Keeping your baby cool in the summer

Baby bandanas ,cellular blankets and cool baths. In todays blog Bunny Bumpkin gives some tips on how to keep your baby cool in the summer.

Summer has finally arrived and everyone heads for the sun but it is important to remember that babies cannot tolerate the sun like adults.

Babies fair skin is prone to sunburn and they are also susceptible to dehydration and heatstroke.

Bunny Bumpkin has put together these tips on keeping your baby safe and cool in the summer and we have some product ideas to make it easy for you.

• Avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm when it is at its hottest.
• Use a very high factor sunscreen (e.g. factor 50) even if your baby is in the shade.Apply the sun cream regularly especially if they are using a paddling pool.
• Put a sun hat on your baby. Bunny Bumpkin sell a range of summer dresses with matching sun hats like this purple & pink posy and polka dot dress/sun hat set

Summer dress and hat set from Bunny Bumpkin

Alternatively your baby can go for the hip look with this baby bandana available in four different colours. 

Baby Bandana from Bunny Bumpkin

• Give them more water than usual. Cooled boiled water is best for young babies. Fruit Juice Ice lollies are great for quenching an older babys’ thirst. If your baby is on solids fruit is another great way of getting them to have more fluid.
   
• If you are breastfeeding, you may need to increase the frequency. This summery Emma Jane nursing top makes breastfeeding easy.

Emma Jane Nursing Top from Bunny Bumpkin

• A cool bath before bed time will make for a more comfortable night.

• Keep the bedroom cool by closing the curtains in the day and using a fan during hot nights.

• Keep bedclothes and nightwear to a minimum. Don’t let them get too cold though as the temperature can drop suddenly in the night. A baby sleeping bag is handy for baby’s who like to kick the covers off. If it is a hot night though just put them in their nappy only and then put them  in the sleeping bag.Cellular blankets are also good for keeping the baby warm without overheating.
  
  
  

  

  Cellular Blanket

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Cardiff Ice Hockey Teams raise over £5k for Marie Curie Cancer Care

We recently reported on a charity ice hockey match taking place between the Cardiff Eagles & Cardiff Bay Lightning. We are pleased to report that the match raised over five thousand pounds for Marie Cure Cancer Care.

The match which included Max Birbraer, Ben Davies and Chris Blight from Elite League team the Cardiff Devils was won 6-5 by the Cardiff Bay Lightning.

Several hundred fans watched  a very competitive and exciting match and dug deep making donations and buying raffle tickets to win a signed Mac Faulkner Hockey Shirt.

Each of the players also had to raise money in order to play and Bunny Bumpkin sponsored our Sales Director to play in defence for the Cardiff Eagles.

This is the second match of this kind and Bunny Bumpkin look forward to sponsoring a similar event next year.

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Bunny Bumpkin supporting charity Ice Hockey Match

Two recreational ice hockey teams will take to the ice this weekend to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Cardiff Bay Lightning and Cardiff Eagles play each other for the second year running to raise money for charity. The last time these two teams played each other in 2012, they raised £3000 for childrens cancer charity Clic Sargent

It is not just the recreational teams that are getting involved though. Both sides will be guesting a couple of players from Cardiffs' professional team, the Cardiff Devils, who play in the Elite League.

There will be childrens' entertainment in the break and a raffle to win a hockey shirt signed by Devils star forward Mac Faulkner.

Planet Ice who run Cardiff Ice Arena have donated the ice time and many friends, families and local businesses have already contributed.

Bunny Bumpkin Maternity, Nursing and Baby are sponsoring their Sales & Marketing director Martin Burridge who will be playing for the Cardiff Eagles.

Bunny Bumpkin wishes both teams the best of luck and hopes the event is a great success for all involved.

The match faces off at 7pm on Sunday May 5th at Cardiff Ice Arena in Cardiff Bay. Entrance is free though a donation to the Marie Curie Cancer Care will be appreciated.

Anybody wishing to make a donation to Marie Curie Curie Cancer Care can do so at the events justgiving page https://www.justgiving.com/CardiffEagles.

The challenge of choosing a baby's name

Choosing your babys name should be an easy task. There are thousands of websites and books with lists of babys names.

However you need to think carefully before choosing as there may be a few things you have not considered. Bunny Bumpkin takes a slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ look at the problems of choosing the right baby name.

Babys Names get shortened when they are older

Call a child David and it may be shortened to Dave which is relatively harmless. Robert will get shortened to Rob which is fine provided your surname is not Banks.

Surname Matching

So think about what the name means when put with the surname. Some of these may sound obvious but google or search for them on social media sites and you will find these people do exist. Here are some genuine examples.

Anne Teak
Art Major
Brock Lee
Doug Hole
Jack Haas

Take Care with Initials

Samuel Oliver Davies may seem like a great name but when little Samuel is asked to write his initials it may offend.

Spelling Your Babys Name

Unusual spelling of names can be more interesting but your child will spend a lifetime opening mail with their name spelt incorrectly.

Beware Email/Surname Clashes

Names like John Smith are pretty straight forward when it comes to email. E.g. jsmith@hotmail.com. But what if you have an unusual name like Paul Blood. (look in the phone directory and you will find a few.) The same email format now gives something that sounds more like a medical condition than a name.

Baby Names Meaning

All names have meanings. I was surprised to discover that my sons name Jake comes from Jacob meaning supplanter (someone who wrongfully or illegally takes the place of someone else).No way ! My little angel would never do such a thing !!

On a more serious note here are some of our favourite (and reasonably safe) names along with their meanings

Baby Boys Names

Aaron – A teacher; lofty; mountain of strength
Alex - Diminutive of Alexander: Defender of men; protector of mankind
Joshua – God is salvation
Cian – Ancient
Aiden – Little Fire

Baby Girls Names

Abbie - Diminutive of Abigail: Father rejoiced, or father's joy. Gives joy
Gabrielle - God is my strength.
Amelia - Industrious. Striving.
Kayla – Variant of Katherine meaning pure.
Lucy – Light

Whatever name you choose, all babies are beautiful so all baby names are beautiful. To celebrate baby names Bunny Bumpkin has launched a new range of personalised baby gifts on its website. So from Alex to Zak, or Abbie to Zoe you can have your babies name on money boxes, teddies, picture frames, crockery and much more.

Click here to view Bunny Bumpkins personalised gift page

How to Potty Train your child

Travel pottys, folding toilet seats and rewards pottys. In this blog Bunny Bumpkin gives some tips on potty training and introduces some of the great products that are available to make toilet training easier.

Potty training can be a challenging time for both mother and child. Bunny Bumpkin has pulled together this guide from various reliable resources on the subject to help. We have also included some products to help with the process. Just click on the pictures for more product information.

When to start

Every child is different and it is important not to try to force them before they are ready.
Generally speaking most children are ready to start between 18 and 24 months.
It is always easier to start in the summer as there are less clothes to take off when they need to go and you can let them run around in the garden without a nappy on.(Don’t forget the sun screen)
Your child will give you clues that they are ready such as telling you that they have had a wee in their nappy or if you are lucky, telling you before they want to go.

How to start

Always have a potty in sight in the main rooms the child uses.
It is good to let the child see older children and even yourself using the toilet (which you may refer to as the big potty)
Leave the nappy off at times of the day that they usually go. (as long as this doesn’t distress them. If it does then leave it a few more weeks and try again)
If you see them weeing, put them on the potty even if it is too late so they get the association. Do this with a minimum of fuss or they may become anxious about going to the toilet.
You will often have to clean up the mess when it doesn’t work out. Do this without complaint but cheerfully point out that it is better to use the potty.
Give them praise when they use the potty. Using the potty should be a fun and rewarding experience. This Safety First rewards potty available from Bunny Bumpkin is a great idea. It gives encouraging phrases and songs, guides them through the steps of using the potty and then dispenses stickers when they are successful. Avoid using sweets as rewards.

Safety First Smart Rewards Potty

Be patient. It can take months to potty train a child and there will be setbacks even when things have been going well. Don’t get angry with them.

Prepare for travel.

Putting a nappy back on your child when you are travelling will confuse them. Keep a travel potty in the car .This Babyway travel potty is also available from Bunny Bumpkin.

Babyway Travel Potty

Graduating to the toilet

As they get the hang of the potty it will not be long before they want to start using the big toilet like mummy, daddy and siblings. They may ask to do this. Using the toilet is a lot more convenient for you, particularly with number twos.
Invest in a toilet trainer seat. This Little Wonder training seat can be used for travel also as it folds up.

Little Wonder Toilet Trainer Seat

Night Time

Although most children learn night time bladder control  between the ages of three and five, it is estimated that a quarter of three-year-olds and one in six five-year-olds wet the bed. If bedwetting persists beyond 6 or 7 then it is worth consulting the doctor to check there is no underlying medical condition.
Encourage your child to go to toilet before going to bed.
Do not punish the child for wetting the bed. They are unaware that they are doing it. Making them anxious about it will just make it worse.

Bunny Bumpkin is an online retailer providing everything a mum needs for pregnancy, nursing and the childs early years. Subscribe to Bunny Bumpkins newsletter at www.bunnybumpkin.com

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Can I swim when pregnant?

The simple answer is yes but with some precautions. Swimming is often encouraged by midwives in the UK.

Here  are some of the benefits of swimming while pregnant

• Swimming is a great low impact aerobic exercise that takes the weight off the joints.
• It allows you to move freely in the water which is something you may struggle to do out of the water as your pregnancy advances.
• While you are in the water your blood pressure is likely to be lower
• Swimming is great for relaxation and exercise helps you sleep better at night
• Its low risk. With land based exercises you risk hurting yourself and baby if you fall. Once you are in the water you are supported so any slip is much less risk. Be careful before getting in though.

A few words of caution though.

• If you have never exercised before, start slowly, warm up  and cool down gradually before getting out.
• Avoid any stroke that feels uncomfortable
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration as it can get hot in indoor swimming pools
• If in doubt, check with your GP
• Swimming is ok but scuba diving isn’t because the baby has no protection against decompression sickness and gas embolism (gas bubbles in the bloodstream)

So now that you have decided to go swimming, the next important question for a pregnant woman is:

What to wear when swimming?

In the first trimester of pregnancy you should be able to wear your existing swimsuits. However by the second trimester you will need to invest in a maternity swimsuit. Swimsuits like this Emma Jane Swimsuit available from www.bunnybumpkin.com  have ruched sides to allow for body changes during pregnancy. There is also an elasticated bra shelf for comfort and support.

Emma Jane Maternity Swimsuit available from www.bunnybumpkin.com

The swimsuit you buy in the second trimester should also see you through to the third.
Another option is a maternity tankini. The tankini has the advantage of not having to remove the whole swimsuit when you need to go to the toilet.

Emma Jane Matewrnity Swimsuit available from www.bunnybumpkin.com

So what are you waiting for? Take the weight off your feet, cool yourself down and take a dip

For more blogs about pregnancy visit our pregnancy blog page