Sleeping beauties

If you ask any brand new mama what’s on her Xmas wish list, “more sleep” would probably take the top spot. Since you can’t control her baby’s night waking you could offer your mum chum that much-needed nap by taking care of her baby for a couple of hours. Or you could simply pass on that well-worn maxim ‘sleep when the baby sleeps’ and before she can roll her eyes, give her these gorgeous silk masks from Babes with Babies to persuade her. The floral embroidered sleep masks not only block out light but fill the air with a soothing scent to help you nod off. In case dad gets jealous, there’s also a plain black Man Mask to help him rest his weary eyes. Just don’t call him Zorro.

Piece of cake

Stuck for a gift idea for a brand new mama? Ever thought of baking a diaper cake? These cloth concoctions give a whole new meaning to the concept of ‘edible undies’. Diaper Cakewalk is just one of many companies who are cornering the baby shower market with their ornate cake style designs made entirely out of what we in the UK call ‘nappies’. You can choose their pound cakes, diaper-only cakes, boy or girl cakes, or even a diaper castle. Diaper cakes are not only a great conversation piece but they’re just as eye-catching and certainly a lot more practical than a bunch of flowers. Tuck in at Diaper Cakewalk.

Puffed up

There is nothing warmer or more weather-resistant than the puffa jacket which once again the fash pack has declared ‘hot’ for the cold season. But when the average skinny Minnie can resemble the Michelin man in a padded coat, what hope is there for someone who on a good day looks like she’s strapped a VW to her tummy? Well we’ve scoured the web and found this ultra-funky, sleek and mummy-friendly puffer coat by Motherhood Maternity. Available in black, sizes S-XL, this quilted three-quarter length coat comes with a detachable fake fur-trim hood and room to grow. Grab one while they last at Motherhood online store.

Here's baby!

If you're a super-organised mama, you'll have probably dropped off handprinted cards informing your nearest and dearest about the birth of your little one as soon as you eased off the delivery bed. But if you're like most of us, it will probably take you days (okay, weeks) after birth to get around to taking blurry pics of your baby that you'll email to whoever your nappy-headed brain can remember in your contacts list.

Luckily the internet provides a range of options for time-pressed parents such as Baby Momento, a company that creates custom-designed online birth announcements using personal photos. Rather than having to spend hours attaching photos to various emails, you simply choose a design online, submit a form, email your photos to the Baby Momento team and let them take care of the rest. And since it's an online announcement, doting grandparents and aunts and uncles can also share their happy news without fuss - simply by pointing friends and family to the e-card address. For more info, see the Baby Momento web site.

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.

Ring leader

I came across an ad for Susan Astaire’s Baby Ring© in a magazine and couldn’t resist checking out the web site. Each handmade gold or silver band features a pink or blue diamond surrounded by white diamonds to signify the arrival of a girl or boy. For added effect (and more spend), you can have the child’s name engraved on the inside of the band.



It might seem a bit strange to get a diamond ring dedicated not to hubby but to baby, but the trend for buying mothers bling to celebrate births seems to be growing thanks in part to the Hollywood baby boom. We’re not ones to turn our noses up at a fine piece of sparkle on whatever occasion but doesn’t it just add to the pressure for ordinary mortals to keep up with the Mr & Mrs Jones (or the Cruises or Jolie-Pitts)? Given the current divorce rates, maybe baby rings are set to take over from engagement rings as the ultimate symbol of lifetime commitment. For more info, visit the web site.

Glow to Bed

Night sweats, leaky boobs and bed head. In the days and weeks after giving birth, you’ve never been in more need of beauty sleep and yet sleep proves disturbingly elusive. So here’s something to perk you up: these ’Cheeky’ PJs from Glow Maternity. Made from 100% cotton, this pyjama set can be worn through bump and beyond, thanks to the adjustable drawstring waist. There’s a discreet side opening in the top so you can breastfeed without having to hide out in the bedroom when guests pop by to ogle baby. The sleek yet comfy stripy tank and sweats combo makes ideal loungewear and yet is smart enough to make you look like you've had time to shower. Available in sizes 8 to 20 at Glow Maternity.