My best friend friend Karen has just turned 40 and is pregnant for the first time. It’s quite exciting as she and her husband have been trying for a few years. I was so relieved when she told me! She’s quite a skinny girl but we are still looking for Maternity Clothes that will carry her through the later stages of her pregnancy. She might still have skinny legs but she needs clothes that will be comfortable around the middle particularly. I’ve been horrified at some of the maternity wear I have seen in the stores. It either seems to be really bland and frumpy, or it is covered in Disney characters. What grown woman wants to wear a denim jumper with Winnie The Pooh on it?

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We started looking at some online stores and found that Bellydancematernity.com has a great range of maternity wear and fortunately, not a Winnie the Pooh or Minnie mouse to be seen. They have a huge range of designer styled, such as Juicy Couture Maternity, yet reasonably priced Maternity Dresses and other pieces such as active wear and lingerie. They have a good gift range for dads to be as well as mums to be. Gift certificates are also available. Check out the site and find out why In Style Magazine voted them ‘best maternity website’.

Eating out when traveling with children can be an experience. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but always interesting.  

If you plan carefully, your family can have a pleasant dining experience without ruining the wait staff’s day.  

First, try to plan restaurant visits during less busy times. Waiting in long lines for a table, slow service and harried wait staff do not make for a pleasant meal for anyone. Small children get bored easily and a bored, hungry child is an unhappy child.

 Let your children snack before leaving for the restaurant. In this case, it’s not going to ruin the child’s appetite to snack before hand. A small snack will tide the child over while they wait to order, and wait for their meal.

 Look for kid friendly places to eat. Many mid-priced restaurants are family friendly. They offer kid menus, crayons and table games, and designated “kids eat free” periods through out the day. And let’s face it, eating out with the whole family can be expensive, so free is always good.

When you have the whole family in tow, be especially generous when you tip your wait staff. Most servers go out of their way to be friendly to your kids. Acknowledge that and let your server know it’s appreciated.

Let your child choose what they want from the menu. They’re more likely to eat what is served if they ordered it themselves.

If you have small children or babies, be sure to clean up after them. It’s a fact of life babies and toddlers will spill drinks, throw food on the floor and smear catsup on the table. Be considerate of the restaurant staff. Pick up food from the floor, wipe up the spilled drinks and scrape the catsup off the table.

Be a good customer and you’ll likely to be greeted with a smile the next time you bring your family in for dinner.

Staying in a hotel with your children can be enough to frazzle any parent. Close quarters with not much to do and neighbors on the other side of the wall can be a recipe for disaster. Especially if the kids get loud and restless. 

But, it doesn’t have to be all bad. You and your kids can make the best out of hotel travel with a few simple ideas. 

Before you leave home, call several hotels in your destination area and shop for the best price. Many hotels offer “kids stay free” weekends. Some have even adopted the policy for all but their busiest times. Also, if your children are older, check into the availability of adjoining rooms. The kids will be close by, but mom and dad can get some privacy as well.

 Not all hotels offer cribs, so be sure to ask when you call.

 In addition to staying free, kids can eat free, too. Continental breakfasts, kids menus, and time locked specials mean your hotel may offer free food for your little one to.

 Most hotels have heated swimming pools. Be sure to bring swim suits and take advantage of entertainment and exercise you may not be able to access at home. Not only will the kids have fun splashing around, but they’ll sleep well, too.

 In today’s techno-centric world, most hotels have free cable television, and a many offer video game rooms and free internet access.

A few travel hotels offer game and book libraries where bored kids can check out board games or good books.

Depending on how long you’re staying, evaluate your family’s need for a kitchen. Some hotels offer rooms with small kitchens, while others do not.

With a little research, you can make your child’s hotel experience fun, without annoying others on the floor.

Potty training doesn’t have to stop when you have to travel. Preparation is key when continuing potty training on the road.

First off, bring your child’s stand alone potty chair with you. If it comes down to it,  you can always pull off the road and set the child’s potty chair up in the  passenger side seat. Be sure to bring inserts or small plastic bags for lining the potty. It will make clean up a lot easier.

If you bring the potty, be sure to remember paper or wipes for your child. Bring whatever it is she uses at home. A long trip is not the place to experiment.

Have your child wear one of the many disposable training pants that are on the market. This will protect clothes, car seat and tender little feelings from the occasional accident.

Try to limit fluids and high water content foods on the road. Hydration is a good thing, but you don’t want your toddler to have an accident because you can’t find a place on the two-lane road to pull over.

And don’t forget to stop often so your little one can use the rest areas bathrooms. Just bring the child’s potty seat in to the restroom with you. They may be afraid of the toilet, so don’t be surprised if your little on insists on using the full potty chair.

Also, it is normal for there to be potty training backslides during periods of high stress or travel. So, don’t be to hard on your little one if they suddenly start having more accidents than at home.

When you arrive at your destination, try to encourage you toddler to get back on their normal potty routine as quickly as possible. You will both feel better when you get home and back to

When building a new home or renovating or upgrading an exsiting one, making a decision about what kind of heating appliance to install is an important one.  Most heating appliances are designed to be used in addition to a central heating system, rather than instead of one. Never underestimate how important it is to manage the indoor temperature and also bear in mind that different rooms may require different temperature levels.  For example, living areas used by all the family, or a home office, will need larger Gas Fires than a bedroom.

The main choices for installed indoor heating are gas fires, Electric Fires and fireplaces.  Choices for gas heating can include power flue gas fires, fanned flue gas fires, LPG gas fires or flueless gas fires.  Converting from electricity to gas may be a consideration as well so you may want to look into gas cooking and gas hot water.

There are also a number of fireplace options to consider such as marble fireplaces, wood burning stoves and cast iron fireplaces.

Hotprice.co.uk can help you make your heating appliance decision with a website that allows you to search by type of appliance or by brand.  They carry all the major brands at discounted prices as compared to the main ‘high street’ stores, and although you may be able to purchase a cheaper gas fire, for example, elsewhere you are not always guaranteed of workmanship and quality.  

Safety is a crucial consideration when installing a fireplace, gas fire or electric fire so don’t compromise to save a few dollars.  Also make sure your gas fires are installed by a certified CORGI installer only.  The site will guide you through the steps needed to make your decision as well as give you information about the different types of heating appliances and which one will be best for your home and usage requirements.

When you order online through hotprice.co.uk your quality products at discount prices are generally despatched within five days of receipt of order and most deliveries take place within 10-14 days of receipt of your order.  Some special orders may take up to 20 days.