We have been seeking contemporary kids rugs for years now, and had not even come close to anything we would put in our own kid’s room/play room UNTIL now!

US Design company DwellStudio continue to delight us with their contemporary nursery designs and have released these rugs to a just a couple of exclusive contemporary children’s stores. How lucky are we?!

These hand-tufted 100% New Zealand wool rugs will put the finishing touch on your room with luxurious, fun and colourful palattes and designs made to compliment all interiors. The timeless designs can easily transition from the nursery to the bedroom, or into the play room/general living area. Available in two sizes, and four unique designs - the DwellStudio Plus Multi Rug (large) shown above left works exceptionally well for large spaces (our play room is ready and waiting for one!). For those of you after something smaller than this, check out the DwellStudio Plus Multi Rug, and  DwellStudio Plus Petal Rug (shown top right).  The DwellStudio Gio Rug (shown bottom right) is also available in the larger size for maximum impact!

 A welcome addition to the bebe range, these DwellStudio rugs have been provided in an exclusive and limited supply just in time for Christmas..

Want to win this year’s hottest high chair?  Well grab your camera & get clicking!  To celebrate the launch of bebe online’s new feature bebe @ home, Bloom and bebe are giving away a Bloom Fresco Loft high chair valued at $749.95. This innovative chair could be yours just by sending us a photo of a bebe product in action in your home.  

The Bloom Fresco Loft revolutionalises baby chair design and brings premium quality infant fashion into the contemporary home for the first time.  Available in two chair colours (white or black) with a selection of  Microsuede cushions or Leatherette Cushions to choose from.  We love the fresco loft for its superior form and function and its unique ability to extend an extra 15cm making meal times at the breakfast bar or counter top.

Entering is as simple as sending us a photo, and the winning is just as easy as you get to choose the colour combination of your choice! Read more about this competition here..
Read more about the Bloom Fresco Loft High Chair and check out the Bloom’s full range of contemporary nursery pieces here..

With many of you planning for some travel during this festive season, strollers are high on the priorit list of holiday purchases.  A light weight and compact stroller can make a huge difference to the overall comfort and sanity of a trip,  and the desired outcome of a well slept toddler.  Our strollers have been tried and tested not only for their size, portability and comfort but also for day to day use as quality strollers. We dont sell throw away umbrella light weight strollers, as we believe every purchase must be built to last. From light weight options such as Quinny Zapp and Silvercross Dazzle, to Bugaboo and Stokke Xplory, we stock only the best of class in this category.

Dont hesitate to call, email of visit us for advice and infortmation on comparing strollers. Drop in for  a demo if you’re near by, as we’re always happy to show you in person how they can work for you. And to help you out with your pre-holiday purchases we are giving a

FREE BEBE $20 GIFT VOUCHER* WITH ALL STROLLERS (& PRAMS) PURCHASED THIS WEEK.

Check out our range of strollers and prams here…

*All stroller/pram purchases up to 23/11/08. Voucher is to be redeemed on future full priced purchases before 31/12/08.

Talk about a great bedside companion!  A year ago when my son started to fear the darkness and his midnight trips to the bathroom, we tried him on a couple of different night lights. First was too bright, second was not bright enough. Next one broke down (twice) and the one after that stopped after 4-5 hours, right when nighttime blackness kicks in. We’ve found a perfect solution in the Candela Tooli Lamp, which has become a friendly nighttime companion.

The famous Candela night lamps were previously manufactured by Vessel. It then took over 12 months to get these gems back into Australia. The new and improved Candela Tooli Night lamp is now manufactured by Oxo, and a welcome addition to bebe’s product range.  Simple to use even for young children (they illuminate when lifted from the charger base), these lights will assure your little one off into dreamland.

Check out the Candela Tooli 2 Night Lamp set here..

By Pinky

Your baby or toddler’s sleep patterns can be affected by his diet. Restlessness can be caused by allergies or food intolerance, sometimes to foods passing through your breastmilk (your baby is never allergic to your breastmilk). If you or your partner suffer from allergies such as excema, asthma or hay fever, or if there is a family history of allergies, there is an increased liklihood that your baby will also suffer from allergies. The best way to protect your baby from allergies is to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months. If you are bottle feeding and suspect allergies, consult a doctor. There are hypo-allergenic formulas, but these are expensive without a script.

Food allergies in exclusively breastfed babies are caused by foods that pass into your breastmilk, not to your breast-milk itself. Allergies in infants may cause symptoms including: colic, nausea, vomiting and reflux, wheezing and respiratory congestion, dermatitis and various rashes (although other medical causes should be ruled out for these symptoms). The most common culprit is cow’s milk protein (found in milk, cheese and yoghurt).

Food additives are present in ever-increasing numbers in almost all processed foods and these can dramatically affect sleep patterns and behaviour. Some babies and children can also become restless after eating foods containing salicylates. Food intolerance expert Sue Dengate has seen remarkable changes in children’s behaviour, including infant sleep patterns, with simple dietary changes, such as changing the brand of bread eaten.

Elimination of foods may take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to make a difference to your baby’s behaviour so allergies are difficult to prove or disprove, but if it calms your baby (and you), modifying your diet is a small sacrifice.

For more great tips about parenting, see Sleeping like a Baby by Pinky McKay available here at Bebe, or visit Pinky’s website - www.pinkymckay.com.au for information about her private consulting work in Melbourne.

17 weeks along now, and getting a little too curious about what gender this little being is.  I’m no good at surprises, so waiting until the baby is born to reveal its gender was never really going to be an option for us. There’s been a few theories from those around me as to what gender this bub will be, and I do sense its gender too, but the proof will be in the pudding soon enough!  Taking the test is easy, just tick those that apply to your own pregnancy and presto… you have your “theoretical gender” according to some people that apparently know their stuff. 

IT’S A BOY IF….

You didnt experience morning sickness in early pregnancy

Your baby’s heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute

You are carrying a lot of extra weight out front

Your belly looks like a basketball

Your areolas have darkened considerably

You are carrying low

You are craving salty or sour foods

You are craving protein  - meats or cheese

Your feet are colder than before your pregnancy

The hair on your legs has grown faster during your pregnancy

Your hands are very dry

Pregnancy has you looking better than ever

Your urine is looking bright yellow in colour

You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves in circles

You are having headaches

You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number

IT’S A GIRL IF……

You had morning sickness early in pregnancy

Your baby’s heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute

You are carrying our weight in your hips and rear

Your left breast is larger than your right breast

Your hair develops red highlights

You are carrying high

Your belly looks like a watermelon

You are craving sweets

You are craving juice/fruit

You don’t look quite as good as normal during pregnancy

You are moodier than usual during pregnancy

Your face breaks out more than usual

Your breasts have really blossomed

Your urine is a dark yellow colour

You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves from side to side

You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number

Thank you to all of the great reviews submitted in October. Bebe now features its reviews on our homepage for all to benefit from others experiences with bebe’s products. Please continue to help other members of the bebe online community by submitting your reviews. Each month we give away 5 x $50 vouchers, which may be redeemed online or in-store.

Congratulations to our October winners and thank you for your contribution!

Mary Thurston of Mudgeeraba, QLD.

Alice Morris of Bondi, NSW

Kylie D’Alton of Wodonga, VIC.

Jonathan Ronaldo of Mermaid Waters, QLD

Leah Sutton of Glenelg, SA

We first spotted this product cruising through Montague Gardens in Albert Park one sunny Saturday morning. One little toddler was the envy of many pram-bound toddlers, as he rode through the park, with some helpful navigation from Mum on his return trip for the newspapers.  Outdoor tricycles allow little ones to experience the thrill and independence of riding a bike, with the aid of Mum or Dad when needed. Great for varying energy levels, as they can be pushed when they get tired, and of course guided when steering gets a little sloppy.

 The Italtrike Outdoor Passenger tricycle features a detachable umbrella for shady rides. Parents can get in on the fun too with a detachable parent handle, perfect for giving little ones an extra push - a safety belt secures kids on faster rides and a rear brake gives Mum or Dad control on slopes.

Peddling on their own, children play for hours in the yard, the park, or around the block. A rear bucket holds everything a kids needs for a trip out (or in some cases, the Sunday papers and a fresh loaf of bread!).

Check out the Italtrike Outdoor Tricycle here..

Many of you will be most relieved to hear we have extended this week’s high chair offer for one week! . All high chair purchases made up until this Friday 14/11/08 will receive a $20 bebe gift card for use on a future purchase (before 31/12/08).

We’ve received many visits, calls and emails this week regarding our high chairs, and how they compare. Please continue to ask us, as we know our product well and are more than happy to chat.

View bebe’s current range of high chairs here..

Throughout my pregnancy with my first son I travelled extensively. Our little guy had been in Wales, Italy, Ireland, England, Hong Kong and Singapore by the time he was six months inutero. I imagined that once he was born the passion for travel would be innate, and so we planned on making that a reality. By the time Finn was 9 weeks old he had boarded his first flight to Cairns from Melbourne and within his first three years of life he’d boarded 14 planes, visited five other countries and taken many long car trips with us and his new brother around our state. We’ve had some pretty interesting moments along the way, but also learned a few tricks of the trade.

TIPS for SUCCESS

• Book tickets for flights out of peak/business times. You may get a quieter plane, and thus more room to move.
• Breastfeed or give your baby a dummy or bottle during take off and landing if they are awake, to prevent sore ears. Arrive at the airport at least 30 minutes earlier than you normally would have pre-kids. You never know when you’ll need to change a nappy or a whole outfit (yours or theirs!)
• If you are planning on visiting relatives overseas, plan ahead and do it with your child when they are quite young and less mobile. It will be easier for everyone and won’t create as much frustration for your child.
• Always pack more clothing than you think that you will need. Small people have an incredible habit of making mess.
• Pack a baby carrier.

There are times at an airport or when on a flight that are more difficult than others. Try and plan ahead so that you aren’t standing in a line at the airport at your childs normal nap or sleep time. If this is un-avoidable, use your baby carrier to keep your child close. Busy airports and strange faces galore are overwhelming for small people. Being safely strapped to their favourite people can make a huge difference to how much they cope with these busy places. With more than one child or children over the age of one, a compact stroller, such as the Quinny Zapp is a must have for enabling in-transit naps. The Quinny Zapp is an ideal stroller for travel as it fits into a compact travel bag and suitable to be carried on as on-board luggae.

AT TAKE-OFF & AT LANDING……

• Ask the airline staff for help. You can ask for a ‘meet and greet’ service, in which you’ll get help to get through cues and fast-track baggage collection.
• Ask for a bassinette seat. Depending on your childs age, you may be eligible for one. Even if it isnt a sleep space that suits your child, you can still use the extra foot room, and it’s a great vantage point for a wee one to check out everyone else from up high.
• Request an aisle seat. It’s the perfect place to sit down after walking some laps of the plane with your little one in your baby carrier, without having to climb over the knees of a perfect stranger.
• Please dont medicate your children. Whilst some parents believe that it is appropriate, I feel that parents should be cautious about using sedatives with young children. Dr Sarah Buckley (GP, mother and author) says that “although these are medically safe, they can have the opposite effect in some children, causing hyperactivity and nightmatres. A better alternative is to use physical contact and cuddles, which will reassure as well as soothe. Breastfeeding is an ideal sedative (for both mother and baby) and another excellent remedy is lavender oil, using 1-2 drops on the upper chest, or for a young baby, on their clothing.”

Travelling with children offers an abundance of wonderful experiences and rewards, and with some careful planning and a few ‘Plan B’s’ up your sleeve, taking off with the family can be an incredible time for you all. Happy and safe holidays! Enjoy making some beautiful memories.

About the author - Donna Sheppard-Wright is a former nanny, mother of two delightful rascally sons and juggles a career as a birth attendant/post natal mother’s support with working part time at bebe. We’re lucky to have Donna share her insight into her experience of new-motherhood and how to ensure you have the support you need when your baby arrives. Donna can be contacted at nurture@netspace.net.au.