This product has to be one of my best finds! I was very fortunate to have had a beautiful breastfeeding experience with my daughter (I weaned her at age 13 months about four months ago) but what I did find challenging was feeling comfortable while feeding out and about with her.

I had my daughter in London and while I had fabulous breastfeeding support, the public tolerance to nursing in the ‘open’ is not as evolved as it is in Australia, where we now live. I am rather large chested as well and I found it quite difficult to maintain my modesty with a muslin or cloth and feed properly.

So, when I stumbled across the Bebe au Lait nursing covers online I ordered one…and then another one (including the design pictured). I had so many people ask where I got it - in fact, about four mums from my local mum’s group bought one after seeing mine!

What I love about the Bebe au Lait is that it is comfortable, stylish (there are many designs to choose from) and it is so versatile. I have used it as a sunshade on my pram (it coordinates beautifully with my orange fleece Bugaboo hood) as well as when I have carried my daughter in a baby carrier.

It has an adjustable neck strap as well as a terry towel corner, which is useful for wiping baby’s mouth.

My Bebe au Lait travelled with me everywhere and I have used it on planes, in shopping centres, on trains and in restaurants.

I love this product. It truly is fabulous and while I believe women should be able to breastfeed in public without judgment or feeling uncomfortable, the fact is you need to feel relaxed and happy withing yourself while you are feeding and having people stare or even exclaim how inappropriate it is (yes, I overheard someone say that while I nursed at a services/car stop in the UK) to be ‘exposing’ flesh in public is not helpful.

A must have!

Bebe au Lait

Wow! If you thought Stokke and Bugaboo made streamline strollers, look at this from German mob Concord.

The Concord Neo Carbon is almost Star Trekkie in its design and looks so good. It is available in Europe and is currently the UK’s most expensive pushchair at 999GBP (1,424 Aussie dollars) for the pushchair…when I bought my Bugaboo plus accessories in London in 2006 it was 699GBP…I think only a Stokke was more expensive!

The ultimate travel system, the body of this pushchair is made of carbon fibre, with inner linings of merino wool and leather handles. 

Hand crafted in Germany, each Neo Carbon has its own serial number, making it a true collectors item and you can even have your child’s name laser engraved on it. This is a total travel system with a folding carry cot and baby car seat capsule available. (This will obviously bump the price up. (In the UK it costs a total of 1699GBP.)

Celebs like footballer Rio Ferdinand, singer Sophie Ellis Bextor and Golden girl London news presenter Natasha Kaplinsky use this to ferry their babes around.

Imagine how expensive it will be in Australia…currently no plans yet to bring this Down Under but watch this space.

This is filed under my Wish List!

DICKORY Dock is something of an institution in the leafy Melbourne eastern suburb of Camberwell and I was not disappointed when I went this week to get fitted for some nursing bras.

The Dickory Dock personal fitting service is located in an elegent salon on Burke Rd and the service means that your your bra will be perfectly suited to your individual shape. The straps of my bras were adjusted by the in-house seamstress while I waited.

The range of maternity bras that Dickory Dock carry are German brand Anita and they are expensive - $100 each - but the service, quality and fact that the hassle is taken out of finding a bra that fits is well worth the price. Interstate customers can call 1800 338 904 for information.

Dickorydock.com.au

945 Burke Road, Camberwell 3124 VIC

My baby is just two weeks away from its due date and I can’t wait to carry it around in this sling I have just ordered from Beep Beep Slings.

Australian-made and with plenty of funky fabric designs (I ordered the fabric pictured called Forest), these slings are attention-grabbing. They are suitable for newborns to toddlers (up to 16kg) and can be worn in a number of positions.

I can’t wait to try mine out!

beepbeepslings.com

As most parents know, the quality of baby change/parents’ rooms can vary greatly.

I find overall the standard of facilities is much better in Australia than when I was living in London where I had my first child.

Here is a list of parents’ room reviews that I will be adding to:

Westfield Doncaster, Doncaster (Melbourne, Australia)

This shopping centre is fabulous.  It was redeveloped to much fanfare with plenty of great shops and eating outlets and the design is very chic and sleek.

Most impressive is the parents’ room. Clean, warm and secure with lots of change tables, feeding areas, bottle warmer and microwave oven. I am expecting my second baby in three weeks and it is so much less stressful to go and feed your baby in clean and comfy surrounds.

A big thumbs up to Westfied. These change rooms and facilities are certainly the benchmark for what modern parents need.

Details:  Westfield Doncaster, 619 Doncaster Road, Doncaster VIC 3108. westfield.com.au

God bless my Snoogle.

I bought it a fortnight ago and sleeping is so much more comfortable. I wish I had bought it sooner!

I am 36 weeks pregnant with my second baby and this pregnancy has been better than my first - I am carrying small and my back hasn’t been sore but sleeping has become uncomfortable. Though, later than it did in my first pregnancy.

The Snoogle Original by American company Leachco is like having a third person in the bed. I can cuddle up to it, sling my legs over and generally, sleep comfortably. I am quite tall too (178cm) and I find it great for my height.

I purchased my Snoogle from Babies ‘R Us in Knox City, Melbourne for $89.95 and I bought a spare cover for $39.95. It wasn’t cheap but then I was happy to splurge for comfortable sleep! And I can use the Snoogle beyond pregnancy and even when I am breasteeding so, I figure it is a great investment.

Big yay for Michelle Obama who has filmed a public service announcement as part of Sesame Street’s Healthy Habits for Life effort, which promotes exercise and healthy eating habits for children and encourages parents to be healthy-living role models.

Appearing on Sesame Street would be my nirvana if I was a public identity or celebrity! A few of the Sesame Street DVDs I have for my daughter are circa late 80s/early 1990s and it’s fun to see the celebrity cameos! ( I love Bob singing “people in your neighbourhood” with Martina Navaratilova, Barbara Walters and consumer advocate Ralph Nader!)

I love Michelle. She is smart, a committed mum and looks so healthy and fit. A great role model.

What a bloody great idea and not surprisingly, this sleek portable bath is Danish-designed.
(There must be something in Danish water!)

The Flexi Bath by company A Real Cool World  is a hard plastic children’s bathtub which folds up flat.  AIt also features a  drain plug is sensitive to temperature - the drain plug starts changing colour from black to red when the bath water reaches 35 degrees centigrade.

The bottom of the bath has a non-slip surface and comes in bright, funky colour combos.

This is a product you’ll have to wait a little while for but according to the website, will be available in most regions this year. It was exhibited to much fanfare at last year’s Kind and Jugend fair in Germany, where the grooviest new products for parents, babies and small kids go on show.

One of the most essential things to remember when leaving the house with a baby is wipes. I just bought a super-funky handmade diaper wipes case from Etsy. For $13USD (and very reasonable postage to Australia) I received a gorgeous case wrapped in funky padded fabric.

Something to make you smile as you are wiping baby’s bottom!

Katie Bug Boutique on Etsy

Stuck on a new baby gift or looking for a great organiser for your diapers while you are out and about?

I stumbled upon a great, handmade item on Etsy from The Diaper Bag Wrangler. A gorgeous, handmade diaper pouch with a loop to attach anywhere, this nifty little item is fab for mums or as a baby shower gift.

I am expecting my second baby in seven weeks (and my three-year-old is still in pull-ups…we have hit a brick wall with the toilet training) so carrying diapers around is a reality for me for the next few years…at least!

Available in lots of cool and vibrant designs, The Diaper Bag Wrangler is a fab, affordable parenting item. Designed by K.C. - a mum from Pennsylvania - Diaper Bag Wrangler also has other gorgeous handmade items like children’s aprons, nursing covers, burp cloths and even chic caps for women undergoing chemotherapy (K.C was diagnosed with breast cancer last year).

I bought mine on Etsy but there is also a website and items can be shipped internationally.