Baby Essentials: Bondville Readers

It's time to officially wrap up the Bondvillle Baby Essentials series. I hope that you've enjoyed hearing from industry experts and maybe found something great to add to your own routine. I've loved reading your comments and so this last post is dedicated to reader recommendations for essential products for newborns. Enjoy!

SophieGem:

I was given the Skip Hop changemat after having my second and it is FANTASTIC! I so wish I'd had it first time around, so much easier than lugging a big bag around. I would also add the Australian-designed Love Me Baby swaddle which I have also discovered with my second. It had been a godsend. With help from that my little guy was sleeping 7pm-7am by 6 weeks. It is an essential in my book!

Roberta, Rowantree Design:

The must-have phil&teds highpod. The light weight easy to maneuver Bugaboo pram. The bamboo baby wraps that double as breast feeding modesty covers. I have been a fan of the L'il Fraser Collection wraps for a while, they are so soft and wash well. Love to buy them as presents. Rowan has one in every colour.

Maria:

I love the Nature Babycare eco disposable newborn nappies! Nice and gentle on baby's skin with sweet little love hearts printed on the outside.

Kylie Reynolds:

FESS LITTLE NOSES, Australian-designed alex & ant wraps and sweet almond oil for dry skin.

Karen Chapman:

Grobag sleeping bags - perfect sleepwear once babies stop being wrapped, perfect for bed routine babies know it's sleep time and keeps them perfectly warm all night.

Lesley Stein, Seed Landscape Design:

ergo ergo ergo

Raegan, A Little Bit Of Cheek:

The Amy Michelle Sweet Pea baby bag (mine is red). Any of these designer cot sheet sets, cot quilts and baby wraps, personally I LOVE the stars. And of course we couldn’t sleep without our Rockabye Baby lullabies, our personal favourites are Coldplay and Radiohead.

Brooke Murphy, Tickets For Coco:

Ear plugs!

Penny Harris, Trellis Design:

3 favourite products..... Australian-designed Woombie swaddle, Merino Kids Go Go Bag and Aussie Storksak nappy bags ♥♥

Helen O'Sullivan, My Little Angel:

Australian-designed Melobaby nappy wallet, Sudocrem healing cream and JoJo Maman Bebe sleepsuits.

Mon Alisa:

There wasn't as much out there when my girls were born however my hug-a-bub was a godsend. It was great on my back. They were both winter babies and loved snuggling into it too. My nursing necklace was great for my second daughter as she was quite the fidgety bub whilst feeding. It saved my nostrils!

Georgie Mcinerney, Monkeys Over The Moon:

Monkeys Over The Moon of course ;) but my favourite things at the moment are the trousers my son has from Australian Furious Kingston my daughters gorgeous dress from Australian-designed Brusselsprouts and my baby's ladybug shoes from Funky Feet Fashions :)

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Thanks for all your input! There are some amazing finds - totally adoring those little Funky Feet Fashions.

You can find all the interviews and recommendations from Australian kids industry experts here on Bondville. Please share the whole series with your expecting friends.

Steph

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Baby Essentials: Angela from KidStyleFile

It's the very last interview of the Bondville Baby Essentials series and who better to ask than chief honcho of the very popular KidStyleFile website, Angela Anderson! Angela is Mum to identical twin girls and has some great advice for you with her recommendations for newborns:

Favourite Wrap: Anything with two-way stretch! Australian company Vanchi make great ones!

Baby Essentials: Carla from Habitat Baby

As well as a gorgeous line of her own organic childrens bedding, Carla from Habitat Baby has some lovely finds for you in Part 9 of the Bondville Baby Essentials series. The cot is to-die-for!!!

Favourite Wrap: I loved the purebaby organic muslin wraps. They are a great size making wrapping a breeze.

Favourite Change Mat: b.box do a great nappy wallet. There's storage for nappies, disposable bag, change mat, built in refillable wipes container - all in a compact box. Australian-designed!

Favourite Mobile: I didn't have one for the girls but came across these dreamy ones the other day from Tamar Mogendorff.

Favourite Cot bedding: Can't go past my own range from Habitat Baby. All our linen is made from certified organic cotton. I love the Geo range. Such a beautiful colour palette - a nice change from the navys and reds for the boys. A full list of our stockists is available online.

Favourite Bath: I love all the products from Ecostore. I've used them all, from the laundry to the kitchen to the bathroom, they have you covered. Not only are they great for the environment and your baby but they smell delicious as well. ecobabe.com.au have a great selection of their products - in fact I think they have all their products!

Favourite Nappy Rash Cream: This is affectionately referred to as the "wonder cream" in our household - Bepanthen tends to fix everything.

Favourite Baby Carrier: I have two favourites. Can't go past the BabyBjörn original for newborns. Another all time favourite of mine is the ERGObaby carrier. Fantastic back support and can be worn on your front, side or back. Suitable for up to 18kg....!

Favourite Cot: I had Boori cots for the girls but so wished the ubabub range was around when I went shopping for cots. They are simply stunning. I love the Nifty Clear. All designed in Australia.

Favourite Pram: I think I have used them all! From Bugaboos, to Mountain Buggies to Maclarens. I do like my twin Maclaren but I must admit it is rather heavy and hard to get in and out of the car. The Mountain Buggy is great for walks but takes up an enormous amount of boot space and is very heavy to lift. My favourite for ease through those shopping aisles (how hard is that with a twin pram!) and the fact that it is super compact and light, is a cheap stroller from Target. Best $60 I've ever spent. The only downfall is that the seats can't be adjusted for sleep time.

Favourite Nappy Bag: The Nest Diaper Bag (formerly Whipstitch), Elliott design .....I loved this bag. Not only is it really practical (I loved that the straps detach so the bag can be easily attached to your pram) but its got some "edge" to it - a nappy bag with attitude! They aren't cheap but the leather is beautiful and once you have finished with nappies it can be used as a handbag - extravagant I know.

Other: One for the Mums.....I don't have one of these personally but I think Uberkate do amazing personalised jewellery. The family tree pendant is one of my faves and is Australian-made.

Other: One for the nursery....love a gorgeous print for a nursery. These Isla and Oski prints from Little Maison are beautiful and are designed and made in Australia.

Thank you so much Carla for your amazing finds. You can read more about Habitat Baby here on Bondville. And please head over to the Habitat Baby website to see the gorgeous range of children's bedding that Carla has created.

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The Baby Essentials series coming to a close - just one more interview left and then I'll be wrapping up with all your favourites. Don't forget to comment below on your essential items for baby so that I can include them.

Baby Essentials: Tina from Noosh

I am loving this Baby Essentials series and have found out about so many new (to me) baby product designers from the very on-the-money Tina from Noosh. Tina designs amazing products for kids, including the killer-cool Frankie modular sofa, neat-o wall art and accessories. This is Baby Essentials #8!

Favourite Wrap: Sydney-based Lilly & Lolly Interlock Star Wrap. Made from a soft and stretchy 100% cotton, these wraps are enormous so they wrap around even giant babies, and the stretch allows them movement within a snug wrap without them breaking free and getting cold tiny arms... I LOVE them.

Favourite Rocker: Fisher Price 2-in-1 Swing & Rocker. Best. Thing. We. Ever. Bought. I won't lie to you - it's bigger than your average boucer/rocker - but it changed our lives! The super padded seat is really comfy for bub so our little guy would spend hours in there very happily. You can use them from newborn up to about 12 months so they have a bit of longevity about them for the price and they hold their value well for an eBay sale when they 're no longer needed. The seat reclines and it swings side to side and front to back with music and light shows to amuse and entertain. This swing allowed me time to do stuff besides breast-feed... like, eat!

Favourite Change Mat: For things like change mats I recommend Target and KMart - they're all pretty same same from where I stand - as long as you can wipe it, cover it and it fits your table, you're better off spending your $$$ on bigger things like a gorgeous cot that'll convert to a toddler bed...

Favourite Mobile: We're more of a projector family and have two Winnie the Pooh Nursery Projectors for the boys. They hang on the side of the cot - or bedhead now in Mr 4's case - and play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star while they project a Pooh themed lightshow on the walls and ceiling. He still has his on every night at bedtime and if he wakes through the night he can put it on himself to get back to sleep. Perfect! There are lots of different ones on the market. Just make sure you choose something that isn't too stimulating.

Favourite Cot bedding: New Zealand company Merino Kids organic fitted cot sheets and sleeping bags. Once bub doesn't need wrapping anymore you can't go past the sleeping bag option. It's great for a restful nights sleep (for mum) knowing bubs isn't in the nursery kicking his/her blankets across the room!

Favourite Bath Product: Tasmania's Mizzle hooded towels. Oversized and SNUGGLY. Wraps kiddos up and gets them dry fast and the big size means you can use them right up till they're about 4! (I'm a sucker for the colour range too - soooo superficial!)

Favourite Nappy Rash Cream: Always Brisbane company Lucas Pawpaw Ointment. Works every time! Good for mummy lips too.

Favourite Bath Gel: Aromababy Pure Baby Wash for Newborns from Thomastown, Victoria.

Favourite Baby Carrier: Serena and Lily Market Slings. Fresh designs and a comfortable design to keep baby close to your heart...

Favourite Cot: My greatest love in this department is The Ioline Crib by Kalon Studios in New York. The cot retails for $1595US and they will ship to Australia for only $250. There's a conversion kit available as well. Made from contemporary bamboo, it's a simply stunning design that won Kalon the Time Magazine Top Green Crib in the world.

Favourite Pram: Phil & Ted's new Explorer. It does everything except make your coffee! We've been using our P&T for over four years and even when our 4yo wants to walk we take the double kit with us because its great for transporting picnics, shopping or my handbag!

Favourite Nappy Bag: The Storksak Jamie is my must have. It's tough, stain resistant, kid-proof, black leather with lots of thermo pockets and zippy bits, and it even has a spot for my iPad (for when I let them loose in the playground or just in case the boys decide to sleep!), and the clincher is that shipping in Australia is FREE!!!!

Other: Tasmania's Mizzle bibs. The hugest bibs I've seen on the market, which translates to: clean outfits for mum/clean outfit for bub/protects carseats and pram straps! They're soft organic interlock with thick terry backing so they soak up lots and, best bit, they're stylish! LOVE them.

Thank you so much Tina! Head over to the Noosh website to find great Australian-designed products for kids. You can also read more about Noosh here on Bondville. For more gorgeous finds by Tina, head over to the Noosh Kids blog where you will find stylish, fun ideas for kids.

Baby Essentials: Elizabeth from Eeni Meeni Miini Moh and e3-M

Oh the lovely, luxurious essentials for newborns chosen today by Elizabeth O'Connor-Cowley from Bondville favourite (and sponsor), eeni meeni miini moh and e3-M. This is part 7 of the Baby Essentials series on Bondville and I hope you love it to bits:

Favourite Wrap: eeni meeni miini moh Pure Newborn Wool/Cashmere wrap. It looks and feels gorgeous!
Favourite Rocker: The bloom coco stylewood baby lounger in natural.

Favourite Change Mat: Sydney-based Apple & Bee nappy mat.

Favourite Mobile: Maileg's Villa Voice Mobile - for boys and girls. I love this mobile so much that we now stock it in our Brisbane Concept Store.
Favourite Cot bedding: eeni meeni miini moh Cotton Pocket throw - with detachable soft toy friend 'phlatsie' who lives in in the pocket.
Favourite Bath Products: eeni meeni miini moh Hooded Towel and Bathing mitts - the ultimate baby bath towel - super soft and makes bathing baby a great experience.

Favourite Nappy Rash Cream: Paw Paw ointment - perfect for nappy rash, bites, scratches - for everything really!
Favourite Bath Gel: Milk Baby bath time wash

Favourite Baby Carrier: Baby Bjorn

Favourite Cot: Kotura Design's Ei-Max cradle – gorgeous cocoon for newborns!

Favourite Pram: Bugaboo

Favourite Nappy Bag: I preferred to use a large LV tote (Monogram is hard wearing / practical!)

Other favourites: eeni meeni miini moh Bib. It was one of our first-ever products and still one of our most popular. It's extra large in size and super absorbent. Also, everything from the eeni meeni miini moh Pure Newborn collection - perfect for bringing baby home from hospital in or as a gift/first photos.

Thank you so much Elizabeth - such gorgeous finds. If you love the eeni meeni miini moh vibe, head over to the online store for beautiful lifestyle products for babies and kids.

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And my friends, I'd love to hear from you too. Please comment below, or email me at stephbond at gmail.com with your essentials for newborns. I'm going to compile all my reader favourites for the final post in this Baby Essentials series. Let me know by 22nd April 2011!