‘Splash’ Some Cash and Save Babies Lives

Following the success of its unmissable water event Splashathon 2008, Tommy’s, the baby charity, is delighted to announce that babies, toddlers and young children across the country are once again ready to take to their local pools and splash for cash this year.

Tommy’s Splashathon, sponsored by Splash About, is a great chance for young children to have fun while raising money for this fantastic cause. Babies, toddlers and young children are encouraged to ask friends and family to sponsor them to ‘splash’ the length or width of their local pool, with pools across the country running the fun-filled free events throughout June and July this year.

After more than ten successful years, Tommy’s is hoping to beat last year’s total of £60,000 and make this summer’s event the most successful yet. Beating this target will raise funds for vital research into the causes of miscarriages, premature birth and stillbirth, helping save thousands of babies lives.

Tommy’s is offering a range of fantastic prizes for all those taking part. Every little splasher to raise over £40 and return their sponsorship money by 31 August 2009, will receive a prize. All pools taking part will be entered into a draw to win a fabulous £1,000 of brand new pool equipment. In addition to this, the top fundraising individual will receive a prize pack full of Splash About goodies worth £200. Splash About is the children’s safety swimwear specialists and has specialised in creating exciting and innovative baby and child swimwear for over 20 years.

Friendly Baby has both the Splash About Happy Nappy swim nappy and the Splash About Warm in Water Baby Wrap available at discount from RRP to help your little splasher raise lots of money for this very worthwhile cause.

Desri Goodwin from Splash About said: ‘We are overjoyed that we are sponsoring Tommy's Splashathon for another year. It promises to be a great event. Not only will the children have a fun time, they will also be helping other children get the healthiest start to life.’

Jess Thompson from Water Babies said: ‘There are so many tremendous benefits for a young child learning to swim. Your child will develop a greater confidence as they learn to thrive in this new environment and it is great bonding exercise for parent and child. With the money going to help give children the best chance to be
born healthy, we are proud that Water Babies can be involved in Splashathon 2009.’

Registration for Splashathon 2009 is open now. If you think you’ve got the perfect pool, call the Splashathon hotline on 08707 70 70 69 or log on to www.splashathon.org

Mamascarf has a celebrity following!

Sporty Spice, Melanie C, loves her Mamascarf breastfeeding scarf which she uses for feeding Scarlett. "I was very self conscious about needing to breastfeed in public places but Mamascarf is simple, stylish and the perfect solution."

Another big celeb in the music and modelling world also loves her Mamascarf. She shall remain nameless for now, but it will only be a matter of time until she is spotted out and about with her Mamascarf since she has it in at least two different colours!

In the news...

Mamascarf continues to get a lot of attention at the moment online as well as in the press, and will be featured in 'I'm Pregnant' magazine this month (Summer edition) as a best breastfeeding buy!

Meanwhile Lansinoh also seems to be hot topic of the moment too.

Edith Bowman personally recommend the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump on her Radio 1 afternoon show in May. While 'Pregnancy & Birth' magazine gave the Lansinoh Manual Breast Pump their ‘Best Buy’ award in the May issue.

Angie Harmon, the American actress and model, when asked recently what her beauty secret was, said: Until the day I die, I will be smoothing Lansinoh nipple cream on my lips! So now you know there is no need for expensive facial creams and you can use up the rest of your tube of Lansinoh Lanolin happy that your looks will benefit. 'Practical Parenting and Pregnancy' magazine (June issue) awarded Lansinoh Lanolin ‘Best Buy’. Sarah, mum to Daisy, said: The first few days of feeding Daisy were so painful, but within a couple of days my nipples had healed thanks to this cream and I haven’t had any problems since.

The Wean Machine

Followers of Friendly Baby know that we are huge advocates of Baby-led Weaning, where weaning is at the baby's pace. Baby decides when they want to take their first mouthful of food and how much. As such finger foods are the basis of baby's first food.

However, we know that many people don't feel confident enough to go down the Baby-led Weaning route, feeling that baby may be more likely to choke (when in actual fact they are more likely to gag, and less likely to choke than if they are fed puree). Therefore the puree route is still very popular. Many people resort to jars of baby food after they have wasted hours and hours in the kitchen cooking and blending and freezing huge batches of food. Babies are human and prefer freshly prepared food just like the rest of us, but not many of us have the time or energy to freshly prepare pureed baby food for every meal.

The Wean Machine is the answer to this problem. Simply fill, squeeze and feed. Making baby food is now quick and easy to do, both home and away. The bowl is the size of a young baby's stomach, so you won't make more food than you need. Every Wean Machine comes with two grills with different sized holes, an integral spoon and a splash guard, and a few recipes to get you going. It can be used with most foods suitable for young babies - soft fruits, vegetables, fish and carbohydrates. Pureed baby food in seconds with no fuss, no mess and no noise. The Wean Machine is dishwasher safe (top rack only). It may be sterilised using any method recommended for sterilising baby food equipment except for microwave sterilisers. Contains no BPA’s, Phthalates or PVC and helps reduce food miles and complies with all UK and International Safety Standards.

Friendly Baby have this on a special introductory offer of £17.99 (RRP £19.99).

Eco Potty? Surely that is impossible...

...oh no it isn't!

Those clever people at becothings have found a way to make a substance that acts like plastic, but is entirely natural and biodegradable!

These eco-friendly potties are made from waste plant material, so while they last for years in your home they will start biodegrading as soon as you pop them in your garden.

The ergonomically designed BecoPotty is comfortable and easy to use. The high back offers extra support, while the large splash guard helps keep potty training hygienic. This potty is not only kind on your baby, but also the environment.

Around 80% of the material is made up of fibres from bamboo and rice husks. Rice husks are a by-product of rice production, so it is a great material to use as it is normally thrown away! Although you might picture bamboo as tall thin trees, it is actually a breed of grass and so grows incredibly fast. This means all the bamboo used can be sustainably grown. Becothings take these natural plant fibres and grind them into a fine powder. This powder is then mixed with a resin created from amino acids. It is this resin that bonds all the fibres together. The mixture is pressed in a hot mould and thus a BecoPotty is born.

When you place a plant fibre product in warm, damp conditions, like a compost heap or buried in the ground, the resin will start to break down. This in-turn allows the fibres to break down, eventually the product will fully biodegrade away. This process will usually take around 2 to 3 years depending on the environmental conditions. It’s this property that makes this material ideal for products like the BecoPotty that are typically only used for a short time but are very difficult to recycle.

In stock and available for immediate dispatch at Friendly Baby for just £7.99.

Tigex Soothing and Toning Gel Breast Pads

Anyone that has experienced the discomfort of newly breastfeeding breasts will appreciate what a useful product these Tigex Soothing and Toning Gel Breast Pads are. This is a pack of 2 slim gel-filled pads with cotton cover that provide relief for painful breasts. Cooled, they numb the pain and stimulate the skin to help keep breasts firm and toned; warmed, they relax and sooth engorged painful breasts encouraging steady milk flow. Pads are compartmentalised to allow for effective gel distribution.

Friendly Baby have these at a special introductory price of £9.90 (RRP £11.00).