list. I am not going to rate them but maybe when you go to buy one we can arm you with a handfull of suggestions from seasoned travellers.

Rock 'n roll...

Bugaboo Bee

This is the stroller we bought. I have already talked about it in a previous blog but basically we find it easy to use, it was great from the minute she was born, it can face us or later we will face her out to the world, it is lightweight, pretty and when you get to know it, it is easy to fold up and put in the car, on a plane etc. My friend Helen said she decided not to use this one because the ladies in the store couldn't work it. I had the same thing when I went but a quick look at the video on the Bugaboo site fixed that. But I should point out that one of my favourite things in the world is putting together Ikea furniture so I could be unnaturally (and nerdily) predisposed to this kind of thing.

The QuickSmart™ Easy Fold Stroller

This is the stroller my friend Lara suggested and is featured on the Equipment page. I haven't seen it in person but the video looks pretty good!

The Baby Jogger

Here is a comment from my friend Helen (her and husband Clark are other traveling gypsy types like us). I love how they finally came to their decision - very proactive!:

In my research (and believe me there were far, far too many hours spent in front of my mac and far too many trips to baby stores across Europe) it became quickly apparent that there was no 'ideal' pram for our specific travel needs. Or at least what I perceive our needs to be - as we're still 7 weeks away... yikes.

I was seeking the ultimate: super compact, really light, fully reclinable/reversable seat, easy fold, car seat adaptable, well hooded, fabulous stroller!Let me tell you it doesn't exist...

The closest is the Quinny Zapp but it doesn't recline! Actually that's not true they have recently released a seat section that will recline, which we were super excited about, only to discover that the recline section is non-collapsable; which completely negates the Quinny being the world's most compact stroller. Oh well.

We then moved on to the Bugaboo Bee. Yes it is extremely cute and has the most divine ride and turning circle but we had a nightmare reversing the seat and collapsing it and after two assistants in 2 different shops told us “Oh this one must be broken..." as they struggled with it AND finding broken Bugaboos on the shop floor (from some more forceful customers) we decided we'd probably break it within the week.

Well my partner Clarke was MCing the circus stage at a gig at the Bristol Harbour Festival while I (mostly) checked out the serious "pram porn" in the crowd. Their were hundreds of strollers and prams it was unbelievable! By this time I'd moved on to interviewing parents about their pram/strollers- "Hi, I'm sorry I know this is a bit weird but, are you happy with your pram?" - and cataloguing favourites on my iPhone. Yep, I told you I had it bad.

I thought this was embarrassing Clarke but it actually inspired him to run a spontaneous stroller competition on stage!!!He invited three people and their respective wheels up on stage then tested the prams for off road (drive over his body), for comfort (he rode in them) and then, the ultimate, collapse your pram as quickly as possible and hold it over your head.

Wow.

As two struggled one lady’s pram collapsed with a single one handed lift.Under 3 secs! There was a collective gasp from 50% of the crowd as all the pram pushers wondered what the hell is that thing???She won the competition and we finally found our stroller.

We’ve ordered it in the states as it’s way cheaper. Along with the car seat adapter and travel bag. Next year it will come to Europe and New York with us so I’ll let you know how it travels.

And then there is of course the ol' staple MacLaren which I have never heard a bad word about and I see plenty of them in the playgrounds around the world so they have to be doing something right!

So there you go. A little bit of food for thought on the stroller question. I am, as always very interested in hearing your views and opinions so keep the comments coming!

x Ali

3am...3am... Eternal...

2010-10-08T18:46:00.001-07:00

I am writing this blog from the couch at almost 3am with KLF haunting my weary brain...

I will write a full blog in the next couple of days about what I have learnt about jet lag in the last week. I have new theories about 'length of flight versus time difference', and 'why sometimes the easiest flight = the hardest recovery'.

But for the moment I will just share this little gem:

'Maybe think twice before flying twice through timezones in one week and follow that immediately by going to a wedding.'

I'm just sayin' is all....

I am also working on a blog entitled "things I have bought that turned out to be crap". Gripping stuff.

I hope you enjoyed the guest blog - do you have one you want to send me? Or do you have a nomination for "best travel strollers & prams"? I'd love to get your comments.

So goodnight, and from the Ancients of Mu Mu themselves I shall point to the fact that time is indeed eternal.

X

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad (I know! How exciting! I got it for my birthday!)

Location:London

1st Guest Blog!

2010-10-04T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I have had some great responses to this blog and I have asked a few people to write down their tips &/or experiences so I can make then a guest blogger for the day.

So, here is our very first guest and it is none other than the lovely Fahey Younger who is a comedienne and fellow arty/carnie traveller. She has two beautiful boys Mo & Spike (here they are looking awesome):

and travels a lot with them so here goes:

Travelling w/ kids is a lot of fun - fun that dissipates somewhat as they get older. heh!

You pretty much hit all my tips especially - get a bassinet seat on the plane. Covering an "I don't want to miss out" baby w/ a muslin so they can sleep! And I couldn't agree more. The better the class the easier the travel - plus it's fantastic to hit the pointy end of the plane w/ a baby in your arms as the looks on the faces of the other passengers is priceless! heh

Just a hint (mainly for flying within the US) if you're formula feeding, you'll generally take the water and the powder separately. Some baggage checkers are morons and wont want to let you take cooled water in a bottle. Even while you're holding a new baby. Be prepared you'll have to pre-mix it or ditch it or fight. Guess which one I chose? heh

Some airlines are better with kids, Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines are the BEST. Hands down. United and Qantas, awful.

For pressurising little ears. I always try to reserve some bottle for take-offs and landings - cause babies are crap at chewing gum.

Bigger kids - this is my absolute number one tip for a long haul flight. Before you leave, hit the Toy Aisle at KMart and buy up a bunch of little toys. The biggest hits are always tiny containers with ATTACHED lids, little battery powered fans that light up, toy cars, stretchy frogs (don't ask me what they're made of I have NO clue but they're stretchy and stick to windows) - really anything cheap and small. Then, you wrap each one. Lots of tiny presents. Then you just dish them out as the flight goes on and the kids get bored. We tend to buy 1 toy per 2 hours. FAIL SAFE! They're small enough to cram in your handbag/carry on just remember, don't buy anything that makes a noise!! That has worked for us since Spike was 10 months old.

This is a fantastic site, we use a lot http://www.travelswithbaby.com/planning/baby_gear_rentals.htm

Those hire companies are extra fabulous, not just for cots and car seats but for things like the beloved Jumperoo. Certainly too big to travel with but essential for Mumma's mental health. :-)

We have always travelled w/ the fullsize pram too (A hulking big Zekiwa and now a sleeker Love n Care) and have never had a problem. I don't check the pram, I wheel it up to the gate and the hosties will take it from you there and 99% of airlines will have it at the gate when you get OFF the plane. Voila I say. VWAH-LAH!

So there you are - a great few flying tips from the excellent Fahey - feel free to leave your comments and if anyone else wants to write a guest blog email me at info@alimcgregor.com

Next up 'traveling strollers' so feel free to send me your favourites to go into the mix.

Squealing across America...

2010-10-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we flew from LA to NYC. After all my preaching of an efficient suitcase and clever packing we still looked a little like refugees escaping with all of our belongings strapped to an overpriced luggage trolley. We have been away for over a month though and if you took away all my stuff and the clothes I bought her in LA (love the aussie dollar at the moment!) it wouldn't actually be that bad. You get away with a lot when you can stuff that stroller bag full of other stuff. It never counts as one of your bags so it is like free bag!

Virgin America doesn't have bassinet seats, well certainly not on the plane that we took. My husband and I disagree a bit about Virgin - he thought it was good service, I thought it was a bit average. We forked out for 'upper' class also so I expected a bit more to be honest. Nice seats and the food was pretty good but I can really do without Virgin stewards talking to us all like we are on a 18 to 30's cruise ship.

"...and if you see someone you like the look of on the plane you can always send them a seat to seat message through our entertainment center..."

Really? If I am flying in a metal box a few miles above the earth with my life in someone's hands I want them to be serious and efficient not be busy helping me 'hook up'. Anyway there was no children's tv or movies on said entertainment 'center'. They did have live tv which has nickelodeon but for most of the flight it was playing a sitcom starring both Miley & Billy Ray Cyrus and no baby needs to be inflicted with that..

I am pretty against tv for babies at the best of times but yesterday, for some reason Bebe decided that squealing at the top of her lungs was both fun and entertaining for all. Having no bassinet or any place to play she got pretty bored of our laps, her toys and walking up and down the aisle pretty quickly. It actually wasn't all that bad but I could have done with some pretty spongebob style colours to distract now and then. Onya Virgin.

I may do a bit of research into the different airlines and what they offer for babies & kids. I suspect they differ greatly. If anyone has a story I'd love to hear it.

Oh, and I seem to have found a way to not have her screaming in ear pain as we land. I had a bottle of sterilised water that she sort of sucked on a little as soon as we started to descend and then the dummy and getting her to look into my eyes as I sang her favourite songs to her to distract. I also had a tissue with a little Olbas oil (eucalyplus would also work) that I waved under her nose. Not sure which worked or if it was just a fluke. I will tell you next week after the next flight!

We also used our new second hand car seat to carry her around the airport (sits on the luggage trolley pretty sweetly) and checked it on at the gate. We then could pop her straight into the taxi and she was as happy as can be. I will be doing that again...

Keep sending me your comments and stories - I am loving all the feedback!

x

Car Seats + Planes & finding a helpful blog...

2010-10-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

So, I went against what I originally said and have bought a second hand car seat while we have been in LA. We had a borrowed one here but are going to NY and I couldn't find a company in NY that would deliver to the airport for anything under $100 and I bought a second hand Maxi Cosi on Ebay for $35 + postage! This means we have one when we are in New York for cabs and it also clicks on to our Bugaboo Bee so it will be handy in London. So I need to check the car seat in. I did a search to find out the best way to do this and found a great blog here by a woman who regularly travels with three kids alone - Amazing lady! It is a good blog, I highly recommend you follow it.

http://flyingwithchildren1.blogspot.com

Here is what she had to say about Car seats on planes:

"It's never a good idea to check a car seat as luggage. They get lost and/or broken all the time by the airlines who will decline any responsibility if anything goes wrong. It's not worth the risk.

If you arrive at your destination and need the seat right away, what would you do if it's not there? Get in your car with your child unrestrained? Not only is it unsafe but often illegal.

If your child has a seat on the plane, the best way to transport it is to bring the car seat on board and have your child sit in it on the plane. This is also the safest way for your child to travel.

If you have a child who is a "lap baby" without a seat, bring the car seat to the gate and have it gate-checked. This is no guarantee but better than checking it as luggage. You can put a bag on it if you want but a clear plastic one is best. This way, they can see what it is and hopefully the baggage handlers wont abuse it (too much!)

But still try to secure an extra place on the plane. Ask nicely at check-in if the flight is full and whether you can get an extra place to use your car seat in. Be sure to bring it to the gate even if they're unsure as sometimes seats become available last minute (upgrades, no shows, etc.)

I fly alone with three kids between Europe and California and I have no problems taking a car seat. It can be done if you're organized. You can either use your stroller or do what I do and strap it to a metal luggage cart with an extra bungee cord. Go over to Car Seat.Org for more information.

http://www.car-seat.org/forumdisplay.php…

This way, you'll have your car seat safely at your destination when you arrive!

Good luck and have a good flight!

Source(s):

Former Flight Attendant, 13 years, 2 companies, almost all long-haul international
3 children, now ages 10, 8 & 6, flying since each was 4 months old, between Europe and California about twice a year plus other shorter flights in between, regularily scheduled, low cost, charter, etc.
non-commercial flying tips;" http://flyingwithchildren1.blogspot.com

Baby Brain # 1

2010-10-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a rare night out. It was nice. I saw some comedy and then went and ate ribs with friends in the best rib place in LA. Great. I then got home and decided to work on my blog...

I am really enjoying writing this blog and even more importantly getting feedback from other mothers. I have asked people for their tips and had some great responses that will appear as guest blogs in the coming weeks. What would be great is to get a few more followers (maybe even people I don't personally know!) to share all these travel stories and get even more perspectives on the baby travel vibe.

So I did some 'marketing'. This involved starting a twitter account (www.twitter.com/theintrepidbaby) and doing a search for anyone who talked about traveling with a baby then inviting them to my blog. Easy.

Then this morning a get up at 6 (still dark - hate that) and see how the twitter account is going and find out that I invited everybody to the wrong web address (I left out a 'the' in the title).

Quite literally bringing back my favourite saying 'der brain'.

I then read on a site that new mother's lose 4% of their brain capacity. No kidding.

Ok. I am going back to bed now to try and regain a percent or 2...

x

Things I can't live without # 6

2010-10-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Summer Infant Baby Bather

Ok, so it's not the most stylish of baths (I tend to be more of a solid colour kind of gal when it comes to these sorts of things - quacking ducks aren't my idea of design heaven) but it is very practical and folds up small enough to easily fit in your suitcase. It is great in any bath (or even kitchen sink) but please note that once baby is rolling you really need to keep your hand on bubba at all times as my little girl does have a tendency to roll off when excitedly kicking! I bought mine at Babies R Us when we were in the states but hopefully you can do a google search and find one where you are.

Things I can't live without # 5

2010-09-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have the best friends in the world. For my baby shower they all chipped in (along with my extraordinary mum) to buy me this amazing Nappy Bag. It is expensive, in fact it is the dearest bag I have ever owned but it is too fantastic for words. It clips on easily to our stroller and I can fit everything I need as well as all my own stuff in what I have made my own personal pocket at the front. It is also completely slylish and I can take it out when not with bubs and not feel like a loser. Result. They bought is from Bebe (great store, great name).

Love, love love. Thanks ladies x

Things I can't live without # 4

2010-09-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

uClean Pacifier

I have mentioned in my jetlag blog that we use a dummy/pacifier. It is a sleep ritual and a great travel tool for landing in planes and helping get a baby onto a different time-zone. The are not for everyone (some babies don't like them at all) but we have found they work well. I am very happy that the first one I bought was a very cheap and simple one from Baby Bunting and that is the only one Bebe likes now - I feel strangely proud that she doesn't need a fancy label and is a frugal as me.

When you are out and about and can't be boiling or sterilising this device is fantastic. You can wash the bottle teats or dummy and then pop it in this little unit (which fits easily in a nappy bag) and in 5 minutes they are sterilised. It cost about $50 I think and I got mine from Chadstone. Have a look at their site and find a stockist near you.

Dummy Clip

Talking of dummies, I find they get spat out a bit - especially when driving and you can't really reach around and find them that easily when you are in traffic and have a crying baby in the back. So you want to attach it somehow, but most of the dummy clips are pretty awful. If you go to my favourite site Etsy

you can get some really cute handmade ones. This is the one I bought:

From this store

I think, when I get home I might make some of these myself. I like a good little craft mission and am thinking you could use all sorts of things on the clip...

Things I can't live without # 3

2010-09-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

Love Me Baby Wrap

I am a firm believer in a tight swaddle but with limited space in a plane or train etc and certainly as baby gets to a couple of months and wants to move her hands, this is much easier than a muslin swaddle. It is also far better than all the wrap around ones as far as I am concerned. The main bonus is the fact that it has a two-way zip so and a gap for a seatbelt at the back so you can get her in and out of a car seat (because her hands are free enough to put the belt around them) without waking her up. Genius.

My little girl loves this and as soon as she gets it on she knows it is sleeptime and starts to snuggle. Plus she looks super cute in it (even cuter than this model baby and with slightly less weird looking arms!) I got mine form the mecca of all baby stores - Baby Bunting in Australia but do a search and you will find them in the States and in Europe.

This also features on my Equipment page - have a look there for other essential travel things

Goodnight Moon...

2010-09-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Goodnight nobody, goodnight mush...

Bebe loves this book. We read it every night before bed and then we say goodnight to everyone in the family. She sits there totally still, and looks at everything as I say goodnight to them and point them out. It is a firm little night routine and she goes to sleep every time straight away. We love Goodnight Moon...

Here is the book:

And here is Christopher Walken reading it on The Simpsons. Awesome and a bit scary..

Things I can't live without # 2

2010-09-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Thrupenny Bits

booby feeding cushion

This is far better than any other feeding cushion I have seen. Not only does it work (it ties around your waist so baby doesn't slip off like with some of the others) but it is small, light, washable, comes in lots of beautiful fabrics and can be used as a handbag when you have finished feeding - result! It is especially good for a very small baby when flying as they happily sleep on your lap safely and you can clip the special seatbelt around them easily as they sleep. You can just tie it around the top of your wheely, on-board case so you don't have to look like one of those embarrassing tourists carrying some neck pillow the size of a small car

Anyone who has traveled near a baby will know that their ears hurt when landing. The best way to get over this is to feed baby as you start to descend and this pillow made that so easy for me.

The other good thing is that these are made by a gorgeous mum Melissa in London who saw a gap in the market and started her own little business and I think that is totally ace.

If you think you would like one and think you know other who would I may consider getting a bulk load sent out to Australia so do let me know.

This is also featured on my 'Equipment' Page

iBaby

2010-09-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fan of technology and a little bit of an Apple nerd. I love my MacBook Pro, my iPhone and am seriously lusting after the iPad.. Therefore I also love a good app.

So here are some apps that I use for baby stuff:

Nursing Log

I have used this for feed times (and sides) since about day 3. It not only helps me keep track of boob sides but I can see how long she feeds for, how many times a day and the total time and average time per day. I love being able to see right from the start how the feeding has developed and especially in the middle of the night I can keep track of how long etc when I am practically sleep feeding myself. I don' t see any reason you couldn't use this if you were bottle feeding as there is a notes section you could put the amount in mls.

The Wonder Weeks

From the website of the same name - keeps track of developmental milestones.

Baby's Coming

I used this app during labour. It was great to keep track of how long and how far apart each surge was and also gave me something to focus on as they were happening. There is a button for water breaking and then you just press start and stop each time. When I got to the hospital I could show them exactly where I was at. You can even email your OB with one click! I also love that I have a record of the birth like that. I know, total nerd alert.

White Noise

For a week or so (after I dragged Bebe to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival at 6 weeks and she slept in the piano bar as 40 divas and drag queens sang show tunes and drank martinis around her) she had trouble getting to sleep unless I had 'crowd noise' playing from this app. It also has more sane ones like rainforest, washing machine, crickets and waves. I quite like it for myself sometimes when everything is giving me the shits...

iPregnancy

I used this during pregnancy. You log the due date and it keeps you up to date with your baby's development and lets you know things that you might be experiencing. It has pictures and 3D photos of sample babies and a list of names you can make a shortlist from.

Total Baby

This app is like the nursing log but more detailed. I don't actually use it anymore as I couldn't be bothered logging nappies and sleeps as well. But if you want to do that - even if you are worried for a bit about routine, it is pretty easy to use and has lots of features.

Solebon

Ok, so I play solitaire as I feed. It helps me relax and I swear the fact that my brain zones out help the let down happen quicker. It has 40 different types of solitaire. I am obsessed by Pyramid at the moment and I have won it 104 times (starting to worry about my nerd levels now...)

Baby Sign

We are keen to start baby sign with Bebe. We already do 'milk' and 'sleep' and are starting to use other ones. My husband works with a sign interpreter lots and she used it with her baby and swears by its helpfulness and use in developing communication skills. This is a pretty simple app with a few key signs.
Wheels on the Bus

My friend Charly told me about these next three. Bebe is a bit little for them but Charly's bubba (and Bebe's London friend) Flo loves them. You can record yourself singing the wheels on the bus also which is tres cute.
Peek-a-boo Barn
Old MacDonald
Smack Talk

My darling friend Craig Hill told me about this. Not so much a baby app but Bebe thinks the puppy repeating what I say in a funny voice is hilarious so it is good for a laugh or a distraction.

Strollers & advice from my friend Lara.

2010-09-28T06:16:00.000-07:00

We love our Bugaboo Bee. Not only is it easy to use (and looks pretty) but I have figured out a way to make packing even better with it. We bought the travel case and I found that when you put the stroller in the case there are all these pockets of empty space. So I pack all Bebe's things in ziplock bags (I'm mad for them) and put them into the empty spaces. We then get away with taking more luggage as it leaves our suitcases free and you can still check in the stroller and it doesm't count towards overall weight restrictions. Result!

But my friend Lara sent me a message about a couple of things for later on:

She said that we may need some other products as baby gets to big to carry around the airport. We currently take bubs in the Baby Bjorn and check in the stroller as explained above.

She suggested two products that look totally ace:

The Easy Fold Stroller

Have a look at the video on their site - looks way cool... (Lots of my friends also swear by the McLaren when bubs gets a bit bigger)

Trunki
I have seen loads of toddlers on these being wheeled around airports and always thought 'I want to go to there...' They have a video also on their site and I am pretty sure they are available all over the place.

Nice one Lara!

x