What’s On At The Baby Show London ExCel 2024

If you’ve followed the blog for a while, you’ll know we’re massive fans of The Baby Show. This weekend (2nd/3rd March) sees the return of The Baby Show With Lidl GB London at the ExCel. We went down to the show to see what’s new and hunt out the top products and brands exhibiting at this weekend’s show. 

Steph, a white intersex woman with brown hair is wearing a black dress and black cardigan. She is sat in her silver and black wheelchair with Alice, a small white toddler with dark blonde hair wearing a white and black polkadot top and red trousers sat on her lap.

All-time favourites like the buggy test track, baby changing area and baby feeding cafe are back again at The Baby Show. This year, the products in the baby feeding cafe are from Lidl’s Lupilu range, which is excellent as it means you can try out more than just the nappies and wipes that Lidl sell. The pouches at the baby feeding cafe are dairy and soya-free too, which is great if your little one has allergies like Alice! As always, lots of talks are happening across the weekend, so be sure to check your show guide for ones that may be of interest! Toddler Town Company are also at The Baby Show this weekend with their soft play, so be sure to check it out! 

Access wise, The Baby Show London ExCel is, in my opinion, the more accessible of the two locations that The Baby Show London uses across the year (the other being Olympia). There are plenty of ways to get to The Baby Show at ExCel, including by car, where you’ll find plenty of parking! Note that parking is no longer free for blue badge holders at the ExCel!  

If you prefer to avoid driving in London. ExCel is easily reachable by public transport. Not only is The ExCel well served by the DLR and Elizabeth Line, with both Custom House and Prince Regent in easy reach. If you’re coming from central London, take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich and take the Emirates cable car across The Thames for a scenic view of London. If you prefer something else to the tube, take the Uber Boat from central London to North Greenwich for a different view of London. 

Once inside, the ExCel has plenty of accessible toilets and a changing places facility onsite, making it one of the more accessible and inclusive baby shows on the 2024 calendar! 

Brands to Visit: 

My 1st Years (L10)

My 1st Years offer a range of personalised products, including wooden toys, blankets, clothes and more! If you don’t yet know the baby’s name, My 1st Years can personalise the products with their surname instead, still making it a unique gift whilst giving the parents the potential to keep the product for future children. 

Seraphine (E62, F70)

Seraphine was my go-to brand during pregnancy and breast/chestfeeding with Alice and will always have a special place in my heart. When I interviewed for my current day job, it was one of their top and dress sets that I wore as I was still breast/chestfeeding. I also wore it to the in-touch day I had and several times at work when taking Alice in. I also still happen to have all of my Seraphine dresses! 

However, one of the biggest launches happening at the Seraphine stand is the launch of their game-changing Seraphine CARIPOD! As a wheelchair user, this is something I wish was on the market when Alice was first born, as the carrier we were using didn’t feel safe when she got bigger. We tried the Seraphine CARIPOD together on the stand, and I can confidently say I’ve never felt safer with Alice on me, even being able to push around and bring the front castors up whilst testing it out! We’re hoping to be able to do a full review on the Seraphine CARIPOD soon so keep an eye out! 

Steph, a white intersex woman with brown hair is wearing a black dress and black cardigan. She is sat in her silver and black wheelchair with Alice, a small white toddler with dark blonde hair wearing a white and black polkadot top and red trousers sat on her lap. Around Alice and Steph is an animal print themed carrier on with all the buckles at the front.

Ella Bella’s (D50)

Ella Bella’s are back at The Baby Show London with their range of baby clothes and accessories! They also have a store in Lakeside featuring more of their range and sizes for toddlers, and we’re looking forward to popping in there when we next go to Lakeside! 

Lidl GB (R31)

Lidl is the main sponsor for The Baby Show, and whilst you can try their products from the Lupilu range in the changing area and baby feeding cafe, they’ve also got bundle offers, money-off vouchers and more at their stand! 

Medela (L19)

With Alice being ex-NICU, Medela has been a brand we’ve used since day one, and it was lovely to catch up with some of the team! I got on so well with the Medela pump in hospital that I ended up buying a swing maxi for home in the days before wearable pumps became more mainstream. Medela now do their own wearing pump called Freestyle, so be sure to pop by! 

Start-Rite (E60)

The proper footwear at the right time is essential for growing feet, and Start-Rite are keen to spread that message with their range of shoes from pre-walkers to those starting school and beyond! They have some of the range on stand so make sure you pop by! 

Luxury Family Hotels (F31)

Luxury Family Hotels are running a giveaway at The Baby Show this year! If you haven’t heard of them, they have a range of family-friendly luxury hotels because who said travel stops when you have kids!? 

Fusion Allergy (G69) 

Hidden under their corporate name of Scope Eye Care in the show guide, which may confuse some, Fusion Allergy is back with their medication-free allergy range, including wipes, eye drops and other products! We’ve picked up a couple of products for both Alice and I to try, so keep an eye out for future reviews!

Lovevery (B50)

If you’re like us and a big fan of wooden toys that aid development and want something that will help you on your Montessori parenting journey, look no further than Lovevery’s subscription boxes! The boxes are appropriate, and Lovevery also offers a service specifically for disabled children or those who need age-adjusted boxes due to prematurity. Alice loved spending time on their stand, and we’ll be looking at the boxes for her! 

Alice, a small white toddler with dark blonde hair wearing a white and black polkadot top and red trousers stands at a wooden table with several colourful wooden toys on. She is playing with the wooden boats. The photo is taken from above.

Are you off to The Baby Show this weekend? Let us know your favourite moments and brands in the comments! 

This blog post is part of a paid partnership with The Baby Show and its organisers.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

Why The Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus Works For Disabled Parents

The pushchair is one of the most significant expenses you’ll incur when preparing for your new arrival. Many types of pushchairs are on the market, with varying features for different needs. Still, one area that I noticed very quickly, which has been neglected by brands, is the needs of disabled parents and, in particular, wheelchair users!

When I was preparing for Alice’s arrival, I knew that I needed a pushchair which would be long lasting, easy to push, allow for parent-facing in the toddler years and most importantly, be usable by me – a full-time wheelchair user! That latter point meant needing things like bigger wheels, functional brakes and, of course, requiring the pushchair to be as sturdy as possible on various terrains! Sounds impossible at first, doesn’t it?

Fear not! This is where Bugaboo stands out from the crowd with the Cameleon 3 Plus pushchair! Whether through accidental design or with accessibility in mind, the Cameleon 3 Plus is probably one of the most accessible pushchairs on the mainstream market if you can’t get a custom-made pushchair for whatever reason. The Cameleon 3 Plus has a handbrake instead of a footbrake, meaning that wheelchair users can still safely stop the pushchair, whilst the handlebar is adjustable so that everyone can have the height to their desired requirement.

Steph, a white woman with brown hair is outside in the sunshine wearing a green floral wrap top and blue jeans. Steph is sat in her grey and black wheelchair whilst holding onto the handlebar of a red, grey and black pushchair which is in carrycot mode.
Who knew a pushchair could give you so much independence as a parent?

Another big plus about the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus pushchair is that the handlebar is also reversible. Not only is this great for off-road walks, but for me personally, it’s been a godsend on the tube in London as I’ve been able to put the bigger wheels forward to prevent the pushchair from getting stuck in the gap between the train and the platform. You can also parent face the pushchair right up to whenever little one outgrows it, something which I love because not only can I keep an eye on what Alice is doing, but parent facing is also great for interacting with your little one and helping with their communication skills.

With all the features that the pushchair has, not forgetting that it also has a large under-seat basket, it’s not surprising that it is a little heavier than most pushchairs out there. Thankfully, the pushchair collapses into two parts to make it a bit easier to put into the car, and even when I had my Corsa, we were able to get it into the boot with my wheelchair after we took the parcel shelf out. The wheels are on quick-release pins to make it easy to get them off, too, if you need to make the main frame smaller to get it in.

Onto accessories, and there are plenty! Things we’ve brought for ours include car seat adapters, which were well used in the early days of going back and forth to the hospital with Alice, as well as a cup holder (we brought two!) and their Breezy range of hoods, which feature inbuilt mosquito nets – great for when travelling with your little one! If you don’t like the look of the Breezy hoods, Bugaboo do a separate mosquito net, which also fits on their other pushchairs.

A photo of a black Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus Pushchair with a multicoloured Breezy hood on. The hood has the blue built in mosquito net deployed.
The Breezy hood protecting Alice from mosquitos!

Overall, I will always rave about the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus pushchair. It’s the pushchair that allowed me to be more independent with Alice when out and about, and I’m so glad that Bugaboo designed it. There is a rumour that it’s being discontinued, though, something I’m really upset about. If true, Bugaboo will lose the ability to market to disabled parents, especially as none of their other pushchairs have the handbrake feature that has been so prominent on the Cameleon 3 Plus!

Do you have a Cameleon 3 Plus, or are you thinking about buying one? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

FamilyOfWanderlusters2 Comments

What’s What At The Baby Show London (Olympia) 2023

This weekend (21/22 October) sees the return of The Baby Show London, happening at The Olympia! Those who’ve followed the blog for a while will know that we have visited The Baby Show London at the Excel in the past, but they also do one at Olympia! The organisers kindly invited us down for the show so we could share our must-visit brands and other show areas this weekend if you’re going!

Access to Olympia is surprisingly good! There’s parking onsite, or you can get the Overground, which wheelchair users will be pleased to hear is an option. Kensington Olympia has ramps on the platform and step-free access once off the train for those who choose this option.

Once inside, there’s no shortage of things to do! The buggy test track, changing area and feeding cafe are all back. Plenty of talks are happening across the weekend, ranging from feeding to dad chats, midwife talks and a talk from Rachel Fitz D on the 21st, who has helped me so much the last 3 or so years! A note on the feeding cafe: the food is now provided by Little Freddie, and most of the samples contain milk. From what I saw, they also don’t have any of their toddler range to try, so make sure you’ve got enough snacks for the day if you’ve got a toddler!

Must visit brands:

Must-visit brands for us this year include the following:

Lidl (N40)

If you didn’t know already, Lidl is the headline sponsor of The Baby Show, and their stand is great for tiring out toddlers with their rainbow tunnel with fun mirrors inside! They also have goody bags, including a money-off voucher and samples of their Lupilu nappies.

Ella Bella’s (M55)

One of our favourite brands for baby clothes and the brand that came to the the rescue when we had a sock emergency at The Baby Show Excel! We’ve picked up a gorgeous outfit for Christmas that can also be worn with other items, so keep an eye on our Instagram! 

Fraupow (J52) 

Although I’ve recently stopped breastfeeding after over 2 years of feeding Alice, it was great to see Fraupow exhibiting, as their wearable pumps were a godsend when I returned to work! 

Seraphine (M51)

A brand I grew to love whilst pregnant and breastfeeding Alice! One of their dresses was the one I wore for my assessment day as I was still breastfeeding Alice (I got the job!). The brand is loved by HRH The Princess Of Wales too!

Enabled2Parent (O101)

It was lovely to meet Sarah at The Baby Show and learn more about Enabled2Parent. Sarah set this charity up to offer advice, assessments and information to disabled parents, and I wish I’d known about the charity sooner! I’m looking forward to catching up with Sarah in the future. 

Kicks Count (Q73)

Kicks Count is a charity really close to my heart! Their advice and information was invaluable to me as someone who suffered frequent episodes of reduced movements during pregnancy! Kicks Count has a tombola on their stand, so be sure to visit and have a go! 

Steph, a white woman with brown hair is sat in her grey wheelchair wearing a blue and white dress smiling. One her lap is Alice, a small toddler with dark blonde hair wearing a light blue long sleeved top and grey leggings holding a teddy bear with a white top on. Behind them is the Kicks Count stand.

BioGaia UK (P66) 

BioGaia have probiotics for the entire family! I’ve been looking for probiotics for Alice for a while. However, most are manufactured using soya oil, which Alice is allergic to! Luckily, BioGaia use sunflower and rapeseed oils, making their products Alice safe! They also have a rather cute mascot that Alice kept giving cuddles to! 

Alice, a small white toddler with dark blonde hair is wearing grey leggings and a light blue longed sleeved top. She is facing away from the camera cuddling a yellow mascot.

Bibinee Dolls (P101) 

I saw Bibenee Dolls back at the Excel in March and brought matching dolls for Alice and one of her cousins. This brand is so important for representation, and their products are super high quality, so be sure to go and visit! 

Are you off to The Baby Show this weekend? Let us know your favourite moments in the comments! 

This blog post is part of a paid partnership with The Baby Show and its organisers.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

How I Turned A Compact Room Into My Toddler’s Dream Paradise

Toddlers are audacious, headstrong and a mystery at the best of times! One of the biggest things you’ll do in the toddler years is convert their nursery into a sort of ‘big kid’ room to help them with their development. But how do you do it on a tight budget and with a room so small that a standard single will only go in on one wall?

Meet Alice’s room. Alice’s room measures 160cm x 243cm, so it’s very compact! This meant getting creative in all areas to give her the best room I possibly could. The first issue I faced was the bed. Alice can’t be in a cot as I can’t reach over to get her due to being a full-time wheelchair user, so that left us with the Montessori-style floor bed option. These don’t come cheap! Thankfully, I found this gorgeous house bed bundle on Amazon! It was bang on budget, and the bed will see her through to 6/7. Another important factor with this bed is that it fits on the back wall, opening up her room! The style of bed also means that she can take herself to bed and get herself up as and when she pleases, enhancing her sense of independence which toddlers love!

Alice, a small white toddler with dark blonde hair is wearing a white long sleeved top and blue jeggings. Alice is sat on a toddler house bed reading a book.

Once Alice’s bed was decided on, the next thing to do was figure out storage options. We settled on taking a trip to IKEA to buy a Kallax unit and modify it to suit. This means that Alice has a little wardrobe area for her clothes, whilst the bottom two rows of shelves house her toys and books. It’s a very clever storage solution that means she has a lot of space left over for play! Of course, she still has her various bits in the living room, for example, her ball pit, rocking flamingo and a few other bits for when she’s not wanting to be in her room. Alice also loves being outside, so our garden will have plenty to keep her entertained once it’s completed!

We also colour-coordinated the storage boxes for her room theme, with the black boxes being for clothes ad the blue ones for toys that we will swap around to give her more choice of toys to play with. Alice is also able to pull the blue boxes out to pick additional toys if she wishes, which is great for us! She’s also got a busy board to keep her occupied and enhance her fine motor skills development.

A photo of a modified Kallax unit from IKEA. The top 4 shelves on the left have been removed to create a wardrobe area.

Of course, Alice’s room still has a little way to go. Unfortunately, the brand that we brought her playmat for the lounge from is no longer in the UK, so we’re having to look for a plan B for Alice’s floor to protect her from the usual bumps and falls that toddlers have – suggestions are very welcome from our readers of decent playmats! We’re also planning to put travel-related quotes as well as world maps up around her room, especially her bed area. We’ll also be showing her room off on our Instagram and TikTok when it’s fully completed, so if you aren’t following us on those platforms, then please do so that you don’t miss the finished room!

Have you done something similar for your toddler? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

Staying Safe On The Slopes With Piste X Code

If there’s one thing we love to do as a family, it is travel! Of course, it comes with the day job for both of us, but we also grew up travelling. Steph spent a ton of time on the slopes of The Alps when growing up, as well as trips to Aviemore in Scotland and various other ski resorts. For Alex? Well, he skied during school trips, so he didn’t have the same level of experience that Steph had growing up, who has stories from being on black runs with her gran and how her first time on one in the Portes Du Soleil area whilst on holiday in Champéry really cemented the importance of piste safety!

Fast forward to now, and we’re looking to get back out on the slopes next season with Alice in tow! For us, that’s a bit more complicated as Steph now sit-skis and needs to get a new one, whilst from a safety point of view, most people don’t know the rules of the pistes, which is worrying when Steph herself has seen just how dangerous the slopes can be when you don’t keep safe, having had accidents on the slopes herself!

That’s where Piste X Code comes in! Piste X Code was created by 2 mums after a tragic accident on the piste last year after realising that many skiers and snowboarders need to be taught the simple rules of the piste, whether that be in lessons or when researching if self-taught. 

The code is simple:

  1. Ski/Snowboard within your ability, controlling your speed at all times and doing all you can to avoid other mountain users.
  2.  Consider your choice of path! The downhill skier or snowboarder always has the right of way, so it’s your responsibility to avoid them. Always leave space when passing!
  3.  Think about where you’ll stop! Always stop at the side of the piste, never in the middle, and never beneath the brow of a hill!
  4.  Be aware of your surroundings! Look up and down the slope before you begin or re-join the piste.
  5.  Be a good example for children by teaching them the importance of piste safety and the importance of Piste X Code.
  6.  Respect piste signs and markings! If a piste is closed, it’s for your safety. Watch for signs advising you to slow down.
  7.  Your role if there’s an accident: You are duty-bound to assist! Cross your skis upright in the snow above the incident and call 112 if in Europe! (Check and remember the local emergency services number for other resorts!)
  8.  What else? Be sensible with alcohol consumption, don’t listen to music on the pistes and never use ski apps that challenge your speed!

We’re really hopeful that by following the code, the pistes will become a safer place for all users, and that’s why we’re honoured to be sharing this campaign. You can find out more on the Piste X Code website, where there are many resources and even a quiz to test your knowledge!

This post is a paid partnership for the Ski Safe Blogger Campaign by AliKats Mountain Holidays and Piste X Code.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

Everything You Need To Know About The Baby Show 2023!

It seems like only yesterday that it was the end of The Baby Show at ExCel London 2022. Still, precisely a year later, it’s back and better than ever at ExCel! We’ve been lucky enough to be invited down for the weekend to share the lowdown on what’s what at The Baby Show 2023! 

Getting to the show!

There are plenty of ways to get to The Baby Show at ExCel! New for 2023 is that parking is now free for blue badge holders, so for us taking the car was a no-brainer, especially as the collect-by-car service is back, allowing you to shop until you drop! This is also great for disabled people, as it makes the show that bit more accessible!

If you prefer to avoid driving in London. ExCel is easily reachable by public transport. Not only is The ExCel well served by the DLR and Elizabeth Line, with both Custom House and Prince Regent in easy reach. If you’re coming from central London, take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich and take the Emirates cable car across The Thames for £3 each way (under 5’s free) on the production of tickets or the email to show that you’re going to ExCel London for the event. If you don’t fancy the tube, take the Uber Boat from central London to North Greenwich for a different view of London. 

At The Show!

Once you’re inside The Baby Show, there is much to discover! The Made For Mums testing track is back, so you can try out different pushchairs. In addition, there are various must-visit areas, including the baby changing area sponsored by Lidl, which features free wipes, nappies and other products from their Lupilu range. The baby feeding cafe is back with allergy-friendly baby food samples from For Aisha. I highly suggest trying this brand if your little one is allergic to dairy, soy or egg – Alice loves their meals when I need to throw on something quick! You can pick up a range of samples to take home with you too! The cafe also has a quiet breastfeeding area for more privacy, with rocking chairs and breast pads available! 

Must-Visit Brands!

Nearly all the brands at The Baby Show offer discounts and special show-only bundles, no matter their size. We have used some of the brands personally already, and some we’ve only just discovered at The Baby Show! 

MAM Baby: 

Although Alice is breast/chestfed, we use a range of MAM products, including the soothers (their night range glow in the dark, making finding soothers so much easier in the wee hours) and the bottles when Alice has expressed milk. There are offers and bundles on near enough their entire range! 

Munchkin & Bear: 

We’ve been using our Munchkin & Bear playmats for almost a year after discovering this brand at The Baby Show last year! With me being a wheelchair user, we needed a tough mat that could be easily stored or take a good bashing from the constant rolling over. It also has been a lifesaver when Alice has had seizures at home, as our mats have cushioned many a tumble! In addition, Munchkin & Bear have recently launched a toy range, so Alice has fun picking some toys to take home with her! 

Ella Bella’s: This gorgeous brand came to the rescue when Alice had a sock emergency at The Baby Show last year! It was great to see them back for this year with their range of baby clothes! 

Hotmilk: At almost 19 months, Alice is still breastfeeding, so I still need nursing bras! Hotmilk offers lovely bras from various ranges they’ve created, including a range with magnetic clips. These are great for people like me whose joints mean gripping the classic style clips is almost impossible! I will be purchasing some of the range on the last day (tomorrow!) to review, so do look out for it! 

We’ll be exploring and discussing many more brands on the blog off the back of The Baby Show 2023. Still, if you’re going for the final day on Sunday (Tomorrow at the time of writing this post!), we’ll see you there! 

This blog post is part of a paid partnership with The Baby Show and its organisers. 

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

World Breast/ChestFeeding Week

World Breast/Chestfeeding week was always going to throw up some emotions, but I (Steph) want to mark it with a reflection of our personal journey and some things I’ve noticed on our breast/chestfeeding journey so far.

I sit here looking back on our breast/chestfeeding journey so far, wondering how I’ve managed nearly 12 months of feeding Alice. Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a massive advocate of breast/chestfeeding. Even before I got pregnant, I knew that as long as it was safe to do so, I’d breastfeed for as long as possible.

Has it been easy? No, and if anything, far from it. I’ve only gotten this far because Alex has been my biggest cheerleader from the get-go. Even when someone tried to give Alice formula after she was born, he made it clear she was being breastfed. Whilst I was pregnant, I had conflicting info to fight, my neuro team at St George’s told me I had to breastfeed or express for a minimum of 6 months or risk Alice going into baclofen withdrawal, whilst others told me it would be impossible due to several factors including my hormone levels (joys of high testosterone!). I’ve had to deal with some pretty unsupportive and frankly awful comments about how I choose to feed Alice, but knowing I’ve got loads of support around me has seen me through those times. Even with my EDS and despite the misinformation around testosterone levels and feeding, we have somehow managed it!

Did you know that WHO recommends exclusive breast/chestfeeding to 6 months and then continuing to feed alongside solids until at least 2 years old!? So that 2 years is something I’m aiming for. But my personal experience of breastfeeding in a country with one of the lowest levels of breastfeeding in the world made me realise why so many don’t do this.

Breast/chestfeeding parents have a massive lack of support. We were extremely fortunate to have had a fantastic team of people around us who supported me in initiating breastfeeding and have continued to be a huge help when the goings got tough. Alice stopped breathing during her first ever feed. Most people would’ve given up at that point. Thankfully, Alex, my dad, the nurses in NICU at Frimley, and several midwives (you all know who you are) sat with me and helped me through those first weeks where every single feed, I was scared Alice would stop breathing again. Our health visitor has been nothing but incredible, too (I know HV’s; I usually get the stick, so we’ve been lucky!).

The NHS pushes the ‘breast is best’ mantra but doesn’t offer support when needed most. Lactation consultants are either very expensive or not in your area (tip: find a breastfeeding hub, there are a few in NE Hampshire/Surrey that I know of and have personally used who have some fantastic counsellors!). Additionally, god forbid the breast/chestfeeding parent needs to go to the hospital – I’ve personally had to refuse to be admitted because the hospital wouldn’t let Alice be fed on the ward after letting me feed her in a&e with no issues! And don’t get me started on the lack of services for disabled parents/LGBTQIA+ parents etc.!

If there could be some positive things that come from World Breastfeeding Week, it would be for there to be more support for those who want to breast/chest feed their little ones, and for the NHS to offer lactation consultants/information and support on expressing/pumping for all parents (not just those in NICU), SNS feeding options etc. rather than making parents feel like a total failure and forcing them onto formula! Even better would be for the NHS to start supporting non-birthing parents who want to initiate breast/chestfeeding – it can and has been done!

a selfie of Steph, a white female with light brown hair wearing a back top with Alice on her feeding in the bottom left corner.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

Our First Pride Month As Parents

As Pride Month draws to a close, let this first be a reminder that we, the LGBTQIA+ community, exist. We always have, and we always will. Secondly, let this also be a reminder that active allyship matters year-round and not just for the month of June. Disgustingly, but not surprisingly, too many companies rainbow wash their western social media accounts and physical premises whilst doing nothing to support the LGBTQIA+ community in parts of the world where simply living life as your authentic self could get you imprisoned or, worse still, killed.

Last Pride month, we were patiently awaiting our little baby’s arrival. This Pride month has been our first as parents. Looking back, it’s interesting to see how being parents has slightly changed how we mark Pride Month. For us, Pride has, and always will be, a protest. Our rights are still being attacked, our right to live, our right to be our authentic selves. So this month, we’ve been looking at who shows active allyship year-round and who is only doing it for June (not cool, in case you’re wondering).

We’ve also been getting Alice involved in seeing some of the various installations near us, and with Pride In London being this weekend, we are excited to be taking her on her first Pride parade with friends from football (look out for the Chelsea Pride bus!). Alice might still be a baby, but for us, getting her involved and giving her the understanding of why Pride is needed, the history and the work that is still yet to be complete is super important to us as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Just like no child is born racist, no child is born homophobic, biphobic, transphobic or interphobic. Children learn from the environment that they’re brought up in, so bringing Alice up around diversity, inclusion, and equality is a must.

Another thing we’re planning to do with Alice is to take a photo of her each June for Pride with the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, which was designed last year by the wonderful Valentino Vecchietti. With Alex being trans and me (Steph) being intersex, this flag really does represent us. All too often, the trans and intersex communities are forgotten about when people talk about issues the LGBTQIA+ community face, so to see both of our community’s flags on the new design gives us some hope for the future that people will be more inclusive in their language and conversations. Alice will grow up to be a very active ally at the very least, so it will be great to be able to show her how she’s growing up around Pride and how we mark it each year. If you haven’t guessed already, Alex and I are very sentimental and prefer to take photos and videos to capture experiences rather than buying things which will only cause clutter. However, there are some things we’ve brought to show Alice when she’s older, including our friend AJ Silver’s book, Supporting Queer Birth, for which I was very honoured to be interviewed whilst pregnant with Alice. Being able to share my lived experience as an intersex person who has had many dealings with perinatal care (both negative and positive) is so important because we’re very rarely heard. It’s also why Alex and I were honoured to be part of The Positive Birth Company’s #ProudParent campaign last year.

Well, that’s how we’ve marked Pride month; quieter than we originally planned for various reasons, but as we always say – Pride is every day and not just for June! Allies show up every day of the year, call people out and pull them up on their language and behaviour when needed. So don’t let comments slide. We should be well past that now!

Finally, one last thing. This year’s world cup is being played in a country where it is illegal to simply be your authentic self if you’re LGBTQIA+, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg since Qatar abuse numerous human rights. So remember that when you see FIFA promoting equality, inclusion and diversity because if they genuinely cared, the world cup wouldn’t be held in a place where it is so unsafe for so many people.

Alice, a white baby with brown hair is wearing a rainbow coloured vest with white long sleeved vest underneath and dark blue jeans. She is sat on an Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag and holding her hair in one of her hands.
Alice sitting on her Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

Things I’ve Learnt As A Parent With EDS

May is here! The warmer weather has arrived, and summer is just around the corner, but May also happens to be EDS and HSD Awareness Month! As promised in my Instagram post at the beginning of the month, I plan to do a few blog posts around EDS Awareness month and how my EDS has affected me, especially as a new parent! I was hoping to have the first of these posts up sooner. However, both Alice and I have been ill, so it’s been somewhat challenging to write up the posts as Alice is extremely clingy when sick, and I’ve been rather tired, no thanks to my asthma! My uncle on my dad’s side also sadly passed away rather unexpectedly, so we’re also dealing with the aftermath of that.

Being a parent with any of the different Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes or HSD is something else! Although I’ll admit, I’m on the more extreme end of how my EDS affects me; my joints dislocate multiple times a day, and the chronic pain is at times unbearable. I also have stretchy and fragile skin, which Alice now has a thing for pinching and pulling – definitely not fun! With this in mind, my hand therapist has worked extremely hard to find splinting methods which work for me to at least protect my thumbs, wrists and hand joints from dislocation. As well as a variety of splints made by my therapist at the hospital, I also use the Aircast wrist splints with thumb spica when playing with Alice as I don’t like to wear my soft casts around her as they’re pretty scratchy on her skin! Unfortunately, my other joints are still dislocating on multiple occasions during the day, especially as Alice is now climbing over me, but I’m slowly working on managing them! 

Another thing I’ve come to realise is that EDS makes doing some tasks so much harder! For example, nappies? Once your little one is more active, forget it and get pull-ups! They’re much easier to get on and off as you can stand little one up to stop them wiggling around and rolling away from you. A little tip if you’re using Pampers like us, you can get free packs by scanning the codes inside the packs of nappies and nappy pants into the Pampers Club App! Another annoying task that’s harder is getting jars and lids off, so I suggest you get a jar and lid opener, or you’re asking for either a subluxation or dislocation of several joints! 

As well as needing different splints when playing and interacting with your little one, you may want to invest in a protective play mat such as the ones that Munchkin And Bear do. We got ours as it’s made of memory foam and protects Alice from bumps whilst giving me some more joint protection! The mat is also highly durable, and I can easily roll over it in my wheelchair. When it comes to cleaning the play mat, we use Clenill wipes at the beginning and end of each day, plus whenever there are little messes made! Another perk of these mats is that they’re double-sided, so you can change up your space’s design with the flip of the mat! 

Other things I’ve learned are more to do with being a wheelchair user and a parent. For example, I knew that feeding would be hard as I couldn’t get close enough to high chairs. Luckily, doing baby-led weaning with Alice has paid off big time! Not only does Alice adore food, but it’s also meant I haven’t had any high-chair fights! So instead, I use the Mamas And Papas snug seat on the dining table with the activity tray detached for mealtimes. As we all eat together and Alice is never left alone, it’s a pretty safe method for us, especially as I can get under the table with my wheelchair! 

Another thing is that trying to go anywhere with both a pushchair and a wheelchair is very difficult to do independently! But, thanks to a lot of practice, I can push Alice and myself on flat ground if my joints are having a good moment. However, uneven ground or bad joint moments are a no-go! This is also why I’m hoping to be able to either get an electric wheelchair or a power attachment soon so that I can do more things with Alice independently. This is especially important now as once I’ve got a car sorted, I’ll finally be driving again! However, the only reason I can do things with Alice outside of the house is because of the pushchair we brought, which I’ll be doing a whole blog post on. I’m aiming for that to be out later this week, so keep an eye out! 

Do you have EDS or HSD? What did you learn on your parenting journey? Comment below or on our TikTok video/Instagram reel which shows some of the products I’ve mentioned in this post!

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid-for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment

What’s What At Baby & Toddler Show South East

Just a mere few weeks after The Baby Show came and went, Baby & Toddler Show South East has come around! This weekend, the show will be held at Sandown Park near Esher, and it is great to catch up on brands you may have missed and discover new brands that may not exhibit at other shows. Once again, Alex was flying, so my dad had another day out with Alice and me. My dad once worked at Sandown Park, so for him, it was a day of reminiscing and catching up with ex-colleagues whilst Alice and I went on the hunt to bring you up to speed on what’s what at Baby & Toddler Show South East this time around.

Getting To The Show:

With the show being held at Sandown Park, there is plenty of parking! However, if you prefer to travel by public transport like us, there are options! Buses from Kingston, Walton-On-Thames and other areas stop either outside Sandown park itself or a short walk away in Esher High Street. In addition, Esher train station is a 10-minute walk from the racecourse. 

At The Show:

Once you’re through the entrance and upstairs, pick up your goodie bag from Pura, one of the show sponsors. It contains a handy pack of biodegradable wipes and some hand sanitiser! There are plenty of eating options at the show, although we decided to bring our own food to keep Alice safe due to her allergies. The show also has a baby changing and breastfeeding area. But, a significant oversight on the show’s part is that there is no lift access and whilst the show has provided someone to help lift pushchairs up, it means disabled parents like myself weren’t able to use the baby-changing or breastfeeding area at all. Thankfully, I’m happy to breastfeed in public, but not all people who breast/chestfeed are! Unfortunately, it also means that disabled parents can’t take advantage of trying out Pura’s nappies for free. 

Photo of the contents of the Pura goodie bag. In the photo is a white plastic bag with light green leaf pattern on, with Pura written in dark blue. There is also some additional text in white on a dark blue background. On top of the bag is a bottle of hand sanitiser, a leaflet with discounts on and a pack of Pura baby wipes in light green and cream packaging with darker green leaves on.
Pura goodie bag

Must-visit Brands: 

Like other baby shows, nearly all of the brands at Baby & Toddler Show are offering discounts and doing special show only bundles no matter their size. We have used some of the brands personally already, and some we’ve only just discovered at Baby & Toddler Show, but we will be ordering if we haven’t already brought from those brands. 

MAM: 

Although Alice is breast/chestfed, we use a range of MAM products, including the soothers (their night range glow in the dark, making finding soothers so much easier in the wee hours) and the bottles when Alice has expressed milk. There are some fantastic show offers, including soothers from £4.50, Bottle accessories from £4.50 and huge savings on pumps. MAM also have their experts snd the MAM midwives at the show on hand to answer specific questions about their products. 

Munchkin & Bear:

We only discovered this brand a month ago at ExCel, so we were delighted to catch up with them! Alice has had the round mat in the emerald green botanical print at home for a couple of weeks now and adores it. When we first tried her on one of the playmats, she couldn’t sit by herself, so it was great to pop her down so that she could show off her new skill to everyone! The mats are reversible (Alice’s mat at home has a speckled grey pattern on the reverse), waterproof, wheelchair-user friendly, and can simply be wiped down with alcohol and bleach-free wipes (Clinell wipes are suitable for this!). They come in 3 sizes, and Munchkin & Bear offers a show discount on all of them. 

Alice, a white baby with brown hair is sat playing on a multicoloured striped patterned play mat with a pink, purple and green rattle which has a character on at the bottom. Alice is wearing a dark blue jacket, white tights with pink detailing on the heel and toes and a multicoloured dress. Alice also has a blue coloured soother in her mouth.
Modelling the Munchkin & Bear play mat!

Cybex:

Again, Cybex is a brand we’ve used from birth, as Alice happens to have two of their infant carriers. The Aton m I-Size and the Cloud Z I-Size infant carriers fit onto the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 pushchair for convenience via adapters. The L.S.P. side impact system on the car seats is also a big plus as it enhances little ones’ safety in the car. However, one of the Cloud z’s features over the Aton M is that it can lay flat in pram mode, something to consider if you’re likely to be doing many short trips using Uber or taxis. 

Snuz:

If you have followed us for a while, you’ll know Alice sleeps in a SnuzPod co-sleeper, and we use the Snuz Pouch and other products in the Snuz range. There are some fantastic offers over the show, including bundles with the SnuzPod.  

Dumforter: 

A brand extremely local to us, we found out about this beautiful creation through both our local NICU and a local craft collective that showcases local goods. The Dumforter is a soother and comforter in one product which also has a teething function to help little ones when their teeth come through! There are several designs, and whilst Alice loves the Zsa Zsa Zebra one, we picked up the Rosie Rabbit design at the show! 

Ubere Mama: 

If, like me, you’re breastfeeding, then you’ll know that trying to find breastfeeding friendly clothes is a mission! Ubere Mama is showing some of their designs at the Baby & Toddler Show, and some of them are beautiful indeed! All of their designs are breastfeeding friendly, with zips on the hoodies, tops and dresses, and clips on the vests. The vests can also be worn without a bra underneath, which is excellent as it means you don’t have to faff around with multiple clips when the baby is hungry! In addition, all of the clothes are designed and manufactured in the UK for the sustainable minded amongst us. I will be doing a blog post on this brand, looking at some of the designs in more detail, so please keep an eye out! 

Sadly, some brands aren’t at the Baby & Toddler Show. Bugaboo and Ergobaby are the two biggest ones that people will miss from the show. We use products from both of these brands, and they have features on some products which are extremely useful for disabled parents. It’s sad to not see them there, but hopefully, they’ll be back in the future! 

One other thing to add is if you’re bringing your little ones and want to get a photo of them at their first racecourse for their memory book, the doors going out to the parade ring are open. It makes for a great little photo spot!

Steph, a white woman with brown hair is wearing a burgundy coloured dress with light pink, red and black floral patterning on. She is sat in her grey and black wheelchair with purple accents holding Alice, a white baby with brown hair who is wearing a dark blue jacket, white tights with pink detailing on the heel and toes and a multicoloured dress. Behind them in Sandown Park's parade ring.
Steph And Alice with the parade ring behind them

Are you going to the Baby & Toddler Show this weekend? Share your favourite moments, brands and tips with others in the comments! 

This post contains affiliate links. This means that we receive a percentage of the revenue made from purchasing products when you click on a link. This does not affect you as the consumer or the price of the product or service. It is also not a paid–for promotion or a collaboration/advert.

FamilyOfWanderlustersLeave a comment