Who’d have thought lugging around toys could be so stylish!
This trendy bag transforms into a comfortable mat for your baby so you’ll have an instant play area for your little one.
Available in Red/Olive, White/Olive and Brown/Blue. The outer lining is waterproof and the inner lining padded for comfort.
Wisey Products is based in Israel and they specialise in practical products for parents.
Available in Australia from Licorice Mint
This bassinet could be the most beautifully simple creation I have seen for baby’s nursery. The simple, clean design looks great (it kind of reminds me of something that could be from the offices of The Washington Post circa Watergate…I love the 197os) and in this age of excess and fussiness when it comes to buying for baby, takes things back to basics.
The Oooba Nest bassinet is pricy - $600 (USD) but is also very practical. After baby has outgrown it the unit base can convert to a play table and the bassinet a toy basket. (Conversion kit costs $250). Also includes slip cover, mattress pad and cover and two fitted sheets.
Check with US online retailers whether they will ship internationally.
As I stare at the sea of plastic toys in my living room, these funky little soft toys from super cool designer Lotta Jansdotter are a refreshing change to the usual stuff available for babies and make me realise I need to buy more simply for my child.
Available in giraffe, elephant and whale designs, they also make cool pin cushions!
Lotta Jansdotter ships internationally.
These totes are a must for anyone who loves the ’80s or European design.
Susas Bijl is a Netherlands designer who is making these simple, streamlined and very colourful shopping totes available in many fluro combos.
Make grocery shopping a bit livelier!
Available from various retailers in the US, Canada and Europe. (If you are from anywhere else check if any of the online shops do international shipping!)
I love my curry - eight years living in London saw me regularly go to Southall and Brick Lane for my fix - and I am swooning over these amazing home made sauces.
I bought a couple of jars of Ameet’s Homestyle Indian Curry sauces - Butter Chicken and Rogan Dosh - at the Whitehorse Farmer’s Market.
All I can say is - YUM! I could have eaten the Butter Chicken sauce straight out of the jar.
The sauces cost $7 (AUD) per jar and are absolutely worth it.
Ameet is a regular at many farmer’s markets in Victoria and there are three stockists of the sauces in Melbourne.
More details can be found at ameetshomestyle.com
I am a huge fan of anything that supports breastfeeding and comfort for nursing mums. Manik Wear is a new range of breastfeeding accessories that gives mums comfort and glamour. Yes, it is possible to have some style while you are breastfeeding, especially with Manik Wear’s ruffled wrap.
The ruffled wrap is the perfect accessory for a night out at a special function or dinner. Available in black and made of polyester satin, this wrap is great for discreet feeding so you don’t have to miss out on anything. (I know I always found it a pain having to go off into the loos or a quiet room to feed!)
Manik Wear is Australian-designed and will be available in August. Manik Wear also comes in a shoulder shrug design and cafe cover, which hides your back when you feed.
This invention is truly amazing. The Liberty Swing is Australian-designed especially for children in wheelchairs so that they too can enjoy the simple pleasure of having a swing.
I interviewed Diane James, managing director of Liberty Swing:
1. What inspired the Liberty Swing?
The inventor, Wayne Devine, worked in the playground industry, and was disillusioned at the fact that when he was installing traditional play equipment, there was often a child in a wheelchair watching from the sidelines. He was upset that there was nothing for these children, so he set about designing and building the Liberty Swing, which was a labour of love that took him over 10 years.
2. What does being able to have a swing mean to diabled children? Is it something most of us take for granted?
As adults, we forget the simple joy of having a swing in the park. We have many letters from parents, carers and grandparents who have taken a child to visit a Liberty Swing and have felt compelled to write and thank the inventor. For many children, it is their first time on a swing, and this can be a very emotional experience for all involved. Initial apprehension is soon replaced with squeals or screams of delight. Occupational therapists tell us that having a swing has many therapeutic benefits such as head control, muscle control, upper body control, as well as the use of language and emotions.
3. What were the first few clients/parks that installed the Liberty Swing and how has the company grown?
Initially, the early swings were installed around the Sydney area where they are manufactured. Luckily for Victorian children, Norm Hutton, Chief Executive of Variety the Children’s Charity in Victoria, saw the swing and its potential and Variety purchased a number of swings which were installed in Shepparton, Melton, Traralgon and Albert Park. The swing then came to the attention of Diane James, who founded Liberty Swing Pty Ltd, the marketing and distribution company which now has over 200 installations around Australia and New Zealand. There are now currently six Liberty Swings in the USA, where the market is growing.
4. What can people do if they would like to have a liberty swing in their local park/school?
If people wish to have a swing located in their local park, they should first approach the local council to see if there is a swing in their planning. The aim is to have at least one Liberty Swing in every municipality in Australia, so that the special needs children in our communities can visit a park with their carers or families and know that there is something there for them. People can also approach Variety the Children’s Charity in their state. Variety now has a national Variety Liberty Swing Program aiming to assist schools and councils install swings around Australia. Some states have government grants available for the purchase and installation of the swing.
Watch this product - it is going to be huge!
The PouchMISS is THE alternative to the nappy/diaper bag and allows you to use any bag you want when you are out and about with your little one. I have three nappy bags on rotation because I like to use bags that suit my mood or the particular situation I will be entering (and I hate my bag to clash with my Bugaboo Chameleon colours - orange and red…not together! I rotate every few months).
The PouchMISS would have prevented me going into nappy bag credit card debt and my husband going “how many bloody nappy bags do we need?” whenever he opens the cupboard.
This handbag baby pouch fits all sorts of essentials - water bottle, phone, camera, keys, nappies, creams, wipes - and also comes with a changing mat. It has nine pockets and three internal compartments.
PouchMISS comes in three colours - precious pink, babylicious blue and seriously slate.
I almost want to get pregnant again just so I can have that newborn nappy bag-thing going on! (Maybe next year…)
PouchMISS will be available later this month from several stockists for RRP $36.95
I LOVE anything that is functional and fits in my bag. The Little Beetle baby chair is my kind of product. This Aussie parent-designed baby chair fits on most kitchen and dining chairs making it a lot easier for you to feed your little one when you are out an about.
We have all had the experience of going to use a high chair from a shopping centre or restaurant and being, frankly, grossed out by how dirty they are. (That’s where those anti-bacterial wipes come in real handy!) I love that you you can pop the Little Beetle chair into your diaper bag (it is so lightweight at only 160g) and be assured that you are placing your child into something clean. (The Little Beetle is machine-washable.) It also folds up into a cute little built-in pocket.
My daughter loves sitting in the Little Beetle at our dining table. She is becoming little miss independent and doesn’t want to sit in her high chair anymore. (She is like a little Houdini and manages to get out of the straps!)
There are several colours available, including funky orange and green. The Little Beetle is suitable for babies over six months who can sit unsupported up to 16 kilograms.
This is a parent essential!
SpongyFeet burp cloths are available in Australian online at licoricemint.com
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