Sick of spending at least $10 every month for…you know what, ladies…I have gone ‘green’ with my sanitary products.

I’ve started using cloth pads and they are suprisingly good, comfortable and easy to use.

You obviously need to be more organised because the pads need to be soaked in bicarbonate of soda before being machine washed and naturally dried but as long as you have enough supplies then it is very easy.

I have found two makers of cloth pads who are fabulous. They sell on Etsy too so it’s really easy and quick to get started.

Lolas Loft Designs

Ambrosia Designs

How cool is this mum-invention! So simple, practical and essential.

The Wupzey is a food catcher for babies and infants. After my daughter eats we are on our hands and knees picking food up off the splat mat or vacuuming. The Wupzey is awesome because most of the mess gets collected and then it’s a simple shake-off and wipe-clean job. Wupzey is machine-washable…YAY!

Invented out of necessity, California mum Johanna Romaniuk created the highchair food catcher which is lightweight, compact and durable. She also made it to be strong enough to catch sippy cups, toys and utensils.

This is awesome. I love, love, love products that are so practical you can’t be without one. Available in 10 designs.

Wupzey is available in Australia from Licorice Mint.

I was googling about Bratz dolls (I wanted to read more from people who hate these dolls and think they are harmful to girls) and I came across the website for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

I am very new to parenting (my daughter is 2) but already I am worrying about the influence of brands etc. to her young life. I am a journalist so by nature I question and I am cynical but I also have an online store as a sideline, and this website where I review stuff that is useful and different for parents, so I can’t claim to be completely commercially uninfluenced.

The CCFC is a fantastic resource and movement with lots of articles to make you think about who is influencing your child’s golden years of kidhood. CCFC is a US national coalition of related professionals whose slogan is “reclaiming childhood from corporate marketeers”.

They have many campaigns including one to lobby Scholastic to stop marketing Bratz in schools.

www.commercialfreechildhood.org

I am writing this review from the standpoint of a ballet-dummy i.e. someone who knows barely anything about ballet. I never did it as a kid and I am ashamed to admit that I fell asleep during The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House at London’s Covent Garden.

Now I am a mum to a gorgeous 2-year-old and I am getting into the “girly-girl” stuff and also wanting to add cultural enrichment to her young life.

Prima Princessa is a very cute and fun way of introducing the basics of ballet to toddlers and young children and I REALLY enjoyed watching it with my little girl. (She is just beginning to get into the fairy costumes and pretty pink things.)

Actual demonstrations of ballet by students and professional dancers are interspersed with cute little girls in their ballet outfits dancing around a garden. It is a very simple but engaging introduction to ballet and I found myself in wonderment at the dancers’ graceful moves. Ballet dancers from Paris Opera Ballet and Scool of American Ballet are featured so this is a very credible production.

I also LOVE it because it is the brainchild of two mums (from New Jersey) so it has been created in the best interests of kids and parents.

To win a copy of Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake visit primaprincessa.com, find the answer to this question:

“How many minutes does Prima Princessa presents Swan Lake run?”

Email your answer to remarkablygreatsuff@gmail.com with Prima Princessa in the subject line and the answer and your name and address in the body of the email.

Entries close Thursday 31 July.

It always seems I am on a quest for the idea shampoo and now, conditioner for my 2-year-old’s hair…she has a lot of it and she gets cradle cap.

My local health food store recommended Tiny Tribe to me and I love it. We’ve been using it for a week and it has been great. Sulphate-free and Aussie-made by two mums, the orange & patchouli shampoo and conditioner are easy to use and you only need a little. I’ve even warmed to the patchouli fragrance. (Previously I would associate patchouli with hippies and the hills near when I live in Melbourne!).

I find myself sniffing her hair a lot!

www.tribekids.com.au

Since I became a parent two years ago I have found from experience that ANYTHING that saves time and does stuff for you is a must!

The LCD Bottle Warmer by Australian healthcare product developer Cherub Baby is one of those products that should be mandatory on a baby shower gift list - whether you breast or bottle feed. (I breastfed exclusively for six months but I would express so my husband could feed our daughter and this would have come in handy!)

The great thing about this bottle warmer - it can also be used to heat baby food in a jar - is that you can set the temperature and it tells you what it is so there’s no danger of giving a bottle that’s too hot (or cold) to your baby. I always remember my midwife telling me about a baby she had visited who wouldn’t feed. Turns out he had blisters in his mouth because his mum would heat the bottle in the microwave. This sent shivers down my spine!

The bottle warmer is compact and can be taken anywhere that has a power outlet i.e. to friends’ places or on holiday.

It is really easy to use - I tried it out on my daughter and warmed a bottle for her (Okay…no Suri Cruise type criticism because she’s 2 and still has an occassional bottle!). It works a treat and something you can set and do some other stuff and come back to. It helps with the organisation of feeding times.

Fits maximum bottle width of 80mm and fits most bottles including Avent. Heats fast thanks to Natritherm Heatcell Technology, which sounds really smart so it must be good!

On special now for AUD$59.95 from Cherubbaby.com

Cherub Baby ships internationally.

This little gem of a product is handmade by Melbourne outfit Poss Bloss.

The nappy wallet/foldover is made from PVC and decorated with funky, retro fabric front that is gorgeously stitched behind the plastic.

This has many uses - nappies and wipes, swim gear or a funky makeup case. You could even use it as a Carrie Bradshaw-inspired clutch and team with an eclectic outfit.

My nappy wallet has a whimsical, retro Jack and the Beanstalk design and there are many more including cowgirl, space rascals and paper doll.

I shall be using mine for my toddler’s swimming lessons. These nappy wallets/foldover are fabulous and would make fantastic baby shower or new mum gifts.

 AUD $12.45 from Possbloss.com

I know they are not new and lots and lots of parents use them but I am Loving the Grobag for my 2-year-old daughter.

Ever since she was three days old and would get out of her swaddle, my daughter (she’s a pint-sized Houdini) has always kicked off her blankets and moves around a lot in her sleep.

Grobag keeps her snug and warm.

I have two on rotation, including one that the car seat buckle can slip through so there’s no need to distrurb there sleep even more when we are going out…and going home…at night.

This is definitely one for WAHMS..and dads! I mention dad because the Baby Butler was actually invented by a very busy dad who needed a free arm and hand whilst feeding his babies.

The Baby Butler is a “hands free” bottle holder weighted pillow that is placed over your shoulder A thick velcro strap on the other end securely holds any size bottle to your baby’s mouth. It can also be used as baby’s burp cloth and has a small pocket to hold a pacifier/dummy. The reverse side is a changing pad with a soft pillow for your baby’s head.

BRILLIANT!

I love anything that has multiple uses and the Baby Butler is very affordable at USD $19.95.

babybutler.net 

This product is so simple, yet so useful and cute!

The Bebe Belay can be used as a pacifier clip, connecter clip to keep thigs like little shoes and socks together or (my favourite use) to make an instant bib with a napkin. I particularly love this because a bib is usually the item I forget to pack in the diaper bag and gee…I usually need it the most!

Designed by Texan mum and engineer April Klein, the Bebe Belay comes in several great designs and would make a great gift (the packaging is exquisite. One of the best I have seen.) or diaper bag essential. 

bebebelay.com