Going on holiday to Spain with a baby ... or two!

My sister is coming out next week for an impromtu holiday with her two very small children and so suddenly needs a huge amount of baby stuff! The dilemma she is facing is similar to that which many families face when taking babies on holiday .... you don't and can't travel with too much and you don't want to have to buy everything when you get there ... so what do you do?

Most hotels will supply you with the basics but there are still things you might need. If you are hiring an appartment as my sister is you will often need to find the basics yourself. My sisters main 'want' was a cot for her 18 month old. We can lend her one cot for her newborn but she still needs a second one. So I started to do some research and came across a company called Holiday Hires who hire out baby equiptment throughout the Costa del Sol.

They have a wide range of baby stuff at affordable prices including wooden and travel cots, high chairs, push chairs and safety items. Holiday Hires do not just hire out baby stuff, if you are coming on holiday to the Costa del Sol you can also use them to hire mobility equipment such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters as well as more general items that you might not think you are going to need on holiday, but suddenly find you can't do without .... eg fans, kettles, fridges, microwaves, fold up beds and even Wii machines!!! So keep their details handy if coming out here on holiday.

My sister's wooden cot costs 35€ for 7 days hire which is pretty good and comes with a mattress and sheets. Holiday Hires were also really quick to get back to me after our initial enquiry and very helpful re drop off and pick up times.

Their team also assemble anything that you order and that's all included in the price! To find out more about Holiday Hires take a look at their website http://www.holidayhires.net/ and have a great holiday!!!

Holo - a hole lot of fun during pregnancy!

One of my pregnant friends has always slept on her tummy ... since finding out she was pregnant she has continued to sleep on her tummy but now that she is getting a bit bigger she's beginning to find it a bit uncomfortable. So she was delighted when I told her about indybel latest product ... the holo!




The holo is basically ... a lilo with a hole! The brainchild of a pregnant mum to be who found a holiday to Spain uncomfortable with her bump, the holo is now taking the world by storm! So okay obviously it's a summer product and a holiday product first and foremost but the holo is not just for relaxing in the pool while pregnant .... oh no, you can also use it to sunbathe on your back, meaning baby is away from the evil sun's glare ... and you can use it lie by the pool and read a book on your front ... a pleasure many have to forgo during pregnancy.
The holo is very compact, it can be easily inflated and deflated which means taking it to the beach daily is no problem and it fits perfectly in the suitcase too ....

Okay so that's holiday's covered, but what about the rest of the year? This to us is where the true beauty of the holo shines through .... it's a fantastic product for resting in your home ... if you are one of the many ladies who prefer to life on your front and watch TV or read a book or even take a nap then the holo is just as useful in your front room as on the beach ....

And that's not all .... it can be taken to massage session or used for physio or osteopathy, meaning that finally pregnant women and their bumps can lie comfortably during treatments. It's already being used by experts in these fields to treat pregnant women with great results ... so good news all round really ....

So that's the holo .... let's see now ..... perfect for the pool, the beach, the garden, the lounge, the bedroom, the spa! What else could you want!

The holo is avaliable in Spain from http://www.indybel.com/ for retail in our store and also for wholesale so if you happen to be a Spanish retailer and are looking for the next must have pregnancy product, get in touch!!

Aqua Park - Mijas Costa

Yesterday we went to the Mijas Costa Aqua Park for the first time. Our three year old had a great time and I have to say it was a really good day out!








At 18 euros per adult it's not cheap and that's before food and drinks but children under 4 can go in free which takes the edge off! We arrived at 11.30 and only had to queue for about 5 minutes which wasn't too bad although I'd imagine that July and August are a lot busier. We then secured beds ( which cost 3 euros for two ) right by the chidren's pool, so the perfect spot to watch the kids and sunbathe at the same time ... bliss!

The children's area is very nice. A large pool divided into two by a bridge houses a number of different slides and water type attractions such as elephants with water coming out of their noses and walkways under showers etc ... there are smaller slides for the really little ones and the water is thigh deep on adults so you do need to keep a close eye on toddlers but overall there was certainly enough to keep our energetic tot entertained for a good six hours. I woudn't necessarily recommend it for children under 3 but for 3 and over it's great ....

We had lunch at the restaurant which was clean and quick and chicken and chip type meals cost approx 4 euros per person so not too bad. There are numerous smoothie, ice cream and waffle stands dotted around the place too ....

For the adults there are number of different slides, a couple of swimming pools ( for kids too ) the wave pool ( which didn't have any waves while we were there ) ... grass areas and picnic areas. There is also an indoor games room, mini golf, trampolines and shows. The highlight of the day for my daughter was face painting in the water ... a rather odd concept but one that certainly pleased her!

The toilets were very clean and well maintained and you can rent lockers for your valuables for the day. The park was actually very well run with good queue management and a nice atmosphere ... but I couldn't say how it would be in high tourist season!

My main and only gripe has to be that the water was COLD ! I really thought the water would be slightly heated and more pleasurable but it was pretty cold and it was a hot day so it shouldn't have been that cold. I'm sure it must be heated when they open in April and even in September. Aside from that we all had a great day out and I'd def recommend it for anyone on holiday in the Fuengirola, Marbella, Malaga area or if you live here with little one's!

The Mijas Costa Aqua Park is situated just off the N340 in Fuengirola. ( Marbella to Malaga direction ) Take the first exit after passing the Miramar center on your left .....

This summer I am loving .....

.... the Babybanz Kidz Sunhat ....

Okay we sold these last year and I knew how great they are but I didn't buy one for my daughter as she seemed to have a million sunhats. This year with all her sunhats being too small I purchased the Babybanz sunhat for her. The great thing about this hat is that it offers total UV protection and has a massive rim so the back of her neck is protected while she plays in the pool or in the garden and her forehead and most of her face are also protected ....



The hat looks really cute too and has been the recipient of quite a lot of comments at our pool and on the beach, and thankfully she seems happy enough to wear it. The useful velcro tie means that I can alter the size for her head too so she can't pull it off all the time.

Def my favourite summer baby product so far this year!

June Special Offers

This June we have taken 15% off our Customer's Top 5 Favourite Summer Products!!

Flexibath WAS 39€ ..... THIS MONTH 33€

JoJo Maman Bebe UV Family Sun Tent WAS 54.50€ .... THIS MONTH 46.30€

Baby Kangaroo Sling WAS 39€ .... THIS MONTH 33€

Shade-a-babe WAS 37.50€ ..... THIS MONTH 32€

JoJo Maman Bebe Maternity Kaftan WAS 31.50€ .... THIS MONTH 26.80€

Check out these great savings now at http://www.indybel.com/

Offers last until 30th of June or until stock runs out!

Battery Park in Torremolinos

Last week we finally made it to Battery Park in Torremolinos .... I say finally because we tried once before but got completely lost ( it's not the easiest park to find ) and then when we finally got there we couldn't go in as we had our dog with us and it's one of those parks which don't allow dogs .... ( not happy about that ! )

Anyway on Friday we followed a friend ( without dog ) and finally got to embark at the park. And it was def worth the wait. The children's play area is fantastic. Divided into 3 sections, there are areas for really little one's, toddlers and older children.... Each area is really nicely set out on fake grass ( did get a bit hot, must be really really hot in the summer ) with a number of 'different' attractions including huge slides, big bowl type swings for several children, large and small trampolines and climbing frames.

A small walk away is an ornate man made lake where you can purchase rowing boats ...

There are toilet facilities at the park ( but only two toilets so be prepared to queue ) and vending machines with drinks and snacks ....

I'm glad we finally got there and think I could now just about find it again ... def a good one for wearing out the kids!

Family Fun Day Out in Calahonda

We were recently contacted about this family day out in Calahonda ... it sounds fab and all the proceeds go to the L.I.V.E charity which supports the children's Orphanage in Malaga ...

Here are the details ... we'll defnitly be going!

Family fun day in Calahonda
Saturday May 15^th
Location - shaded ‘Parque Infantil’, Avenida de España, Calahonda.

There will be lots going on for all the family to enjoy including a bouncy castle, face painting, games and activities, great prizes to win, entertainers and live music throughout the day as well as food and drink.

There will also be a variety of stalls of children-related products to browse as well as a jumble sale and second hand toy stall.

Entrance to the Fayre is free of charge.

If you have prize you would like to donate, jumble or second hand toys to sell or are interested in taking a stand, please contact Nicola Erlich on 616399382 or email info@live-spain.org

All proceeds go to the charity L.I.V.E (www.live-spain.org) which is a local registered charity working with the local Children’s Home in Malaga.

Reiny Season

It must be reiny season ...!

I say this because toddler harnesses and reins suddenly seem to be the 'hot' baby product in Spain of the moment!

I used reins with my toddler and found them to be really useful. There is a period when excitable toddlers find out they can just about walk ( or stumble ) and start to really explore the world. This is great fun for them but when you are out and about it can be a worry for parents ... you need to be able to keep a strong hold on your toddler especially in busy places such as supermarkets, parks and markets ... This is where the simple baby harness comes into it's own. It allows you to keep a hold of your toddler while also giving them freedom to explore their surroundings safely.

In Spain there is quite a negative attitude to reins from the more traditional parents. I think they see them as unneccesary and uncomfortable. Yet while they might have been right in more innocent times, the truth is that in this day and age, as a parent, I want to be able to really keep a hold of my child. It's another interesting culteral difference between Spanish and British parents. That said we are selling reins to the Spanish too, so attitudes are starting to change ...

For parents who don't want to restrict their children too obviously we have recently found a brilliant invention. It's called My First Back Pack and is a toddler backpack which also functions as a harness for parents to hold onto .... toddlers love wearing them and hardly realise they attached to their parents! They also look really cute ....

To buy our Sure Steps conventional toddler reins or My First Backpack here in Spain check out http://www.indybel.com/

Travelling with the Trunki

Well, as Indybel started to stock the Trunki towards the end of last year, it seemed only right that I put my money where my mouth is and invest in one as we were off to the UK for New Year. My daughter chose Harley the red Trunki and so began our Trunki adventure ...

The first great thing I found about using a Trunki is that it's fun for toddlers to pack. My toddler anyway had great fun packing all her favourite toys into her Trunki the night before departure, and then I had less fun unpacking them all and repacking more sensible one's ... still it got her into the spirit of the journey and there is also a huge amount of room in the Trunki's ... I got a load of toys and travel games in, along with favourite dolly and favourite teddy and a number of travel items such as spare knickers, spare clothes, extra layers, sandwiches and so on ....

When we arrived at Malaga airport the next morning my daughter proudly insisted on pulling her own suitcase and as a retailer I was amazed by how many people were pointing the Trunki out to one and other and how many children were eying it up too! My husband was busy telling everyone 'we sell it you know!' ...

Post check in, we said goodbye to my hubbie who was staying in Spain and as a lone parent on a long journey with a toddler the Trunki suddenly came into it's own. Firstly my little one loved pulling it and wouldn't let me pull it for her, which was a great relief as I still had memories of our last journey when I was carrying both my and her bags and toddler too! So now she had something to focus on. When she eventually did get bored of pulling as we were about to start the walk to the gate and onto the plane, she decided to rideon the Trunki instead. Again as a parent this was great, I was able to pull her along without taking the weight of either her or her luggage. More importantly she had great fun all the way to the plane and didn't get bored while we were waiting in the queues and standing around in the cold.

Once on the plane, I was pleased to find our Trunki fitted perfectly under the seat and once we were up in the air my daughter was able to open it up and spent a happy two hours with all her toys.

Our journey home again was pretty much the same!

So, a slightly biased but also genuine assesment ....

Is it worth it .... ABSOLUTELY

Will I be taking it on my next journey .... OH YES!

Marks out of 10 .... A DEFINITE TRUNKI TEN OUT OF TEN ....

To find out more about trunki, visit the indybel trunki page by clicking here!

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/

The heat is on!

I recently came across this article about pregnancy and the heat. I have one or two very heavily pregnant friends at the moment and they finding being pregnant in Spain in August pretty uncomfortable. Yet the heat can also be potentially dangerous for pregnancy so it's important that all mums to be keep themselves out of the sun as much as possible and drink lots of water. Here's the article in full ....

I have always had a low tolerance for the cold and prefer warmer temperatures. All that changed during my first pregnancy. I turned the office air conditioning down to a low setting and had a fan on at every opportunity. The heat was almost unbearable.

This heat intolerance is true for many pregnant women since, in general, they have a reduced tolerance to heat. The summer is here and most people would agree that it is very hot. I can certainly empathise with the discomfort of women who are pregnant during the summer months.

However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to more than just discomfort. It can lead to a serious condition known as hyperthermia. This condition occurs if someone's body temperature becomes higher than its normal level. It is different from a fever in that a fever is a controlled rise in body temperature usually as a protective response to different factors such as infection. In hyperthermia there is an uncontrolled rise in the body's temperature, which may be due to impairment in the body's temperature regulation system or its cooling system.

Unfortunately, there are risks to the developing baby if a pregnant woman has this condition. If she develops hyperthermia early in pregnancy, her baby is more likely to have a birth defect, especially neural tube defects which are abnormalities involving the baby's spine and/or brain. Later in the pregnancy the condition can raise her risk of preterm labour (labour before the pregnancy has reached full term).

Fortunately, a pregnant woman's risk of developing hyperthermia is low. Nevertheless, the higher temperatures of summer can lead to other conditions. A recent study done in Israel showed that the rate of oligohydramnios was higher for pregnant women in the summer months as compared to the other months of the year.

Drink enough water

Oligohydramnios is a condition in which the volume of amniotic fluid surrounding the developing baby is lower than normal. It has been associated with a higher risk a foetal distress and an increased risk of a pregnant woman having a caesarean delivery.

So what can a pregnant woman do to avoid some of these possible complications?

She should keep well hydrated by drinking several glasses of water daily, at least 10. She can employ the use of fans or air conditioning where possible to keep cooler. She should wear cool clothes such as those made with cotton material in light colours that reflect the sunlight.
She should avoid direct sunlight as much as possible; use a large rimmed hat or an umbrella in situations where shade is not readily available. She should avoid being outdoors at the hottest times of day; use sunscreen to protect her skin as sunlight exposure can worsen pregnancy - induced darkening of the skin. Finally, swimming is not only a safe exercise for most women in pregnancy, but it is a fun way to keep cool in these hot summer months.

Dr Monique Rainford is a consulting obstetrician and gynaecologist

Sizzling Hot Summer Sale!

Yes it's August and so we have now launched our Sizzling Hot Summer Sale!!

Everything .... yes EVERYTHING in our summer section is now in the sale ... so from maternity beach wear, to toddler towels, to baby sunhats, to the fab shade a babe and even our UV tent ...

All summer items are now less 25% meaning YOU can make some massive savings if you buy now!!

Summer in Spain lasts well into October so this is a great opportunity to buy some brilliant summer baby and pregnancy products that will last well into the autumn ...

Check out all our sale items at http://www.indybel.com/ now .... our sale items can either be found in the Beach and Sun section of the Baby Store or head straight to the sales section on the main menu at the top ....

Losing weight after having a baby ....

Now that bikini weather is here I know many mums ( myself included ) who are trying to lose those extra few pounds or more that have stuck since having a baby. Yet while we all want to look great it's important not to rush and to take your time losing the baby weight, especially if you have only recently had a baby and are still breast feeding. You need to nurture your body and lose weight gradually. Unfortunatly celebs such as Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman with their have baby, be back in jeans in 3 weeks attitudes don't help. What us normal mums have to remember is that these celebrity mums aren't normal. They have nannies who look after their babies while they head off to the gym and they starve themselves to get back in shape rather than focusing on the nutritional needs of their body and their new baby. I think I'd rather have those special moments with my baby and a few extra pounds than the stress to lose weight that celeb mums must feel!

An article in today's Daily Mail / Femail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/) reports on losing weight after having a baby ...

Mothers urged to take a year to lose their excess baby weight to help their child

New mothers should take up to a year to gradually lose the weight they put on in pregnancy, doctors say.
Rather than trying to copy celebrities who appear to snap back into shape just weeks after giving birth, they should shed the extra pounds slowly for the benefit of both the baby and themselves.
And eating sensibly is more effective than punishing exercise regimes, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care said.

'Having a new baby is a major change in lifestyle,' its guidelines said.
'One of the reasons that pregnancy weight can be difficult to lose, or can lead to lifelong weight problems, is that a woman changes her eating and exercise habits. 'After childbirth, weight loss is complicated by the extra stresses the mother is facing, and her need to provide nutrition for her baby if she is breastfeeding.
'Women are exposed to many unrealistic images of female body size, and body size around pregnancy or after birth is no exception.
'That makes it difficult for many women to be satisfied with their figures, and it can damage their self-image and enjoyment of their body. You do not have to be move- star thin to be happy, healthy and have a healthy baby.'

Don't forget that for us mums lucky enough to live in Spain, there are some great ways to lose weight HEALTHILY!

* Take a stroll along the paseo or beach with your baby ... early mornings or late evenings are best in this heat, and a quick paced stroll can do wonders for your thighs!

* Enjoy the Spanish diet of fresh fish, meat, salads, olive oil and vegetables ...

* There are many mother and baby exercise classes, such as baby yoga and swimming ... great ways to bond with your baby and lose weight at the same time!

* Drink lots of water ... easy in this heat and important, as keeping hydrated stops water retention

* Don't forget that sex is also a great form of exercise and a great way to make sure your partner isn't feeling left out with all the attention focused on the new baby!

Hot Summer Nights ...

Keeping Your Baby or Toddler cool at night ...

I've been watching the temperature creep up at night in my daughers room ... just last week it was a comfortable 25 degrees ... last night it was a very uncomfortable 29 degrees! My little girl who slept amazingly well for her first two summers ( bizarely the hotter it got the more soundly she slept ) is now not liking the nighttime heat in Spain at all and is able to vocally tell me that 'my room is too hot' ... so although it's only mid June, it seems a summer of broken nights sleep is about to start, and I am bracing myself for the worst ...

I remember reading up on keeping bedrooms cool when Bella was born, afterall when you have a baby in Spain, hot summer nights are part and parcel of it all, but funnily enough although I was actually more frightened about her overheating her first summer, it seems that this summer now she is two and a half is going to be the worst. It's so hot that she's stopped napping too and is taking a long time to settle at night, so all in all she's losing sleep which I'm not too happy about. Time to take some action I think!!

Here are some of the tips I remember from reading about keeping your childs room cool in Spain ...

* You can put a fan ( or two, or three ) in a babies room, but when they are very small have it pointed away from the baby so they only get the breeze that bounces off another wall. This worked well for us, although I do remember having three blaring in the height of summer, all stragetically angeled at different positions ...

* As far as I can remember you can use air conditioning in older babies bedrooms. We never did this, I always thought it seemed a bit unhealthy, but a friend of mine has used air conditioning in her son's bedroom ever summer since he's been born, and he's never seemed to suffer from it. Again angle the breeze away from the baby's bed ...

* One thing we did do last summer, was put our portable air con unit in Bella's bedroom for an hour or so before she went to bed to cool the room down and then put the fans on .... this didn't keep the room cool all night but did make it more comfy for a few hours ...

* Try to keep shutters down during the day so your babies room doesn't get too hot ...

* I remember reading a funny tip which was to soak towels in cold water and hang them in the baby's room opposite the fan. I tried this when it was really hot during bella's first summer in Spain and it did lower the temp by a few degrees ... trouble was when the room is 30 degrees plus the towels dry in about 5 mins! Worth a go though!

* Obviously strip your baby down as much as you can .... newborns normally get colder and may require a vest or light sleepsuit, toddlers can sleep in as little as nothing .... check out the sleep cover / temp guidelines which tell you what clothes / covers a baby should have in different temps .... there is a good one on babycenter.co.uk

Happy Sleeping!

JoJo Maman Bebe arrives in Spain ....

We are delighted to announce that we are currently the first and only Spanish stockists for the popular and well renouned UK baby brand JoJo Maman Bebe!

We have long been fans of this hugely successful brand which has several UK stores as well as a thriving online business throughout the world. JJMB are well known for the quality of their products, innovative products and organic products and we are therefore delighted to be working with them in Spain and hope our customers will enjoy the chance to order JoJo Maman Bebe quickly and easily here in Spain.

We will be launching the range with a small selection but hope to grow by the autumn. Products now on the indybel.com site include a family sized UV tent, gorgeous maternity tankini's which are part swim suit, part bikini! A lovely maternity kaftan which can be worn on the beach or over trousers and the popular organic swaddling blankets ... if these items are popular we hope to expand to include the gorgeous organic clothing range for newborns in the autumn and many other popular JoJo Maman Bebe items.
We are really excited about bringing this brand to Spain and hope our customers will love the products as much as we do!

Check out JoJo Maman Bebe at www.indybel.com in Spain NOW!

UV and summer product launch at indybel.com

At Indybel we care deeply about protecting babies and toddlers from the strong sun but at the same time allowing them to enjoy their time outdoors and to really benefit from living in Spain. For these reasons we are proud to launch our new summer/beach range of UV protective products including cool baby sunglasses, cute sunhats and mulit purpose sunshades. We are also really exicted about our new range of washable baby swim nappies which are both environmentally friendly and cost effective. At the end of April we'll be adding the fab new toddler towel from the Cuddledry range which is perfect for beach or bathtime and a family sized UV tent which is great for both beach and garden and can be used for feeding, sleeping, changing and playing!

BabyBanz Sunglasses and Sombrero’s

… Baby Banz products have been recognized for the outstanding protection and UV damage prevention all of their products offer children ages 0-10.
Their products have won awards the world over for both innovative design and sun protection safety. Baby Banz were originally designed in Australia for one of the world’s toughest UV environments. Clinically tested by one of the world’s leading authorities on sunglasses, Baby Banz have passed the most stringent standards on sunglasses in the world.

The gorgeous sunhat range is UV tested, size adjustable and excellent value for money. The long rim ensure babies neck and eyes are protected too. Sunglasses and hats are available in various sizes and colours, prices start at 17.95€ for sunglasses and just 12.50€ for sombreros!!!!

Buy Shade-a-babe in Spain

Features include UPF50+ sun visor – the highest Ultraviolet Protection Factor fabric rating available. This gives your baby 98% protection from the sun’s UV rays / UPF10 glare shield to protect baby’s eyes / UPF3 lower mesh protects from insects and wind and filters UV rays entering through lower half of the pushchair, whilst still offering good vision and ventilation.

A one stop complete and total sun protection solution for the modern mum in Spain. An absolute must have or a great gift.

Imse Vimse Washable Swim Nappies – These cute award winning Imse Vimse swim nappies are perfect for beach or pool and long summers in Spain! They are ultra comfy for your little one's and the washable design means they are both environmentally friendly and cost effective. A great summer buy at just 13.80€ per pair. Available in 3 cute designs for boys and girls.

We recognise that protecting your baby and toddler from the hot summer sun in Spain is of the utmost importance to all mums in Spain and so have strived to find products and brands that are world renowned for their effectiveness in sun protection as well as being cost effective for the customer.

All the above products and more can be found NOW on our main site www.indybel.com