A baby was left sleeping inside a locked care alone in the car park near a supermarket.

But it’s OK, because she left a note pinned to the baby to say she’d gone shopping, and ring me if the baby wakes up!

Apparently the note said:

“My mum’s in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything”

A couple parked next to the car and waited for the Mum, but she didn’t return. They took a picture of the baby and a radio DJ then posted that on facebook (which kind of opens up several new areas of concern!)

According to the Daily Mail, police have been unable to trace the Mother yet, and if traced she may be investigated, as the local law states that if a child under the age of 14 is left alone for an “unreasonable time or unreasonable conditions,” the parent or guardian could be fined up to $2,000 New Zealand dollars, or approximately £1,000.

What do you think?

The problem I guess is this, is it unacceptable to leave the sleeping baby in the car at all, or if not then how long is too long?

And if you think not at all, then that includes going to get the parking ticket, paying for petrol at the petrol station etc. Older Mums might remember when you’d park the pram outside the shop and leave it without thinking twice, so when did we get just so protective these days?

picture courtesy facebook

Maintain your fashion sense

Some ladies want to hide the fact that they are pregnant for various reasons. This makes them end up looking bigger than they really are because they attempt to hide the pregnancy by putting on oversized dresses. Instead of looking comical in baggy dresses, choose dresses that are well-fitting yet comfortable. Dresses made from materials that stretch a bit are recommended. These can be combined with jackets and blazers in cold weather to bring out a stylish yet professional look.

Pair your skirts with leggings

During winter, you can pair your skirts with leggings or maternity tights to keep your legs warm. Choose the ones that can stretch or have panels which provide space for growth of your body. Consider the material the legging is made from so that you get one that is soft against the skin. The leggings you select needs to complement the color of the skirt you combine with. This is such an’ in vogue’ look, you can be warm comfortable and stylish at the same time!

Maternity suits

During pregnancy, you may be required to travel or attend a business meeting once in a while. This means you have to present yourself professionally. The best clothes in such a situation are suits which come in a range of high-quality designs and styles.
The main benefit of using maternity suits is that they can be custom-tailored to fit your figure and needs at any stage of your pregnancy. You don’t have to worry about the way you look or how big the pregnancy is, a professional tailor will most definitely come up with a suit for you.
It is essential that you get a suit knitted using high quality fabrics. It is advisable to get one that utilizes a blend of fabrics such as cotton/lycra or wool/lycra. These suits are durable as well as comfortable. The maternity suits are designed in such a way that the pieces can be worn after the pregnancy. Various pieces can be worn together to create a really stunning look.

Length matters

When choosing your maternity clothes, especially blouses and skirts, make sure they are the correct length. For modesty, the skirt should be long enough to cover your knees even when seated. The blouse needs to provide maximum coverage for the expanding ‘bump’. Some people at your workplace might feel embarrassed  getting a glimpse of your exposed belly, yes that’s their problem but sometimes it is prudent to tow the line and cover up, otherwise they might feel tempted to show you their beer belly! Remember, you will gain weight during the pregnancy and you need clothes that will accommodate this, the trick is to try and find clothes that can do that without looking too billowy.
Maternity clothes for the professional woman are created for total comfort and style. It is upon you to come up with a combination that appropriate. You need to maintain your style even with your changing body curves.

After 14 years at the top spot, yes 14 YEARS, Jack was pipped by Oliver in 2009, and has remained there for 2010 as the most popular name for newborn boys.

Jack was 2nd with Harry coming in 3rd.

Alfie is number 4, Charlie up 2 at 5. Thomas a non-mover at 6, William up 1 place to 7, Joshua down 3 at 8. Finally George made it into the top 10, up 2 and James was down 1 to 10.

There was only one new entry in the top ten – George, and only 6 new names in the top 100 – Ollie (up 52 places from 115), Bobby, Caleb, Jenson, Dexter and Kayden.

Girls

Olivia remained the winner again in 2010, with Sophie 2nd, Emily 3rd and Lily in 4th. Amelia came in 5th with Jessica a non-mover at 6.

Ruby at 7 and Chloe at 8 were both down 5 places from last year, Grace was down 2 at 9 and Evie a non-mover at 10.

Once again there were no new entries in the top 10.

There were 6 new girls names in the top 100 this year:  Annabelle, Eliza, Laila, Aisha, Maryam and Maisy.

For those that are curious to know how many gets you to number one, Olivia was the name registered for 5279 babies in 2010, Oliver for 8427.

(Just for clarity we should note that these figures are England and Wales Only)

There is more detail on the National Statistics website

The shop had been promoting this for a short while and was using milk from a 15 women who donated their breast milk to the ice cream’s producer, with the breast milk forming up to 20 per cent of the ingredients.

The ice cream was being sold for £14 a serving, and according to the Guradian, is served by a costumed Baby Gaga waitress who serves the ice cream in a martini glass filled with the breast milk ice cream mix. Liquid nitrogen is then poured into the glass through a syringe and it is served with a rusk.

Apparently you can also ask for it to be served with whisky, which seems a bit odd don’t you think?

The first batch of milk came from Victoria Hiley, and the company are apparently offering £15 for every ten ounces and 13 other mothers have already volunteered to donate.

However, the latest news is that Westminster has reportedly seized samples and sent it off for analysis and told the shop to stop selling it.

And now the story has got even stranger as Lady Ga Ga (seen here performing at Madison Square Gardens in February) is threatening to sue, so things just keep getting better for the Icecreamists, assuming that it was publicity they were after…

But a new review of the evidence, published in the British Medical Journal, suggests that this might be wrong, instead it suggests that four months might be best.

So, what is the study saying?

They say that babies breastfed for six months are at a higher risk of developing anaemia, and that this might lead to mental and motor problems. They have also suggested that food allergies and coeliac disease might have a higher incidence.

However, there were also positive indications that babies exclusively breastfed for six months were less likely to succumb to some infections, such as pneumonia.

This was especially true outside of the West, so that where there is high morbidity and risk of infections then the justification for exclusive breastfeeding for six months was apparently better.

In fact there might not be much new here as the advice from 2009 by the European Food Safety Authority suggested that mothers should introduce solid foods at between four to six months – so the question is not whether but when.

What should a mother do?

Well the first advice is don’t stop or start anything immediately, continue what you are doing and form your own opinion.

To help with this, read the full BMJ article (and not the summary in the newspapers)

http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c5955.full

You could also read the comments on the article, which might help put things into perspective.

Be wary of the baby milk and baby food industry that are no doubt jumping up and down with excitement – so watch out for some cleverly worded adverts in the next few months. Remember that these views were not based on any original research, just a review of existing research and some have suggested that those doing the review may have been biased.

So, at the end of the day, the best advice might be to look for signs that baby is ready for solids and then try them out.

But otherwise don’t fret – there is no hard and fast rule.

Yes, you can do it – here’s how!

You have a number of options available to you if you return to work and want to continue breastfeeding your baby.

It’s well worth knowing the law is on your side in this too.

UK health and safety laws protect breastfeeding, and if you work in the public sector, you are also covered by European law, which states your working conditions must not prevent you breastfeeding.

In practice, under both lots of law, that means employers have to provide somewhere clean and suitable to express and store milk. They can’t change your hours, or your place of work, if it means you have to stop breastfeeding or expressing.

so, just what are your choices?

Expressing by hand or with a breast pump maintains your milk supply, reduces the discomfort of full breasts, and collects the milk for the baby to have later by bottle or cup.

At work, you need somewhere clean and private to express – the ladies’ loos are not suitable, as they may not be hygienic and they are certainly not comfortable.

You need to store your milk somewhere cold – a fridge is fine for 24 hours, and thereafter you should use the freezer. In fact, some research shows it’s safe to keep the milk in the fridge for a lot longer than this, but if you’re sharing a fridge with other people, and you aren’t too sure of its cleanliness, 24 hours would seem sensible.

A coolbag can get the milk home.

If you don’t want to express, you can partially breastfeed, leaving formula for when you’re not at home. This doesn’t work in the first weeks of breastfeeding. The milk supply depends on frequent demands and several hours between feeds can mean your body stops producing. But it can work later on, when the supply becomes well-established.

Getting a baby who’s a dedicated breastfeeder to take a bottle is occasionally a problem. Beyond the age of five or six months, don’t persist if your baby is reluctant – give the formula or expressed milk in a spouted cup instead. A younger baby than this can’t manage a cup very well, even with help, so he/she should have a few practice bottles before you return to work – but not from you. Babies get confused and puzzled if their mothers offer this strange plastic and rubber thing instead of the familiar breast. Ask someone else to try with the bottle instead.

The Maternity Alliance points out it makes good business sense to support breastfeeding. Job satisfaction and loyalty to the company increase, and there’s less absenteeism. ‘Breastfed babies are less likely to fall sick, so their mothers need less time off, ‘ says the Maternity Alliance. Your health is protected, too; breastfeeding reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and some forms of ovarian cancer.

The story is the most complained about story line in the shows 25 history, and the BBC has now announced that the story will ‘end early’ although it appears that this means in the spring – so we can expect the trouble to rumble on for 3 months – unless they are forced to change their mind again, and close the story sooner than that.

Samantha Womack has said that her departure from the soap has been planned for months and is not related to the story line, although speculation on the internet is rife.

What did you think? Is this just drama or does this cross the line in the depiction of infant death?

You can find out more about the story on the BBC website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12134763

If you would like to notify us of a product recall contact us with the details.

plants

If you don’t already know, find out exactly what plants, shrubs and trees are growing in your garden and remove or secure any which are poisonous. Babies will eat flowers, berries, bulbs or anything else that catches their eye, so be warned. Protect your child from plants with spikes or prickles – falling head first into something like this will be very painful!

soil and sand

The soil in flowerbeds is another favourite – toddlers will dig, either with their fingers or something else, and it will get into their mouths at some point. Don’t let your baby play in the soil and always wash their hands and face thoroughly if they do. Take extra care if you or your neighbours have cats. They will probably be using your soil as a toilet and you don’t want your baby digging about in that and then sucking his fingers. The best thing to do is either grass over any beds you can or fence them off to keep your child away. Cover sandpits when you’re not using them for the same reason.

water

If you have a pond or water feature, remove it or fence it off so your baby cannot possibly get to it. Babies and young children can drown in just a couple of centimetres of water. Put a secure lid on the water-butt in case they manage to climb up to it.

If your neighbours have ponds make sure they know you have children and ask them to check their side of any fence or boundary for any gaps you may have missed which your child could get through.

tools, chemicals etc

Always keep all garden tools, DIY or gardening products and chemicals of any kind locked away in the shed or garage. Make sure it locks with a key which you can remove – children will quickly learn to climb and open latches.

Be aware that stacks of logs, paving slabs etc are great attractions for babies to climb on and very dangerous if they collapse. Fence the area off or keep these things in a locked shed.

the sun

Always protect your baby from the sun whenever they are outside.

Babies are very sensitive to the sun and will burn easily. Put a total block sunscreen on your baby whenever they go out in the sun. Don’t be fooled just because it isn’t scorching hot outside – babies can burn when they’re in the shade and on cloudy days too. To protect them from sunstroke you should make sure that they wear hat too.

car seat

By law, you must always restrain your baby in an appropriate car seat whenever they travel in a car. The first car seat you buy should be ‘rear facing’ – that means that your baby is facing the back of the seat when strapped in. Remember that a newborn baby can’t support its head and must never be restrained in a forward facing car seat.

In case your baby is early, you should aim to buy the first car seat at least four weeks before your due date because you won’t be allowed to bring your baby home from the hospital without one.

If you leave your baby with someone else remember to leave the car seat as well. In an emergency, your baby can’t be taken anywhere in the car if the car seat is still in the back of your Nissan Micra. Make sure they know how to secure the car seat and remind them about the dangers of airbags. When you’ve told them what to do, tell them again and check that they can definitely put the car seat in properly. They will probably be offended but they will get over it. Checking up is for their protection too – they would be devastated if your baby was hurt in their care.

Every car seat should have a weight guide, ‘from newborn to 10kg’ for example. It is there for your baby’s protection so make sure you follow it. Move up to the next size as soon as you need to and never carry your baby in a car seat it has outgrown.

Never, ever buy a second hand car seat even if you know where it came from. A car seat that has been in an accident may be badly damaged and unsafe without showing any obvious signs. Also, mums have a habit of taking car seats to pieces so they can wash the various baby stains off the covers. Putting them back together can be a bit like the Krypton Factor and, even though it looks like it did before, it could be unsafe. Don’t take anyone’s word for it – buy a new one and know that your baby is safe

Car seats are not cheap by anyone’s standards so make sure you get the right one for your car. All cars are designed differently – seats are different shapes and sizes and some seatbelts are shorter than others. Before you buy anything try it in your car – both of them if your partner has one too. Ask the assistant to show you how to secure it properly and make sure it is a suitable fit. Make sure you try it in the front and back seats and if your car hasn’t got rear doors check that you can manoeuvre it easily into the back when the front seat is folded down. If your car doesn’t have rear seat belts get them fitted by a professional.

air bags

Never put a rear facing car seat in a seat protected by an air bag. The very fact that your baby is facing the back of the seat makes it lethal. If there is an accident and the air bag is triggered your baby will be forced face-first into the back of the seat.

You can have your air bags deactivated by the car dealer if you want. This can invalidate or affect the terms of your warranty though, so check before you do it. It is also worth checking with your car insurance company because removing the air bag could be classed as a modification to the vehicle’s standard design. If you don’t tell them and you have an accident they may be able avoid paying the claim.

sun visors

You don’t like bright sunlight shining in your eyes when you’re driving and neither does your baby. Also, babies can get sunburnt during a car journey – even through the window. It is worth getting a sun shield which attaches to the side window with suckers.

pets

The majority of people will remember to wear seatbelts and restrain their children properly but they still let their family dog sit on the back seat or in the boot of their estate. Most dogs weigh more than a small child does and sometimes as much as an adult. If you have an accident and your pet is unrestrained they can do a lot of damage to you and your baby as they are forced forward by the impact. It won’t do your dog much good either.

parent2parent tips

1. Before you buy a car seat, consider how comfortable it will be to carry. You will probably carry your baby around in the car seat instead of a buggy or pram during the early weeks so find one that suits you. You’ll be surprised by how much it weighs when your baby is in it. Put a bag of shopping in it and carry the lot round the shop for ten minutes to see what it feels like. There are many different designs and types of carrying handles so you should be able to find one which doesn’t cut into your arms or bruise your legs!
2. Drum it in to everyone who takes care of your baby that they must never be taken in a car without a car seat. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told ‘it’s only down the road just put them on your lap – it’ll be alright’. In my experience the culprits tend to be grandparents and people in that age group. They mean well but they don’t realise how dangerous it is because they were never required to do it themselves