ERGObaby Sport - does it fit small people too?

The ERGObaby Sport carrier is designed with extra strap length in the waist band and shoulder straps, so it has a larger fit range and thereby makes it the perfect carrier for larger mums or hefty Dads.

However, this doesn't mean smaller sized people can't use it. I'm very petite at 5 foot nothing and weighing in at a rather puny 48 kg and I wear the ERGOsport as one of my everyday carriers.

If you are tiny like me, you might get the odd funny look if wearing your older child (eg, 3 years +) in the Ergo carrier because to an untrained eye the child might appear the same size as you are (just joking!)

Whats the difference between the ERGO and the ERGO Sport?

I get asked this question a lot. They are the exact same concept in carrier with a few minor differences:




1) The ERGOsport (pictured on the right) is slightly lighter than the standard ERGO. It's made from 35% cotton, 65% polyester blend which makes it lighter in weight and feel. The standard is 100% cotton.

2) The ERGOsport carrier has a vent which is great for extra breathability in hot weather

3) The ERGOsport waist band can be extended a further 10cms. The standard ERGO still fits relatively big people (XXL) and there is always the extender belt that can be used with both carriers which adds an extra 20cm.

4) The ERGOsport shoulder straps can be extended an extra 12cms

5) The ERGOsport does not have the pocket the standard ERGO has. It's only a small pocket but very handy for phone carkeys, or small wallet. You can always use the Front Pouch add-on of course too

6) The ERGOsport hood can be detached.


Which one is better?

Both of them! They really are both great baby carriers and it's just personal preference. I have both the ERGO Standard and the ERGObaby sport and use them almost every day. (one's in the car, one's in the house)

Check out the full range of carriers at www.bellybeyond.co.nz

New Years Resolutions

No. 1

I will properly file all my files into their own subfolders, rather than one humungous mess of a file.

La Leche League Nursing Bras

Our new range of Nursing Bras by La Leche League have arrived.

We are stocking this range for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't able to find a strapless nursing bra for under summer tops and dresses, anywhere in NZ and this range has a great one.

Secondly, La Leche League is such a fabulous organisation and anything we can do to highlight the fantastic work they do here, we are more than happy to do.

I think the common misconception is that La Leche League members are hairy-legged hippies that don't wear bras who sit around breastfeeding their 10 year olds. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's simply an organisation of ordinary Kiwi mums who are passionate about helping other mums get gain confidence with breastfeeding. Bravo we say!

Tip: It's pronounced La La-chay League

We are still to finalise the finer details with them but we working towards donating a portion from every LLL bra sold at Belly Beyond, to La Leche League NZ, in support of the fantastic work they do right here at home. Check out their website here

Boxing Day Sale: HOTmilk bras from $15

Crazy Arse ONE day only sale

50-80% off

Midnight to midnight 26th December 2009

(Boxing Day Sale items will be shipped on 29th December - see bottom of page for full sale and delivery info)

Book mark this page! set your phone alarm! This will be worth breaking your no-internet-on-the-holidays rule.

A taste of things to come....

END OF LINE, SECONDS, AND JUST AMAZING CRAZY ARSE SPECIALS!

We are updating the available size list, so keep checking back

GO TO THE SALE PAGE HERE

HOTmilk bras $15-$20

(available sizes)
8A, 10A, 10C, 10D, 10DD, 10E, 10F, 10FF
12A, 12D, 12DD, 12E, 12F, 12FF
14A, 14B, 14D, 14DD, 14E, 14F
16B, 16C, 16D, 16DD, 16F, 16FF
18C, 18D, 18E, 18FF
20C, 20D, 20E, 20F, 20FF

HOTmilk underwear from $10

HOTmilk Nursing Tops $20

Womama bras from $12.50 - normally $59.95!

(thats 80% off)

Womama Leisure wear from $20

Albetta Babygrows - 60% off

Isoki Nappy Bags - 50% off

Merino Blankets and more

What you need to know

The sale will go live at 12.01am on 26th December and will finish at midnight or while stocks last. Orders processed in the order they are received so literally first in, first served.

We plan to ship BOXING DAY sale orders on 29th December 2009. Delivery will vary but we expect it will be between 2-3 working days within New Zealand and an additional 7-10 days to Australia.

For deliveries outside NZ an additional 12.5% discount is deducted at checkout.

Please choose carefully, we regret we cannot exchange sale items. We happily exchange non-sale items (see our FAQs)

Not paying attention

So there's always a fair amount of juggling going on at Belly Beyond HQ. Business to grow, children to tend etc etc and it's just not possible to be on top of everything all the time.

But I got a bit of a shock when someone made a comment about our Belly Beyond tattoos and how they loved the article on us in the latest Her Business Magazine.

"What article?" I thought. I have the latest Her Business Magazine - get it every month.

Two weeks ago I had answered their call for story submissions but it seems my highly prided attention to detail was missing when I had flicked through the mag, because on closer inspection, they'd already run it! Oh dear.

In my defence I haven't had time to read anything that's not directly attached to the work we are doing at www.bellybeyond.co.nz but these sorts of oversights are a clear indication that a year and a half of going a million miles an hour, is starting to show. Heidi laughed when I showed her the article. "yes, it's such a tiny picture - I can see how you missed it". :D

See the article itself on our Media page.

So the moral of the story kids, before making submissions to magazines - make sure you do your research and pay attention to every page!

A big thanks to Her Business Magazine for the article and our Fairy Godmother for setting it up.

Twitter account for sale

We received an email this morning from someone selling their Twitter account.

"Is anyone interested in purchasing a twitter account with over 8,000 followers?

It is now surplus to requirement and instead of letting it go to waste, i thought someone may be interested in rebranding it for themselves."

I know databases are bought and sold every day but this is a new concept to me.

Isn't a successful Twitter account about building up a relationship with your followers?

What are your thoughts? Carefully cultivated network to share information? Or just another database available for sale?

Supplier Colour Name Tips - KISS

We have a great product on the site called Smart Mum Teething Bling. They are a necklace pendant or bracelet for mum to wear and are made from the same materials as baby teething toys so are safe for baby to chew on.

The supplier has decided that standard colour names are too boring and it would be much more fun to be a bit clever. Unfortunately, all this means is that customer get confused about which colour they need to order. Case in point:

If you call something Cotton Candy, what colour do you think it would be? Pink right? No actually it's light blue.




And the lovely Jade looking colour below left, is actually called Peridot, Jade is an ice blue colour, as demo'ed by Tori Spelling.



So the point? While it's good to be original make sure that the photos and colours can be easily identified! People are busy and need to be able to glance at product specs and images and as retailers the last thing we want to do is make it hard for them to make a purchase.

Fly Buys go online

Recognising the growing trend in online shopping, retail loyalty points giant, Fly Buys has joined in the fun, offering a select range of e-stores to Fly Buys customers.

Belly Beyond is proud to be among the first online retailers to be included in the program.

Shop online NOW at Belly Beyond and collect Fly Buys points.

Sun safety tips for babies and toddlers

We love being outdoors and having fun family times in the backyard, at the beach or over the road at the park.

But did you know that New Zealand has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the

world? It's so important to be sun-safe and it's easy to to protect yourselves and your kids from the UV rays known to cause skin cancer including melanoma.

Sun-Safety Top 5

Because the highest risk from sun exposure happens in childhood our tips are written with little ones in mind but the tips apply to adults too. Remember that funny ad years ago with the Dad who turns into a Lobster? Don't be that guy!!

1. Cover up or ideally stay in the shade between 11am and 4pm when the UV rays are at their strongest.
   
   
2. You can still get burnt on a cloudy day! 80% of UV rays penetrate through cloud and you should cover up, use sunscreen and stay in the shade - just as you would if it was a blue sky day. You can also get sun burnt through clothing. As light colours and thin weave cottons are the worst fabrics for sun protection, choose UV protective clothing or other tightly woven fabrics.
   
   
3. Put sunscreen on 15 minutes before heading out into the sun and reapply at least every 2 hours on any skin that remains uncovered make sure you apply a thick layer of sunscreen and reapply it after swimming and towel drying.
   
   
   1. Use a sunscreen with at least a SPF30+ factor with both UVB and UVA protection
      
      
   2. Buy sunscreen in large bottles if you can and dispense into smaller bottles and stash them everywhere (baby bag, kindy or daycare bag, the car, grandparents house etc)
      
      
   3. Get into the habit of applying sunscreen as part of your morning routine, just like brushing your teeth - kids like routine and are less likely to fuss if they know what is coming.
      
      
4. Wear a hat (and sunnies). It's not rocket science but the amount of times we see babies and kids out and about without hats on is amazing. Caps are cute but the best choice is one with a brim that protects the ears and neck as well as the face.
   
   Belly Beyond Toddler Tip: If your little one refuses to wear a hat and finds it far more amusing to throw it off and have you pick it up for them, then get a hat with a tie neck. Have a favourite toy or snack ready and while putting the hat on distract them with it and tighten the tie. If that fails, use superglue (kidding!)
   
   
5. Use stroller covers. UPF50+ covers are a great way to keep babies and toddlers cool and protected from the sun.

Check out our top 10 Summer must-haves here

HOTmilk 2010 "Ever After" Collection

The new season from HOTmilk Lingerie has started to arrive and as these pictures show, the very clever ladies at HOTmilk, have totally redefined the Fairy Tale.

We will activate the new styles over the weekend and will start shipping the pre-orders ASAP. (well done those clever ladies who took up our secret offer).

Still some amazing nightwear specials available online at www.bellybeyond.co.nz too

Birth to Earth Placenta Capsule

We've come across this brilliant kiwi product and have just added it to the site.

I think lots of women would like to do something with their placenta but find it too hippy, too icky or maybe just too hard and end up leaving it at the hospital to be incinerated.

The placenta is an amazing organ, it's the only one your body grows then discards and it's specific purpose is to nourish and protect the baby.

The Birth to Earth Placenta Capsule is designed for your lead maternity carer to put the placenta straight into it after birth and you can plant it right away (within 24 hours) or put it in the freezer.

The pack means the placenta is well identified and will not be mistakenly defrosted by unsuspecting husbands!!

It is 100% biodegradable so is perfect for planting under a tree and the cute "Your Tree" book written by creator Liesje Bradley is a gorgeous keepsake.

Organic Chocolate ERGObaby on sale

Yummy!! Who can ever say no to Organic Chocolate???

Not us, and here's a fab deal on the brilliant ERGObaby Carrier in glorious chocolate with coffee lining.

Don't eat it all at once.

Check out the special on www.bellybeyond.co.nz

The one that didn't get away

Heidi had a well deserved (and very rare) weekend away and look what she landed!

Well done chickee :)

Belly Beyond TV

Belly Beyond TV has it's own blog!

Check it out :)
www.bellybeyondtv.blogspot.com

And in the meantime, here's a sneak peak of the new intro.

Isoki 2010 Collection is here

We fell in love with Isoki when we first spotted them in an overseas magazine. They are very popular on the site but customers have asked us for a smaller Isoki option.

Isoki have answered the call with their new collection; First an amazing 3 in 1 slouch. It's a backpack, a shoulder bag, across the body bag - and it's fully reversible!!

The Multi Messenger is for the funky urban Mum on the go. Kids are a bit older, still need a bag that will fit all the kids gear when you need it to but will double as a handbag when out and about without the little ones.

Since launching in 2007 Isoki has established itself as a multi award winning brand and leader in the baby bags and accessories market, and Belly Beyond is proud to be their number stockist in New Zealand!

Here's a sneak peak but you can check out all the details on the website here

A full review will be up on Belly Beyond TV soon too.

Life as a Mumpreneur

Lots of people ask us what it’s like to run a growing business from home while being full-time mums to small children. Here is what we think life would be like if we translated it to a traditional office environment.

7am Turn PC on.

• wipe the toothpaste and/or cereal smears off the screen.
• Turn keyboard upside down and remove as much of the liquid as possible
• Locate and reattach tab and spacebar key.

Between 9am and 5pm Attempt to work. Every 10 minutes (if you are lucky) be interrupted by a colleague telling you they:

a. Are bored
b. Are hungry
c. have done a poo
d. have tipped an entire bottle of water on the couch
e. have put their toothbrushes down the toilet

Deal with all of the above whilst replying to emails, packing customer orders and answering the telephone - all at the same time. For added authenticity carry a sack of potatos or small feral dog in one arm throughout the day.

6pm Wave to the nice man cooking dinner in cafeteria. Thank him for the meal.

7pm to 8 pm Break up fights, console and get to sleep two of your junior colleagues.

8pm to 10pm Reacquaint yourself with cafeteria man, who you recall having slept with on occasion.

10pm-1am Start work. Attempt to fit 8+ hours work into 3, turn PC off. Realize you don’t have to change into your PJ’s because they are still on from the day before - BONUS.

1am Sleep at your desk – that’s right you now live at work

Repeat.

Important Notes:

• There are no days off; a weekend is for people with real jobs

• There is no sick leave; if you or your child are sick please replace “cereal/toothpaste smears” in Point 1 with “vomit and snot”

• Pay rises are only applicable if you are paid something to start with

• You can technically fire yourself but you must be fully reinstated in under an hour

MumCho entire range on SALE

Our MEGA sale just got even better.

-up to 60& off HOTmilk
-ERGObaby carriers from $185

and not the entire range of Mumcho, pregnancy and breast feeding top - 30% off!

Check out the sale here

Things I am grateful for

In times of turmoil I think it's important to look on the positive side. It's not a natural reaction for me, despite my best intentions, I have always been a glass-half-empty kind of girl.

So to combat that, here's a list of the things I am grateful for today:

• That our lovely back lawn doesn't have any prickles
• Safety nets on the trampoline
• Finding Nemo
• Coffee
• Huts made out of bed sheets and dining room chairs
  
• My best friend and business partner
• My gorgeous husband for his sensible advice and unshakable faith in my ability to do what needs to be done.

Feel like playing Santa this Christmas?

Check out what Baby Bites is up to!

We all hear the stories, families that are simply less fortunate than ours because of financial, physical or emotional distress and cannot celebrate Christmas fully. For a lot of us, these are more than just stories, they are our friends, our family, our neighbours.

Thanks to some wonderful sponsors, www.babybites.co.nz has a fabulous prize pack to give away to a family in need this christmas. The prize pack full of gorgeous gifts will hopefully boost their spirits and give them something that they would not be able to give themselves.

Please take the time to remember what Christmas is all about, and nominate a family you know that is less fortunate that yours now here!

the SALE of the year!!

Heidi and I were talking recently that this time last year we were boob deep (ha-ha) in our very first HOTmilk clearance.

It was such an exciting time for us and as we saw the orders come in like never before, it really gave us a glimpse of retailing on a larger scale. Heidi and I were up well into the wee hours packing orders for many many nights just to keep up and we roped in the Mr Belly Beyonds to help as well.

Our systems have improved somewhat over the past year since this shot - hehehe

We reckoned that given the new season HOTmilk is on the way, if a clearance was going to happen, it'd be this month. And HOTmilk have indeed decided they want to clear the shelves and have just confirmed today that it is SALE TIME until 23rd November (or while stocks last!)

Starting tomorrow: 10 HOTmilk styles, sizes 8A-20FF, up to 65%

HOTmilk bra $35,
HOTmilk brief $15

Yip, thats two HOTmilk sets for $100!!!!! Plus Nightie and PJ specials.

But wait, there's more (yes, I really just said that). Buy any two HOTmilk sets and you receive FREE nightwear worth another $85.

IN SUMMARY, over $250 worth of HOTmilk for the grand total of $100.

And for those that are undied out (from our back to back HOTmilk then Womama Sales) we are also specialing selected ERGObaby Carriers and Isoki Bags as well - watch out for a newsletter tomorrow!

Auckland Parent and Child Show

Thousands of mums and dads descended on the ASB Showgrounds last weekend for the Auckland Parent& Child Show.

It was our first time as exhibitors and it far exceeded our expectations! Our Ergo Baby Carrier specials and the Isoki Nappy Bags were definitely the crowd favourite and the gorgeous dulce&zoet slings were also really well received.

So many people commented on how busy our little stand was and we often had queues for people to get in!! Even our fellow exhibitors popped over often to tell us to send some customers their way :)

Fantastic job again to the boys - what fabulous men-folk we have in our lives and also to Judy and Jodie, you guys are STARS!! More and more I am so grateful to be sharing this business with our growing team, everyone adds value and brings something unique to Belly Beyond and we are a better business for it.

We highlighted a couple of new products and there was lots of interest in the Olli&Lime and Tummy Tie.

Lovely to have our specialist team on site too. A big thank you to Amy from Popit, Rebecca from Made4baby, Eva from dulce&zoet, Ute from Mumcho and Jane from Fine Lines.

And a special mention to so many of who you took the time to come up and give us so much amazing feedback about the site and our recent awards wins. It's such a cliche I know, but we literally couldn't do it without our lovely customers!

So enough chatter from me, here are the pics.

Ergo Baby Carrier Heart to Heart Infant Insert

The all new infant insert from Ergo will be here mid-late this month.

It's the Heart2Heart and can been designed in conjunction with research studies, chiropractic support and customer feedback. This means you will be able to cuddle your newborn tummy to tummy, hence the Heart2Heart name.

More details coming soon.

Firing my assistant

So today was the last straw and I've taken the big step and fired my assistant.

Well it had been coming for while. He has no concept of deadlines, doesn't respect boundaries and his constant demands about time off for food breaks and naps just didn't mesh with the high standards the role requires.

We were doing a photo shoot and after I'd asked him three times to finish setting the product up and this was the result when I went back to check on progress.












I mean I ask you - what was I do???? Lucky he's so cute. Please excuse the bad fringe. He went to stay one night with my parents last weekend and came home looking like that. Needless to say Mum was given a written warning and staff discount privileges revoked until further notice ;)

Got the shot in the end though! New Ecotanka Covers with detachable straps - not a bad result for a home job huh?

Open Casting Call - Wellington

The fabulous Womama Maternity Lingerie, a great little local company making a name for itself here and around the world, is searching for a breastfeeding mother, a pregnant woman and babies to be a part of their 2010 catalog themed “home is where your heart is.”

Who do they need?

• Breastfeeding woman with baby aged 3-6 months
• Pregnant woman with a tummy at 5- 6 months in November
• Girl 4-5 years old with long, dark hair and dark brown eyes
• New born to six week old baby
• Baby 5-6 months old at the end of November


What do you need to do?

Register your interest THIS WEEKEND.

Where: Belmont Memorial Hall, Lower Hutt (just off motorway).
When: Saturday the 7th of November 2009 from 1pm to 4pm.

Come register your interest and have a snap shot taken.

Details: Photo shoot will take place in Eastbourne 23 and 24th of November.
Applicants must be available both days from 7am-8pm.

Applications for model search close November the 8th. Chosen models will be notified by phone.



Check out the previous collections here

New Cellphone Law Change 1 November

Car drivers CAN make calls on:

A fully voice-activated phone
- Can receive and make calls by voice commands.
- Phone can be left in pocket or on dashboard, does not have to be mounted.
- Mostly only on business-style phones with full keyboard.
- Examples: Blackberry, Nokia E63, Nokia E71.

A voice-activated hands-free kit
- Most clip on to a car's sun visor.
- Can receive and make calls by voice commands.
- Requires phone with Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
- Phone can be left in pocket or on dashboard, does not have to be mounted.

Earpiece
- Can receive calls if there is a button on the earpiece.
- Cannot make calls unless used with a car cradle.

Wireless earpiece
- Can receive calls by pressing a button on the earpiece.
- Most cannot make calls unless used with a car cradle.
- Requires phone with Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
- Phone can be left in pocket or on dashboard, does not have to be mounted.

Phone in car cradle
Can receive and make calls by manipulating phone "infrequently and briefly".
Dialling a full phone number is okay.
Must talk over phone's loudspeaker or an earpiece.

Drivers CANNOT:

Touch a phone if it is not mounted
- Including for uses other than making calls, eg texting, listening to music or using a satellite navigation system.
- The rules apply even while stopped at a red light.
- The rules do not apply to music players, such as iPods, and other devices that do not have a phone function.

Source unknown but sent via Mr Belly Beyond.

Online Shopping Personalities

We've spotted a few distinct types - is yours here?

The Browser/Researcher
Just looking thanks, or the online equivalent of window shopping. You know you might need something in the future so you’re testing the waters to see what’s around. Always nice to see you, please don’t be shy to ask us for more information if need be.

The Shop-around

You know your stuff - where the current specials are and who’s got the best freight deals. We try very hard to be amongst the lowest prices and love a challenge so if you find someone whose standard price is lower than ours, don’t be afraid to ask us to match it – chances are we’ll even throw a sweetener in to seal the deal.

The Need it Now

You know what you want and you want it NOW. This is me all over and it’s no surprise that I know my credit card number by heart. Did you know we do offer a same day delivery service in Auckland on request? otherwise if you tell us its urgent and order and pay by 1pm we'll do our darndest to get it to you the very next day NZ wide *(rural delivery excluded sorry and assuming item is in stock).

The Can I see it?

Shopping online is hard for you because you're a tactile type and like to see and touch your purchases. We understand this and if you are in Auckland and really really would like to see it in person or try it on, you are welcome to make an appointment at our warehouse in Waitakere or the Sandringham studio.

Otherwise you can rely on our no quibble returns policy. If you don’t like it or it doesn’t fit then return it for your money back. *see our detailed returns policy in our FAQs.

Good Morning today

Did you see Good Morning this morning? It was a postive Belly Beyond product-fest!!! (I don't know if they knew that or not)

Smart Mum Teething Bling


Womama Birthing Wrap


Womama Strawberry Sweet Kisses Nursing Bra
(and its only $20 at the moment!)


Womama Nursing Nightie


Amber Teething Necklaces

The Burning Issue: Hi-tech fabric to keep kids sun safe this summer

Belly Beyond's Louisa Currie & Heidi Riley with their children in their new range of UV protective clothing

A new range of UV protected clothing for babies and young children is set to cure parental headaches around the country this summer as the fine weather over Labour Weekend provides a preview of the long hot days still to come.

Louisa Currie and Heidi Riley, founders of online baby boutique Belly Beyond, went on a global search to find a sun safe solution for their own children. “Our kids love playing outside and we love them to be out in the fresh air” says Heidi, “but the sun is just so aggressive now and we found that it was a huge problem to keep them safe from burning” adds Louisa. “While UV protective swimwear for kids is commonplace, New Zealand parents haven’t previously had access to everyday sun safe clothing for their babies and children.”

The pair found their answer in Agoo Activewear and have brought the range to New Zealand via their award-winning website www.bellybeyond.co.nz. The comfy but fashionable collection includes boys, girls, and baby active wear styles all with a rating of UV 50 + as well as WickAway technology to keep kids cool during their summer adventures.

“Sunscreen is expensive, especially the chemical-free versions recommended for young children and standard fabrics can get hot and sweaty” Louisa says. Heidi adds "keeping kids in the shade isn't possible all the time either". The key component in Agoo Activewear is in the amazing technical fabrics that contain a strong UV protected finish that blocks any harmful ultra violet rays, no matter how many times it is washed or exposed to sunlight or saltwater.

With experts warning of rising UV levels already this year, protecting kids from the sun is a high priority for many parents over the summer months. “We think Agoo Activewear will make it a whole lot easier for parents to keep their kids sun safe” says Louisa. “And they needn’t worry about those stains from their childrens outdoor adventures either because the entire range is stain resistant!”

Key Points about the Agoo® range

• WickAway fibres that pull moisture away from children’s skin eliminated over-heating or potential chills from damp skin

• 30 - 50+ UV Protection that allows kids to Stay out and Play safely, guarded from harmful ultraviolet rays

• Stain resistance properties that make messes and spills easy to remove

• Super soft feel for sensitive skin

• Generously sized and long in the arm, leg and the body to fit that little bit longer

Available only at www.bellybeyond.co.nz