My baby is not at the stage of weaning yet, but I asked Elaine to try it out ” As a busy mom of 4 this is a handy gadget, I could make a portion of food for the baby at the table when sitting down for the family meal, I did not have to worry about getting the blender out. Going out was great it fits in your bag and is so easy to clean, I highly recommend the wean machine”

The Wean Machine™   Fill, Squeeze and Feed Your Baby anywhere at anytime

A clever, feeding device that will make parents and caregivers lives easier. It is called The Wean Machine™

The idea for the Wean Machine™ stems from a desire to provide parents with a device that will help them prepare their baby’s food quickly and easily. The Wean Machine does away with the need for large electronic blenders and out dated moulee machines. To date there has been nothing available on the market that can be sterilized and used outside of the home.

“I needed something that could puree anything from half of a banana to a selection of food from my own plate without the bother of setting up a blender.- something that I could use if I was out for lunch just as easily as if I were at home eating with my family.” states inventor Tilly Beazeley.

One of the many benefits of the Wean Machine™ is that it is ideal for use with soft fruits and cooked vegetables as well as fish and pastas. It can produce foods suitable for children at all weaning stages. This is a huge plus for busy parents who then would not need to prepare special foods for their babies. They would just fill, squeeze and feed; no noise, no mess, and no fuss.

“We’re very excited about offering the Wean Machine™ to South Africans and we’re sure parents will find The Wean Machine™ genuinely useful and easy to use.” Explains Mark Lipshitz of BabyGO. “The Wean Machine™ is the latest in convenient food preparation for babies. It’s easy to use, handy and incredibly well-designed.”

Manufactured by Jackson Beazeley Ltd, The Wean Machine™ has many benefits:

• Helps through each stage of weaning
• Easy to use – fill, squeeze and feed
• Saves time and money, no need to cook separate meals
• Portable, compact and self contained spoon attached
• Dishwasher safe
• Eco friendly, contains no BPA’s, Philates or PVC
• Complies with all US and International safety standards

It’s a must to add to your bag when visiting, picnicking, or going out to a restaurant. Whatever meal has been prepared for you … fill the Wean Machine™, squeeze the handles together and the food is ready for your child to eat.

I had a very easy pregnancy (other than some back and pelvic pain) and loved every minute of it. Towards the end of the pregnancy, my blood pressure was rising, but nothing to be worried about. On the 11th October, I was 40 weeks and little mr didn’t seem to be ready to make an appearance. We went through to Sue for my weekly check up. I unfortunately had protein in my urine and my blood pressure was fairly high. I didn’t feel any different though so was quite surprised to hear this! Sue phoned Dr. Jivkov who said I should go through to Linkwood that evening and they would induce labour.
Sue did an internal and told me I was already 2cm dilated so she would just use a gel for the induction.
We drove back to the Vaal, did some shopping, did the final packing, spent some time with the girls and just took it easy. I was a bit nervous about the induction but other than that, I felt fine.

We got to Linkwood at about 6:30pm, checked in, got comfortable and relaxed. Sue did an internal and to mine (and her) surprise, I was 6cm along! She put me on the monitor and asked me if I was feeling anything. I said no. She said I was in labour with regular, strong contractions. What a pleasure! She checked my blood pressure which was still high, so we decided to break my waters to speed things up a bit.

Well, from then, things definitely speeded up! I got on my birthing ball, picked up a magazine and sat for a bit. I got up to go to the loo and there was just a gush of water! Got myself cleaned up and got back on the ball. I started feeling the contractions then and they quickly got stronger and stronger.

The Doula which works with Sue came in at that point to provide some assistance with the pain but applying pressure to my back and to pressure points. (I had the lights dimmed and had some candles lit, music playing and some photos of my girls to focus on)
I got up and started walking around and rotating my hips when the contractions hit to work and breathe through the pain. (I’d done some research on hypnobirthing and tried to implement some of the techniques).

I remember telling Callam that I wasn’t getting any breaks between the contractions; they were coming fast and hard. I felt that I need to go to the toilet, so I went and sat on the loo for a bit. I really had the urge to push. Got up and told Sue that I felt the urge to push, but I’m sure it was too soon because it was only about 8:30 and it hadn’t even been an hour since she broke my waters.

She said if you want to push, let’s push! I chose to sit upright on the bed for the pushing stage. I remember telling Callam at one point that I just couldn’t do it anymore. He actually just laughed at me because I’d said the same thing during the girls labour!

And with the push right after I’d said that, out came a head full of black hair and the rest of him just after that!
Sue gave him straight to me and I put him on my chest and I just held him there till I was ready to let go. We waited for the cord to stop pulsing before cutting it and then gave him to Callam for a bit so that we could get the placenta out.
Camden weighed a very healthy 3.8kg’s and was 55cm. He scored 10/10 on both his apgar tests.
I got up and had a shower and got changed, got back into bed and gave my little man his first feed.

Callam spent the night there with me and the next morning at 7am, we were on our way home!
Of the 3 births that I had, this was by far the best. There were no regular, painful internals, no one telling you what to do or when to do it. It was all about me and my baby. I sometimes wish I could have another, just to have a similar birthing experience! J

Thanks for sharing Carla

First this is me Sally-Jane

I have 2 kids both born at home in water and cloth nappied from birth. I was one of the founding members of Earth Babies and it is definitely like one of my babies. No3 is on the way any day now.

Elaine our seamstress, she does all the Earth Babies sewing and so all the products are lovingly made by her. She has 4 girls of her own and uses cloth nappies and slings etc so she know how they work and how to get them right for you. She is also going to help out with Afrikaans articles for the blog and tweet for us in Afrikaans. I hope by adding more languages people will feel more involved and able to comment and interact.

Liz, she has been the agent in Joburg for a while but is going to be taking over more of the stock and posting and handling orders, especially when I have baby no3 it is going to be helpful to have someone able to do the post office run for me.

Both are able to see people to view stock Elaine in Pretoria and Liz in Johannesburg, it is often nice to be able touch and feel and see what stuff looks like before making a choice. They are very knowledgeable and will be able to answer lots of questions. We will all tweet and write message on FaceBook but will sign them with our names afterwards so you know who you are talking to.

I am available in Cape Town ( Melkbos) for people to come and see products and Barbara although stepping down from the day to day running of Earth Babies is still available for people to see products and place order on the South Coast.

Please email me for details if you wish to view products and I can put you in touch with the person in your area. We love feedback so please feel free to chat and tell us things you like or don’t like.

26 April 2010 het ons ‘n heerlike aand saammet vriende gehad, ek was op die dag 38 weke swanger so ek het soos ‘n olifantkooi gevoel, maar ek was vol energie en baie opgewonde oor die vooruitsig van ons baba wat een van die dae in my arms sou wees. Ek het die volgende oggend omtrent 6uur wakker geword en ek onthou ek was skoon omgekrap omdat ek so vroeg wakker word op ‘n vakansie dag, min het ek geweet wat ek op 2010 se Vryheidsdag sou doen. My man het al lankal met sy vriende gereel dat hulle die oggend sou gaan golf speel, ek het vir hom gese dat my maag nogal kramp, maar dis seker niks, hy kan gerus gaan golf speel. Hy was skaars by die deur uit toe begin die krampe bietjie meer opmerklik raak ek het ‘n ‘n warm bad gaan klim, maar dit het nie veel gehelp nie so ek het my kontraksies begin dop hou en vinnig agter gekom hulle hou so 30 sekondes en in ongeveer 5 – 7 minute uit mekaar uit. Skielik het ek besef dat indien ek wel in kraam is ek vinnig vir ons ‘n hospitaal tas moet pak, maar dar was nat weer vir ‘n week so ons het min droe klere gehad. So klim ek toe met ‘n wasgoedmadjie vol nat klere in die kar op pad na my skoonma toe om die klere in haar tuimeldroer te gaan droog maak. Dit was in die dae toe ek geglo het ‘n tuimeldroer is ‘n onnodige vermorsing van energie, intussen het ek begin lapdoeke gebruik, so my voorbehoud oor tuimeldroers is nou daarmeeheen. My skoonma het vir ons lekker tee gemaak en ek moes elke nou en dan aan die bank vas hou en op my hurke gaan sit met kontraksies, maar selfs hier het ek nog nie geglo ek is in kraam nie.

My skoonma het teen 10uur gese sy dink ek moet maar dalk my vroedvrou bel, ek wou nie omdat nie haar vakansiedag wou bederf nie. Ons het die wonderlikste vroedvrou gehad, Xoli Makabane. Ek het maar vir Xoli gebel en vir haar verduidelik wat by my aan die gebeur is en sy het gese sy sal my 12:00 by Genesis kliniek kry. Ek het my man gebel en gese hy moet dalk maar begin huis toe kom want ons moet Genesis toe gaan, hy was baie vinnig by die huis en so sit ons toe af Genesis toe. Die rit in die kar was die ergste van die kraam omdat ek nie kon beweeg nie, maar selfs in die kar was ek nog nie oortuig dat ek in kraam is nie. By Genesis aangekom was Xoli nog nie daar nie en een van die Genesis vroedvrouens het vir my ‘n urien toets stokkie laat gebruik en sy se toe dat sy nie regtig oortuig is dat ek in kraam is nie want ek se dat die kontraksies nie regtig seer is nie en daar is witbloedselle in my uriene so sy reken ek het dalk net blaas infeksie, maar sy gaan wag dat Xoli die inwendige ondersoek doen. Xoli het so teen 12:30 die ondersoek gedoen en verbaas gese dat ek op 3cm was, maar terwyl sy my ondersoek het tot op 6cm gevorder het. Ek het op en af in die kamer geloop en my man het net naby geslaan en hier gevryf en daar gedruk, hy was wonderlik, hy het al die regte goed gedoen en selfs al die regte goed gese. So rukkie later het ek vir Xoli gevra of dit nou is hoe erg dit raak, sy het my weer ondersoek en ek was op 9cm sy het gese dit is sowaar hoe seer dit kan raak waarop ek toe dadelik se dat ek dan verseker nog sewe kinders gaan he. My man en Xoli spot my nou nog daaroor. Xoli het vir my die bad reggekry en vandat ek in die bad geklim het was die pyn selfs meer draaglik. Xoli het my op my hurke laat sit in die bad en my man het my arms van buite die bad vasgehou sodat ek nie te moeg raak nie. Hy het tussen die drukke vir my Jellie Babies en Energade inejaag wat my sommer nuwe krag gegee het.

Ongeveer 3 uur was daar ‘n bloedwolk in die bad met ‘n klein lyfie wat wriemel, ek het hom uit die water gepluk en dadelik vas gehou en ek kon nie ophou om te se “my Ben, my Ben” ek was so bly om hom te sien. Hy was die mooiste ou dingetjie, my man het sy naelsting geknip en hom teen sy kaal bors gehou totdat ek klaar was met die plasenta. Xoli hat hom dadelik op my bors gesit, hy het dadelik perfek gedrink. Dit was ongelooflik en volgende keer sal ek niks wil verander nie.

Ben is vandag amper 10maande oud en raak net ouliker by die dag. Ek borsvoed nogsteeds en hy slaap die grootste deel van die nag by ons in die bed – te lekker.

February is the month of love. Making a belly cast is a great way to spend time together celebrating the wonderful miracle of your baby growing inside you.

I am about to have my 3rd baby and we made a belly cast last week it was really special and fun to do together. Read all about it here

We used it for all our guests to sign at our baby celebration.

Enter our competition to win a belly cast

**HOW TO ENTER**

Each of the following will get you an entry.
- comment below
- follow us on Twitter and retweet the competition.
- like us on Face Book and write on our wall
- double entry if you enter on Valentine day

Random draw will take place on 28 February.

*SA only

Barbara and I started Earth Babies together just after our first babies were born over 6 years ago. We have watched this company grow just like we have watched our kids. It has been wonderful working together, we are very different but complement each other. We have not only run a business together we have become close close friends.

In life things change and people move on and for Barbara that time has come. She has decided to leave Earth Babies and we wish her everything of the best in the future. I know I will miss her very very much as this really has been our baby together.

I might be saying goodbye to a business partner but not to a friend, even though we do live quite far apart now, this is a forever friendship.

With Barbara leaving I am going to make some changes to Earth Babies, mostly so I can cope on my own especially with baby no3 on the way in a few weeks. As such there is a big Sale in our shop so pop over and see what bargains you can pick up. Click here or on image

SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE!

It contains our very popular ring sling
Which can be used from birth to toddler and is very very adjustable – colours to choose from.

And our *New* Sleep Bear

This lovely soft flannel sleep bear is a wonderful companion to help aid sleep in babies and children

The tummy is filled with a removable microwave pouch containing rice and essential oils which can be warmed, this is not only comforting but gives off more of the lavender fragrance which aids sleeping.

Soft body can be easily held in baby’s hands

from this 30/11/2004

I think becoming a parent has been the most educating influence in my life. Have you ever noticed how once a person becomes a parent (from pregnancy) it is as if they cannot talk about anything but babies, nappies, birth, children, milestones, nutrition, discipline, education, etc etc.
I have seen many people roll their eyes and think a person has become less intellectual – tunnel visioned, but think about the masses of new information that you are suddenly experiencing – talking children never leaves you ignorant but more informed. You are learning hands on about the most intricate and complex creatures on earth from conception – the human being. Becoming a parent does not limit your knowledge, it can expands it way beyond what you ever imagined.

I chat on a mothering forum and when you mention it to people you get more raised eyebrows. This form of interaction however has again opened up my mind to so many things I would never have considered, child related but even more so about the history, science, people, politics and current events. We laugh, cry, moan, fight and debate with each other and all through it we are sharing and learning.

to this 30/11/2010

Conversation with another person if you open yourself up to listen to them is never a waste, every person can teach you something – sometimes it is something you never knew and sometimes it is maybe simply a different point of view, how to listen, compassion or how to do things better.

Every person you meet has something they can teach you and a baby more so than an adult.