Travelling with children can be very challenging at times, especially when it comes to sleep time.  The Travel Buddies™ neck pillows are the perfect answer as they are designed to comfortably support sleepy heads on planes, trains, and automobiles and keep everyone well rested!  They are so snugly and soft that kids will take them everywhere and won’t leave them behind.  Available in adorable animal designs, the Travel Buddies™ are machine washable and suitable for ages 18 months and up.  RRP $26.60

Stockist details: www.littlehelpers.com.au

Popularity: 30% [?]

Baby is your baby no-more, quickly moving towards kindy or school, with a brief peck on the cheek and barely a glance over the shoulder – oh, how did it go so quickly? But before you’ve had time to adjust to this new situation an awful thought hits – you haven’t got space for the school clothes, the paintings, the works of art, the sports wear… in fact you haven’t got room for ANYTHING!

Baby “stuff” takes up an enormous amount of room – from the cot that you can’t find the time to disassemble to the copious amounts of teeny-tiny baby clothing, socks, shoes and hats we manage to collect.

Now before you pack it all off to a family or friend who you are “sure can use it”, really ask yourself if they can, or have they in fact got most of what they need – will you just be transferring your lack of space to their place? Remember, friends often find it hard to knock back freebies, even if it is nothing like what they want! Review your motives!!

How about listing your items on eBay or other auction sites? This can be great fun, but make sure you read the fine print regarding fees.., there are listing fees, fees for more than one photo, bold type fees, and selling fees to mention just a few and be warned that if you accept payments via Paypal, there are fees then too. Do your sums on the small stuff – by the time you spend on all the fees, not to mention the time it may not be worth the effort. A neat trick that you will see a lot of on the auction sites is to bundle smaller, more generic baby wear items that may not attract a lot of attention alone into bulk lots, add a few stand alone pieces of well preserved clothing in great brands like Osh-Kosh or Fred Bare and you should see more interest. Larger items like cots, change tables, drawers can be sold as a “lot” too – do some research, take into account your location and how desirable the items may be separately.

You could always have a stall at a local market, providing it isn’t a “crafts only” style affair. There are also specific baby stuff markets (see, you’re not alone!) – check out www.babyandkidsmarket.com.au for more information. These options, along with the trusty garage sale, have the benefit of REAL people contact – nothing quite as nice as chatting to a loving grandma who is thrilled to have picked up a bargain for her new grand child! If you do choose the garage sale route, and advertise in the local paper word your ad carefully – you don’t want 5am visitors thinking they might just pick up the ultimate collectible, when your main saleable items are a baby bath, car seat and jolly jumper!

Then there are ads in the “for sale” section of the local paper, on different web sites and in the Trading Post – also online now. With normally limited word space, you may find you get a lot of queries from people for whom the item just isn’t what they are looking for – but advertising the items separately can be expensive… it may be worth checking with your local paper though, ours has a bargain section where ads for items under $50 are free.

Another option is the exchange sites like www.freecycle.org.au - you may also find people looking to exchange or purchase items on your favourite parenting site or forum – you’ll be amazed!

If you would prefer to give your items away, check with your friends what they might GENUINELY like and give the rest to a local charity. One of our local groups, St Luke’s, can use just about anything, from books  to children’s toys, baby clothing, furniture and things like maternity wear that some of their clients simply can’t afford.

Whatever method you choose to de-clutter, be kind to those on the receiving end and make sure items are clean and in good repair. Whether you sell or gift you are a winner in multiple ways, more cash in your pocket or a warm fuzzy feeling, but most importantly MORE SPACE!

Cath Freemantle is mummy to Cameron and Jack and director of online discount maternity, baby and chidlren’s wear store, Bump, Baby & Beyond.

Popularity: 27% [?]

What does it mean to be sexy? In the matter of fact, everyone can feel sexy! It’s a state of mind. When you are confident in yourself and work on your appearance. By taking good care of yourself in every way, whether you are woman or man, you can be sexy too!

Live actively, go to the gym or run in the morning, be in shape!Eat healthy food, drink juices to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Drink as much water as you can everyday.Add vegetables to your food and decrease the number of fat and sugars.

To be sexy, you need to take dating and good care of yourself. You need to feel and look good and those two are combined with each other.

Don’t forget to brush your teeth, keep your breath always fresh.Wear clothes that fit your style, don’t wear anything too tight. Try not to wear things too loose or too old or dirty. If the weather is nice and you’re not spending all day on walking, put on your high heels to your jeans.Spend some time on your hair and make-up but don’t overdo it.Have a smile on your face, be nice and enjoy life!

Your online profile should be accurate and unique. Take your time to write something that doesn’t make you sound like a superhero spend some time on browsing dating sites.Read other people’s profiles and get a sense of style and add that something unique.

Don’t make things up!Mention your marital status, sexual preference, age and appearance, hobbies and everything your partner should know about.Add your favorite movies, food, music. Let him/her know you’re a pet owner ( if you are). Try to add something that most of people like to get that feeling of all-rounder for those who read your profile.Include a humorous quote or comment that accurately represents your sense of humor. You can be even funny and easygoing.

Revise the profile to make it clear and entertaining. Make sure people will want to continue reading through all if your start is entertaining.Check the final version carefully; it will be read by hundreds of people. - Post it online and ask your friend what he thinks about your profile. - Update it with all changes everyday (if there are any).Add some nice photographs.Now you’re profile is ready and you can begin your own searches and try  online dating which leads your lifestyle in a sexy way.

Check you calendar for any coming special occasions or day (Valentine’s or The Sweetest day etc). If nothing comes up don’t worry, just look what’s the weather is like for coming days and depending on what you’re up to, choose a day. What’s romantic for both? On a rainy day, rent a romantic movie. Make a lot of space and spread a blanket out on the floor with a plenty of pillows. Watch a movie, get your massage oil and treat each other with a warm rub. If you haven’t prepared any dinner order some good food, something extraordinary and delicious. Have a glass of wine or champagne. If the weather is sunny go out. Take a drive out in the country to a planned spot. Set up a picnic ahead of time, with wine and candles. If you’re near water, build a bonfire when it gets colder. You can roast your picnic food now. Try eating on a boat or bridge nearby. If the water is warm go for a swim leaving half of your clothes on the beach. Remember to smile and whisper to your partner all the things you want him/her to know. Let him/her know that you fell like in heaven.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Natural Birth: No need for vaginal examinations 

By Natalie Burgess As a woman I hate them. As a midwife I have used them in my role of caring for the laboring woman, assessing her progress in labor and following obstetric orders and unit protocol. 

Now I believe that vaginal examinations have no place in natural labor and birthing. 

In today’s routine obstetric care a woman in labor is often subjected to at least one vaginal examination, and often this is applied every four hours on obstetric orders or practice requirements of the birth unit.  The use of vaginal examinations as a method of assessing progress of labor is a routine practice, yet there is very little (I could not find any) research based evidence that suggests any benefit to woman or baby in natural labor and birth (Enkin, 1992). 

It was noted in 1914 by Dr Austin Miller that the use of “internal examinations” in labor and birth was an unnecessary and dangerous practice.  Dr Miller noted that the ‘internal examination’ exposed the woman and her baby to potential pathogens that could cause puerperal infection and the death of both mother and baby. 

“…the internal examination adds but little to the very complete diagnostic information obtained by the external examination of the abdomen.” 

Many women find vaginal examinations a painful and invasive procedure (Menage, 1996), and a pilot study conducted by Mary Stewart (2007) also identified that many midwives express emotional discomfort related to performing vaginal examinations.  

So why are vaginal examinations a routine obstetric practice to which many women are subjected to?  It has been suggested that the use of vaginal examinations in labor is a means of demonstrating (a health professionals) control over the laboring woman and birthing process (Stewart, 2005).  Advocates of the use of this invasive practice in natural labor and birth indicate that the vaginal examination can provide essential information necessary for the care of the laboring woman.  However, abdominal palpation can provide a skilled practitioner with a great deal of information; the presenting part (head or bottom), the depth of engagement of the head (or bottom), the position of the baby (posterior, lateral, anterior) and the strength and duration of uterine surges.  It can easily be ascertained if the membranes are intact simply by asking the woman if her waters are still intact, or even perhaps observing that her waters have broken by the little puddles of amniotic fluid on the floor following in her footsteps. 

Vaginal examinations can provide an estimation of cervical dilation, however this measure varies when performed by different examiners (Clement, 1994), and every woman dilates in response to her natural birthing rhythm.  The sounds and behaviours of the (undisturbed and uninhibited) laboring woman can also provide estimation to the opening of her cervix.  A woman in early labor will perhaps still be a little excited and somewhat talkative.  A woman in active labor will be focused, breathing, vocalizing, chanting, moving, swaying or yelling.  A woman in transition will perhaps have a change in mood, from quiet and focused to alert and confident, or from calm and confident  to emotional and overwhelmed.  A woman in second stage of labor will often indicate when the baby is about to birth, and even if she does not make an announcement she may well be making the characteristic sounds of a birthing woman; moaning and gently guiding her baby into the world. 

Vaginal examinations place a laboring woman on a time schedule for cervical opening and birthing.   Labor and birth is a natural process, and the birthing body does not follow the guidelines of obstetric progress of labor, nor should women have these limitations of birth imposed upon them and their babies. 

Clement S (1994). `Unwanted vaginal examinations’. British Journal of Midwifery 2, 8, 368-370.  

Enkin M (1992). Commentary: `Do I do that? Do I really do that? Like that?’ Birth 19, 19-20.  

Menage J (1996). `Post-traumatic stress disorder following obstetric/gynaecological procedures’. British Joumal of Midwifery 4, 10, 532-533.  Miller, A.  (1914)  The dangers of vaginal examinations during labor. 

California
State Journal of Medicine Vol Xll No 8. 

Stewart, M.  (2005)  “I’m just going to wash you down”: Sanitizing the vaginal examination.  Journal of Advanced Nursing 51 (6) 587-594. 

Stewart, M.  (2007).  Pilot Study,
University of West England. 

Warren, C.  (1999).  Invaders of privacy.  Midwifery Matters.  Issue No 81.

Copyright © Natalie Burgess 2008

Popularity: 35% [?]