I first went to a local GP who wanted me to put her straight onto one of those adult heartburn drinks, that just didn’t feel right to me.  I did start using Brauers Colic, a natural remedy, but I still needed to address the problem.  I read up on Colic and started doing all sorts of things such as lying her on a fit-ball and rolling her backwards and forwards, tummy massaging, and pulling her knees up to her stomach.  Eventually I found my way to a baby Chiropractor and Physiotherapist which along with time was the key to curing her pain in the end, but in the meantime I needed some relief because NOTHING was stopping that crying for long.  Then a friend lent me a Baby Bjorn.  It was good for keeping my girl upright, but wow it hurt my back!  That was a blessing though, because I realised how much I enjoyed holding my girl close, and that sore back and crying baby led me to baby wearing.  Baby wearing has been an absolute blessing to say the least, but certainly not in a baby carrier that caused her or I any pain.  I was led to properly supporting carriers such as the Baby Wrap Carriers, over the shoulder properly supporting Slings, and as she grew older a Clip Carrier such as an Ergo.

My first properly supporting baby carrier was the Hug a Bub, which is a wrap style of carrier.  When I got that carrier, my world of parenting changed forever!  After working out how to put it on, which wasn’t as daunting as it looked, I slipped my crying baby in, went for a walk… the same walk I’d had her screaming down the neighbourhood in a pram… and she relaxed into a deep and comfortable sleep.  Now I could have cried with relief!  The comfortable supportive position she was in, having her legs in a froggy position, being snuggled in to mummy who was now relaxed, it made the world of difference for my little girl, and being able to go into a deep rest must have helped her overtired state from me having rolled her endlessly over fit-balls in desperation!

Now that I am with my third child, my baby-wearing journey has come a long way.  I actually don’t even own a proper pram, just a cheap second hand one that is occasionally used when they are older.  Not that I feel I have to be some mad hippy mum without a pram, just that we don’t seem to need one.  I look at the price of new prams, and think about how often I would use it, and would much rather spend less on a couple of fantastic slings that I can use inside and outside, than a pram that I have to lug out of the car and use mostly when I go out only, but doesn’t offer me any assistance or calming to baby at home or work.

My parenting world is so much easier with baby wearing.  How?  Well there are a lot of reports out there about how baby wearing helps with bonding, makes for a calmer baby, it has even been shown to help premature babies with their health and growth.  But apart from having a baby that doesn’t need to cry down on a play-mat while I try to get things done, or me having to leave everything because baby needs to be close to me and I need my hands, it helps me have a more peaceful and easy parenting journey.  I get to do things and bond with my baby at the same time, baby wearing is a great remedy for mother guilt.

From the moment I get out of bed, I simply slip my baby into my wrap, and I am hands free with a happy baby so I can concentrate on getting the children ready for school.  When we get to school, no lugging out a pram, and having to manoeuvre it amongst the classrooms and children, I just slip my baby back in and I am hands-free again to help my children settle in.

Now I don’t want you to get the impression that I am wearing her 24 hours a day, and she will never want to be apart from me, nor ever learn to walk!  Of course none of that would be true even if I did wear her all day, quite the opposite actually as a secure baby tends to have more genuine confidence and sooner.  However I do put her down to sleep when she is happy to, I do take her out and play, and do all the normal baby things, but when I want to get something done, when she is grizzly, if we want to go for a walk, we use a sling or carrier.  Actually I would find it much more difficult to find time to do those normal things without one.  Baby wearing makes life so much easier to adapt to with baby!

Baby wearing even helps my social life.  When we go out, instead of bringing in a bulky pram, I just slip my baby into a sling, and she usually stays asleep for the whole outing, or in the very least is content just to sit with me.

Right now my three favourites that I wear every single day with my now 11 week old, are the Ellaroo Ring Sling, the Breezebaby Sling and the Babyboo Wrap.

The Babyboo WrapI use for when we are wearing over an extended period of time and I know she will be sleeping.  It is also wonderful for when I will be bending over a lot such as hanging washing as it holds her head and body in against me.  This one is made from a Bamboo blend, and has extra wide width, nice and stretchy, so I find the perfect most comfortable position within seconds.  It makes her feel weightless, and she sleeps in comfort.

The Ellaroo is an organic Ring Sling with nice width over the shoulders so it doesn’t pull on me.  I can slip her in there really quickly, and she can either rest off to sleep or have a good look around.  I tend to use that one when I pop into the store to work for a while, or in the afternoon school pick up, when she is less likely to sleep for a long period.

This was Christmas Eve, she was a couple of weeks old. A sling is also great for hiding post baby flab soon after birth! Our tradition is to go fishing on the local Jetty, see how easy it is? I couldn't imagine bringing a pram along the Jetty.

The Breeze Baby Sling is a mesh style ring sling.  Don’t we all deserve to have a nice relaxing shower?  Isn’t it hard when you are in the shower and your baby decides that he/she can’t stand to be in that bouncer or play mat any longer?  Well the Breeze Baby allows me to shower with my baby, still hands free, and she loves having our showers.  It is also an incredible way to relax a baby who is crying, it calms her every time!

In the shower, she is blissfully asleep and I am even hands-free enough to get this photograph!

So as a busy working mother of 3 children, manager of a very busy store, and housewife, I can highly recommend baby wearing.  It sure makes my life a lot easier, and my children calmer.

Which leads me to the question – What is Co Sleeping?

According to Wiki  ‘Co-sleeping is a practice in which babies and young children sleep close to one or both parents, as opposed to in a separate room. It is standard practice in many parts of the world, and is practiced by a significant minority in countries where cribs are also used.’

While Co Sleeping can simply mean sleeping near to baby, such as having the baby’s Cot or Bassinet in the same room as the parent’s bed, it also includes Bed Sharing with parents.  Co Sleeping seems to be yet another label we have given to a practice which has always and naturally been done by many, but since the 19th Century, numbers of ‘Co Sleepers’ in certain areas of the world have reduced because of the introduction of the Crib.

But have numbers of Co Sleepers really reduced, or has the admittance of Co Sleeping reduced?

In Australia, if you speak to many families they will be all too quick to say ‘Oh no we would never Co Sleep!’.  But when we enquire further, we find out that they do at times end up falling asleep on the couch with their children, in the rocking chair while feeding, or the children end up in their parent’s bed at some stage during the night. Isn’t that Co Sleeping?

If we were to compare the two scenario’s, the parents who readily admit to Co Sleeping, and therefore take measures to make sure that the sleeping environment is safe in which to do so, and the parents who won’t admit to Co Sleeping and inevitably end up doing so in some way or another, which sounds more dangerous? What would happen if we didn’t use the label of Co Sleeping so that parents could remove their focus from denying doing so, and instead discuss sleeping safely?

I am not afraid to say that I Co Sleep! I am not afraid to openly state so.  Why? Because by openly stating so, I take the responsibility to make sure that our sleeping environment is safe. I will shout it from the rooftops in the hopes that by me saying so and sharing how I do it safely, it pulls some other parents out of denial so that they will also take the measures needed to sleep with baby safely.  There is a huge difference between making a purposefully safe sleeping environment for baby, and having an environment that is not safe that baby or child sometimes shares.

I don’t however feel that I need to explain why I co sleep, after all we all have our own reasons.

I do want to share how I make sure that our Bed Sharing sleeping environment is safe.

• When a baby is small too small to move him/herself out if a bigger person were to roll on or smother them, the baby shares with mum alone. Or if sleeping alone with mum is not possible the baby should be placed between mum and the wall or bed rail, and dad/partner/older children next to mum on the other side. Why? Mum is usually the one who is more in tune with the baby, other family members can more easily roll onto baby while remaining oblivious to doing so.
• In that same vein of not wanting to put the baby at risk of somebody rolling on them, never ever sleep in the same bed or surface as a baby if you have been drinking or taking drugs. An intoxicated state makes you less aware, and more likely to roll onto baby.
• It is better to have a firm mattress so that when an adult is lying next to baby, the baby does not roll into the adult. A product such as a Snuggle Bed can help keep baby on a safe flat surface.
• Baby should have his/her own safe bedding, never share your bedding with your baby. Why? Your bedding could easily be pulled up over baby when you are heavily sleeping.  Therefore, your bedding should be kept well away from baby, including pillows, so much so that when you are wriggling around during the night you could not accidentally move your bedding over to baby.
• The perfect bedding for baby is simply something that baby wears, no cushions or pillows, loose blankets, or anything that is able to be pulled up over baby’s face.  This type of bedding is a bit different to what you would use if baby is in a cot where sheets/blankets can be tucked underneath. Suitable products for Bed Sharing include Baby Zippered Sleeping Bags, Wraps that cannot unravel, and Zippered Swaddle Wraps, they all good safe options.  If baby needs to be warmer, layering clothing is a good idea, however many of these products come in weighted options to allow you to put them in a warm enough Bag or Wrap for them not to need further bedding.
• No smoking! This isn’t a safety issue specific to Bed Sharing, however important to note here because a baby sleeping next to a smoker is subjected to breathing in more toxins. Smoking poses a health risk to babies in terms of SIDS and other ongoing health conditions such as Asthma.
• Have a specific, set, safe spot for Co Sleeping. Being open to Co Sleeping does not mean letting go of all safety rules to fall asleep on the couch. It means having a specific space set up, such as a spot in the family bed, so that you can ensure it is safe at all times.
• Be realistic! Are you a very heavy sleeper? Is your weight heavy enough to cause a dip even in your firmer mattress? Do you have hair that needs to be tied back? Do you wear nightwear with long straps or items that can become wrapped around baby? Remove all of your risks, even if you are the risk, it is important to take notice of what you have that could harm baby during sleep when you are not awake to be taking notice.
• If ever you need to leave baby alone, for example to get up earlier in the morning than when baby wakes, make sure you thoroughly inspect the environment to remove any dangers. If your baby is on the move, be aware that they can roll around the whole bed, so even removing your sheets and bedding when you leave may be important, as they can become tangled up. Be open to getting baby up with you, even into a sling, when you need to get up in the morning, just to ensure their safety.
• Do not EVER Co Sleep unless you and those with you are fully committed to taking all measures to ensure it is done safely.

When done safely, there is plenty of evidence to show that Co Sleeping actually helps promote a safer sleeping environment than when a baby is left alone in another room.

I personally follow all of the rules above. My currently little baby is put into a snug baby wrap when I get up in the morning to get the older children ready for school.  We sleep restfully, and safely, and I don’t have to wake up bleary eyed in the morning from trying to stay awake in a chair feeding my baby during the night.  It suits us perfectly.

So if you do Co Sleep or Bed Share, somehow, somewhere, please do be open about it so that others can feel they can also, and do it safely!

These days I am bringing in my 3 children, who have all grown up in mummy’s store.  Then the staff who are still breastfeeding will have their children brought in for their feed.  Visiting staff will bring in their children.  It can be a lot of fun, we are like one big family when we are in there.

As my children have grown up in the store, it can be a bit like a second home for them.  They are very comfortable in there, and it has been interesting to see what they get up to.  Apart from wanting to bring in their scooters to scoot around when there are not customers in store, or helping us out where they can, it has been fun to see them set up their little ‘tables’.

This started at home.  They would get a little children’s table, set it out the front and either offer their toys for sale, or a free colouring in drawing (an outline drawing they have done so that other children can colour them in), or even the ‘pat our dog’ stand!  Soon they started setting up tables at the front of the store.  More recently we have had the ‘let me show you a magic trick’, and yesterday my oldest was offering story time in the photography section to all visiting children.

The Tiny Photography Studio for Head in the Clouds Photography.  

It is lovely to see them mimic what mummy does, and fun to see their confidence and excitement.  Really when they have to wait long stretches of time while I get some work done in store, they are brilliant at finding ways to entertain themselves.  They make me very proud.

My little girl with me at the Henna Belly and Body Painting day we had in store.  It was a wonderful day!  Photograph compliments of the talented Victoria Berekmeri.

It has been 5 years since I have had a newborn, and I was thinking that my nappy choices would greatly change in this time, as new brands have come out at a rapid rate.  There certainly is more variety with the new All In Two’s, they weren’t around back then.  However, for my staple lot, as in the ones I use the most, I have gone back to what I used back then!  I am very surprised.  I am complimenting with some of the new nappies, that is fun, but my old favourites are proving themselves to be the most reliable, nicest fit, most comfortable for my baby, so I use them the most.

For the first time, I have a heavier wetter.  What I used to use for my other children, isn’t lasting as long between changes for this baby.  So that is making it interesting, and giving me a better education on how to help customers with heavier wetting babies.  So what are my  3 favourites?

1. MOMMY’S TOUCH ONE SIZE – available in a Pocket Nappy, All In One, All In Two and Cover, so plenty of variety.  All of them are One Size Fits All and available in Snaps or Velcro.  I have once again grabbed my All In One, the Velcro (touch tape) version.  Why?  It is really easy to put on and fits nicely around the legs.  Doesn’t pull on her belly.  Holds and absorbs really well.  Soft and pliable between the legs so baby can straighten them.  Easy to add a Newborn Bummis Prefold underneath for extra absorbency.  Comes in gorgeous colours.  So many reasons.
    This is the Mommy’s Touch on my 1wk old, see how soft and pliable it is, nice fit around the legs but no pulling anywhere?  Love it!  Oh and she is wearing a Nature’s Cradle Organic Singlet of course!
2. ORGANIC COTTON BUMMIS PREFOLDS – These are just plain simple!  They are nice and trim, absorbent, and so versatile.  As my babe is a heavy wetter, I have had to use the Newborn size in conjunction with other absorbency such as Mother Ease Bamboo Boosters, or I have used the Newborn Prefolds in other nappies such as the Mommy’s Touch above.  But that is all good, because the Prefolds are so versatile, just because my newborn has been outwetting the newborn size, hasn’t meant I couldn’t use them.  I have simply gone straight up to the Infant size to use them on their own, and used the Newborn ones with my other bits and pieces.  Perfect!
   Simply place a prefold into a cover, folded as they are in the picture here, and a flushable liner on top.
3. DISANA ORGANIC TIE UP NAPPIES WITH WOOL COVERS – I really didn’t want things that were rough, or un natural on my baby.  The first nappy I reached for was my Disana Tie Up.  I must admit even I found them a bit fiddly to start with for a newborn with curled up legs.  But the fact that this is the only nappy which didn’t require me to use things that pulled or pressed on her, I felt most comfortable using it.  Putting the Disana Organic Wool  Cover over the top, meant super comfort for her, super absorbency and reliability for me!
   This is the Disana Tie Up Nappy…. all tied up.  See how comfy it is?

So there you have it!  My selection for favourite nappies for a Newborn.  In my stash is a large proportion of these 3, and I have a few lovely newborn sized All In Two’s and All In Ones, even some little Fitted Nappies to use with my covers.  It has been a lot of fun mixing and matching, as you don’t have to use the same brands together, you can mix one brand cover with another brand inner without an issue.  Here is one I had been holding aside for 3 years just waiting for a newborn to use it with.

This is a Bubblebubs Newborn Just Hatched All In One, nice and easy, does up with velcro, fits beautifully.  My little girl is wearing it with another Nature’s Cradle Organic Singlet of course!!!

I will continue to write more about nappies, how to use them on newborns, and how different brands have worked for us.

Not only is this time immensely enjoyable, being able to snuggle with a newborn, but now I also get to try out being a new mum again, try the products we have found since I last had a baby, fun fun fun!

Over the next months, amongst store news, I will be sharing about the products that I have been finding useful, the nappies, the slings, and the fun of juggling 3 children while working in Nature’s Cradle.

Today we got a lovely gift from our supplier of Dandelion, Ellaroo and Baby Luxe products… a Breganwood Organics Sleepy Owl Bath Mitt.  It is so cute, and lovely colours.  I must say, using a Hand Mitt to wash a baby makes the job so much easier.  They are so delicate and so slippery in a bath, so being able to have a mitt to slip over your hand makes bath time so much easier.  Have a look, isn’t it cute?

Not only was it a favourite toy for him, but our whole family love it… even our visitors last night all got into it!  We had adults, children, everybody lining up for a game.

What we love -

• No sound/lights…. or batteries!!!
• Made of Environmentally Friendly strong Rubberwood
• Ethically made, of superior quality
• It will last for all of our children (and visitors!), and then we will be able to pull it out for our grandchildren
• This is a table top version, so we can put it up on the table, or play it on the floor, and then slip it away easily
• Everybody loves playing it, a very addictive but fun game!

We have had the Fridge To Go in stock for a while, and while I have been meaning to actually get one out to use for myself, I finally have and I must declare, I AM IN LOVE!  A strange concept I know, in love with a lunch bag, but seriously this thing is fantastic.

Why so excited about a lunch bag?  Well it is good to have nice fresh food while Pregnant, of course, and this pack makes it so easy.  It is of course BPA free, an essential requirement.  But it’s features really make it stand out from the rest.  They are -

• A thin Ice Brick, that takes no room, and sits in its own pocket inside the bag.  That means no bulky ice brick crushing your food, and coolness through the whole bag.
• A long handle so I can sling it over my shoulder, after all when carrying a baby in belly and looking after my other children, it is much easier on me to carry it that way than have to worry about holding another bag.
• Pockets front and back, one with a Zipper and another with Velcro.  That means I can use it as a bag when popping out, with my keys, money, etc in the outer pockets, and food and drinks inside.  Of course using a BPA Free Drink Bottle!

So I have now been happily taking anything I could want for lunch, nice fresh cool food, and looking after myself… like every pregnant woman should!

They have set up a gorgeous studio space where our Play Area used to be, and we are doubling this space as our new relax area for customers when the studio is not in use.  Head in the Clouds will be offering a new photography package called Tiny.  Focussing on newborns to 12 months, with the most divine photographs, now new mothers will be able to combine their Organic Baby shopping trip with a Photography Session, and if they like they can even get some adorable Hand Castings with Happy Castings.

Now we are truly a One Stop Natural Baby Shop, where you can come and get those special treasures of your Newborn Days.

Of course, a studio move in was the perfect excuse for a store shuffle around.  The girls had a most wonderful time playing with the layout, and making the store look yet more beautiful again.

We are now entering another curve on our path, one which we have dabbled with in the past. But it has recently become apparent how much this path fits in with our very original goals and dreams, our ‘heart song’ as some may call it. This new direction has had me reflecting on our past, and how we have consistently made our decisions according to this ‘heart song’.

When I reflect over our history at Nature’s Cradle, while we have grown and changed, there has been one major consistency, and that is that everything we do must resonate with what is in our hearts. Every decision we have made, has been with the intention of doing what feels right, feels good, feels ethical. When we choose brands to stock, one major consideration has always been ethics, we need to feel good about what we present to our Customers. When we choose locations, we consider what would be most convenient for our Customers, it must offer great off street parking for Mothers and Babies, and allow us to offer that little bit more such as workshops or local facilities. When we renovate we want to take care of the environment so we recycle, use natural light, low VOC paints, Eco Friendly Flooring. Everything we do must feel good to our souls.

When I opened my first little store, baby in arms, my main intention was to –
“Make it easy for parents to find natural products for their babies, thus giving more babies a better chance at a natural start to life.”

Originally, starting a little store, we intended to open stores all over Australia, with the main aim to reach more parents. I have come to realise over the years, particularly being a parent myself, that it is not always convenient, or easy, to get to a particular store, especially if you are not in that direct vicinity. As we want to reach babies far and wide, we have come to realise that a team of ‘Nature’s Cradle Consultants’ is the way to reach more people, in more convenient ways.

So we have re-entered this curve in the path, the one started on a few years ago, but now we are going all the way. It took a heartbeat to start several Consultants already, and I am enjoying this journey with them immensely.

I must say, this is probably as, if not more, exciting than opening a new store. The possibilities to reach more parents this way, is endless. We are also giving so many parents across Australia an opportunity to represent products that make their hearts sing, as well as being able to have their own career while being able to look after their children, on their own terms.

This is the new way of Nature’s Cradle, while we love our beautiful store, this path will allow us to fulfil our dreams and really make our Hearts Sing!

There has been much excitement, which is lovely. After all we did offer this due to customer requests. However, what has been most wonderful, is watching the customer interactions. We have seen parents helping each other out when they have been unable to ‘tag’ themselves in photos to enter the competition. They have been hopping in and offering advice before we could get there, and offering to tag others if somebody was having difficulty. There have also been supportive conversations, such as one about Premature Babies. All of that support, and connection, over a competition! Connection and support is what Nature’s Cradle is about, so it makes us feel wonderful to see it happen before our eyes on our Facebook page.

We are drawing the winner next Tuesday, we only wish that we could give many out so that everybody could experience the feeling of a Wrap Carrier like the Hug a Bub

The Hug a Bub Wrap Carrier may look like a very long piece of fabric, but such simplicity provides the most comfort for baby and adult. This Wrap Carrier is so comfortable, that it is the first one we recommend if a customer has a back issue. It is the only Carrier to completely cover your back, and both shoulders, so well that it feels like you are wearing a baby tucked in a tight t-shirt. While the fabric may look long, it really takes only 30 seconds to tie up, and you can keep it on when you take baby out if you are going to wear it again later, because it does look a lot like a piece of clothing.

The beauty of the Hug a Bub is the way it feels. For the Wearer, it makes carrying baby practically weightless. This is due to the baby being held up against your body, rather than hanging off you like other carriers. For baby, they are getting full support, very much like being held in your arms but even more supportive as the fabric wraps accross their back and under their body. These are really helpful to calm restless babies and babies suffering with Colic, they will often happily sleep for hours in a Wrap Carrier.

For me personally, being able to snuggle a baby up in a Wrap Carrier is one of the most enjoyable parts of having a little bubs. They feel so warm, so settled, so happy against you. A warm little snuggled ball tucked right against my chest, and then when you pull the warm little body out, baby is still curled up rested, it is so adorable. I am so looking forward to experiencing that again, hopefully in about 8 months time.

We look forward to seeing who the lucky winner is!