Having a baby in Spain ... a cultural perspective

I think I've heard and read everything there is to read on having a baby in Spain over the past few years ... I can tell you the pro's and con's of the different hosptial systems, wax lyrical about the differences in attitude to breast feeding, mother and baby groups and after birth care and these days talk quite knowledgeably too about baby products in Spain, schooling in Spain and family life.
So I was interested to come across an article in today's expat section of the Daily Telegraph which focuses on yet another cultural difference between pregnancy and baby rearing in the UK and Spain, but yet is little commented on and discussed. It's a great article and very thought provoking ... so here it is! Read, enjoy and feel free to comment ...

Being pregnant is a fag in Spain

Is it our writer being hysterical? Or are the locals selfish?

By Michaela Rossi

When my husband and I first arrived in Madrid, we enjoyed every aspect of the Spanish capital's hectic nocturnal lifestyle. Everything was so exciting and new, life seemed so simple and great.

Eating out soon turned into a habit; we enjoyed the tapas bars, our local and the more central cervecerias. We drank coffees in bars during afternoon strolls in the parks. Whenever there was a language hiccup or a misunderstanding, we would simply shrug our shoulders and put it down to cultural differences.

Until I became pregnant.

As my stomach grew, so did my anger and frustration.

Smokers were making my life a misery. Whereas before I would go out and barely pay any attention to the clouds of smoke polluting Madrid's bars and restaurants, suddenly it became a real problem.

Then I realised there were a few restaurants with completely separate areas for smokers and non-smokers. But the sense of relief that there was an easy solution, and that I could still enjoy a meal out, did not last long.

After a phone call to one restaurant to see if the non-smoking part was completely separate from the smokers' area, we headed out. Not long after we sat down and much to my surprise a table of five not too far from us all lit up cigarettes.

I drew this to the attention of the waiter, while pointing at my pregnant belly to explain why this was such an important matter. I expected an apology, but the waiter simply replied: "They are over the other side, pero no pasa nada."

This is one of the most common phrases that you come across in Spain and, for me, it has also become the most irritating one. It literally means "but nothing will happen", although it is used in the same way that "it's not a problem" is in English.

When it's about smoking, to me it's more as if to say: "So what?"

In my pregnant state I could not bring myself to follow the expat option of "if you can't beat them, join them".

I soon realised that fighting the system was not a good option either. I tried arguing my point many times: with a bus driver who lit up a cigarette while driving; I fought shop assistants secretly smoking in the lavatories; even a police officer going for a puff in the staff lavatory while I was obtaining my Spanish residencia at the police station.

I stormed off to see our portero (desk porter) when I got into the lift in our building one day and it reeked of smoke. But when I reached his desk he had a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. I didn't even give him a chance to say no pasa nada and just walked off.

I even argued with a taxi driver who lit up without asking.

After my confrontations, they all came back with the same answer, saying "no pasa nada" as they stubbed out. However, the most astonishing behaviour of all had to be that of the other pregnant mothers.

I would see them openly going out for a cigarette during our antenatal classes. Since having my son, I have heard mothers forbidding their children from befriending or trying to pat my dog as we strolled in the park in case he injured them. Yet, pushing a pram with a lit cigarette inches away from their children seems to hold no fear for them.

The Vicky Pollard character figure in the BBC's Little Britain is one of the best to describe how smoking when pregnant, or as a mother, is viewed in the UK.

In Spain, although the health education campaign is very similar to that in Britain, the public seems to be more relaxed about it.

Feeling powerless, as if the whole world was against me, I used to complain to my husband, who would tell me that I was lucky not to get pregnant before 2006. Up until then, smoking was allowed everywhere.

"No smoking" signs do not mean much to the general population in Spain - and nor do many other signs. Rules are made to be broken, it seems.

However, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel: a law banning smoking is currently being discussed. If it becomes legislation, smoking will be prohibited in public places in Spain from next month.

Who knows? After 10 months of not being able to go out as a family, we might finally take our son out with us for a meal.

However, until the ban is in place in all public buildings in Spain, I remain the totally unrelaxed foreign mother.

New Pregnancy Seatbelt Harness ...

As part of our day to day work with Indybel we are always on the lookout for new and innovative baby products. So it was with interest that we came across a new Pregnancy Seatbelt Harness ... now anyone who has been pregnant will know that certainly from mid pregnancy driving can become quite uncomfortable and also unsafe.... I was also interested to learn that 65% of women feel the conventional seatbelt is a hazard for their unborn baby, 87% of pregnant women wear seltbelts incorrectly and an incredible 5000 foetal deaths occur every year in the USA due to car accidents.... frightening statistics!

Whether or not the new Pregnancy Seatbelt Harness will be a success is yet to be seen, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and we at Indybel will be keeping an eye on it with a view to selling it in Spain if it's proven to be a great new pregnancy product!

Pregnant pause is over

A THREE-year patent battle has ended in success for Bury inventor Stephen Weston.

Mr Weston, who invented a new device to allow heavily pregnant women to use safety-belts, has finally won a full patent from the UK authorities.

Now another £80,000 worth of tests begin before the new belt goes into production.

The device - invented after a suggestion from his wife over Christmas dinner four years ago - is one of a score of innovations being shepherded to success by Mr Weston's Reel and Shafty Handling Company.

"The safety belt for pregnant women moves the safety-belts diagonal strap away from the bump, which means it is much less likely to cause damage to the foetus.

"I'd decided to come up with some new products and my wife said `why not think of something for pregnant women'.

"That was Christmas, 2003, it took until 2004 to develop the idea and until 2005 to set up the company. Now, in 2008, we've finally got the patent."

"We have already tested it with the Bolton Aerospace and Automotive Research Group but we still have another round of testing, which could cost as much as £80,000, to comply with the UK safety regulations," Stephen explained.

"We've not yet got a manufacturer lined up, so now we have to decide whether to manufacture it ourselves or to team up with someone else.

Investment

"If we do it ourselves that could mean another £80,000 worth of investment."

The Reel and Shaft Handling Company gets its name from one of Stephen's first inventions: a pair of cones to hold massive reels of papers, plastics and laminates used in manufacturing. He developed the device during his many years working in the paper industry.

Stephen has since developed a stable of other inventions, several of which he is now pushing towards the market, including a leisure product expected to have wide appeal.

"I've always been inventing - just most of the time I was doing it for someone else. It's exciting, and always has been," he said. With help from business angel investors and from organisations like the North West Seed Fund I've managed to develop projects with world-wide sales potential. If we claimed two per cent of the European market for pregnant women it would be worth £10m a year."

Another invention - to help move supermarket good around stores - could be worth £3m a year.

Today turnover is £250,000 a year and growing fast.

Swine Flu Vaccination for Children in Spain

While I am in two minds as to whether I want my toddler to receive the Swine flu vaccine or not, I still want to make sure that if the option is there we have the choice. Already she has a bad cough and it's really only the start of winter here in Spain, so I'm sure all us mums and parents in Spain are concerned about our little one's health and protecting them as best we can.

I thought that the Swine Flu vaccine was not being given to children here in Spain, so was suprised this morning when one of the other mums at nursery said she was taking her toddler to get her vaccination. Having done some googling, I found this article in the Euro Weekly News ( Nov 20th ) which may be of interest to other parents in Spain ...

Children over six months and under five years will be offered vaccine THE swine flu vaccination programme will be extended to offer children over six months and under five protection against the virus. Extending the vaccination programme to young children is supported by the panel of experts that provide advice on vaccination issues - the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Children under five years of age are more likely than other groups to be hospitalised if they become ill with swine flu. Young children also have high rates of admission to critical care and, sadly, there have been some deaths. Vaccination of people in clinical risk groups is well under way, with more than seven million doses of vaccine already distributed. Vaccinating these groups remains a priority to protect those at greatest risk from swine flu. We are working with the BMA and NHS organisations to agree the details of how vaccine will be delivered, so that young children can be offered the vaccine once GPs complete the vaccination of priority groups. Parents of children who are over six months and under five years should wait to be contacted by their local surgery. Chief Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, said: “Our first priority is to ensure that people with clinical risk factors, and frontline health and social care staff are vaccinated. “Protecting those most at risk from the disease will reduce the levels of serious illness, and deaths. That’s why we will shortly offer the vaccine to young children. “Vaccination remains a personal choice, but I urge everyone who is offered the vaccine to accept it and protect themselves. While the risks of serious complications from ‘flu may be small, the impact on those affected can be devastating.” Director of Immunisation, Professor David Salisbury, said: “This is the first pandemic for which we’ve had a vaccine to protect people. “Our phased approach to vaccine delivery is intended to focus on those most at risk and to use vaccine stocks responsibly.” Professor Steve Field, Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “We shouldn’t underestimate swine flu – it is a nasty infection and its effects can be devastating. I know that some parents have concerns about immunisation but the swine flu vaccine is our most effective protection against the virus. This is obviously a personal choice but I would advise all parents whose children are offered the vaccine to take it up. If you are worried, please talk to your GP and get all the information so that you can make an informed choice.”

Christmas at Indybel ...

Hurrah it's December, which means we are officially allowed to talk about Christmas!

This Christmas Indybel are offering all customers who spend 25€ or more a gorgeous Christmas Gift courtesy of Indybel and Natalia .... while stocks last of course!!

To ensure you receive your Christmas gift simply log on to http://www.indybel.com/ and spend just 25€ ... it's as simple as that!

Merry Christmas!

Beauty and the Bump

By Samantha Sintes, http://www.indybel.com/

Finding out you are pregnant brings with it many feelings … excitement, happiness, a sense of entering the unknown and …. panic that you have nothing to wear as your clothes get tighter and tighter and your buttons become more and more stubborn! Unfortunately your growing bundle of joy is more concerned about finding a comfy spot on your bladder than the demands it might be making on your wardrobe, purse and lifestyle. Yet for many women the struggle to look good during pregnancy begins as early as the second month and for those women who work during pregnancy it’s essential to continue to look and feel professional, glamorous and in control.

Pregnancy is all about growing and glowing, so why shouldn’t this be a time to shine? Gone are the days when women hid their bumps beneath baggy jumpers and tent dresses. Today maternity fashion is about being loud and proud of your bump and womanly curves and showing them off to the max. Yet the pregnancy wardrobe is a minefield. When and how do you start shopping for your bump? And surely you don’t need a whole new wardrobe for just nine months?

We are often asked if it’s really necessary to buy maternity clothing. Surely bigger sizes and stretchy tops will do the trick?

The answer is that they will in the short term but you won’t get the longevity that do you with maternity clothing which is specifically designed to flatter and accommodate a growing bump all the way through pregnancy. A pair of trousers two sizes too big might do the trick for a few months, but they won’t be comfy on your bump and won’t take into account your growing bottom, thighs and hips as well. Maternity trousers not only cater for expansion in all areas but are designed to disguise and flatter the additional weight gain while accentuating and showing off the beauty of your gorgeous growing bump. The end result is that you feel beautiful and confident while pregnant instead of awkward and uncomfortable.

The materials in maternity clothing are softer and more flexible than those used in normal clothes. They will not only get bigger with you and be comfortable right up until the day you give birth, but they will then get smaller with you in the post pregnancy months too. The truth is it takes nine months to put the weight on and it takes nine months to take it off again. So unless your name is Nicole Richie or Victoria Beckham you certainly won’t be strutting your post pregnancy bod in your pre pregnancy jeans two weeks after giving birth. The beauty of good quality maternity clothing is that it shrinks back down with you post birth and most maternity tops are also designed to accommodate breast feeding.

We firmly believe that whilst you don’t need to invest in an entirely new wardrobe a few maternity staples go a long way. Take the Bumpband for example, an ingenious invention that has revolutionised maternity wardrobes. The Bumpand is a piece of stretchy material that fits over your bump and the top of your trousers or skirt allowing you to wear your non maternity items for longer. So for example, if you can still get your beloved jeans over your hips but can’t do up the zip, you can use a Bumpband to cover the gap, giving the appearance of a layered top effect an no one would know the difference. Likewise you can wear your favourite tops for longer and not worry as they start to ride up your midriff!

Another essential is a great pair of comfy maternity leggings. These can be worn around the house, dressed up with boots or heels, worn with dresses or a denim skirt over the top or just with a long comfy jumper.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a good pair of maternity jeans. Again a well designed maternity jean will see you through your pregnancy and beyond and can be dressed up or down in a number of ways.

Finally no maternity wardrobe is complete without one flexible little dress. A nice dress can be worn for work and then dressed up for an evening out. Or dress it down with boots or over leggings for a comfy yet chic day look.

These essentials should form the basis of your maternity wardrobe. Then you can begin to mix and match and add other maternity or non maternity items as you choose. There are of course also a number of clever ways to complement (or disguise!) your bump depending on the look you are going for. A well placed scarf either draped over the bump or tied under it, an eye catching piece of costume jewellery, a pair of cute boots and even big hair or a hat will all even out your curves or accentuate them.

For the recent Indybel Maternity Fashion show we deliberately choose real pregnant women to model our maternity ranges. When they first tried the outfits on they were amazed by how soft, sensual and sexy they made them feel. And that’s the real secret of looking great during pregnancy. Maternity clothing is not just something you need to see you through 9 months of weight gain, it is actually designed to show off the natural beauty of your changing body shape, highlight the pregnancy glow and make you look as wonderful on the outside as you feel on the inside.

Indybel are the exclusive stockists for Seraphine Maternity clothing in Spain. As worn by Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba and Halle Berry during their pregnancies. Indybel also stock the JoJo Maman Bebe maternity range, Emma-Jane maternity lingerie and the Bumpband. For more information visit www.indybel.com

Indybel are offering all our blog readers a free pair of pregnancy lounge pants with any purchase they make from our site. To take advantage of this offer simply type the words I love the indybel blog in the customer notes box at the check out stating whether you’d prefer black or white and we’ll add the pants to your package!

Model Babies ...

Congratulations to our Indybel models Isabel and Louise who have given birth to gorgeous baby girls Daniela and Olivia respectively at the Costa del Sol hosptial in Marbella just hours apart!
We are sure they'll grow up to be just as glamourous as their mums!
Best wishes from all at indybel XXX

Christmas Fayre, San Roque

Christmas is def in the air and for us parents in Spain it's a busy time with present buying, food buying and taking the kids to see Father Christmas! Children are notoriously difficult shoppers so Christmas Fayres which offer a mix of shopping and children's entertainment are a blessing for parents and a great day out!

This year Indybel will be taking part in the Christmas Fayre at San Roque. We'll be taking a great selection of our most popular maternity, baby and toddler must haves and gifts, so please do come and visit us ..... we'll have lots of Christmas Special offers on our stand too ....

Here's a little more information about the Fayre from the organisers ....

Xmas Fayre

San Roque International School

28th Nov 12-4
For the first time we will open our doors for a day of festival fun. It will provide an opportunity for the whole family to come own an enjoy so many different activities.

We have over 50 vendors participating from ladies fashion, jewellery, photography, books, toys, kids clothing and accessories to name a few.

Not only do we have big brands participating we are also dedicated to inspiring chilldren so we will be running creative workshops a bouncy castle plus a visit from Father Xmas himself with presents and photos.

Entrance is free, so why not come down for a browse around the stalls and have something to eat and drink.

The Indybel Maternity Fashion Show 2009!

Well, we've talked enough about the Indybel Maternity Fashion Show which took place on 10th October 2009 ... so we thought we really should post some pictures of our fantastic models wearing our Seraphine and JoJo Maman Bebe maternity ranges. Don't forget all our models are REALLY pregnant and have never modelled before ... but as you can see they all look absolutely amazing and so professional! Proof, not that it's needed, that women can and do look wonderful when pregnant!

Gorgeous Tina, who is nearly 6 and a half months pregnant in our pics, models our favourite Seraphine Paula Bootleg Jeans, the Seraphine nightwear range and the Seraphine little black dress range. She also carries the Skip Hop City Chic changing bag ... just one left in stock now!

Here's lovely Stacy from San Pedro who is due on Christmas Day!! Here she's wearing the fab Seraphine Melanie black top which can be dressed up or down depending on the look you are trying to achieve and the ultra comfy JoJo Maman Bebe checked nightshirt. Perfect for cuddling up in front of the TV, wearing in hosptial and padding round the house in the early days with your new baby!

Here's our new 'yummy' mummy Sarah ( mum of two actually! ) modelling our fav baby accessories ... the baby Kangaroo sling, the bebe au lait breastfeeding cover and the fab cuddledry towel. ( which she bought at the show and says she loves! ) Sarah is also wearing our Seraphine maternity jeans and JoJo Maman Bebe white top showing maternity clothes are comfy and versatile just after you've had a baby too!

Sultry Rebecca is expecting baby number 2 in Janary 2010! She certainly has her hands full as her little boy is only just one! Here she's wearing the JoJo Maman Bebe support top with our Indybel lounge pants, a great daytime look for a busy pregnant mum! Then for a more sophisticated look she looks fab in the slinky Seraphine Beatrice cardigan and jeans and finally in the Seraphine reversible skirt and Melanie top.



Marbella babe Louise is due any day now and was eight months pregnant in these pics! She models our favourite winter must have, the Seraphine Tessa shift dress which she wears with Seraphine leggings, creating a funky and cool look alongside Stacy. Louise also wears the Seraphine nightdress which is perfect for hospital visits or lounging at home and finally shows how great working pregnant girls can look even when 8 months pregnant in the JoJo Maman Bebe white embroidered shirt.

Gorgeous Isabel was due yesterday ( no news yet! ) and is 8 months pregnant in our pics with her second baby! Isabel shows how sensual maternity clothes can look, proving yet again that busy pregnant mums really do glow! Here she shows off two looks featuring Seraphine little black dresses and also models the popular Seraphine I love U T shirt and Seraphine Tara Denim skirt. Proof again that all our clothes look fantastic even when you are 8 months pregnant!




For the final group shot all our girls looked fantastic in evening and glam nighttime looks. A big thank you to all of them from Indybel for their commitment, enthusisam and professionalism and for showing how amazing our maternity clothes can look.

All the clothes in these pictures can be purchased from the pregnancy store at http://www.indybel.com/

Trunki comes to Spain ....

Ever since we saw Trunki on Dragon's Den some years ago we've been big fans!

For those of you who aren't sure what we are talking about, Trunki is a suitcase for toddlers ... the fab thing about Trunki is that your toddler can pull them along, ride on them or carry them. There is tons of room in them, they are hand luggage approved and they are most importantly mega cute ...

Yet despite Spain having the busiest airports in the World, up to now it's been virtually impossible to buy a Trunki here in Spain ... yes, we said up to now, because happily Indybel now stock the Trunki.

Of course I bought one straight away for Bella and she loves it. We haven't travelled with it yet but she rides up and down the living room on it and it's a huge fav already. We are planning to take it the UK with us at Xmas because I'm told that it's a great way of keeping kids occupied at the airport too. Another friend also told me they are fab for overnight visits to the grandparents or family.

Since we started stocking Trunki they've been hugely popular ... customer loved them at the recent Mother, Baby and Toddler show and only this morning I delivered one to a playgroup, only to come away with orders for more next week ...

So, if you are thinking of travelling anytime soon ... don't leave home without a Trunki!!

Buy your trunki in Spain now at http://www.indybel.com/

Parental Quandry

Why is it that every week day I have to wake my bleary eyed toddler up ( late ) at 9am and drag her out of bed to go to school, yet on Saturday and Sunday morning she's up at the crack of dawn, fully energised and raring to go ...?

What is that all about?

Is Winter Here?

Well, I was a bit shocked to wake up this morning to howling winds, pouring rain and a big black cloud and mist over my house. It struck me as typically Spanish to compare the fact that as I was dressing my 2 year old in her winter school uniform for the first time, just a few days ago she was still wearing her summer uniform. In fact on Sunday she was wearing suntan cream ...! The onset of Spanish autumn has always been a bit strange and it wouldn't surprise me if we have a last burst of summer next week either!

Luckily at Indybel we are very prepared for winter and for helping you to wrap you litttle one's up snugly and keep them protected from the cold ... if your tot is feeling the winter chill then check out our JoJo Maman Bebe Sleeping Bags ... they are gorgeous and come in 3 styles, 2 togs and 2 sizes ... they are priced at just 35€ for all sizes and togs making them a lot more affordable than the other brands including Grobag here in Spain. We also believe that they are of comparable quality and safety to Grobag ... and other leading brands. I was never comfortable about putting my daughter in non branded and non togged sleeping bags when she was little, yet I found Grobag to be particularly expensive over here, so I am really glad to be able to offer these fab JJMB sleeping bags!

We've also got the ever so popular Buggy Brolly ... but only 4 left in stock!!! These fab brollys which also have UV material so can be used in summer, attach to your pram or pushchair providing raincover for mum and baby and giving mum the flexibility of being hands free in the rain and not having to hold a brolly, and we all know how important hands are to us mums! Since we started selling Buggy Brolly in Spain last winter, I'd say it has been one of our most popular items and definitly without doubt gets the most hits on our site. We highly recommend the buggy brolly as a winter ( and summer ) essential here in Spain!!! Buy yours while stocks last! It's currently featured on our homepage at www.indybel.com

Keep warm XX

New Radio Station Comes to Costa del Sol

One of my friends has just started a new radio station for the Costa del Sol ... this is fab news as I think he's filling a bit of a gap in the local English radio by playing really funky, good pop music and with new and refreshing DJ's chatting about what's happening locally and in the world!

The station which launched this week is called Energy FM and can currently be heard in the inland areas on 88.5 fm ... but don't worry if you are not inland, the station will be broadcasting from Gibraltar through to Malaga pretty soon, and you can catch it right now too via the internet ... check it out at http://efmradio.com

Good luck to everyone involved!

Mother, Baby and Toddler Show ... lots of fun!

Thanks to everyone who came along to meet us and of course buy from us at the Mother, Baby and Toddler show in Estepona on 9th , 10th of October ...

We had a great fun, and it was particularly nice ( being an online business ) to finally meet some of our customers, particularly those of you who came especially to meet us!

Here are a few pics of our stand which looked lovely ... thanks to hubbies for all the lifting, carrying and putting together ...

The most popular products on the day were

1. The Indybel Portable Take Anywhere Highchair, which was flying off the stand literally! As a special offer on the site we are now giving a FREE chair to all customers who spend over 75€!!! Can't say fairer than that!!

2. The babydan playden, a product close to my own heart and which I adore, so I was glad to see others loving it too ... we think this is one of those products that you fall in love with when you see it, but online sales are good too ... I can't rate this playpen enough, it's roomy and comfortable, stylish and safe ... and it also converts to a stairgate, fireguard or room divider ... what more could you want? Well, nothing if the sales at the show are anything to go by!! We had the playpen on special offer during the show, and as it was so popular have currently reduced it on the site for a limited period too ... so buy yours now!!!

3. All our lovely Natalia organic mother and baby skincare products were very popular over the weekend. We've only got a limited supply left now and so as a special gift our customers have taken up to 50% off ALL our Natalia products ... check it out now ... while stocks last!!!!

You can see and buy all of the above on our site http://www.indybel.com/

Finally a massive thank you to all the models who took part in the Indybel Maternity Fashion show and made it such a huge success ... they were all fantasically beautiful, confident, professional and amazingly energetic for girls in the later stages of pregnancy! Our maternity wear as modelled by the girls was also a big hit at the show with the Seraphine Tessa dress being the most popular item and it's easy to see why ... this gorgeous little black dress is sooooo comfortable and looks fab dressed up for a Christmas party or dressed down over leggings, jeans or with boots and a cardy ... we've only a couple left in stock so grab yours now before they've all gone!!

Indybel News for October

This month we are delighted to announce the arrival of several fab new products ...

JoJo Maman Bebe Sleeping bags in 2 sizes and 2 togs ... safe, snug and sweet ...

Bebe au Lait ... the orginal breastfeeding covers from LA ... with pop out necks so you can see you little one while they feed

BabyPotz ... BPA free weaning pots in 5 different sizes and with 50 in a pack

Trunkie ... stress free travel with our limited edition tiger and ladybird trunkies, so cute and toddlers love them too!

Plus, all our autumn / winter Seraphine and JoJo Maman Bebe maternity wear is now in, key peices include gorgeous little black dresses and swishy cardigans!

All the above can be seen on our site www.indybel.com or come and visit us on our stand at the Mother, Baby and Toddler show next weekend where we will also be running a really exciting competition whereby everyone who buys something over the weekend will be entered into a prize draw. The lucky winner will be drawn at the end of our fashion show on the catwalk and will receive a bag of Indybel goodies curtosy of our generous suppliers including Baby Kangaroo and Cuddledry!

Look forward to seeing you there and don't forget to catch our maternity fashion show on the main stage at either 12.30 or 4pm

XXX

Baby Alive could eat you out of house and home!

It's incredible how much the price of one product can vary from shop to shop .... for example this week I have been looking for a 'Baby Alive' for my daughters third birthday. In the toy section of the Cortes Ingles she cost 97€ .... yes I know, nearly 100€ for a dolly that eats and poo's ... yet just two floors down in the Hipercor Baby Alive was happily posing on a shelf for a much improved 72€ ... does the higher floor mean you must pay more, like in a swanky hotel? Anyway 70 odd euros was still far to much for a doll so we left it. Then a few days later in the Poly toyshop in the Miramar in Fuengirola I came across Baby Alive for much more purse friendly 52€ .... what an incredible difference from Baby Alive number 1!!! I still haven't checked out Toys r Us but am confident that the price can only improve.

In the meantime my daughter tells me she now wants Tiny Tears ...

The Icing on the Cake Spain!

My daughter's birthday is coming up soon and so I was excited to find out about a company called The Icing on the Cake Spain ... which just like indybel was created by a mum in Spain who saw a gap in the market.

The Icing on the Cake Spain specialise in personalised, customised cakes and cake toppers for all occassions. Customers can choose any cake topper and message and The Icing on the Cake will create it for you. They have a large selection of cake toppers already on their site, including all the favourites such as Dora and Hello Kitty, or you can request your own idea and they will find a topper for you! You can even send a photograph to make a personalised cake featuring a picture of yourself or your little one! The Icing on the Cake will then send your cake topper to you in the post and deliver free from Gibrater to Malaga and with a tiny charge throughout the rest of Spain.

And ... if you're worried about a topper being sent in the post then don't be. Last year for Bella's birthday I ordered an In the Night Garden topper from the UK ( sadly didn't know about The Icing on the Cake then ... ) and it turned up in perfect condition despite it's long journey, so I can personally promise that cake toppers do travel well!

The Icing on the Cake website is well worth a browse for anyone considering throwing a party. As well as cake toppers and such delights as edible glitter ( how cool is that! ) they also have sections on party ideas, a cakey blog ( with yummy recipies ) and lots of useful links and recommendations for everything from venues to entertainers to food and drink ...

The Icing on the Cake is run by Ashleigh who is very friendly and helpful and the ideal person to take all your cake stress away!

The Icing on the Cake is not just about birthday cake toppers, the company also supply toppers and cake messages to say Marry Me, Happy Anniversary, Enjoy your retirement, Fancy a .... (!) or whatever you want!

Recently at indybel we've had baby shower clients request cakes and now happily we are delighted to have found The Icing on the Cake as they can also make Baby Shower toppers.

Mum to be's friends can simply email a picture of glowing mum to be and her bump and Ashleigh will make a gorgeous cake or cupcakes featuring the pics.

Now ...what better excuse is there to eat for two?! To find out more about baby shower cakes contact The Icing on the Cake or info@indybel.com ... and of course we can also help plan your

baby shower too!

To find out more about The Icing on the Cake Spain visit

http://www.theicingonthecakespain.com/

Cake and Chocolate Creations

.... and on the subject of cakes ... more cakey news .....

It seems to be toddler birthday party season at the moment. Every week we seem to have another party to attend ( not complaining, all invitations gratefully received thank you! ) and amongst other things I am very impressed by the sheer inventiveness, creativity and levels of bakery that are on display at each party when it comes to the bringing out of the birthday cake!!

Luckily Bella's birthday is not until the end of November so I'm not going to worry about it yet, but I was pleased to see that one of the other mums at the nursery ( and a friend! ) has started her own cake business ...

Vanessa offers such cakey wonders as a princess castle, teddy bear, butterfly, trains, numbers, favourite characters and a selection of cupcakes. You can choose chocolate, lemon or cream sponge and there are even special chocolate only creations on offer such as giant chocolate buttons ( ok, I know this is what Bella would pick! ) and chocolate animals and insects.

Bella was recently invited to Vanessa's daughters birthday, so I have had the pleasure of tasting most of the above first hand and can honestly say it was all delicious and looked fantastic!

To find out more about Vanessa's cakes call

677493280 or 951103407

or email Vanessa@oliverbar.es

Coming soon to Spain ... Bebe au Lait

No more worrying about breastfeeding in public ... www.indybel.com will shortly be selling the gorgeous Bebe au Lait ( previously known as Hooter Hiders! ) nursing covers ...

Made with gorgeous and stylish fabrics and with lots of clever features, Bebe au Lait also includes a handy pop out top so you can monitor your baby while breastfeeding but still feed with total privacy.

My sister recently bought one in the UK where they are now one of the top selling baby items and says she couldn't live without!

Baby au Lait will be avaliable from http://www.indybel.com/ in Spain in the next few weeks in 3 different designs.

They make great gifts too!

Last Chance Summer Sale!

Don't forget our fab summer sale ends this Thursday Oct 1st as we officially enter autumn here in Spain!!

Which means this week is your last chance to take advantage of some great special offers ... 25% off everything in our summer range including ...

Baby Banz sunglasses and hats
Shade-a-babe
Buggy Brolly
Cuddledry toddler beach and bath towels
JoJo Maman Bebe maternity swimwear and sun protection tent
Imse Vimse resuable swim nappies

all avaliable in Spain at http://www.indybel.com/ ... delivery throughout Spain and the Islands ...

Take advantage of our great savings to stock up for the winter sun and next summer too ...

Capture the moment ....

Ever since my daughter was born we've been meaning to get some professional photo's done of all of us, ideally to capture her in all her toddler glory before the awkward years set in and she's turned into a stroppy teenager!

So, last week I decided to take advantage of a special offer for mums in Spain put together by Curran Photography in Mijas Pueblo. The offer co-incided with my sister being on holiday here with her newborn, so we decided this was def a good opportunity to get some great pics of all the cousins together.

Curran Photography is a very friendly business run by husband and wife team Justin and Julie. They had lots of toys for Bella to play with which helped her to relax and really she was photographed without even knowing it! There were also a few baby accessories on hand for the baby photos.

As a perk, Susan and Jessica Chruchill from Lavish Artists were also on hand to do hair and make up on the day. This was great fun and a nice pampering experience for us busy mums! Bella also enjoyed having her hair done and her insect bites covered with make up!!
We went back yesterday to see a slide show of our photos and were very happy with the results, which certainly do 'capture' the moment! Subsequently we all spent a lot more than planned on the gorgeous pictures, but hey they are only young once!! As a gift for my parents, my sister and I also bought a lovely picture of the four of us on a wall canvas.

Curran photography also specialise in weddings and commercial photography as well as family pics and will be holding another mums and babies session soon. Lavish artists also work independently doing hair and make up for weddings, celebrations, pampering parties and commercial events such as fashion shows.

Indybel happily recommend contacting either company .... details below!!

Curran Photography ( based in Mijas Pueblo )
653 448 470
info@curranphotos.com
http://www.curranphotos.com/

Lavish Artist
655 277 180
http://www.lavishartist.com/
http://www.hairandmake-upartist4u.com/

Have fun!

Wheely Good Idea!

I remember when my daughter was born and I used to spend endless days pushing her around in her pram, how surprised I was to find that the streets in Spain are just not wheel friendly! It wasn't just the cobbly streets and high pavements that were really hard work to negociate but also I couldn't believe just how many shops and offices were up huge flights of stairs, could only be accessed with teeny tiny lifts or had narrow doors and jaggedy paving outside. This included quite modern institutions like banks, supermarkets and carparks ... so all in all getting around with a pram in Spain is not that easy!

So it was with pleasure that I read last week that Fuengirola Town Hall is aiming to make life easier for people using wheels ... and that's not just parents of course, but trolley and wheelchair users too, by putting into action a plan to eliminate architectural barriers! Apparently 164 trouble spots will be removed and replaced with ramp access ...

Good news for all us mums and wheel users in Spain! Hopefully other towns and cities will follow suit soon.

Time to start thinking togs!

Last night for the first time in weeks I put socks on my toddler when she went to bed and covered her with a sheet ... my husband wanted to get the duvet out but I don't think winters here quite yet!! The evenings have got noticably cooler though ... a welcome relief after months of sweating at night ... and little one's do feel the changes, so it's important to monitor the temperature in their bedrooms and adjust their sleeping outfits accordingly.

All this reminded me that our indybel delivery of new JoJo Maman Bebe sleeping bags should be here any day now! Like everything else, baby sleeping bags are not always easy to find in Spain. We are really excited about our latest products ... these gorgeous sleeping bags come in three different designs and two different togs ( 1.5 for warmer temperatures of 22 - 24 degrees and 2.5 for the cooler months when the temperatures even in Spain do drop below 21 degrees at night! ) We are also going to be selling them in two sizes, 0-6 months and 6-18 months ... all the details will be on our site in the next week or so, so if you are thinking of buying a sleeping bag for your little one this winter don't forget to check ours out. They are a lot cheaper than Grobag, but of the very same high quality!

Here are the 3 designs we're expecting ... all three are perfect for either girls or boys. nb the colour of Carousel is beige/cream.

Noah's Ark Sleeping Bag, coming soon to http://www.indybel.com/ in 2.5 tog size 0-6 months

Carousel Sleeping Bag, coming soon to http://www.indybel.com/ in 2.5 tog, sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months

Rainbow Sleeping Bag, coming soon to http://www.indybel.com/ in 1.5 tog, sizes 0-6 and 6-18 months

All designs gorgeous for girls or boys!!!

Our First Fashion Show Rehearsal!

Last night we had our first fashion show rehearsal. As many of you know Indybel are putting on a Maternity Fashion Show at the Mother, Baby and Toddler show in October. This is quite a big thing for us as we've never done anything like it before, but happily we have found 6 fantastic real women pregnant models whose enthusiasm and commitment last night was amazing and we can't thank them enough.

We've also had the good fortune to have found a team of 'professionals' who are willing to help us make our show look and feel as professional as possible. Thanks to our team ( including the models )we are confident the show is going to look fantastic and can't thank them all enough. Lousia our choreographer has so many great ideas and last night taught our girls to walk like models in a matter of minutes, we also have a professional hair salon doing hair on the day, David our make up artist is renouned for his fantastic work and will be making up all our girls on the day, plus we've just found out that Tickled Pink will be accessorising and styling our girls with their fab costume jewellery and knowledge ... we can't thank you all enough ... next rehearsal is next Friday and we can't wait!!

Louisa puts our girls through their paces!

Perfect potz take the worry out of weaning!!

When I weaned my baby here in Spain the biggest headache was finding little pots to store the food. When you are weaning it is more practical both time wise and financially to make large amounts of puree's up at once than to cook everyday. So you need lots of little different sized pots which are also freezable and easily washable. I couldn' t find anything much in the shops here, you either got 4 or 5 pots which cost a fortune or a few plastic pots which were cheaper but less safe.

In the end I got my mum to send stuff over from the UK where there was an assortment of stuff avaliable. So she sent me little ice cube pots with lids, a set of 8 or so pots which were far cheaper than here and so on ... but to this day as far as I am aware, weaning pots or those for taking food out and about are still not easily avaliable in Spain. The best pots for taking food out I could find were mini tupplewares which again were both expensive and too big, so impractical!

So it is with huge delight and excitment that Indybel have discovered Babypotz ( pictured above and below ) ... these fantastic baby weaning pots are currently taking the UK and Ireland by storm. The brainchild of mum Lesley O'Mahony, Babypotz are everything you need them to be! Which includes BPA free and microwave, dishwasher, freezer and sterilizer safe... More than that they come in a boxes of 50 pots ( divided into 5 different handy sizes ) so you'll never run out. And believe me, as a mum who has weaned, you need a lot more pots about than you think! Each pot has it's own lid too so you can seal them securely in the freezer and take them out with you as they are.

Babypotz in our opinion are one of the best baby products we've seen for a while. They are practical, safe, look great and are also fantastic value for money. http://www.indybel.com/ will shortly be selling Babypotz on our site for 22.99€ for a box of 50 pots, that means each pot will only cost you 46 cents!!!

Check out http://www.indybel.com/ soon to find out more about Babypotz, or to reserve a box simply email info@indybel.com telling us how many boxes you'd like to reserve!

Gearing up for the first ever Indybel Maternity Fashion Show!

Next month see's the first ever Mother, Baby and Toddler Show in Estepona and as well as taking a stand, Indybel are putting on a maternity fashion show!!

This is a very exciting event for us, but has certainly been complex to mastermind!
I used to work in TV and for years my job was choosing contestants for entertainment shows, finding our models reminds me a little bit of my former career, although it's actually more difficult!

When we conceived the idea of the fashion show we decided that we wanted to use pregnant models on the catwalk. We feel that our maternity ranges are unique in that they are gorgeous, high quality, stylish, trendy, affordable and comfortable clothes. In addition the great thing about maternity clothes is that they really grow up and down with you ... they'll accelerate your bump if you are feeling loud and proud and they'll hide it if you are feeling a bit shapeless or having what we call a 'bad bump day'! Knowing all this we truely felt that 'real' pregnant models were the only ones who could really wear the clothes well .. using models with pillows stuck up their clothing just didn't seem to be right!

So last month we posted our plea for 'real women pregnant models' on a number of websites and forums including our own and are delighted to say that we have had a huge response! Thanks to all the lovely girls who have responded, some are in their first pregnancy, some on their second or third ... some are nervous and others very confident, but all are 'real' and we are so excited to see the clothing on them.

The bumpband at www.indybel.com

This week we have been busy confirming our 6 models and arranging our first model get together next week. The aim of this meeting will be for our models to meet our choreographer Lousia who is fab and for her to teach them a few catwalk moves. Hopefully we'll also be able to try some of the outfits on the models and work out who will be wearing what and which looks will look better on which girls! There is so much to do! Plus as we are fully aware that our models aren't professionals, we are very keen to make them feel as positive, comfortable and happy about the experience as possible.

Seraphine awardwinning bootleg jeans, available in Spain from www.indybel.com ... so comfy you can wear them right up until the birth!

We have also been busy ordering in clothing for the show. Our aim is to show that you don't need to spend a fortune on hundreds of maternity peices, but can achieve a great look throughout your 9 months with just a few staple high quality maternity peices which can then be mixed and matched with other items. Our key peices include our gorgeous Seraphine boot leg maternity jeans, the Seraphine denim skirt and Seraphine Leggings. In addition we'll be showcasing a fab ethnic print dress from JoJo Maman Bebe which can be worn with leggings, jeans or as a dress in it's own right as well as some great adaptable tops from JJMB and of course our own Indybel lounge pants. Plus there's our nighttime range which is also great for looking glam during hospital visits!!
Of course all the peices are avaliable on our site too ( http://www.indybel.com/ ) and not just at the show.

So as the date draws nearer we are really getting very excited. Hopefully after next weeks meeting we'll be able to start to see it really coming together .. we'll keep you updated and maybe see you there!!

Our First Competition Winner!

Congratulations to Gaby from Jimena de la Frontera who has won our August 1st Birthday competition. All Gaby had to do to enter was purchase something from our store during the month of August ... now she's the proud owner of one of our gorgeous pampering Natalia Gift Boxes ...

We had lots of interest in our competition, so thanks to everyone who entered themselves! As it's proved so popular we'll certainly think about running another competition later this year ...

Morning after pill

Just saw this item in the Sur in English newspaper ... From September the Morning-after pill will be avaliable in Spanish pharmacies without a prescription or age restriction ... here is the article in full ....

The morning-after pill will go on sale in pharmacies in Spain in September, the Ministry for Health has confirmed.

The emergency contraception was initially expected to go on sale in August but the health authorities have been working with various scientific organisations to establish the guidelines for selling the pill without a prescription. The ministry says that pharmacists will be advised on what information to provide to users.

It was announced in May that the pill would go on sale without the need for a prescription and without age restrictions in pharmacies throughout the country. Up until now it has only ever been dispensed by doctors.

The PP and Catalan conservative party CiU had opposed the Socialists’ proposal and were particularly against the idea of unrestricted sale of the pill. Critics feared that prescription-free sale would result in an increase in the number of women using the pill as a method of ordinary contraception, however, the government considers that allowing the sale of the pill will result in a decrease in the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

Teeny Tiny Advertising

Today I was in the car with my two year old and she mentioned it was her birthday soon. ( Well, November! )

"Yes it is", I said, "and what would you like for your birthday?"

"I want Baby Alive" she said.

I was totally amazed by her awnser. Baby Alive is a doll we've seen advertised a few times on Nick Jr ... the dolly poo's in it's nappy ( charming ) hence the 'alive' title! What was incredible was that having seen this advert no more than maybe 2 or 3 times, she'd 'bought in' to the advertising message and was now asking me for a Baby Alive. It's fascinating that a child as young as 2 can 'buy' into a TV advert.

Okay, so clearly others have realised this before me, as channels such as Nick Jr and CITV are full of adverts for toys, but I always thought parents were the primary target market and so now I'm wondering why the people who sell advertising space don't use this great opportunity to help us parents by selling to companies that promote healthier activities.

For example you never see adverts with children exclaiming in delight over a fruit bar or cool sunhats or plasters, toothpaste or a breakfast cereal. It's all toys, toys, toys ... a bit of a missed opportunity to appeal to new markets and give us parents a bit of a smoother ride too ... after all how great would it be if I asked my two year old what she wanted for her birthday and she replied 'I'd like a nutritious bowl of museli please mummy' .....!!

A customer service rant!

At Indybel we believe absolutely 100% that good customer service is one of the most important parts of our business ... aside from the fact that we enjoy chatting to and helping our customers, we firmly believe that if someone makes the effort to contact us then it's the least we can do to respond to them and try to help them as much as we can. So, we always respond to emails straight away, try to help customers who have queries about our products and make sure we've done everything we can to ensure our customers are happy and satisfied. We still do this for people who are not our customers as it's just good manners. For example a lady emailed last year trying to find a particular dummy in Spain and we spent a good few hours researching dummies for her on the internet. Other customers have emailed us asking if we can help find products that we dont' stock, and even though it means no revenue for us, if we can help then we certainly will and frequently do.

So it always annoys me when other retailers don't see the importance of customer service and when I'm on the customer side it makes me even more esperated.
There is one shop in particular that does seem to wind me up the wrong way time and time again and yet I still go back ... and rant!

El Cortes Ingles is Spain's largest department store with stores dotted around Spain in all the major towns and cities. On the whole they have some nice stuff and I like the supermarket there and it's a good place for a browse on a rainy day, but after a few years of going there I can honestly say that in my experience the customer service is not good.

On the whole you seem to be greeted by unsmiling, unhelpful and unknowledgeable sales assistants who aren't that keen to 'sell' or help. The baby dept in particular has always seemed particularly unhelpful to me, but I had to go there last week to source a new mattress for my old pram in preparation for my sisters visit. As I bought the pram there and it's a major Spanish brand Jane, I thought they would be able to help me, but after a lot of shruggling of shoulders they told me that they don't sell mattresses and don't know anywhere that does ... oh I said, but I saw a mattess in another shop down the road ... to looks of great surprise ... eventually they mentioned a shop in Malaga that might sell the mattress but there was no question of them phoning the shop for me to make an enquirey. At my assistance they reluctantly got out their Jane catalogues and flicked through them but couldn't help and when I asked if the Jane website might sell them they didn't know. Maybe it's me, but surely assistants in a baby dept should know more about baby products? I recognise some of these assistants from 2 or 3 years ago, so it's not like they are new. The general attitude is of not really caring ... if it's there they are happy to sell it to you, if not then they don't want to know.

So I gave up on the mattress and went to the toy dept with my toddler. She wanted a slide. There were two possibles on display. One at 34 euros and the exact same one next to it with added stickers at 40 euros. I waited about 15 mins for a sales person and then asked to buy the 34 euro slide. Oh no, he told me, we don't have this one in stock, it will take 5 days to order. 5 days to order a 34 euro slide ....??? Why bother having it on show then? I'm pretty sure the consumer has the right to be able to buy goods on display if it's suggested they are for immediate sale. So I asked him if I could purchase the exact same 40 euro slide for 34 euros as they didn't have the 34 euro one in stock ... not a chance!!

Feeling dejected I headed to the supermarket. The thing that really annoys me about the supermarket in the Cortes Ingles is that you are only allowed in one end and it' s the far end the furthest away from every staircase, escalator and lift ... so you huff and puff all the way there with your bags and a toddler and then have to go through the rigmarole of having your bags bagged up ... then if you exit without buying anything you are only allowed down one tiny weeny ailse ...

I do know it's my choice to shop there, but I also feel that good customer service, especially in such a large institution, is a right and not a priveldge. If small shops can manage friendly helpful service why can't huge institions who have access to staff training programmes and management programmes? When I go back to the UK I can't help but sometimes compare the customer service in shops such as El Cortes Ingles to their British counterparts such as John Lewis and Marks and Spencers and sadly there is a lot lacking here in Spain. I think in time these shops will have to begin to take customer service more seriously but until then I will either just have to practice deep breathing exercises or shop elsewhere!!