The NCT also provides a free magazine called ‘Bumps & Babies’ which I ordered online. This soon arrived and contains in-depth articles for mums-to-be and new mums. I had a quick look at Tommy’s which is another good site to browse. Tommy’s www.tommys.org is a charity that exists to save babies lives by funding research and providing information on the causes and prevention of miscarriage, premature birth and stillbirth. Just like the NCT website, the Tommy’s site is a wealth of information. They have free magazines/leaflets available and I ordered my copy of ‘Your guide to a healthy pregnancy’ which arrived in the post just a few days later and was useful bedtime reading. Reassuringly, Tommy’s offers a helpline staffed by qualified midwives. They clearly understand that pregnant mums don’t always want to phone their local doctor’s surgery if they have a non-urgent query. I’m sure I’ll be coming back to this site!
When I popped into Sainsbury’s (to buy some food for my latest cravings!) I spotted a leaflet at the checkout for the Sainsbury’s Little Ones baby & toddler club www3.sainsburys.co.uk/littleones/ which you can join online. It said something about free Nectar points or freebies from Huggies so I thought I’d give it a go. They also send you free magazines and vouchers so that’s a bonus – I know those vouchers will make a difference once the cost of parenthood sets in and they’ll give me brownie points with Tim!
As you might expect, Sainsbury’s offer recipes and meal planners tailored to pregnant mums, breastfeeding mums, as well as suggestions for feeding babies and toddlers. I didn’t look at the recipes for too long as they made me feel hungry again! Sainsbury’s offer expert advice on their site and have partnered with Netmums www.netmums.com to provide an experienced panel. Netmums are celebrating their 10th anniversary and are the country’s biggest parenting website – so I figure they must know a thing or two about children. A good move by Sainsbury’s to include Netmums.
On a bit of a roll now, I’ve also signed up to the Mothercare Baby & Me Club. www.mothercarebabyandmeclub.com is where you can sign up online or you can just pick up a leaflet in-store. Mothercare are promising offers and information tailored to my stage of the parenting journey. The mum-to-be section covers a variety of topics from kitting myself out with a maternity capsule wardrobe to thinking about travel systems and car seats as well as preparing me for what I’ll need for the hospital etc. It looks like a well-thought out and comprehensive site and I’m sure I’ll be logging in quite often! Meanwhile, my mum and mother-in-law are both drooling over the Spring/Summer Mothercare catalogue…!