Lessons Learned from BabyWelt 2017 Berlin

If you are waiting for a baby or you have a small toddler and looking to find out the best children tips for new parents in Germany, BabyWelt is the fair where you definitely should book a price. I visited this event for the first time shortly after my son was born, in 2015, and returned this year being equally impressed by the variety of products and excellent services shared.

Held between 3-5 November at the Messe Berlin, this event gathered over 140 participant companies, all of them with serious experience in the field of baby products and parenting. From big medical providers as Vivantes, to big baby carriage and prams distributors, everything you need to know for the first months and years with the baby was offered to new parents as guidance for their new challenging life about to begin. 

One of the most challenging part of being a responsible parent is the choice of the best products for your child. The pram plays a very important part into the baby's life, and the choice should be done as responsible as possible because it influences dramatically the physical development of the baby. I personally started with a Per Perego and purchased meanwhile a Maxi-Cosi too. (A comparison review coming up in the next weeks). What I really appreciate to Maxi-Cosi is the high-end, safe car seats which are also good looking, not only practical. Even not familiar with the Star Wars, my son jumped instantly on that one because you cannot easily resist such a colourful temptation. 

At BabyWelt, parents are guided step-by-step in their efforts to find the best pram, through practical testing and extensive details. I was very happy to discover a couple of German producers as well, among which Hartan, whose prams and buggies are excellently designed according to the finest details of the baby body.

In addition to the display of products, an important part of the 2-day fair is played by various workshops held by specialists in various domains, dealing with a variety of topics, from health to administrative aspects, such as your rights during the maternity leave. Equally important was to visit the small information point dedicated to vaccinations and other medical aspects of the first months in the life of the baby.

On the stage, new mothers were encouraged to be part of various exercises, helping them to stay in shape, either running or practising together with their babies. A great incentive and encouragement to stay fit after the pregnancy.

And there is even more help for a smooth baby life, as creativity and innovation can make life better. As sleep is one of the most serious issues encountered in the first weeks and months by the new parents, myHummy created products that can help the little ones to fall asleep easier and for a long time. Their toys look so cute that you might want to buy one for yourself, regardless the age. 

I personally always cope with a little crisis before every birthday event, as I am trying to be creative yet practical, to find the best present and party setting and decorations. Luckily, nowadays there are so many opportunities for finding the best presents for the little ones, without too much efforts. Like, for instance, personalized items with your beloved one's name written on mugs or kindergarten bags.

I personally went to this fair looking for some interesting daily care products for my 2-year old son. He has sometimes dry skin therefore I needed some oils for regular use, at least once the day. Based on the description of the ingredients - all natural - I bought one baby oil from the Allgäu-based company boep, whose products are distributed via dm drugstore network and one week after, I am completely happy with the results. The advantage of taking part to the fair is to use various discounts offered on the spot, which means always a fair investment.

Another purchase was from the 70-year old HAKA, which produces natural cleaning products and creams, strongly recommended to allergic and sensitive-skin children.

Clothes for children should be both practical and fancy, preferably with lovable prints, made of natural materials and resistent to frequent washing. My favorite at the fair was the Berlin-based Fuchs und Kiwi, with its colourful funny comfy clothes for all middle ages.

If you are living in Germany and interested to take part to other BabyWelt events, you can do it to Stuttgart (26-28 November 2017), Hamburg (16-18 February 2018) or Frankfurt (23-25 February 2018). 

Useful Tips to Deal with Your Baby Tantrum

As I am writing this, my cute almost 2-year old baby just finished a small tantrum session. It is early in the morning and somehow, in the middle of what I was expecting to be a very quiet and soothening early beginning of the day, his screams filled the space. True, it was too good and peaceful to be true. 

Somehow, in the last 12 years, I got used with those aggressive raw outbursts of energy. They can last between 10 minutes and one full hour, with the latter case being not only ear-deafening for everyone which unfortunatelly happens to be around, but a very shaking experience for the baby too. I am personally used to work and live and find my peace in the middle of the noziest ambiance, so no wonder that once in a while I am also able to finish some complicated articles or just do my usual chores when the baby is screaming from the top of his lungs. 

Whatever I was trying to do at the beginning, was deemed to fail. He had his own screaming program and any intervention on my side only seemed to complicated a situation already too sounding. However, with a bit of inspiration and a little bit of professional help, I learned how to cope with them and I am ready to share some of my tips with my readers.

- Tantrums do not need to happen every day - thanks Gd - at the same time. It can be so for a while, but once the baby is growing up, they will most likely take place only once in a while. What my family therapist told me is that such outbursts are normal and part of the growing process. The baby started his life in the comfort of the mother's belly and now he is facing a new world with the challenges of independence, the first milestone being the independent walking. Indeed, growing up literally and psychologically hurts.

- In my case, I noticed that my baby is usually unhappy when I am not 100% focused on him. Which sounds selfish, but especially in case of single parenthood it makes a lot of sense. As I am working from home, I decided to diminish my working time during his active hours and do instead a lot of early morning, late evening work. I know, it sounds very complicated, but you might discover how easily we can adapt to various adverse situations. Right now, I am trying to do my work, while taking a break every 15 minutes or so, just to show him some little signs of attention. It goes smoothier.

- When you realize that it is too much and maybe you are at the limit of your nerves, close your eyes and count until 10 or as much as you need to calm down. It is very important that the baby doesn't feel your nervosity. Screaming when he screams or any other aggressive reaction only makes things worse. 

- Try to talk with him on a low, calm voice: show him that you understand what he is going through, hug him tight and bring him some water. However, at the end of the tantrum crisis, he and only he, the baby king will decide to stop when. 

- Asking for help is not a shame. If you feel overwhelmed and at the end of your powers - especially when you are the only parent taking care of the kid, this is a feeling you experience quite often - ask a therapist or a friend for help and advice. It is always important to know you are not alone and share your experience with other parents going through the same situation or at least having been through that stage of the baby life. 

Good luck!