Winging it

We're inching up on birthday month in our household. Yup, mama and both her cheeky boys are Aquarians and hoping to celebrate in some style this February.

If I could make a birthday wishlist for at least two of us (myself and Little Big Cheeks) I would say a little prayer for these Walking Wings by Upspring Baby.

The same team that came up with Milkscreen Moms (screening your breastmilk for alcohol content) have devised another brilliant product. It's a parent harness that's adjustable and detachable, managing to provide balance and confidence for your toddler-in-training without causing you back pain.

One look at the 'Before' and 'After' pictures on their web site and I was pretty much sold on this device. We could certainly do with some 'Wings' on our 10-month-old cherub as he cruises into this stage. Check out a video demo at the Walking Wings site.

Get Cozi this winter

Like many mothers, one of my top resolutions for the new year (make that the new decade) is to get more organised. Figuring out how to juggle your growing family's commitments can make you feel like Kali on a bad day.

Now I've found an online tool that looks like it might just change my life. Cozi is an internet-based organiser designed to streamline your routine, making it easier to keep up with your busy family life.

Through its handy system of calendars and schedules Cozi helps you keep track of appointments, groceries, chores and to-do lists. The Cozi site can be accessed by any family member from anywhere with an internet connection - even via mobile phone. You can also sync your Cozi calendar with Microsoft Outlook to stay on top of important dates.

Another great feature is the Family Journal that lets you keep a record of family life with text and photos that you can share via email or even Facebook. Visit Cozi for more tools and tips that could make 2010 the year you finally get closer to being a 'super'-mum.

Stay pure

The weather's changing and dare we say it, thoughts of that piggy flu and other seasonal nasties are coming to the forefront. If you're a laidback type of gal, your defence system might come down to regular handwashing and perhaps a bottle or two of anti-bacterial spray.

But if you're a bit of a germophobe, you're probably looking for something a little more proactive to tackle those hidden horrors. You should be impressed by the Purespace Sanitizer, a unit for storing and sanitizing personal items. This clever piece of tech kills 99.9999% of all known viruses and harmful bacteria including those linked to flu, heart disease and diabetes.

The Purespace Sanitizer stores up to 6 manual and electric tootbrushes at a time. It also holds baby bottles, pacifiers, nail scissors, jewellery, razors and other similar tools that could carry and spread germs. For more info including where to buy, visit the Purespace homepage.

A timely gift

Little Big Cheeks is already heading towards his half-year birthday and it seems like forever since I was lugging him around in my belly. I don't exactly miss being pregnant, but I do wish I'd known about My Pregnancy Digi Time Capsule when I was 'with child'.

The fantastic techno keepsake provides a way to capture and store your pregnancy journey, from ultrasound and heartbeat recordings to video messages and photos of your growing bump. On 4GB, you can document the process of decorating your baby's nursery, record baby showers and gift items, even put down timely details about the world leading up to your baby's birth. From gender predictions to old wives' tales, pretty much anything you can think about plus loads of stuff you haven't can be saved on the My Pregnancy Digi Time Capsule.

Available in Signature Silver & Gold or White Leather, this award-winning product makes a truly original gift for any mama-to-be. What's great is that once you pop, you will soon be able to create My Baby Book Digi Time Capsule with equally comprehensive features. Visit the Digi Time Capsule web site for more details and updates.

Mother's help

Every mother dreads it: the non-stop crying, fussy and gassy phase that's known as colic and can make your bundle of joy turn you into a bag of nerves. Nobody can explain what causes colic exactly but when it happens the first thing you'll want to know is how to make it stop.

The First Years Colic Massage Pad, by Learning Curve, is a natural solution that some parents describe as a godsend. This battery-operated pad uses a circular motion, white noise and soothing vibrations to keep baby on an even keel. Spread it across your lap or over your shoulder and lay your little one on his tummy to help ease and maybe even release some of that gassy pain. The First Years Colic Massage Pad is soft, easily washable, portable and available at Babies R Us. More info at the Learning Curve web site.

Stroll baby stroll

After all that Xmas browsing for the hubby, I'm still in gadget-finding mode. I just stumbled across this fab piece of tech made specifically with new parents in mind.


The Strollometer is basically a pedometer for the pushy set. It's the world's first wireless speedometre designed to fit any pushchair and aimed at encouraging you to make the most out of your daily stroll.

This mini computer calculates everything from your daily mileage and average trip speed to the temperature outside--so you can keep baby perfectly cool or warm while you work up a sweat. The Strollometer makes a great gift and is the perfect accessory for your strollercize workout. Visit the website for a list of online retail partners based in US and Canada (many will ship worldwide).

Soothe a fever

Tis the season of coughs and sniffles and one of the most worrying times for any Brand New Mama. If you've got an infant who's under the weather, you'll want to be certain he has a fever before reaching for the Calpol. But how to get your poorly little wriggler to stay still long enough for that oral, armpit or rectal thermometer to get a precise reading?

Grab yourself one of these nifty Digital Soother Thermometers from Bruin. It looks and feels like a regular pacifier but will glow red when a fever is detected. It can be used in both celsius and fahrenheit and has a memory feature to recall previous readings. Soothing for baby and simple enough for the most sleep-deprived mum, these Bruin Digital Soother Thermometer can be found at Babies R Us stores or online.

Water Sport

One of the stands that caught our eye at October's Baby Show in London was selling something called the Baby Sport Water Bottle Teat Adaptor. The name is pretty self-explanatory but we'll break it down anyway: basically it's a little gadget that attaches a standard baby teat to any 'baby-friendly' water bottle. It creates a watertight seal and saves you having to boil and cool your baby's water before you head out the door.

The product is 100% BPA free and will work with almost any brand of low mineral water bottle suitable for babies from 5/6 months e.g. Spa, Aqua Pura, Evian, Highland Spring and Volvic. The BabySport adaptor is ideal for travelling abroad and will help keep your baby safely hydrated in countries where the tap water is dodgy. Find out more at the Baby Sport web site.

Knees Up

One of the many things nobody warns you before you become a mother is exactly how much time you’ll spend prone at your little emperor’s feet, attending to his every whim. Take bath time, for instance. The amount of hours spent bending over to wash baby inevitably leads to not only a sore back but calloused knees and elbows.

That’s why smart mums go for the Aquatopia Bath Time Kneeler. This genius little gizmo is a cushioned resting pad with a non-slip rubber bottom that sticks to the bath with suction cups. It also features side pockets where you can place baby’s bath essentials within easy reach. Do your knees a favour and order a Bath Time Kneeler from The Baby Catalogue.

Swap shop

Welcome to 2008. With every New Year come new resolutions and the promise of a fresh start. What better way to begin than to clear out all the outgrown baby clothes and gear that's already starting to clutter up your nursery and attic?

Swap Baby Goods is a fantastic and free site that allows parents to register their baby products to buy, sell or exchange. It’s a great place to scout for gently used or second-hand items and also to pass on those Xmas gifts that weren’t necessarily what you were hoping for. Swap Baby Goods features everything from Moses baskets and baby slings to bedding, clothes and books. Brand New Mama cautions customers against buying items like car seats and pushchairs second-hand in case they don’t meet safety standards. Visit Swap Baby Goods to find sites for customers in the US, Canada or the UK.

Clever Clippers

One of the first tests a new mama has to face is learning to cut her newborn’s fingernails without causing untold physical or emotional trauma. Baby nails are so soft and their fingers so tiny that it only takes a slip to accidentally nick the skin. Thus many mothers approach baby manicures with almost as much anxiety as if they were performing surgery on their infant. The best advice doctors give is to trim babies’ nails while they’re asleep but if your child is lying in a darkened room it’s almost impossible to see what you’re doing.

The Baby Light & Clip was invented by a mother to take the stress out of baby manicures. The battery-operated nail clipper comes with four safety features: a lighted nail clipper that illuminates under the baby’s nail to show where to safely trim; safety guards to stop you cutting baby’s skin; a tray to catch clippings before they fall into baby’s bedding; and increased visibility of sharp edges that could scratch baby’s skin. It also features a comfort control handle for easy working and a compact storage case. This multiple award-winning product is loved by mums and is available at the website.