Swaddling is the practice of tightly wrapping a newborn or slightly older infant in a blanket or special swaddler, to help them sleep better.

Swaddling is where you wrap your baby so that their arms and legs are kept in place to prevent them 'startling' themselves awake. It is common to commence swaddling very soon after your baby's birth. If you newborn is restless or has trouble falling asleep, they are probably a good candidate for swaddling - or at least give it a go.

Not all babies like to be swaddled. They prefer to have their limbs free - and if you do swaddle them, they will cry and become very unsettled. The only way to find out your baby's preference is by experimenting.

Perhaps the easiest way to swaddle these days is by buying special swaddling blankets. Baby Zone Direct stock 3 different types:

Swaddle Me Wraps

Love To Swaddle Up

Smart Swaddles

They look different, but they have one thing in common, they make swaddling easy!

If you do decide to swaddle when your newborn just won't sleep without it, there are a few things you need to know about safety. It is important to check whether your baby is getting too hot, because overheating can lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). If they are sweating on their neck or back, it is time to take off some clothes or get a thinner swaddling blanket. In addition, swaddled babies must always lie on their back, and not be placed on their side or tummy for the same reasons.

Did you swaddle or not swaddle your baby? Share your experience with us.

Can a baby movement monitor save your sleeping baby from SIDS or sleep apnea? Or will these monitors give you false sense of security. Baby movement monitors, often known as Angelcare Baby Monitors, consists of a baby unit, one or two sensor pads and a parent receiver unit.

It works like this: when sleeping, baby lies on the sensor pad(s). These pads detect baby's movements, even the very very slight ones during normal sleep. But if they does not move for 15 seconds or more, an alarm will alert parents.Because too long breathing pauses are linked to severe sleep apnea and SIDS, this type of monitor is also called a sids monitor. It does sound like the perfect supervisor if you worry about SIDS or sleep apnea.

But there are of course pros and cons - some parents can't even imagine getting one - thinking those that use them are paranoid, others only sleep when it is on and have reported saving their baby's life thanks to an Angelcare Baby Monitor. A Baby Zone Direct customer has reviewed one these monitors, and she said:

"I can't recommend this monitor more highly! I haven't had one false alarm with the movement monitor and it clearly picks up Bub's crying from the other side of our house (even right up the back of our yard). The temperature display is also very handy. If you are a paranoid parent (or parent to-be), I really suggest getting a movement monitor like this one. I can sleep easy at night knowing that it will alarm (VERY LOUDLY) if no breathing is detected for longer than 10secs." (Posted on 16/07/11)

I use one of these myself. I was told I was paranoid - that it was unnessary. It got to me a bit, so I put it out there on the Baby Zone Direct Facebook page - and got some interesting feedback. The one bit that did cement that I wasn't paranoid was a story from a dad, who had lost his child to SIDS. For his children since the one he lost, he will not take that chance - he takes the movement monitor to the hospital and sets them up in the crib as soon as he can. I can't imagine how horrible it must be to lose a child. Another mother said that she still uses the sound and movement monitor with her 16 month old. It provides the with peace of mind, as well as allowing them to sleep a little easier at night.

The alarm for my son's Angelcare Baby Monitor went off for the first time last week. It went off at 3.00 in the morning, and I can honestly say that I've never jumped out of bed and ran so quickly in my life. J has taken to sleeping on his belly. I roll him over whenever I get up thoughout the night, but he must just turn straight back over to his belly. Anyhow, when I got into his room, he was on his belly - but head up and startled. I am not sure why his monitor went off, perhaps he hadn't breathed for 15 seconds. All I know is I grabbed him and was filled with the hugest relief that he was OK. I keep on thinking - what if - what if I hadn't had the monitor under his mattress. What if he did stop breathing. You can't watch them 24/7 unfortunately - we need sleep too. After that experience I will not listen to anytone trying to put me down about having it.

It is important to remember that these monitors can never replace adult supervision! Do keep checking on your baby (and the monitor set up) regularly too.

The main complaint from parents who have used a baby movement monitor, is that it sometimes sounds a false alarm. The alarm just goes off unnecessarily. This is usually when baby is older (3 months+), when they starts rolling off the pads. Or if batteries are nearing their end. Nowadays, movement monitors, like the Angelcare Baby Monitor have improved this quite a bit. Sensitivity can be set and fine tuned - even if it takes some fiddling and trying - and the dual-pad monitors have fewer false alarms. The Angelcare monitors also doubles as a sound monitor, has a temperature sensor in baby's room with display on the parents unit (even an alert if the temperature moves out of range).

In conclusion, If you have a healthy baby and feel confident about supervising her regularly (having her in your room the first months is recommended anyway), you will most probably be fine without a movement monitor.

If your baby, or any of her siblings, have had serious breathing stops, have (had) sleep apnea or near-SIDS experiences, a baby movement monitor can be an important tool to help supervise them. Your doctor may also advise this.

If you are a natural worrier or know that you sleep very deeply and are afraid you wouldn't hear or feel when your baby is in trouble, ... then yes you might feel (and sleep) better thanks to one of these.

When we're pregnant, most women tend to alter their lifestyles slightly (or in some cases dramatically) in order to accommodate the growing bub inside them. Our aim is to keep ourselves as safe and healthy as possible, and to ensure that we do our utmost to get them to term and born safely.

But when we are on the road driving, we are at the mercy of every other person on the road - and we can only do so much to ensure that we get from one destination to another. Most of time we are fine. The other times - when some idiot runs a red light or brakes too late and rear ends you is when you and your bub can be in serious trouble.

When your seat belt locks up to stop you from going through the front windscreen of your car, it also will pull hard against your belly, squashing your bub who is growing inside you, potentially causing alot of harm, if not death - sad to say. Tests have shown that seat belt pressure on the abdomen area during a crash or sudden braking could be as high as 2000 kgs. The Tummy Sheild is designed to withstand this pressure.

The Tummy Shield was created by an Australian dad, who's wife was in an accident whilst pregnant (luckily their bub was ok), created this fantastic product.

The Tummy Shield is the ONLY product that is carefully designed and crash tested to totally remove seat belt from abdomen area and redirect all pressure to the thigh and pelvis areas during driving or in the event of a crash or sudden braking.

Here at Baby Zone Direct, we think this product is wonderful, and it has been a must for all of our pregnant mums-to-be to use.

Have a look at this video to see how effective the Tummy Shield is - How Tummy Shield Works.

I am about to embark on my first camping trip with 6 month old J. Having been camping for years with hubby, I know that you need as much stuff for 1 night as for 1 week. But when it comes to baby, what do you need? What is convenient and what is just handy?

First off, I thought that baby has to sleep somewhere. We are camping in a camper trailer, and not comfortable with co-sleeping as we have never co-slept. So we need a Portable Cot. With so many available, we were able to chose the best to suit the size of our trailer. We also got a mosquito net to put over the top of it to stop insects and creepy crawlies getting to J at night. The great thing about the net is that it also doubles as a net for our stroller. We are also taking a sleeping bag, warm blankets & lots of summer and winter clothes.

Next, I had to think about his feeding. Being a bottle-fed bub there is a mountain of things that I am taking. Bottles, Food & Feeding Products, Steam Steriliser, Bottle Warmer (we have a powered site), Feeding Chair - we're using the Bumbo. With his formula, I was going to buy pre mixed formula, but after calculating the price - I have now decided to get a can of formula and make up formula in single serves the night before. I've also decided to make his food down there seeing as he is still on veggies and fruit, so am taking the wean machine to mash it - just to make it easier. A stick blender would also work well.

To keep J happy and playing, we are taking a large mat with us, along with a bag of his favourite toys. Also taking his Jolly Jumper to hang from a tree, and his playpen, seeing as he is doing rollypolly's at every opportunity. A Facebook friend has also recommended that we take a portable battery operated swing with us, as J can eat in it, sleep in it and the music and dangly bits will keep him entertained. Thought was a great idea.

We are also taking along his baby carrier and stroller, and leaving the bulky travel system pram at home.

Have you camped with a baby? What was your experience?

Having had J on solids for a month now, I have tried and tested a few different things, and thought I would share my thoughts and experiences here. I have gone the route of making my own baby food, I think it was due to the fact that I wasn't able to exclusively breastfeed him as I would have loved to. I think I feel the need to do this simple thing for J - making all of his food sort of makes up for it in my mind. Making all of his food was- whilst fun also a messy job. First you steam the fruit and/or veges, then blend them before separating them into individual portions. If you are time poor, that can be hassle, and it may be easier to just go the premade food option - which there is nothing wrong with. If you want a simpler option to make your own food, Avent have created a Combined Steamer / Blender in one. So you just prepare your fruit or vege, pop it in and the Steamer/Blender will do its job. All you need to do at the end is separate into individual portions and clean it. Very simple. For those individual portions, these set of 8 - 70ml baby tubs are the way to go. They come in a holder, and are just really handy. Another thing I've struggled with is giving J rusks. While he loves chomping his gums down on a rusk - he tends to end up biting off more than he can chew, and coming close to choking. This was the same when letting him suck on fruit pieces, eventually he gnawed a bit off, and it was a little bigger than I was comfortable with. I also, just last week saw a friend of mines little one who has a couple of little teeth gnaw at a rockmelon, but didn't swallow it, instead kept it all inside his mouth, resulting in his mum digging it all out to avoid choking. She had the situation completely under control and was calm all the way through - but I just don't know if I'm ready to be put in that situation. To tackle this, I have introduced J to Fresh Food Nets. They are net, which you place fresh fruit, or bickie or any food in, and bub has to suck the food through the net before swallowing it - so in essence it is pureed before going down their throat. It has been a godsend for me, and has allowed me to introduce many new foods (mainly summer fruits) to J, in a safe and controlled way. I love using it while out and about. I attached it to a dummy holder, and pop a little arrowroot biscuit or watermelon inside and he is happy and occupied - and if he does decide to throw it, with it being attached to the dummy holder - it won't end up on the ground. Another idea that is fantastic for busy mums and dads on the go is the Wean Machine. I have this fantastic item, and use it - while not at all a necessary item to have - it's one of those handy items. You put your cooked veges or fruit, or pasta or anything inside, and press down. It mashes it and squeezes it through the holes - and its ready for eating. It even comes with a spoon, ready to feed bub just like a garlic crusher, except larger. What an awesome idea! These are just a few products that I've used and found fantastic. Of course there is nothing wrong with the good old fashion way. Have you got any tips that you'd like to pass on? Please feel free - I'd love to hear all about them.

Louis Vuitton Bags and Christian Louboutin Heels are so yesterday once you're a mum, it's all about your baby's pram and carriers - they are the hottest mummy accessories out. Carriers provide a convenient and inexpensive way to transport your bub - and also encourage bub's emotional and physical development - but will you chose a Sling or Carrier? It's a question asked by many new mums and mums to be. Before my bub was born I wasn't sure which one to go with, they both have their advantages. But I suppose it comes down to personal choice. There are 2 types that you can choose from - the hands free carrier, where bub sits upright and a slide sling - like a hammock. If you want to carry a newborn baby in a hands-free baby carrier make sure it holds them in the frog position by supporting their thighs, hips and pelvis. It should also give support to the baby's head and neck. Babies over six months old can face outwards and observe the world around them at eye level - a perfect height for babies to be smiled at by others, unlike in a pram. The hammock-style slings allow babies to lie down while being carried, but parents will need to support newborns with one hand. Most slings support babies from birth in a natural cradling position in front, which places no strain on newborn babies' immature back muscles. As bub's gets bigger, they can sit up in the sling, so they can look out at the world around. Best of all carriers and slings are convenient. In city areas, slings and carriers are much more convenient than prams for navigating the doors, stairs and tight spaces of public transport. Hands-free slings and carriers, in contrast to holding babies using one arm and their hips, allow parents the use of both arms. No need to open packets with one hand and your teeth, or to develop bulging muscles in your regular carrying arm. So whether you choose a sling or carrier, you know you'll have piece of mind in knowing that it is safe for your bub. Have a look through some of our slings and carriers that we stock here at Baby Zone Direct.

Baby Bjorn Ergo Combi Mini Monkey Baba Love N Care Phil and Teds Breeze Baby Peanut Shell

Keeping the kids occupied and away from the TV or computer is hard at the best of times. I often wonder what happened to the good ol' days (for me a whole 28 years ago) when today's technology was still being dreamt up and during school holidays I was out the door after breakfast - ran back in to grab something quick for lunch and to show mum that I was ok, and then back in time for dinner. I spent my days playing with all the kids in my street - we explored, imagined, got stuck up trees, as well as getting ourselves into all sorts of trouble. We all knew our neighbours, and everyone looked out for everyone else. To help parents today get their kids outside, and really playing again, Baby Zone Direct has added a new line of products - TP Active Fun. This range has something to suit ages from 6 months right through to 14 years. Its range of Seesaws, Picnic Table/Sand Pits, Swing Sets, Trampolines, Play Gyms and Play Houses will keep your kids occupied for hours. They will be able to climb, swing, jump and hide all day long, and all in the comfort of your backyard. It is a well-known fact that a child who plays outside regularly will make them fitter, healthier and ready for bed when the day's adventures are over. A day of adventure and make believe on one of TP Active Fun's amazing play houses will surely tucker your little one out, and send them to the land of nod without protest. This range has FREE SHIPPING AUSTRALIA WIDE so have a look today!