Christmas Gift Ideas for Expectant Mums

Christmas shopping can be difficult at the best of times but buying for an expectant mum can be even trickier! We've put together a list of our top 5 Luxury Christmas gift ideas for the mum-to-be. No need to worry about retunrs as over the Christmas period we've extended our returns and exchange policy until 8th January 2010.

1. Sweet Dreams Nightgown - an adorable polka dot drop-cup nightgown



2. Pacapod Changing Bag - our best selling stylish changing bag which is incredibly well designed, available in Black, Red or Conker



3. Love From Gift Set - melt any mum-to-be's heart with this gorgeous nursing nightdress and matching babygro. The nightdress can be worn during and after pregnancy and is available in Slate Spot or Rose.



4. Breestfeeding Wrap - we sold out of these last January they were so popular, available in Green, Black or Chocolate.



5. Burt's Bees Mom & Baby Set - Both mum and baby's skin get the attention they need with these lovely pampering natural skin care products.

Cosy Toes for December

New for December are a couple of great ideas for keeping baby's toes warm this winter, they also make great stocking filler ideas. The beautiful Hug Me Soft Shoe is organic and perfect for indoor and outdoor wear. Available in size 0 - 6 months. Also new in stock are Sock Ons, an innovative design to keep baby's socks on the feet. Available in a range of plain colours or the incredibly cute sneaker designs.

The Hobby Horse - A Classic Gift

If you're looking for a classic Christmas present for older children then we can personally recommend the beautiful hobby horses from Laurel Designs, our daughter absolutely adores her horse! There are six different horses to choose from and the recommended age group is 18 months - 6 years, however, younger children (10 months +) may prefer the new My Riding Pony which attaches round the waist. The quality and service are outstanding and this is guaranteed to be a toy handed down the generations.

New products for November

One of our most popular products this year has been the Grobag Swaddling Blanket, which is now back in stock with a gorgeous new unisex 'Grand Day Out' print (matching Grobag Sleeping Bag also available).

Also from the Gro-Group we now have in stock the Gro-Egg digital room thermometer, great for re-assuring new parents in those first days at home of a perfect room temperature for baby.

Lastly, we're a huge fan of the Gro-Clock, great for those older siblings as it uses fun images of the moon and sun to communicate when to go back to sleep and when it’s time to get up, a must for sleep deprived parents!

NEW Expressiva nightwear range

We've recenty been busy expanding our range of nightwear, as previous ranges have proved to be very popular. We're delighted to now have the very stylish Expressiva Sweet Dreams Nightgown in stock, which has a great simple drop-cup design. Click here for more details.

Great new lines in nightwear and nursing wear

If you're looking to treat yourself (or a pregnant friend/relative) to some luxurious nightwear and nursing wear then we have two gorgeous new products from Amoralia. The first range is the 'Love From Nightdress' which is great for pregnancy and breastfeeding afterwards, with the added bonus of a newborn babygrow with matching trim as part of the set. Great for those all important first photos! Available in slate spot or rose, click here for more information.

The second range is a super soft white nursing top which we love, as it can be worn as daywear or nightwear making it a great look for the hospital. Available in Small, Medium, Large and X Large, click here for more details. More great nightwear arriving from Amoralia late October.

Entertainment for the new big brother or sister

With the creation of our new section for the Big Brother and Big Sister we'd been on the hunt for some great treats to keep little minds busy, especially during those demanding first days with baby. We're delighted to have added some lovely kits to create pretty hairbands, moving robots or enchanted castles. Nothing goes to waste as the packaging also recycles into something else, providing hours of entertainment and great value. Click here to view the range.

FREE Breastfeeding Information Sheets

If you're looking for some straightforward advice on breastfeeding take a look at the 8 factsheets provided on the Lansinoh website. They're full of useful tips and cover a range of topics including: Getting Started with Breastfeeding; How to Avoid Sore Nipples; Expressing and Storing Breastmilk, and Working and Breastfeeding. Click here to view this link.

Making those first nights with your new baby easier

As a first time mother there were several products I didn't know about or consider taking to hospital. Second time around I was far more clued up about what was going to happen! Below are our top 5 recommendations for making those first nights a little easier for mother and baby:

1. Grobag Swaddling - This specially designed swaddling blanket recreates the comforting and soothing feeling of being in the womb, which helps baby to sleep more soundly and provides mum with some extra precious sleep.



2. Carriwell Lace Nursing Bra - if you're breastfeeding, you'll need to keep breast pads in place during the night with a nursing bra, however, traditional breastfeeding bras for the day will probably have uncomfortable clips at the back for sleeping. The Carriwell Lace Nursing Bra has no clips at the back and its flexible design easily adjusts with increases and decreases in bust size.



3. Lansinoh - if you're planning to breastfeed this product really can make all the difference by preventing or treating chapped and sore nipples.



4. Organic Nightgown - baby sleepsuits can be a fickle business for the first time mother (and second, third etc...) especially for those first nappy changes. Make life easier during the night with these nightgowns, which also have clever cuffs to stop baby scratching themselves.



5. Carriwell Hospital Pants - Extremely practical and also great for caesarean recuperation as it allows scars to breathe and won't irritate the scar.

Something special for the big brother or big sister

We're delighted to announce the launch of a new section dedicated to making the siblings of a new baby feel special. Exclusive to Little Arrival Bag are a great range of super soft organic 'I'm the Big Brother' and 'I'm the Big Sister' tops, ranging in size from 12 months to 5-6 years old. Click here to view the new range.

Popular Breastfeeding Wraps back in stock

Just a quick blog to let customers know that the incredibly popular breastfeeding wraps are now back in stock. Click here to view the 5 available colours.

The Cuddledry towel - a must have purchase for every new parent

The Cuddledry towel is the original classic apron-style bath towel which allows mums and dads to have two hands free to bath, lift and wrap their baby after bath. Whilst you may not need the Cuddledry towel in hospital, this is such a great product we couldn't resist offering it to our customers. Our top reasons for investing in this product are:

1. Made from organic cotton and bamboo fibre, so is not only eco-friendly but also beautifully soft to touch and use.
   
2. Takes the stress out of bathtime with a new baby, preventing the struggle of trying to hold both slippery baby and towel, wrap the baby, and stay calm - all at once!


3. Recognised by the Child Accident Prevention Trust as offering 'safer parenting'
   
4. A quality product which will be used time and time again without deteriorating or being outgrown in a matter of months.

Available in 5 different colours, Oatmeal, Pink, Blue, Natural White and the newest Cowprint design (as pictured). Save 10% until the end of February on all Cuddledry towels at Little Arrival Bag.

Stylish bag for hospital - as featured in I'm Pregnant magazine

The ever-so-stylish Rapunzel Holdall is currently featured in the magazine I'm Pregnant for their Wise buys and lovely goodies for your hospital bag. A lovely treat for mum, who'll be the envy of the maternity ward with this bag. Available in Green or Chocolate we've reduced the RRP to £36 (10% saving) until the end of January. Click here to view.

Announce your new arrival in style!

If you're looking to announce the birth of your baby or send thank you cards for baby presents, then we can highly recommend the website CocoCards. Started last year by Helen (mum of three), CocoCards offers a unique and stylish selection of high quality personalised cards. Click here to view the CocoCards website.