Bright Ideas | Practical Stuff

Newborns are not too fond of baths and love voicing their opinion during this time, which is usually quite stressful for moms. Place a warm face cloth over baby's tummy and see him calm down in no time. It keeps him warm and cozy so that Mom can do her thing.

It's extremely beneficial to stay healthy and fit during pregnancy. Not only will you feel great, but it will lead to a more comfortable birth. Find an exercise that suits your lifestyle and schedule; it should be something you enjoy doing. Yoga, pilates and walking are great options. 

It's important that you feel good about yourself while you're pregnant. Embrace your new body: Make time for exercise, go for a photo shoot, treat yourself to a massage and a pedicure, maintain your hair, get a bikini wax and wear make-up and pretty preggy clothes. And show off that bump!

Use garlic, citronella and eucalyptus combined or lavender to prevent mozzie bites. If it's too late for prevention, use lavender oil or fresh garlic (cut in half) to rub on the bites. Another natural remedy is Aloe Vera - simply break of a piece of the plant and rub it on the bites. Amazing how nature can cure anything!

Your baby is more likely to start crawling if she is spending enough time on her tummy. Although some babies don't fancy this position too much, it's good for them as it strengthens their back and neck muscles.

The antibodies in your breast milk stick to glass, so it's preferable to express your breast milk into a sterilised 'non-glass' container. Breast milk can be stored in the fridge for 24 hours and frozen for up to 3 months.

Be a Super Mom and make your own play-dough. Experiment with different colours and add essential oils for soothing properties: Lavender calms and Eucalyptus unblocks stuffy noses. Pop over to our sister website, Sprogs for a homemade play-dough recipe. Photo courtesy of Shaping Youth

Reflux in babies: Take comfort in the fact that this too will pass. In the meantime, keep your baby in an upright position for 15 - 20 minutes after a feed. Lift the head of his mattress slightly so that he doesn't sleep in a flat position. Place a rolled-up towel at the feet to prevent him from sliding down while sleeping.

Make sure that you have some healthy snacks and drinks on hand when labour starts: bread, pasta, bananas, yoghurt (or banana smoothie), water and isotonic drinks. It's advisable that you eat light snacks opposed to digesting a heavy meal that will compete with the birthing process for body resources. Carbs are a great source of energy!

On maternity leave and wondering what to do with yourself while waiting for bubba?  Sleep. And cook. You should be sleeping as much as you can without a sting of guilt. Cook two extra portions every night and freeze them. This will come in very handy when baby is born and it should keep you going for a month.