I think I can be forgiven for finding the sheer number of stands with wheeled goods quite astonishing - you have to remember that I haven't been to Harrogate for two years. The competition between brands is evident in the amazing amount of thought that's clearly gone in to most of them, which can only be a good thing for shoppers.

The Lin&Leo BabyBags use the theme the idea of ‘hiding' the function of the bag by designing it with a fashion handbag in mind.

The next major trade show is already on the way for this autumn. The BPA Baby & Child Show is the UK's premier nursery trade event renowned for introducing UK ready products for autumn and winter 2008. It fits nicely within the calendar of European and International events, is centrally located at the NEC in Birmingham, and is a great place to promote  what the UK has to offer to buyers, distributors, and the press.

A unique 4-in-1 highchair based on the award-winning FunPod^TM has just been unveiled by Little Helper, and can be used with or without the FunPod^TM  itself.

Bionaire® has launched The Elephant Ultrasonic Humidifier (BU1500) - a cute, elephant-shaped humidifier with a trunk full of features that will make sure that children need never suffer the irritating effects of dry air. 

A sticker decor company has come up with an alternative to fixing pictures, posters, memos and photos to internal walls. Stick-a-Pics^TM are the latest product from FunToSee.

The Bébé Confort Axiss has been awarded the FQ (Father's Quaterly) Top Gear Award.  The very prestigious Gold award was given to the Axiss for Best Car Seats.  The Axiss car seat is the first Group 1 child car seat that rotates 90 degree on its base, enabling a child to be easily placed into, or lifted out of, the seat from the car's side door.

Pregnant women who regularly eat fish can give their children a head start in life by boosting their intelligence, a study has found.

England and Leicester rugby stars Tom Varndell and Lewis Moody threw their weight behind the launch of a new environmentally friendly baby store recently in their home county of Leicestershire.

A stylish child seat that has been successful in Europe is to go on sale in the UK. The Kid-Sit is a contemporary pushchair ‘board' with a difference. It comes with a moulded seat that locks into position when required.

Tippitoes is about to launch a new black version of its popular Baby Carrier, which features reflective silver piping to offer additional safety in the dark or twilight.

The two largest teaching unions in the Uk have both identified ‘soft' parents as contributing to bad behavior in school classrooms.

Due to continued growth, John Crane Ltd has appointed Helen Davis to the role of Promotional Manager.  Helen will be responsible for the continued PR and marketing activities of the company, working with brands such as PINTOY® TOLO® and Branching Out^TM.  She brings with her extensive experience in the toy and games industry, having previously worked within distribution companies, in the trade press and most recently in public relations.

An award-winning Dutch designed pushchair is already enjoying a growing fan base in Britain thanks to the many new mums who have  crossed the channel to get one! 

Graco has just introduced the Fun Rock Giggles, an interactive entertainer.

Where and when were you born and what sort of childhood did you have?

I was born in a beautiful, smalll Austrian city called Graz in 1971, the same city where Arnold Schwarzenegger comes from. I was the first of three children and the heaviest baby girl born that day in the hospital.

On the face of it, PR seems a simple game, but as Amber Steventon, managing director of baby and parenting specialist agency Azaria Ltd., shows, it's not always as straight forward as it seems.  Amber says "These days there are so many messages, opinions, options, not to mention competition; it's hard to know you're really targeting the right people in the right way without experimenting away your annual marketing budget in a very short space of time".

There is nothing more frustrating than spending many long evenings perfecting a new design which you know to be a ‘first' in the industry, only to see a very close, if not identical rip-off of the same product six months later with someone else's brand name on it.

Launching new products can be a challenge at the best of times, even for the experienced entrepreneur.  The Baby Products Association actively promotes new ideas and design innovation within the nursery industry.  BPA Concept 2008 is an award scheme that provides the ideal platform for inventors of nursery and childcare products to showcase their ideas.

We have all been subjected to the doom and gloom broadcast every day through the media and it's fair to say that times are tough at the moment - and may well be for the foreseeable future. It's clear that the banking fraternity is playing it tight at the moment. One can cite the sub prime debacle in the US, the mismanagement of Northern Rock, the ongoing credit crunch, steeply rising costs of manufacture in China, adverse exchange rates, fuel cost increases, damaging commodity speculation through hedge fund managers, etc. The list is endless. All that we know is the pundits are forecasting a generally miserable economic climate. It appears it is indeed very cold and grey out there!

An intelligent and junk-free shop layout is key to attracting new customers and making sure they return time after time. Creating the right atmosphere and offering products to buyers in a way that is practical, requires careful planning and proper, regular maintenance. Here Luisa Scacchetti,  Founder of the ultra-successful Mamas and Papas nursery brand and retailer, talks about the importance of interior design as she prepares for the opening of a brand new outlet in Nottinghamshire

You lie there staring at the ceiling, changing position on the bed, moving the covers around. You are fully aware you should sleep, but it just won't come.

Never have there been so many pushchairs on the UK market as now, and never has the choice of what to stock been more bewildering. Even a few years ago with the advert of the three-wheeler design, followed by the robust four wheelers, it was hard  to second guess public demand. But today, manufacturers and distributers from around the globe have developed designs that really are seriously impressive in the way they look, the way they move, the way they make life that little bit easier for a busy parent.

New and exclusive at the Harrogate Nursery Fair was the launch of the Wallaboo Summertime range from Hippychick. This includes the Infant Car Seat Cover, Grade Car Seat Cover, Stroller Cover, Soft Changing Bag and an Essentials Pack.  All are available in six colours; red, chocolate, black, pink, lime and soft blue - everything the stylish Mum could need.

Having just launched in the UK, Europe's award-winning Dutch designed pushchair already has an army of UK mums queuing up to put it through its paces!

With price points ranging from £2.99 to £9.99 Infantino offer a fantastic range of soft infant toys designed to attach easily to any pram, stroller, car seat, or change bag to help keep a baby stimulated and entertained with familiar friends along for the ride wherever they go.

The famous Italian design label Fendi has joined forces with Japanese brand Aprica to create an exclusive range of strollers that combine style and technology with years of paediatric study.

It is simple common sense, a baby spends a great deal of time sleeping or playing in their cot, and babies  nappies can very easily leak, baby can be sick, baby can dribble and even perspire.

When it comes to nappies mums and dads bear no bones about the fact that performance is the most important factor.

Rainbow Bamboozles available from TotsBots are made from the same environmentally-friendly bamboo as the original award winning Bamboozles but with the touch of colour that made their original cotton nappies famous.

These jaunty little items are both practical and amusing. They are handmade in Scotland from carefully sourced, environmentally friendly, organic bamboo.

Cloth nappy specialists Generations Ahead supply a complete range of cloth nappies including the award-winning Mother-ease nappies. Awarded a Highly Commended accolade by Practical Parenting, Editor's Choice by Pregnancy & Birth Magazine, and a Which? Best Buy Award, the Mother-ease range continues to be a hit with parents.

As the name suggests the new Bambinex Easy Comfort All In One nappy is an easy to use one piece nappy system that needs no liners or outer covers and offers supreme comfort and absorbency.

The attractive new nappy bin from Korbell is odour-free, easy to use - and is sold at a competitive price that still allows retailers to take their fair share of the profits.

The new FlexiTots nappy from TotsBots has been developed by taking all of the best parts of the existing Tots nappies and putting them together to produce what is quite simply their softest, stretchiest, best fitting nappy ever.

Bambino Mio's award winning nappies are naturally soft and absorbent making them gentle against a baby's delicate skin. More and more parents are seeking natural products and are becoming aware of the harmful effects that chemicals can have on a baby's skin. As a result, the popularity of cotton nappies has increased and 5% of all babies in the UK now wear Bambino Mio nappies.

Baby BeeHinds^TM manufacture offer a practical, ethical choice of nappies to the retailer or consumer, using organic fibres where possible. All the products are washable and reusable, ensuring maximum care for the planet.

Breastfeeding has been proved beyond all doubt to offer babies the best start in life, yet it's easy to feel inhibited or awkward in public.

The award winning Ultimate Wipes Warmer^TM is one of those products that once tried - you just cannot do without! Especially during night-time changes as the warm wipes don't wake baby like cold ones do! The gentle heat from the wipes also opens the pours for a cleaner and more hygienic change.