Born is 13 Today

13 Years ago Georgina and I opened the doors to our Gloucester Road store.  We took over the premises on Christmas Eve 1999, and spent the next 3 months decorating, shop fitting and buying stock.  It's interesting to see just how few of those suppliers are still around.  This industry is tougher than most think. The subject matter, babies, is of course wonderful, but the 'industry' that surrounds it is not so cute.

We set out to be different. Not selling things we felt people really didn't need and choosing products that were 'best in class' and things that we ourselves would want to use.  13 years ago we struggled to find suppliers to fulfill our buying remit. Now we are spoilt for choice, which is a good thing, because it means that suppliers are more conscious of how products are made and the people who make them. It means our stores and web site are now heaving,  and Bristol looks very different from the picture above.



One thing we've always been really selective about is our choice of pushchairs.  The factories they are made in are of paramount importance. Why would we sell a pushchair made by a child or someone in forced labour? The reality is that there are still companies for whom the morality of this is not an issue, but for us it definitely is. As is the materials they are made of. Unfortunately due OTT British safety standards our strollers and cots are laden with unnecessary chemical fire retardants. That's why when Orbit Baby Strollers came along we were very excited to know about their commitment to avoid using these chemical in their strollers. They are the 'Worlds Greenest Stroller'. So we were very excited when they said to us that they wanted to celebrate their UK launch by giving away a pushchair to one of our lucky customers, to highlight just how eco friendly their brand is.

Last year Orbit Baby were bought by Ergobaby, the manufacturers of brilliant baby carriers.  They are also the brand that is most similar to us in its ethos. They don't just sell carriers and pushchairs, they are promoting an ethical and heart centered parenting  lifestyle, and one that leaves behind a legacy which our children and future generations will be proud of.  For us it's fitting that we get to celebrate our birthday by launching a competition with them.

In the next few days we'll be sending out information on how you can be in with a chance to win an Orbit G2 Stroller. To make sure you get that email you need to be on our mailing list. Go to our home page and fill in your email address in the box at the bottom of the page.

~ Eva

When Science Backs Up a 'Mother's Inner Knowing'

I've never been a fan of 'cry-it-out' methods of getting your baby to sleep. They always felt wrong to me because I live by the the principle of 'if I wouldn't like it if it were done to me, I don't do it to someone else'. Based on that, I always felt that leaving my baby to cry itself to sleep at night just wasn't right.

It's only been in the last few years that there has been a lot of scientific research to back up what I felt was true. This research now confirms that there are long term implications in leaving your baby to 'cry-it-out'.  Interestingly, as mentioned in this video, one of the benefits that early attachment gives is the ability to have empathy with others, so perhaps, because my mum didn't practice 'cry-it-out' on me, this led me to feel the Attachment way was right for my kids?

But what if you don't have that 'inner knowing'?

If as a baby your mum followed what was the trend at the time and left you to cry, you may not have the ability to 'tune-in' to what you baby needs, so it maybe worth learning these skills via BabyCalm or Babiesknow.  These two great parenting courses not only teach you how to connect to your baby, but explain why this is so important.

If you are expecting your first baby, and are unsure about how you will be able to respond to your baby then the BabyCalm ante-natal workshops are a must for you and your partner, and the Relaxed Birth and Parenting Ante-natal classes will also be incredibly useful too.

Love, Eva

Watch the You-tube video here:

The role of attachment in infancy on later mental and physical health outcomes

If you want to know more about Attachment Theory watch this video:

Science Bulletins: Attachment Theory—Understanding the Essential Bond