Today we took a trip to the BabyShow 2014 at Excel. Even though Miss Iz is now 10 months & Mstr J is 5, I was hoping there would still be some things for us to see, new "inventions", and some shopping to be done.
We took the trip down by underground. It was a smooth ride & Mstr J enjoyed the view out the back of the DLR train. I wasn't quite so sure, as speeding along backwards was making me feel a little queasy.
For anyone wondering about getting to excel, it couldn't be simpler. You exit the DLR at Custom House, use the stairs or lift up to the bridge & I think it was barely 100m into the excel exhibition building.
The Babyshow itself is huge! You kind of don't know where to start. We decided to head for a corner & work our way up & down the aisles. This is pretty simple as it is laid out in a grid shape, so other than the odd "larger" stand, you can keep to the up & down, or left to right along the aisles.
Whats there.....
Where do I start. Everything you could possibly need, and more that you wouldn't of even though of, is all under one roof!! Plus lots of new 'inventions' to tempt away your pennies!
There is definitely some bargains to be had, and its easy to be tempted into spending more than you intended to. I would say, as I did last year when we went, when I was pregnant with Miss Iz, go with a list of what you still need/want to get. That way its less easy to get waylaid with all the amazing baby wonders. But to be honest, its never wrong to have a little splurge on something pretty for your bubba!
There is a changing area sponsored by Asda, where you can change your rascal with the help of an Asda nappy & wipes, free of charge.
Next to that was the Tommee Tippee feeding area. This was set out lovely, with tables with chairs for mummies & daddies, and highchairs for little ones. Miss Iz loved sitting there eating her lunch. There is a breastfeeding private area with comfy rocking chairs for mums. There were bottle warmers and microwaves for heating up food for your baby that you'd brought along. Also some free Tommee Tippee spoons and Plum food for you to try. I of course was cheeky and took a few for Miss Iz to try later. Picking up an extra Blueberry Banana & Vanilla one as she enjoyed daddy feeding her that there.
Theres a crèche too if you need to drop a little one off to give yourself some free time to browse.
Lots off talks & clothes shows take place throughout the day, & there's babynatal classes & Baby Sensory etc too.
If your hands are getting tired from all those bags, there is a free Shop & Drop area, sponsored by Emma Diary. You can even get your shopping delivered to your home, for a charge.
Lots of the stalls have special offers & discounts on.
Some of the bits we looked at / enjoyed.....
We bought some items from the MAM stall as they had a fab offer on for 3 items for £10. The items ranged in value, up to about £7 each, which is a great deal. There was plenty to chose from. We went for the feeding bowl which had a lid and was split in two. Perfect for days out with Miss Iz now weaning is well under way. A bottle brush, very useful for getting into the depths of your long bottles. And finally a tooth brush training set, ready for when Miss Iz gets her first tooth.
Vital baby were giving away free spoons. These are our fave spoons to use with Miss Iz. We gained a couple at last years show, so I was glad of another. I must admit, I am still a little disappointed that they don't bring their silicone bottles along to the shows. We purchased these for Miss Iz, as they are squeezy bottles, and were essential for with Miss Iz having a Cleft Lip, it helped with her feeding. But aside from that, they are fantastic bottles for any baby!! Ive been asked about them by so many other parents, when they've seen me feeding Miss Iz, I think they would be a real seller if they were shown at the show!
We got a bag of goodies, from the madeformums stall. All for £2. Definitely worth it for the bits I'll use. & the pregnancy goodies will go to a good friend x
I also purchased some toy bits for Miss Iz from the Mothercare & Kiddisave stalls.
Mstr J of course couldn't be left out, and got himself a Dinosaur walking balloon from the Walking Pet Balloons stall. These were clearly a great seller, as I saw many a child walking various 'creatures' around the show!
My favourite stall by far was Funky Giraffe Bibs! My usual shopping urge kicked in when I saw their beautiful items & I couldn't help myself! They had a wonderful offer on the bandana bibs. I purchased a number of items. Even the bag I came away with, was too cute! More to follow on these in another post, as Im going to do a detailed post on these!! I cant wait!!
This is just a small sample of the many many stalls & bargains etc to be had! Whether pregnant or with a baby, its definitely a great place to go.
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