My Best Baby

Should I worry about the fact that I insisted on my husband feeling the consistency of the new nappy cream we’ve been trying out? ‘See, you can even rub it into your hands; it absorbs!’ was my excited cry. Having tried quite a few different brands over the past few years, it’s wonderful to finally find a cream that is smooth, easy to apply, unperfumed and free of nasty chemicals. Hooray for Urtekram’s Baby Zinc Balm. It’s no more expensive than the cream from a chemist/supermarket and is available from Goodness Direct.

This post was submitted by Susannah.

During my second pregnancy my waist measurement went from 24″ to 48″ but I managed to avoid getting any stretch marks…I’m very lucky! Instead of using a lotion or potion, I put coconut oil on my bump everyday. The smell was gorgeous, and knowing that I wasn’t putting any chemicals on my skin was reassuring. I found it also eased the itching that I suffered from when the weather was hot. It might not work for everyone…but it’s certainly worth a try if you’re pregnant. The one I used was by Biona and is available from Goodness Direct. A small jar (£3.69) would last an entire pregnancy.

This post was submitted by Susannah.

It’s quite unusual for a novel to make me laugh out loud, but this one did - frequently…I’m sure my husband thought I was suffering from pregnancy-induced hysteria. It’s a very reassuring look at the realities of raising young children, and is likely to make even the least confident parent feel at least slightly competent. I like it!!

Lots of the scenes described are horribly familiar, and the dialogue of a conversation between two mothers as they supervise their toddlers should be read by absolutely everyone as it’s complete genius x

This post was submitted by Susannah.

I’m gradually working my way through all titles in my local library with the word ‘baby’ in. Sophie Kinsella’s contribution to the bump-lit field is a silly, lighthearted novel - which, to be frank, is exactly what you need sometimes when suffering from pregnancy-induced insomnia. Although the materialistic slant of the book was irritating in places, I must admit that I enjoyed it.

This post was submitted by Susannah.

Despite already having a child, I recently became very concerned that I have no clue as to how to look after a baby! It’s strange how sleep deprivation can wipe memories. So, I decided to have a look at the famous Dr Spock (although it was actually written by Dr Robert Needlman). I found it to be very reassuring and practical.
I tend to rate the usefulness of a non-fiction book by how many tabs I have affixed during reading. This book scored 14 tabs - in other words, there are 14 points that I want to write down/summarise as reminders to myself. I think that’s a very fair score. I would recommend it to all new parents, as well, perhaps to second timers like me whose confidence is shaky.

This post was submitted by Susannah.