I have just discovered this great product thanks to the Babies R’ Us catalogue.

I am currently breastfeeding my second child who is 8 weeks old and I have neved frozen breast milk before.

I have a couple of social events coming up and will need to leave EBM for my mum who is babysitting and these storage trays by Sensible Lines make it easier than I ever expected.

The mum-invented trays are in 30ml (one ounce) stick servings and that makes it really easy to stash away accurate measurements with minimal waste.

Sensible Lines milk trays are available at Babies R’ Us stores nationally. (I got mine at the Knox City, Melbourne store.)

Check out Sensiblelines.com for more stockists internationally.

I can only imagine how difficult it must be for parents of babies with hip dysplasia - abnornmal development of the hips - that affects 10 in every 1,000 babies.

One mother who knows all about it has set up a website with practical ideas for parents and clothing options for bubs who have the condition.

Hipbabes.com.au is the brainchild of Debbie Clemens. whose daughter Mila (pictured above) had to wear a hip brace from four weeks to seven months.

As a mother of a hip dyspalsia baby Debbie said she found very little information, resources or clothing alternatives for her daughter.

“I even had to design and sew pants for Mila to accomodate the hip brace,” Debbie says.

It was during this times that Debbie said she discovered how great baby leg warmers were and Hip Babes stocks a great selection of Australia-made Huggalugs, including the new leg ruffles style for little girls.

Hip Babes donates five per cent of all sales to the Royal Children’s Hospital Orthopaedic Unit in Melbourne.

Hipbabes.com.au

This goes everywhere with me. The Melobaby nappy wallet was an impulse purchase at Baby Bunting while I was waiting for a car seat to be fitted for my toddler.

I have had nappy wallets before and lost them (my husband left my beloved Skip Hop nappy/change wallet at Heathrow Airport!) or never used them. I have a six-week-old and I just put the Melobaby (I have one in brown but it also comes in black) in the car or in the pram basket. It has room for up to four nappies and essentials like cream, phone, keys etc.

I love the feel of it and also the soft changing mat that’s held in place by magnets.

One thing I would like is a strap or something to hook it to the pram handlebar etc.

This would make a great present for an expectant mum!

So, I caved in and bought a Bugaboo Bee. I am rather glad I did and while filling out the warranty card online, I was alerted to important news.

Bugaboo is advising Bee owners to contact them to obtain a special set of brackets that can be clipped on to the rear wheels of the pushchair.

On its website, Bugaboo says it has discovered that in some cases, the brake of the Bee does not work after a period of time. The website advises owners to fill in a form to receive a set of these brackets. I received mine about 7-10 days after filling in the online warranty card.

Bugaboo is now integrating these brackets into the production of the Bee model.

For more information go to bugaboo.com

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.

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.