Baby wearing, is it your cup of tea?

I recall the first baby carrier I bought, it was purchased off Trade Me at a fraction of its original price and upon collection appeared to look & feel fabulous. Obviously, it was a one size fits all, or was it?

I soon learned that it was not and without instructions I had no idea how to use it. I soon gave up & re-sold it. My next baby carrier purchase was even cheaper although my recollection of the sale was that it was a bargain front pack. I assumed that because of the mass purchase by parents, this product must be a winner.

Let’s see, it was a lot more comfortable for me & a little easier to manipulate… however my baby’s legs were dangling & the straps seemed to cut into her shoulders when carried. My back ached after each use & my baby couldn’t wait to get out of it each time.

I was disappointed at both efforts, so the stroller came back into full swing until a few months later when I happened across a wonderful support group called Slingbabies NZ. Upon a visit to a monthly meeting I realised that the carriers I originally purchased were not anywhere to be seen and that a whole array of eco friendly, baby friendly & parent friendly baby carriers were.

I quickly became a member of Slingbabies & was introduced to their sling library & friendly helpers & supporters. It was on this visit, which impressed me so; I became a fan of the Ergo & Maduca baby carriers.

I am yet to try a wrap or ring sling, however relish the idea that I can try before I buy with the help of Slingbabies many donars. My favourite feature of sling-babies, is that they can nap anywhere. There is less concern for somewhere for baby to sleep when you are out & about and when alert, baby is quite happy going with the flow.

Life is a beach, bring baby and a smile

Some of the most enjoyable & memorable times I have of summer, involve trips to the beach. Simply don a pair of flip flops (jandels or thongs), grab a beach towel, sarong, bottle of water, sunscreen, hat & mag and you're ready. Of course the swimming cozzy is a must...

Add a baby & things change a little. Why?

You tend not to rush out of the house in 2 minutes flat with a friend anticipating your entry into the passenger seat of the car. Instead, now your friend is meeting you at the beach, so that there is enough room for the family & the house in the family wagon. Just kidding, the aim here, is to leave the house & its belongings in place.

Pack your baby & baby beach essentials:

• Hat
• Sunscreen (age dependent, check with your pharmacy)
• Protective covers (muslin wraps work a treat, they are cool, light & generally white)
• Sunglasses (baby banz might work for you http://www.babybanz.com/)
• Light clothing (organic cotton etc)
• Shade (umbrella, sunshade etc)
• Towel
• Nappy Bag
• Baby cozzy (if that is your preference)

TIP

Stock your nappy bag based on time dependency I.e. the number of nappies you take will depend on the length of time you plan on spending away from home, + 1, just in case & so on.

Any questions, feel free to comment. Alternatively, please answer these questions.

What did you pack when you took baby out on his/her first outing to the beach? & What changed for repeat visits?

In closing, I'd love to see some fan pics on my NewBawn page, check out http://bit.ly/c18iPg

Cheers & happy adventures,

Maria

xx

First drive with your newborn

When you held your baby in your arms for the first time, I'm sure your emotions were running wild.

Please tell us about how you handled your first drive with your newborn?

Was your first experience a drive back home after being discharged from hospital, or something entirely different?

I remember the feeling of elation, holding my baby in my arms for the first time. That feeling was erased though when on discharge from hospital it was a cold & miserable day and my newborn baby, my partner & I were to drive home. I can recall trying to get baby clothed & ready in her capsule in my hospital room. I fiddled for a while trying to make sure she was comfortable & warm with what I thought would be the most appropriate clothing for the weather conditions outside.

Getting her to our vehicle without being stopped by passer bys or hospital staff was time consuming & nerve racking to say the least. It felt like it took us an hour to reach our vehicle, which under normal conditions would have taken 15 minutes. When we reached our vehicle, under cover, we were under pressure to put baby's capsule with her in it, into it's base for safe travel.

Why were we under pressure? Someone else was waiting for our car space. Being our first time placing our daughter in our vehicle, we didn't want to be rushed so waved traffic on. Baby was sleeping which was helpful because her Daddy was fussing with the base for the capsule & seatbelts to make sure we were set. It also didn't help that the vehicle we were in, was our brand new 4WD that was collected on the day I was discharged. Why? We didn't have time to prepare in advance, the baby capsule set up.

All the same, we all eventually settled in and then excitement was in the air. Rob & I had achieved the thrill of adding a child to our family circle and were relishing the drive home actually, all 10 minutes of it hahaha.

I look forward to your story.

Cheers & happy adventures,

Maria

It's time to go camping, you can make it happen

A camping trip for some people, is a must have item on their list of things to do. Most prefer to camp or tent in warmer weather and some may not mind a cooler temperature or a bit of rain.

However, let's get down to business, a parent or parent's camping trip with a newborn is definitely going to be a new and exciting experience.

What tends to make your experience memorable and enjoyable is the flexibility to shift at ease between 2 key areas.

They are, confidence and perseverance.

The confidence to subject your baby to a new environment, the confidence to travel with your baby to the camping ground or designated area, the confidence in your individual camping abilities and the perseverance factor, patience, to accept that not all things are in your control.

Make it happen

1. plan ahead by making sure your camping gear is operational
2. within reason, any tent size is all it takes (i.e a 1 man tent might just not cut it for a family of 3 etc)
3. the size and make up of the tent will determine how you make the tent comfortable and inviting for your baby to sleep in. For example, if you have a 3 man tent you might consider a double mattress for parents and baby. Or if you have a bigger tent, with additional areas for multiple people to sleep, you might consider a travel portacot, bassinet or moses basket (age dependent or baby preference) for baby to sleep in

Day time camping activities call for a little ingenuity, because it is highly likely your newborn may only feed and sleep during the day. If you like the water and don't mind a bit of fishing, tie in these activities as part of your camping trip. Your baby will learn to adapt.

In other words, 'do your best to make baby an extension of your camping trip, rather than allow baby to govern how you spend your time.' Organise your camping trip now and make it happen, you may be quietly surprised!

Cheers & happy adventures,

Maria

Fun spent in the park, what happens if the weather changes.

My daughter is a big fan of feeding ducks, geese and swans in a pond or lake, or just maybe the affiliation to parks and birdlife has a lot to do with my own cherished past-times.

So when the opportunity arises, actually any chance we get, we pack up the car or 4 wheel drive and head to a local park on weekdays and relish a longer journey to a park outside of the metropolitan area most weekends.


What to pack?

1. It is likely shade will be available by way of trees, however you may wish to take a sunshade or umbrella
2. Nappy bag with all essential items plus additional toys
3. A thick, waterproof picnic rug
4. Snap n Go stroller or chosen stroller to support your infant capsule (see First time parents - A short journey to the grocery store)
5. An additional thick, yet light baby blanket for baby's comfort when out of his/her capsule. The ideal blanket is a zip up baby sleeping bag. Light & handy for warmth or padding to place baby on for a nap
6. If you are alone with baby and like reading, a good book is essential, as it is likely baby may sleep some or most of the time
7. A rain cover & sunshade for the capsule or stroller, should baby prefer to sleep in either
8. Staple food for both you and baby
9. Stale bread for the ducks or other wildlife


Should it rain or drizzle during your visit, be close to a public shelter rather than packing bub up in a rush to leave the park prematurely. It is amazing how enjoyable your visit can be when your baby awakes to the sound of rain drops on a tin roof or the exceptional sounds of wildlife doing their best to find shelter also.

Cheers and enjoy your adventure!
xxx

First trip to the grocery store with a newborn in tow

I remember the very first time the thought of grocery shopping crossed my mind.....oh no, how am I going to cope with grocery bags and a newborn baby? Mind you the weather in Auckland at the time didn't help either. It was the start of winter and with my partner at work, I was tasked with picking up a few odds and ends to keep us going until the big weekend shop.

At the time, we were living in Mt Eden, Auckland and the closest grocery store, Foodtown, was only a 5 minute drive or 15 to 20 minute walk. Let's see, my baby is sleeping ... maybe now is the best time to go??

What I learned quite quickly, is that even the smallest of road trips require planning & preparation. In fact, keep these tips in mind when taking a similar trip by car or 4 wheel drive to the local grocery store. These tips will give you peace of mind and although obvious to some, can be overlooked!

First thing is first (If you can, prepare in advance - the day before perhaps..)

1. If you know a visit to the grocery store is on the cards, determine your list of items beforehand and stick to it (less is best, do not by any means deviate from the list)
2. Find out how long the drive might take from home to the grocery store, from the grandparent's house to the grocery store, from a friend's house to the grocery store etc. www.wises.co.nz
3. Check your account/s for purchasing power
4. Be sure your vehicle is mechanically sound, tyre pressure is good and sufficient petrol/diesel & oil is in supply
5. Check that you have a baby on board sign fixed to your rear window of the vehicle
6. Check you have a sun shade fixed to the car window where baby is to be positioned or a sunshade is fixed to the infant capsule, especially if the sun is shining bright that day

Next (It's now time to go shopping, make it happen..)

7. Travel with your newborn shortly after a feed and nappy change. He or she is likely to sleep on route, possibly settled when in the grocery store and most likely to sleep on the way home
8. Double check the safety of your infant capsule when baby is fixed in for road travel
9 Always travel with a nappy bag full of essential items (prepare for the unexpected) - nappies, change of clothes, formula (if not breastfeeding), toy or toys, baby wipes
10. Take a deep breath, hop in the drivers seat and turn on the ignition. It's time to drive!

Don't forget to congratulate yourself, smile and relax everything else will fall into place, your instincts will take over. The key to a successful road trip, both short or long, is COMFORT....both baby's and yours.

Useful Tip

*Some grocery stores have special trolley's that allow your infant capsule to fit within, other grocery stores have trolley's that already have an infant capsule attached.

My preference

*At newborn stage, a full snap n go system when shopping is ideal. It is light weight, with an easy transfer of baby in an infant capsule from car or 4 wheel drive to snap n go stroller (perfect when baby is sleeping as there is no need to wake him or her) and has sufficient space to store groceries, keys and drink holders (preferable cool drinks) too. The snap n go stroller is not only light weight, it is easy to assemble and dissemble in 1 quick and easy motion.

At the beginning of this blog is a picture of my partner, Rob, with our daughter Siena. I want to give you a real life visual of the snap n go system I'm referring to. Understandably the photo I've chosen does not show us in a grocery store, however I'm sure you might agree a camera down a grocery isle is quite odd hehehe. This picture was taken at the LaCigale markets in Parnell, Auckland. Siena was 4 weeks old.

Share your tips with others & support new parents with your own comments.

Cheers and enjoy your adventure!