This year marks a whole decade of Mums & Tots magazine! To all our wonderful readers - thank you for your input and being part of our community, without you it wouldn’t be possible. 

As March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day, we have a very special story from Molly’s mum Rhona Cullinan on page 16, ’Nothin Down, Only Up!’. She tells us, ‘a child with down syndrome has the same feelings and wants as every other child. They have the same emotions but are generally very good natured but don’t think they can't throw a wobbler when they want.’. For more information about Down Syndrome, turn to page 19, with Down Syndrome Ireland.

When my first was born, I wished I had been more informed on what to expect -  not from my newborn, but informed about how my body would feel physically and mentally in the days and weeks after child birth. Postnatal Doulas, Ceara McManus & Eleanor Farrell of Doula to You, page 34-35, talk to us about what to expect from your body after giving birth; from hormonal changes, after pains, bruising and that terrifying first poo! 

As adults, we have mastered the art of speech and communication, but it has taken years of practice to learn and understand. Similarly, for children this is a life skill that they begin to learn from the day that they are born. Director at Giraffe Childcare, Dearbhala Cox-Giffin, gives us her tips on encouraging your child in every step of their speech and language acquisition, page 58. When it comes to reading and writing, if you suspect there me be a learning difficulty, check out our checklist from Dyslexia Ireland, page 57. 

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; a family break at The Kingsley Hotel, a Maxi-Cosi Coral car seat, a hamper from Bio-Oil and €150 voucher for Cheeky Rascals.

Enjoy the read x

Love it or hate it, it’s back to school time! Whether it’s your little one’s first day of play school or primary school, autumn is full of firsts. To help you manage the start of this milestone, Giraffe Childcare’s, Dearbhala Cox-Giffin has some top tips on how to prepare your child for their big day. Make sure to check out our trendy tots edit, for some very cool back to school buys and the chance to win one of five €100 Penneys vouchers.

The school around the corner was traditionally the preferred choice for parents with a convenience and tradition expected as kids started preschool or primary. Over the last ten years a dramatic shift has occurred in the learning choices available to our kids, with many seeking out non-traditional schooling options, as parents recognise how these innovative learning solutions can change a child’s future and positively impact their wellbeing. But what exactly are parents choosing and why? Geraldine Walsh gives us the full story.

In advance of the clocks going back when we wake on Sunday October 29th, Sleep Expert and Author, Lucy Wolfe, encourage parents not to worry and to also be aware of some strategies that can be considered so that your established sleeper continues to sleep well.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a Joolz x Filling Pieces Limited Edition Geo3 buggy, 5 x €100 vouchers from Penneys, an Usborne book hamper and a Baby Brezza steriliser. 

Enjoy the read! 

Have you heard the expression ‘it takes a village to raise a child’? Sounds nice, doesn’t it? Traditionally, when we had babies, we were surrounded by a support network that consisted of family, friends, and neighbours. Modern society has moved so far away from this traditional village, that we are left wondering where everyone is. Building your village can include leaning on your friends and family, getting to know other local parents who live near you and taking part in group activities where you will meet other parents. Chatting to parents at the park, swimming lessons, or breastfeeding class can open so many helpful doors. You may meet a new parent friend who could use your help, too. Join Children’s Nurse, Karen Prunty for more.

Pregnancy sickness often feels like a different type of nausea to anything you may have experienced before, almost like a mixture of being hungry, jet-lagged and hungover. But before we hate on this pesky symptom too much let’s make sure we understand why it may happen to us. And if ‘morning’ or pregnancy sickness does impact you, please know that you are not alone. Pregnancy sickness is thought to affect the majority of women around 85% and half of these women will also experience vomiting. Midwife Pip Davies has some top tips for managing morning sickness.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a family break at Johnstown Estate to giveaway along with a Russell Hobbs Good to Go Multi-Cooker, a Triton electric shower, a €250 voucher from Very and much more!

Enjoy the read!

Hello!

While I am sure we all agree pregnancy is an amazing time. Let’s keep it real … there can also be some less-amazing symptoms. Understanding why you may be feeling a certain way or why your body is undergoing these strange changes is really reassuring and can help us to understand that our pregnancy is progressing well as our bodies are devoted to growing a little one. Midwife Pip talks us through how we can manage common pregnancy symptoms.

With millions of names to choose from, selecting the perfect name for your baby can be a daunting task for parents and it can be hard to know where to begin. The research shows that some parents-to-be are turning to pop culture to gain baby name inspiration, with the likes of Willow, Luna and Harper proving popular.

Soothers can be an integral part of a child's comforts but when the time comes to get rid of the soother it can often be very overwhelming for both parent and child. Every parent has their own “why”. Every home moves to a different beat as does every child. Behaviour Specialist, Deirdre Holland Hannon, has some tips on knowing when is right and what to do next.

They’ve mastered day time toilet training but why is your child still wetting the bed and how can you stop it? Wet bedding can be expected at night while initially toilet training, and all children have occasional accidents, even years after being completely dry. Read more from Emma Grant.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a NUNA CUDL carrier to giveaway and more!

Enjoy the read! 

Roberta 

Love it or hate it, it’s back to school time! Whether it’s your little one’s first day of play school or primary school, autumn is full of firsts. To help you manage the start of this milestone, Amanda Jenner has some top tips on how to prepare your child for their big day. Make sure to check out our trendy tots edit, page xx, for some very cool back to school buys and the chance to win one of three €100 Penneys vouchers.

The pandemic has left its scars in more ways than one. We are acutely aware of the world's changing behavioural patterns caused by too many lockdowns, severe restrictions, and the epidemic of isolation and loneliness. As parents, we have raised our children in a bubble. Under-socialisation has been a concern for many of us as we question if the lack of contact with others affected how our babies, toddlers, and preschoolers grew with or without relevant social skills. When the world shut down, were those babies born into a pandemic at a disadvantage, especially as the pandemic lasted longer than expected? Ger Walsh chats to Linda Breathnach, member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, with some reassurances for parents..

It can be very frustrating when your child does not sleep well. It is a place that you may feel only you inhabit. You may sense that your child is just a "bad sleeper”. Healthy sleep habits do not always come naturally for some children. In fact depending on what study you read 30-50% of families report sleep issues. Sleep Consultant and Author of The Baby Sleep Solution, Lucy Wolfe discusses how sleep is behavioural in nature.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have an Infantino Projector, a hamper of Eskimo3 goodies and a Co-Glide Crib from Baby Elegance.

The Little One was founded in 2019 by Janette McInerney, who created the business after struggling to find zippy babygros for her super wriggly son Conor. Fast forward 3 years and The Little One is launching swimwear, tracksuits, dresses and more! Make sure to read all about Janette’s entrepreneurial journey.

As you increase the number of your family, one area of concern can be, how one parent prepares and comforts two or more children as part of the transition to sleep at bedtime and how do you manage naps with an older child roaming about unsupervised. There is no definitive answer to this question, but each individual family will begin to make inroads to this parenting dilemma in their own unique way. However, it can feel like a big transition and may be worthy of some forward planning and then some solution exploration as required. Sleep Consultant at Sleep Matters and Author of The Baby Sleep Solution, Lucy Wolfe has some tips.

Less is definitely more when it comes to toys in your little one’s playroom. It is a well-known fact that children play ‘better’ when they have less to choose from. We now know that play is the work of children too. So, it makes sense that when they are given the opportunity to focus their attention on the exploration of a few carefully chosen toys, they are much more likely to discover the learning potential of each toy. Laura Erskine  talks to Child Development Expert, Ollwyn Moran, on why toy rotation is so beneficial.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a TRVL buggy from NUNA, a pamper package for mum-to-be at The Radisson Blu and 4 x bottle sets from MAM.

Enjoy the read! 

Roberta x

A moment please for our cover story - Mummy Sinéad Hingston-Green and her beautiful, long awaited, little Alby (FKA Sparky). After experiencing her miscarriages, Sinead decided that something needed to be done to raise awareness, and to give hope to those who experience a pregnancy loss. She started the ‘Spark a Life’ campaign on social media. 

It goes without saying that sleep can be frustrating especially within the first year of life. No sooner do you think that you have established a healthy sleeping pattern than something seems to knock you off course. From nap transitions to weaning onto solid food, dropping night-time feeds and of course sleep regressions and growth spurts. Lucy Wolfe has some tips on telling which is which.

Aside from being protected, breastfeeding on the go can have many benefits for both you and your baby. It is very convenient as you have all the equipment you need for feeding right there on you. Once you get the hang of it, it can become practically effortless. You also have a fantastic way of calming your baby if they become overstimulated in a busy shop or restaurant. Try these tips from Postnatal Doulas, Ceara McManus and Eleanor Farrell of Doula to You, to help get you ready for those first few feeds.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a couples stay at Castleknock Hotel, a Nuna Aace Ix car seat and x 5 bottles of new Bio Oil lotion.

Enjoy the read! 

Roberta x

We are thrilled that Mums & Tots magazine is an official partner of Irish start-up, Kinderfli, Our cover girl, Farrah Rose Ruane is a fantastic brand ambassador, pictured with her ‘buddies’. One of Kinderfli's first literacy and support initiatives is its #IBelongToo Diversity and Inclusion in Childhood Awareness Campaign, which ran in autumn 2021. "Although amazingly diverse, children worldwide are united in their need to belong and feel secure and loved, and most have an item that brings them comfort. Whether a worn-out plush toy or thread bear blankie, these comforters, though unified in purpose, all have different stories as diverse and unique as the children they belong to," explains Alda Smith. 

This year, we held our 9th annual Mums & Tots awards, with NUK. We had over 90,000 votes from our amazing readers! It was wonderful to have an actual event this year at the Castleknock Hotel, with our people winners and category sponsors. It is an honour and a privilege to share your stories. To all our people and product finalist and winners, well done from us all. 

As an owner of a family business, I always have a special place in my heart for other entrepreneur mums. We bring you the fourth part of our Mom Boss series, featuring Clare Tully of Jackanory and Bronagh Conlon of Listoke Distillery. We dare you not to be inspired!

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have: An Ergo Dream carrier, Micro Scooter, Nuna Pipa Seat and base and much more.

We are honoured to have Denise Phillips, Owner of Pelo Dolls and Voduz Hair, with her beautiful children, Beth and Jude, on our autumn cover (and 40th issue of Mums & Tots magazine!!!). Captured by the incredibly gifted Amanda of Amanda Hatton Photography.

“When I was told I was infertile I became somewhat cold. I was no longer Denise, I was the infertile woman struggling to have a baby. I was used to the fact that my body didn't work in the correct manner. The acceptance part of being infertile changes you because you go into a dark place.” For so many women this rings true and strikes a deep and painful chord. Denise Phillips, has been an ambassador for women struggling with fertility in Ireland, becoming a beacon of hope for so many. In sharing her experience on social media, she has opened up a space for others to feel empowered to share their own journey and remove the stigma of speaking about infertility. 

Prior to the pandemic school was a stable and predictable environment for a child. However, the impact of lockdowns, restrictions and closures has had an effect. Back to school can present new mental health challenges. Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, Claudia Malocca, has some tips on reducing anxiety for the transition back to school.

We are delighted to showcase the latest in our Mum Boss series, featuring Anita Murray, Owner of Edvard & Pink and Kingdom Kind and Irene Breen, Founder of BellaMoon. We dare you not to be inspired by these amazing women!

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a SnüzPodd4  and SnüzSurface Mattress, Omni Breeze Ergo Carrier,  Usborne Book Hamper and more to giveaway.

Farewell lockdown 3.0, summer is here, with brighter days to come, hopefully in every sense of the word!

A moment please for our cover photo, shot by the incredibly talented Amanda Hatton of Your Story Photography. Sigh - those newborn cuddles!

Returning to work and easing your baby into a crèche can be a daunting prospect for many families. For some, it can be difficult enough, with just the thought of leaving your baby for long periods of time, without the added challenge of preparing your child to sleep well there too. Sleep Consultant and Author of ‘The Baby Sleep Solution’, Lucy Wolfe, has put together some helpful strategies and points of consideration, to make the transition as smooth as possible.

The fourth trimester, or the first three months of your baby's life, is a time of great learning and adjustment for the whole family. At times it may feel as though the focus is all on the newborn and mother dyad, but partners we see you. We acknowledge that you too are transitioning into a new role without much guidance. A role, which has become all-encompassing in recent decades. Postnatal Doulas, Ceara McManus & Eleanor Farrell of Doula to You, take a look at the first few postpartum month’s, from a partner’s point of view.

We are delighted to showcase the latest in our Mum Boss series, featuring Pat Kane, Founder of reuzi.ie and Jane and Sandra Palles, Owners of Emily and Eve. We dare you not to be inspired by these amazing women!

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a 1 year supply of Waterful baby wipes, the brand new NUNA Cudl baby carrier and a hamper of books from MacMillan.

Pregnancy can be demanding upon the body - from the morning sickness and stretch marks to lesser known symptoms, such as itchy boobs and thrush. From day one until the arrival of your baby, new questions and doubts about the physical effects of pregnancy are likely to arise. Co-Founder and Clinical Director of My Expert Midwife, Lesley Gilchrist, has the answers.

Have you ever heard of informed consent through your pregnancy and birth experience? It is the process of obtaining and understanding the risks, benefits and alternatives of any given procedure or intervention. Importantly it requires that you are capable of understanding what a procedure might mean, the implications of any procedure and explicitly agree to this procedure or intervention being performed or carried out, or not. Doula, Sandy Connolly, talks about what informed consent is and why it is important in your birthspace.

We are delighted to showcase the latest in our Mum Boss series, featuring Child Therapist and Cognikids Founder, Ollwyn Moran and Blogger, Make Up Artist, Rhona Cullinan. We dare you not to be inspired by these amazing women!

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have a Nuna Leaf rocker, the brand new Ergo Aerloom baby carrier, a sleep bag and blanket set from Bear’s Little Fish and four copies of anewmum.ie’s Pop The Kettle On journals, all to give away.

Happy 10th Birthday to us!!!!! Can you believe a whole decade of Mums & Tots magazine?! We can’t thank you enough for being part of our community. Some of our readers (including us) now have preteens. 

As a family business, we always have a special place in my heart for other entrepreneur mums. We bring you the second part of our ‘Meet the…’ series, featuring Babyboo.ie and The Pod Collection. We dare you not to be inspired!

This year, we held our 8th annual Mums & Tots awards, with NUK. Despite not having a physical event, we were blown away by the amount of people who took part. It is an honour and a privilege to share your stories. To all our people and product finalist and winners, well done from us all. Make sure to read the full coverage.

Pandemic parenting is not easy! It can bring more chaos in the house than usual. Step by Step Consulting give us their tips on handling sibling squabbles and Play Therapist, Claudia Malocca has advice on tackling challenging behaviours .

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; a family break at Castleknock Hotel, a Maxi-Cosi Cassia swing and much more.

Amanda Hatton of Your Story Photography photographed our beautiful cover from a series for National Breastfeeding Week last August. We love how poignant this shoot is - socially distant and masked up but beside each other, like pillars of strength and support. Saying of her own experience breastfeeding her three boys Amanda says, ‘I was blessed with a huge community throughout all my feeding journeys… I didn’t find any of them easy, they all came with struggles but is a stage I will truly miss.’. Breastfeeding, more often than not, comes with challenges, particularly in the early days. It is so important to have people to turn to if we have questions, or doubts, on this journey. Jennifer Phillips’ offers us some tips on connecting with other breastfeeding mums and experts in Ireland.

Resolving the stand-off at bedtime with your older child can push you to your very limit. As your child grows, their ability to dispute, refute, bargain, negotiate and stall at bedtime is unequalled. It can result in bedtime taking hours and  may include parents spending a long time lying beside their child, or returning their child to bed on multiple occasions. If this sounds familiar, join Author and Sleep Expert at Sleep Matter’s, Lucy Wolfe as she explores some suggestions to reduce the struggle and reclaim bedtime as a calm time that results in sleep for your child and some down time for you.

One of the main issues that women face during pregnancy is how people react to their body as their pregnancy advances. There does seem to be a culture where unsolicited comments from family, friends, co-workers and even strangers - as to the size of a pregnant woman’s bump - are deemed to be acceptable. It’s not. A woman’s body and her pregnancy bump is hers, it’s not something that should be open for discussion or for people to touch without permission. Read more on bump shaming from registered midwife, and co-founder of My Expert Midwife, Lesley Gilchrist.

Have you ever written a birth plan and have things go not quite as you had expected? Sometimes, we have to let go of the birth we had once visualised and focus on what is best for us and baby when the moment comes. Jessica O’Neil, or @mymooandroo, as she is often known in the Instagram world, welcomed the arrival of her rainbow baby, Alfie James Bolton last February. Read how Jess came to terms with a massive change in her birth plan, welcoming Alfie in the back of an ambulance.

A few months ago Joanna from Marta Faye Photography got in touch with us about a feature idea to put the spotlight on women who became mothers at 40 and challenge the negative misconceptions that it is, ‘too hard to have children as an older mum’. We put out a call out on our Facebook page and were humbled by such a massive response of women wanting to get involved in the project! Some women have been focused on their careers, while some have waited a long time to get pregnant, undergoing fertility treatments to have their much wanted family. Thank you to all the mums for telling their stories!

This year, parenting community BabyDoc Club became a global partner, spearheading a campaign of Maternal Mental Health Awareness for Ireland. With no Government maternal mental health policy or national healthcare support service for women seeking help, BabyDoc Club joined forces with Parentline to highlight the charity's support services in this area and help raise vital funds. We are delighted that 2020 brought Ireland's first Maternal Mental Health Awareness Day, on the first Wednesday in May. 

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; a family break at Galway Coastal Cottages, anewmum Alpha Stem Aid and 5 starter packs from Dr. Brown’s. 

Enjoy the read!

We are totally thrilled to be featuring an exclusive photography campaign ‘#Storylines’, from anewmum, with award winning Photographer, Neely Ker-Fox. As a society, we as women in Ireland, are sometimes underinformed about the changes and challenges they we will experience during the first year after giving birth. Add to that the pressures of perfection as endorsed by media and society and it is no surprise that so many new mums experience a sense of loss, disconnect and depression. Neely Ker-Fox’s photographed eight mums across Ireland to showcase the beauty of women’s changed bodies after birth in all their glorious perfect imperfections. Please join the conversation with the ‘Storylines’ hashtag and read our cover girl, Ali’s story along with the other mums from the campaign.

Adjusting to our new body is one side of the challenges waiting for us as new mums, but we also have to contend with the life altering reality that we are wholely responsible for this new little baby. Join Doulas, Ceara and Eleanor, on what to expect the first week of being at home with your newborn.

We had a wonderful afternoon at the Castleknock hotel on the 18th of October, celebrating the people winners of our 7th annual Mums & Tots Awards, with NUK. Be inspired by some of Ireland’s living legends in your community. Well done to all our brand winners too! And most of all, thanks to our wonderful readers for taking the time to vote - we had thousands of entires.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; Mini Micro Scooter, a brand new Rizmo toy and 10% off Peachy Lean and Baby Sensory Classes.

Happy 9 year anniversary to us!!! We cannot believe we are almost a decade in business. We want to thank our ever expanding Mums & Tots community of readers. Thank you for your support and input over the years. You are the reason we do what we do!

There is only one thing more challenging than being pregnant and giving birth - actually naming the baby!!!! It is such a huge responsibility and often a source of disagreement for expectant parents. We have some great tips for when you are writing out those lists, followed by our Baby Naming Quiz so you can find out your Baby Naming Personality.

In keeping with the season we have a back to school special in our Tots section. Make sure to check out ‘Ready, Steady School’, with Director of Giraffe Childcare, Dearbhala Cox-Giffin, giving parents her top tips on starting big school. We have some practical and funky accessories in our Back To School Cool Essentials.

With every issue of the magazine, we are trying to become more environmentally aware. Have a look at articles from our favourite Climate Ambassadors, Madeleine Murray on creating a Plastic Free School and Reuzi’s Pat Kane, on Sustainably Starting School, with her tips on cutting down on waste starting back.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; a family break at Castleknock Hotel, a €100 voucher from Penneys and a hamper of books from Usborne up for grabs.

Ah pregnancy! Sometimes it is a smooth ride and sometimes it is a rollercoaster with no safety bar! We hear from Mama Moment’s Sarah Ryan on having Hyperemesis in her pregnancies and knowing the signs and symptoms of this condition.

It takes a village to raise a child, is one of our favourite sayings and it so true in our own family - friends, grandparents, godparents, they all have such an important role to play. Vita Murrow tells us how crucial it was for her family to have a post partum doula stay with them after the birth of their children. Find out more about how a doula can help you in your postpartum journey with the Community Doulas, or if hiring a nanny is more your style, then check out our checklist from Mind Me.ie.

You may remember earlier this year, hearing about legislation coming in to give all same sex parents equal rights to their children in Ireland. Sadly, this does not include everybody. Married couple, Ranae and Audrey (pictured with their little family on our front cover), travelled abroad to have their children via reciprocal IVF and as such will not be covered. You can follow their story on instagram @ranaevonmeding to stay up to date with petitions and other ways to get involved.

Make sure to enter all our great giveaways. We have; a family break at Fota Island resort, a Maxi-Cosi Lila and a hamper of goodies from SuuBalm up for grabs.

Enjoy the read and have a great summer!

Motherhood - there is no one size fits all. From pregnancy to parenting we all have different experiences. Having never suffered with Post Natal Depression myself, I had not realised what a spectrum of severity there can be. Some new mums could isolate themselves at home, very obviously depressed and then some who appear to just have a case of ‘the baby blues’. Sarah Ryan bravely tells us her experience, with her diagnosis only emerging when her son was over 2.

Going back to work is hard enough without worrying about baby’s transition to creche. Sleep Expert, Lucy Wolfe, gives us a guide to ensuring baby is ready and can transfer those important sleep skills from home, in to their new day-care. Make sure to also read Lucy’s tips on going from cot to big bed at home.

Following on from our last issue, we are delighted to welcome Pat Kane from Reuzi as a regular contributor to Mums & Tots. Join her in looking at some ways of reducing your home’s carbon footprint and getting the whole family involved in the sustainability conversation. 

Are your littles into science? Mine are obsessed and my kitchen table resembles a lab most afternoons. Imagine the excitement in our house when Explorium, Ireland’s national sport and science centre, opened late last year! Juliet was lucky enough to celebrate her 9th birthday (yes 9th!) there and had one of the best days of her life with Explorium’s very own Mark, The Science Guy. If you haven’t been yet, make sure to plan a family trip out - it is well worth it, with over 300 interactive exhibits! In the meantime, check out some Explorium experiments with Mark, to try at home with your smalls.

We have more competitions than ever before in this issue! Make sure to enter them all, to be in with a chance! We have; a break at the The Rose Hotel, a Maxi-Cosi Jade CarryCot, the brand new Quinny Hubb, a NUK Breast Pump, a book hamper from Walker Books and more.

Enjoy the read!

Over the last few years I have become increasingly conscious of my own carbon footprint and now, with young kids I have even more of an awareness of the amount of waste we create in our home. But where do we start to reduce our waste and move towards a more sustainable lifestyle? The answer is baby steps!  Every little thing we do is better than doing nothing - whether that is getting rid of clingfilm from lunchboxes or buying a keep cup for your coffee. We have been particularly inspired by Pat Kane’s mission to help families in Ireland create new habits by sourcing a range of top quality reusable products, via her sustainable store, Reuzi. 

We had a wonderful afternoon at the Castleknock hotel on the 26th of October, celebrating the people winners of our 6th annual Mums & Tots Awards, with NUK. Be inspired by some of Ireland’s living legends in your community. Well done to all our brand winners too! And most of all, thanks to our wonderful readers for taking the time to vote - we had thousands of entires.

Ah the terrible twos, weI remember them well! The good news is that, it does come to an end but it is hard to see that while mid-Tesco-aisle tantrum. Behaviour Specialist, Deirdre Holland Hannon, has some great tips on nurturing good behaviour from an early start and how to respond to your toddler’s frustrations.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include;  a €100 for River Island’s new baby collection and a Micro Scooter.

As children start, or return, back to play school, or big school, after the summer holidays, parents often wonder how they can best support their child throughout the new school year. When parents are actively looking after their own wellbeing they will be much better equipped to support their child. Children are very sensitive to parents stress levels and emotions so relax and try a bit of mindfulness now and over the coming weeks and months. Child Therapist, Louise Shanagher, has some great tips.

A new wave of amazing mummy podcasts has come to the fore in Ireland and we are loving it! The mother of all podcasts being the weekly, Mother of Pod - a comedic parenting show focusing on the highs and lows of motherhood. It does not get more real than these hilarious lady bosses - Jen and Sophie! We dare you not to laugh! Get a taste of what we are talking about, in our interview with half of the MOP duo, Sophie White.

Are your littles into slime and science?  Ours are obsessed and my kitchen table resembles a lab most afternoons. I am always being asked what the best recipe for slime is and my favourite is from Dr. Michelle Dickinson’s book, The Kitchen Science Cookbook. She was kind enough to share it with us so make sure to check out her how-to’s on slime making and more.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; a break at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo, a fab hamper from Usborne Books, Annabel Karmel’s new recipe book, Real Food Kids Will Love and a duo set of the new Sleep Through range from Lucy Wolfe.

We have a great read in store for you in our summer issue of Mums & Tots magazine!

Single parenting can be hard. For a lot of our readers, being a single mum is an every day reality. We are thrilled to have TEDx Speaker and Parenting Coach, Nina Farr, share what she has learned about navigating her family’s changing shape and also an excerpt from her book, ‘I am the Parent Who Stayed’ We love the personification of a strong mum on our cover. 

You may be familiar with the beautiful ‘Adam’s Cloud’ children book series. Mums & Tots Editor, Roberta, chats to Author, Benji Bennett, about his family’s story of grief and love and the release of the new ‘Adam Saves the Seasons’ story on Adam’s ten year anniversary.

We love the concept from the recent WaterWipes campaign ‘When a Baby is born, a parent is born’. As a new mum, everything is new and there are so many firsts. So, we are going back to basics - make sure to read our new born guides to; breastfeeding, fevers, treating a blocked nose, car seat safety and how to bathe your newborn.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; €25 off spa treatments at Edvard & Pink, Dundrum, a hotel break for 2 at Farnham House Estate, a family pass to Tayto Park and a wooden kitchen from KidKraft.

We are delighted to have baby Lara on our front cover for spring. She is 1 of 9 kids to the lovely Rosemary and Stephen Murphy. Families with seven or more children were a normal part of daily life only 30 or 40 years ago. With the average family now at just 1.4 children, big broods are an increasingly unusual sight in Ireland. That being said, there are some mums who (unapologetically!) thrive on the energy and excitement of having a big family - despite sometimes encountering unwanted comment from others. Make sure to read our interview with Rosemary and find out a little about the daily running of a big household.

Have you ever heard of ‘baby led weaning’? All parents face the same questions when they take their first steps into the world of weaning; is my baby ready, what first foods should I start with and how much food should I be giving? There is also the consideration of whether to go down the baby-led or spoon-led route. We have Author and baby food guru, Annabel Karmel on hand to walk is through this exciting stage in baby’s development.

Favouritism is very common but can leave the discarded parent feeling neglected, lost and naturally upset. It's a phase, is often the resounding answer and yes, it normally is but that does not make the situation any less hurtful or difficult to deal with for the parent who is not wanted. Read more from Geraldine Walsh on dealing with this common parenting situation.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; a spa break at Knockranny spa and hotel, a Dreamgenii pillow and a really cool elephant activity centre.

Cover picture: From Instagram Duo: @miniboss_and_missfashion

We are thrilled to have Yara and Vince, AKA: @miniboss_and_missfashion on our winter cover of Mums & Tots magazine. More and more mums are using Instagram to showcase a little bit of their smallies lives. We cannot get enough of these trendy women and their mini-me’s. We love following our favourite mini bloggers and seeing homegrown talent flourish. Insta Mommy Micro-Blogger, Charlotte Pabiona, mom-ager of this stylish duo, tells us all about her journey.

A big thank you to our fabulous readers for all your votes! On the 20th of October we had a wonderful afternoon at Castleknock Hotel celebrating the people winners of our 5th annual Mums & Tots Awards 2017 with NUK. Make sure to read all about it in our 10 page supplement.

We all know that if you give a baby or a young child a present, it is more than likely, that they will want to spend time scrunching the wrapping paper or playing with the box instead of playing with the toy itself. Dearbhala Cox Giffin, Director of Childcare Giraffe Childcare, discusses the heuristic play approach of using treasure boxes filled with every day objects to provide rush mental stimulation for babies.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; a foldable SmarTrike, an engraved high chair from Tripp Trapp, a Brabantia Bo Touch bin and a book hamper from Simon & Schuster.

We love autumn! Back to school buzz, warm clothes back out, and blackberrying in the woods with friends. This issue, we have plenty of great articles, tips, trends and competitions for you.

The second part in our alternative birth series is; water births. The Coombe is the only maternity hospital in Dublin which has a specially designed birthing pool. Since the commencement of the service in 2004, over 300 women have used the pool for labour and, of these, 107 women have gone on to have a water birth. Read all about the requirements for having a water birth, along with 3 stories from our readers on their own experience.

Sleep, the holy grail for all parents. A common question our panel of experts get for our M&T Clinic pages is, ‘why won’t my baby nap?’ Sleep Expert, Lucy Wolfe, explains the reasons behind this dilemma and gives some useful sleep solutions to get baby napping better during the day and sleeping better at night too.

There are many different diets out there. For most of us, steering clear of any sort of ‘fad diet’ is a good idea. However for some, these particular diets can be useful in the short and/or long term on helping your health and getting in to a better lifestyle. We uncover the pros and cons to each.

Don’t forget to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; a family hotel break at The Rose Hotel, Co. Kerry, Penneys gift cards, a book hamper from Usborne Books and a Zip baby carrier from Infantino Bkids.

We are thrilled to have Neasa and her beautiful daughter Sadhbh on our summer cover. Neasa believes that Sadhbh has the ‘gift of Down syndrome’. 

The Down syndrome Centre of Ireland opened its doors in 2014 and since then it welcomes over 200 children and their families every week. They provide vital services in speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, massage and more. Read more about this wonderful organisation and find out how you can help.

Home birth can be a safe option for low risk healthy women. Research shows that a planned home birth is an acceptable and safe alternative to a planned hospital birth for some pregnant women. If this is an option you are considering, we have all the info for you, plus one mum’s home birthing experience.

Babywearing is the ancient tradition of carrying infants and young children in a piece of cloth known as a sling, which allows the wearer to carry on with daily tasks while keeping young children conveniently and safely close. Babywearing has seen a massive increase in popularity in Ireland during recent years. Make sure to stop by our top carriers and slings trend pages.

Make sure to enter this issue’s amazing competitions, which include; a family hotel break at The Radisson Blu Limerick, a mermaid tail set from Planet Mermaid and 15% off the Sleep Time collection at MORI (www.babymori.com).

We are thrilled to have the 'Kelly Quads' and family as our spring cover story. Anita tells us how they went from being a family of 3 to a family of 7!! We also have a multiples checklist and birth plan for all our readers who are expecting twins or more.

One of the trickiest milestones in the early years is toilet training. It can be hard to navigate because every child is different and does things at their own pace. Some may train quickly, others may not be ready, needing more time. We have some top tips if your little one is currently approaching this stage, along with some very funny words of wisdom from our readers on what worked and what didn't work.

Lots of alternative therapies in this issue; from acupuncture in pregnancy to cranio sacral therapy for baby and play therapy for kids. Sometimes it's good to think outside the box.

As usual we have some great giveaways and offers for our spring issue. Make sure to enter our amazing competitions, which include; the new kiddy back pack from MomyMoo and a family stay at the Castleknock Hotel Dublin.

We are delighted to have Ranae and her wife Audrey, along with their sweet little girl Ava, on the front cover of our winter issue. Ranae was kind enough to share their path to parenthood with us. It is such an important topic to highlight because ‘Reciprocal IVF’ or ‘Shared Motherhood’ is currently unavailable here in Ireland. 

On average, couples in Ireland are having between 2-3 kids per family. Use of contraception is at an all time high, with more women opting for newer contraceptive forms such as; coils or implants. How do you and your partner choose what is right for you? We outline all the options available.

The first year of baby’s life is a wonderful whirlwind of sleepless nights, nappies and those wonderful newborn cuddles. Mum of seven, Jen Hogan, tells us what to expect. Plus, sleep expert, Lucy Wolfe, prepares us for the lack of sleep that comes with the 4th Trimester, and some top tips on how to manage.

As usual we have gone overboard on the giveaways and offers for our winter issue. Make sure to enter our amazing competitions, which include; a €40 voucher from Edvard & Pink, an Orb high chair, a brand new smarTrike, a family break at Fota Island Resort and more!  

Happy 5th birthday to us!! Presenting our 20th issue!! 

After a jam packed summer of activities and camps it is back to the grind of school. If your little is starting pre-school or big school this term, fear not, we have some great tips Giraffe Childcare’s Dearbhala Cox Giffin on transitioning into the school system.

Reflux can be a living nightmare for many parents, with cases ranging from mild to the extreme. Sleep Specialist, Lucy Wolfe, has some great advice on laying a foundation for healthy sleep so that you can survive the rollercoaster that is reflux.

A process often considered only for Hollywood’s celeb culture has migrated to the Emerald Isle. Placenta encapsulation is a process where by the new mum’s placenta is dried and put into capsules to be indigested. Sabine Le Boulicaut is a maternity acupuncturist and placenta encapsulation specialist based in Dublin and Drogheda. She tells us why this practice is becoming increasingly popular with Irish mums.

Make sure to enter our amazing autumn competitions, which include; a spa day at Edvard & Pink, a Pacapod changing bag and the new electric shower from Triton. 

Welcome to the summer issue of Mums & Tots magazine.

Our main features include; all things twin: breastfeeding multiples, twin products and travelling with twins. We also have an exclusive interview with mum, model and best selling author Alison Canavan on her new book Minding Mum. 
Make sure to enter our fab competitions, which include; a hotel break at Inchydoney Island, a €100 Penneys voucher, a maternity dress from Ripe, and much more.

Issue 48 - Autumn 2023

Issue 47 - Summer 2023

Issue 46 - Spring 2023

Issue 45 - Autumn 2022

Issue 44 - Autumn 2022

Issue 43 - Summer 2022

Issue 42 - Spring 2022

Issue 41 - Winter 2021

Issue 40 - Autumn 2021

Issue 39 - Spring 2021

Issue 38 - Spring 2021

Issue 37 - Winter 2020

Issue 36 - Autumn 2020

Issue 35 - Summer 2020

Issue 34 - Spring 2020

Issue 33 - Winter 2019

Mums & Tots encompasses it all in a stylish and accessible 100 page glossy, total package, whether its; pregnancy, baby’s health, parenting, local events, latest products or reader competitions. We aim to reach mums on a very real level in every aspect of their pre and post natal journey.

1. You agree that the use of Magzter.com, the application and its services, are at solely at your own risk. Neither Magzter.com nor its associates nor employees nor third party content providers guarantee that the service will be completely uninterrupted or error-free or foolproof against miscreant activities. Nor do they warranty that you will get the exact results as expected or promised by the website or product.

11. THE SERVICE AND ALL PUBLICATIONS ARE PROVIDED ON AN 'AS IS' AND 'AS AVAILABLE' BASIS. MAGZTER, ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, LICENSORS AND AGENTS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER MAGZTER NOR ITS AFFILIATES, SUPPLIERS, LICENSORS OR AGENTS, MAKES ANY WARRANTY THAT (I) THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, (II) THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE, (III) THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE OR THAT MAY BE CONTAINED IN THE PUBLICATIONS WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE, OR (IV) THE QUALITY OF ANY PUBLICATIONS OR THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING AND MAINTAINING RELIABLE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AND YOUR DEVICE. MAGZTER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR INABILITY TO DOWNLOAD CONTENT. ANY MATERIAL DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF THE SERVICE IS DONE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK AND YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR MOBILE DEVICE OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE DOWNLOAD OF ANY SUCH MATERIAL. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED BY YOU FROM MAGZTER OR THROUGH OR FROM THE SERVICE SHALL CREATE ANY WARRANTY.

2. You will maintain and promptly update that information to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password and for restricting access to your computer, and you agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account, including the selection and use of all content and services.

2.You will maintain and promptly update that information to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password and for restricting access to your computer, and you agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account, including the selection and use of all content and services.

3. In no event will Magzter.com or any person or entity or third party involved in the creation, production and distribution of the content on the website and the application be liable in contract or legally for any damages, including and not limited to, direct, indirect, incidental, special, and consequential incurred to you while or on using Magzter.com. By registering on the website or downloading the application, you agree that the provisions mentioned in this section shall apply to all use of and content on the website and the application.

3. Without prior written or authorised permission from Magzter, you should not modify, copy, distribute or sell any content obtained from Magzter as everything published here is the proprietary property of Magzter or its licensors. As such unauthorised use may also violate applicable laws including copyright and trademark laws, Magzter strictly prohibits these and will terminate your access and account if any such illegal activity is proved or detected. You should also stand liable for the damages caused by these unauthorised activities. Except as permitted by the Publication's lawful owner, you acknowledge that you do not acquire any ownership rights by downloading Publications accessed through the Service. Except as explicitly required under copyright law or permitted by the features of the Service you may not modify, reverse engineer, publish, transmit, display, participate in the transfer or sale, create derivative works of, or in any way commercially exploit or provide to a third party the content of the App, the Publications, or any portion of them without the express permission of Magzter and the owner of such content. We do not grant you any licenses, express or implied, to the intellectual property of Magzter or Magzter's licensors.

5. You specifically acknowledge that Magzter.com is not liable for any kind of defamatory or offensive or illegal conduct of other users or third parties or their content and that the risk of injury from the foregoing rests entirely with you.

8. Magzter reserves all rights to monitor the content published and inputted by you for the purpose of determining whether you are compliant with these terms and conditions and other operating rules determined by Magzter. Magzter has the right to take decisions about the content and delete them at its own will.

9. Magzter is a distributor and NOT a publisher of the Publications and so Magzter has no editorial control over the content, including opinions, advice, statements, services, offers etc., that is represented in the magazines. So Magzter will not take responsibility for the accuracy or the reliability for any information or facts provided therein or that is made available through the service, by anyone other than authorised Magzter employees who are acting on their official capacities. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered by the Service, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of Magzter. Magzter will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information obtained through the Service or from the Publications. The Service may contain links to other Internet sites and third-party resources and Magzter does not assume any responsibility or liability for communications or materials available at such linked sites. These links are provided for your convenience only. You are solely responsible for understanding any terms and conditions that may apply when you visit or place an order through a third-party site.

Details of the objectionable content, including its link on our platform

Download your favorite titles and read them offline, anytime and anywhere

Gift your loved ones with a Magzter Gift Card instantly and give them the freedom to read their favorite magazines and newspapers from thousands of best-selling titles.

Gift your loved ones with a Magzter Gift Card instantly and give them the freedom to read their favorite magazines from thousands of best-selling titles.

Gift your loved ones with a Magzter Gift Card instantly and give them the freedom to read their favorite magazines from {{magCount}} best-selling international titles.

Girish Ramdas is the Co-founder and CEO of Magzter, a New York based startup that has been making waves in the global digital publishing business. Magzter has crossed 80 million users since its inception in 2011 from more than 150+ countries with 1000s of magazines, newspapers and books from more than 4,500 publishers worldwide. He has more than 25 years of experience in cross-platform publishing, including print, mobile, and Web development. During this period, he has co-founded and run three successful start-up businesses. He has enabled magazine companies to go digital and helps them monetize their content across the digital world. Girish's deep industry experience in online, mobile and publishing ecosystems has made him an expert in acquisition, marketing and monetizing digital content across platforms globally.

In the event that you encounter any objectionable content on our platform, we have put in place a grievance redressal policy to address your concerns.

Magzter Inc. (“Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) knows that you care about how your personal information is used and shared. Please read the following privacy policy (the “Policy”) to learn more about our privacy practices. By visiting any of the websites operated by the Company, and any sub-domains thereof, or using any of our mobile applications and other methods of content distribution (collectively, the “Service”), you acknowledge that you accept the practices and policies outlined in this Policy, and you hereby consent that we will collect, use, and share your information in the following ways.

Magzter Inc. is the World's largest and fastest growing self-service, cross-platform digital newsstand with over 80 million users since its inception in 2011 and thousands of magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages. Headquartered in New York, Magzter has its local presence in Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, and will soon be expanding to other countries. Founded by global entrepreneurs, Girish Ramdas and Vijay Radhakrishnan in June 2011, Magzter enables magazine and newspaper publishers around the world to create and deliver digital editions of their titles to global consumers.

Magzter is committed to providing a safe and secure platform for our users. Please note that Magzter is merely a platform for publishers to distribute their content. We do not control or endorse the content published on our platform. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of our publishers or their content.

Magzter is not responsible for compensating any party that has suffered damages or incurred costs due to any content, or part of the content, that violates their rights. Magzter is not liable to face any legal action in civil court for any violation of rights caused by any content, or part of the content, that infringes the rights of a third party.

Magzter offers the world’s largest {{allyoucanread}} subscription service called {{gold}} which gives digital readers unlimited access to 8,000+ magazines and newspapers for a monthly subscription price. Magzter also has the largest number of stories in the world with its game-changing ezRead 2.0 feature for its apps, which enables smartphone and small-screen mobile users to enjoy magazine content the way it was meant to be enjoyed, with article text that is easy to read and is accompanied by stunning videos and high resolution photography.

Magzter offers the world’s largest “All-You-Can-Read” subscription service called Magzter GOLD which gives digital readers unlimited access to 8,000+ magazines and newspapers for a monthly subscription price. Magzter also has the largest number of stories in the world with its game-changing ezRead 2.0 feature for its apps, which enables smartphone and small-screen mobile users to enjoy magazine content the way it was meant to be enjoyed, with article text that is easy to read and is accompanied by stunning videos and high resolution photography.

Name

Note: This will only share the cover and the publication information, but not the content.

Please fill out this form if you need any help regarding publishing your content on Magzter

Prior to Magzter, he was the President of Dot Com Infoway (DCI) and Galatta Media. His duties included strategic marketing, partnership development, and monetizing content globally. DCI grew from a small team of 3 in 2000 to 300 by 2011 and was dealing with web, software and app development for clients globally.

Since we launched, Magzter has been committed to partnering with global organizations to provide the greatest possible newsstand technology & service to our customers. Whether you are looking to offer magazine subscriptions to your customer database or just want to learn more, Magzter is committed to helping your business grow. To find out more, please fill out the questionnaire below:

The DMCA allows us to restore the removed content if the party filing the original DMCA Notice does not file a court action against you within ten business days of receiving the copy of your Counter Notice.

This Policy covers Company’s treatment of personally identifiable information (“Personal Information”) and other information about you and your computer or device that Company gathers when you are accessing the Service. We may collect Personal Information from you, as explained in more detail below, and we use this Personal Information internally in connection with our Services, including to personalize, provide, and improve our products, services, content, and advertising, and to allow you to set up a user account and profile, to contact you, to fulfill your requests for certain products and services, and to analyze how you use the Services. In certain cases, we may also share some Personal Information with third parties, but only as described in point 4.

This title is included with your Magzter GOLD subscription

To analyze the quality of content and provide appropriate feedback to publishers

We have designated a Grievance Officer to address any complaints related to objectionable content.

We request that any complaint related to objectionable content be sent to the Grievance Officer through email to the above-mentioned email address. We also request that you provide the following details when making a complaint:

and the App that provides you the capability to order, subscribe to and receive the delivery of various magazines, books, news and magazine and publication related content (collectively known as 'Publications') and to have these digital versions of the Publications delivered to you

c. We also collect information associated with your use of the application in order to make personalized recommendations. If you provide your third-party account credentials to us, you understand some content and/or information in those accounts (“Third Party Account Information”) may be transmitted into your account with us if you authorize such transmissions, and that Third Party Account Information transmitted to the Service is covered by this Policy.

f. The Personal Information we collect allows us to respond to your requests, improve our products and services, customize the advertising and content you see, and communicate with you about new products.

is the World's largest and fastest growing self-service, cross-platform digital newsstand with over 85 million users since its inception in 2011 and thousands of magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages. Headquartered in New York, Magzter has its local presence in Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, and will soon be expanding to other countries. Founded by global entrepreneurs, Girish Ramdas and Vijay Radhakrishnan in June 2011, Magzter enables magazine and newspaper publishers around the world to create and deliver digital editions of their titles to global consumers.

n. We will also use usage information in order to ensure users adhere to our Terms of Use. For example, a user’s usage information will help us confirm that a user only downloads a magazine or other content a permitted number of times or to a permitted number of devices.

which gives digital readers unlimited access to 8,000+ magazines and newspapers for a monthly subscription price. Magzter also has the largest number of stories in the world with its game-changing ezRead 2.0 feature for its apps, which enables smartphone and small-screen mobile users to enjoy magazine content the way it was meant to be enjoyed, with article text that is easy to read and is accompanied by stunning videos and high resolution photography.

{{magzter}} is the World's largest and fastest growing self-service, cross-platform digital newsstand with over 85 million users since its inception in 2011 and thousands of magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages. Headquartered in New York, Magzter has its local presence in Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, and will soon be expanding to other countries. Founded by global entrepreneurs, Girish Ramdas and Vijay Radhakrishnan in June 2011, Magzter enables magazine and newspaper publishers around the world to create and deliver digital editions of their titles to global consumers.

Mums and Tots Magazine - Issue 34 - Spring 2020

Mums and Tots Magazine - Issue 34 - Spring 2020

In this issue

Mums and Tots Magazine Description: