Choosing the right sleeping environment for your baby can be confusing. After all, new parents have never had more options from which to choose. From bassinettes to cots and all things in between, it can be hard to make a decision on what’s best for you and your child.

While the design is often affected by your budget, it can also be difficult to know if you can pop bub straight into a cot or if you start with something smaller so they don’t look so teeny in such a big ‘bed’.

The good news is that any cots or other sleeping arrangements for children sold in Australia are required to conform to Australian Standards to ensure their safety for tiny sleepers. This means anything you buy new will be a good start in the safety stakes.

If you’re the recipient of a pre-loved cot in good condition, it might be worth checking if it meets Australian standards, particularly to ensure no limbs or heads can get stuck in funny places. And you should always – always ­– purchase a new mattress.

Here are a few reminders, too, on how you can best keep baby safe while they’re sleeping:

• Always sleep baby on her back – every time, no exceptions;
• Always keep his head and face uncovered – hats and hoods are not required;
• Keep baby’s environment smoke free before and after birth. They need clear and clean lungs;
• Ensure a safe sleep environment, night and day. That means no toys, no mobile and no cot bumpers – less is best; and
• Babies need regular tummy time, but watch over them in case they fall asleep mid-tummy time.

Get some inspiration for baby’s bedroom at Incy Interiors. For more information on safe sleep, download the free Safe Sleeping mobile app from Red Nose. Earlybirds is a proud supporter of Red Nose and encourages safe sleeping practices for all babies.

I was recently reading an article about the best toys of the 80s, and nostalgically remembered the uber-popular Cabbage Patch Kids – the toy to have in the 1980s. In 1985, Cabbage Patch Kids released its newest arrivals – the Preemies. In line with the fine art of storytelling that all toys of that time seemed to possess, the Cabbage Patch mob claimed the preemies were collected before their time by the stork due to early frost in the Cabbage Patch. Pretty. Darn. Cute.

The box provided information about premature births and how Preemies required special care. They even had their own range of tiny clothing.

Although released almost 30 years ago, the Preemie Collection is still available in limited release today and it’s a great way to help older siblings understand the needs of a preemie.

Role play is an integral part of children’s cognitive development – it encourages imagination, as well as social and language skills. It’s how children learn about their world and how to interact with the people and things in it. When they’re young, kids often don’t have the language skills to effectively express their feelings, but they can do it through play. Looking after a doll can be great practise for helping with a newborn’s needs and introduce concepts like being gentle or staying quiet while the baby is sleeping.

While playing with a doll may seem like just a bit of fun, it’s an excellent way for older siblings to make sense of the changes to their family. Especially if the newest arrival needs special attention from their parents.

Read more about how play can help children feel better about themselves here.

Most people know a baby with hip dysplasia or have at least heard of the condition. It’s relatively common in Australia, with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH is the doctors’ shorthand for it) occurring in about one in every 1000 babies.

Interestingly, it’s more than four times more common in girls than boys. And, given our early birds may have underdeveloped joints, they can more easily become dislocated.

But what is it? DDH occurs when the hip joint of a newborn baby is dislocated or prone to dislocation. The good news is that is that around 95 per cent of babies born with DDH can be successfully treated with a harness or operations and splints.

Babies are checked at birth to see if they have DDH and are monitored during maternal health nurse appointments in the coming months to ensure it hasn’t been missed. In most cases DDH is picked up early, but some children are only diagnosed when they’re two or three years old.

Young babies who are found to have it may be required to wear a harness for six to 12 weeks to keep their legs in a frog position to treat the condition. Older children may require surgery and a plaster cast.

Parents with children with DDH should seek support, since it can be difficult seeing your precious baby uncomfortable. Apart from those emotions there are practical concerns, too. What clothing will fit around the brace? What position is best to use while breastfeeding? How do you bathe your child?

Sadly, stories of staring, comments and insensitive questions asked by people on the street aren’t uncommon. In most cases, the brace is a short-term challenge with a very long-term gain, and hopefully those inquisitive stares can be ignored while parents are doing the very best thing for their child.

There are a number of online resources for parents of babies with hip dysplasia, including on websites run by Raising Children and the Victorian State Government.

Bidibots makes a nappy for premature babies that can also help infants with hip dysplasia. They are designed to fit babies weighing 500–750 grams (small), 750–1250 gram (medium) and 1250–2000 grams (large). The technology has been researched for many years with the assistance of physiotherapists, nurses and parents. The nappies support baby’s hips, sit under the umbilical lines to reduce septic risk, have better absorbency and use a hook and loop to stop tape sticking onto fragile skin. You can purchase Bidibots nappies here.

I’m a parent who is always on the hunt for age-appropriate toys. With so many toys on the market, I figure it’s a good starting point to ensure that what I buy is not only helping to stimulate my kids during play but is also appropriate for their developmental level.

There’s just one problem – they grow out of them so quickly. Thankfully, necessity seems to be the mother of invention and people have been busy finding ways around it.

A recent favourite addition to our home is the SmarTrike Dream because it ticks the age-appropriate box – four times. We picked it up at the Big W toy sale, which is how I came across it.

Yes, this nifty little pusher-cum-trike is a four-in-one deal aimed at four different ages and stages, which means plenty of mileage for your money (pardon the pun).

The first roll-out, for children aged from 10 months, comes complete with a parent-friendly steering handle, harness, sun shade and a rear foot brake. It looks like a high-tech pram and is sure to garner an envious stare or two. As your child grows, they can help steer, but parents still have the upper hand thanks to a handle clutch.

At 24 months, it’s time to remove the safety harness and extended backing, while the footrest converts into pedals so your little one can start pumping. Once they’ve got pedalling down pat, simply remove the handle and they can take off at their own pace.

The SmarTrike Dream lives up to its name – it’s extra features, like built-in suspension and shock-absorbent rubber wheels, make for one hell of a dream ride.

It’s well worth the RRP of $199 (divide by three years and two children) or keep an eye on the sales and snap up one for less.

Many eyebrows were raised when Kim Kardashian and Kayne West named their newborn daughter North West. Similarly, Mariah Carey was ridiculed for the names of her twins, Monroe and Moroccan. Closer to home, Sam Worthington and Lara Bingle named their son Rocket Zot. And who could forget Apple Martin, progeny of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin?

In the USA in 2016, there were 370 baby girls named Khaleesi after the popular Game of Thrones character. Not surprisingly, before 2011, when the series premiered, there were none. In the UK, the arrival of royal babies sees a spike in popularity of their names. George has been in the top 10 boys’ names in the UK every year since he was born. There’s also been in a bump in the number of Charlottes.

Choosing a name for your new baby is a huge decision. Do you choose a name that no one else will have? One that is meaningful? A family name? A name that sits well with your surname? Your friends and family will not doubt continue to debate the options throughout your pregnancy – even if you you don’t – and proffer bumper books of names they’ve already poured over. And there’s nothing worse than naming your beautiful new baby and someone immediately voicing their disapproval or spelling their name wrong.

Every generation has names that are more common than others. In playgrounds today there are any number of Rubys, Avas and Jacks. You won’t hear nearly as many Kylies, Craigs or Scotts as there were in the late 80s when Neighbours was huge, and while Shirley and Dorothy were popular names in the 1930s you’d be lucky to meet a young woman now who answers to that handle.

Who knows? Perhaps these new celebrity names will catch on, and in 2030 there will be five Norths and three Rockets in every classroom.

If you want some ideas for baby names, to check out what your favourite name means or find out what’s popular in Australia, check out the Baby Names website.

According to beyondblue, depression affects up to nine per cent of women during pregnancy and 16 per cent of all new mothers. While these figures may not surprise some, this one might: one in 20 men may experience symptoms of depression in the first year of their baby’s life.

Parents preparing for the arrival of a baby speak about and prepare – as best they can – a birth plan. Not surprisingly, difficult or early births are rarely considered and neither is the prospect of having a baby who might need to spend an extended amount of time in hospital. A history of depression or anxiety, little emotional or practical support apart from that provided by their partner, and existing financial or other stresses are all factors that can make the new dad (or mum) of a premmie even more susceptible to depression.

beyondblue suggests new dads should plan quality time alone with their partner, be aware of their health and wellbeing, and ask for help from family members and friends, even for small things, if they are feeling at all overwhelmed. It’s completely understandable for anyone with a premmie baby to feel as though life is out of control, so it’s important to find support from others so they can start to enjoy being a dad.

For more information on postnatal depression in dads, you can visit the beyondblue website. The organisation also has a program that encourages new parents experiencing depression and anxiety to Just Speak Up, and the website provides real-life stories of other parents navigating similar situations.

It’s so disheartening to open your child’s lunchbox at the end of the day and find a sad, uneaten Vegemite sandwich and a bruised apple still rolling around in there. To make lunch fun, and much more tempting, try these delicious ideas:

• Pinwheel sandwiches Make an event of dull ham and cheese sandwich. Simply cut off the crusts, roll up the sandwich and cut into several round pieces to make them look fun;
• Cookie-cutter sandwiches Use cookie cutters to cut the kids’ sandwiches into shapes. What child could resist a dinosaur jam sandwich or elephant cheese sandwich?;
• Mini muffins They are always tempting, so make a savoury version. You can hide veggies, like grated zucchini and carrots, in dish they’ll never question; and
• Mini pizzas Use leftovers to turn one meal into two. Make mini pizzas using dough, pita breads or English muffins for dinner, add a few extra and slip the leftovers into a lunchbox the next day. The added bonus is that kids love to help make pizzas and will enjoy being involved in choosing ingredients.

You could take a trick from another nation. Japanese school children take pride in their daily bento box, which has many compartments filled with small servings of food. This type of presentation can be super appealing to children. Small servings ­– some cherry tomatoes, a couple of slices of cheese, some grapes or slice fruit – also mean that if they’re fussy and reject one option there are more from which to choose.

If you’ve got some great lunchbox ideas, particularly for fussy eaters, make sure you share them with us.

The holidays are coming up, which means the dreaded road trip is also upon us. Here we’ve come up with some great tips to keep the whole car happy:

• Break the journey into intervals. Young children can get very restless sitting in the back seat for long periods. Split the trip up in manageable sections, planning spots along the way for a lunch break, visit to a playground or a stop at a local tourist attraction.
• Research interesting locations. Are there any landmarks along the way? A Big Thing, special view or sculpture can be a something to watch for out the windows or a great excuse to get out of the car and stretch your legs.
• Bring loads of snacks. Generally, there aren’t many options for buying healthy food at freeway truck stops. Avoid fast food restaurants by packing a lunch and snacks ahead of time. Putting snacks in mini containers or small bags will keep the hunger pains at bay and also keep those in the back seat entertained.
• Keep spare clothes, wipes and tissues close at hand. The back seat can get very messy, especially if children are eating. It’s likely something will spill over a car seat or get smeared over a window. Having easy access to tissues, wipes and another set of clothes can help things nice. You don’t want to be digging through the boot to find a dry t-shirt on the side of a freeway.
• Come up with some attention-grabbing games. Older children can get involved in I Spy or letter games using number plates, while younger children can be entertained searching for farm animals or cars in a particular colour.
• Make sure baby is comfortable. If you are travelling with an infant our Organics Travel Nestis perfect for the car seat. It provides a snug, cozy environment when out and about. When you’re not in the car, the Travel Nest can be unzipped to provide a comfortable mat for baby to lie on.

If you’ve got any great road trip tips, make sure you let us know about them.

If you have friends or loved ones with a new baby this festive season, we’ve got you covered.

Here are a few things you can do for a brand-new parent to make it truly the most wonderful time of the year:

• Deliver dinner. We all know that there is nothing better than Christmas lunch or dinner, so why not deliver a plate of turkey and fixings to a new mum? Give her a break from the hospital food and at the same time remind her that she is in your thoughts.
• Lend a hand instead of a gift. During the festive season, offer to look after any older kids for a few hours since there is nothing better than a ‘silent night’ (or day) for a new mum. You could also offer to give the house a quick clean. Chances are new parents will appreciate the small break way more than something material.
• Fill up the fridge. Imagine the joy of coming home to a fridge and pantry full of Christmas goodies, especially if the new mum has spent some time eating hospital food. Think lots of seasonal fruits, Christmas treats and staples or even pre-cooked meals.
• Prepare a home spa day. Chances are Mum is not going to want to leave the side of her new bub nor the comfort of her home. Instead, pick up a couple of face masks, some cucumber, green tea and a good chick flick for a cheap and simple way of making her feel like a star.

Tell us what you’ve done for new parents to ease them into parenthood. What would you have loved someone to do for you?

When gorgeous Tess was born at 28 weeks, she weighed only a little more than a kilogram. She made her world premiere at Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital via emergency caesarean because her mum, Tania, had HELLP syndrome, a variant of preeclampsia.

While it was a surreal time for Tania, who was critically ill and transferred to intensive care at Royal Melbourne Hospital, while Tess remained at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Her rock was her partner Matt.

“To this day I do not know how he kept it together,” Tania says. “He visited both his girls at our respective hospitals, did milk runs as I was expressing, liaised with specialists at both hospitals, and all this while working and caring for his son at home.

“Looking back I remember the faces and the extreme kindness of the nurses. Now time has passed I have forgotten their names, but their touch and words echo in my world today.

“Oh, and I remember watching Lisa Mitchell on Australian Idol. She was 16 at the time and the vision of what I hoped for my beloved Tess, who at this point I had not even held in my arms.”

Tess clearly has music in her sights, as you can see from her enjoyment of a night out at Carols by Candlelight.