A healthy smile ....

As a mother of two under 5, I know how tough it can be to do the best for your children, in all areas of their upbringing, all of the time. I am human and not perfect! In terms of being healthy, children will nearly always choose and want the unhealthy options and after endless whining and tantrums it's easy to give in (sometimes). I don't like to go overboard on either sugar or artificial sweeteners but a little of each won't do any harm.
Sitting in the dentist waiting room last week, I read an article by the Children's Dental Practice stating that tooth decay is caused, simply, by sugar. Surely that's just common sense isn't it? But with lots of hidden sugars in things which we think are healthy, fruit juice for example, we as parents can often be guilty. The best and simplest way to prevent tooth decay is by limiting the amount of sugar your child has. Here is some good practical advise which the article shared with it's readers:
1. Clean your child's teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste as soon as first teeth appear
2. Use a natural fibre toothbrush to start with (Mamissima stocks natural fibre toothbrushes)
3. Ensure sure the level of fluoride is at least 1000pm up to 3 years and 1450-1500 over 3 years of age.
4. Children should spit out, but not rinse
5. Keep sweets, cakes, chocolate as treats and avoid sugary drinks
6. Avoid fizzy drinks!
7. Be aware of hidden sugars in things like ketchup, baked beans, Nutella - dried fruits such as raisins contain natural sugar in a concentrated form, plus the sticky texture is very bad for teeth!
8. Fruit juices should only be given once a day
9. Offer children nothing but water after brushing their teeth at bedtime
10. Never give baby a sugary drink in the bottle

The power of the Liberty print ...

There’s something very special about a Liberty print isn’t there? Not least, because ever since 1875 Liberty has been synonymous with luxury and great design. 1875! But also because, I believe, the history of Liberty is so fascinating – it was instrumental in the development of Art Nouveau, it relentlessly nurtured and show cased up-and-coming designers, it thrived upon its reputation for eclectic and fashionable design, and its store in London still holds the title of one of the leading fashion destinations in the world. Whatever you buy sporting a liberty print will be recognised, admired and worth every penny you spent on it – it’s like a little slice of that wonderful reputation of fashion and quality. So we are very excited to have found some wonderful children’s clothing for you, fashioned from liberty prints, by HoneyChild. They are handmade in the UK and mix two Liberty prints in soft cotton. We also have Liberty print Dribblebuster Bibs, perhaps more suitable for boys, which add a touch of that luxury and quality which both and your baby can enjoy. The bibs make great little gifts too.

To learn more about the history of Liberty, click here.

Decisions, decisions ....

....baby names! Naming your baby is a big part (one of the fun parts!) of the whole pregnancy chapter and something which we as parents pour over and over from the start of conception, sometimes even before, and right the way through until that moment when you finally meet your son or daughter. Most couples will have a list of 4 or 5 names for girls, and the same for boys. And aren't girls names easier to come up with?! Names have meanings, taken from religion or language, and also meanings for us in terms of treasured family members, hero's, heroines, movie stars even! So it's a big deal. Here at Mamissima we have been tweeting popular 'Brighton' names we hear frequently in our shop. It's great fun and very interesting! Sign up for our tweets, @mamissima, to keep up with what's hot in the naming game. And if you're still stuck for ideas then there's even a website devoted entirely to baby names http://www.babynames.co.uk/ !

Christening Presents

With the start of Spring there are not only new beginnings in nature but there always seems to be a baby boom too! Not sure if it's just here in Brighton but there are lots of Spring babies about! Which means Christening season will soon be upon us.

I struggle with Christenings as I can never think of something beautiful and original to give as a gift. Traditionally, the gift should be something meaningful and something that will last forever, that the child can keep and look back on in adult life, almost like an heirloom. Silver spoons and silver bangles were de rigueur when I was a babe, and I do still have my silver bangle (somewhere). So how have things changed and what are the most unique and beautiful gifts for our babies now?

We still have the traditional things like a silver spoon (this one chimes!) or silver rattle, which may not be the most original gift but often the old ones are still the best. A nice alternative, and much more contemporary to the silver bangle is a friendship bracelet , on which you can have a name engraved and a birth date. Or a slightly more glamorous version of a bangle is this pretty coil bracelet with little charm. If jewellery is not your thing, and you're not a direct relative to the baby then you'll probably want to go for something a bit less traditional and perhaps more fun. I think a money box is a great Christening gift, every child should have one, and it sends a good early message about the importance of saving pennies!

For more ideas, take a look here. And if you still need some help, then give us a call at the shop where we'd be very happy to help 01273 626 676

How to Keep a Pregnancy Journal

The journey of pregnancy and having a baby is such a huge, mind-blowing, life-changing experience that you'd think it impossible to forget each and every stage and all the emotions that go hand-in-hand. But you do forget, the tiny details at least which are often the ones which are so joyous to be remembered. Like your first scan, your last day at work, the day you and your partner finished off the nursery, the day you bought your babies teddy that will stay with them for the rest of their life. There are so many memories and feelings, probably more than you will ever experience at any other time of your life, and it would be a crying shame not to be able to re-visit them and relish in them all over again.

A Pregnancy Journal can help you do that and it can also be a wonderful gift to your child later in life. During your pregnancy, write a diary to your unborn child telling them how you're feeling, how you are changing, how they are growing, what you are enjoying, and what you're not enjoying! A daily schedule of your life before baby arrives will be very different to that of when they are born! Include your maternity notes, scan pictures, baby shower cards, all reminders of the time leading up to the birth, and a lovely idea is to keep a newspaper from the day your baby is born so they can see what was going on in the world the day they were born.

Take a look at the Pregnancy Journals we stock here at Mamissima, and start to plan your precious book of memories.

Glass bottles are better for baby .....

Glass feeding bottles are becoming increasingly popular with parents amidst scientific proof that they are safer for your baby, and the environment. Polycarbonate (plastic) baby bottles contain Bisphenol-A, which has been found to migrate from the bottle into the milk. Alarmingly, Bisphenol A is a Developmental, Neural, and Reproductive Toxicant. Whilst we are all exposed to this in bottled water and drinks bottles, and other plastic packaging, babies are especially at risk as the amount of toxin ingested is large compared to their body weight. Plus a baby's organs are still growing and will be more affected than those of an adult. For more information see the Environmental Health Reports on Baby Bottles.

So what's the alternative? Glass. Our Green Baby Glass Bottles are 100% safe and bisphenol-A free, therefore do not leach toxins, and the cap is a BA free polypropolane. They are also hygienic: glass does not retain smells or tastes from previous feeds; practical: made of heat resistant, toughened glass so can be washed in a dishwasher, boiled or steam sterilized; and another really important feature, sustainable: glass is a recyclable, renewable resource. They are available in 2 sizes; 125ml and 250ml, and all come with a size 2 (3-24mths) medium flow, orthodontic, anti-colic latex teat.

So when presented with this informed, and actually quite shocking, information(read the Health Report) it appears that there really should be no choice; our babies should be fed with glass bottles. Join the crusade against plastic and buy Green Baby Glass Bottles, because the less plastic we buy, the less will be produced.

How to swaddle your baby ....

Swaddling is a wonderful way for making a baby feel secure. And if your baby feels secure, your baby will be happy! Swaddling creates a light pressure around your baby's body that may remind him of the pressure he would have felt in the womb. For some babies it becomes the trigger for sleep ... yay! But, like with everything in life, it's not for everyone, so if it doesn't work for your baby then don't despair, we're all different.

To swaddle your baby, spread a cotton cot sheet out flat, with one corner folded over a little. Lay your baby face up on the sheet with his neck resting against the fold. Wrap the left corner of the sheet over his body and tuck it beneath him. Bring the bottom corner over his feet, and then wrap the right corner around him, leaving only his head and neck exposed. Don't cover your baby's face with the sheet, as he could over heat, and swaddling isn't about keeping your baby warm, only snug and secure.

You can swaddle your baby until he is about a month old, after that it could interfere with mobility and development. When your baby begins to kick off the covers, it's a sign he no longer appreciates being bundled snugly.

If you want to try swaddling your baby, then invest in some wonderful 100% organic cotton Swaddling Blankets .