Travelling into London with a baby? 5 tips to help plan your trip.

Abigail taking in the sights of the train...

Taking your baby into London can be a daunting experience. I certainly felt apprehensive when I planned to take Abigail there a few weeks ago to meet some friends. I planned the trip with military precision, packed my changing bag for all eventualities and headed off to face London with a buggy!

My trip was a success in the end (no outfit changes for mummy or baby required this time!) and I learnt a few tips to share with other mums planning on taking their little ones into the capital soon...

1. Plan your route. Work out your route from your front door to your destination and back again. I recommend using the app Citymapper. It's a nifty little app that shows you the different options you have, how long they take, when the next bus is, how much a taxi would cost etc. Plus it's free!

2. Consider your baby carrying options. For me it was a toss up between the buggy or the baby carrier. Each have their own advantages; the buggy will hold more stuff and you won't need to hold your baby for the duration of the trip  whereas the carrier means you only have to move yourself around and baby gets a good view of things. Your decision will depend on the type of trip you are planning and how you think your baby will respond. I went for the buggy this time as we had lunch plans.

3. Travel outside rush hour. One of the benefits of being on maternity leave is that you can plan your days to fit in with the needs of you and your baby. So capitalise on the emptier trains and travel off peak. The travel card is cheaper too!

4. Avoid tubes and use a bus instead.  Unfortunately London tubes aren't very buggy friendly. The stations with lifts are few and far between and unless you are lucky, you will end up having to battle with a buggy and some stairs. London buses are actually pretty good. They are regular, have room for buggies and are a great way to see London. But remember your Oyster card as buses will be cashless from the beginning of July.

5. Ask for help. Sometimes you just need a helping hand to get in out of places or up onto a train, particularly if you are on your own with your little one. Most people are happy to oblige and usually just a glimpse of your baby is enough incentive for anyone.!

Do you have any other tips? Send them through!

Happy travelling!

Baby Massage

So, in addition to feeding, cleaning, burping, dressing and generally meeting all my little one’s needs, I now have a new skill to add to the list… massage. After all it’s a tough life being a baby! We have recently been taking part in a baby massage class at our local children’s centre. A five-week course that teaches you how to massage your baby from head to toe. It has been a great opportunity to get out of the house, meet other mums and do something different with Abigail. And it’s free! The course has taught me a few tricks to help relax Abigail before bed time, and also help with ailments such as trapped wind (always useful!). 

All the talk of massage has made me wistful for the days when I would go for one myself and has inspired me to book in for one pronto!

 http://www.iaim.org.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/find-sure-start-childrens-centre

If I should have a daughter by Sarah Kay

TED talks. I love them. Fascinating, insightful talks that leave you with a nugget of knowledge or a new-found interest in something. A great way of stepping out of your comfort zone, even if it's just for ten minutes...

I found this today. 'If I should have a daughter' is a brilliant poem written and read by American poet Sarah Kay. Brimming with smart observations and witty advice for her future daughter, I recommend a watch!

Click here to watch Sarah Kay''s performance of 'if I should have a daughter'

#Nevermissastylist

After spending six years working in the city, I was slightly worried about the adjustment of staying local with my baby. I was concerned about my social life changing, it’s not so easy to pop out for a drink in the evenings now, and about missing the general hustle and bustle of London life. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how easy it has been to meet other new mums and how many baby-friendly activities there are around. My diary (and Abigail’s) is filling up quick these days!

I do confess however, that I am missing certain aspects of city life. My daily Nero coffee, being so close to Covent Garden and my weekly fix of Stylist. I’ve missed the insightful articles, a weekly slice of popular culture and the great travel and beauty recommendations. So I was thrilled to discover that Stylist  have just released an app where I can download each week’s issue onto my iPad.

I can now catch up on Stylist  from the comfort of my own home whether it’s on the 4am night feed or while Abigail has her morning nap. An easy way to stay updated with the world and keep baby brain at bay!

http://www.stylist.co.uk/

Tiny Hands

A lovely little keepsake we had made when Abigail was seven weeks old. Our local pottery shop, Get Fired in Purley, makes these and many other beautiful pottery items. I wasn't sure how successful we would be at taking Abigail’s hand-print (she prefers to keep her fists clenched). But we found with a sleeping baby and a piece of acetate we could capture her hand-print first time!

http://www.getfired.co.uk/