Baby Shower Etiquette

Posted on 12:08pm Sunday 28th Jul 2013

Yesterday I went to my gorgeous sister in law's (and latest member of our Lilypad team) baby shower and it occured to me that a baby shower is almost expected these days but only 8 years ago, when I was having my eldest daughter, no one really had a baby shower. It is amazing at how quickly traditions become adopted or fads are created and having now been to a few baby showers over the past few years, I thought it maybe good to share what happens and what is the etiquette for those that are expecting (or expecting to have one!).

Who should throw the baby shower?

This kind of depends on the pregnant mum, it is traditional for friends to throw the party and it is best to gauge how much control the expectant mum would like. I was delighted to have a surprise baby shower for my second daughter but I also know that there were friends who were not included, so for me I would have like a little control over the guest list (but maybe that is just the control freak in me).

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When should the baby shower be held?

The baby shower is usually thrown in the last trimester but this can sometime be dictated by travel arrangements of family or timing of the baby's due date. It is good to try and accomodate immediate family and close friends but ultimately you need to pick a date and stick to it, there will always be people that can't make it and you can't please everyone all of the time.

Who should be invited?

Whoever is important to the expectant mum (and how many the venue can cope with!) It is not necessary to invite every woman or friend on Facebook! It maybe worthwhile checking if any of the guests may have had fertility problems and recognize and respect how difficult this maybe for her to be confronted with other people's pregnancies. Don't be offended if she feels she can't be there.

What to expect at a baby shower?

Food, chats, games and laughing!

Be prepared to have to bring photos of yourself as a child and if the games we played at my sister in law's yesterday were anything to go by, it maybe worthwhile researching the names of songs with "baby" in them, as I didn't score particularly high in this game!

Should we buy gifts?

In America, where baby showers have been more common place for much longer, there are expectant mums that actually have a department store gift registry but in the UK, the gifts are usually more token and personal. The image below shows the gift I had made for my sister in law yesterday, showing her 20 week scan picture. I plan to have these on the Lilypad as her reaction was very emotional.

Is a Baby Shower okay for 2nd time mums?

When I was pregnant with my second daughter, it never crossed my mind that I would have a baby shower but if friends and family want to throw showers for you, why stop them? There was quite an age gap between my girls but if you want to forgo the gifts this time, just simply ask the friend who is throwing the party to indicate on the invitation that you want their presence not their presents.

So ultimately, when it comes to throwing a baby shower, whether it is for a friend or relative, there are very few hard-and-fast rules (aside from those that govern good manners — such as being gracious when you open a gift, whether you like it or not!), so just sit back and bask in being showered with love and affection during this very special time.

More benefits of baby swimming!

Posted on 11:25am Monday 1st Jul 2013

It is no secret that we are a fan of Water Babies swimming classes but it has been reported in the Daily Mail today that Water babies 'have better balance and grasping skills' than non-swimmers. You can read the article here.

It sounds like a sweeping statement but it is based on a university study that found baby swimmers balance better and grasped objects more easily than non-swimmers. I think we are all guilty of secretly thinking (or hoping) that our child maybe a little more advanced or brighter than others their age but giving them life skills that help other elements of their development is even more reason to love baby swimming in my view.

My Nan comments on my youngest daughter saying "she has been here before" as she is so quick to pick up new words and actions but maybe it is simply having weekly swimming lessons that is helping to improve her development and co-ordination. So if you are getting your ducks in a row (we have a co-ordinated little one that can help), and are planning activities for you and your baby, baby swimming has to be high on the list.

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There will unquestionably be those that doubt the research and those that dismiss the benefits of baby swimming but I can only go on our own experience and with the little one smiling every time she goes in the pool, her happiness is undeniable .... balance and co-ordination is a bonus!!

Image courtesy of artur84 on Freedgitialphotos.net

Plum Baby : Little Foodies : Review

Posted on 2:13pm Monday 24th Jun 2013

We are all about providing natural solutions on the Lilypad blog but as parents, we are realists too. With my eldest daughter, I remember cooking, steaming, pureeing food till it was packed into every possible container and space in my fridge and freezer as I wanted her to have the most natural, organic food choices but when my youngest daughter arrived, I realised that becoming a frenzied cook, this wasn't always practical and I found Plum Baby!

I have loved the ease of their foods, how natural they are and ultimately how much my daughter loved them. So I was a little sad as we went through our baby led weaning stages that we moved away from these foods but delighted when Plum asked us to review their new range of products the "Little Foodies" range!

The sales blurb tells us that; "When Plum polled more than 2,000 of their Plum parents online, they found that 65% of them were concerned about the impact of early-years eating on a child's future health, and no wonder - studies have shown that what we feed little ones in the first few years can have a real impact on their eating habits for life. That's one big reason they decided to offer these super-nutritious meals for older tots, complete with at least two of a toddlers daily portions of vegetables - because the sooner our kids learn to appreciate the wonderful flavours of veg, the healthier their choices will tend to be later on. The Little Foodies meals are full of exciting flavours, from savoury ragu to tangy tagine, and are carefully crafted to encourage little ones to love their food. They come in convenient, easy-to-serve dishes to encourage tots aged 1-3 years to feed themselves, and the chunky texture (including chewy bits like whole raisins and peas) will help them develop the jaw and tongue muscles they need for good language development".

Little Foodies So what did our tiny tester think?

Well she definately has her Dad's taste buds for good flavour and has never been huge fan of bland foods, so the Little Foodies range has been a huge hit. The stronger the flavour the better. She generally turns her nose up at "baby food", much prefering to eat the same as her big sister, which ultimately goes towards helping her co-ordinatinon (and cleaning of the kitchen floor 3 times a day).

There are four delicious flavours in the range but our tiny tester adores the Vegetable Biryani with Wholegrain Rice. You don't need to be meat free to enjoy it but it is perfect for young vegetarians as it is a gorgeous mixture of spinach, tomatoes, onions, raisins and chickpeas, flavoured with coconut and mild Indian spices. The good news for busy mums is that it also contains 3 of your toddler's 5-a-day portions of fruit and veg!

The texture of the Little Foodies range means that the little one thinks she is eating "grown up" food and we have definately not had the plate pushed away once during our reviews. (this is a big achievement, trust me) and we have had shout for "more".

Mums like me want food that is healthy, natural, not full of preservatives, quick and easy to make but full of goodness for our children. It seems like a tall order .... but sometimes it is about being "Little".

The Little Foodies range get a big thumbs up from this mum and my tiny tester!

Keep Britain Breastfeeding : Top Breastfeeding Tips You Should All Know

Posted on 9:16pm Sunday 23rd Jun 2013

Breastfeeding is a very personal choice and being a hypnobirthing mum, I am a huge advocate for the "natural option", which is why I am more than happy to support the Keep Britain Breastfeeding campaign as part of National Breastfeeding Awareness Week (23rd-29thJune).

Having breastfeed both of my daughters but having had very different experiences with them both, I don't claim to be an expert but I am certainly an "experienced mum" (my midwife's words, not mine), so here are my top breastfeeding tips.

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1. Nose to nipple. This was the most sensible piece of advice I was ever given. It is totally true and helps your baby to latch on as they will open their mouth widely and get a big mouthful!

2. Try different positions. This may sound obvious but just like us, babies can prefer certain positions more than others. My youngest daughter had a side preference too and for a while I found myself expressing one side and allowing her to feed from the other.

3. Be patient, it is not a race and I, for one, never like to rush my food .... why should my baby?

4. Breastfeed how and when suits your baby. Some mums like to try and get a routine whereas others prefer to breastfeed on demand. There are no hard and fast rules ... make your own rules that work for you and your baby.

5. Breastfeeding is not only good for baby but for mum too!! Aside from helping your body adjust back to normal, it is reported to help fight the baby blues and may protect against breast cancer!

I could list a million reasons why it is good for you and your baby but the most honest one is that it is the natural choice. This is what we have been doing for centuries, giving birth and nursing our children is what we are designed to do. I know that for some women this isn't the right choice for them and the decision on how to feed your baby should be an informed one, but I would ask every expectant mother to simply try ... you may find it is the most natural thing you have ever done.

As part of The Keep Britain Breastfeeding Campaign, we are taking part in their Scavenger Hunt. The goal of this scavenger hunt is to inform and educate families about breastfeeding as well as providing an online platform for people to share their knowledge and own experiences during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week (23rd-29thJune).

The rules are here.

Readers need at least 50 points from the rafflecopters to be elligible for the prize and we have listed below some other great reads where you can collect more points!

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