One of the first things expectant parents look at purchasing for their new baby is a car seat or capsule. There are many brands of car seats on the market but many new parents choose to hire a capsule initially. One of the best things about this, (other than the obvious safety aspect) is that you can carry baby in and out of the car with less chance of waking him or her up. I must admit, I chose to use a car seat which was suitable from birth to 4 years for both my children, but every time I woke my babies up getting them out of the car, I regretted not having a capsule! Every parent I know who has hired one swears they are fantastic, and they are certainly a safe way to transport your child. The capsule should be professionally fitted to your vehicle and lifts out when you want to take baby with you. You can hire a capsule from:

The Queensland Ambulance Service has a baby capsule hire service for short or long term hire. A fee is payable for the cost of hire, installation and GST. For more information about this service please phone the QAS Community Contact Centre on 1300 369 003  or email desccc@smartservice.qld.gov.au . Their operating hours are: 8:00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday. Capsules can also be hired from Hire for Baby (telephone: 5535 1034) or visit www.hireforbaby.com to view their complete range of baby hire products.

Whether you use a rear-facing car seat or a capsule, please make sure you have it installed BEFORE baby is born (notwithstanding early arrivals!) as you will it to bring baby home from the hospital. Queensland Transport advises that this is important to check that the restraint fits your car and that other passengers can stilll sit comfortably in the vehicle once the restraint is installed. It would be very unfortunate to try to put a restraint in your vehicle the morning baby is due home from hospital only to find that it won't fit in your vehicle.

Until babies are one year old (less than 9kg), they must be in an approved rear-facing infant restraint - this is the safest way for a baby to travel. These restraints have two anchor points, the bolt and the vehicle seatbelt. There are many infant restraints on the markets today which convert to a child restraint later on. Choice On-Line is a great place to get more information about the models they tested, or for more information about child restraints, please see our For Parents page. Queensland Transport's website has a wealth of information about infant and child restraints, including details of legislation and the size and weight you child should be in different types of restraints.

One last word about buying any type of child or infant restraint. I have bought many baby products second-hand, but buying a second-hand restraint may not be the safest option for your baby. If you choose to buy a second-hand restraint, do not purchase one that has ever been in an accident, or that shows signs of wear in the straps, shell and harness. Preferably purchase one from someone you know well - a friend or relative - to ensure you know the restraint's history.

Bottle or breast? Most experts will tell you that breast is best and having breastfed both my children, I will certainly not argue with that. However, breastfeeding doesn't come naturally to everyone. Some women seem born to breastfeed, others have initial difficulties and persevere, some choose to bottle feed and some do a little of both. The main thing is that your baby is getting the nutrition he or she needs and you are happy with your choice. If you choose to breastfeed and are having troubles or you feel you are not receiving enough support, the Australian Breastfeeding Association is a great organisation which can provide support and assistance. Their meetings are a great way of meeting other breastfeeding mothers.

AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEEDING ASSOCIATION: The Australian Breastfeeding Association(ABA) is a large community-based self-help group, recognised as a leading authority on breastfeeding management. The Association provides innovative counselling and support services to the community and health sector throughout Australia. You will find a wealth of information for both breastfeeding women and for health professionals and others who are involved in supporting and promoting breastfeeding on their web site. There is a Queensland Branch Office at Level 1, Mater Community Services Building, C/- Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, SOUTH BRISBANE QLD 4101, phone: 07 3844 6488, facsimile: 07 3844 6646, email: abaqld@powerup.com.au. The office hours are 9am - 2pm Monday – Friday. Also, if you need help and advice about breastfeeding, there is a 7-day (24-hour) Breastfeeding Helpline, staffed by trained volunteer breastfeeding counsellors just phone 07 3844 8977 or 07 3844 8166. ABA Gold Coast groups also have their own website at www.abagoldcoast.com/. The meetings are also listed in our Event Diary.

 

Nappy Cake: This is an amazingly creative way to give people what they need most for a newborn - nappies! Thank you to Angi for sending in the photo and 'recipe'.

Ingredients:

• one or two packets of nappies (depending on how big you want to make the cake)
• a large piece of strong card board or board for the base
• string or ribbon
• decorations - bottles, teething rings, soft toys or bibs work well
• cellophane for wrapping
• gift wrap paper for the base

Recipe: Firstly, cover the cardboard base with gift paper. Next, take each nappy and roll it from the top. Secure each with ribbon. Arrange the nappies and decorations on the base starting from the inside to the outside, tying each circle with ribbon to ensure the nappies remain firmly in their place. Repeat this with the second and third tiers of the cake in the same way, but remember to make each tier a bit smaller to give a 'wedding cake' effect. To keep the three tiers of the cake together you can put a long stick through the middle and/or tie them up with long pieces of ribbon.

 

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MUMMYLICIOUS: Outdoor fitness classes for mums with babies. Telephone: Christine  on 0409 470 484.

 

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