Beyonce Pregnant. That is all.

Beyonce appeared on the red carpet at the 2011 Video Music Awards, clutching her mini baby bump and announcing her pregnancy, with husband Jay-Z.



Expect this baby belly to be one of the most photographed around.



Look forward to plenty of fab preg fashion, as only Beyonce can do.

David Beckham and Harper: WHO magazine, August 22

Can we get enough of David Beckham and his little girl? It seems not.



This week's WHO magazine features papa' Becks and his baby girl Harper, and a good excuse to show a montage of pics of the mini Beckhams growing up.



Also in this week's issue is more of Jennifer Aniston and her man Justin Theroux - along with her very own 'baby bump' rumours. As a couple, they have now definitely arrived.



Also featured is a behind the scenes photo compile from the David Jones spring/summer parade - including, yes, that shot of Ms Kerr slinked into that Jets swimwear cutaway one piece (surely that number has already sold out?).



My fave pictorial and feature story is one featuring Melanie Greensmith, the woman behind the enduringly beautiful clothing brand Wheels & Dollbaby, and her partner Mark McEntee, Divinyls guitarist and songwriter. A gorgeous four page spread is not even enough of this inspiring woman and her divine rock and roll/slash/vintage abode.



The August 22 issue of WHO magazine is on-sale now, until Thursday.

Butterfly Essence Products - Just Divine

Loving the Butterfly Essence range of products for my cheeky three year old twins.

The soothing gentle wash is a hit at bath time - carefully produced with enriched ingredients and using soothing relaxing essential oils. The lavender scent is just divine ($15.95 for 250ml).

The shampoo is equally popular around here - it's gentle (trust me, as careful as you are, sometimes teeny suds get in those teeny, delicate eyes) and has a lavender and peppermint fragrance. So yum. ($15.95 for 200ml).

Then there is the bubble bath (with lavender and chamomile, $15.95, 250ml) and baby powder ($12.95, 100g) - and none of these products have little nasties for your bubs' delicate skin.

Butterfly Essence was founded in 2008 by Carla Tomini Foresti. Carla developed a passion for skincare while studying aromatherapy and nutrition. Through various workshops and tests she decided to trial her own products. She soon discovered a true, natural alternative was absent in the skin care market.

From 2008 she invested 24 months of testing and trialling various combinations, mixtures and products - and Butterfly Essence was born.

Butterfly Essence continually reviews all products and invest further into research and development to produce quality products in future. Gotta admire that.

For more, see: http://www.butterflyessence.com.au/

David Beckham: why we named daughter Harper Seven

David Beckham talks - for the first time - about why they chose the names Harper and Seven for the their new baby girl (hint: the latter has nothing to do with Seinfeld..):

See David's own Facebook video - as well as his eldest son speaking for the first time on the page - right here:

https://www.facebook.com/Beckham?ref=ts&sk=app_155261524540439

And see an impromptu interview with David on the same subject here:

Kylie Minogue - and THAT baby question

Hey journos, how about not asking Kylie Minogue the baby question anymore when you interview her?

It makes her visibly uncomfortable (although she's pretty adept at deflecting) and it's awkward all 'round.

That may be because, you know, she's been trying to actually have a baby. And it's not happening. Or she may have fertility issues connected to her cancer battle. Whatever it is, it's kinda rude to ask the baby question to a woman of a certain age.

It is so putting-you-on-the-spot it's not funny. Because if you think to ask a woman that question, it's likely that you already know the answer: that she really is trying to fall pregnant.

If she's in a committed relationship, has been for a while, and/or is over 30, she is highly likely (but not always) trying to have a baby. Which means that this month she wasn't successful. Maybe she just got her period that morning and is feeling fairly delicate. Or perhaps she just got the news the second round of IVF didn't work out. Or she just had a miscarriage.

In any of these scenarios, she needn't have to explain herself to you. Or try to choke back her tears. Or give herself away - by choking those tears - because you were too insenstive to ask. Seriously.

I will admit I really (really!) did not enjoy getting 'the question' when we were trying to fall pregnant. Especially from people who should have known better - those close enough to me (but generally not interested in the usual goings on in my life), to know it could be an issue. That kinda reeks of 'getting the gossip', not a question laced with concern or love.

So imagine how Kylie feels, with a camera pointed in her face?

Here is how Kylie reacted to the question, when asked by the A Current Affair reporter:

"Ah, the family question...

"Only because I can't give you an answer...

"If it's meant to be it's meant to be.

"If family isn't it my future I know that I have those boys [her nephews]."

When asked if she was planning to go down the surrogacy route, she was equally (and understandably) cagey:

"Who knows? There are many ways to have a family."

There are indeed, Kylie! And whatever you do - and how you do it - is your business.

C'mon, media. Let's keep it comfy for our Kyles....



Picture: Glenn Barnes (The Courier-Mail)

Stillbirth: Angela's story

In writing the piece on stillbirth and miscarriage (see: http://josiesjuice.blogspot.com/2011/05/kelly-brook-loses-baby-small-miracles.html) I turned to a friend who I know has experienced a stillbirth.

My friend Angela, a old school buddy, recounted her experience, in her own words. It moved me so much, I felt it needed a seperate blog post. Here's what Angela said:

"We lost our beautiful baby girl at 33 weeks gestation (approximately seven months). Erin's passing is officially "an unexplained stillbirth" meaning there was no obvious reason for why she died. I had experienced one day where there was little movement the month before but scans showed she was fine. A month later another day of no movement. A scan in our OB's room showed her to be alive and her heart was beating. We were asked to go to the hospital for a CTG, it was there that we learned she had passed away.

"I was watching the monitor and I couldn't see her heart beating and after a few more looks around our OB formally advised us our daughter had died. I was already crying before he said it but I just started sobbing and hyperventilating. I managed to pull myself together to say I wanted to go home and I would come back in the next day to deliver her. I chose c-section because I didn't want to wait for nature to take its course.

"I remember asking, as soon I came to, "was it true?" I was hoping for some sort of miracle but it wasn't to be. I had lots of cuddles before I had to say goodbye. To say I was devastated was an understatement. My world changed forever that day. As a mother you should never have to walk out of hospital without your baby. As a parent you should not bury a child.

"Life went on around me, pretty soon after the funeral people stopped asking if I was okay and if I didn't have Alex I am not sure what I would have done. He was my sunshine and my reason to keep living, to keep getting up every day.

"Nearly three and a half years on and I think of her every day. I am not the same person I was before Erin died.

"I still have days where I have a cry and wish she was here with us. I know I am extremely lucky to have my two boys, but I will live my life always feeling like I am missing something. It really is hard to explain what it's like. I just take each day as it comes."

Angela's pain is palpable, and has understandably not subsided. Not having experienced a stillbirth myself (although my mother has, and I have cried buckets for her) I can only imagine how she feels.

With the Small Miracles Foundation launching the first National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month, bringing hope to thousands of Australian families affected every year by infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and infant loss, they have released some alarming stats:

• In Australia today, one in four pregnancies ends in a loss.
• Each year in Australia over 70,000 babies die from miscarriage, stillbirth or complications resulting from premature birth.
• One in every 10 babies is born prematurely with over half of these babies ending up in intensive care.
• A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy before the baby has reached 20 weeks of development (this figure may vary in some countries between 20-24 weeks), at which it’s considered life outside the womb is possible.
• A still birth is the loss of a baby born after 20 weeks gestation – the baby is said to be born ‘still’, with no sign of life.
• It is estimated that 2-5 per cent of couples trying to conceive will experience recurrent pregnancy loss, defined by three or more consecutive losses. Unfortunately a treatable cause can only be identified in about 30 per cent of the cases. In spite of this, 75 per cent of couples with a history of recurrent loss will experience a successful subsequent pregnancy.

Comparative statistics are equally alarming:
- Australian road fatalities = 1400 per year
- Babies lost through stillbirth each year = 2000 per year

- Total of all cancer deaths = 36,000 per year
- Total of all deaths due to miscarriage and stillbirth = over 70,000 per year

- Sudden Infant Deaths = 71 in 2007 1 in 10 babies are born prematurely (approx. 17,500 each year)

All of the Foundation’s services are provided free of charge to families across Australia, and the Foundation also counsels and supports 17,000 families each year.

For more information, see: http://www.lightacandle.org.au/ or see http://www.smfoundation.org.au/
(Image taken from: http://www.lightacandle.org.au/)

Kelly Brook loses baby - Small Miracles Foundation launches first National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month

In news just in, model Kelly Brook has lost her unborn baby girl. Kelly, 31, was five months pregnant.

My mother had a stillborn - she was her first born child, and back then (1969) there was no support for bereaved mums.

Or perhaps there was, but for a woman who barely spoke English, it was something she'd have had no idea how to access. Or even understand.

There was no counselling, no ceremony, no grave. Shockingly, so my mother recounts, she wasn't allowed to see her deceased daughter. My late father did, however. He told mum she was "beautiful."

I still can't bear to hear the story about how she felt that day in January 1969 - it reduces me to floods of tears, thinking about how alone my mum must have felt.

Mum went on to have two sons - my eldest brother later that same year, my other brother a few years later - and then later still had me, her 'surprise pregnancy'. She named me the same as her precious stillborn.

With the sad news of the miscarriage suffered by Kelly Brook, the Small Miracles Foundation has launched the first National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month, bringing hope to thousands of Australian families affected every year by infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and infant loss.

Internationally acclaimed Australian parenting expert and author Pinky McKay said Ms Brook's tragic loss is a poignant reminder that almost everyone has some experience of the issues associated with pregnancy and child birth.

"It is worth remembering most of us have been touched, or know someone who has been touched, by the struggle to conceive, the trauma of a premature birth, or tragically, the loss of a much-wanted baby," said Ms McKay, who is also an ambassador for the Foundation's Light a Candle campaign.

In fact, around one in four pregnancies ends in a loss, and one in 10 babies is born prematurely, often needing intensive care on a life support system.

Ms McKay has welcomed the launch of the inaugural National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month, hailing the initiative as an opportunity to shed light on a range of topics that can be difficult to discuss.

"Child loss at any stage is an incredibly tragic occurrence and often mothers are unaware of the resources and services available to help cope with the grief, which can be particularly acute around occasions such as Mother's Day or when news breaks of a celebrity going through a similar experience," said Ms McKay.

Many men and women will bravely step forward to share their experiences if they think it will assist others in a similar situation.

"That's really what National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month is about - making sure those who have suffered loss, as well as their family and friends, know they are not alone and that there is help available to support them," said Ms McKay.

"Anyone in Australia can call 1300 266 643 to talk about their experiences and get help to understand and cope with the grieving process," she said.

The Small Miracles Foundation has just launched the Light a Candle project, which gives all Australians who have faced child loss the chance to remember their experience in a special and lasting way,? said Ms McKay.

Light a Candle is a brand new initiative of the Small Miracles Foundation, a non-profit charity which provides telephone, online and face-to-face grief counselling and support for those dealing with problems in pregnancy and child birth.

Those who have suffered a loss, or who wish to support family members or friends who have, can phone 1300 266 643 to share their story and light a candle on their behalf.

The Small Miracles Foundation is funded by the Australian Government and is not seeking donations; however, those wishing to make a donation in memory of a lost loved one are encouraged to support their sister charity, The Bonnie Babes Foundation, a non-profit charity that exists solely to support vital medical research into the causes, treatment and prevention of child loss (http://www.bbf.org.au/).

For more about the Light a Candle project, phone 1300 266 643 or visit http://www.lightacandle.org.au/ or http://www.smfoundation.org.au/

Sami's Baby - Sami Lukis's quest to become a mother

Wanting a baby, but not being able to conceive - or not having found a partner with whom to have children - must be one of life's most heartbreaking predicaments.

And it's one happening to Australian TV and radio identity Sami Lukis.

On Monday March 21, Sami will reveal onscreen what she has been through in her quest to have a baby - on her own.

In the premiere entitled Australians Exposed - Sami's Baby, Sami lays herself bare. She has a successful media career, a great group of friends... but she feels something is missing.

Just before Sami turned 40, her grandmother passed away. When Sami and her multi-generational family came together during this emotional time, it suddenly hit her: “Where’s my family?” she asks herself.

Sami is about to discover some confronting statistics. The proportion of women remaining childless has increased over time in each age group. For women aged 25 and 29 years in 1981, 25% were childless, while in 2001 59% of women in the same age group were childless.

In the program, cameras follow Sami as she begins her journey, with the doco following Sami as she 'searches' for a family. She meets fertility experts, herbalists, asks her flatmate for his sperm, checks out international donor sperm websites, grills her married friends, and keeps up the search for a partner - the latter of which happens.

So now what?

Watch the world premiere of Australians Exposed - Sami's Baby, Monday 21 March at 9.30pm, on LifeStyle You, available on Foxtel and Austar.

Cord Blood Storage: A Lifesaver

Did you know that over 50% of Australians diagnosed with a blood cancer and other life-threatening blood disorders orders each year, do not have a histo-compatible related or unrelated bone marrow and/or blood stem cell donor to treat their illness? It's scary stuff; my family has been touched by a life-threatening blood disorder, and while they are now cured, I shudder to think of this stat.

Finding a compatible donor can take valuable time and may even be unsuccessful, which is heartbreaking to think about.

The storing of your child’s umbilical cord blood at birth has often been talked about as a procedure that could potentially save a child’s life.

Here's how it works: a child’s umbilical cord blood is an invaluable resource as it contains their own stem cells – a perfect match. These stem cells are the building blocks of your baby’s blood and immune system, currently used worldwide to treat many life threatening diseases including immune system deficiencies, blood disorders and some cancers.

Graeme Moore, Cyrosite Director says, “Many parents see the storage of their baby’s umbilical cord blood as a worthwhile investment. The knowledge that your child’s stem cells are stored and readily available makes their decision to store their baby’s cord blood a highly satisfying one.”

Channel Nine’s Shelley Craft, who uses the service, also comments, “As a new parent all you want is to provide the best possible life and care for your child. I believe this starts with the collection and storage of the vital cord blood at the time of birth.”

Cryosite is the industry leader in umbilical cord blood banking, and was Australia’s first private cord blood bank and has safely stored thousands of children’s cord blood stem cells.

“Cryosite provided me with a wealth of information on the subject, helping me to make an educated and informed decision on cord blood collection. The pack was delivered to my home and all I had to do was take it to the hospital with me at the time of delivery. Our doctor did the rest and the package was collected from the hospital within hours of me giving birth to my beautiful baby girl. I pray that she will never need to call on it, but I now know that should my child ever need this invaluable cord stem cell information in the future, it is readily available and I have given her the best possible start to fighting cancer,” says Craft.

Unlike other companies, Cryosite has its own highly secure laboratories, dedicated to processing, cryopreserving and storing cord blood stem cells. Cryosite’s comprehensive service includes processing and storage onsite where there is multiple levels of backup in place to safeguard the integrity of cord blood.

For more info, see: http://www.cryosite.com.au/

(Photo courtesy Channel Nine).

Baby swaddling: one of life's great mysteries. Enter 'Wrap Me Up'.

Ahhh, swaddling.

Before I had my twins I'd barely even heard of the term.

Yes, we went over the basics in our twin prenatal class, but the concept slightly terrified me. What if I didn't do it right? Would it mean by bubs would be destined to stay awake and be terrible sleepers - forever?

Perhaps it wasn't life or death, but it was certainly very crucial to them getting good, unsettled sleep.

It was mid December and hot. So we used calico wraps - we had about half a dozen in high rotation.

But the cheeky little bubbas knew how to wriggle themselves out of them. And this often meant they woke. Which in turn meant settling allll over again. Not fun for any new, sleep deprived. Not even borderline funny for a mum of twins.

Oh how I wish this little helper was around then.

Wrap Me Up is the original and innovatively designed, patent pending swaddle that is fast becoming the essential item for new parents - changing the way they wrap their babies.

Allowing your baby to be snuggly wrapped with their arms positioned upwards, it’s an easier, more natural way to swaddle young babies and gives your baby vital access to their hands when sleeping – important for self-development and allowing them to self soothe.

Giving babies the opportunity to self soothe means parents and bub will have much better quality sleep, with less intervention from the parent to put baby back to sleep.

A unique and ingenious design, Wrap Me Up allows babies to sleep with their arms in the wing position - a natural instinct for babies, whilst still calming startle reflex and creating that desired womb-like fit.

Launched at the start of 2010 and already tested on thousands of bubs, the innovative design boasts a genius twin zipper, allowing for sneaky nappy changes at any hour without having to wake and unwrap sleeping bub. Oh my, genius! I cannot tell you how important this is.

Other highlights include a label-free inside, inside-out seams, toggle tent and a lush neck band to ensure no irritation for the baby. There’s even seatbelt access so you can move a sleeping bub from pram to cot – a feature you will soon realise is super important for babies who travel.

Inventor of Wrap Me Up and former fashion designer, Hana Krawchuk, 32, noticed a huge gap in the market for a product like this after she had her son, who would always wriggle out of his wraps and hated having his arms bound down. Holding a 1st Class Honours Bachelor Degree in Textiles and Fashion and drawing on her experience as a former fashion designer, Hana started designing prototypes in between feeding and nappy changes. Since formally introducing the product in October 2009, the response has been overwhelming, and is now stocked in over 250 retailers nationally and internationally.

“We’ve reviewed a great deal of medical research and spoken to many experts to create a product that will benefit babies. Medical research shows that when wrapped in this position with their arms up, babies have access to their hands which not only helps them self-soothe and sleep for longer, but also can aid their development. It’s a must-have for bub, mum and dad,” said Hana.

Developed in consultation with various childcare health experts, approved by INPAA (Infant and Nursery Product Association of Australia) and supported by extensive reviews ofmedical research studies, and designed in Australia following the SIDS and KIDS safe sleep guidelines, Wrap Me Up is one of the safest swaddles on the market. Ergonomically designed, it reduces the risk of tangling in loose wraps or blankets and also means that bub will be less likely to do the sneaky wriggle.

The Wrap Me Up from Love Me Baby is available in three sizes: small (3 - 6kgs), medium (6 - 8.5kgs) and large (8.5-11kgs). Colours include: white, grey, pink, blue. RRP: $39.95.

Also available in an organic wrap using certified organic fabric RRP: $44.95.
A special summer weight Wrap Me Up LITE has been introduced for summer 2010 RRP: $41.95

For stockist details visit www.lovemebaby.com.au

For product safety information and media research references see: www.lovemebaby.com.au/loveme-baby-research.htm