TrendLife Baby

Make mums feel special this Christmas with one of these gorgeous nail varnishes from the Magnetic range at Nails Inc.

Its the festive season and that means nights out on the tiles glammed up to the nines, help mums on their way to a well deserved night out with the Trafalgar Square Magnetic Polish. This metallic chrome shade is so dramatic and glamourous, it gives instant wow factor, but its more than just a nail polish. This unique formula has been specially developed with metallic particles to create a pattern on the nail using magnetic forces – so mums can create their own nail art at home! As the magnet is held over the nail, the iron powder in the formulation gravitates toward the magnet forming the pattern or design secretly hidden in the magnet for an amazing finish!  

Try the stunning Houses of Parliament Magnetic Polish to get this look in an elegant purple finish.

Nails Inc. will pay £1 from the sale of the ‘Magnet Nail Polish’ with a minimum contribution of £25,000 to Prince’s Trust Trading Limited (PTT)

£13.00

www.amazon.co.uk

Elemis have a fabulous range of Christmas gifts that will make the perfect present for worn-out mums. Here, we pick out some of our favourites.

The Elemis Superstars set is a brilliant collection of Elemis’ best-sellers. Included is the Papaya Enzyme Peel, Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Frangipani Monoi Shower Cream, Skin Nourishing Milk Bath, Frangipani Monoi Body Oil and it all comes in an elegant white patent beauty case. The perfect gift for mum’s this Christmas.

£45.00

The Elemis Little Superstars set is full of gorgeous pampering products to give you that back-from-the-spa feeling at home. In this gift pack you’ll get a Pro-Collagen Marine Cream , Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser, Frangipani Monoi Body Oil, Tranquil Touch Creamy Body Wash, Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir and a Mini light pink patent beauty case to boot. A fab beauty haul we think you’ll agree!

£37.50

Next is the Elemis Revitalise-Me Duo – this revitalising hand wash and hand lotion duo will gently cleanse and condition your hands, perfect for the bitterly cold winter.

The Revitalise-Me Hand Wash contains aromatic oils of thyme, sweet orange, lime and neroli to cleanse overworked and tired hands and the Revitalise-Me Hand Lotion contains hydrating jojoba, gold of pleasure oil to soften and moisture skin. It also comes with a white ceramic stand which will look great in the bathroom or dresser.

£30.00

And last but by no means least is the luxury at home Elemis Revitalising Spa Treats. In this fab little gift set you get an Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Mask, Elemis Revitalise-Me Shower Gel, Elemis Revitalise-Me Hand Lotion, Elemis Eau de Parfum plus it comes with a cute patent white wash bag.

£20.00

www.timetospa.co.uk

What do you get for the woman who is busy from dawn to dusk… and often through the night, looking after their little one(s) – a pampering treat! Here’s a selection of pampering products from around the web.

The Aroma Home Animal Hotties Microwavable Knitted Rabbit Body Warmer is so cute! Perfect for cold winter nights, mums will love snuggling up with this hot water bottle relaxing with a piping cup of hot chocolate.

£16.00

www.amazon.co.uk

Nails Inc Heavy Metals set  - The Heavy Metals colour collection includes three limited edition full size metallic nail polishes to give mums nails a glamourous look for a well-deserved night out! Colours included in the set are Downing Street metallic blue, Old Park Lane metallic antique rose and Regent Street metallic purple. Perfect for yummy mummies!

£25

www.nailsinc.com

www.amazon.co.uk

Clarins Vital Skincare Set – Theres not a mum on Earth who wouldn’t love this fabulous Clarins gift set in their Christmas stocking. Included in the vanity case is a Vital Light Day Illuminating Anti-Ageing Cream for beautiful skin, a Vital Light Night Revitalizing Anti-Ageing Cream to restore deep luminosity on waking and the Vital Light Serum – a  3-in-1 skin tone perfector.

£49.30

www.johnlewis.com

The Elemis Tranquil Touch Exotic Stars gift set includes everything mum needs to wash away the stresses of the day. The set contains a Creamy Body Wash, Indulgent Bath Elixir,  Body Cream and Candle. Bath time doesn’t get more indulgent than this!

£25

www.timetospa.co.uk

Give the gift of beautiful skin with the Ultimate Beauty Collection from Viridian Nutrition. The Collection includes a lovely organic cotton cosmetics bag with the three key products from the Ultimate Beauty range: Ultimate Beauty Complex - a skin, hair and nail treatment multi rich in MSM, Ultimate Beauty Oil - an organic blend of cold-pressed hemp, flax, pumpkin, avocado and evening primrose seed oils and the Ultimate Beauty Topical Skin Repair Oil - a blend of soothing and organic oils including jojoba and rosehip seed oils – natural and beautiful.

£34

www.viridian-nutrition.com

The  E Coudray Foaming Bath Cream epitomises luxury pampering! theres nothing more relaxing than a hot bath filled with luxurious bubble bath to wash away the stress of the day – and bubble baths don’t get more luxurious than with E Coudray Foaming Bath Cream. It smells gorgeous and is ultra-moisturising – bliss!

£27.00

www.roullierwhite.com

The PacaPod Changer-Toy pod is a really handy accessory for mums on the go. We love the cute animal pod designs and kids will too. Perfect for carrying all your baby essentials, this bag has practical inside pockets for trips out with tots. There is plenty of room inside, and it even features a spare clothes pouch ready for an emergency change!  The Changer-Toy Pod also features safety reins so you can keep the little ones close by.

Available in a pink giraffe design, a red leopard and a navy zebra.

www.pacapod.com

£19.95

In the summertime, it's hard to know how to take out baby food for fear of it getting hot and those pesky germs spoiling it or, even worse, your baby getting poorly. At the same time, you don’t want to take out frozen food in case it doesn’t thaw in time.  The Philips Avent Feeding on-the-go Bag lets you take up to four pots of chilled food and the bag keeps it cool for up to four hours.

It has a handy long strap so you can hook it over the buggy, or remove it if you want to pop it into your changing bag.

This bag is a summer essential!

£12.25

www.philips.co.uk

After two intense years, hundreds of tests with families, doctors and at test institutes, BabyBjörn has launched the BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Miracle.

Over 30 million babies have been carried in BabyBjörn baby carriers to date, and this new carrier, with its innovative design, is the embodiment of fifty years of know-how.

There are a few subtle differences to the previous models with its softer material. The seams are all on the outside to avoid chaffing and it also has useful ruler to tell you the correct height of the carrier for the baby (newborns are carried higher and closer to you than older babies).  The design means that the carrier grows with the baby- from newborn to around fifteen months.

As with previous models, the straps are easy to tighten and loosen whilse holding baby and it is comfortable to use, holding babies facing in or out.

As with all Baby Bjorn products, the design is attractive and it is very durable and user friendly.

We give this a top-notch 9.5/10

£109.99 –  www.babybjorn.co.uk

Postnatal insomnia is a torturous condition which means that, even when their baby is sleeping, sufferers lie awake with racing thoughts.  Life is slowly taken over with the anxiety and concerns about whether you will be able to sleep that night and how you will cope the next day. However, there is help at hand, a new form of therapy based on Mindfulness that has helped many new Mums overcome their insomnia.

Insomnia is a complex problem which can be linked with depression and / or anxiety but can also simply be caused through sleep disturbances caused by pregnancy, childbirth and night feeds.  These changes can come as quite a shock to a new mum. As tiredness sets in and the pressure of motherhood increases, a seed of doubt about their ability to cope can creep in and begin to take hold. At this point the pressure to get a good night’s sleep has never been so great, something that can push it further away.  In desperation some mums take sleeping tablets which can provide a short term respite and sometimes this is enough for some mums to get back on track, yet breastfeeding may have to be put on hold for that period.  For others going on anti-depressants can help ease the anxiety which then lets sleep happen.  For others therapy can help, CBT is commonly given as a solution but a more recent type of therapy, called Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT)can be hugely successful.  One reader went to the London Insomnia clinic with Dr Guy Meadows, a specialist in Sleep Disorders.  His practice focuses on mindfulness techniques which help you to accept the insomnia and by doing so, the fear lifts and normal sleep returns again. Our Mum found that over a period of a month her natural sleep began to return, and also the panic that came when she was lying awake and petrified of not coping the next day began to ease, even on the bad nights.

There are a range of workshops and private sessions available. For more information visit: www.londoninsomniaclinic.co.uk

Ok, we all know we don’t NEED a new hospital bag… but it’s a nice treat, and we have every right to do anything to make ourselves feel better on the big day!

How about this funky number from Monsoon – their Union Jack Weekend bag mixes florals with the Union Jack flag design to make a bright and funky design.  It comes with an inside pocket and also has a matching purse available for that stockpile of coins you will need for the hospital parking (any excuse!)

£38 www.monsoon.co.uk

Cafepress has the best and biggest selection of Gifts for New Dads that we have come across - whether it's a t-shirt, mug, jumper, car sticker or poster, Cafepress has a brilliant range of new dad designs.

Here is a selection of our favourites:

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+i_love_my_daddy_travel_mug,354975254  Excellent quality ceramic travel tumbler which has super-sturdy solid design with steel inner-sleeve, ideal for hot or cold beverages. Holding a full 15 oz. and fitting into most vehicle's cup holders (includes snap-tight lid). Ideal for commuter dads or those who spend a long time in their cars.  £19

The t-shirts are also a fun choice - we love the Papa Bear and the retro Baby Daddy prints! £23

And a classic choice is this New Dad Mug designed with the year the baby was born. £11.50

All available from www.cafepress.com  

Tea Party in Finchley www.teaparty.uk.com is a private tea shop where they hold tea parties for baby showers.  The tea parties come complete with vintage tea sets serving cupcakes, sandwiches and scones galore.

Prices start at £20 per head and there are lots of extras which they can arrange for you too, such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, make-up artists, goody bags, etc.

You can also bring your own bubbles or wine - corkage charge starts at £5 per bottle.

Party sizes should be a minimum of ten guests and a maximum of eighteen. www.teaparty.uk.com