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We love it when industry experts and role players get together to share knowledge, tips and ideas. We teamed up with Johnson's to offer midwife workshop sessions in Cape Town and Johannesburg on Sleep and the Science of the Senses. The morning was filled with great presentations and valuable information on the importance of sensory awareness and integration when it comes to looking after a baby. Sr Ann Richardson, co-author of the Baby Sense book, also talked about the science of sleep in a sensory world. It’s always inspiring to listen to someone with so much passion, knowledge and experience. Her top 10 sleep tips are: Create a sleep zone and stick to it At sleep time, put your baby to bed. Try to avoid letting her fall asleep where ever you may be at sleep time such as on the couch, in your arms or in the car. Obviously there will be times where your baby will fall asleep out of her bed, but try not to make it the norm. Watch awake times. It is the time spent awake between sleeps that drives your babies sleep. Follow the guidelines of “awake times” and allow your baby to fall asleep then. Don’t wait until she shows signs of over tiredness before trying to put her to sleep. Put your baby to bed “happily awake”. Watch for her signals to indicate to you that she is getting tired (not is already tired!) These signals may be a simple sneeze or a hand on her face. Modulate the environment to promote sleep. Switch off loud, jarring music or sounds such as a lawnmower at sleep time. For day sleeps, cut out glare by closing curtains and dim lights at night. If you are out and about, cover the pram with a cotton blanket to block out sunlight and noise. Remove all stimulation from the immediate sleep zone - mobiles, toys, activity sets and stimulating bumpers Encourage a sleep comfort or doodoo blanket; it will comfort your baby at sleep time and act as a memory trigger to help induce sleep. Accept that babies don’t sleep like we do! This acceptance goes a long way towards helping you cope with sleep deprivation in the early days. Babies usually start to sleep for longer periods at night from the age of 12 weeks (even earlier if you are lucky!). Stay calm. Your baby will pick up any anxiety from you and will be even more unsettled. Have a sense of humour. If all else fails, laugh – after all, it is the best medicine around! It’s always interesting to see how professionals in the industry interact with our products and these two sessions were no different with loads of questions and excitement about our new products. We know that moms across the country will now also be equipped with that information when the midwives take their newly found knowledge back to the clinics and other places of work.

The idea With all the decisions that need to be made around the birth of your baby, what bag to carry around to transport baby’s multitude of paraphernalia doesn’t seem like it should be a big decision… But it is important that motherhood should not redefine your sense of self and personal style.That is why, at Baby Sense, producing a nappy bag was not a quick and easy process as we were adamant to assist moms to seamlessly integrate their former life and style into motherhood. So with this in mind and not forgetting that mom’s mobile phone, purse, sunglasses, lipstick and your special Vida 70% cacao chocolate, should also fit somewhere in this bag (who wants to carry around a handbag AND baby bag?) we teamed up with an amazing design team to come up with the best solution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Design ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thinking back to the days when my two were babies, I yearned for a glamorous, super chick version of a Mary Poppins bag. As many other moms, I opted to ditch the typical diaper bag for a trendy tote or satchel that’s large enough to become THE nappy bag or at least my version of it. Although a giant empty chest sounds like a fantastic idea for a nappy bag, the practicality of it is questionable. While practicality may not have been a selling feature before, motherhood turns your world upside down and makes you realize utility is actually pretty awesome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Effortless Style ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ And so the style with functionality trend (as we like to call it) was born. Looking at brands like Mama & Little that are designing swoon-worthy jewellery that doubles as a teether and Baby Sense’s own carrier wraps that are now stylized enough, it is clear that motherhood can still be a fashion statement. And so with our new Mom & Baby Handbag, we hope to help moms celebrate their unique style and carry it through motherhood. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ultimate function Features ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Baby Sense collection of Mom & Baby Handbags are stylish enough to pair with the hottest stilettos, yet practical enough to keep baby stocked for a long day out. Chick and practical, offering a designer look that can be mixed and matched with every stroller and outfit. With timeless designs that will look fabulous way past babyhood, it does not compromise function over style - with features such as a padded changing mat, lots of pockets, built-in thermos-insulated bottle holder, stroller straps and much more. Make this handbag part of your journey as a parent and way beyond. Never leave the house without it. Stay true to your fabulous self, mom! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a colour-coded parenting handbook that answers all our questions, addresses all our fears and gives guarantees that what we’re doing is the right thing. However, not only is there no such book, there is also no perfect way and no perfect parent. Parenting is an ongoing process of learning who our individual child is and what he needs to thrive. Being a mom takes courage, strength, wisdom and patience. So dear mom, today we want to remind you that you are loved and that you are brave! Download The Brave Mom’s Manifesto here: http://www.lizanneduplessis.com/the-brave-moms-manifesto/#more-390

A mom’s story about how she managed to raise 3 under the age of two I love babies and children – always have and my plan was 3 children based on the assumption my husband would negotiate me down to 2 – which I could accept. Never did I believe I would be mom to 3 beautiful boys. Here’s what happened… Finding out you are pregnant with #2 before your 1st baby is one is a little bit of a shock, but hey, who wants a massive age gap anyway right?! My 2nd pregnancy started off so different from my 1st – I wasn’t tired, no morning sickness and I could still drink coffee – warning bells rang in my head so I booked an early scan and told my husband he was coming with me. We never imagined we would be told all was well AND there were TWO and due date was before Max (our first) would be 18months – 3 babies under the age of two in the house – all the nappies, changing, bottles, feeding, crying – it was very over whelming. In order to prepare as best we could we found out the sex of the babies as soon as possible and were delighted it was 2 boys. I had reasoned internally that the twin dynamic and close age gap would be more troublesome if we had a boy/girl set or 2 girls. I stock piled 2nd hand clothes for the twins – any size, any age. I kept all Max’s baby clothes. I bought nappies way in advance. And we started renovating what would become Max’s bedroom so the twins could move into the room next to ours. I also spent as much time with Max as I could – knowing his time as an only child with my undivided attention was limited. I had a textbook perfect twin pregnancy, Max started walking 2 weeks before the twins were born and had just started a morning crèche. Going to hospital with 1 baby and returning with 2 more is quite extraordinary. We had 3 car seats in the back of our trusted Volvo, 2 bouncy chairs in the lounge and the camp cot set up in the dining room (all open plan thank goodness!) I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed the twins for a few months – and I felt much like a cow as all I ever seem to do was feed one (or two – I attempted double feeding). I fed on demand as I discovered early on, one twin would always fall asleep if I tried to synchronize them which became frustrating. We gratefully accepted meals from friends who popped in to see us – there was no time for making meals except for Max. Bath time was difficult in the beginning – I had 2 bath “slings” so the twins could be in at the same time. As soon as they were sitting properly I bought 2 bath seats and all 3 would spend time in the bath together. I also discovered showering the twins sitting in bath seats worked well and Max loved “showering” his brothers – a win all round. Half an hour of fun play for all 3 and they got cleaned. Time management became difficult – I read Gina Ford and cried because I couldn’t get a routine in place – one of the 3 boys always threw the schedule out somehow. I asked a close friend to help me (she was a Gina Ford guru) and despite her elaborate excel spreadsheet we couldn’t get it to work. So you know what, I let it go. I decided we would go with the flow. It was for a limited time period (I hoped by the time the twins were 2 things would be better) and I stopped trying to put our lives on schedule. It worked. I found it difficult to go out with the twins for the 1st year – and NEVER on my own – I was petrified if both of them started crying and I could only soothe one that people would walk past me tutting and thinking I was a bad mom. So I stayed home and invited other moms over for play dates. I found they were often the best part of my day. I relaxed and the stress of long after 3 babies would be shared between a group of friends – and let’s face it who doesn’t find twins a wee bit exciting and secretly wish (until you see the reality!) that you had also had twins?! I missed out on a lot of the small things with both Max and the twins, exactly when they got their first tooth or what their favourite starter food had been – we didn’t have time. Making sure all 3 were healthy and happy was the most important thing. And despite it all – and a severe lack of sleep for years – we did it. Some tips for moms with multiples or 2 close together: Don’t sweat the small stuff – sandwiches or a bowl of cereal does count as dinner and you can vacuum later Have a shower and get dressed each morning – it will make you feel better about yourself Stock you freezer with ready prepared meals in advance Use bath time as playtime if possible – a great wind down for you and the kids Don’t hibernate – chatting to other moms and seeing how they are coping makes you feel better. You are NOT alone in your worries or woes On week-ends get up and get out – we had very early risers and on week-end would be out the house by 8am – useful as anywhere we went was quiet so perfect for the boys to run around Use a baby carrier if possible – one of the twins was very “needy” and I took to wearing him in a Baby Bjorn carrier many hours a day – it soothed him and meant I could still do things Use nappy changes as one on one time with each baby – it is only a few minutes but it is just you and you baby – treasure the moments and use them Read more about the journey of the 40-something mom of 3 trolls ready to take on the written world in cyber space talking about my 3 wonderful boys and my-our journey https://threetrolls.wordpress.com

The Baby Sense team got to spend a day with some of our moms and were privileged to witness those special moments between mom and baby that just took our breath away.

At Baby Sense, we continue to lead the way by constantly evolving our innovative product offering based on the latest research, as well as direct feedback from our most important clients –you, our mums. Which is why we’ve adapted our ever-popular Baby Sense Taglet to now include a dummy clip holder that can be used to keep the dummy in place, making it easier for your baby to find their dummy during periods of distress. The Baby Sense Taglet is the ultimate doo doo blanky Your baby’s little fingers will naturally explore the different textures of the taglet, and the action of rubbing the silky satin tags and the feel of the soft chenille material of the blanket through their fingers and on their skin will make them associate the taglet as a source of comfort every time. Over time this self-soothing technique teaches your baby to comfort itself – so there’s no need to call mom. This little added feature will save you many hours of searching for dummies that have been misplaced or are hiding somewhere in the bowels of the cot at night. TIP: Make sure you stock up on more than one taglet and alternate between them regularly so that they all have the same wear, tear and smell. You will be very surprised to see how your little sprog can pick up a fuss if it’s not “their” taglet… so having backups are essential What is self-soothing? Self-soothing is your baby’s ability to control their mood and state by adopting pleasurable settling strategies. The key to most self-soothing techniques are that they provide pleasurable sensory impulses for your baby that they find comforting. These tactile objects such as the Taglet, are called transitional objects because they help your child make the emotional transition from dependence to independence. Babies love them because they’re soft, cuddly and feel good. When your little one is tired, it will help them sleep. When you’re away, it’ll provide reassurance, when they’re frightened or upset it will provide a sense of comfort. And when they’re in a strange place it’ll help them feel more secure. The Baby Sense Taglet is a great item to introduce to your child from an early age as a tool for self-soothing. Buy it on Amazon here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Baby Sense brand is embarking on a new journey and introducing a new exciting look. At Baby Sense we understand all about pregnancy and parenting; from a mother’s uncertainties and frustrations to the love and joy of being parents. That’s why everything we do is focused on supporting you on this journey. Our team is constantly on the lookout for new products and innovative ideas that will help make every moment you have with your baby a special one. Our simple, intuitive designs are inspired by wonderful moms and dads, and have been perfected over many years. The result: beautiful, practical and well-researched quality products that parents have come to trust and rely on. Just like your baby is changing and growing every day, Baby Sense has also quietly been changing and improving. At the core, we are still the same brand that you’ve come to love and trust, just with a new look, logo and website. As we continue to evolve, look out for exciting new products and enhancements on our most trusted ones. We will still offer a comprehensive range of award winning baby products, parenting books, seminars and workshops, apps, videos, newsletters, blog posts and articles. We have also introduced live chat sessions on Facebook #momsense, giving you an opportunity to make sense of it all by having all your questions answered by South Africa’s most loved experts. Join us on this exciting journey as we help guide you each step of the way from pregnancy to parenting.