£10-£30
Cuddledry £24.99
Here’s another product designed by parents for parents. Helen Wooldridge from Somerset hated the anxiety of getting a tiny baby out of the bath. So she invented the Cuddledry, which clips loosely around Mum or Dad’s neck like an apron. Baby goes straight against the natural cloth (unbleached organic cotton and bamboo), parent pulls the hood over his head, and a wonderful snuggle ensues. Visit www.cuddledry.com or call 01823 323363.
Under £10
Skibz, £10
Babies, as any parent knows, dribble a lot. When they’re teething, it’s practically a stream. Farming mum Helen Bristol from Somerset came up with a great product to save little necks from getting chapped (and mums from five changes a day): Skibz, an absorbent neckerchief that is also a fashion accessory. To buy online visit www.theoriginalskibz.com, or call 0777 385 0472.
Over £30
Child’s quilt, Romantic Englishwoman, £39
Dress up baby’s bed with a pretty quilt from this 18-year-old Cornish institution, with branches at Lostwithiel, Fowey and Wadebridge. Available in pink, blue, or yellow, these six-panel nursery quilts can be bedding or play mats. Call 01208 815880 or visit www.romanticwoman.co.uk to buy online.
What Credit Crunch?
Replica Ayers rocking horse from Ringinglow, £3,525 (or self-assembly from £300)
Invest in an heirloom piece to last your family generations. Judy and Harry Cridland run Ringinglow Rocking Horse Company from Crafthole, near Torpoint, and their craftsmanship is a labour of love. This model is a replica of an Ayers rocking horse, made in Victorian London. From its graceful curves to its flowing mane, this charger was once the showpiece of nurseries across the British Empire. (You can also get rocking horse self-assembly kits from about £300.) Visit www.dapplegrey.co.uk, or call 0800 0746 104 for a brochure.
