In our November 09 feature we looked at how parenting trends were the driving force behind product innovation, with expectant Mum Jo Dale giving us an insight into how difficult it was to find the right level of help advice when choosing a pushchair. What is clear is that for her and millions of other mums to be, choosing the right pushchair and accessories can be something of a logistical nightmare.

It’s December already and as 2009 draws to a close, this month’s issue of Ni is a reflective one. Now that Peter White has moved on to pastures new, Chairman of the BPA Andrew Ratcliffe tells Nursery Industry what the Association is doing to move things forward for the Industry. Meanwhile in Ni Education , we ask eight key Industry players to tell us all about the highs and lows of the year before bringing you a 2009 Product Review.  All this in addition to News, Editor’s Choice, Ni Voice , Retail Spotlight, More than one Baby, Carriers & Slings and Changing Bags!

Cheeky Rascals have been awarded exclusive distribution in the UK and Ireland for the innovative Wishbone Bike.

The ultimate pre-bike and winner of several design and innovation awards, the environmentally friendly Wishbone bike adapts to meet the needs of a growing child. It converts from a trike for children who are just walking to a two-wheeled bike that teaches balance. The frame can then be flipped and the seat adjusted to accommodate children up to the age of five.

At a glittering awards ceremony on 19th November at the Park Lane Hilton, Hippychick were delighted to pick up not one, not two, but three awards!  Already shortlisted in 9 categories the team had high hopes for the night and weren’t disappointed.  The Wheelybugs won Silver in Best Toddler Toy - 12 months +, the Mattress Protectors won Silver in Best Nursery Product and the Dusky Moon Dream Tubes scooped Gold in Most Innovative Product.  I think it is safe to say that Hippychick had the noisiest table!

In the news recently the birth of Kai Rooney, son to Coleen and Wayne Rooney was announced and a picture of them carrying Kai in a popular infant car seat was splashed all over the national press. They were all smiles as they left the hospital and so was Maxi-Cosi.

The Mother & Baby awards, supported by Tesco, took place at a black-tie ceremony at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel in London on Thursday 19th November. Leading baby manufacturers and brands attended what is widely seen as one of the biggest events in the industry’s calendar. All products at the independent awards were tested and rated by mums before their feedback decided which brands won the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards.

Following great success with its new stylish range of Okeidog Changing Bags at the recent BPA Baby & Child Show, Great Gizmos is to launch itself fully into the nursery sector with a new nursery trade catalogue.

Having recently announced Weybury Hildreth as its sole UK distributor, PurFlo is stepping up the PR and marketing activity for its healthy, anti-allergenic SleepSystem by teaming up with Bedfordshire-based Kaleidoscope Communications.

Sunshine Kids has announced the appointment of established nursery industry agent Donna Read, who will cover Scotland for the company.

With the well known brand adding more products for 2010 and the extraordinary success of the Monterey child safety seat, Sunshine Kids felt that now was the right time to offer a more personal contact with customers in Scotland.

Content&Calm is celebrating its first six months in business.  The Cot Canopy (a lightweight portable canopy that fits over standard cots & travel cots allowing a baby to sleep well even when the lights are on or the sun is shining) launched in May and has collected two Bacra awards, a Practical Parenting Award, Baby Hampshire and Baby Surrey Editor's Choice Award and a place on the highly contested shortlist for the Mother & Baby Awards Most Innovative Product.

2012 Ltd has been appointed the exclusive European distributor for the Cinch Tummy Wrap by Anew. The Cinch is specially crafted to motivate new mums to get back their healthy shapes with a single wrap by focusing on the stomach with its function and added support.

Abdominal binding has been used for many years around the world to help reposition the womb, increase weight loss, and enhance waistlines. Separation of abdominal muscles during pregnancy and childbirth can make it hard to regain the pre-pregnancy belly. By binding the abdomen, the muscles are allowed to come back together helping for a tight and toned midsection.

Tomy’s new Monitor range will launch in January 2010 with the budget friendly analogue Tomy Classic Monitor. With two channels for clear sound, a 300m range, portable parent unit, nightlight and a sound level light display, it guarantees quality baby listening and offers parents dependability, reassurance and peace of mind at a great price.

We love the Wash & Brush Timer from Trendykid – a safe and easy way for children to learn to brush their teeth and wash their hands for the time recommended by healthcare professionals.

The unit is child friendly with easy to see and press buttons featuring a picture of both a hand and a tooth. To wash hands, press the hand button and the green LED light will flash for 20 seconds until the red light appears to say: ‘Stop’. The same procedure applies for the brushing of teeth – push the ‘tooth’ button and the light will flash for the recommended two minutes.

Manufactured to the same high standards as the rest of the Fisher Price feeding range,  the company has launched a brand new value range comprised of six different products, each of which retails for just £1.99. 

The Clevamama award winning Oven Door Guard helps to prevent burns and scalds to inquisitive little hands and fingers by reducing the heat on the surface of the oven door by up to 50%.

Back in 2007, Solvej Biddle, 37, gave up her high flying career in the City as one of the UK's leading advertising lawyers to develop her idea of the Cot Canopy, a product she thought of four years earlier when she had her first child.

Peter White moved on to pastures new at the end of October and is now head of an international trade association covering broadcasting industry suppliers. I’d like to thank Peter for his contribution to the nursery sector because under his leadership the Association has grown in both role and contribution to our industry - growth that will be important to maintain.

How long have you been established and how big is the team today?

My Grandparents first started the business shortly after the Second World War as a painting and decorating business. They moved to the current premises in 1957 which was already an existing retail store selling bikes, toys and nursery products. We became a limited company in 1963 and we currently employ 20 people.

In what is to said to have been one of the worst recessions since the 1930’s, the Industry has worked hard to meet retailers’ needs with innovative products that sell. We caught up with some key players to find out more…

Whether your customer has twins, triplets or more than one child under the age of two, every day will be peppered with challenges.

According to online twins and triplets advice service Twin Store, the number of twins being born continues to rise, with a total of 10,533 sets being born in 2005, the latest year that statistics have been made available.

Graco has launched the Quattro Tour Duo, a double pushchair with all the style and practicality of a single pushchair. Based on the design of the best selling Quattro Tour, the Quattro Tour Duo is highly manoeuvrable, to allow easy transportation of two children at once. A one-hand gravity fold has also been incorporated into the design for extra ease-of-use when parents have got their hands full.

The Roadster Duo from Hauck is the ideal double buggy whether it be for two small toddlers or a toddler and baby. 

Both seat units operate independently with adjustable back rests and foot rests. 

For the ultimate lightweight around town twin buggy the new Mamas & Papas Voyage Twin has ergonomic, foam covered handles for a more comfortable push for mum and dad as well as  integrated sunvisors in the hoods, quilted seats and chest pads. With all round suspension, an adjustable leg and back rest and two removable toddle pillows the Voyage Twin offers the ultimate ride for your little ones.

When carried, baby sees the world from where we do, rather than at knee level and the extra stimulation benefits brain development, says consumer advice forum Babyworld. In a sling babies also spend more time in the state known as ‘quiet alertness’, awake but contented. This, adds Babyworld, is also the optimal state for learning for a newborn.

Demand for Infantino’s 3-position carriers – Front-2-BackRider & TripleComfortRider – is growing enormously as consumers look for products that offer genuine value for money through a combination of quality, functionality, comfort and ease-of-use at sensible prices.

The Carramio Baby Carrier is Clippasafe’s year-round best-selling product, and has become increasingly popular with first-time mums and dads alike.

Selling out at three consumer BabyShows throughout 2009, this two-way carrier is extremely competitively priced, giving parents everything they need from a baby carrier - comfort, support, style and convenience - at a fraction of the cost of many other baby carriers and slings on the market.

The bushbaby® elite back carrier has fought off stiff competition to be awarded the prestigious Mother & Baby Gold Award in the overall front carriers, slings and back carriers category – the first and only back carrier to do so. The award came hot on the heels of the Best Buy Award picked up by the Cocoon front carrier in the recent M&B magazine front carriers and slings test.

Developed together with international ergonomic experts, the You & Me offers great comfort and safety for baby, and at the same time maximum comfort for the parent. The parent harness is designed to alleviate strain on the wearers back, especially for the lumbar region.

BabaSlings Ltd has had a fantastic year, achieving 50 per cent organic growth. The focus of 2009 was to expand the customer base in the UK and abroad. Following the success of this the focus for 2010 is about supporting the retailers and getting the message out to the consumer.

They say the best inventions are often the simplest and this could not be truer when it comes to the Hippychick Hipseat.  It allows parents to carry children naturally on their hips without the usual strains to the back and has the support and endorsement of scores of chiropractors and osteopaths.

The BEST START to life any parent can give their baby is to carry them in a cotton sling from birth.

Babyhut’s award winning; FAIR TRADE and 100% orqanic cotton slings are just the best! Tri-cotti™; Tricot-slen™ and bb-slings™ are very comfortable and very easy to use.

The M1 Carrier from Lascal has just won FQ Magazine’s Top Gear Award with a rating of 5 stars for best baby carrier. The M1 represents the next generation of baby carriers, offering supreme comfort and a sporty, streamlined look. The carrier has a unique 3-way adjustable baby pouch, fully adaptable for growing occupants from 3.5 to 14kg in weight (8 to 30lb), and a built-in back support to keep baby’s developing spine straight at all times. For ultimate parent comfort, the M1 features wide harness straps and a ventilated lumbar support to relieve stress on the back and shoulders.

Babies love to be carried. Held in a DIDYMOS baby sling, the baby is close to the parents’ body and feels safe and comfortable right from the beginning.

DIDYMOS wraparound slings are versatile and adjust for many carrying positions, they adapt perfectly as the baby grows - from birth to three years. Each sling comes with a free and detailed instruction booklet and DVD to help getting started easily.

The media encourages us to aspire to the picture perfect life of the ‘celebrity parent’. Snapped out and about looking totally stylish at all times, all the essentials are neatly packed away and easy to reach, without a single ‘mum bag’ in sight. More often than not the ‘must have bag of the season’ sending the fashion world into frenzy is in fact, mum’s changing bag. It’s as important as the shoes we wear or the coat we put on. A changing bag will complement an already great outfit, making a style statement of its own at the same time.

Chic ‘o’ bello changing bags give flexibility and adaptability to meet parents’ expectations through the various stages of their babies growth and needs.

Piccolo Lusso Ltd, UK exclusive distributor for Chic ‘o’ bello, offer a stylish range of designs, sizes and funky patterns, combining extensive accessories to give the ultimate choice. These changing bags deliver function and style, without compromise – solely to make parents lives easier.

Voted Best Changing Bag and awarded Gold by Mother & Baby magazine, Jellybean’s Ju-Ju-Be bags are cool, stylish and one of the hottest changing bags currently on the market. They come in various styles with plenty of loud, funky prints that are both big on style and attitude. 

OiOi is all set for the cooler months with their Autumn/Winter 2009 collection. Check out the newest shape, the Tote Shopper, in a fabulous black and white giraffe print which is certain to be a big hit. This classic animal print has been given a new season feel with a gorgeous ‘burnt sienna’ interior to add a flash of colour and a faux leather trim to finish off the look. This timeless bag will go with any outfit and also looks stunning as an accessory to a black, red or grey pushchair.

This great eco-leather changing bag is the latest addition to our wide range of nursery bags.

Beautifully designed with fine details, it is also very functional: handy size, lots of external and internal pockets for personal belongings and baby’s stuff, changing mat included.

JJ Cole Collections understand that modern mums want style and practicality when it comes to changing bags. They must cleverly organise all those travel items, be easy to clean and look fantastic.

JJ Cole has developed a range that does just that, with designs and prices to suit all.

Having recently become a mum herself, Fiona, has designed her ideal changing bag incorporating all the features that she looks for in a bag and believes every mother will appreciate:

• Lightweight
• Wipe clean, antibacterial bag lining and change mat
• Change Mat with Padded Headrest
• Wide opening so you can reach everything easily
• Lots of mesh pockets to organize all baby’s out and about essentials
• Mum’s compartment for cards, parking tickets, pens, wallet
• Key clip to keep keys safe & at hand

NScessity are launching new Lässig Changing Bags in the UK in the next couple of months.  The Gold and Glam ranges were given rave reviews by buyers and press at Kind & Jugend in September and are expected to be very popular when they are launched in the UK.

In many ways, the Harrogate Nursery Fair kicked off the year for the Industry with a well attended and wholly enjoyable trade show in Harrogate. A number of brands brought new products to market, with the more established names cementing already strong relationships and building new ones.

This year has seen a significant increase in trade for Clippasafe, particularly across Europe, with booming sales for the award-winning Bump Belt and Carramio Baby Carrier.

There’s also been a large rise in sales for the manufacturer’s fireguards, and many smaller items such as Extra Large Stroller Bag Clips and Self-Adhesive Locks are proving more and more popular with UK families.

Jollybaby is an established global brand that understands little ones and their needs and strives to design and develop products designed specifically for babies and toddlers from birth to 3 years old.

Bebedelice is one stop feeding system which sterilises, defrosts, warms cooks and blends all in one unit!

In many European countries Bebedelice has, over the years, proven to be a top selling product. This amazing product is now available in the UK…complete with a british style three pin plug!

Since its launch in August this year the Oyster has won plaudits from both the Nursery Industury; independent consumer groups and the consumer.  Recently awarded a ‘WHICH?’ magazine best buy and ranking in the top 2 rated WHICH? Pushchairs the Oyster is out there proving itself.

An innovative new solution to the problem of preparing small portions of nutritious baby food, The Wean Machine™ was only launched in the UK by Cheeky Rascals in June of this year but has certainly taken the market by storm.  Winner of the BPA Concept & Innovation Award in 2008, The Wean Machine has picked up numerous awards in 2009, including not one, but two coveted BACRA awards last month.

The first twelve months of a child’s life is momentous and the My First Year photo frame provides the ideal way to keep a record of milestones for posterity. Beautifully designed with images of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet the frame holds five photographs for the all important dates of newly born, three months, six months, nine months and the first birthday.

2009 Practical Pre-School Awards GOLD

Overall winner: Teaching Resources and Equipment

Testers of the What If…? series gave it an average score of 98% and said: ‘An excellent resource. Good ideas and lots of extension activities on the CD. Great value for money too. We will certainly be buying more titles.’ Each project book in the series contains high quality photographs that tell the story, whiteboard activities, practitioner guidance and has an accompanying CD-ROM with additional photos, posters, and activity sheets. It provides an ideal opportunity to develop observation, problem solving and prediction skills.

2009 has been another extremely busy year for Tippitoes, with a number of exciting products introduced as well as the launch of its even more stylish 2009/10 catalogue. Products that have certainly hit the ground running for 2009 include:

The celebrity favourite, the unique CONCORD NEO CARBON has been   relaunched for 2010 in a gorgeous new colour way – black and gold.

Now used by Coleen Rooney, Natasha Kaplinsky, Rio Ferdinand, Zoe Ball, Kate Garroway and many others the Carbon is the ultimate buggy for baby.

Babysoy Inc.  is the 1st company in the world to create baby and toddler clothing  using soybean protein fibre, an eco-friendly and sustainable material also known as "vegetable cashmere". This green textile fibre is made from renewable and biodegradable natural resources - the leftover soybean pulp from tofu and soymilk.