The super cool linen blend maternity range of shorts, capri’s, pants and skirts from Maternity Plus are flying out the door - be quick to grab yours before stocks run out.

But this year, you’re pregnant – what to wear, what to wear? Happily Bump, Baby & Beyond has some amazing maternity dresses, perfect for a day at the races – or that summer wedding!

For something light and pretty, try the Mango Jam Tara Maternity Dress or the beautifully cut Sara from MBC – the beauty of the Sara is that it is designed to be worn pregnant or not and is a truly lovely cut…. this one will take you to the races, and keep you looking fresh and fabulous through summer too!

Moving on a little in the “dressy” stakes, we have two lovely maternity dresses in the same cut – the Pluto and the Tapestry, both from Ripe Maternity. The Pluto features a gorgeous shimmering fabric, available in silver or black – so easy to accessorise and make absolutely jaw dropping! For those wanting something with a floral feel, but with the subtlety of a self-pattern, try the Tapestry dress for simple, understated elegance.

Want something bright and bubbly? The Tangerine Satin Maternity Dress comes in the most amazing tangerine colour featuring summer daisy print – like the Pluto and Tapestry, this frock falls freely from the bust, making them cool, comfortable and with room to grow. In a more fitted frock, there is the Watercolour Cocoon Dress – a swirl of soft, gorgeous colours in an incredibly flattering ruched dress – this one is just so pretty!

For a more formal style – perfect for a wedding or formal function – check out the Deloris Lace Dress, featuring either chocolate or cobalt lining under sheer black lace….

But if you want something truly stunning, you cannot go past the amazing Eden Silk Maternity Dress from Ripe Limited – choose from vibrant purple or fabulous fuschia, both with black pattern detail… this one is a show stopper!

The best news of all is that none of these amazing maternity dresses is over $72.95 – a saving of up to 70% on RRP! The perfect mix of fashion and affordability - all at Bump, Baby & Beyond!

Have fun!

When pregnant for the first time I was stunned at how quickly I became uncomfortable with anything pressing on my tummy in the wrong spot – snug waist bands where an absolute no no for me… so I tried hubby’s pants and wore them slung low on my hips. This certainly solved the tummy pressure issue – but hiking up your pants every few minutes is really not a great look! After a day out with a very dear girlfriend, she very kindly suggested that I could look better… as if something was wrong with looking like I was drowning in an oversized tee and hubby’s falling down jeans!

I launched into my reasons for not buying maternity wear – number one being the price of them, given that I would be wearing them for so short a period of time! She very sensibly suggested that there must be other options, and so the hunt began!

I started by determining what I really needed – I live in jeans so a comfortable pair of maternity jeans or two were a must! Working in an office environment, I also needed some corporate maternity wear, and thought I could buy some nice tops to wear both to work and on weekends. I was stunned at how much more comfortable the maternity pants were – and at the ingenious ways they grow with your belly!

After some trips to the local op shops and Savers I found some great maternity pants by Ninth Moon that had hardly been worn and had a divine soft fold over waist band that was just so comfortable! Next stop was eBay, after a trip to a maternity boutique to determine which brands and sizes seemed most appropriate for me… I felt a bit guilty not buying there – but hey, it’s my money!!

I was amazed at what was available on eBay – and soon after purchased two pairs of Ripe maternity jeans that I happily, and comfortably, wore for the remainder of my pregnancy… I did notice that some items seem to go for an enormous amount of money for worn clothing, but was lucky to pick up a couple of items at great prices.

I had been unable to find anything I like in maternity tops at a reasonable price, but scoured the online stores until I found some on special that I liked – again, once I got them in the post and tried them on, the difference in how they hung and fit as compared to simply buying a size up in a “normal” top really surprised me – sceptic that I was!

Having really felt the difference in wearing maternity clothes, an idea struck and I set about opening my own online clearance store for maternity clothing at amazing prices. Stocking gorgeous styles from manufactures like Ripe Maternity, Ninth Moon, Maternity Plus, Pea In A Pod, MBC (Mother Baby Child), Soon Melbourne and more I source end of season styles at bargain prices – and love that I can offer other budget conscious mummys-to-be a place to buy some divine maternity wear pieces… looking good throughout your pregnancy can make such a difference to your self-esteem!

My pregnancies turned out to be such hard work – I am unlucky enough to get severe morning sickness that lasts the whole nine months! – that feeling frumpy in ill-fitting clothing would have been the last straw … thank goodness for good, honest friends!

There are some lovely maternity dresses including Cath’s favourite - the China Doll, and the equally lovely Watercolour Cocoon Dress The Pluto and Tapestry dresses are lovely for a wedding or evening out, and try the Safari Wrap Dress for work.

There are shorts and crop pants - the Queenscliff Shorts are just divine, as are the Long Island Crop Pants - and skirts too. The Paris Exy Skirt is a flattering cut with a little kick in the hem - perfect for a night out!

You know we don’t like to drown you in newsletters - so why two in two days?

Easy - our gorgeous Soon Melbourne designer maternity stock has arrived! We have the extraordinarily comfortable and flattering banded bootleg, banded straight leg and underbelly bootleg maternity jeans all at over 45% off the original retail price - $189.95 down to just $99.95!

Off to a wedding, or getting married whilst pregnant yourself? The divine Pia Maternity Dress could be the answer! As with all Soon Melbourne maternity wear, this dress is designed to be worn after bubs is born too - great on it’s own, but we’ve seen it cinched with a belt above the belly (check out the Soon Melbourne website) and that looked fabulous too.

Also available we have the uber-comfortable Banded Day Maternity Pants in black - these have the most amazing cut through the bottom and are incredibly versatile…. you wont want to take them off!

For a lovely, cool top, check out the Jess Maternity Top, available in two block colours (red and navy) and four coloured prints - this top is beautifully cut and as a result is so flattering… great with jeans, a pretty skirt, the day pants - gorgeous!

Our other news? Bump, Baby & Beyond is in print again, this time in the fabulous BabbleBaby online magazine - a unique blend of regular columns, in-depth features, witty confessions, first-hand parenting tips and advice. Read the story on Cath the “Mumpreneur” then have a browse through the rest of the articles - Cath loves droolicious, where they feature super-cool fashion, accessories, toys and more, tracked down by their design experts - we were delighted when they recently “drooled” our Ripe Tess Obi Maternity Dress!

Happy reading!

Cath and The Team at Bump, Baby & Beyond

We hope you are all coping with the mad rush up to Christmas - our shopping got a great boost when Cath’s husband bought a new tractor… after spending such daunting amounts of money on a big red machine, the dealer made our day by throwing in a ride on pedal tractor and trailer for the boys - just like daddy’s…. can’t wait to see their little faces!

Our new styles from Pea In A Pod have arrived! We have four divine maternity dresses - from the pretty and cool Felicity to the more formal Romance - we are sure you’ll love them too! And you have to love the price - all four dresses are just $44.95.

We also managed to get our hands on some new tops, both maternity and breastfeeding - one is reversable, shown right, and is one of Cath’s new favourites!

Cath also loves the Pea In A Pod Printed Floral Maternity Top, left, but is very disappointed that it was only available in size 8 and 10, so she can’t pinch one. Well, she could… it would just be a little, hm hm, snug!

For those needing to look fabulous for the office, there are also two sleeveless maternity shirts.

As always, the prices are fabulous - all of these new maternity tops are under $35!

Come and browse our fabulous new stock and see the Festive Season through in Bump Baby style!

Cath & The Team At Bump, Baby & Beyond!

I promised I’d let you all know when we got our new denim 3/4 jeans, denim shorts and linen blend capri pants from Ninth Moon and Maternity Plus in store - well, they’re here! And all under $30!

We also managed to get some more of the fantastic Ninth Moon Six Pocket Jeans (Style 380) - these are in Vintage Wash, a colour that will not be recut. It is also only in sizes 6, 16, 18 and 20. As a result we got a great deal, and instead of the normal $55.95, we can offer these Vintage Wash Maternity Jeans for just $39.95 - come and grab a pair before we sell out!

If you haven’t already headed over, come and check out our new season maternity and nursing styles from Ripe available now. Cath’s loving the Ripe Ruffle Wrap Maternity Top!

Cath XX

Summer and the festive season are fast approaching and we are all busy, busy busy! Save time and energy by shopping from the comfort of home and check out our new season maternity and nursing styles available now, with more being listed over the next two days. Get in quick you - know how quickly they disappear out the door!

We have just taken delivery of some more stock from Ripe - there is the fabulous Jessie Denim Maternity Skirt, three new short sleeved nursing tops, and some divine evening maternity tops - Cath loves the Lotus Top with it’s soft sparkles!

Click below to visit our store, or copy and paste into your browsers address bar:

http://www.bumpbabyandbeyond.com.au

For those after more maternity swimwear, we have been lucky enough to grab hold of some more of the Tropica Print Tankini in Pink in sizes small through to x-large. We also have a new style, the Mesh Tankini in Orchid, which should be listed in the next few weeks - available in sizes x-small through to xx-large.

Have you seen the addition to our range? We have imported some gorgeous maternity/nursing lingerie from Belabumbum (portugese for “beautiful bottom”) - the styles are practical and comfortable, but are made in stylish fabrics, with attention to detail - we have bras, pants, and a lovely silver stripe nursing chemise… we haven’t many available, so grab these divine pieces while they last.

We are also delighted to announce two new partnerships - Cath has been busily visiting with various manufacturers and we are thrilled to welcome aboard Pea In A Pod and Soon Melbourne! Keep an eye out for fabulous new styles (including the famously fabulous Soon Maternity Jeans) from these great designers available shortly.

We have also just purchased some funky cargo pants, capris, feeding singlets and skirts from Ninth Moon and Maternity Plus - these will be listed in the next couple of weeks - but we’ll send out another newsletter to let you know!

Wow - with so so much happening I need a drink! Recipe for Eggnog anyone?

Come and browse our fabulous new stock and see the Festive Season through in Bump Baby style!

Cath & The Team At Bump, Baby & Beyond

We had a very quiet, low key party - just a morning tea at home with both sets of grandparents and with Nana and Pa - the boys great-grandparents (aren’t we soo lucky!). Alastair’s mum made the lovely orange cake which we iced with a simple butter icing - and so the fun began!

Cameron loves to “help” - in the kitchen, around the house, in the garden - he is a budding domestic god! Don’t ask me where he gets it from - it certainly isn’t from mum who would rather go to the dentist for a root canal than clean!

I was so proud of him - he helped vacuum the lounge room floor following Jack’s free-range breakfast excursion with toast in hand, he helped blu-tak the Happy 1st Birthday banner up on the wall, and he picked out which balloons to blow up and managed to moisten most prior to handing them over!

The night before he had wrapped up Jack’s pressies ”by my-SELF, mummy” and now it was time to decorate the cake. My goodness, he loves to cook! The “helping chair” came out, the apron went on (one from Lorraine Lee Linen, “2nd in Charge”) and off he went - watching his sense of style was magic! The same colour smarties had to be together, and each side of the cake had to be evenly covered… reminds me of his mummy alphabetising the DVD collection!

Thinking about how much he does love to cook I remembered a great article I had read on smart-mums.com.au and was able to find it on an article sharing site to reprint it here for you all too - enjoy!

Cath xx

Cooking with Kids by Smart-Mums

Kids of all ages love to get into the kitchen and help make cakes, cookies and easy meals. By taking the time to teach your child basic cooking skills and simple recipes you will be equipping them with practical skills that will last their lifetime. Sure cooking with the kids can be messy, chaotic and the finished product sometimes inedible.

However with a bit of patience and practice they will soon be whipping up culinary masterpieces, and the look of immense pride on their faces, sure makes up for a little mess in the kitchen.

Where to Start

Let the kids choose the recipe, there are lots of great cookbooks for kids on the market today, that include step-by-step instructions and pictures so kids can see what the finished product will look like.

Read through the recipe they have chosen to make sure you have all the ingredients required and that the recipe is not too complicated - or everyone will get frustrated.

Take the kids shopping to get any ingredients you don’t have. By getting the kids involved in all stages of cooking they will learn about healthy food, choosing produce and planning meals.

Before Cooking

* Get everyone to wash their hands, with warm soapy water

* Tie back long hair

* Pop on an apron

Cooking

Let the fun begin, now you can get down to the fun part and actually begin creating something.

* Put all the ingredients that you need on the bench.

* Pre-heat the oven if necessary.

* Find the measuring cups and spoons explain the different types to the kids.

* Explain the basic cooking terms (see list below).

* Grease cake tins or trays.

* Let the kids help measure out the ingredients and grease trays or lay out the patty pans.

* Teach them how to crack eggs and measure liquids.

* Read the recipe aloud and follow it step by step. Let the kids read the recipe to you if they can.

* Mix the ingredients – this is lots of fun and usually messy!

* If you are cooking with several children let them all have a turn.

* Show them how to place trays and pans carefully into the oven.

Clean Up

Try and clean up as you go, pop the dirty measuring cups and utensils on the sink and wipe the benches over if anything is spilt.

The kids will usually clean the bowl and beaters by licking the mixture off, sometimes this is the only reason they want to cook.

Make sure the kids know that cleaning ups is part of the cooking process and involves washing the dishes, benches and floors, storing and packing away all ingredients.

Safety Tips

* Move saucepan handles to the middle of the stove to avoid accidentally tipping hot liquids.

* Use potholders or oven mitts when handling hot pans and make sure the potholders are not wet.

* Always cut food by chopping downwards on a chopping board.

* For young children, having kitchen equipment and tools that are their own size makes cooking more fun and easier too. Kid-sized kitchen utensils and equipment can be found at many department or specialty stores.

Eating

When the food is ready it’s time to eat it! Make sure they share their treats with Mum, Dad, Sisters, Brothers, Grandparents and Friends. They will love to show off what they have made and let everyone have a taste.

Simple Cooking Terms

Bake: To cook by dry heat, usually in an oven.

Beat: To lift a mixture with a spoon or an electric mixer to inject air and make the mixture smooth and creamy.

Chop: To cut into small pieces using a knife or other sharp utensil.

Cream: (as in butter and sugar): a baking technique involving combining butter or margarine and sugar together together to a fluffy consistency. Done by thoroughly beating butter in a bowl, then gradually adding sugar until mixture is fluffy and creamy.

Fold: (Nothing to do with computers this time!!)To mix, using a motion beginning vertically down through the mixture, continuing across the bottom of the bowl and ending with an upward and over movement.

Knead: To place dough on a flat surface and work it, pressing down with your hands, then folding over and over again.

Simmer: To cook liquid just below the boiling point.

Whip: To beat rapidly to increase volume and incorporate air.

This article is courtesy of Sandy Prosdocimo, Owner/Editor of
Smart-Mums everything Mums need…

Article Source: The RepOZitory - FREE reprint articles from Australia for WAHMs and Business Mums

Cam wanted to feed all night - and all day for that matter, but it was the all night that nearly killed me. So I fed and fed and fed and when that didn’t work, we rocked, we dummied, we patted, we walked (and walked and walked), we drove around in the car, we attempted to sing (ughhh!)…. and we quietly went insane! I know you know what I’m talking about here!

I was so convinced that I was doing something totally wrong, that I was a terrible mother, that if I just knew what my precious little bundle REALLY wanted, we could all catch a few equally precious hours shut eye. My hubby and I were on the same page - I am so lucky to have a man who I can be completely honest with, who really talks to me, and who listens with his entire self. Unfortunately, our page and Cameron’s weren’t even in the same library!

So, I hunted around on the internet, re-read all my baby books, scoured magazines and rang everyone I knew who had had a sleepless baby in the past twenty years! I was on a mission… but nothing felt right… nothing fit with our idea of how to treat Cameron, and how to treat our relationship.

I was adament I didn’t want to bring Cameron into our bed. I truly think it is fabulous that it works for so many people, but to my husband and I, our bed is sacred. It’s our meeting place at the end of the day, our place for laughter, fun, serious talks, quiet companionship - our marital bed.

I also couldn’t gel with the controlled crying theory, letting him cry for so many minutes and then going in and out for hours like that - at least I thought I couldn’t…

And then I came upon Tizzie Hall - I think I first read an article of hers in Practical Parenting, or the Australian Parents mags - anyway, she sounded sane, she sounded reasonable, and she claimed that your baby too could sleep from 7pm ’til 7am each and every morning…

I know, I know, I didn’t believe it either. But it’s true. Every word.

Basically, she talks about babies needing to learn how to self settle, and works of the premise that we frazzled sleep deprived parents don’t initially give them the space or support to do this… we bought her programs from her web site - www.saveoursleep.com.au - and our lives changed.

The first big step was to make sure we really WERE on the same page - the first three nights were going to be TOUGH, and we needed to know that we would be there for each other, that we would support each other, that we wouldn’t sabotage the program, and most of all - that we could have a good cry together if it all felt like too much!

We had to leave Cam cry for a designated period of time (possibly 12 minutes??), once we had put him down, and not try and settle him in any way - no rocking, patting, dummy - the only exception was a blankie comforter.  If he still wasn’t asleep, we could go in. Keeping it quiet and soothing and pat him to sleep - the key, and the reason I liked the program compared to a straight controlled crying routine, was that once you went back in, you stayed there until bubs was asleep… no walking in and out, no traumatising holding of breath in the hall - waiting for a sob from the little one.

Let me tell you, and I will hold no punches… the first night was absolute hell. I cried, he cried, hubby cried, and if we all got an hours sleep I’d be suprised. The next night was a shocker, but we all cried less, and definately got more sleep. And night three was bliss. It wasn’t perfect. But we could see the light at the end of the tunnel - this was going to work.

Now, Tizzie’s routine’s (different ones for different age groups) include day time sleep and feeding patterns too (and something called a Dreamfeed, which you wont believe is possible, but believe me - our bubs LOVED it!) - I thought it would be really rigid, and it turned me off at first, but now I wouldn’t be without them. Our pattern is a little different - Cam goes to bed at 8pm and will sleep until 7.30 - 8am, depending on how busy a day he’s had and how much fresh air! We can happily go off to Melbourne (two hours away) for the night, travel during the boys nap times, and know that they will still sleep all night in a strange motel room, in a strange cot or bed without a hassle in the world.

I can’t tell you guys how wonderful this site, and I assume the available book, was for our family. We have told so many people, and get the same sort of response… “our little one wont do that”, “I hate routine”, “we’re happy with him in the bed….(and hubby on the couch, spare bed whatever - yeah, right!)” - but the most common one… “my spouse wont be able to let him cry”. It was hard. It was really hard. But for three nights difficulty we have this amazing little boy, who rarely fights naps or bed time and we get as much sleep as we need. He even picks up teddy and tells you if you’ve let it slip 15 minutes… “need sleeeep”, he says.

Jack, just turned 1, is in bed at 8pm and sleeps through to 8 - 8.30am, and goes down for two daytime naps wide awake! And rather than the horrific haze of sleepless nights that we endured early on with Cam, Jack was on the routines straight away and loved them. Sure beat patting and rocking all night! I guess this has been the icing on the cake - initially we thought, hey sure, it worked for Cam, but it just happened to suit him. We weren’t holding our breath for the same result from Jack. We were wrong - Tizzie’s routines worked beautifully for both our very different little men.

“Sleeeep” I say - the second best medicine in the world. The first? That first thing in the morning snuggle from my two radiant little monkeys (AND their daddy) - I love being a mummy!

What has worked for you? What hasn’t? Love to hear your thoughts!

Cath xx