Visiting the home of Stokke

I really wanted to join in this weeks Gallery but the theme wasn't working for me. We have never been into Halloween and as I was on a plane home from Norway when the kids turned into their alter ego's last night, I totally missed my opportunity, so instead I bring you the stunning town of Alesund in Norway. The spiritual home of Stokke (who I have worked for since 2003). This was my first visit as my meetings are usually in Oslo, but what an amazingly beautiful place. I am in love.

My first view of Alesund

View from my window at Bosundet Hotel

I wonder if I will ever stop taking pics of random Tripp Trapp's?!

Or Stokke pushchairs?! Here the new Stokke® Crusi, first one I've seen on the street!

Alesund is simply stunning. I hope that I get to go back next year with my family. They would love it.

Stokke have a new baby! Introducing MyCarrier

It is great to be involved in product launches and today, we are celebrating the birth of the new baby carrier, Stokke® My Carrier.

I really got into baby wearing when Biba had Chicken Pox at three weeks old. She became really clingy and the only way I could get her to settle was to hold her close.

After nine months inside your baby is so used to your natural movements its no surprise that they want to be as close to you as possible I guess?

For more info on MyCarrier visit Stokke.com

I'm Loving the new Stokke® Tripp Trapp® film

I love Stokke® and I've had the pleasure of being their PR for the last eight years. 2012 is a big for them as a company as Tripp Trapp® hits the big 40. It's quite astonishing to think that its been on the market since 1972 as its design hasn't dated at all.

We just made this new Tripp Trapp® movie and I had to share it because I love it!

If you thought Tripp Trapp was just a highchair - you couldn't be more wrong.

MummyTips Live from the Mother and Baby Awards 2011!

So here we are again.. tonights proceedings may seem totally irrelevant to lots of you (but that's cause they are). But tonight is THE big night in the 'baby' industry. The one night that the great and the good join together to celebrate the last twelve months. There will be joy, there will be laughter and there will quite probably be tears if @RosieScribble and @Cafebebe don't manage to keep the red wine flowing.

So I apologise in advance if I completely mess up with this - as it's new! 

Last year I tweeted the whole thing and was so bombarded with questions that I didn't get drunk 'STOP PRESS - shock horror'. 

Clearly that isn't an option tonight and I'm prepared - ready and able.

To save time and sanity I have already listed the categories below. I will be updating winners live tomorrow evening - so do check back - if you are at all interested that is! If you aren't - sorry, perhaps I will write something of more interest soon. xx

And before everyone starts screaming .... I have no idea about the order in which the results will be called - so don't ask OK?!

Best Car Seat – Group 1

Gold MAXI-COSI – Pearl & FamilyFix Base

Silver KIDDY – Kiddy Energy Pro

Bronze BRITAX – KING plus

Best Car Seat – Group 1, 2, 3

Gold BRITAX – EVOLVA 1-2-3 plus

Silver RECARO UK LTD – Young Sport

Bronze KIDDY – Kiddy Guardian Pro

*NEW* Best Car Seat – Group 2, 3

Gold SUNSHINE KIDS – Monterey

Silver BRITAX – KID plus

Bronze RECARO UK LTD – Monza Seatfix

 Best Baby Carrier / Sling or Back Carrier

Gold PHIL & TEDS – Escape

Silver TOTSBOTS   – Papoozle

Bronze BUSHBABY – Premier Carrier

 Best Travel System

Gold GRACO – Symbio

Silver JANE   – Slalom R Matrix

Bronze BRITAX – B-DUAL & second seat unit & BABY-SAFE plus SHR II

 Best Pushchair

Gold BRITAX – B-SMART 4

Silver GRACO – Symbio

Bronze PETITE STAR – Kurvi Match

Best Lightweight Buggy/Stroller

Gold BABY JOGGER – Baby Jogger City Mini

Silver COSATTO – Yo!

Bronze MAMAS & PAPAS – Cruise Buggy

Best Twin/Tandem

Gold BABY JOGGER – Baby Jogger City Select

Silver OUT N ABOUT – Nipper Double 360

Bronze BRITAX – B-DUAL with second seat unit

*NEW* Best Pram & Changing Bag Accessories

Gold BROTHER MAX – Brother Max Milk Powder Dispenser

Silver PEEKABOO COMMUNICATIONS – Baby Hoodie

Bronze NUBY UK LLP – Safari Chimes

Best Travel Product

Gold MUNCHKIN – Travel Booster Seat

Silver MY CARRY POTTY – My Carry Potty

Bronze CHEEKY RASCALS – BubbleBum

 Best Moses Basket or Crib

Gold BEDNEST LTD – bednest crib

Silver THE LITTLE GREEN SHEEP – Organic Wicker Moses Basket

Bronze NSCESSITY – BabyBay

Best Newborn Sleep Aid – 0-3 months

Gold EAST COAST NURSERY LTD – Grow Blanket

Silver 37 DEGREES – swaddling temperature blanket

Bronze SUMMER INFANT – SwaddleMe

Best Cot

Gold kUB – Walda Cot/Day Bed

Silver kUB – Eco Cot/ Cotbed

Bronze EAST COAST NURSERY Ltd – Anna Cot

 Best Baby Monitor

Gold TOMY UK – Digital Plus TD350 Monitor

Silver SUMMER INFANT – Baby Zoom Digital Video Monitor

Bronze MOTOROLA – MBP35 Large Screen Video Baby Monitor

Bouncy Chair/Rocker or Seat

Gold CHICCO – Relax & Play

Silver MAMAS & PAPAS – Apollo Bouncing Cradle

Bronze FISHER-PRICE – Precious Planet Bouncer

Best Nursery Product

Gold KIDDICARE – Baby Weavers Splash Changing Unit

Silver CONTENT & CALM – The Cot Canopy

Bronze AQUASOLARI – Aquasolari

Best Bathtime Product

Gold CLEVAMAMA – Splash & Wrap Baby Bath Towel

Silver SUMMER INFANT – Right Height Tub

Bronze TIPPITOES – Mini Bath

Best Safety Product

Gold BUSHBABY – minipack

Silver 37 DEGREES – Sleeping Sleepsack

Bronze CUDDLEDRY – SPF50+ Poncho Towel

 "N* Best Travel Sleep Product (including Travel Cots)

Gold MAMAS & PAPAS – Sleep Travel Cot

Silver GRO – Travel Grobag Baby Sleep Bag

Bronze KIT FOR KIDS BABY – Eucalyss Folding Travel Cot  Mattress

Best Newborn Toy – 0-6 months

Gold VTECH – VTechBaby Sing and Soothe Mobile

Silver LEAPFROG – My Pal Scout

Bronze LEAPFROG – Twinkle Twinkle Scout

Best Baby Toy – 6-12 months

Gold EARLY LEARNING CENTRE – Lights & sounds walker

Silver LEAPFROG – Learn & Groove Muscial Table

Bronze MY WONDER LTD – My Wondercube

Best Toddler Toy 12 months +

Gold MEGA BLOKS – Classic Maxi Bag 70 pc

Silver FISHER-PRICE – Little People Animal Sounds Farm

Bronze VTECH – VTech Bath Friends Turtle

*NEW* Best Toddler Toy 24 months +

Gold LEGO – LEGO DUPLO Play With Numbers

Silver LEAPFROG – LeapFrog Tag Jnr

Bronze ORCHARD TOYS – Nursery Rhyme Four in a Box

Best Product for Breastfeeding

Gold LANSINOH – Lansinoh Lanolin for Breastfeeding Mothers

Silver THERALINE – The Original Theraline Maternity & Nursing Pillow

Bronze MEDELA  – Swing Electric Breast Pump

Best Product for Bottle Feeding

Gold AVENT – Philips AVENT Digital Steam Steriliser

Silver BORNFREE – 9oz (260ml) BPA-free wide neck plastic bottle

Bronze MAM UK – MAM Hold Me Bottle 270ml

Best Baby Food Range/Product

Gold ORGANIX – Organix Goodies Organix Toddler Snack Range

Silver HIPP ORGANIC – HiPP Organic Wholesome Pots

Bronze ORGANIX – Organix Stage 2 Organic Baby Foods

Best Feeding Product for Weaning

Gold FISHER-PRICE – Healthy Care Booster Seat

Silver BROTHER MAX – Brother Max Home and Travel Weaning Bowl

Bronze MAM UK – MAM Baby’s Fork and Spoon

Best Highchair

Gold EAST COAST NURSERY LTD – Multi Height Highchair with insert cushion

Silver TRIPP TRAPP – Tripp Trapp

Bronze THE RED KITE BABY  – Feed Me Ultimo

Best Baby Wipe

Gold JACKSON REECE – Kinder by Nature Natural Herbal wipes

Silver SAINSBURYS – Sainsburys 72 ECO Sensitive baby wipes

Bronze ALDI – Baby Wipes

 Best Disposable Nappy or Nappy Brand

Gold HUGGIES – Huggies Newborn with Organic Cotton

Silver TESCO – Tesco Super Fit nappies

Bronze ALDI – Junior Nappies

Best Reusable Nappy

Gold TOTSBOTS – Bamboozle S-t-r-e-t-c-h

Silver BUMGENIUS – bumGenius All in One

Bronze CHARLIE BANANA – 2 in 1 Reusable Nappy system

Best Skincare Range/Product

Gold ASDA – Little Angels Skincare Range

Silver NATURE BABYCARE – Eco Skincare Range

Bronze SAINSBURYS – Sainsbury’s Little Ones Baby Toiletries Range

Best New Innovation (judged by Mother & Baby panel)

Gold PHILIPPE LARA LTD – Hamster Buggy Bags

Silver YOOMI – Self Warming Baby Bottle

Bronze AVENT – Philips AVENT Combined Steamer Blender

Best Health Product (reader nominated)

Gold CALPOL – McNeil Healthcare UK

Silver SUDOCREM – Forest Laboratories UK

Bronze BABY NUROFEN – Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare UK

Nursery Retailer of the Year (reader nominated)

Gold KIDDICARE

Silver MOTHERCARE

Bronze BOOTS

Online Retailer of the Year (reader nominated)

Gold KIDDICARE

Silver TESCO DIRECT

Bronze ARGOS

Supermarket of the Year (reader nominated)

Gold TESCO

Silver ASDA

Bronze SAINSBURYS


Britain’s Bravest Mum – Lynsey Fuorvito

An interview with Peter Opsvik - Mr Tripp Trapp himself...

I travel a fair bit with my job, it's a hassle - but it's just the way it is. Other people see it as a perk but the reality of pulling yourself out of bed at 4am to drive to the airport to land somewhere in Europe to present at a meeting is about as far from glam as glam gets.

But sometimes it is pretty cool and despite flying into Oslo on a dark and very snowy morning with a migraine from hell I managed to pull myself together and regain my composure before heading over to interview a man who has had a major presence in my house for the last ten years. I was meeting the design icon Peter Opsvik - the man who designed the Tripp Trapp chair.

The Story of Tripp Trapp

The story of the birth of the Tripp Trapp chair has been much told in Stokke circles but here we take a look at the man behind the chair; the award winning designer Peter Opsvik.

Born in Norway in 1939, Peter studied art through his early twenties, graduating from Bergen Arts School in 1963 before taking a position as an Industrial Designer at Tandberg Radio, Oslo. The five years that he spent there were far from un-eventful, whilst his ‘day job’ saw him producing some now iconic portable radios, his love for furniture design was being unveiled to a larger audience.

In 1966 he was awarded a design scholarship from ‘The Norwegian Credit Bank’ and the following year whilst still working part time at Tandberg, Peter’s collaboration with Stokke began.

I met with Peter at his Oslo studio on a very cold and snowy afternoon to talk to him about the concept and development of the Tripp Trapp chair.

Me: Tripp Trapp is now an iconic product used by millions of families right across the world. When you were creating it did you have any idea how innovative it really was?

Peter: Highchairs date back to Egyptian times yet whilst they had a function they had still not been ‘designed’. A highchair was a one size fits all – yet we know that all children are not the same size. Inevitably your old fashioned highchair had a very limited use time when it was the correct size for your child and after witnessing this with my own son – I saw that it really didn’t have to be this way.

I wanted to create a chair that could grow and adapt to a child’s changing needs whilst allowing freedom of movement – but of course I had no idea just how successful it would become.

An early Tripp Trapp development sketch by Peter.

Me: What was the highchair market like in the early 1970’s?

Peter: All of the chairs were static. Tripp Trapp was the very first children’s chair with the ability to adjust. This came with it’s own set of issues as the ergonomic factors of the chair were not easy to explain to a generation of parents who had been brought up using traditional seating.

Me: Did you always intend Tripp Trapp to be a chair for life?

Peter: Yes. Pre 1972 a highchair was something that was only used for such a short period and then discarded. I don’t like throw away culture and there was no reason not to produce something that is built to be used daily and passed down from generation to generation. Longevity is a significant contribution to the concept of sustainable design.

Peter's son Tor in 1972.

Me: How much does sustainable design impact on your work?

Peter: It varies a lot, I prefer to develop light wooden based furniture but I think that my contribution environmentally has been in at least attempting at longevity.

Me: Do you think that sustainable design principles will become important for all designers?

Peter : Industrial products produced on a global scale can hardly be described as being truly sustainable, but I do hope that all designers will do their best to develop products that do as little damage as possible to the environment.

Me: How did the nursery industry take to your advanced concept?

Peter: Well, for twenty years it was really a stand-alone product. No other manufacturer was producing chairs that came close to the usability or life span of Tripp Trapp. Of course that has now changed and adjustable chairs are now a category of their own.

Me: Which leads me very neatly onto my next question… How do you feel when someone presents an evolution of one of your products?

Peter: Evolution is OK; if the concept has been improved, but lousy copies are not and I have to say that there are lots of the latter.

Me: So when creating a new product would it be fair to say that one of your considerations would be what is currently available and how well it does the job that is required of it?

Peter: Yes, absolutely – I try to look for gaps in the market where there are holes that I can fix. Tripp Trapp fixed a very big hole. For the first time children were able to sit comfortably and share mealtimes with the rest of their family and on their own terms. Children should be allowed the freedom to come and go, it encourages independence and social skills that can be easily lost in this modern hectic life. Sitting at the table should be fun.

Me: And finally.. Even though it is nearly forty years old Tripp Trapp is still the epitome of modern design. How did you do that?

Peter: Simply by not following fashion. If I had been inspired by 70’s kitchen furniture Tripp Trapp would now look very dated indeed.

Peter Opsvik.

 

I heart Stokke®!

It's no secret that I love all things Stokke. Yes I do work for them but that's an added bonus as far as I'm concerned as I loved all of their products way before I landed a job with them.

It's been a big year with some pretty amazing product launches and their newest addition is quite simply the icing on the cake to me.

Tripp Trapp® Newborn...

Available in the UK from the end of November, Tripp Trapp® Newborn bridges the gap from birth to highchair brilliantly. The neat seat simply attaches to the top of your existing Tripp Trapp® to allow your baby to be part of family mealtimes from day one.

I don't know about you but I really struggled with all the floor, bouncy chair options especially at family mealtimes. FunnyGirl didn't want to be viewing our legs - and who can blame her? I so wish the Newborn set had been around when I had a baby. It would have been at the top of my list for sure.

RRP in the UK is £99

If you would like to keep up to date with launch information you can subscribe to the official UK Stokke blog. www.stokkelovers.com or bookmark the Stokke site www.stokke.com

Hot product alert

I think that everyone knows that I LOVE working with Stokke. I'm a Stokke mum through and through and had already bought into their philosophy before I started working for them seven years ago.

I love being one of the first to know about exciting new products and I'm really proud of Stokke Lovers, the online community that I have created for other Stokke obsessed parents.

So hot on the heels of the super sexy new 2010 Xplory and iziSleep car seat I have another beautiful addition to share with you....

A new purple Tripp Trapp.

I love it. FACT.

Tripp Trapp is an amazing product. It's so much more than a highchair and due to it's adaptability it can be used by the whole family - and I mean the whole family. FunnyGirls best friend is the daughter of an ex England Rugby player and he is big, but when he comes to my house he sits on Tripp Trapp along with the rest of us!

The new purple Tripp Trapp is available from September.

If you own anything Stokke do join our Facebook page and follow the StokkeLovers blog.

Did you know that each Tripp Trapp is formed from the Tripp Trapp forest of coloured beech trees - each one waiting patiently waiting to be lovingly crafted into the latest addition to your family?!

The new Stokke® Xplory®

On the whole I love my job. I get to travel, meet lots of different people, advise them on how to get their ideas to market and to support them right through the process.

Then I have my big accounts and the passion that I have for them is every inch as consuming as it is for my start ups.

I've just come back from a few days at the UK's biggest nursery trade show in Harrogate. I spent time with all of my clients, met with ad reps and journalists, drank and ate (don't get me started on the Soft Shell Crab from the best restaurant in Harrogate!).

This years show had an added element for me as it was my big Stokke® press reveal and the culmination of months and months of preparation for the whole Stokke® team.

As you know I don't often harp on about my own clients products but I love this so much that I just cannot help myself.

People of the blogosphere....... I bring you the new Stokke® Xplory®.......

Inside Xplory's new super slick, uber cool exterior you still get all of the stuff that made me fall head over heels with Xplory® when it launched back in 2003. I was one lucky mummy back then. Brought on board to launch this revolutionary stroller in the UK, I was already a Stokke® mum through and through. 

FunnyGirl slept in her Sleepi and each of my little ones had Tripp Trapp's. I walked away from my first meeting with my new clients with one of the very first Stokke® Xplory's in the UK.
I loved it with all my heart - and for a self confessed pushchair geek that is pretty hardcore. My Xplory® love has never died and despite the odd couple of things that I might of modified if given the chance I wouldn't have given it up for the world.


Then I saw the new version......
It took my breath away (in a sad geeky kind of way). I got excited.... really excited... the new curved form of the footrest with it's new single handed operation. The soft ready assembled bright new fabrics that encapsulated the seat to make it feel like a welcoming cocoon. An extra large hood with a pop away visor offers more protection from the elements and no messy fabrics hanging from the opened hood.
Did I mention the shopping basket? Seriously..... there was nothing wrong with it before. I know from personal experience that you could get four pairs of boxed new shoes in there and still have room for a trip around Selfridges... But now it's even bigger.
A new sling style changing bag that attaches easily from the chassis no matter which way your seat is facing and a celebrity blanket that poppers on to the hood eliminating the need for the manky muslin square that adorns way too many strollers  (in my humble geeky capacity) and a snazzy new red brake completes the new Rider board modified chassis (did I tell you I named the Rider board??!! Of course I did... proudest pr moment!).
Of course all of the strollers original innovative features remain. All the seat positions, forward and rearward facing, seat up and down and the super cool two wheel function. Giving you a stroller so totally fab that I'm thinking that I'm going to need a new baby.

That is just the standard stroller though.... there are extras.....
But I think I'm going to keep you waiting for a few more days to tell you about them! That is the PR in me.... sorry!

The new Stokke® Xplory® is available in the UK from the end of April. For those of you who already own an Xplory® and have the needing torturous urge to upgrade, new seat units are available to buy and they will fit onto your existing chassis.
The beautiful new colours are, beige, red, blue, purple, green and dark navy.
For prices etc... pop over to the official Stokke UK blog StokkeLovers.com

Introducing Rosie of Scribble..

Firstly this is where I apologise to all of my readers and Twitter followers that have become Blythe obsessed since I started going on and on and on about her....Only in the last hour there have been two new additions to the sisterhood in @WivesDaughters who is complaining that first I turned her into a Stokke freak and now a Blythe freak too... 

And if you could rely on anyone to jump on the bandwagon well that would be @lolas_mum who is simply not content with laughing at my daily misfortunes..

I do have to say though - that if ever a Blythe looked like her owner (want to say dog but..) well hello - they really are twins.

So without getting side tracked even more - here she is... my beautiful new girl... 
Big Blythe respect to whoever can tell me which original Blythe she was before her customisation! 

I have named her Rosie of Scribble, after the original BMB Blythe babe @RosieScribble who is currently sporting blonde locks with pink glasses!

How ever will Liz @Livingwithkids and Karin @cafebebe cope with so many of us looking the same?!

In a show of solidarity to her 1972 roots, Rosie has commissioned her very own Stokke® Tripp Trapp® - and boy does it rock!

Hot News.. Stokke® Xplory® Carries Two....

Yes you have so heard this hear for the first time....

If I had ever been forced to say something that I didn't quite like about the Stokke® Xplory® then it would have been that there was no option if you had a second child to think about too..  But I was lucky and instead of having to worry about my toddler - working for Stokke® allowed me to have a second Xplory®. Did you note then that I was talking in the past tense? 

Hello people..... I bring you the new Stokke® Xplory® Rider...

Stokke® Stokke® give me a Rider do

I’m half crazy – all for the love of you

It will be a stylish marriage

With two children aboard the carriage

And they’ll look sweet - out on the street

On an Xplory® that can carry two…..

It’s a well-known fact in Stokke® circles that toddlers don’t like to give up their Xplory® view of life. Seated high above the other strollers they love to experience life on the move whilst casually chatting away to Mum or Dad.

But, sometimes a new brother or sister comes along and toddler has to give up the prized position atop their beloved Xplory®.

Tears – yes. Tantrums – probably. 

But now we have the answer…….. The Stokke® Xplory® Rider.

Funky, cool and simply the latest way to impress fellow Xplory® babes. The Rider board simply attaches to the Xplory® chassis to allow both children to ride in style.

When not in use, it’s quickly and easily folded away to await its next adventure.

Xplory® Rider is intended for use with only one child at a time and is suitable from approx two years of age. Maximum weight limit is 20kg. 

Hurray!! Coming to a Stokke® retailer near you in January!!! Soo exciting!

Win a Stokke® Tripp Trapp® in our fab colouring comp

Things have been a bit serious over here at MummyTips of late - so I thought that we are due a little light relief. With Christmas only a few short weeks away I thought that a colouring competition could be just what we need. The prizes and the template are courtesy of my good friends at Stokke®.
Simply click on the Tripp Trapp® colouring sheet to enlarge it, print it  and let your little ones inner creativity loose.


First prize is a Stokke® Tripp Trapp® and a Stokke® Table Top.
Second prize is a Stokke® Tripp Trapp®
Third prize a Stokke® Table Top

Open to all budding artists aged 1 to 5. Please follow the blog (if you aren't already) and pop me an email so that I can give you details of where to send your little ones artwork. We will feature all of the entries over of the Stokke® Lovers Facebook page.
Closing date 15/12/09 - winners will get prizes in time for Christmas.

Stokke® and Natural mat make organic Sleepi Mattress

Although it may not seem like it, your child spends around 25,000 hours sleeping from birth to seven years, so the Stokke press release says.

As parents we know that this is as essential for our own well-being as it is for our babies. I had personally been through three cots before I bought a Stokke® Sleepi for FunnyGirl and I have always thought it to be a tad decadent saving the most expensive option till last but hey ho!

I loved my Stokke Sleepi - OK so it wasn't really mine but I loved everything about it. The soft curves, FunnyGirls love of sleeping and also the fact that she didn't do that round in circles thing that all of my other children had done. You know where you put them to sleep one and and they wake up at the other!

Stokke® have now collaborated with Natural Mat, the leading manufacturers of organic cot mattresses to create a version of their beautiful natural organic Coco Mat mattress especially for Sleepi®.

Handmade in Devon, the Natural Mat Coco mattress is breathable, self-ventilating, hypoallergenic and offers natural protection from dust mites. Makes me all broody! I just wish that I had a baby to put into mine!

I should also add that the life span of Stokke® Sleepi goes above and beyond the cll of duty. It begins life as an oval mini-cot, perfect for new babies who need a cosy nest. As baby grows so does your Sleepi™ easily transforming into cot. When your monkey starts to climb to climb, you can lower the base and remove a side for independent access. When space is getting tight buy the Junior Bed Kit so that your little one doesn't have to move on.

FunnyGirl has recently moved into her big girl bed but she loves her Sleepi. It still takes pride of place in her bedroom as her sofa and she is usually to be found, snuggles up there watching TV!

Stokke® Sleepi™ Mini Coco Mat Mattress £85, Stokke® Sleepi™ Coco mat Mattress £199. Available from Natural Mat, Lullabys and Back in Action.

Wow, what a week...

It has been a pretty crazy week for everyone involved in my industry. It began with the annual Baby Products Association trade show from Sunday to Tuesday, the Prima Baby Magazine Award winners lunch was Wednesday and the biggest consumer show of the year, the Earls Court Baby Show, Friday till Sunday. Any single one of those events would quite frankly have been enough but to have them all in one week was a bit too much.

On the up side there have been some fab things happen this week too.

1. My hubby sold the first piece from his collection – a truly stunning jacket (that I had my eye on!). I am so proud of him and all that he has achieved and learnt over the past year.

2. My Twitter sister @OMGpregnant had a text book birth on Monday afternoon welcoming her little Bean into the world – the tip side of that amazing event was that I wouldn’t get to spend the day with her at The Baby Show on Friday as planned.

3. I met my client Lynda from easidream for the first time. Now I do feel that we are old friends as we have become quite close over the last few weeks as we have been working furiously to plan for her official launch, which took place yesterday at the show and we nailed a full page edit in Sunday Times Style mag (that appeared last Sunday).

4. I met my other new client Robynne, who is a truly amazing lady. She nearly reduced the consumer editor from the leading baby magazine and I to tears as she told us the very sad story of how she adopted her first daughter.

5. ModelGirl and I spent the day with my other Twitter sister @soph4soph and her baba the totally cute little Soph. The up side of The Baby Show is that I can spend the day with my pals and still work. We had a lovely day, marred only by the fact that we were missing @omgpregnant. The girls looked stunning in their identical Sophie4Sophie dresses. They bonded and had a lovely time playing and looking gorgeous! We all had Tellytubbie headbands and covered ourselves in I Love Stokke® badges. Pizza for lunch and a couple of odd Twitter experiences as people came up to us as asked “Are you MummyTips and soph4soph?”

Random!

I guess that Nat with the famous yellow Xplory® and me with my bleach blonde hair trailing around after two beautiful girls makes us easy to spot!

6. I got to spend a day with the fabulous TotallySonny! That might not sound like much but when you have four children it isn’t very easy to get regular one on one time. I do spend much more time with my girls and in all honesty I can’t remember the last time that it was just the two of us. We had a lovely day – OK so it was back to The Baby Show again but today we were on a mission. With my work hat on I was meeting with the actress Sarah Parish and her actor hubby James Murray. So what you may say… but for Sonny, this is his idea of heaven. Sarah Parish was the Empress Racnoss in Dr Who and James was Steven in Primeval. His two favourite TV shows in the world!

So we met them and they were lovely to Sonny. James bought him a hot dog and they signed a few bits for him. But the icing on the cake for my fella was James telling him that he loves the name Sonny and that it is top of their possible boys name list. Sonny duly handed over one of his TotallySonny.com badges and we had a whizz around the show with them.

There were some great products at the show. I had a sweatshirt printed for Sonny from Simplycolours.co.uk - they are the best personalised T shirt company that I’ve seen. T-shirts in bright colours in sizes from baby up to ten years and of course all of the fabulousness from my clients Annabel Karmel, easidream, Arm's Reach co-Sleeper, Stokke, TotsBots and Zoobie.

But biy am I happy to be at home today. Totally worn out and looking forward to X Factor!

Old baby products we love

A Baby journalist friend of mine commented to me this morning that she had recently received three press releases on the same product from three different PR agencies - but seeing how I was always so on the ball - mine naturally landed in her inbox first.

This got me thinking....

The said product is nothing new. It has in fact been readily available to babies around the world since it's launch back in 1961 and I thought, that will make a good blog post. So here I am bringing you some products from our own childhood that are still going strong today.

If you have any other ideas that you think should be added to this feature - please do let me know.

1. STOKKE® Tripp Trapp™

Naturally I had to begin with the STOKKE® Tripp Trapp™.

Launched back in 1972 (yes I was born in the year of the Tripp Trapp™), it has been going strong ever since. STOKKE® have sold over six million units across the world and the popularity of the Tripp Trapp is at an all time high as parents want longevity out of the products that they invest in.

I met someone when I was over at BlogHer - who had a Tripp Trapp™ back in 1973 - her chair is still going strong and is now used by her own children.

Tripp Trapp™ is now available in twelve beautiful colours, which to be fair does make it tricky when you have to choose which one to buy!

www.stokke.com

2. Sophie the Giraffe

Born in 1961 at a time when the only animal toys available came in the form of everyday farm animals or pets. The exotic nature of Sophie - along with the fact that she is produced using 100% natural rubber and food paint have gone a long way to her staggering global sales of well over 30 million.

Suitable for babies from around three months - she is safe to chew, making her great for teething and excites all of babies other senses.

Her secret recipe is still a well guarded secret and each and every toy is traditionally produced in a process that involves more than fourteen manual operations!

3. The Maclaren Stroller

Now I know that this shouldn't really be included as it's design has evolved so much since retired aeronautical engineer Owen Maclaren designed and patented the first ever umbrella folding baby buggy back in 1965.

After struggling with his grand daughter's large heavy pram at an airport he decided to take all that he had learnt from his aviation past to bring the buggy into the jet age.

The first buggy was super lightweight at just 3kg and folded like nothing had before it. In 1967 1000 buggies were produced from Maclaren's converted stable in Northamptonshire but by the time of his death in 1978 more than 280,000 units had been exported.

4. Prince Lionheart SlumberBear

A real newbie in the scheme of things, SlumberBear was launched in 1978. Designed by a doctor it was a truly revolutionary product with it's soothing actual womb sounds. Still going strong today it has a couple of updated versions but it remains a fantastic product.

5. Johnsons® Baby Powder

The Johnson brothers went into business back in 1885. At that time they were producing medical gauze dressings and plasters. After a number of complaints from people saying that their plasters had caused skin irritation they began to include a small pot of talc with certain products to help soothe the skin.

This led to people just asking for the talc and and Johnson's Baby Powder was launched onto the market in 1893.

So then I came to number six and I was stumped. I started ask around to see if anyone else could think of anything. Whilst people mentioned lots of products like bathing aprons, baby walkers and nappies and lots of brands like Mothercare, Avent and Britax - none of them are still producing the same actual product.

All very interesting and in fact, out of the five products that I've featured above only the STOKKE® Tripp Trapp™ and Sophie the Giraffe remain true.

I'm really keen to add to this feature - so if you can think of any baby products (not food, baby milk or toys) that are still going strong today, please do let me know.