LittleONE baby baby.
LIFE WITH Patti Newton, Michael Klim & Mia Freedman all share their stories
$1
go to from every issue sold will
THE NATIONAL PREMMIE FOUNDATION
C E L E B R AT E Y O U R
little one. Beautiful outfits for every special occasion
REAL LIFE
nurseries. Gorgeous baby’s rooms from all over Australia
ISSN
9
1836-4624
771836
462003
154
78
106 contents
Bits &
pieces
Dressing
up
9
Contributors
91
Happy Birthday
21
Beautiful Things To Wear
10
Magazine Detail
105
Design Ideas
103
First Steps
12
Publisher’s Letter
170
Appendix
106
Dressing Baby – Celebration
14
Letterbox
172
Be Involved
114
In The Closet
16
I Love New Things
174
Subscribe
116
Pregnancy Fashion – Double Duty
18
Goodie Bag
175
Stockists
128
Dressing Baby – Romper Room
74
Did You Know?
176
Lust For This
135
More Please
6
|
LI T T LE ONE BAB Y
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
128
145 96 Life with 30
The Perfect Gift
33
baby
Baby's
space
24
Introducing Dempsey May
It’s A Small World After All
48
Introducing Elio Carlo
56
Working Mum – Mia Freedman
63
Introducing Lila
59
Beautiful Things For Play
78
Introducing Hugh Patrick
71
How To…Bathtime
96
Introducing Cleo Grace
76
Grandma’s Tales – Patti Newton
138
Introducing Oscar Henry
87
Books About Baby
145
Introducing Adelaide
88
Dad’s View – Michael Klim
154
Introducing Lorcan Robert
152
Thirsty Baby
153
Hungry Baby
161
The Good Stuff…Avocadoes
165
The Travelling Baby
And then I felt the grip of her tiny hand around the tip of my little finger… Larissa Patton
p.35
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BAB Y
|
7
Perception
is a very interesting thing.
Before I became
PUBLISHER’S letter
a m o t h e r , o v e r t h e y e a r s I h av e b e e n t o l d t h at ‘ I d o n ’ t u n d e r s t a n d ’ b e c a u s e I h a v e n ’ t g i v e n b i r t h , o r I wa s n ’ t a p a r e n t. N o w t h at I a m , w h at I d o k n o w i s t h i s : I s t i l l d o n ’ t u n d e r s ta n d !
I never will.
u n d e r s ta n d m e .
And they will never
N o t h i n g w r o n g w i t h t h a t, b u t w e a l l
n e e d t o a p p r e c i a t e t h a t u n t i l y o u wa l k e x a c t l y i n t h e shoes of another – you will life. baby.
never truly understand t h e i r
N o o n e h a s g i v en b i r t h li k e yo u.
No one has your
N o o n e h a s y o u r f r i e n d s , y o u r fa m i ly, y o u r h o m e , y o u r pa r t n e r … a n d
t h e s u m o f y o u r l i f e c r e at e s y o u r e x p e r i e n c e a s M o t h e r .
You can
a n d r e s p e c t, b u t n o t u n d e r s t a n d .
appreciate
I n t h i s i s s u e o f L i t t l e ONE B a b y w e s p o k e t o M i a F r e e d m a n – m u m o f t h r e e , s u p e r blo gger and ex-glossy mag edi tor – abo u t h er li fe and h er new bo ok. I n Mama M i a , M i a ta l k s a b o u t t h e a b i l i t y ( o r t h e p e r c e p t i o n ) t h a t y o u c a n ‘ h av e i t a l l’ . A r o u n d t h e s a m e t i m e I wa s r e a d i n g M i a’ s b o o k ( e x c e l l e n t r e a d f o r a l l m u m s , b y t h e way ) , I h a d l u n c h w i t h a f r i e n d w h o wa s s o v e r y p r o u d o f h o w I
all together’ w i t h
‘had it
w o r k a n d m o t h e r h o o d ( w h e n i n s i d e , I wa s a c r a z y , s t r e s s e d
ou t wreck wondering how I would make it through the week). L i k e M i a , I wa n t t o l e t t h e w o r l d k n o w t h a t y o u c a n h a v e i t a l l i n l i f e … j u s t
We all suffer f rom mummy-guilt a t
n o t a l l at o n c e !
( a t l e a s t o n c e a d a y , a n y wa y ) !
one time or another
I n t h i s i s s u e o f L i t t l e ONE B a b y w e h a v e s o m e
b e a u t i f u l m u m s w h o a r e d o i n g i t t h e i r wa y … w o r k i n g m u m s , c r e a t i v e m u m s and mums who became mums a lit tle earlier than expected and had to deal w i t h t h at e x t r a c h a l l e n g e . L i k e m a n y n e w m u m s , m y c u r r e n t c h a l l e n g e i s s l e e p d e p r i va t i o n . is to
embrace the moment a s
My solution
b e s t I ca n a n d e n j o y t h e n i g h t s. I t ’ s ac t ua lly
k i n d o f n i c e . T h e h o u s e i s q u i e t. N o o n e w i l l r i n g y o u , o r e m a i l y o u , o r k n o c k o n t h e d o o r wa n t i n g a c u p p a a t 3 a m . I t ’ s j u s t y o u , a n d t h e wa r m e s t, s o f t e s t, s w e e t e s t s m e l l i n g
little bundle of beautiful y o u
could ever
i m a g i n e . S o h o l d t h e m e x t r a t i g h t, s m e l l t h a t n e w l i t t l e b a b y s m e l l a n d enjoy, because all to o so on i t wi ll be gone. And to all the mums reading this:
you’re doing a wonderful job.
I promise.
A n d i f y o u t h i n k t h at s o m e o n e o u t t h e r e i s d o i n g a b e t t e r j o b ( o r a w o r s e o n e ! ) t h e n g u e s s w h a t, t h e y ’ r e n o t – t h a t i s j u s t y o u r p e r c e p t i o n . T h e y a r e j u s t t r y i n g t o d o t h e i r b e s t t o o , s o t r y n o t t o j u d g e , o r c o m pa r e , o r e v e n u n d e r s ta n d t h e m … j u s t wherever you can.
take inspiration ( a n d
- Amy Doak Publishing Editor 12
|
LI T T LE ONE BA B Y
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
a p p r e c i at i o n a n d r e s p e c t )
TM
An exq u i si te ďŹ t
A gorgeous collection of luxurious maternity and nursing lingerie. For beautiful pregnant & breast-feeding mothers! Cake Lingerie can be purchased from - Isabella’s Passion - Lin and Barrett - She Lingerie More Stores can be found on the website
www.cakelingerie.com
03 5443 1258 | 0409 977 694 | www.lisanankervis.com | lisa@lisanankervis.com
PREMMIE stories
after all.
i t ’ s a s m aAlD l V wE oR r lTdI S E M E N T Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact. Just ask an arachnophobia sufferer. Or a toddler who’s found a ladybug in thick, wet grass. Or someone who’s just met a new baby, born too soon. Just ask writer Lauren Mitchell.
M
y friend L’s baby was welcomed into the word seven weeks before the due date. Her pregnancy had been going along smoothly. A 3D scan at 28-weeks had shown the parents the little bundle was to be dressed in pink. So pink it was; pink sheets, pink hats, pink pjs - a name was chosen, fit for a princess. Then seven weeks too early, my friend’s tummy began to tighten and just hours later, the baby was delivered. “It’s not quite what you expected,” said the doctor, as the tiny boy was held high for all to see. Fits of laughter followed; my friend has a sense of humour. But there were plenty of tears too. When I first saw L in hospital, she had friends all around her, but baby Logan was
elsewhere, in a big city, on a big adventure with Dad, attached to a machine to help him breathe. “You just don’t know how lucky you are to have your baby in the room with you,” she said. I don’t know, but I imagine the alternative would be like having your heart taken away, to help it pump. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for my friend, for the fact she was without the child she’d nurtured within and spoken to those past long months. But that was the last thing she needed. So hours later there we were; an impromptu mum’s group gathered in a hospital room, with powder blue cards, bright flowers and a stack of baby name books, celebrating. One brought out the
Tupperware; homemade neenish tarts. Another jostled a puffy-eyed three-monthold off to sleep. Someone’s horrific story of a 36-hour labour rivalled Stephen King’s best efforts and another relayed the bizarre account of one twin giving birth and her sister producing the milk! When I did meet Logan some days later, he was curled on his side, sleeping in a special care crib. Fair hair. Fragile. Nappy way too big. Lungs getting bigger by the day. “That’s him breathing,” said L. “He’s breathing on his own.” And all was well in their world. As the women in this feature say, there are many small miracles and milestones to cherish when a new life arrives before time.
“a p e r s o n i s a p e r s o n n o m a t t e r h o w s m a l l” - d r . s e u s s . Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BABY
|
33
PREMMIE stories
elsie
Elsie
b a b y e l s i e - b o r na at 2 4 w e e k s g e s tat i o n - w e i g h t 6 3 4 g r a m s.
36
|
LI T T LE ONE BA B Y
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
PREMMIE stories
fa n n i n g a
flame of hope.
‘She weighed 634g. We named her Elsie,’ writes Larissa Patton of the baby her and husband Anthony met at 24weeks, with a 50-per cent chance at life. Their little fighter is now two years old. “With my arm through the porthole, I rested the tip of my little finger in her palm and hoped like hell she would wrap her hand around it. Two months before, Anthony and I stepped off a plane in far north Queensland for our last holiday as a couple before the baby arrived. I was glad of the opportunity to straighten my back and pressed firmly on my belly to ease a sharp pain. The next day at the Ayr Hospital, a doctor announced there was no way to stop the labour. An empty humidicrib loomed beside me during the ambulance ride to Townsville. It was not until I was wheeled into the maternity ward of the Townsville Hospital that I could open my eyes to the situation I was in. Over the next few hours, doctors and nurses told us what to expect. ‘Hope it’s a girl; they’re stronger,’ a nurse said, wheeling in a flat cot warmed by its overhead heater. The baby arrived with shiny, translucent skin, dark hair and bruises over her entire body. The mere passage through the birth canal was enough to burst her tiny, thinwalled blood vessels. The frail little creature, sprawled in the humidicrib with eyes fused shut like a baby sparrow fallen out of its nest, was our daughter. Wasn’t there supposed to be some overwhelming feeling of love that no-one can explain or prepare for? ‘There are question marks (a) over her survival, and (b) over any disability she may have,’ the doctor said. ‘But while there is uncertainty, there is hope. And the flame of
hope is still flickering.’ In the first few days, we were afraid to love Elsie. There were too many tubes, wires and monitors going in, out and off her fragile body. All we had was the hope she would live. If we didn’t love her, surely it wouldn’t hurt as much to lose her. But the medical team was doing all they could and Elsie all she could. As for us, I produced and froze breastmilk that we hoped one day she could drink. We sat beside her and we looked after each other. Over the next few weeks, I imprinted in my mind her hairline and how her hands looked like a doll’s. If we did lose her, I wanted some memories from the short time she was ours. It was not long before the instinctive love for our beautiful little girl was unquestionable. Hope and confidence replaced fear and confusion. We found joy celebrating small victories rather than sorrow for missing out on the idyllic arrival of a newborn. ‘The baby’s lungs are a concern. There’s no room left to move on the ventilator,’ the doctor said as he walked out. ‘If the steroids are going to work, we should see some improvement by tonight.’ If they didn’t, doctors would turn off the machine that breathed for her. We peered back into the humidicrib and drew inspiration from Elsie’s strength. And then I felt the grip of her tiny hand around the tip of my little finger. If Elsie was going to be strong, who were we not to be the same?”
“I imprinted in my mind her hairline and her hands looked like a dolls.”
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BABY
|
37
PARTY time
a l e g r a’ s 1 s t
birthday.
Baby’s name: Allegra Poppy Born: 11th August 2008 Weight: 10 pound (4.5kg) Mum: Kate, 33 Dad: Steven, 33 Theme: Allegra’s Carnival.
T
he last 12 months have been a dream for first time mum, Kate. “We were blessed with a very easygoing baby who fed and slept well right from the beginning and has continued to do so. I tell everyone that is my payback for giving birth to a 10 pounder!” Watching her daughter Allegra grow has meant absolute joy, “I have to agree with a friend who once said to me that whatever age they are, is the best age. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it is so true! Newborn babies are beautiful, but then as Allegra started growing older and developing her personality, that has been absolutely wonderful too. The first smile,
first giggle, clapping, crawling – each age has such landmark events!” However, the big landmark event for most babies has to be when they hit the grand old age of one year. The first birthday, and first birthday party, is a great reason to bring friends and family together and truly celebrate. For Allegra – it was time for a big celebration…in fact, a carnival! “We had around 60 adults and 15 kids at the party – made up of family and close friends. A few guests got right into the carnival spirit and came dressed in candy striped shirts, or wore clown noses. One little girl looked gorgeous dressed as a tight rope walker!” says Kate.
“My husband, Steven, as well as my two good friends, Katrina and Amanda, helped me bring the party to life. Amanda is a graphic designer and she spent endless hours on the details with me. Katrina is the ‘games queen’ and we had such fun planning all the activities for the day.” “The invites set the theme - a gorgeous photo of Allegra on the front and on the inside, a little pocket holding an ‘admit one’ ticket with all the party details. The invites were various shades of pink and pale green which we used throughout everything relating to the party.” “I found the most gorgeous bunting from Paper Eskimo, beautiful pinks and
C H O O S E C O L O U R S F I R S T T O S E T Y O U O N Y O U R WA Y W I T H A T H E M E .
90
|
LI T T LE ONE BA B Y
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
PARTY time
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BABY
|
91
BABY’S space
INTRODUCING
Cleo Grace.
Born: 16th April 2009 Weight: 9 pound (4.1kg) Mum: Kelly, 33 Dad: Brad, 34 Sibling: Big sister, Lexi Rose Design aesthetic: Modern and Whimsical.
I
t took six years for Kelly and Brad to create Cleo’s big sister, Lexi. Three years of trying ended in miscarriage. Six months, fertility treatment and the discovery of endometriosis, they fell pregnant again, only to miscarry at seven weeks. Finally, taking a risk at possibly ending up with triplets, Lexi arrived in December 2007. When Lexi was six months old, and Kelly was still breastfeeding, Kelly discovered she was pregnant with Cleo. To say that she was a lovely surprise was a huge understatement. “We took the attitude ‘what will be, will be’. Already having one baby definitely made it easier with the second,” says Kelly. “I knew what to expect and also knew that I wasn’t going to be able to do it all and keep them both happy all of the time! So I did my best not to stress. I honestly believe your state of mind affects your baby, so if you are easy going, they will be too. I have
my moments, but try to keep that attitude. Who really cares if the washing sits there?” “We found out we were having a girl with both pregnancies. Both times we took bets and then announced it a few days later. It was nice to have a secret for a few days, but I never would have lasted the whole nine months! We had another name selected for Cleo, but about two months before she arrived I decided I didn’t like it. I was watching the news and the Cleo Bachelor of the Year awards were just launched, and something just clicked.” Kelly laughs, “Brad and I were high school sweethearts, and our very first kiss was 17 years earlier after reading Cleo’s 20th anniversary issue! Sad, I know! People have thought it is Chloe and my Dad thought we said Clara! Mum wasn’t that impressed when we told her it was like the magazine.” “Cleo arrived very quickly – three hours
from start to finish. We were going to induce her that afternoon, and I didn’t want Brad to go to work that day. He was getting ready for work when my waters broke. I rang the obstetrician and he said to come straight in. We arrived at the hospital at 8am and by 9.30am I was asking to push. With a little help from the ventouse, she arrived at 10.12am.” “This was very different to my experience with Lexi! We went in at 9am and she was born at 3pm the following day. I did an extra scan at 32 weeks with both girls just so I could see them again. Lexi was big at that scan, in the 90th percentile, while Cleo was smaller – 60th percentile – so I was looking forward to a smaller bub. As it turned out, Cleo was a fraction bigger than Lexi!” Planning a living space for two little girls only 15 months apart has its own set of challenges. “I knew Lexi
Q U A L I T Y P I E C E S A N D P E R S O N A L A R T W O R K C R E A T E L O V E LY K E E P S A K E S .
96
|
LI T T LE ONE BA B Y
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
BABY’S space
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BABY
|
97
DRESSING baby
Zaidee wears ‘Jemma’ silk and lace christening gown $500 (www.ivyemerald.com.au)
108
|
LI T T LE ONE BA BY
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
DRESSING baby
Joshua wears ‘Thomas’ silk dupion christening romper & matching hat $420 & $70 (www.ivyemerald.com.au) and Pearl white loafers $79.95 (www.czarque.com.au)
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BAB Y
|
109
PREGNANCY fashion
double du ty
dressing.
Dressing for pregnancy can be a challenge – but then so can dressing in your ‘4th’ trimester. After the baby has arrived, and if you’re breastfeeding, your old clothes just won’t do. When you consider that is a year of fashion dramas (at the least!) it would pay to invest in some key pieces that will take you through the whole year.
116
|
LI T T LE ONE BA BY
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
PREGNANCY fashion
The Jean A classic dark denim, straight leg with a slight boot cut flatters all body types. With a discreet maternity band, these can be worn for the entire nine months, and the months after until your old jeans fit again! Our choice: Mavi Angelina Bootleg Jean $149.95 (www.queenbee.com.au) Opposite: Tamika wears Estelle Malibu Top $199.00 (www.fragile.com.au) with the jean. Shoes model’s own. This page: Nicky wears navy kimimo nursing top $145.00 (www.isabellaoliver.com) with the jean.
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BAB Y
|
117
DRESSING baby
Abigail wears Purebaby Poppy Floral Romper $39.95 (www.purebaby. com.au)
130
|
LI T T LE ONE BA BY
|
Nove mbe r 0 9
Abigail wears Sooki Baby China Doll nappy pant & tee $19.95 & $26.95 (www.sookibaby.com.au)
DRESSING baby
Blake wears Minti tee $37.95 (www.iloveminti.com) & Polka Turtle Bum nappy cover $44.95 (www.littlepinwheel. com.au)
Savannah wears Princess Ratbag Rosette onesie and petti bloomer $35.00 & $24.00 (www.princessratbag.com) Royal Jungle elephant $16.95 (www.latoriana.com.au)
Cooper wears Sookie 60’s overall in robot print $24.95 (0402 576 562)
Nove mbe r 0 9
|
L I T TL E ON E BAB Y
|
131
ww w. fr a g i le . c o m . a u