Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Spring Time


Beach Ponchos Available NOW!

Choose from a selection of cornflower, raspberry and lime spots and navy stars.
Only £28.00
Ages 2- 10 years

Trunki at Babou



We are delighted to announce that Babou now stock some of the fabulous Trunki travel products, alongside our own Babou label.  Established in 2006 , Trunki is a West Country company which creates innovative travel products designed to make family travel easier.

As huge fans of the brilliant Trunki ride-on suitcases, we are thrilled to be offering a range of designs, from Gruffalo to Team GB Trunki, Trixie Pink, Bernard the Bee, Harley Lady Bird,  and Freddie the Fire Engine, to name just a few.

You can also purchase the clever SnooziHedz travel pillow & blanket in pink or blue, and the new PaddlePak, a great watertight bag for little swimmers.


Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Babou Sidmouth Devon



We are very lucky to live and work in the beautiful town of Sidmouth, Devon.
This photo was taken on my way to work yesterday morning.

And, just in case you were wondering where Sidmouth is, it lies at the mouth of the River Sid in a valley between Peak Hill to the west and Salcombe Hill to the east. It is surrounded by the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is on the Jurassic Coast. The red-coloured rock indicates the arid conditions of the Triassic geological period.

Friday, 4 November 2011

When Is The Best Time to Move a Toddler from a Cot to a Bed

When is the best time to move a toddler  from a crib to a bed?


There's no set time when you have to replace your child's crib with a regular or toddler bed, although most children make the switch sometime between ages 1 1/2 and 3 1/2. It's best to wait until your child is closer to 3, since many little ones just aren't ready to make the transition. Of course, you'll need to move your toddler to a bed when he's simply too big or too active to sleep in a crib anymore. And once he's potty-trained, he'll need to be able to get out of bed to use the toilet.

Many parents make the switch because they're worried that their active toddler might climb or jump out of his crib — and this is a real safety concern. But it's best not to react to climbing out of the crib or any other sudden sleep problem with a sense of alarm. Don't rush right out and buy a new bed the day your toddler first climbs out of the crib. He may not be ready to move to a bed, and it may not be safe for him to be up and about during the night when everyone else is asleep.

Buy yourself some time by lowering the crib mattress as far as possible, so the side rails are higher and more difficult to climb over. And always remove padded bumpers as soon as your toddler starts to climb. In addition, consider installing a crib tent, which is mesh and attaches to the crib rails with Velcro, to keep your little one safe and snug in his crib.

Another reason parents make the switch to a bed is the impending arrival of another baby. If this is your situation, make the switch at least six to eight weeks before you're due. You want your toddler well settled in his new bed before he sees the baby taking over "his" crib. Depending on your toddler's age, you could also consider delaying the switch until the new baby is 3 or 4 months old. Your newborn will probably spend those months sleeping in a bassinet anyway, and your toddler will have time to adjust to the new baby, making the transition to a bed easier when it does happen.

Be sure to base the timing of the switch on your child's readiness rather than on the need to free up the crib, however. Many parents find out too late that it would have been easier to borrow or buy another crib rather than move their older child to a bed before he was ready.

Some children adjust readily to this change, while others have a hard time with it. Every child is different. It's not unusual, though, for firstborn children to resist the transition. He may be very attached to his crib and all of his associations with it. The move to sleeping in a bed is just one of many changes at this stage in a toddler's life — it may coincide with toilet-training, starting preschool and other pressures to "grow up." If a new baby's on the way, your child may feel possessive of his baby things, including his crib. Later-born children often have an easier time making the switch to a bed because they want to be just like their older brother or sister. They're eager to move from the crib, which is "for babies," into a "big-kid bed." However some toddlers, whether first- or later-born, are just plain ready and relish this change in their status.

To ease the transition, put your toddler's new bed in the same place his crib used to be. If you're using a twin bed, you may not want to make an immediate switch to grown-up sheets and blankets that are tucked in. Your child may find it soothing to continue to sleep with his old crib blanket, even if it's too small. Don't forget to put up a guardrail to prevent your newly liberated toddler from falling out of bed.

Get your toddler excited about having a "big-kid bed" by taking him with you to pick it out, if you're buying it new, or by emphasizing its previous owner if that person is someone your child knows. For example: "This was Cousin Petey's bed and now it's yours! You're almost as big as him now!" Let your toddler shop with you for new sheets featuring his favorite characters, and encourage him to show his "big-kid bed" to visiting friends and family.

Another tactic, although it requires a little more work, is to throw a "big-kid bed" party. Choose a date to unveil the new bed, and talk up the event a week in advance. On the big day, have a party and invite friends and grandparents.

Another strategy is the use of specific "toddler beds". They use a crib mattress, but look more like a regular bed. Many come with built-in guardrails, and some are made in very appealing themes and shapes, such as cars, trains and pink four-poster beds.

If you find that you've made the switch too soon and your toddler is upset, don't give up right away. Encourage your child to try out the bed. If he's still distraught after a few days, bring the crib back.

Some toddlers simply aren't ready for a bed. It takes a certain amount of cognitive development for your child to understand that a bed has imaginary boundaries that he must stay within. If you find that your great sleeper all of a sudden takes a long time to fall asleep at night, gets out of bed many times or wanders around the house, he's probably not ready for his own bed. As with potty-training, sometimes it's worth taking a step back and bringing back the diapers — or in this case, the crib — and trying again later. Just be sure you don't present the reappearance of the crib as a step backward in development or a punishment.

Finally, remember that the switch from a crib to a bed is a milestone in your life, too. It's one more sign that your baby is growing up. Reflect on when you first set up the crib for your little one, and then go have a private celebration of your own.

Wednesday, 29 June 2011

Top Tips on how to get your kids to eat more fruit and veg.

Top Tips on how to get your kids to eat more fruit and veg


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Fruit and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins and minerals essential to your child's health and development. They also contain "anti-oxidants" and fibre which will protect your child against developing heart disease and cancers in the future.

Healthy patterns of eating set at a young age ensure that good habits are carried into adulthood. In short, if your child learns good habits at a young age he or she is far more likely to be a healthy adult.

The recommended intake of fruit and vegetables for children and adults is 5 portions a day. Getting the kids to eat fruit and vegetables however can sometimes seem like an uphill battle.

You do not need to give your child 5 adult portions a day from babyhood. A small explosion may ensue if you did. However, their diet should be balanced and should contain a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. A good way to measure a child's portion is what fits into the palm of the child's hand.

Fresh fruit and vegetables contain the highest concentration of vitamin C but frozen, dried and tinned fruit and veg still contain plenty of goodness and the full quota of fibre and therefore count towards your daily quota.

Here are a few hints:

1. Set the example by doing it yourself-kids copy their parents. Also there is new research to show that babies whose mother has eaten wide variety different foods while pregnant develop wider and more adventurous tastes for food as children. It would seem that sense of taste could "transfer" while the baby is still developing.

2. Encourage kids to try everything that is on their plate but don't force them to finish it. Kids have heightened sense of taste compared to adults, therefore bitter veg such as broccoli and spinach can be difficult to enjoy. Research show that repeated exposure to a taste accustoms the taste buds and increases the chance of the child eating it. This can take over 10 attempts. Don't put child off by forcing them to finish, but do encourage them to try.

3. Get the kids involved in choice of what they eat. Take them shopping and let them choose the fruit and veg and help plan the menus and help with the cooking. Not only does this encourage them to eat what they have produced but it develops them an essential life skill.

4. Letting the kids grow their own veg can be really inspirational for them. Not only do they taste better than those shop bought items and you know that they are not coated in insecticide but they kids get exercise while helping in the garden. If you have a small garden or nothing at all, it is possible to grow veg in pots on the patio or on the window sill.

5. Make the food into fun shapes on the plate-grated cabbage or carrot makes great hair, slices of tomato or cucumber can be eyes for example. Use loads of colour. This not only makes the plate look more attractive but ensures that the kids are getting a wider variety of vitamins and nutrients

6. Hide fruit and veg in their favourite dish-try chopping carrots up into spaghetti sauce or setting fruit into a jelly. Use low sugar jelly if possible.

7. Play a game. I spy can be tweaked a little. For instance you might say "I spy with my little eye something that rabbits like to eat" and rather than answering the kids have to take a mouthful of the lettuce leaf on their plate. The first person to finish their mouthful gets to go next.

8. Try threading fresh fruit onto a kebab stick or open freezing grapes for a summer fruit snack.

9. Fresh fruit smoothies are a great way to get your kids eating fruit. Make your smoothie sugar free. A glass of juice counts as a portion, however beware that no matter how much juice you drink in a day, it only counts as a single portion. Fresh juice concentrates are also high in sugar, so make sure you dilute it.

10. Make a competition in the family to see who can eat the most portions of fruit and vegetables in a week and then reward the winner with a small treat.

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Top Tips for helping your baby sleep well

Top Tips for helping your baby sleep well

1. Sleepless Nights?

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One of the most common problems for parents with young children is sleep. One of the things that I am very happy to kiss goodbye to as my children get older is the sleepless nights. Approximately 40% of children have sleep that is perceived as being problematic by their parents.

Sleep is a chance for the body and mind to rest and regenerate, in order that your child awakes refreshed. Deep sleep is the time when your child produces the highest concentrations of growth hormone. This time is therefore important for your child's growth. More recent research has also connected lack of sleep in children under the age of 16 with childhood obesity.

Consistently poor sleep can lead to exhaustion, irritability, poor memory and concentration, aggression and depression (in both the child and parent!).

It is important to remember however that each child has his or her own individual requirements and you may have a child that just needs very little sleep. Frustrating as this may be for your own sleep, this can be an asset in later life (many world leaders get up at 4 in the morning, I am told).

2. What is the normal amount of sleep for my child?

From birth until 6 weeks your baby will sleep for about 16 hours a day, waking during both the day and the night. Babies of this age have very small tummies and therefore need to feed little and often. It is normal at this stage that there is no day and night distinction. Smaller babies may need feeding more frequently whereas larger babies may be able to go for longer between feeds.

From 6 weeks onwards your baby will be able to go for longer periods between feeds and you will notice that there starts to be a day and night routine.

Once your baby starts weaning at 6 months, he or she will feel satisfied for longer and may start sleeping for 6 hours plus during the night with one or two day time naps.

By a year old, most children will have dropped one of their day time naps and by 3 years most children do not need a sleep during the day.

If your child does not adhere to this pattern, this may be normal for them. It is worth looking at other close members of the family, as your child may have inherited their sleep pattern.

3. What can I do to help my child sleep well?

A good and consistent bed time routine is a really important habit to establish. You will find something that suits you and your family, but here are some helpful pointers that many people find ease their children into sleep.

4. Do's


Keep the time at which you put your child to bed consistent
Give your baby a bath before bed
Bottle of milk or banana before bed can aid sleep (both contain tryptophan- a substance which helps induce sleep)
Brush your baby's teeth after their bottle and before sleep
Read a story
Make night time a time for sleeping. If your child wakes during the night soothe him quickly and gently and leave. Your child should eventually be able to get back to sleep on his own without your presence.
If a nappy needs changing, change it with minimum fuss and then gently put him/her back down.

5. Don'ts

Engage in boisterous play in the hour before bed
Give your child fizzy drinks/caffeine/chocolate/coloured sweets (may contain stimulants) in the 2 hours before bed
Let your child watch TV or use the computer immediately before bed
If your child wakes during the night don't switch the light on/play with him.
Beyond 6 months, your child should not need a bottle of milk during the night. If you think your child may be thirsty, stick to bottled water.
Don't leave a child crying inconsolably. Check and make sure they are not unwell/hurt then soothe them and leave.
Don't use the bed or bedroom as a punishment

6. Should my child sleep in their own bed?

There are no right or wrong answers; you will have to decide what suits you best. Here are some pros and cons of your child sleeping in their own bed to help you make up your mind

Pros:
Your child has its own bed space and is not disturbed by you
Your baby does not rely on you to go to sleep at night and again if it wakes during the night
You are not disturbed by the noise/wriggling of your child
There is no danger of crushing (especially if you drink heavily or take sedating medication)
You have space and time for intimacy with your partner
There will be no conflict of interest when a new baby comes along
You may find it difficult to transfer your child to sleeping in their own bed in the future

Cons:
You miss out on the all night cuddles
Less ease of feeding during the night
It maybe easier to settle your baby to sleep in the short term

7. Are there any other tips for getting my child to sleep?

It is important to make sure that there isn't a reason why your child is waking. Is the bedroom too hot or too cold? Is there a noisy TV or radio nearby? If your child is bedwetting, snoring, itching or coughing, speak to your GP as they may be able to help.

For younger children/babies if they don't go off to sleep straight away, it is ok to leave them awake in their cot.

If you still have trouble getting your child to sleep, speak to your Health Visitor or GP about "sleep training." You may have a Health Visitor who specialises in sleep problems in your area and some areas have access to "Sleep Clinics".

If your toddler has difficulty getting to sleep you could try cutting out their day time nap and making sure that they engage in some kind of physical play during the day (the recommended amount of physical activity for children is an hour every day). Getting outside increases the amount of melatonin (a sleep promoting hormone) produced by the body, so try to get your child to play outside for a period every day.

8. My child wakes too early, what can I do?

It may be that your child is disturbed by the day light, especially in the summer. Thick blinds or black out curtains are a good way to block out the light in your child's bedroom.

Many children are naturally early risers. Make sure that they have safe soft toys to play with in their bed or cot, if they wake too early. There are some speciality clocks on the market, which can let your child know when it is acceptable for them to start making noise. My daughter had a clock with the face of a rabbit and when it got to 6.30 am, the rabbit's ears would go up.

Hang in there. Usually when your child starts school, they are exhausted and tend to sleep in longer.

9. Nightmares and night terrors

From about 2 years your child may have nightmares. A nightmare is a vivid bad dream. Your child may wake distressed and find it difficult to get back to sleep.
This is normal, however nightmares may start following a traumatic event in your child's life, so this possibility is important to explore if your child suddenly starts having them.

If your child has a nightmare, you should soothe them and reassure them.

Night terrors are different from nightmares as your child may have his/her eyes open but will still be asleep. They may be distressed or crying and this can be upsetting to watch as a parent, but they do not harm your child and you will find that they will have no recollection of the terror in the morning.

If your child has a night terror, do not wake them, but soothe them and then settle them down to sleep when you can.

Most children grow out of both nightmares and night terrors by the age of 10.

10. My child sleep walks, what can I do?

Sleep walking is a little like a night terror, in that your child will still be asleep, but instead of being frightened or distressed, they move around and sometimes talk instead.

There is no need to wake your child, simply guide them back to bed. It is of course important to make sure that your child is safe. A stair gate across their bedroom doorway can be helpful. Make sure that doors and windows are locked, fires protected with a guard and that knives and tools are put away.

The Origins of Gingham

Gingham is a medium - weight balanced plain woven fabric made of carded or combed, medium or fine yarns, where the colouring is on the warp yarns and always along the grain. Gingham has no right or wrong side with respect to colouur.

Tha name originates from an adjective in the Malay language, ging -gang, meaning striped. Some sources say that the name came into the  English language via the Dutch, whilst others maintain that the name was derived from Italy. When originally imported into Europe in the 17th century it was a striped fabric, although now it is distinguished by its check pattern.

From the mid  18th century,when it was being produced in the mills of Manchester, it started to be woven into checked or plaid patterns ( often blue and white). Checked gingham became more common over time, though striped gingham was still available in the late Victorian period.

The production of gingham was a major economic boon to Manchester and the surrounding areas. In the New World , gingham made the textile industry a powerful force in what is now the Virginias, the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama.

Gingham is used in many applications today. Gingham shirts were really popular with Mods in the 1960's and continued to be identified with fans of indie music and mod music with brands like Fred Perry!

Cool and crisp, and yet soft to the touch, gingham is a perfect fabric for bed linens. It is also very easy to clean.