Fun ideas
Browse our latest fun ideas for your family, from great days out to cool new hobbies. It's the stuff we always think about doing but then forget soon after!
25.08.2010 - Cold snap the reason for baby boom!
So PM David Cameron got his prediction wrong about a baby boy, but this little piece of insight explains why there are expected to be a surge of births this coming September!
Health experts in Hampshire and Portsmouth are planning for a baby boom next month, based on information that showed a 20% rise in the number of 12-week scans back in March this year! Despite some local hospitals refusing to speculate, independent midwife Joy Horner, claimed that bad winters often lead to baby booms.
Speaking to Portsmouth News, she said "We do see a rise in conception rates when there's been severe weather. The weather does have an impact.
"The snow could definitely be the reason for the baby boom next month. If you can not get out of your house, you've got to find some way to keep yourself occupied."
Julie Dawes, director of nursing at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, also said: "Having a baby is a very special time for anyone and we are excited for all mums-to-be who are expecting this autumn. A 'baby boom' is determined by how many women are having pregnancies confirmed by a 12-week scan. In a normal month that number would be about 500. In March this year we carried out more than 600 12-week scans and in April more than 550 were done."
To celebrate the September baby boom, The Little Green Sheep is offering free delivery on all orders over £70 (including all of our cot and cot bed mattresses). Simply use the code "babyboom" during the checkout stage to claim your discount.
20.08.2010 - PM: We think it will be a baby boy!
Prime Minister David Cameron is sure that wife Samantha will give birth to a baby boy. The couple has decided not to know the sex of the baby, but this has not stopped our PM from predicting a baby boy. And what logic is this prediction based on I hear you ask.....because the baby is kicking "like Beckham!"
He told the Sun newspaper that he thinks the birth is imminent, even though Sam still has weeks to go saying "we have had one or two moments when we thought it might have arrived already. "But it is hanging on in there at the moment."
Mr Cameron joked: "We think it's a boy because it is kicking furiously. It has got a right foot like Beckham."
We hope that our mystical prime minister is right about this one and that it is a sign of things to come!
The Little Green Sheep has lots of baby gifts for boys and girls, including organic blankets, bedding, toys and toiletries.
16.08.2010 - Baby delivered in hospital car park!
The Mirror newspaper this morning reported of a father's dash to the hospital when his wife suddenly went into labour. David Wheat frantically rushed 39-year-old wife Joanne to hospital only to find out that they had run out of time! With help from David baby Tom arrived into the world on the front seat of their car, just yards away from the hospital doors in the car park.
New mum Joanne, told the Mirror "I woke at 3.05am - and an hour later the babies were born. It was all a bit too quick. David was very calm throughout. I think the hospital want to give him a midwife's job!"
Congratulations to Joanne, and of course to David!
13.08.2010 - LGS News 'Shearing to go!'
OK, so this news post isn't really baby related but we thought it would raise a smile and it is for a great cause.......
A snippet from The Little Green Sheep's London 10k run, on behalf of The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID). We are happy to announce that Mark and Paul successfully completed the race (sheep costumes intact!) in under one hour!
Well done lads!
10.08.2010 - Celeb News 'Rod Stewart expects baby no. 8'
Rod Stewart and wife Penny Lancaster yesterday announced that she is 3 months pregnant, and due to give birth just weeks after Rod's 66th birthday! Congratulations to them both....lets just hope Rod won't be re-using the cot mattress from his first child and that he will be buying new!
Hey Rod, The Little Green Sheep have 5% off via the NCT (code 'mynct') - every little helps!
05.08.2010 - Way to combat....Bed wetting
A common problem amongst many children, but parent's needn't worry as Baby London magazine recently highlighted the best ways to beat bed wetting.
With bed wetting not being linked to poor toilet training or laziness on the child's part, most children can resolve the situation using some simple measures.
1. Ensure that your child knows that you are there to help, getting angry can only put more pressure on your child. This approach will make sure they're on board with any new measures.
2. Try exercising control over his/her bladder during the day, use a timer or a watch with an alarm to try and prolong the time between toilet trips by 10 minutes each day.
3. Offer sips of drinks during the evening to reduce the need for drinks at bedtime (try nothing at all to drink 90 minutes before bedtime)
4. Try to avoid putting your child in a nappy, as it may help that they can feel when they are wet during the night
5. When your child wets the bed, try asking him/her to help you change themselves and the bed sheets
6. Make sure you have the right protective sheeting, as moisture/wetness in your baby mattress can encourage bacterial growth
The Little Green Sheep offer a range of waterproof cotton mattress protectors to help make this transition for you and your child that little bit easier.
03.08.2010 - Channel 4's 'Cant Sleep Kids' starts Tuesday 3rd at 9pm! Don't miss it!
A reminder to all parents with kids that can't sleep, Channel 4's new programme 'Cant Sleep Kids' starts this Tuesday 3rd at 9pm! This episode focuses on the sleep techniques of two industry experts, including our very own Chireal Shallow.
23.07.2010 - Natural fibre mattresses for a good nights sleep
Sleep expert, Chireal Shallow, encourages parents to look for a natural option when it comes to babies sleeping environments: “Not only is there a significant environmental impact of synthetic mattresses, babies spend around 18 hours a day asleep for their first two years, so their sleeping space can have a big impact on their health and the quality of sleep. I’m still surprised that more parents are not looking for natural fibre mattresses, over synthetic options.
Chireal continues to say,: “All the parents I work with have noticed a big improvement to babies sleep after switching to a natural mattress. Natural fibre mattresses are also naturally anti-allergenic and 100% breathable, helping babies to regulate their temperature unlike synthetic mattresses. I encourage all parents to look for natural fibre mattresses and organic cotton bedding.”
10.07.2010 - Memory foam
We get asked a lot from parents to be about whether baby mattresses that contain memory foam are recommended, and the simple answer is no! In fact leading organisations such as FSID recommend against using memory foam and instead opting for a firm, flat and breathable sleeping surface for your baby.
Thankfully, some mass manufacturers have recently stopped using memory foam in their mattresses. Other reasons for this is because memory foam (along with many other foam products) contains high amounts of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and formaldehydes, which have been linked with respiratory problems in babies. They are also high in other chemicals such as fire proofing chemicals.
The Little Green Sheep organic baby mattresses are entirely chemical free and meet all the necessary British Safety Standards, naturally!
04.07.2010 - Organic cot mattresses now with a 5 Year guarantee!
Choosing the right mattress for your baby is never easy, with the huge seleciton on offer all claiming various benefits. So to make things that little bit simpler, The Little Green Sheep now offer an unrivaled 5 year guarantee on all their cot and cot bed mattresses (the only supplier in the UK with a 5 year guarantee!).