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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