The Baby Show February 2015 - A Friday Afternoon at The Excel

The Baby Show is the place to see all things baby if you can't face trekking round all of the shops. All of the leading brands are there, but the icing on the cake is that up and coming brands are there too, giving the "not on the high street" surprise element, so that you get to meet lots of entrepreneurs. I'm so glad I went last Friday, 20th February. It was half term, so Aaron spent the day with Grandma and his favourite cousin. It was nice to have a "day off" after a busy week and then, after the Baby Show, I had a wonderful evening with my favourite Cousin and Aunt.

I last went to the Baby Show in 2010 when pregnant, and now 5 years later, there's definitely a lot more buggies there. Perhaps there are more on the market in general. The vast range on show is great if you are yet to choose one - it's the hardest Motherhood decision in my opinion. I'd get an idea of your taste before you go, as otherwise you'll be a bit overwhelmed, but there are so many on display, you'll learn what you do and don't like in a buggy! Personally, I got a travel system, which did me from birth to 3 years, although Aaron rarely went in it from age 2 to 3. It meant I did not need to upgrade to a stroller and I never needed a moses basket on wheels type buggy (what ARE they called?) as Aaron was 9 pounds 10 oz at birth so was good to go in a regular buggy.

The Baby Show's a friendly place for Mums, Dads, little ones and bumps. In fact I saw a creche on my way in, just outside the Press Office where I got my press pass. There are also heaps of experts there, as they do talks on stage. Plus a lot of the companies are run by parents, so they are a font of information too. If you've exhausted the ears of family, talking about your bump or baby, you'll have LOTS of fresh ears at the show. It's a great girlie day out. I saw lots of Mums with their Mums! There were a lot more Dads than 2010, which is a trend that's continuing apparently.

I took plenty of pics, and turned them into a slideshow that I could share with you. I hope you like my choice of soundtrack:

Aaron's outgrown buggies, bibs and baby bits, so I was looking around in a wistful way thinking what I might like for number two, should we be blessed. I'd love to say he's outgrown buggies, bibs and bottles, but we still have one of those - Sssshhhh don't tell anyone.

I stopped and chatted to whichever brands really grabbed me. As my slideshow above shows, the first of those was the Osbourne stand as we have a lot of their books, and I was/am considering being a seller.

I adored the layout of the Mr Mole Blankets stand, which really stopped me in my tracks so spent ages talking to the founder, where I took this video:

Their personalised baby blankets are beautiful. I love their passion. They made a hugely successful horse blankets business, and then sold it as they were busy with a young family. The blanket bug was clearly firmly in their system, as then 15 years ago they started their current business. Their passion is infectious, and the joy they have for it, is reflected in their product.

A few weeks ago I wrote about some products I bought at Holland and Barrett. One of those was Magnesium which made a huge difference to my health - namely that my muscle pains went and my nervous system benefited in that my normal personality came back. More patience, tolerance and calm! So when I saw the Donat MG stand, I had to stay and have a wee chat:

Hopefully I will get to review them in the coming weeks and then I can let you know if they achieve the same benefits that my Floradix Magnesium did. Timing's perfect as my liquid Magnesium is finished. I miss taking it, and getting that daily boost. Definitely think I was deficient in it. My gut instinct (pun intended) is good with knowing these things. You'll hear how I came to buy it, in the introduction on the video above.

I spent some time with the founder of Helper Bees, as I LOVE her concept. She describes it as a "Niche Nanny Agency" and is a qualified Pediatrician herself. She's seen firsthand the huge problems that are created if Mums are not coping. I'd not heard of the company before, but her smiling face as I passed, made me stop and ask what it was all about. Helping new mums, via a provided vetted Nanny, with those early days when you're frazzled. She even believes in Mums bonding exclusively with their babies, for the first 40 days while a "helper" does the chores. This is something big parts of the world do, and is a practice I personally honoured, due to my yoga background. I kept Aaron "indoors" for his first 40 days. It was June/July so of course we did go outside but NOT to public places, although I did have to take him to a breastfeeding counselling session and to have a tongue tie cut :-( It really benefits the baby to grow strength and a sense of security in the real world, before being inundated with everyone's energies.

In Kundalini Yoga we recommend that someone comes for those important first 40 days. I had my Mum fly over from Ireland for 9 weeks ha ha! It meant I could concentrate on Aaron and she did the laundry and a lot of the meals. When I fancied cooking, she took care of Aaron. It worked. Although we did get a little on top of each other.

As I do when I love a company, I speak to the founder. Here the Helper Bees lady explains what it's all about:

When I did finally decide to go, I'd put my camera away, and thought that was me done, but a wee slip of a lass, literally grabbed me, to explain the concept of her parent's nappy changing bag: Melobaby, so small in fact that it is called a Nappy Wallet. Her sales pitch was way better than those I have seen from some adults. I don't know if it comes across as good when I made her do it a second time, on camera and forgive me if there is too much background noise but we were at a busy event:

Although I did not get a video, my favourite product by far, at the Baby Show, was these BunkCots

Perfect solution for twins, or when you have two little ones close in ages. You gt everything you see from the bunkcot on the left AND on the right. So when the rails come off the walls and ladder go on, and you can even have one option on the top with a different one on the bottom. I'd almost have my time again, just to have an excuse to get one of these. They're simply gorgeous, and little ones do so like to be together. Perfect space saving solution, which is why they do a lot of trade in London. Considering Aaron only spent 6 months in his cot and has been cosleeping ever since, I don't know why I love these so much, but I do!!!! I think 599 GBP considering what you get in with it, is great value. What do you think?

Anyway it's now 1:30 a.m. and Aaron's first day of school is tomorrow today. We've spent the whole of half term laying in bed really late, so it's going to be a shock to the system getting up in 5 hours. It may have been a tad ambitious writing this post tonight. We were blessed with an Inset day today, so the big return to school is Tuesday instead of Monday, but given the hideously late night we had Sunday, we didn't get up today till 11 (I know! I know!) so I won't even tell you the time Aaron slept tonight, but let's just say the morning will be "interesting". Actually "interesting" is Aaron's new word. He's started saying it as often as me.

So if you are a new Mum, and I include bump Mums in that, get yourself to The Baby Show. I felt that I became a Mum the very second I conceived. Connect with your baby all the way through the pregnancy and you will have a Conscious Pregnancy, that will benefit you and baby forever!

Bye for now, Liska xxx