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 Should you take children on aeroplanes? This question is a bone of contention in any discussion, be it with parents, single women, family men, the suited and booted business man or the retired. There never seems to be a definitive answer, but it's a question which can either glorify the parents who decide to bite the bullet or paint them as evil and selfish people.

 The foot loose and fancy free honey honeymooners might think it selfish. They've paid a whopping price for a fantastic holiday and they do not want to begin their honeymoon dodging cherry lolly pop spittle and having their warm embraces interrupted by 'Waaaaaaah!!' and 'Ooh, she's poohed again! Oh and it's a wet one!'. So  is it fair to take your baby or tantrum fuelled terrible 2 year old on a plane?

 The answer is yes, but might I suggest some 'baby on a plane' etiquette to make the trip a little easier for all...

 You have every right to holiday wherever you like. You have a child and not leprosy so drill this in to your mind before embarking on your little adventure. The more you feel self conscious and a nuisance, the more others will pick up on your weakness and indulge upon scowls and tuts. More importantly, the more your child will pick up on your hypersensitivity and play upon it as only a rumbustious child knows how. 

 Assess the people around you and if the person about to sit in the spare seat next to you and your baby looks a little naïve as to what they're letting themselves in for, politely explain that it may be a difficult journey. Make them feel at ease to make the decision to sit somewhere else. There's no need to be rude to her and you shouldn't accept a rude response. You're not telling or asking them to move. You're just giving them a picture of the inevitable.

 Thirdly, choose a range of toys and treats cleverly and release these in terms of enjoyment. So, get the small car he's had for months out first and offer him the sliced apple at the start of the journey. The thinking behind this is that, he's not too bored, not too fussy and is easily pleased. The apple is clear and so mess will be kept to a minimum. Avoid raspberries and strawberries like the plague. You don't want the whole of Aisle G, row 34 looking like they've been involved in a blood bath.

 Later, as the child gets more agitated, change the activity. Get a postcard sized picture colouring book out with NEW crayons. Cheap and fun. Offer the Dairylea spread sandwich or some other easy treat that keeps collateral damage to a minimum. Continue this tiered process of toys throughout. As the journey progress' and you're on your fourth and final hour (or 8^th or 9^th if Florida is your destination) pull out the trump card; the all singing and dancing bus or the toy doll which needs feeding and burping alongside the lemon lollipop or (and only as a last ditch attempt at preventing the mother of all tantrums) the white choccy buttons.

  Ignore the scowls and tuts of judgement. Some people, like kids get bored on long trips and so amuse them selves with your torment. Do not respond as you have to spend a great length of time with them in an enclosed space. Let them be the bad guy and don't add to your pressure. It comes down to common sense. If you've packed the sensible items and are respectful of other travellers then you have every right to expect this back from other travellers.

 Learning is part of parenthood. Once you have decided to have children, you will have to prepare yourself for the greatest journey that you will ever face. If you think that you have graduated from the hardships and sleepless nights you have experienced with your newborn, brace yourself once your baby becomes a toddler. You will have to face another enemy this time, and it goes by the name public tantrums.

All parents at one point in their lives will experience this very embarrassing situation. Almost all toddlers will go through their "bratty stage" wherein they will do whatever it takes just to have things their way. How many episodes of these have you seen in supermarkets, malls, and even in churches? How many times have you experienced this with your child?

Child tantrums are perfectly normal. In order for you to handle your child's tantrums, the first thing that you have to remember is to stay calm. Do not get mad even though it's hard. Do not start shouting back at your child. Instead, let your child finish with his shouting and crying before talking to him. Do not mind those people staring at you because most of them know how toddlers can be bratty at times.

Once your child has settled down, talk to him in an encouraging voice and ask him what he wants. If your child is insisting on something that you do not want to give, then firmly say "no." If he cries again, scoop your child or take a firm grip and lead him out the store and into your car. Do not give in to what he wants because if you do so, your child will know that he can throw tantrums again every time he wants to have something. Establish your relationship, show to your child that you are the parent and your decision is the last word.

Another good way of handling tantrums is to know what caused it. For example, most toddlers will cry whenever they feel hungry, tired, or uncomfortable. So if you are planning to go out whole day and shop. Make sure that your child is well fed and had enough rest before you go to the mall. You might also consider the clothes and shoes that your child is wearing. See to it that his shoes are not hurting his feet. Bring some snacks too in case he gets hungry and there are no restaurants nearby.

Also, do your best not to make promises that you cannot keep. If you have promised your child that you are going to buy him some cookies once you have passed the store, then buy him cookies. There is a chance that your child remembered your promise and is waiting for you to do it.
Talk to your child about what he did. Make him realize that throwing a fit will not get him anywhere. If he wants something, all he has to do is to tell you nicely. Make him understand also that once you have said "no", he should learn how to understand. Dealing with toddlers is very hard. You will need all the patience in the world to be able to handle one. Handle tantrums with grace and remember that it is just a stage that every child will go through.

 Joyce Brister is a loving parent and blogger for the My Baby Blog.  Joyce loves writing about situations that parents are often faced with.  She would like for you to take a look at her Baby Bedding or her Texas Longhorns Bar Stools.

Bringing a new child home can put pressure on any marriage even if you're an old hat at this baby producing lark. The lack of sleep alone can be torturous and suddenly you understand exactly why sleep deprivation was used in the Japanese Prisoner of War Camps, and more importantly how effective it can be. You'd give your right arm for just another hour.

 With this in mind, imagine the scenario. You're a new Mum. Your baby is 7 days old and is breast fed. He is suffering from chronic colic already. You can do nothing to calm him and in the last week you've slept for a total of 30 hours. To make matters worse, your hormones are just kicking in and you're experiencing 'baby blues'. The screaming is upsetting you. Last night your baby was awake for a full four hour stretch. You tried every trick in the book. Panic ridden you took him to A&E. He burst a vessel in his eye he screamed so hard.

 Like you were dancing on hot coals you offered him over to the paediatrician – yearning for an answer,  trying to hide that lurking fear, what am I doing wrong, am I a bad Mum? Sickness has set in due to fatigue and so food consumption is low. The paediatrician asks with a calm and patronising smile “Is this your first child?”, you're heart thuds, he's seen right through you, you're a novice, you don't know what you're doing! That nagging fear becomes a reality for you. Especially when the doctor goes on to explain, “It's just a touch of colic. Very common.” In vain, you try to explain about the eye. “Very common.” You feel stupid. You cry. Now you and your baby are crying. You whimper home.

 Finally, the baby falls to sleep. Peace. Both you and your husband are in bed. You sleep. 'Creeek'! Your husband, like a svelt ninja creeps out of bed, tiptoeing over an array of wires, feeding bottles and bed clothes. He stands on THAT floor board. 'Creeee-eeeeee-eeeeek'! Followed by 'waaaaaaahhhhhh'. If looks could kill he'd be dead...a thousand times and murdered in the most ruthless and spiteful ways. “What, it's not my fault, I needed a wee?” Not HIS fault! Your blood boils. You tell him he's useless, exhaust every swear word you know. They're not strong enough. You bring out your 'must never go there' card and carry out an emotional assassination. And so you're back to square one only this time, none of you are happy.

 He's done nothing at all wrong yet fatigue, hunger and hormones turn you in to a raging bull. Your partner can't help that he doesn't have the same post pregnancy hormones as you. The learning curve can take longer to settle in for them. They haven't been through nine months of carrying your precious one and they haven't given birth. They can put themselves in your shoes but can't live in them as you do. At least, this is how you feel. The reality might be that he's worried himself sick for nine months. Is in awe of your strength during the birth, forever grateful for bringing him such a magical gift, and has woken every time you have woken, watched over you both to ensure you were both fine as you fell asleep nursing your little one.

 No. It's not yours or his fault that you didn't realise. When similar testing scenarios arise, men can often feel neglected, rejected and useless. They may feel like they've lost their use and place in the home. A rant makes you feel better but the scars from the things you say can take much longer to heal. It's not wrong to rant. You have a partner so that you can show them all the different colours of you, but remember that showing some colours means that time and effort will be needed to repair relationships. Neither of you should beat yourselves up about these events. How you move on is what defines your relationship. Having a new baby is hard, the difficult times will pass and slowly you will find yourselves and each other again.

Managing post baby weight is tough at any time of the year but having your child in the build up to the Christmas period or indeed in January is much more  difficult. You've not only got your extra “Mum pounds” to contend with, but those extra Christmas pounds too, for it t'was the season to be jolly and that jolly spirit alcohol flew out the window for all pregnant mothers so, what did you do?

 Eat and gorge to your heart's content. That irritating slurred laugh from the Great Aunt you can't stand wasn't so bad with a puff pastry sausage roll wedged in your gullet now was it? They had an extra glass of wine? That's okay, you had an extra helping of turkey with oily gravy and saturated fat drenched roasts. What's that? And he wanted you to drive home! That was okay though wasn't it? Just so long as he passed you the Christmas pudding, the Quality Streets and the full kilogram bar of Cadbury's Wholenut and rolled you in to the driver's seat.

 Now, once that little bundle of joy is in your arms, you begin to feel the backlash of your sins hissing at your neck. No the door frame hasn't become narrower, and that was indeed your behind which took a chunk out of the panelling. You've had your child so why do you still feel like a ten tonne weight? Probably because you've rested for the last three months of your pregnancy and eaten like a Trojan Horse...of course!

 If you are a new Mum your priority is getting used to the transition of once upon a time being a free human being and now having a small whining thing permanently attached to you. The lack of sleep, baby blues, hormone imbalances, routine and life are already in disarray and causing great trauma – why add more pressure and throw in the mammoth task of getting yourself in to shape? Your life is a whirlwind of pressure and worry. Losing weight requires a lifestyle as well as dietary change. Hasn't your little one bought enough of that in to your house?

 Let the dust settle. Find your calm again. This may take 3 months, 6 months or even a year! Build your energy back up. Intensive exercise, reduced food intake, a screaming baby, sleepless nights and a breast feeding Mum does not a happy woman make!

 Doing nothing at all may be just as counter productive. Go for walks with your baby rather than taking the car out. Have a sandwich instead of a McDonald's. Eat plenty but eat right. Take care of yourself, and when you're ready, you can transform yourself in to the woman you were; like a phoenix from the ashes.

The Government initiatives tell us veg, veg, veg, fruit, fruit, fruit -  'Eat 5 a Day'!  We are ordered to ram this down our gullets as our primary food along with carbohydrates.  But did you know that if you follow this initiative through in to your toddler's diet, it can be potentially harmful.

 At least 30% (approximately 44 grams) of a toddler's diet should be made up of fat in comparison to an adult's which should be around 15%. Too little fat can result in 'failure to thrive' and can even stunt growth. It's not actually until your child reaches the age of 4 that you should start following more adult diets with adjustments for calcium and other key dietary needs.

 This being said, you still have to be very picky about the type of fats you give your child. Saturated fats from fried foods, chocolate and crisps should still be kept to a minimum so as to prevent various health issues later in life such as heart disease. The majority of a toddler's fat intake should come from oily fish, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds (please check that your child does not have a nut allergy before feeding) and spreads. It is a difficult job, especially when bearing in mind that due to high levels of dioxins in oily fish, boys should eat no more than 4 portions a week and girls no more than two as it can be potentially harmful to the reproductive system.

 There are other ways to get the right sort of fats in to your toddler. They must have full fat yoghurts and milk is a fantastic source of fat and calcium. Toddlers should be eating six small meals per day – a small snack of peanut butter (which is 75% fat) on toast (which is 13% fat per slice) can really boost your child's fat intake for the day. Home made flap jacks could be another sweet treat and whilst too much saturated fat is a no no, the nutritional benefits of cheese cannot be ignored  and as part of a balanced diet, it won't hinder your child's nutrition or development in the least.

 So, yes, it's true, for once you will actually hear the pink elephant in the room; the words you must never utter – 'feed your child fat!'

Post Christmas blues isn't helped by the fact that your house looks like Santa's grotto after the Elves’ Christmas party (Which incidentally went on until 4am and the little men still haven't recovered enough to have a toy tidy). Here are some top tips on how to get your house back in to some order as well as top tips for environmentally friendly recycling of unwanted toys.

 Most families try and keep one, maybe two rooms just for the children's toys, but as every parent knows, this is an impossible task. Parents have very little 'sacred' space which isn't infiltrated  by even the smallest sign of a child. The home PC may have a Bob The Builder mouse pad, the sink has to be negotiated as a result of the Baby Bjorn Safe Step, even the garden shed has a selection of children's gardening tools. All this, when added up can create a child, but not parent friendly environment.

 A solution for the bath is a Clippasafe Bath Toy Bag, or if you want something a little more exciting – The FisherPrice Pelican Bath Toy Tidy. Both keep the toys out of the bath and stack them in just one place thus enabling you to enjoy a child free bath.

 Storage containers are key to keeping some order in your child's rooms. 3 or 4 tier plastic drawers are great to keep felts, farm animals, crafts, plastic food and a whole other range of fiddly items of which there are often many. These containers can often be picked up at larger supermarkets.

 Hammocks are a great idea for those children who have just too many teddies and cuddly toys and not enough floor space.

 Charity shops are always a fantastic option to give old or unwanted toys to but, don't forget that the Children's wards in  hospitals will take non-electrical and non fabric items, local child minders are always on the lookout for new and more importantly, cheap toys, local children's groups such as SureStart centres welcome donations and failing all that, see if your local church would like to store them for their next fund raising event, or indeed, use them in their crèche.

 So, now you've got the helpful hints, it's time to roll up your sleeves, and become that lean, mean Mary Poppins tidying machine you've always wanted to be each Januaury since your child was born. 

Guilt is a fundamental part of being a parent so why do we add to this by giving ourselves New Year's Resolutions based on parenting? Aren't we just setting ourselves up for a huge fall, and in that fall, magnifying the failure by adding to your list of short comings that not only are you a bad parent but you can't even keep a Resolution made just 12 hours ago. If you are hell bent on transforming yourself in to  Nanny McPhee (the beautiful one of course) then here are your top 3 resolutions to swerve.

1)                I'm never going to feed my child jarred food again. This Resolution Maker has good intentions but is idealistic.

The notion is all right in theory but it's not practical. We've all planned that perfect picnic on a hot Summer's day. Made that sumptuous (but ill thought out) chicken sandwich, cut perfectly in to small squares, ready for your little one to devour when she wakes in an hour. No need for a cool bag – she'll be awake soon and the car air con will keep the banquet cool. And isn't it just sods law that this is the day that your sleeping cherub decides to snooze for three hours!

By this time you're out of the car, you've seen the ducks and watched other kids play on the swings, got bored, been back to feed the ducks, called it a day and then the hungry screaming monster wakes. Panic sets in. The Chicken. Is it still safe? And your new resolution quickly becomes - Hey ho, it's off to the park's café for a jarred delight – organic of course, I go!

2)                I will never raise my voice again. The Resolution Maker in this instance clearly has had too much wine and has mentally transformed himself in to Ghandi.

The next morning when he wakes like a bear with a sore head, his children arguing over who's ate who's selection pack and a nagging partner barking that the house is tip; he wonders if the day could get any worse.

Yes, dear resolution Maker, yes, it gets worse, ponder no more. Your youngest (the one you were supposed to be watching, but you decided to be present in body only) has decided to take to decorating your walls...with your eldest's new Junior Artist set...And the Grandparents turn up, AND they were in bed by 8.30pm the night before AND yes, they're fresh as a daisy and are looking to you for your hospitality and cheery disposition, which today has been ravaged by The Grinch. It's only a matter of time dear Resolution Maker. You're counting down from 10. It's not to calm you. You're merely giving your family time to get out the way before your verbal bomb goes off. You may as well take your sorry self off to the naughty step and remain there for the rest of the day.

3)                I'm going to spend more quality time with my children. This Resolution Maker has a job, is a fantastic parent and home maker and in addition to all this, believes themselves to have the Godly power of being able to conjure another hour in the day.

This resolution has been made directly out of guilt and with the scars of the month that is called December.

The Christmas Presents haven't bought themselves, the children have screamed all the way around the shops, the presents haven't wrapped themselves, the children have wanted to help, the Christmas card writing hasn't been done magically in Hogwart's and the children did want to help...again, furthermore the cards didn't post themselves, the recipient's address' did not transpire from thin air, the floors didn't mop them selves, the tree, decorations and the mess thereafter didn't erect them selves and invite a 'Clean-up' fairy to do the tidying thereafter, and no, Christmas dinner wasn't planned, ordered, unpacked and prepared by The ghost of Christmas' Past, AND YES, the kids did want to help in  their very special and unique way.

The resolution can be made and possibly not broken until next Christmas, giving this resolution a long life span, but chances are that Birthdays, Christenings and family events will have a similar effect and drain on your time. Don't beat yourself up. 9 times out of 10 you do it all for your children. You're a happy memory maker and preparation means you can devote unadulterated time to you little darlings when it really counts – the night time story, the morning kiss, first school performance and the cut knee and so on...

 Resolutions are a good idea but don't put more pressure on yourselves as a parent than you have to. It's hard enough without finding another whipping stick for yourself.

Cabin fever is bad, but cabin fever with children is torture. Here are five top things you can do with your kids when out-doors is just not an option.

 1.                  If you have a car or a convenient bus service, Swimming is a brilliant option. Gone are the days of cold, draughty changing rooms and luke warm water. Most pools now have a baby/toddlers pool which is kept much warmer than the full size pool. You could while away an hour or two playing sharks and mermaids. Take some helium balloon weights (you can pick all manner of jewelled colours up from your local card shop for around 25p) and play 'hunt the treasure.

If you're worried about the little cherubs getting a cold; some pools even have free hair dryers, or failing that a good scrub with a towel will dry their hair just enough for that sprint to the car. It's all good fun and remember kids are kids – not china dolls.

2.                  Paper mac-he funny faces are a winner. Mix flour and water to make a paste and layer a balloon with the mix and paper (approx 3 layers). Let it set for a couple of hours and then decorate with what ever you like or a funny face. If you want to be extra clever, you can make a small hole in the balloon once it's dry and insert small sweets. Re-seal the hole and voilà, you have made a pinnada.

3.                  Cards for the grand parents are always a winner. Crayola water based felt tips save your walls from those moments when your child decides not to take care and attention of where the paper ends and the wall begins. You can also buy packs of little craft items such as feathers and large sequins for a very fair price.

4.                  Get a Disney sing-a-long DVD and enjoy a warm snuggle with your little darlings while the wind outside bites at the rest of the world. 'The Jungle Book' is a favourite! You can be an elephant marching, Shere Khan growling or Baloo scrubbing your back against a co-co nut tree. Close the curtains if you want to prevent your neighbours putting you forward for sectioning though.

5.                  Build a den. Kids love having a little hidey hole which they've made. It gives them a great sense of pride and accomplishment.

You can use towels and sheets and anything you can drape these over - may be a towel rail and the bath or over two sofas. This type of activity is particularly good if your child is a kinaesthetic learner.

Can the toys our children want to play with determine their sexuality? There was recently uproar in America when a young boy arrived at his Halloween party dressed as the female character, Daphne from Scooby Doo. Other parents noted their disgust which has led to the images of the young boy, hitting the web virally. As a result, the young man's sexuality has been analysed by millions.

 Can a desire to dress up in girl's fun coloured, multi textured and imaginative clothes really set your son off on a sexuality and gender life path? Or, could it be merely that girl's clothes are more fun than khaki and guns? Furthermore couldn't it be simply that society is hasn't finished conditioning a young mind into understanding what is masculine and feminine?

 We're moving forward in terms of gender and sexuality, but there are still people who turn their nose up when a little boy asks for a washing machine for Christmas. We see  the liberal Mum who acknowledges that her boy loves to watch her cook and so buys him a toy 'Hotpoint' oven with the 'Melissa and Doug' sandwich making kit, but is worried what 'Grandad' will say and even worse, will people think he's gay?

 When a boy wants to do these stereotypically feminine acts of play, adults jump to conclusions. We forget very quickly that trousers are traditionally for boy’s, however girls have been wearing them for years. Ladies have cropped hair, shaven heads, tattoos, wear army boots and military style clothing – does this therefore make them all gay? No, it's a preposterous response, as is pigeon holing a child (who probably by this stage hasn't even decided upon a favourite colour).

 In short, girls and boys like toys and clothes that are fun, interesting to watch, and which help them enter in to the adult world of their parents. At such a young age they aren't fully conditioned by societies predetermined ideas of what is masculine and feminine. In a way, children are androgynous, and we as adults shouldn't inhibit their freedom and put them in to one box or another based upon their preference to play with guns or Mummy's make-up bag.

As parents, we all gauge our little darling's progress by using siblings, nieces, nephews, friend's children and indeed complete stranger's children as a barometer. When the outcome is good, it is uplifting but when it's bad, it's very bad, which leads to a series of self doubting questions; is it my fault, what can I do better, have I passed it along through my genes? Surmounted together, all you stand to achieve from comparing your children is guilt with a capital G.

Isn't it wonderful that that your best friend's little boy who is just two weeks older that yours, is walking at eight months and yours is still boinking up and down on his Fisher Price Jumperoo like Roger Rabbit on loopy juice. Yes, and it's just marvellous that little Molly can identify an octagon and a hexagon at 11 months while your little one is thrilled with  associating a cow with a 'Moo'.  And even more out of this world, bowl you over with excitement, your sister's children were all fully toilet trained by two and your little one is struggling letting you know that he's just peed himself AND he's two and a half.

Yes, these wonders are all well and good, but don't take these wonders to heart. Parents are very good at advertising theirs and their children's achievements, but very rarely will a parent sit at a mother and baby group and divulge that their child is walking very early but has not yet mastered the art of using a spoon (which incidentally, your child has been doing from six months), and no, the parent who has sat down teaching her child the difference between shapes, has not divulged that her child headbutts walls in tantrums and is terrified of taking her child out in public, and of course, the mother who's got the super duper potty trained child is not going to admit, that before toilet etiquette was achieved, BOTH of her children had an obsession with their own faeces and took great delight in unwrapping their nappies all by themselves. How clever!

So, to summarise, I'll harp back to the infamous midwife saying, 'All children develop at different rates'. Love the bundle of joy you've been given - they're all special in their own way.

So, as a mum-to-be, you will be inundated with well-meaning advice. Do this, don't do that, do the other. This advice will conflict and have you worrying your socks off prior to the big moment.

 With this in mind, we thought we would compile a short list of advice that you HAVE TO take on board:

1.     Sleep like a hibernating mole before the birth of your child. Don’t try and build up a tolerance to sleep deprivation prior to the birth of your bundle of joy.  Such attempts would be futile. Nothing can prepare you for the first month of mother and fatherhood. The best thing you can do is build up a reserve of energy for the whirlwind that is about to begin.

2.     Breast feeding is best but not for everyone. Many women have every good intention of doing this but for one reason or other find it’s not for them. I suggest keeping a small bank of bottles with size 1 teats in the cupboard just in case. The last thing you need after a week of sleepless nights is a shopping visit to pick out from a vast array of models and sizes, the perfect bottle for your little one. It’s not a waste of money as you’ll need bottles a little later down the line. If you’re undecided, a good all rounder is the Avent bottle with Air Flex teats.

3.     Nappies will evaporate...or so you’ll think! In those first three months babies can pooh continuously and don’t forget that they have no concept of night so this goes on throughout a full 24 hour period. Stock up. You can never have too many Huggies.

4.     Newborns are generally too small for newborn sizes (clothes are always made bigger to accommodate both ends of the size spectrum). The clothes  drown even the heavier babies in the first week, so if you feel a little indulgent and want a perfect fit for your baby, buy a couple of ‘small baby newborn’ outfits to make your little one picture perfect. Alternatively, they do look really cute in baby grows which are just too big.

5.     Colic is the devil in disguise. It causes your baby to scream and appear in the most terrible pain for hours on end and usually in the early evening (dinner time – babies are so inconvenient). This can continue for the first three months of your life. You will buy anything, pay any money to calm your baby but there is no miracle cure. The best advice is this; you’re doing absolutely nothing wrong, your baby doesn’t hate you and yes, it won’t be how you imagined motherhood to be BUT, it does get better, your baby settles over time and slowly you can become the Mary Poppins you always wanted to be instead of a sleep deprived fire breathing dragon.

So, there it is. Some of it may seem obvious, but we can guarantee that this WILL help.

The average cost of raising a child to the age of 21 has passed the £200,000 barrier for the first time but do we really need to buy the best and most expensive in everything?

The average family spends around £3,000 in the first year but you can prepare for a bill of sub £500 if you’re clever.

Interacting and stimulating your child by drawing, singing, dancing, storytelling and talking have a vital role in the development of your child so don’t think that filling your room with toys is the best option for your child.

What do I really need?

Clothing
Bedding
Clean water
Sterilised bottles
Food and nappies
Car seat (if required)
Pushchair
Cot
Sources of stimulation and good imagination.

Ways to save money for the new arrival

Gadgets such as musical lights, baby monitors, breast pumps, singing toys are all great but your Granny managed without them.  Gadgets are a great, but not essential so if you have all your essentials then add the gadgets to a wish list for generous friends and family.

Reference books can be borrowed from the library and friends to avoid the expense.

Baby diaries and some of the nicest are made from a scrapbook.

Apart from the health benefits of breast feeding it costs around £1,000 per year to bottle feed a single child.

Nappies - It will cost you around £600 to keep a baby in disposable nappies until he or she is potty trained compared to nearly half this using reusable nappies.

Second hand – There are some fantastic bargains available buying second hand but be cautious when buying car seats that may have been damaged in a car accident.  Don’t but second hand if you think there could be a safety issue with the item.

BOGOF - Buy in bulk whenever you see buy one get one free or three-for-two offers on things like nappies and wipes

Sales – Take advantage of sales and plan ahead.

Exchange and borrow as many items as possible from friends and family.

Accept useful hand-me-downs.

Visit the baby show to get loads of freebies and make big savings on everything baby related.

Experience – The internet is a great resource for advice from experienced parents is great as they will tell you all about their most useful purchases and cheapest places to buy.

First there were traditional prams for your baby, then pushchairs, strollers, joggers, buggies and now we have 3 wheelers, twins, tandems, triplets and travel systems, not to mention many versions of all of the above.

Hopefully this guide should cover the most important things to consider when buying a new pushchair.

Type

Traditional coach-built pram such as a Silvercross
Pushchairs
Three-in-one and two-in-one pushchairs
3 wheeler
3 wheeler twins
Tandem buggies
Travel systems
Stroller
Twin pushchairs
Tandem buggies

 Size

How easy will it fit into the car boot space leaving enough space for shopping and does it fold flat.  You may want a purchase a pushchair to suit your baby from a newborn until their walking and this usually means a much bigger and heavier option.

Weight

Lifting the pushchair in and out of the boot needs to be considered when some pushchairs can weigh in excess of 12kg so make sure you try collapsing the pushchair and try picking it up before buying.

Features and Price

Unfortunately it is a fact of life that the cheapest pushchairs often will have a limited lifespan and can also be far less resilient than a higher priced/spec model.  As the price of the pushchairs you are looking at increases you will also notice that there is a trend to provide you with more “nice to have” facilities and features, that often you really do not need!

Some features are worth taking a much closer look at before making your final decision:

Folding mechanisms - Hoe easy and quickly can it be folded?
Pushchair handles - Can they be height adjusted?
Option to recline - Look for pushchairs with a mechanism that makes it easy to lower the backrest with your child in the seat; some are much smoother than others.
Smooth ride - Some pushchairs offer suspension but the level of padding can also enhance the ride.
Pushchair tyres - Pneumatic tyres, the same as on a bicycle, give a smooth ride on bumpy surfaces but you could get a puncture (keep a puncture repair kit and pump on board).
Pushchair wheels - Some have a single front swivel wheel which makes for easy maneuvering on firm ground but can be a little tricky on rougher ground.  Swivel wheels that lock would give you the best of both worlds.

Portability

If you’re buying a single pushchair for everyday use it’s worth remembering that you may want to take it on holiday with you and if you fly often then a lightweight pushchair/stroller could be a better option.

If you use local transport on a regular basis you need a lightweight, easily foldable pushchair that can be carried with ease whilst holding your childs hand.

Some pushchairs are compatible with a newborn car seat, which can be handy if you use the car often and don't want to wake your sleeping baby when transferring her to a pushchair without removing them out of the car seat. 

On a slightly different subject the car seat can be strapped into the car using the seat belt, seat belt with a base or an isofix base such as a Maxi-Cosi.

What does your baby really need in the first weeks at home? The answer is - not much. 
 
Hopefully this baby needs checklist will help you select the basic baby items that a baby needs to have in the first precious weeks of life.

Clothing

5-10 Sleep suits
4-5 full outfits including outdoor wear
Baby socks

Nappies and Bath Time

Reusable or disposable nappies
At least 2 weeks worth of newborn disposable nappies which could be as many as 240.
Nappy cream (optional)
Digital thermometer
2 towels (hooded are useful)
Top and tail wash bowl
Nappie bags
Changing mat (unit optional)
Soft washcloth
1 bottle of gentle baby wash (optional) 

Bedtime and Feeding

6-8 bottles and teats, if you're bottle feeding
Formula Milk, if you’re bottle feeding
Sterilising equipment
Breast pump if you're breastfeeding and plan to express milk
Breast feeding pillow (optional)
3-4 Lightweight and breathable blankets
Nail scissors or just nibble them off!
Muslim squares / burp cloths
Moses basket and mattress (usuallty included)
3-4 fitted moses basket sheets
Baby monitor (One with a room temp indicator)
Cotton wool or disposable wipes (optional)

You may have everything ready for your new baby, you've got clothes, plenty of toys and you may even have the nursery furniture picked out, but when you're little comes along you'll be in for some very amazing surprises. Below is a list of 11 amazing things that you didn't know about babies, and you'll be blown away at just how special your little one really is. Read on to find out more.....

1) When a baby is first born, he or she will be tiny, and only weigh on average 6 - 8lbs, but it takes just 6 short months for your little one to double in weight, which is huge!

2) Even though most babies are born with very poor vision, a baby is always able to recognise their mother almost immediately.

3) When your baby is just 10 weeks old he/she will have already decide if they will be left of right handed.

4) Most babies are born with blue eyes, but after just a few short minutes the colour will change. So make sure you take a quick peak, otherwise you'll miss this amazing natural wonder.

5) Even the youngest of infants are able to communicate physically, long before they are able to verbally communicate. More and more mothers are choosing to teach babies as young as 2 months old simple sign language to better communicate with them.

6) Place your little one in a pool of water and you'll notice that he/she is able to hold their breath underwater. Being in the womb for so long, makes this possible and is something that they can all naturally do.

7) When a baby is in the womb it's always gets food before the mother.

8) When your baby cries for the first time there won't be any tears. This is because you're little one is unable to produce real tears for the first around 8 weeks.

9) From birth until six months, babies can actually breathe and swallow at the very same time. This is a skill they lose at around the six month period.

10) When your little one learns how to start crawling, he/she will crawl on average 200 metres a day. So be sure to move the nursery furniture out the way, and make some room.

11) Strangely, your little is born without kneecaps. They develop much later on in life. It's often between 2 and 6 years that they begin to fully develop.

So the next time you're out shopping for your new babies nursery furniture, hitting an antenatal class or perhaps choosing the perfect toy for your new family member, take a moment and think about just how amazing babies really are, and the special moments you and your little ones will be able to share together.

Welcome to the all-new Baby Planet blog, introduced as a means of keeping all of our customers updated on the latest product news, promotions, offers, and competitions.

As some of you may know, Baby Planet was launched back in 2002, and since that time has successfully navigated its way to become one of the leading UK retailers of baby equipment and accessories.

This blog has also been introcuded as a means of opening a transparent communication channel with our customers, so we encourage all feedback (good and bad) as a means of constantly improving our service.

So, welcome once more, and we look forward to seeing you again!

Baby Planet Team