Waiting for baby… our nursery corner

The waiting game has began! I’m nearly 39 weeks pregnant and it can be really any day now… or not! I always find these weeks around the due date so strange. All is quiet and calm, everything is more or less prepared for the arrival of the baby. And no one knows when or how it all will happen! It’s once again a matter of accepting that some things in life can not be foreseen…

My first baby was 10 days late, my last one 5 days early. This new baby can be born any day between now and the next three weeks!

In the meantime I have set up the nursery (meaning, the little baby corner in our bedroom). The beautiful, handcrafted little baby bed is from Nesta’s Nest (made from 100% wool felt). I love the simplicity of the bassinet, and the fact that is so low. (It will move next to our bed once the baby is born, so we can easily pick him up and put him back in the middle of the night.)

We’ve used the changing table for our other babies too. We originally found it in the attic of my husband’s parents — he was changed on it as a baby as well! I love the shabby chic, vintage look of it.

I made the bed with the baby sheets my grandmother embroidered when she was pregnant with my mum, in the winter of 1941/42. Both my grandmother and my mother have passed away, so I feel very connected to them this way.

The shelves (by String) were already hanging in our bedroom. I put some of my old Beatrix Potter books on there, as well as my birth announcement from the ’70s. The little sculpture of me as a baby was made by my mum.

The two samplers were also made by my mum. The bottom one is celebrating my parents’ wedding, the top one my birth. I like the way the colours work with the rest of the decoration and feel they make a surprisingly lovely nursery wall decor!

xxx Esther

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Natural pregnancy skincare by Eve & Rose

My belly is big and round now and I just feel the skin stretching around it. So tight! Also, the itching is terrible, and comes in waves. My legs, my arms, my back (especially there where I can not reach)… All so itchy! It’s part of the pregnancy deal, of course, and thankfully temporary (almost done!).

Every morning I religiously rub my belly with oil, and it helps to soothe the skin so much. I am a total fan of the Eve & Rose products — their Precious Body Oil is beautifully dry and has such a gentle, soft and soothing scent. I also use the Eve & Rose Nourishing Body Lotion on my legs and arms, and I swear it helps with the itching.

Eve & Rose products are made of 100% natural ingredients, using blends of fine oils such as organ and academia, and other ingredients like aloe vera, shea, white lily flower and tocepherol (natural vitamin E). There is no use of essential oils, alcohol, parabens, phtalates, SLS, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrances or colours.

Another great thing about Eve & Rose is that 50% (!!) of the profit is used to support the charity ‘Children of the Mekong’. Thus helping the poorest children and their communities in remote areas and slums. What a great initiative!

xxx Esther

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The hospital bag | what essentials do you need to pack?

The last few weeks before giving birth is all about preparing for baby. I’ve been reading books and trying to practise my breathing for during delivery, and I have set up the little crib and changing table in our bedroom. Of course I’ve washed all those little baby clothes as well! Part of the fun, for sure. And considering that I’m keeping my options open (home birth or hospital birth), I did pack my hospital bag. So I’m ready either way!

Here’s what’s in my hospital bag:

1. A wash bag with lip balm, some samples of face wash, face lotion, shampoo and shower gel, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, hair brush, hand cream, and a case (plus solution) for my contact lenses. Also, elastic bands for my hair!
2. Some basic make-up (my two favourite tinted moisturisers, from Laura Mercier and Estee Lauder (which in winter I mix), my favourite cream blush stick and simple black mascara)
3. Warm socks and slippers (I packed a pair of disposable slippers that I brought from a hotel room. Handy, I thought!)
4. A cute night shirt / nursing gown and a cosy robe
5. Cotton grandma briefs!
6. A comfy nursing bra and nursing tank
7. A bar of chocolate, some little bags of nuts and a bottle of champagne
8. A little notebook and a pen
9. Breast pads (washable) and sanitary pads
10. A pair of maternity leggings, a long sleeved T-shirt which allows for nursing and a cute oversized blouse to wear when going back home

I also packed a phone charger and left a note to remind myself to stick my phone in the bag, as well as my glasses. And to not forget our (charged!) camera and the baby car seat.

And here’s what I packed for baby:

• Layette essentials (two envelope onesies, two cosy white sleepsuits, a cashmere receiving blanket, a swaddle blanket, two muslin squares and a hat)
• One tiny baby outfit (overalls and hat which I knit for Casper!) and minuscule socks
• A few organic nappies and wipes

xxx Esther

PS Some women love to bring a little bluetooth speaker to the hospital so they can listen to music. Some bring candles so they can dim the light. Some even like to bring a pillow from home. I personally don ‘t need any of this in the hospital, but I’m curious to hear what you did bring and loved having with you?

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Boob, pregnancy and breastfeeding-friendly fashion from Sweden

Boob is a Stockholm-based maternity label offering an extensive collection of clothes for all stages of motherhood. With clever solutions for double use (being pregnancy and breastfeeding friendly), the fashion goes way beyond 9 months. The great quality even makes them last so long they can be used for other pregnancies or be passed on to friends! I love clothes with a long lifecycle like that.

I have found the Boob basics to be staples in my pregnancy wardrobe. In my posts about first and second trimester essentials, I mentioned Boob pregnancy and breastfeeding friendly fashion already. The styles are so cute and comfortable, they easily cover the belly in all different stages and are flattering as well. (I’m wearing the Flatter me long-sleeve top as we speak!)

Boob just launched their Spring Summer collection and I wanted to show you some pieces I am so excited about. This Air dress — how beautiful is it? I just love the elegance of the cut and the prettiness of the colour. It works for pregnancy (see the photo below where I’m wearing it with an 8 months bump!). After birth, all of the flowing fabric will lovingly disguise the after-birth belly, while offering a clever breastfeeding solution. Just by pushing aside the fabric pleats, nursing access is revealed! When your waist allows, I love the belted version as in the photo above too. (I’m far from that option, of course!) Also, it is made from 100% organic cotton.

Another item I think is so fun is the Amelia Jumpsuit. I wear it so much now that I am cocooning and nesting around the house! Again, it is super comfy to wear and offers easy and discreet breastfeeding access. I love the fun style with the cropped legs, and the tied top. I’m excited to be able to keep wearing this piece after I’ve had the baby, as I think this will become one of my favourite pieces for the summer, like the Air dress.

I’m also very excited to announce a give-away we’re hosting over on our Instagram together with Boob! They are giving away a 250 euro voucher to one lucky winner (and will ship your prize all over the world)! For details, head over to our Instagram page now. Good luck!

But that’s not all, Boob is also offering a whopping 20% off their entire collection for all Babyccino readers, from today ’til the 24th of February. Just enter code BABYCCINO20BOOB at check-out! Enjoy!

xxx Esther

PS This post has been sponsored by Boob, a longtime member of our portal and a brand I personally love and endorse.

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A new collection from Louise Misha with pretty pieces for mamas too!

The new spring/summer collection at Louise Misha launched last week and it is simply beautiful! With stunning, bohemian dresses and accessories for little girls, and a larger-than-ever selection for women, this is my favourite collection yet. There is honestly not a single piece in the women’s collection that I wouldn’t love to have in my closet: pretty blouses, flowing silk dresses, and easy-to-wear-anywhere dresses like this one (honestly, how pretty is it?!!!). I just love the effortless feel of each and every piece.

The girls collection is equally stunning with lots of flowy shapes, ruffles and beautiful embroidery. And what I think I love most about the Louise Misha dresses is that while they are delicate enough to wear for special occasions, they are durable enough to wear day-to-day, thrown over a swimsuit and worn to the beach, for example.

Louise Misha is a French brand created in 2014 by two friends, Aurélie Remetter and Marie Pidancet, who were inspired by their travels to India. They initially launched with a collection of jewellery, which later expanded to a collection of clothing for girls and then, lucky for us mamas, a collection for women, which they launched last year.

In the photos above, Marlow is wearing the beautiful saffron-coloured Nouchka Dress with bright pink detailing on the side tassels, and the embroidered Hindaka Dress in white. I am wearing the floral Aster Tropical dress, which I love because it’s so lightweight — perfect for this hot, humid weather.

Check out the full collection here.

Courtney x

This post has been sponsored by Louise Misha, a longtime member of our portal. All words, images and opinions are entirely my own.

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Superkilen – A designed urban space celebrating diversity

For true urban play, Superkilen is an inventively rendered park and community space that is deservedly held in high esteem by the design and architecture press. With diversity celebrated through its design and its use, it occupies a huge wedge-shaped piece of land between apartment buildings and busy streets around and between Nørrebrogade and Tagensvej.

Often a feature of Instagram, it’s carved up into three distinct zones that gather around the long cycleway coiling through the park, and is peppered with references to, and inspiration from, the 57 cultures that live in the area, and who have been active in shaping it.

Working from Nørrebrogade – serviced by a multitude of buses from the city centre – the first area is the Red Zone, which is punctuated by neon signage set high up on stilts, whose graphics references Russian and Chinese iconography. The skater-populated ground is coloured red and so is the play equipment, the highlight of which are circle swings embedded with benches that are reminiscent of vintage seaside resorts. The Red Zone is also home to Nørrebrohallen, a community centre with what looks like a great café (and toilets!) and an indoor football hall, at one end of which are accessible climbing walls for kids.

On from the Red Zone and crossing a street, the monochromatic, much-photographed Black Market’s charcoal ground is laced with white stripes – uniform where they start at the top of a small hill in the distance, and splaying out and heading in different directions as they hit ground level. This is naturally a favourite spot for kids who love scooters and biking.

The Black Market also hosts chess tables and barbecue grills for people to gather together around, and its multi-cultural elements include a fountain from Morocco, palm trees from China and – adored by my boys – a glossy black play structure inspired by a Japanese toy octopus that looks like Darth Vadar’s mask. On two corners that face the Black Market are cafés – useful for snacks or pitstops.

Over the Black Market’s lined hillock, grass suddenly appears, and you’re in the Green Zone, a more traditional picnic-and-play area with a kind of circus-style red-and-white structure at its heart. We only head here for the incredibly long swings, but otherwise my kids have never felt there’s much to write home about in this part of the wedge.

Superkilen’s total area amounts to 30,000 square metres – yet it’s every corner and detail is thought through and tells of life elsewhere, from the benches to the rubbish bins and everything in between. Playing here among the colour-coded graffiti and cultural references makes for an easy half-day – and one that’s always well spent.

Address

Nørrebrogade 208
2200 København N

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The third trimester of your pregnancy | what essentials do you need?

The third trimester is when you will start to feel BIG and heavy and perhaps physically uncomfortable. But you will also be excitedly preparing yourself for the birth of your baby… This is such a fun and special time!

In addition to my lists of first and second trimester essentials, here’s a few things you might need in the third trimester:

1. Bath: by now my body is so big and heavy, my back is sore and my belly crampy. Having a bath brings so much relief! These lavender bath salts from Neal’s Yard are so relaxing. I tried them at Emilie’s place recently and loved them. (I just ordered a jar for myself; they will be great to use after the birth as well!)
2. Prepare: Regardless of whether you’re preparing for a home birth, a hospital birth, a natural birth or a c-section, it is good to know what childbirth is all about. There’s no need to dread giving birth — instead, it is important to feel powerful, ready and relaxed! I personally still don’t know if I will stay home for the birth or head over to the hospital. Here in the Netherlands you can decide pretty much last minute! But I do think it will be a natural birth, like my 4 previous ones. In any case, I feel it is good to understand what will happen during birth. And learn (or at least, know about!) techniques to stay as calm and relaxed as possible. I find that Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth  can be a helpful read (especially so if you’re hoping to give birth naturally). Also, it’s good to practise hypno-birth breathing techniques, or the sort of breathing and relaxation techniques you learn at pregnancy yoga.
3. Tea: Drinking Raspberry Leaf tea is said to help prepare the womb for childbirth.
4. Massage: A massage brings relief and relaxation (and helps with a sore back or restless legs!). I love this belly oil from Tubby Tods.
5. Robe: This cashmere robe is so luxuriously comfortable and fits the biggest of bumps!
6. Announcements: In the Netherlands, it is the custom to send out birth announcements to all friends and family. Selecting a card and gathering all of the addresses is definitely a third trimester activity.

xxx Esther

PS  Yesterday I made a big pot full of pasta sauce that I froze in batches. I’m trying to stock up our pantry and freezer so we don’t have to think about food too much later!

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Team Favourites: 14 Warming Winters Soups & Stews

A bowl of warm, homemade soup is a bowl of happiness. It just feels good for the soul to have yummy and healthy soup simmering away. Especially if you are serving it to a family filled with colds or fighting flus! But really, there is never a reason to need soup, just because is reason enough.

Our Babyccino team have collected their favourite soups to share with you. Enjoy our fourteen soups (in the gallery) and a ‘bonus’ Chicken Soup recipe from Polona’s mother in law in Slovenia that was too yummy to resist sharing (with dumplings as the ‘icing on the cake’ moment). We love sharing our tested and tried favourites with you… even the family secret ones!

1. Carrot and Cardamon — The combination of cardamon with carrot is divine! I love the smell of this soup warming on the stove. Delicious! — Vanessa
2. Tomato Soup — A lovely tomato soup- this recipe is for the slow cooker, but you could do it on the stove top as well. — Rebecca
3. Dreamy Cauliflower & Thyme Soup — Such a healthy way to start the year, full of goodness! And for a little indulgence I add a bit of grated cheese and crunchy kale. Just because we don’t want to feel too austere Love this recipe from my friend Sara! — Lara
4. Fast White Bean Stew — My go-to for a very quick and hearty winter soup. I use whatever greens I have on hand, add one or two parmesan rinds from the bag I always have in the freezer, and let it simmer for a little longer than recommended to let the flavors come together. — Shannon
5. Bulgar and Red Lentil Soup — A family (and Babyccino!) favourite. Easy to make and simple ingredients on hand to make impromptu dinners. — Esther and Courtney
6. Chicken Stock — We make a chicken stock weekly in our home. Because we love roasting meat, we also save those bones in a box on the bottom shelf of our freezer. Then we add off cuts and leftover ends of carrots, celery, onion skins, etc so that we have a base of frozen items, and then add fresh vegetable items when it is time to make the stock. It means we have a constant supply of stock, which is the base of all good soups and gravy! — Lara
7. Vegetable Bean Soup — Perhaps this is the easy and fast version of the minestrone (in number 8)? Quick to make, helathy and delicious! — Esther
8. Minestrone — Delicious and so full of healthiness! I make a big pot of this soup regularly and everybody always loves it! — Esther
9. Cauliflower Cheese — I just absolutely love this soup, and my kids do too (though they’re not the biggest fans of cauliflower, otherwise). It also freezes really well. — Helen
10. Pumpkin Soup — This is a recipe we ‘inherited’ from Courtney’s grandma, Soobie. There are many variations of pumpkin soup, but this one is warm and hearty and brings out the flavour of the pumpkin so beautifully. — Esther
11. Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup — A soup recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi – of course it’s perfect! We made this three times over the holidays and loved how quickly it came together and how much flavor it had considering the short list of ingredients. — Shannon
12. Puy Lentil and Spinach Soup — This healthy soup relies on pantry staples (substitute in dried herbs). Such a great option for when you’ve not much in the house! — Helen
13. Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup — A soup recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi – of course it’s perfect! We made this three times over the holidays and loved how quickly it came together and how much flavor it had considering the short list of ingredients. — Shannon
14. Celeriac Soup — One of my favourite soups, with a beautiful velvety taste. As good for easy weekly dinners as to serve at a fancy dinner party! — Esther 

 

And the Slovenian Chicken Stew:

Chicken stew or “obara” is a very popular lunch in Slovenia. I have made a decent one a few times, my mother makes a very delicious one but the best one is by my mother in law. So finally I asked her to tell me her recipe so I can share it with you of course  We usually add dumplings to the stew too!

Stew Ingredients:

• 500 g chicken, any part will do (I use boneless breast and both legs, no skin)
• 1/3 of leek, thinly sliced
• ½ small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 2-3 big carrots, diced
• a few cauliflower florets (3 or more), chopped
• ¼ of red and yellow peppers, sliced
• 1 medium ripe tomato, chopped
• Salt & Pepper

1. In a dutch oven or a large skillet heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat and sauté leek and onion.
2. Add the garlic and carrots and sauté again for another 2 minutes. Then add the meat, salt and sauté some more – for about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in about 1.5 liters of warm water and the rest of the vegetables, except for the cauliflower (so: peppers, tomato and parsley).
4. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add cauliflower and drop dumplings*.

Drop dumpling ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• Flour
• Pinch of salt

In a small bowl beat the eggs and using a fork mix in enough flour to make a thick paste, season with salt. Now drop by teaspoons into a boiling stew, dipping the spoon in the stew first, every time! Next, add the cauliflower, cover and simmer for about 10 -15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Finally it is time to serve the family. Yum!

Although we have a lot of favourites, we would love to know what delicious family favourite soups you love too. After all, great soups are meant to be shared.

Enjoy!

ps Also, have you ever tried this Cream of Corguette Soup? It is one of Emilie’s favourites. Great with our 5 Minute Bread.

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DIY Paper Lanterns — Perfect for a Chinese New Year Celebration!

We love bringing small celebrations to life with homemade decorations, which add a special and festive touch! Chinese New Year is today, and we’ve spent the week making these super simple DIY paper lanterns. We’re hoping to hang them up while we feast on Chinese food (yum for Dim Sum), eating our dinner with chopsticks (which the children love to eat with!) and ending our meal with fortune cookies with clever little messages. What is not to love about Chinese New Year at home?

These lanterns would be amazing in multiples, hung on a long string or wire. I could imagine the paper lanterns could work for many other celebrations as well, all you need to do is change the paper colour to best fit the event. Whenever and however you use them, I think you will enjoy them.

Materials :

• Paper — I used A3 sized red paper
• Glitter — optional, but I love Eco Glitter Fun (safe, biodegradable glitter)
• Glue and paintbrush or a glue stick
• Gold paper scraps — I used doilies cut up, but any paper would work
• Gold and bronze sticker stars
• Chopsticks — great for holding the lanterns, and the paper can be used to decorate them
• Ric-a-rac or ribbon
• Brass paper fasteners or staples or hot glue gun
• Scissors

There are two styles of lanterns:

Steps to make the Tall Lantern : 

1. Glue on paper scraps, then add glitter if using.
2. Let paper dry.
3. Fold the paper lengthwise in half.
4. Cut the paper from the folded end to the paper edge into numerous strips, avoiding the top inch and a half of the paper. (Basically you are cutting perforations.) These do not need to be even or perfect, children can do this to make it more fun, this is a forgiving step as long as you don’t cut to the top of the paper.
5. Add sticker stars if you are using them.
6. Then create the lantern by bringing the paper around to itself, creating a hollow column, with the top corner and bottom corner overlapping slightly so the paper ‘fans’ out (like above).
7. Add brass paper fasteners, (or staple, or hot glue), to fasten it securely.
8. Then from the inside of the lantern, add a little ric-a-rac or ribbon to create a handle.

See, simple! Next, the round lantern…

Steps to make the Round Lantern :

1. Fold the paper into 8 long pieces. You will use these paper folds as a guide later for cutting.
2. Decorate the paper with gold paper cuttings and glitter using glue.
3. Let the paper dry.
4. Use the paper folds as guides and cut into strips.
5. Overlap the strips to create a radial design, with all the ends meeting in the middle point.
6. Use a brass paper fastener (or stapler) to secure the lantern in the centre point.
7. Then bring all the opposite ends together and secure with another brass fastener.
8. Add a ribbon handle and you are good to go!

I used chopsticks, still attached together to make handles, just push the ribbon between the chopsticks.

So super easy! And while you are waiting for the paper to dry, in between steps, why not read these fabulous books The Magic Paintbrush, by Julia Donaldson. Or, The Great Race, by Christoper Corr. We also enjoyed The Great Race, by Emily Hiles for slightly younger children/toddlers. They are all fabulous books!

And if you need a trick to introduce children to chopsticks for the true Chinese New Year experience, try our Trainer Chopsticks DIY or Kitasticks.

Enjoy!

Lara x

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