Romper suits are not only adorable on baby or toddler girls, they are also practical. No need to worry about fiddly buttons or zips. Just a few  poppers and nappies can be changed very quickly.

Rompers are the ideal outfit for showing off your little girls adorable chubby knees and the perfect alternative to shorts and t-shirt this summer.

Here is our selection of the cutest summer romper suits for toddler and baby girls.

1. Baby Gap – Ruffle dot one-piece £6.99
2. Toucan Kids – Lily and Sid Heart Pocket Romper - £20.00
3. Girls Summer Romper IDO  - (House of Fraser) £ 25.99
4. Sarah Kayes Baby Shop – £7.50
5. Matalan – Green floral romper – £6.00

The research suggests that ‘child-meals’ are more likely to be nutritionally inferior. Author of the study, Valeria Skafida, said: “Offering separate ‘children’s food’ for a main meal may often result in children missing out nutritionally. This is already known to be the case with kid’s menus in restaurants, so children are best off eating the same foods as their parents.”

What does healthy eating look like?

• Eat together as a family if possible
• Everyone eating the same meal
• Main meals are important, so reduce snacking
• Eat meals in an area designated for dining rather than in front of the TV in a living room or bedroom
• Make meal times pleasant, talk, catch up on what your child has been doing at nursery or school.

Not eating a main meal during the day, frequent snacking between meals, eating in the living room or bedroom, and an “unpleasant atmosphere” during mealtimes were all weakly associated with poorer diets.

About the study

The study looked at the eating hapits of 2332 children aged just under five in Scotland. Data was collected by the Scottish Government’s Growing up in Scotland study. The research was carried out by Valeria Skafida, a medical sociologist at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at Edinburgh University. You can find out more about the study in Valeria’s blog.

For a healthy family meal that everyone including the kids will enjoy check out our veggie chilli one pot recipe.

Source: Centre for Research on Families and Relationships

Image: Philcampgell @ flickr

If you look hard enough, you can find an eco-conscious message in any film, particularly a kid’s film. But which ones are the most interesting? Here are a few of my favourites

The Lorax (1972 and 2012)

The first film based on The Lorax was a television special made in 1972, with a teleplay written by Dr Seuss. Only 25 minutes long, it is almost identical to the book (see: Eco Entertainment: Children’s Books http://www.mindfulmum.co.uk/eco/2012/childrens-books-with-an-eco-message/), and the alterations it makes only serve to make the subject matter more complex, such as addressing the issue of what becomes of the Thneed factory workers if production is stopped to save the environment.

The second film is a feature length adaptation from 2012. It’s more loosely based on the book, with an altered structure, new characters, the relationship between the Once-ler and the Lorax transformed into a bromance gone bad, and a second antagonist added in the form of Mr O’Hare who sells oxygen.

WALL-E (2008)

A multi-award winner (including a Hugo and an Oscar), WALL-E tells the story of a cleaning robot stuck on an abandoned, refuse-covered Earth. Desperate for companionship, WALL-E’s wish is granted when a spaceship arrives bearing a reconnaissance robot named EVE. He follows her to a spaceship bearing Earth’s lost humans, where he helps set in motion a chain of events to bring the humans home. It’s an absolutely beautiful film, and one both children and adults will love.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

In Australia (where no one has an Australian accent), there is a forest called FernGully, tended by faeries including our heroine, Crysta. But when loggers come into the forest and accidentally release the toxic spirit Hexxus, Crysta and human Zak must stop him before he destroys the forest. While a slightly dated film thanks to some 1990s slang, it is still one that kids will enjoy.

Studio Ghibli (1985-present)

This Japanese film studio and its celebrated director Hayao Miyazaki regularly put out films with an environmental message, so it’s difficult to pick just one. The three films with the most overt eco message are Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Pom Poko, and Princess Mononoke. Others have a more subtle environmental message which often doesn’t dominate the plot, such as in Spirited Away, Ponyo, Arrietty, and My Neighbour Totoro. Each one is visually stunning and totally timeless, and can be enjoyed by parents and kids alike.

Note: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke may be more suited to older children due to story complexity and overt cartoon violence. Parental discretion when choosing films is always encouraged.

Happy Feet (2006)

An Oscar winning film about a penguin named Mumble who can’t sing to attract a mate so tap dances instead. Believing that his dancing is that cause of a food scarcity, Mumble is exiled, inspiring him to set out and discover the cause of the depleted fish population. The film handles the environmental issues (specifically pollution and overfishing) with skill and subtlety, which carries over into the film’s sequel Happy Feet 2.

Once Upon a Forest (1993)

Based on A Furling’s Story by Rae Lambert, this film set in the fictional forest of Dapplewood, where three children named Abigail, Russell and Edgar set out to find medicinal herbs when their friend Michelle becomes ill from poison gas. While the humans are the ones who cause harm to the animals, the film, like Happy Feet, shows that they can learn from their mistakes.

Due to the style of these exercises and layout of the plan, your metabolism will see a boost and will teach your body to burn calories more effectively even when at rest.
Stick within the recommended guidelines for the first couple of weeks and build up timings and amount of circuits, as and when you feel able to.
Always begin any routine with a 5-10 minute warm up involving mild to moderate cardiovascular activity.

1. Side lunges or wide stance squats – 45 secs -1 min
2. Tricep dips on flat feet (easy) or heels (hard) – 30 secs
3. Thrusts (do legs half way to make easier) – 45secs-1 min
4. Walking press-ups or modified press-ups (on knees)- 30 secs
5. Lunges with arms over head or Jumping Lunges (like lunges but jumping up and switch legs) – 30 -45 secs
6. Plank. For a tougher option, start as above but push your body weight forward through shoulders and back through heels for around 10-15 counts.
   – 45 secs-1min
7. 5 minute warm down and stretch as in other articles – all areas.

Beginner: 2-3 months post natal – Repeat circuit x 2
Intermediate: 3-6 months post natal – Repeat circuit x 3
Advanced: 6 months + Post natal – Repeat circuit x 3-4

Wendy’s Tip: Keep yourself well hydrated and rest by walking for 10-15 seconds between each circuit round.
*Not suitable for pre-natal women

Check out Wendy’s other fitness workout to get you feeling superfit – Exercise for postnatal mums

Not wanting to pour water on his kindness, I gently explained, “I mean word and picture flash cards like those Beyoncé and Jayzee are using with their baby girl, Blue Ivy.” He looked at me as if I had just landed from planet Krong. To help, I suggested he use his swanky new iPhone 5 from CarphoneWarehouse, to ‘Google’ it and find the best app for our boys.

What are baby and toddler flash cards?

Parents have been using flash cards as a game for babies and toddlers long before the digital camera or iPhone was invented. Traditional baby flash cards normally come in packs by subjects such as animals, transport or food. They are pieces of card with pictures on one side and the word on the other.

The theory is that flash cards, used sparingly in play, can help your child’s development. The results of one survey in the US highlighted that as many as 65% of parents polled, thought flash cards are “very effective” in helping two year olds develop their intelligence.

I bet Einstein never used flash cards

We couldn’t find any real evidence that flash cards boost toddlers learning capabilities. There is much more information about the importance of spontaneous play. In the book, Einstein Never Used Flash Cards, the psychologists Kathy Hirsch-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff urge parents to lay off the structured activities and instead let children learn naturally at their own pace through play. So instead of running out to the shops for the physical flash cards we decided to go for the virtual online flash cards and test them out as a game on our mobile phone.

Flash card apps for babies and toddlers

We downloaded the iPhone app My First Words. We are not using it as a structured activity, it is just for fun. There are lots of different subjects; animals, baby things, food, shapes, toys, body, feelings, on wheels and even mummy’s things. The boys are having a lot of fun with it because the app version of baby flash cards has a couple of advantages over the traditional card based version.

1. You can create your own digital flash cards using photos of granny, your dog, the local park or your children’s favourite toy.
2. You can customize all the flash cards by recording a voice over for each flash card. So whilst the original app has an American voice over, the boys now hear my Scottish voice, their Dad’s funny monster voice and even their own voices. Lots of fun to be had there!
3. You can change the spelling of the word, so ‘mommy’ has now changed to ‘mum’ and cell phone has changed to mobile.

So what are your thoughts on flash cards? Have you bought them for your baby or toddler and do you think they are useful?  Or like a friend of mine, do you ban your child from all digital games?

I remember getting to the point where I felt like I wanted to do more in a day than change diapers and run errands. It became important to me to spend some time with other mums and their babies. Not only did I want the interaction for me, but I felt that my son would really benefit as well. I was eager to swap mum stories with others in a similar position to me!

There was only one problem; I didn’t know any mums that lived in close proximity to me. Many of my friends at the time were unmarried and without little ones. As a career person, I had always relied on work for meeting people and providing daily interaction, as well as hobbies, but now that I would be home full time I knew I needed to branch out. I needed a plan to meet other mums!

Join Activities

When my son was about two months old, I joined a Baby and Mum Yoga class. I had visions of this great zen experience that my son and I would share. To be honest, I found the whole activity pretty stressful. It was a lot of work to get us ready to go and then I would stress that my son might cry and disrupt the class. I did meet a few other mums though and felt that I was part of something, but I didn’t make any lasting friendships.

When my son was about six months we tried a Baby and Mum Zumba class. My son was fairly heavy at the time and the only way he would endure the class was to be strapped to my front in a baby carrier. I ended up giving up on this class because neither of us were having a lot of fun and my back and shoulders couldn’t bear the extra weight! He was also really agitated by the Zumba music!

Visit Resource Centres

There were a number of daytime programs (e.g. sing-a-longs) that were available at a local resource centre. I found this to be a great start in terms of getting out of the house. It was also a good place to learn about additional activities out there.

Take to the Internet

I remember I felt like I was ‘dating’ again, and in a sense I was. I started looking for mum groups on the internet. I joined a few to see which ones would be a good fit.

I attended a sing-a-long at a café as part of one mum group. It was a little intimidating as all the mums seemed to know each other and I was a newbie, but again, we were doing something new.

The other mum group turned out much better. I met two mothers that had babies the same age as mine that enjoyed playdates and getting some exercise.

We have moved again, so I suspect with my next child I will be searching for mum friends again! But at least I know where to start!

How did you find meet mums when you first had a baby?

Did you actively seek out new mums after you had your first baby? Share your thoughts on how to meet other mums in the comments below.

1 – The Easter Egg by Jan Brett
2 – Here Comes Easter by Caroline Jayne Church
3 – Happy Easter Maisy by Lucy Cousins
4 – If I were the Easter Bunny by Louise Gardner
5 – The Story of the Easter Bunny by Katherine Tegen
6 – Peter Rabbit and the Easter Egg Hunt (World of Beatrix Potter)
Not featured above and also worth consideration;
7 – The Bunny Who Found Easter by Charlotte Zolotow
8 – Spring by Gerda Muller
9 – The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith
10 – The Easter Story (Usborne Bible Tales) by Heather Amery

Source: Mindful Mum Amazon Listmania

The current age limit for NHS funded treatment 38 in Scotland and 39 in Northern Ireland, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The new guidelines for England & Wales state that women between 40 and 42 will be offered one cycle as long as it is their first time and they have enough eggs.

Previously the cut-off age has been 39. Those struggling to conceive have also been told the treatment should start earlier – after two years of trying to conceive naturally, rather than three.

Director of the Oxford Fertility Unit, Tim Child, said the decision to extend IVF past the age of 39 was not taken lightly.

“When a woman reaches her mid-30s her fertility begins to decline, even more so from her late 30s,” he said. “However, many women do conceive naturally in the 40-42 year age group, but for those who can’t, and who have been diagnosed with the medical condition of infertility, then improvement in IVF success rates over the last decade mean that we are now able to offer cost effective treatment with a single IVF cycle. This decision was taken after considerable discussion and close analysis of the available evidence.”

But leading fertility doctors and patient groups warned that with the new guidance people would still be denied the treatment because of the reluctance of many primary care trusts (PCTs) to pay for it.

A report into NHS IVF provision in the UK today in 2011, showed one in four NHS trusts offered the full three cycles. Each round costs £3,000.

Clare Lewis-Jones, chief executive of Infertility Network UK, who was on the guidelines development group, said they would give new hope to infertility patients, but it would be “pointless if the recommendations are not put into practice”.

One in seven heterosexual couples are thought to experience fertility problems and the numbers seeking help have risen. There is evidence that spending cuts in an NHS tasked with saving £20bn by 2015 have affected fertility services, which already had long waiting lists.

Nice reiterates that couples where the woman is under 40 should have three attempts on the NHS and even suggests the treatment should start earlier – after two years of trying to conceive naturally, rather than three.

But it proposes ending practices which scientific evidence now suggests are ineffective, which could reduce some costs. Women in hetereosexual relationships should be encouraged to keep trying for a baby through sexual intercourse for the two years before they qualify for IVF, rather than be given artificial insemination, Nice says. Studies show insemination does not achieve better results.

Same-sex couples will still be offered artificial insemination as well as people who have a religious objection to IVF.

• 0-3 months
• 4-6 months
• 7-9 months
• 10-12 months

0-3 months

1. Waltz
   When your baby is very young, dnacing together can be a great bonding tool. Hold baby close or in a baby sling and slowly rock and sway your baby in time to the music. If you’re feeling particularly inspired after watching Strictly Come Dancing, you might like to try a waltz by holding onto baby’s hand whilst dancing. Dancing together is a relaxing and enjoyable game for baby and mum to play together.
2. Singing
   As babies are born very near sighted and have yet to master tracking, you are their biggest and most enjoyable toy. Stay close to baby’s face so they can see you and sing songs to them. It doesn’t matter if you can barely hold a note, baby will enjoy it anyway!
3. Clapping games
   To help kick start the developmental curve of your child, try and introduce rhythm from an early age. A simple and fun way to do this is clapping games. Sing ‘If you’re happy and you know it’ and clap baby’s hands along with the music. This will start to introduce rhythm and eventually, baby will copy you and be able to clap on his/her own.

4-6 months

1. This little piggy
   Finding fingers and toes is a monumental discovery for babies. They’ll be forever in mouths and be stared at in wonder and amazement. This rhyming game reminds baby about their toes and introduces repetition to help boost memory development. The gentle tickle at the end of the rhyme will also thrill baby!
2. Toe tap
   This is a great game to try when changing baby or letting them have some time out of a nappy. Lie baby on a changing or play mat. Sing a favourite children’s song, such as ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ and gently tap out the rhythm of the song on the soles of baby’s feet. This repetition and rhythm will engage baby.
3. Head, shoulders, knees and toes
   Another great lying down game, this song introduces actions to baby. As you sing the song, take baby’s hands and gently follow the instructions of the song (touching head, shoulders and so on). In time baby will be able to do these actions themselves!

7-9 months

1. Bouncing games
   Now that baby can confidently hold their own head up, games can get a little bit more lively to keep up with an active and growing mind. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out together in front of you. Sit baby on your legs facing you and pick your favourite children’s song. Bounce baby up and down to certain words in the song that appear often (i.e. if singing ‘Humpty dumpty’, bounce baby on humpty, dumpty, sat and wall). Baby will love a lively and exciting game.
2. Drumming games
   By now, you’ll be surprised at baby’s quick spurt and will be noticing baby’s ever increasing strength. Lay out some pots, pans, plastic cups and wooden spoons for baby to make their drumming debut. Playing along with baby to memorable songs will help further instill rhythm.

10-12 months

1. The name game
   Now that your little one is fast developing into an intuative toddler, singing songs you’ve sang in the past months will be recognisable and baby may even remember the actions to join in. Adding baby’s name into a song will make it even more enjoyable! Try singing ‘B-I-N-G-O’ and changing the letters to spell baby’s name (if it fits!). Be creative and see what you can come up with to include baby’s name.
2. Action games
   Singing games with actions will be even more enjoyable now baby can understand them better. Have another go at ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ and see if baby can join in this time.

Source: BBC

Photography: Ren Kuo @Flickr

Beyonce

“I lost most of my weight from breastfeeding and I encourage women to do it; It’s just so good for the baby and good for yourself.” Beyonce put breastfeeding in the spotlight when she was spotted breastfeeding in public while out for lunch with husband Jay-Z just weeks after her baby girl was born.

Helena Bonham Carter

“People say, ‘You’re still breastfeeding, that’s so generous.’ Generous, no! It gives me boobs and it takes my thighs away! It’s sort of like natural liposuction. I’d carry on breast-feeding for the rest of my life if I could.”

Tipper Gore

“I breastfed all my children and I am a very strong proponent [of breastfeeding]. It was one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences of motherhood, so far.”

Nicole Kidman

“They’re not very big, my boobs, so they just became normal size. I loved it! I felt very womanly. When you’ve had a slightly androgynous body your whole life, having breasts is a nice feeling.”

Ana Ortiz

“They do say breastfeeding is nature’s lipo.”

Kelly Rutherford

“With my daughter — obviously the doctor made sure that everything was okay — but I didn’t do all of the procedures they recommend right away. I did the least amount that was necessary that was still healthy, so that my daughter would be able to latch right away.”

Allyson Hannigan

“I know it’s a cliché, but I was eating just ridiculous amounts of food but still losing weight. I think I should just keep breastfeeding until she’s 18.”

Samantha Harris

“It’s something none of my friends from home were choosing to do, but a lot of my L.A. friends were doing it. I knew it would be a challenge, but I thought that it was a wonderful choice to make if it works out.”

Eva Herzigova

“Nature has a way of taking care of things. If you have a certain figure you’ll go back to it. Breastfeed and don’t worry about it.”

Kelly Rutherford

“It’s an amazing bond with your child. Some cultures do it up to five years, normally. I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just do it as long as it feels right for my son.’”

Kate Beckinsale

“I do miss breastfeeding. I was good at it.”

Gwyneth Paltrow

“I’m not in my pre-pregnancy state. I’m trying not to rush myself. I want my food to be high quality as I’m feeding Apple. I’m not into dieting. Now I’m able to exercise, I’m shrinking back down a little bit. It’s a very slow process.”

Nancy O’Dell

“Breastfeeding is the best diet. I want to eat healthy for her, so it’s easy to say no to pizza.”

Tori Spelling

“Yes, it’s hard, but I love it. That’s our time together, and I can give him the one thing he wants…food! Dean took a photo of me nursing, and I was horrified. I was thinking this poor baby must be so scared of this giant thing coming at him.”

Catherine Zeta Jones

“I’m going to do it as long as I can. There is something so intimate about it. For that one hour or 45 minutes it’s just wonderful. It’s wonderful bonding and you know they’re getting all those antibodies.”

Salma Hayek

“I’m like an alcoholic. It’s like, I don’t care if I cry, I don’t care if I’m fat, I’m just gonna do it for one more week, one more month, and then, when I see how much good it is doing her, I can’t stop. It’s a very powerful thing you know.”

Jada Pinkett Smith

“(I breastfed) a good 18 months. That baby never even saw a bottle. He went everywhere with me – premieres, award shows. I would just find a back room and hook him up.”

Gwen Stefani

“I love that I’m someone special and that I feed him. I’m the milk cow! My theory is that nursing gives you superhuman powers. How else could I be doing all this when I’m usually a sleepaholic?”

Erykah Badu

“When I first had the baby, I was breastfeeding for two years straight, so we were together for two years of his life — every day, all hours of the day. So I was two people, and I eventually morphed back into one. Now he’s part of me. He’s very independent as a result of it.”

Jennifer Garner

“All I ever heard was everyone bitch about it, nobody ever said, ‘You are not going to believe how emotional this is.’”

Source: Examiner

Photography: Raphael Goetter @Flickr