Why I love NZ

We had a lovely couple of days at my parents place on Waiheke Island. They live close to the gloriousness that is Onetangi Beach.

It's a popular spot during summer for all-comers to Waiheke but I myself have a soft spot for it mid-winter and these pics tell the tale why.

Shining white sand, sparkling blue sea and when the tide is out there is miles and miles of space to run around.

OiOi Grey Dot Turquoise Messenger at last!

FINALLY, the OiOi Grey Dot Messenger is available here, in the gorgeous Turquoise lining and accessories.

This style is the biggest selling OiOi bag in NZ in the stunning lime colour, but it you want something just a little different then this is the bag for you!

Breastfeeding Poster - the REAL scandal

I'm still shaking my head over this poster furore - I just can't get my head around the negative reaction to a child pretending to do something her body is designed to do.

It led me to investigate breast feeding rates both here and in the UK to see how we compared.

If the stats at http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=21 are to be believed only 35 percent of babies in the UK are being exclusively breastfed at one week old, and an embarrassingly low 3 percent at five months.

Perhaps Councillor Jean Ashworth, who also works as a healthcare assistant in the hospital, who said the "the picture is highly offensive" should take some time to study the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby

And just out of interest, I looked up NZ's rates. From the Ministry of Health website:

New Zealand’s breastfeeding rates for 2007 are as follows:

• At six weeks, the full and exclusive breastfeeding overall rate was 65% with a breakdown of, 58% of Māori babies, 53% of Pacific babies, 56% of Asian babies, 70% of Other babies
• At three months, the full and exclusive breastfeeding overall rate was 54% with a breakdown of 44% of Māori babies, 43% of Pacific babies, 52% of Asian babies, 59% of Other babies.
• At six months, the full and exclusive breastfeeding overall rate was 26% with, 17% of Māori, 18% of Pacific babies, 26% of Asian babies, 29% of Other babies.

Far, far better, but still room for improvement! Come on everyone, lets SUPPORT breastfeeding mothers. Nude Breastfeeding Sit-in being organised in Aotea Square - bring your toddlers! nah, just kidding. ;)

It's highly offensive! Shameful! NOT NORMAL!

What do you think that subject title could be talking about? Some vile act against humanity, some perverted use of imagery? um, no.... they are talking about this photo.

Link to Telegraph story

It's a poster that was being displayed in the children's ward of a UK Hospital showing a toddler breastfeeding her dolly.

How unbelievably, eye-poppingly ludicrous that this lovely image can be called "highly offensive". I don't know many mums that DON'T have a similar image of an elder sibling caring for their own baby, just like Mama.

And shamefully the critisism is coming mostly from women who shold be doing everything to SUPPORT the embarassingly low breastfeeding rates in the UK.

As the poster says IT IS NORMAL! to breastfeed.

I am PROUD when my daughter copies such nuturing behaviour, I LOVE it when my 18 month son old lifts his T-shirt to feed his 'baby' which he does regularly.

In the meantime we've emailed Rochdale Infirmary with our support for their poster!

NZ Guitar Record Rocks Out

I went along to the NZ Guitar Record attempt at Sky City this morning, where 730 other guitarists rocked out to Jordan Luck's iconic "Why Does Love Do This to Me"

We arrived at 11am and got through registration pretty quickly and was assigned the prestigious # 0261. The team at Music Works tuned my guitar (bonus!) and we looked around for a good spot (funnily enough right next to Jason Kerrison of OpShop fame).

Zac attracted a lot of attention in the Ergo on my back and a lot of people stopped me to get his photo!

Johnny Love was onstage doing a good job of warming up the crowd, playing 3 chord favourites and it was clear that the room was ready to perform. Some guy from Juice TV spent a bit of time on stage thinking he was funnier than he actually was. Zac must have agreed and dozed off.

We'd been there an hour when Jordan and his band arrived and whipped through the song. They did it again for good measure and it was so loud that I don't think it really mattered what chord you were playing as long as you were having fun. What the crowd lacked in musical skill they certainly made up for with enthusiasm.

The current record of 1951, set in Poland last year, was safe but you get the feeling that if the event is held again next year, they just might get close.

All in all a great morning out. Thanks Jordan, Juice TV and Sky City for putting it together (and to my gorgeous husband for carrying the gear ;) )

(Left: Zaccy sleeping through most of the event - mmm, noice photo of me!)

Using a Breast pump? Tips for Correct Pumping

You can express your milk by hand expression or with a breastpump. To determine which type of breastpump is best for you and your needs check out Belly Beyond's Breast Pump Guide

Tips from Medela (www.medela.com)

Expressing breastmilk is a learned skill so give yourself enough time and patience to master that skill. Do not feel disappointed if you will gain only little or no milk when you use the breastpump for the first time. Consider your first pumping sessions as practice sessions.

• Before using a breastpump for the first time, read and follow the instruction for use.
• Whether you hand express or use a breastpump, wash your hands before you start expressing your milk.
• Find a comfortable place to express your milk.
• Select a breastshield (the part of the pump that is shaped like a funnel) that fits to your breast. The breastshield should closely surround your nipple but leave enough space so your nipple is not rubbing against the wall of the shield. Your nipple should be centered in the shield.
• If your nipples are very large you might need a bigger breastshield.
• Moisten the breastshield of the breastpump to get a better seal.
• Start pumping at the highest suction level you feel comfortable with. The key for successful milk expression is stimulating your let-down-reflex. Discomfort or pain will hamper your let-down.
• Massage your breasts before and occasionally during pumping to encourage your let-down and milk flow.
• Double pumping does cut your pumping time in half (to 10-15 minutes or less), and your prolactin levels are higher when you use a double pump, so you may produce more milk in less time. When you pump one breast at the time, switch from on side to the other several times.
• Milk expression should never be painful. If you feel some pain immediately interrupt the pump session and ask your lactation specialist for advice. Do not risk damaging your sensitive breast tissue by incorrect use of a breastpump!

Useful tips to encourage Milk Let-Down

There are several things you can do to encourage your let-down and have your milk flow more easily.

• It is easier to express your milk if you are relaxed. You may try deep breathing exercises, relaxation exercises from your antenatal class, or mental imagery (e.g. sitting in the sun at the shore of a lake).
• Give yourself enough time. Feeling rushed will impair your let-down.
• Look for privacy and avoid distraction (switch on your telephone answering machine and lock the door as you are pumping).
• Have everything you might need within reach.
• Following a milk expression routine may help you to stimulate a good milk flow.
• Applying warm compresses to your breasts helps to encourage your let-down and milk flow.
• Have your shoulders relaxed and your back and your arms well supported.
• Many mothers find it easier to express their milk in front of their baby. If you are separated from your baby you may look at a picture of your little one, listen to a tape recording of his voice or use a piece of his clothing to smell on.
• Have a nice drink and a healthy snack handy before and during the pumping session.
• Get as much rest as possible.
• A breastpump is a machine and will not stimulate the same feelings as your warm and cosy baby. But after a while you will learn to trigger your let-down with pumping. Be patient and gentle with yourself.
  
  

Storing and thawing breastmilk

• When freezing do not fill bottles/bags more than ¾ full to allow space for expansion.
• Label bottles/bags with the date of pumping.
• Do not store breastmilk in the door of the refrigerator.
• In order to preserve the components of the breastmilk, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or by holding the bag under running warm water (max. 37° C).
• Gently shake the bottle/bag to blend any fat that has separated.
• Do not thaw frozen breastmilk in a microwave oven or in a pan of boiling water (danger of burning).

The Littlest Babywearer

Oh I know, parents just shouldn't be allowed to blog about how cute their kids are ESPECIALLY on a business blog but I can't resist. Words simply cannot describe the cuteness of my little fella this week when he brought me his sisters Ergo and his favourite Bubba and tried to put it on.

I gave him a hand and he wandered about like this for a good 30 minutes - possibly the longest he's ever done anything!! (except breastfeed and sleep) :)

18 Months old and already a babywearer - altogether now AWWWWWWWW.

If you want to know more about this thing Babywearing that I'm constantly banging on about check out more carrier options here or our resources section for why it's so great!

Beep Beep, Belly Beyond Mobile comin' through!

Our cars have carried signwriting on the door panels and the URL across the back windscreen since we launched a year ago BUT we have just added another layer with wheel covers.

Impossible to miss us now!

P.S. thats not really my number plate, just put that their to confuse stalkers ;)

Wohoo New Idea!

The Isoki Retro Paisley Hobo is featured in the latest New Idea "Style File" section under the heading Catwalk Fashion on the playground.

We are pretty pleased. Now to figure out how to get IN the mag. I had an idea for a great story the other day which I Twittered "I think my skinny jeans are making me constipated" but for some reason they weren't interested. True story. The skinny jeans bit that is! :)

Now the really frustrating part is that our stock is delayed so people want the Retro Paisley but we can't get them 'til begining of June - argh!

Having said that, most have been happy saying it's worth the wait and the others have options for either a Wild Orchid or the Zanzibar

Babylegs

Inspired by Kim @ Stickytiki I dug out Elliotts old babylegs and she's been happily wearing them on her arms! Stacks of fun and so pratical as we no longer disagree about whether she needs a jacket or not ;)

We have 20 styles in stock now and if you see a style that we don't have we can get it in for you!

From Tinies to Teens and only $17 each - bargain.

The Coolest Bed in the World

So the little fella had his last night in a cot and today has his new big boy bed up.

It's had a full life already as Elliott has already 'driven' it for a while and it was originally Jacks bed and Heidi says she got it second-hand so some lucky little person had the joy of it before us.

I don't know about you, but I reckon it has got to be THE coolest bed in the world. It has a few dings as proof of it's previous driver history but with a new mattress it's good to go!

Will think about which Sticky Tiki will be the best for the little fella - probably Hundreds and Thousands.

'Extended' breast feeding

I'm still proudly breast feeding my son and I have noticed that he is reaching an age where peoples comments are shifting from "good on you" and "haven't you done well" to "are you still feeding him?" or the worst "gosh, you should really do something about that!"

My son is almost 18 months and I just don't think it should be that big of a deal and I will continue until he lets me know that he is ready to stop.

If you see a Mama breast feeding her toddler, give her a smile instead of a frown - she is doing the best thing for her little one !

OHBaby Magazine - five mentions in one issue!!

When we opened the latest OHbaby! magazine we were stoked to see Belly Beyond feature no less than FOUR times. Actually it's FIVE times if you count our photo of Finn in Sams Maternal Touch add on page 139.

A big thanks to Angela, Ellie, Katherine and the team for your support. It's a great feeling to know you guys like our products enough to feature them in your gorgeous Mag.

Mothers Day means it's Belly Beyonds Birthday!

Wow, how can a year have gone past already? This pic of Heidi and I is taken on Day 1 of Belly Beyond and when we launched on Mothers Day 2008, we certainly had high hopes - we'd done the market research, we were committed to superier customer service and we thought we had a good mix of products.

But really we were holding our breath, crossing our fingers and just taking a huge leap into the unknown.

To give you some idea of the growth we've had over the past 12 months, in the last 2 months we've processed some 800 orders. This is the same amount that we processed for the whole of May-December 2008!

We've learnt valuable lessons too numerous to count and we've made some really lovely friends among both our suppliers and our customers.

We've got 2 brand new sections being added as we speak, with a beautiful range of 100% certified organic products for your wee ones as well as our My Room section which we plan to focus on in the coming months. If you know of any must haves please drop us a line of info@bellybeyond.co.nz and we'll do what we do to get it in for you at the best possible price!

Our crazy Belly Beyond member only offer this week was a fantastic success so congrats to all you clever cookies who got 70% off your Nappy Bag - pays to be on the Belly Beyond mailing list then!

So whats been our best sellers over the last year?

1) HOTmilk
2) ERGObaby carriers
3) Isoki Reversible Baby Bags

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

Twitter Party

So I need to apologise to any of my Twitter followers who thought I was rambling in incoherent sentences last night (well even more incoherently than usual!) I was taking part in a Twitter Party hosted by Ghada from www.girlstoys.co.nz

This involved talking to a variety of women about life balance, being a Mum and so forth and so on. There were various interuptions from spammers as the #RSG (real social girls) hashtag began trending near the top at one point it was second only to Star Trek! Impressive indeed.

I got a bit confused as to who was talking to who but I think I got the hang of it near the end and am looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Ghada and the panel and the lovely prize donators Earth Sense and Scamps ECO Boutique.

Fantastic Mothers Day Present

Wow - two lucky Mums so far are being treated to an Ergo Baby Carrier for Mothers Day.

What a fantastic pressie! From the cards it looks like the gift givers are ERGObaby wearers themselves so they know how it will change their friends lives. Nice one!

Ponsonby News Article

Ponsonby News article. Nice to be sharing the page with such a fantastic company like Nature Baby!

Winners Merino MumCho Wrap

The lucky winners of a Merino Mumcho Wrap valued at $149 are Elizabeth Rutherford and Jannah Kennedy. Congratulations! one of these gorgeous NZ Made wraps is on it's way to each of you.

The creator of the Mumcho, Ute Loerch, is doing a stellar job with these. Mum to 3, and a frequent overseas traveller, she knows breastfeeding overseas is not as readily accepted here in little old NZ. Having a MumCho handy means you can breastfeed any where and every where when YOU and baby need to.

Recent customer feedback:

My "Mumcho" arrived yesterday and after my initial concern that it might look like a tent on me, it actually looks wonderful! My daughter's teacher even said I looked elegant wearing it. Very versatile and beautiful fabric, beautifully made. Thank you so much. I'm flying back to the UK on Friday and wanted something that would cover me while feeding my baby and also keep me or baby warm and this fits the bill perfectly.

The Most Versatile Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Top on the Market

Why would you want to own a Merino MUMCHO™?

—It beautifully shows off your belly during pregnancy

—It magically hides your belly after delivery

—It provides the perfect modesty cover wherever you go

—It’s elegant, timeless and can be worn in many different ways to create a different look

—It’s made of Merino, a natural microfibre with thermal properties, soft, long lasting, perfect for you and your baby

—It can be used to swaddle the baby, or as a baby blanket

—It a must have accessory when travelling with baby

—Unlike other modesty covers it provides the right length to cover up not only your belly but also your back while nursing

—It comes with a small pouch, and it easily fits into your handbag

—One Size Fits All

—It is easy care, no need to wash it very often

—It’s one of these items were you can say “Money well spent!”. Wear it during pregnancy and after delivery in 6+ different ways. No need to buy any other nursing tops, just wear your normal clothes during the time when you’re breastfeeding. Keep your MumCho in your bag at all times and pop it on when your baby is hungry and you’re nursing, no matter where you are!

—It’s a must have for the mum on the go! No other pregnancy and nursing top is as versatile as a MumCho!

The merino MumCho wrap comes in six colours and is such a stylish addition to your wardrobe. It can be worn multiple ways including as a shawl, a sarong and a skirt!

We have found them much easier to wear than a standard pashmina because the buckle keeps them in place and you don't have to keep constantly readjusting.

Belly Beyond Team BBQ

To celebrate our upcoming first birthday we gathered the team together for a BBQ.

L to R: Heidi, Finn, Mr Belly Beyond Chris, Jodi (our superb graphic designer), Judy (our unflappable Girl Friday who proves that yes, you can get vegemite off stock items if you know how), Mr Belly Beyond Rob, Lou. My two ratbags are out of shot refusing to cooperate for camera (sigh)

Ching ching!