Why I have chosen Barney as one of our friends Barney is super welcome in our home, now. Before I became a parent myself I said that this dinosaur would be banned in my house because his beautifully loving songs that were playing on repeat irritated me. You can read more about Stupid Things I said…
I probably said many other stupid things before I became a parent myself. I didn’t think that I would ever be a parent because I’ve suffered multiple brain injuries and a near death experience. So, I assumed it was “just not ever going to be possible”, you know. Read more: Baby Number 2 Before I Became…
Sumayyah Ally is the creator behind The Little Closet. In my personal experience this is one of the ultimate, comfort Baby and Toddler Fashion brands. Her choice of fabric and design ensures that trend meets comfort. They consistently exceed our expectations with the speediest deliveries and friendly service.
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The creative and talented Anneke du Toit brings a magic touch to the wardrobe of the little ones. Her designs are on trends and classic at the same time. Perfect for a mom like me who is not too great with fashion. The best part about her little sets is that they are generally versatile in the sense that they can be styled for any season and don’t have to be worn as a set, so they last for a little longer.
Epimax Baby and Junior is the perfect soap substitute and moisturizer for sensitive and all baby skin. This product is totally free of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate found in most baby soaps and skin care products which breaks down the skin barrier, despite their promises of being gentle and nourishing. By using this brand, we don’t end up buying and applying more and more moisturizers to replenish a skin barrier that is broken down without our knowing or seeing with the naked eye.
Sr Leigh-Ann Davies has more than 22 years of experience as a Paediatric Medical Professional and she is always on top of latest topics as well as the good old fashioned medical advice and support that parents need. We
work closely with the Clinic in conjunction with our Paediatricans and General Practitioners to conclude research for our healthcare topics. This clinic and the services that they offer has also proven to be the most knowledgeable and best value for money in Johannesburg.
What we love most about Leigh is her ability to bring out the best in the kids on the day, apart from her technical and artistic skill with churning out the highest quality images at the best value for money.
This Austrian brand has been developing shoes since 1893 with the healthy development of little feet at the core of their value system. This topic is important to us and we like the specifications that they adhere to in properly developing Poppet’s little growing feet.
This service and baby activity offers too many benefits to mention here but in our personal experience it has aided with reflux among other things. We don’t go to Hydro for any medical reasons although it’s recommended by paediatricians, we go because the Poppet just loves it so much and it strengthens her physical and mental development.
We have noticed that she sleeps for longer and her confidence from moving independently in the water has just blossomed. They take babies into the water from two days old and Poppet has been going once a week from the age of 12 weeks. Thanks to the world acclaimed development activity of Hydrotherapy and the professional way in which Hydro Baby South Africa conduct their sessions her core muscle strength is unbelievable, so much so, that before she turned 9 months old she advanced to the aquatics sessions for babies from 12 – 24 months.
I just love handmade and bespoke pieces especially embroidered ones. The creator behind Bugs is the amazing Lisa Dawson, always ready to give advice and help with anything you are looking for. I often have something in mind which is nowhere to be found in any shop or online, around the world. I can buy a plain item in a shop and take it to her to have it embroidered or send her a knitting pattern. They have the most beautiful gifts too. They do anything really, scatter cushions, duvet covers, underwear bags, etc.
The best part about this award winning teether is that it’s also a pre-training toothbrush and teething gel applicator all in one.
Katie Windridge is the mom-creator behind this stylish teething product and Touker Suleyman from the popular BBC Dragon’s Den TV show has invested in this product.
This ergonomically designed teething toy is FDA approved, BPA free, Dishwasher safe and freezer friendly. Matchstick Monkey is “Born in Britain”.
I hav
e an obsession with soft toy bunnies. I was obsessed with any soft toy from a young age and this has stayed with me. This is in my opinion the best quality softie you can find.
These bunnies (and other creatures) are designed in London since 1999 and manufactured with only the best materials. They have some sort of hidden “beads” if you like, stuffed in their little bottoms that make them a bit heavier when they are sat down, yet they are light and fluffy. The perfect accessory for babies from newborn to the age of “mother”.
They have so many different designs of animals, different colours and they have even introduced some educational toys and books.
From Baby Shower invitations to designing electronic birthday “Save The Date” to the prints of décor items for kiddies parties to bespoke vinyl printing for bedroom décor, Printspace is my Go To. They source the best material at most affordable prices and quickest turn around times. They offer free advice that makes a whole lot of sense, like printing room décor and growth charts to change a kids bedroom instead of the costly exercise of painting murals only to be changed to a Frozen or Smurfs theme next year.
For Poppet’s first Birthday I couldn’t find kids crockery I liked and they gave me the great idea of melamine plates with vinyl stickers of my theme.
They offer offset and digital printing, design and promotional gifts among other things too.
Ronel Coetzee is part of the International Association of Infant Massage and offers a 5 week course in Baby Massage. A baby’s skin is their major sensory organ through which they discover the world. This is also in my opinion one of the best and most basic ways to bond with your baby, for both mom and dad.
The internationally acclaimed MISP (Massage in Schools Program) is now also available in South Africa and more information can be obtained from them.
Ida Rossouw is the creator behind this bright and bountiful brand.
They offer a range of baby accessories from trolley and car seat covers to stuffed toys and dummy clips.
In my personal experience their dummy clips are durable and withstand some of my rather different methods in maintaining and caring for products. I leave dummy clips to soak over night in Vanish without chlorine for colours.
Their products are bright and colourful and is often the perfect accessory to jazz up an outfit.
The world is filled with moms “In love with NUK”.
When I was pregnant this was already my brand of choice. There is something very special about German Engineering, Innovation, their strict testing procedures, history and manufacturing ethics. They produce with only the best in mind for mom, baby, the environment and society in general.
In South Africa we have have a really large portion of the population that can relate to this even when purchasing cars.
NUK is the orthodontist’s choice and continues to be the choice of Moms like me since the 1940s.
The Korbell Nappy Disposal System uses a triple-sealing
system to ensure odour-free nappy disposal.
We have alcohol rub for our hands all over the house, this is a great habit we brought home from the neo-natal ICU and the best part about the Korbell nappy bin is that it’s hands free. This means sanitizing once after the nappy change and not again after closing the bin. We are very hygiene conscious and this bin has some features making small differences that make our lives a whole lot easier.
Migi Designs manufactures baby hammocks, designer teepees, indoor swings, cushions and designer bags. Locally designed, created and produced by the amazingly talented mom duo Izene and Renee.
In our experience the baby hammock guarantees a daily dose of giggles. Poppet just loves hers and we love it too. We use it inside, outside, it goes away with us on holiday to hang in a tree or wherever. It’s a great way to free our hands to do other tasks as well as spend our quality time. And, it’s also not only a leisure product. Swinging has huge benefits for babies as it’s calming and provides a sense of security. It’s also beneficial to their development of balance as the movement registers to the inner ear.
I take my hat off to moms who choose the route of cloth nappies in daily parenting. Unfortunately, I can not proudly say that I am one of them. I did have best intentions to go this route but after getting into the convenience habit in neo-natal ICU there was no turning back for me in the newborn phase. When it comes to swimming nappies we are talking about a whole different ball game. Here I am more than happy to deal with the washing of cloth and this is our ultimate choice of brand. We will do the same when we enter the potty training phase as I believe that this nappy has a closer resemblance to underwear than a pull up disposable nappy. I believe that their designs also put some fun into the potty training exercise giving the child a variety of choice each time they need to change into a new one, taking the focus off a potential feeling of embarrassment or failure.
We started the Poppet on solids when she was 4 months old, cooking all her food ourselves for peace of mind in knowing exactly what she’s eating.
Charity, my husband Ian and I would cook, boil, steam, blend, mash, package and freeze in advance to save some time in our busy schedules.
The best part about the Baby Brezza food maker is that you can put your fresh produce in the machine, set the time and go for a bath instead!
The Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker Complete brings healthy, homemade baby food to your table in just minutes. Its one-of-a-kind, patented features take the hassle out of creating delicious, wholesome purees for your baby by automatically blending food after steaming!
The 100% cotton Turskish Towels are essential to my baby’s comfort. They are compact, light-weight, absorbent, fast drying, eco-friendly and so versatile. We always have one in the nappy bag. Even mom can use it as a travel blanket, scarf, towel, sarong, anything really.
They have a really nice variety of designs and colours too.
Whether it’s a Wedding for 300, Kids Birthday Party for 20 or Baby Shower for 10, this is the party planning team that you want!
Louinette and her team never fail to deliver on exactly what we want within the specified budget. They always make it work. Have you ever been to the hairdresser and explained the hair cut you want, showed the picture and then somehow the hairdresser still cuts it the way she likes it instead of what YOU want? Well, Impressionant Events do the opposite, they give you exactly what YOU want within your budget. No job too big or small.
We just love doing events with them, they are a very special team to our family.
Events can be stressful, if something goes wrong, they are always there to bring the calm, solve the problem on time and add their touch of magic!