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Emma Cossey

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Emma CosseyEmma is our resident fashion specialist, having worked as a blogger and writer on a number of fashion and beauty websites. She blogs over at http://randombloggingsofawan nabe.blogspot.com/

6 Feature-packed baby changing units

Babies, Baby essentials, ParentView

If you've got the room to fit one in, a changing unit can be a serious time and back-saver. The units enable you to to keep all your changing bits in one place, and many of the options come with a removable baby bath.

Whether you like the classic wooden look, like the East Coast Clara Dresser Changing Unit on the right (Auravita, £58.41) or the more modern lightweight options, there are plenty of options available to you.

The main benefit of having a changing unit is that it keeps everything in one place, and if you're strapped for space, you might want to look at one of the units with wheels, so you can pop it away in a wardrobe or cupboard when it's not in use.

Tempted to splash out? Look at these options for inspiration.

Twitter Follow Friday on ParentDish UK


Here are our favourite parenting Tweets of the week from some of the parents we follow on Twitter. Follow ParentDish UK on Twitter to join the discussion!



Jmomma07

@Jmomma07 My 3yr old offered the dog M&Ms if she goes potty outside....his reward for going on the potty.


boycrazymom316


@boycrazymom316 my son told me I was "beautiful just like the monsters"!!! mmmmmmm okay! :)


VeryBoredHouse


@VeryBoredHouse anyone elses kid just parrot questions back at you 'what do you want to eat?' 'eat??' gahh


ThePrude


@ThePrude Knitting another shawl out of baby alpaca yarn (grande) this time...alpaca is addicting! It's poor man's cashmere after all! ;)


DiaryofaNewMom

@DiaryofaNewMom There was a pregnant woman in my spinning class. Like pregnancy doesn't offer enough opportunities for puking?!

Lovely landline phones for children

Recently, Joanne wrote a post about her ten-year-old daughter who wants a mobile phone. The main argument presented by her daughter was that all her friends had one (an argument I'm sure many readers will have heard at one time or another)

With children as young as four or five getting mobile phones, it can be difficult to resist their pleas. However, it might be worth considering alternative options.

If their main reason for wanting a phone is to keep in contact with their friends, it's a good idea to remind them that they can use the landline (especially if you've got a decent free minutes deal!)

Not convinced them yet? Here's a selection of fun novelty landlines, like the Lips one on the right from Nicomm for £9.45, to get them to pick up the phone.

Nightlights that help your child to sleep

Kid decor & style, ParentView

Night time is often scary for kids, mainly thanks to all the stories of monsters that come out when the sun goes down. Joanne has looked at some clever lego nightlights in the past to help with night-time anxiety, along with offering her top tips for how to deal with this fear.

Nightlights are often gadgets that appeal to both kids and their parents, and there are a number of lighting options arriving on the market which are suitable from birth to adulthood.

This Beba light on the right is from online store Alessi, and comes in blue or green (£16). The nightlight has a kitsch quality that wouldn't look out of place in an adult's room, but the fairy wings make it suitable for young girls or boys.

Here are four more nightlights to chase away those night fears, giving you a peaceful and nightmare-free night!

Outdoor games for garden fun

Thanks to all the snow we've had over the last few months, the kids have probably had more chance than usual during winter to play outside. But now the weather is improving you can start to think about pulling out the old garden games and encouraging them to let go of the TV remote/game controller/keyboard and venture into the garden.

Paddling pools are a cheap investment for easy outdoor play. The Wave Pool on the right is from ELC, and is only £5. You can also fill it with playballs if you don't fancy a mini-flood in your garden.

It's not quite warm enough for a paddling pool, so in the meantime check out these ideas for family fun outdoors.

Welcome spring with some new childrenswear

Baby & toddler clothes

It's been a week now of slightly-warm sunshine, so I think we can officially conclude that spring has arrived. I love the way spring seems to bring out the best in people. Everyone seems happier, more optimistic and they even seem to drive better!

The sunshine also means we can cast off some of the thicker, more mundane pieces of clothing and embrace a little bit of colour. We've already looked at floral maternity dresses, but what about the kids?

Retailers have been quick to take advantage of the sunshine, like Adams who have bought out this spotted t-shirt (available in a variety of colours, £4.99) with a touch of Alice in Wonderland whimsical charm.

Inspired to hit the shops? Here are a few more items for your basket.


What mum really wants this Mothering Sunday

Just for mums, Latest news

We've talked a fair amount on ParentDish recently about great gifts for mums, including crafty ideas, pampering breaks and thoughtful gifts. However, a new survey suggests that what the majority of mums really want this Sunday is a little more time to do their own thing.

62% of mothers felt they don't have enough hours in the day to get everything done. The researcher then asked them what they'd do if they were given an hour extra a day for their own activities rather than for their usual workload.

The results suggest that mothers yearn for time to themselves doing simple things that a childless individual might take for granted, rather then anything luxurious or expensive.

Things they want to do include:

The Mothering Sunday card to raise awareness of death during childbirth

Latest news

Finding the mother's card that has just the right amount of warmth and gratitude without resorting to vomit-worthy sappiness can be a difficult task. I'm guilty of resorting to the humorous retro card, and popping my own soppy message inside, but this year I might be considering a card from Million Mums.

The charity has created a couple of free cards from artist and film-maker Sam Taylor-Wood and designer Kelly Hoppen MBE, which have been designed to raise awareness of the need to save women and newborns during childbirth in the developing world.

Every minute a woman dies needlessly in childbirth, and often her baby will die with her. The charity have teamed up with many other charities and groups to lobby the government to address the preventable deaths of women and children worldwide.

Blooming Marvellous! Baby clothing to make you coo

Baby & toddler clothes

Blooming Marvellous has always been a firm favourite with their range of trendy maternity clothing, and their leather changing bags are equally popular. Their real strengths however lies in their baby clothing range.

Cute and trendy without falling into the usual traps of 'mini-adult' clothing, the range includes a selection of sleepsuits, outerwear, twin sets and swimwear for babies ranging from newborn to 18-months.

This Hatley skinny fit butterfly sleepsuit on the right comes in a multi-coloured butterfly pattern with a zip front to enable quick changing. The sleepsuit is £14.

Here's a few more top picks from the range.

New 'brain washing' treatment saves babies' lives

Medical conditions, Latest news

A pioneering new treatment could prove to dramatically reduce disability in newborn babies. The treatment involves removing toxic fluid from premature babies suffering from brain haemorrhages. This then takes some of the pressure off the brain, reducing the risk of disability.

The treatment is led by doctors in Bristol, based on research on hydrocephalus taken over the last twenty years.

The treatment works by placing two tubes into the ventricles of the brain after a newborn has suffered from a brain haemorrhage. One tube sucks out all the fluid, whilst the other pumps clear fluid in. Once the fluid leaving the brain is clear, the process is complete. It usually takes around three days.

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