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"Did any of you do Hypnobirthing and was it worth it?" Hypnobirthing is a topic that many mums-to-be often hear about but the majority tend to think that it's related to being hypnotised which we can confirm it is not!! Preparing for your birth is such an exciting time in a mum's life and although you never really know how your birth will unfold, there are different ways to mentally and physically prepare yourself so you are better equipped however your birth turns out. Hypnobirthing is one of those methods and is something that the Carol App Team is a huge advocate of to really inform yourself of the stages of birth, what happens during birth and about your birth rights as well as so much more! The Carol App Team highly recommend The Positive Birth Company and their Hypnobirthing Course

'My 2 year old is dropping his nap and it's down to only a few times a week and he won't go down in his cot either, it has to be in his pram! When are toddlers meant to drop their naps? I'm worried it's too soon but he also sleeps all through the night 7-7am so think maybe he is ready?' When your toddler stops taking their naps in the afternoons it can be quite a shock especially if you have been using those few hours to get things done. Every child is different when it comes to stopping naps; as well as everything else! Generally by the age of four, toddlers tend to have stopped napping altogether and this could be gradual, quite sudden or as you are saying, reduced naps slowly from every day to a few times a week, then every few weeks etc. There are certain signs that your toddler may show you when they are ready to reduce their naps and these include: - If they have missed a nap - Your toddler goes throughout the afternoon content and not grumpy/overtired - If they have missed a nap -They don't appear overtired at bed time and go down easily and quickly and sleep through (most of the time!) - If they have had their nap and they wake very early in the morning, it may suggest that they weren't tired enough when they went to bed which could be due to their afternoon nap - If they have had their nap and they struggle to fall asleep at bedtime, it could mean that they aren't tired and their naps needs reducing. Every child really is different. As you said that your son sleeps really well at night 7-7am and seems content without his nap and not overtired, the reduction in his naps may be his natural progression so we would encourage you to read his cues and whether you think he does need a nap on certain days - let him lead and just notice his signs. A tip that really worked for the Carol App Team when their toddlers were transitioning from naps everyday to a few times per week was to encourage 'Quiet Time' when they would usually have a nap. This could be reading a book with them, laying on the bed and cuddling with them for half an hour, putting on their favourite film for an hour - it will also give you a little rest too!!

"Hi! It's my first Christmas with my baby this year and I told my family I would host Xmas day - feel like there is so much on these next weeks and I'm feeling quite overwhelmed. Any Tips?" As mums, we are expected to do a lot at Christmas and this can ultimately lead to Christmas Overwhelm. Parents in general put so much pressure on themselves to make sure Christmas is perfect for their little ones and it’s exhausting. From decorating the house inside and outside, spending more money than anticipated and making sure each gift is perfectly wrapped, all 500 cards are written for the kids' entire school, friends and family, planning Christmas activities, events, organising the food - where does all the food fit into the fridge/freezer? The list goes on.. Christmas is a special time for families and friends to get together and have some quality time together but can also be stressful depending on family dynamics, family drama and making sure you see everyone on the list. Here are some tips to help reduce Christmas overwhelm and try to reduce the pressure on yourself, especially this year when things feel a little more unsettled in general. Make your own Family Traditions The most important thing you can do for yourself during the festive period is say no to things that you don’t want to do or that won’t fit into your schedule. It’s the most freeing thing you can do! Saying yes to everyone is exhausting and from my own experience from a split family with a lot of different people to see who are living all over the place, saying no to the things you don’t want to do frees up so much mental space - especially with little ones. Driving to and from so many different houses in one day is exhausting, never mind with toddlers/babies/being pregnant! I remember one Christmas a few years ago we ended up driving to 5 different family members' houses on Christmas Day and since then it’s been a firm no! Making your own family traditions means that you do what you want to do with your family and it makes it that much more enjoyable! Discuss the Jobs! Sharing the jobs around the family means that you don’t end up doing everything yourself! For example, ask your other half to do the Christmas cards with the kids while you organise the presents, ask your husband to share the cooking with you and get the whole family involved in decorating the tree! Making it more of an activity as opposed to an annoyance. Create your Budget and Stick to It! We all know that the cost of living has increased significantly this year, so having honest conversations with family about whether you need to buy everyone presents and if it’s necessary considering things are a little tighter this year. Make your budget and stick to it - don’t get me wrong I do love Christmas but purely for spending time with loved ones, I do find the spending on gifts that you know either a- won’t be used or b- is just to give a gift, to be a waste of money, especially if you are conscious of consumerism. Being more mindful of gifts is important not only for costs and budget but also for the planet, too! Have a think about what each person would like and keep your budget in mind. Spending a certain amount on your children, your other half, parents and siblings helps you to stick to what you want to spend. Get creative too, creative gifts that you and the kids make together are often much cheaper! Make sure you have some time for you! Making just 5 minutes a day for you can be a gamechanger. Ask your other half to take the kids to the park for 5 minutes, take a bath when they have gone to bed or wake up a little earlier to have your coffee in peace. Making time for yourself is so important especially at this time of year! And remember, you aren’t alone! We’re in this together mums!

"Hi! I'm planning my baby shower and finding it hard to come up with games we can play - please can you share any games suggestions that work well in a baby shower! Obviously alcohol free!! Thanks." Here are some of the top played baby shower games that we have had at our own baby showers as well as games that friends have played at theirs! Guess the baby! This is a classic baby shower game! You will need a baby photo of all the guests attending and either attach the photos to a short presentation (Canva is great for this!) or you can add them all to a word doc and print and hand them out to your guests! Everyone writes down who they think the baby is and then it's a real laugh revealing the results! The guest with the most right answers wins! Baby predictions! There are cards that you can get on Amazon or Etsy and all the guests write down their predictions for the baby - who the baby will look more like, the gender if it's not known, the weight, hair colour and eye colour and personality of the baby as they grow up! This game is a really nice keepsake and is cute to look back on once baby is here! Guess the song! You will need a playlist and some pens and paper for the guests. Create a playlist of 10/15 songs. You will play each song for 5 seconds on the playlist and the guests have to write down the song name and artist! The winner is the guest who gets the most correct! You could also change this up and ask your guests to write down each song they can think of with the word 'Baby' in it within a 4-5 minute time limit! Whoever has the most songs written down wins! Guess the babies size! With a long piece of string, cut it into a number of balls so that there is 1 between 2 guests. Ask the guests to cut the string to the length that they think would fit perfect around mum-to-be's baby bump! Whoever gets closest is the winner! Celebrity babies! This is another fun game. Again, either create a presentation or print word documents with photos of celebrities as babies on and hand them out to your guests for them to guess the celebrity babies! Whoever gets the most right wins!

'Hi mums! What were/are your favourite skin care brands that you used during pregnancy? I'm being much more careful with what I use now I'm pregnant so would appreciate any suggestions!' Being more mindful of the skincare you are using during pregnancy is important as there are certain ingredients we want to be avoiding - including: Retinoids (Retinol), Salicylic acid, Hydroquinone, Formaldehyde, Spironolactone and Parabens. Some of our top products to use during pregnancy which are much gentler on the skin are: Weleda Skin Food Weleda Stretch Mark Oil Organic Coconut Oil (any brand!) Mamamio Tummy Rub Butter ESPA Hydrating Cleansing Milk Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

'Mamas! Can you please share your top affordable baby brand of clothes that last? We have our baby due in 3 months and don't want to spend a fortune seen as they grow so fast and that we can keep as it's our first so we want to keep the clothes for any future babies! Thanks VM!" Congratulations on your pregnancy, that's so exciting!! We hope you are doing well. Choosing the best quality baby clothes that are affordable and last is so important, we're right there with you! Some of the most affordable baby brand of clothes that tend to last longer from our personal experiences are: H and M Kids TU George Mori and Mamas and Papas are also faves of ours and although more expensive, do often have great sales and discounts, so keep an eye out here too! We would also recommend to check out some second hand market places as you can often pick up second hand baby and toddler clothes that are well known brands but a fraction of the price! Second hand market places include: The Octopus Club Kidswear Collective

'We are about to start potty training and need some tips - my first time doing this and feels overwhelming!' All children are ready to potty train at different times, it's important to note this! If you have noticed signs such as telling you when they need to go, wanting to be changed as soon as they have been, an interest in their potty, then your little one may be ready! There is often a thought that potty training takes 4/5 days and then it's done, when in reality, it can take up to a year for your little one to be fully potty trained and it all depends on how well your child communicates, their self awareness about their body and that they understand the time it will take to get them to the bathroom. As it can take up to a year for a child to be fully potty trained, we want to be incredibly patient with our little ones as they are learning and developing. Choosing the right time is important - during a less busy time of the year when you have more time to be consistent with your little one with using their potty. For example, over Christmas probably isn't the best idea if you have a lot of family and friends events going on! The key to potty training is consistency. Your potty training plan at home should extend to when you're out of the house too and if your little one is in daycare, make sure you speak to them and explain what you have been doing to encourage potty training and if they could please do the same to keep consistent. Some parents find rewards helpful - mini m&m's seem to be a favourite - promising your little one a mini m&m when they successfully go to the toilet in their potty is often a tactic some parents use and find successful - find what works for you! Make potty training fun! Some parents use a timer every 30 minutes so that their little one knows that when it goes off, it's potty time! Get a travel potty for when you're out and about and on the road. This can help little ones feel more comfortable going to the potty when out about. Changing your little one out of nappies and buying big boy/girl pants also works for some parents. Spending a day at home with your little one in cotton pants, not nappies, and when they go to the toilet in them, you change the pants and sit them on the potty. After 5/6 times of this, some parents say that they then get the hang of it and understand they should go to the toilet on the potty.

'Mums - any tips on reducing heartburn and acid reflux in pregnancy please? TYI!' Acid reflux and heartburn are common symptoms in pregnancy and although they can occur at any point, they tend to show up in the second and third trimesters. They generally feel like a burning-like sensation in the throat/chest and aren't pleasant. There are a few tips that could help reduce your heartburn and acid reflux: Try to drink smaller amounts at the same time as eating - drinking a lot of water whilst eating can dilute your stomach acid which then means your body produces even more stomach acid to try to compensate which can lead to increased acid reflux. Try to drink at least 30 mins before and 1 hour after eating - give it a go and see if it makes a difference for you! Try to eat dinner at least 2 hours before bed - mums often say that their acid reflux and heartburn is the strongest just before bed, so if this is you, try to avoid eating too close to bed so your food has time to digest before you head to bed. Eat smaller portions more frequently instead of 3 large meals - too much food at once can trigger heartburn. Try eating smaller meals more frequently to help reduce heartburn. Avoid heartburn triggers - common foods that often trigger heartburn and acid reflux are coffee, spicy foods, fried foods - but try to notice which foods tend to cause your heartburn and avoid them if you can, choosing alternatives where available.

'Has anyone used a Doula for their birth? My sister used one and is suggesting I do too but I'm not sure what they do! Any advice please mamas!' Doulas support mums throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum through emotional support, information and practical tips. There is evidence that having a doula present for your birth could improve the outcome for both mum and baby however doulas are not a necessity for every mum. Doulas have a different offering to midwives and doctors and although they support the birth process, they do not have a clinical role. There are a small amount of doulas working for the NHS but generally speaking, the parents employ their doula separately so there is an added cost for the service which may not be suited to you and your family. You may also feel supported enough by your midwife and feel that a doula isn't necessary for you - it's different for every mum. There are doulas who support mums through the birth only, who support mums through pregnancy, birth and postpartum and also postnatal doulas - if you are thinking about hiring a doula, do your research and see which may work best for you and your family. A brief overview of the different types of doula roles although this may vary from person to person: Antenatal Doulas - supporting mums throughout their pregnancy and their birth whether that be hospital birth, caesarean birth, home birth, water birth. Generally, antenatal doulas meet with mum and or family twice before the birth, offer support on the phone and on email and enable mum to ask any questions she may have about the birth process and any concerns she may have. Antenatal doulas go 'on call' towards the end of pregnancy, from around 37 weeks and will be available for mum and or family 24/7 - heading to the families home during labour (when requested) and often before mum has been transferred to her place of birth. During birth, doulas often suggest relaxation techniques, offer emotional support, ensure mum is as comfortable as possible, reassurance and be 100% present with mum throughout her labour. Generally, doulas will stay with mum and baby post birth until mum is feeling confident, comfortable and settled. Generally antenatal doulas will do one postpartum visit to check in on mum and baby, answer any questions and help with infant feeding if required. Postnatal Doulas - supporting mums throughout their postpartum journey - usually from 4 weeks after birth although this can vary depending on what mum wants. Postnatal doulas offer emotional support, reassurance, information and answer any questions mum may have as well as offer general support to the family. It's all dependent on what mum wants and needs from her postnatal doula, so the offering will vary from family to family. Postnatal doulas support mum throughout her postpartum journey, as opposed to taking care of baby. We hope that helps! Always do your research, remember whether you choose to hire a doula or not is entirely up to you and although it may have been helpful for your sister, it may not work for you! It also depends on the relationship you have with your midwife if you feel supported enough by them or not and a number of other factors!

"I'm struggling to sleep even when my baby is asleep in the night - any mums got any sleep tips for me as well as my newborn! TYI!" There are a few things you can try to help improve your sleep as well as your new borns - different tips work for different people but here are some general tips that you may find helpful! For mum - trying to stick to the same nighttime routine/ the same bedtime, can help your body get into a rhythm and plays a role in your nighttime hormones too! Trying to go to bed at the same time on a night and wake up at the same time in the morning can help these hormones and therefore help you sleep much better in the night. For mum - try get some movement in when you can - taking your baby for a walk outside, meeting a friend for a coffee and walking there and back, trying to keep active when you can can also help to improve your sleep in the night too! You may not have tons of energy with your little one keeping you busy, but try to move where you can, particularly in the late afternoon/early evening. For baby - have you tried a white noise machine? White noise machines have been shown to help improve babies sleep in the night by relaxing the body and helping the body get into that restorative REM sleep! For baby - many mums swear by a 'dream feed' between 10pm-12am which could help your little one have a longer stint of sleep in the middle of the night, meaning more sleep for you, too! You could have a look into this and see if you want to try it and give it a go - the idea is that you feed your baby whilst they are awake after they have been put down to bed, but with no stimulation such as noise or lights on so they stay in a sleepy state and fall back to sleep soon after the feed.

When it comes to choosing a stroller for your little one, convenience, versatility, and style are often at the top of the list. The Babyzen Yoyo2 checks all these boxes and more, making it a popular choice among modern parents. This lightweight stroller is excellent for travel, walking around the city, using on public transport and can be easily folded and carried with it's padded shoulder strap. In this review, we will take a closer look at the features and benefits of the Babyzen Yoyo2, and why it is worth considering for your baby's transportation needs. The folding process is seamless, your little one can lay back or sit in an upright position and the seat has a 5-point harness for safety. One of the standout features of the Babyzen Yoyo2 is its compact and lightweight design. Weighing in at just under 14 pounds, this stroller is incredibly easy to maneuver, whether you are navigating through crowded city streets or traveling by plane. In fact, the Babyzen Yoyo2 is specifically designed to fit in most airplane overhead compartments, making it the perfect travel companion for families on the go. The yoyo can fit into the overhead locker on the plane and can be taken as hand luggage which is a huge plus for us! The babyzen yoyo is the best lightweight travel stroller we have tried so far. But don't let its size fool you - the Babyzen Yoyo2 doesn't compromise on comfort or functionality. With its four-wheel suspension system, your little one will experience a smooth and comfortable ride, even on bumpy terrain. The stroller also features a reclining seat, allowing your baby to nap or sit up comfortably while you go about your day. You can add the newborn pack to the babyzen yoyo for when your little one is a baby and then from 6 months add the 6+pack to continue using the pram into their toddler years! Another impressive feature of the Babyzen Yoyo2 is its adaptability. It can be easily transformed into a travel system by attaching a compatible infant car seat, eliminating the need for multiple strollers during your baby's early months. As your child grows, you can switch to the included toddler seat, which can accommodate children up to 40 pounds. The stroller also offers various accessories, such as a bassinet, footmuff, cup holder, storage basket and a board for older siblings to stand on, further enhancing its versatility. The yoyo also has the ability yo add seat adapters to it meaning that it can be used with the BeSafe carseat and a number of other brands which is so handy! In terms of convenience, the Babyzen Yoyo2 truly shines. It can be folded and unfolded with one hand, making it a breeze to use in any situation. Its compact fold allows for easy storage in small spaces, such as car trunks or closets. Additionally, the stroller's fabrics are removable and machine washable, ensuring that it stays clean and fresh no matter what messes your little one may create. Safety is always a top priority for parents, and the Babyzen Yoyo2 doesn't disappoint in this aspect. It is equipped with a five-point harness to keep your child secure, as well as a sturdy frame and durable materials to ensure long-lasting use. The stroller also features a reliable brake system, providing peace of mind during stops and on inclines. It's important to note that the yoyo doesn't have a parent-facing option when your little one is using the 6+ pack so this may not be for you if you like to have your child facing you. Overall, the Babyzen Yoyo2 is a top-notch stroller that offers convenience, versatility, and style for modern parents. Its compact design, adaptability, and ease of use make it a practical choice for families on the move. Whether you are exploring the city, traveling, or simply running errands, the Babyzen Yoyo2 is sure to make your life as a parent a whole lot easier. This compact stroller and it's folding mechanism as well as the carry strap, storage baskets and lightweight travel ability makes the Babyzen Yoyo2 such an excellent lightweight stroller that we can't live without! You can purchase your YOYO2 Stroller here.