If you watch the news you might have caught a glimpse of the Labour Party conference a couple of weeks back when Aniera Thomas proudly told the floor how delighted she was at being the first baby born under the National Health Service. At midnight her mother was in the last throws of pushing, when midwives in Amman Valley Hospital, Carmarthenshire, west Wales asked her to ‘hang on' for one more minute.

Disney Consumer Products and Swedish toymaker Brio, have got together to produce a brand new wooden toy range based on the highly popular Playhouse Disney preschool TV shows.

Dorel has decided to bring many of the best known Bebe Confort products under the Maxi-Cosi brand name in the UK, and focus its marketing finances on supporting them.

GoochiCoo, the innovative, designer brand for babies and toddlers, has awarded a licence to KISS HK (Keep It Simple), the creator of high-quality wooden toys for children, to produce a range of GoochicCoo-branded wooden toys.

Over 75 local authorities across the UK now offer parents incentives to encourage the use of reusable nappies, making them an even better buy in these cash-strpped times. The incentives range from free trial packs to up to £70 cashback or vouchers towards reusable nappies or nappy laundry services. Schemes are available up and down the country, and new incentives are always emerging.

After many months of testing and analysing of results, the highly regarded 2008 Practical Pre-School Awards were announced to the book, toy and child care industry last month.

Specialists in free play, Edventure Ltd, have appointed a PR agency. Aspen PR will be tasked with promoting the launch of Edventure's new website and maximising publicity around links with various partners to raise the company's profile. Commenting on the move, Russell Booth, General Manager said, ‘Here at Edventure we add value to our products in so many ways we take it for granted. We were looking for a PR company to help us promote all the exciting work we do!'

John Crane Ltd has bolstered its team with the appointment of Terrie Feasey-Drage as Administration Assistant. Terrie has excellent organisational skills and background in administration, which she will use to assist with the smooth running of the office in Northampton. John Crane commented, ‘Terrie's appointment is part of continued growth here at John Crane Ltd, and she joins us at a key time of year.'

Two important new team members have joined the Cuddledry staff. Charlotte Campbell comes in as Marketing and Account Manager for the network of independent retailers across the UK, and Sarah Speake joins as International Account Manager to work with distributors globally.

Bucking recent downward trend forecasts, Frugi is celebrating their biggest ever sales month, in six figures for the first time, due to a record number of orders.

Over 70% of new mums would like more friends to share problems and experiences with but don't know where to go to meet them, according to a recent survey of over 350 parents polled by website www.whatson4littleones.co.uk.

A mother on a mission to get families communicating, has created a simple yet highly effective tool that encourages families to get talking around the dinner table. Fink^TM Cards (Family Interaction Nurtures Kids) are a pack of 54 thought-provoking conversation cards that transform mealtimes by providing a series of questions the whole family can answer. A really innovative yet simple solution to mealtime troubles. Kids love them. Visit http://www.finkcards.com/.

Renolux has announced their newly-formed alliance with Mothercare, who took on the Renolux range of car seats in August this year. Pride of shelf is the Mother and Baby Gold Award winning design, Quick Confort. Renolux recently launched their new Disney range at Kind und Jugend at Cologne. For more information please visit http://www.renolux.co.uk/.

Online baby girl and toddler clothing store Nectarina Baby & Tot is calling for parents to dress their daughters like little girls, and not like mini adults. They have just launched a new range of smocked dresses as part of their new Autumn-Winter 2008 collection, with a range of pretty accessories to coordinate. Visit http://www.nectarina.co.uk/ for more.

In the world market for music, little French start-up, Baby Bidou is taking on the giants of media with names like Apple and Disney by providing an MP3 player specifically designed for the newborn to five year old set.

Last month at Kind + Jugend 2008 six companies were presented with a special Innovation Award to commend the design and development of their unique products based on their innovative character, safety, user-friendliness, creativity as well as the finished quality. So take note now as we present the winners...

Product worries, customer complaints, interviews with Trading Standards - the range of potential legal problems goes on and on in the nursery sector. Philip Drazen, Managing Partner of Fox Hayes law firm gives his best advice to the most often asked questions in the trade

The BPA Concept stand will once again be celebrating the latest innovative products and design concepts recognised by our award programme for 2008. These designs have incredible potential to succeed in the market place. Whilst a few are still in the early stages of design and development, others are close to production and launch.

Please don't forget, if you are a member of BPA Retail you can enjoy up to 15% discount from exhibitors participating in our BPA Retail Discount Scheme.

The British Standard BS8509: 2008 Children's Beds for Domestic Use - Safety requirements and test methods has now been published. If you are a member of the BPA you can order this at a discounted rate. Please contact us on 0845 456 9570 or visit the BPA website and request the document online at http://www.b-p-a.org/.

It is often commented that with Kind und Jugend just before us in the calendar that there is no point in visiting BPA Baby & Child because it will have already been shown at Köln. This couldn't be further from the truth. BPA Baby & Child is noted for its new products and innovations and this year is no exception. Not only are there over 30 first time exhibitors to the industry on the Launchpad area but also there are a further 51 established businesses exhibiting that never showed at Cologne.

Award-winning Taggies are one of the best-selling baby accessories in the UK nursery market with hundreds of thousands of comforters, books and toys sold.

Success in business is all about attitude and action.  To succeed, and to continue to succeed, you need to predict issues and prepare for them, that includes understanding the effect the economy is likely to have on your business. If you're concerned that demand for your products or services may decline, you should remember Darwin's theory of evolution. This tells us that; ‘It is not necessarily the physically strongest, or the most intelligent of the species that survives; it is the one that is the most adaptable to change.' That also applies to business, particularly when the climate the business operates in changes so rapidly.  

Recently Sarah Brennan was appointed Chief Executive of the charity YoungMinds. She comes with many years experience working in children and young people's services and the charity sector, being formerly Chief Executive of Motivate, the charity working with young offenders and disadvantaged people and Director of Services at Centrepoint the youth homelessness charity

Toy Fair is 56 years old in 2009, but still very much young at heart. With around 200 exhibitors and thousands upon thousands of brand new toys being launched at the event, which takes place at London's ExCeL from 28-31 January 2009, Toy Fair continues to provide UK retailers with an unrivalled opportunity to see, touch and discover the latest and hottest pre-school products about to hit the market.

Think back to your first memories of reading a book and chances are that it was as a small child, cosying up to your mum, dad or close relative and brimming with anticipation of hearing your favourite story being re-told. And there are few of us who now, as parents, aren't secretly thrilled to have a second chance to revisit the classic books and stories of our childhood with our own children.

Reading is an essential skill for all kids and so Gopak's Reading Corner provides the ideal setting to encourage children in nurseries across the country to pick up a book.

Renowned for its folding tables found in schools around the UK, Gopak has now brought its expertise to the classroom in the form of three ultra-practical storage trolleys. These brightly coloured units help the teacher get the room tidy and keep the class in order.

Of all the areas of life that change dramatically once a new baby has arrived, mealtimes have to be the second most disruptive (normal sleep patterns being the Number 1). Few parents manage the journey from breast to bottle to solids and picnic-sized bites, without going through many anxiety attacks and/or pangs of guilt, because mealtimes are one of the very few parts of their life that babies can control - much to their parents distress.

Clippasafe's Baby Milk Temperature Indicator makes the process of testing the milk's temperature easier and more reliable for parents.

MAM (UK), the United Kingdom's leading company in the innovation and design of baby products has launched a stylish Soother Pod.

The Babycook from BEABA is a versatile 4-1 one appliance that steams, blends, minces, chops, defrosts and reheats food for babies and children simply, easily and most of all healthily. With a typical cooking time of between 7 and 15 minutes dependent on the food being cooked the Babycook is also a great timesaving appliance

The Happy Snack Highchair has a spacious, well-padded seat with a fixed height, 3-position reclining backrest and a 5-point safety harness. The removable tray has 4 positions. It has a large storage basket to keep important items close to hand. Opens and closes easily and once open the wide frame makes it particularly stable. Freestanding when folded and its lightweight makes it easy to move. The frame legs can be split in half to reduce its closed size even further for storage or travel.

Tippitoes has a whole host of affordable products for mealtime time. As well as the popular Feeding Tray with matching cutlery, Tippitoes has developed a comfortable high chair that is simple to clean and store to make the weaning proces stress-free for parents. Suitable from 6 months up to 3 years, the high chair features a soft and comfortable easy to clean padded PVC laminated seat, safety harness and removable inner tray. The high chair is incredibly lightweight, folds away neatly and has recently been updated with a cute, dotti design.

Feeding problems, in particular colic, are a common cause of distress for babies and their parents. But now, there's a nonmedicinal solution, Dr Brown's Feeding System. This fully vented vacuum free feeding bottle is widely being recognised by parents and health professionals as the most effective way of preventing the colic symptoms caused by regular bottles and teats.

Teething can be a miserable time so Sassy's range of teething products are thoughtfully designed to help soothe sore gums whilst offering additional play and sensory capabilities to distract little ones. The Gummy Guppy Teether is suitable for use from birth and has multiple teething surfaces with a variety of textures and are great for gums and teeth to explore offering the benefit of both hard and soft areas.

The carrying of children on the front or back is a relatively recent phenomenon in the West, although the practice has been established in many cultures for centuries. It's true that images of children being carried in slings can be seen in Egyptian artwork dating back to the time of the Pharaohs, and have been used in many indigenous cultures. But the parental baby carrying in the West we see today began in the 1960's with the arrival of the structured soft pack.

Clippasafe have made its name developing harnesses for 50 years, all of which conform to the latest British and European Standards, and are supplied with adjustable anchor straps and walking reins.

Freestyle baby carriers from TOMY are the stylish choice for mums who want their baby to be completely comfortable and safe while they are out and about. The new Tomy Freestyle Carrier range is the result of extensive consumer research alongside development with leading back and posture experts at the Anglo European Chiropractic College, providing ultimate comfort for parent and baby.

Experts in baby carriers, outdoor specialist bushbaby® leads the way in the development of child carrying systems, with the constant aim of improving the experience of parents enjoying the outdoors with their children. Yet again, the bestselling Cocoon front carrier won THE accolade for front carriers this year - the Mother & Baby Award for Best Sling/Carrier (adding to the six other awards already displayed on the Cocoon mantelpiece).

When it comes to carriers, Tippitoes offers quality as well as affordability. The Tipptioes Baby Carrier has been designed to provide maximum comfort with cushioned inner seat, arm and leg holes, and the wide crossover adjustable shoulder straps support the back whilst carrying baby.

When it comes to carriers, Tippitoes offers quality as well as affordability. The Tipptioes Baby Carrier has been designed to provide maximum comfort with cushioned inner seat, arm and leg holes, and the wide crossover adjustable shoulder straps support the back whilst carrying baby.

Infantino's range of extended-wear comfort carriers has really taken off since their Spring launch. In fact the range has performed so well there are a number of new options in development for 2009. The 3 extended-wear carriers are focused on enhanced functionality and comfort for both baby and parent, with unique memory foam padding and breathemesh fabric panels for superb comfort.

It is time to celebrate - nine years ago the Hippychick Hipseat was born! To mark this auspicious occasion Hippychick will give away one free Hipseat with any order of 9 or more!

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.

To the awarding winning Tri-cotti® cotton sling; babyhut has added the bb sling, a ring sling. It is made under Fair Trade, is 100% Organic Cotton and come in a variety of fantastic colours.

The Sweetpeace newborn soother offers one easy solution to soothing your little one when he's cranky or tired, and keeping him busy when he's alert. Unique and innovative in its design, the Sweetpeace can rock your baby in a very simple and intuitive way.

The weight of consumer and expert opinion is now behind carrying babies for longer, and one product at the forefront of this shift, theBabaSling, has modernised an ancient tradition to capitalise on the zeitgeist of current parenting.

The chilly nights have been here for a few weeks but now they're bringing us frosty mornings to wake up to. Mothers and fathers are thinking about wrapping their babies in soft fleece blankets, faux fur hats and mitten gloves to protect them from the colder air.

Lodger's cuddly fleece products range from baby wraps and slings, to pram snugs and blankets. Combining safety, comfort, and style, these products can be used at home as well as outdoors to keep babies and children warm and cosy.

All parents are aware that it is vital to keep baby wrapped up and protected from the elements at all times, especially as we move into the winter months. The Star Wrap from Tippitoes is a true innovation and the first of its kind in the UK.

The Award-winning Arm's Reach® Co-Sleeper® Bedside Cot provides a safe sleeping environment for baby while also transforming into a free-standing bassinet, changing table, play pen and travel cot. But why is it a great product for you? Broad target markets:

The 25th annual BPA Baby & Child is so much more than just another trade show; it's a complete event that promises excellent products, an impressive footfall of serious buyers, Seminars, Awards and a Party Night too!

Dorel acquired French-owned Ampa in February 2003 and with it came a stable of brands, the most popular and well established of which was Bébé Confort. Since then, Dorel has developed this brand in parallel with Maxi-Cosi, Quinny, and Safety 1st and has launched some of its most successful products under the Bébé Confort name. All that is about to change, as Dorel announces its biggest brand realignment since the launch of the Maxi-Cosi Priori in the UK 11 years ago.

Cushi Tush^TM is currently enjoying widespread positive reviews and word of mouth on a number of well known parenting websites. Reviewers have said "Turning into a must have product", "Probably the Best Supportive Baby Seat" and "Brilliant Product".

This will be the first chance for many retailers to see Chicco's new 2009 collection. Launching at the show will be a brand new highchair the Polly Magic. Suitable from birth to 3yrs of age, it adapts easily as the child grows. From birth it's the perfect newborn chair, with entertaining toy bar and the height adjustments mean baby can be at the correct height for mum whenever and wherever.

Please visit our stand at the Baby and Child Fair at the NEC in Birmingham where will have a wide range of our products on display including the Fisher Price accessories , environmentally friendly mattress and new oak furniture range.

Dandelion Clothing Co, are suppliers of gorgeous newborn baby clothes and accessories including Bibs, Shawls and cuddle wraps. Our premature baby wear range starts from sizes 1-2lbs in weight and is made from 100% cotton. Dandelion are also one of the largest distributors of Keel & Aurora Soft toys.

Kiddysmart will once again be exhibiting our 2-in-1 Harness Buddy, our unique alternative to traditional reigns. With a couple of accolades already achieved and being short listed for others, we have added some amazing new models to the already popular range. With the adorable animal designs, the toddler enjoys wearing the Harness while giving the parents the security that in these days is greatly needed.

The stylish and sensibly priced Babylicious baby product line is showcasing its "Get Messy Bib". Now babies can enjoy eating, painting and getting messy and parents don't need to anguish over cleanup or ruining pretty clothes.

Baby Pink or Blue brings to the market a revolutionary and innovative range of chemical-free antibacterial baby clothing called Precious Protechtor.

The chic and unique BedNest is an award winning bedside crib, which when securely attached to the parent bed forms a safe and secure continuous sleeping area but without the risks associated with bed sharing.

Solvej Biddle of Biddle Innovations invented the sleep essential for babies and children providing a darkened environment which supports good sleep and helps to protect a little one's routine - the Safe&Sound Cot Canopy!

Cheeky Wipes are leading a bottom cleaning revolution - for DISPOSABLE or WASHABLE nappy users by introducing their new washable baby wipe kit on the Launchpad this year.

Chic ‘O' Bello is a trendy fashionable lifestyle brand that combines modern and stylish designs with convenience, functionality and safety. Its range of baby bags go beyond the baby years and can easily be converted from a practical and functional baby bag to a stylish accessory in no time.

The Cozypocket^TM by diddi, solves the problem of fiddling around with gloves when out and about with your child in a buggy.

Doublecheck Oy from Finland is looking for distributors for two very interesting product lines:

LeadCheck^TM - Lead can be found all around us especially in dishes, fine crystal, toys, furniture, blinds etc. Young and unborn children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. LeadCheck^TM swabs provide an inexpensive, fast and easy-to.use test for leachable lead. Now available in Europe.

Fairytale Furniture Ltd is a new company bursting with ideas which provides innovative, eye-catching furniture with an element of play.

Flat Friends is proud to announce the launch of their newest product line, puppets depicting children and animals from around the world.

The Dual Purpose Breastfeeding Pouch and Matching Baby Travel Bag from Janet Theodore offers mothers the chance to breastfeed outside the home protecting their modesty, whilst avoiding any embarrassment they may feel in public.

K 4 Kids is the undisputed leader in children's personalised music and personalised products, offering everything from singing teddy bears, personalised music CD's, interactive storybook CD's, and many other wonderful keepsake products to make your child feel loved and special.

New to the UK/Europe, CARES is the first and only in-flight child safety harness, approved by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority). This compact lightweight (1 lb) harness is specifically designed to protect children weighing between 22-44lb (2-4yrs) during all phases of air travel, especially take-off, landing, taxi-ing and turbulence.

Mama Babe sources and distributes new innovative products for the UK and Irish mother and baby markets. It will launch a range of products ranging from the Braap!! a breastfeeding privacy cover with a difference because it allows mums to feed discreetly without covering up baby; Melobaby: (distribution to Wales, Scotland & N. Ireland) the stylish all-in-one nanny wallet; my dwink box: a juice carton holder which helps prevent those unwanted juice spills; Fish Lilly: contemporary designed baby wraps, sleep suits, bibs, mittens and booties; and Pouch Miss: a handbag organizer that converts your favorite handbag into a nappy bag.

The MELOBABY all-in-one nappy wallet and change mat is the ultimate parenting accessory. It's stylish, compact and beautifully functional.

Minnie Moo® is the infant car seat liner which lies on top of your car seat cover protecting it from perspiration, baby sick, poop and formula and an invaluable addition to the list of nursery essentials.

OK Baby wants to create an experience that will encourage baby's desire to discover the world, thanks to the company's innovative baby bike seat - the first in Europe to take and pass a very strict crash-test in compliance with EU standards concerning safety construction.

Baby Talk Boxes from Priceless Treasures are the perfect way to jot down every funny comment, mispronunciation or priceless moment of a child's early years on beautifully designed, archive-quality cards.

Octopus Property Services S.L distributes toxin-free feeding bottles. In today's highly competitive market 95% of baby bottles are made from polycarbonate which contain Bisphenol-A. It has been claimed that this chemical leaches from the bottle into the contents you feed your baby. Several studies have also claimed that Bisphenol-A can cause future behavioural and neurological problems, cancer, infertility, pre-mature puberty, obesity etc.

The WeeRide Kangaroo unique centre mounted Child Bike Seat is great fun! It allows you to communicate with your child and deal with their needs. They see what you see, not your back!

Rose and Rebellion is the proud producer of a range of top quality U.K. manufactured Baby and Toddler Carriers; a collection of super safe, highly practical and extremely durable carriers that are above all beautifully designed to fulfil the individual needs of every style savvy parent out there.

This year's BPA Baby & Child Show will be the launch event for the unique Salmon Luke me-feed-me dinnerware range.

Sleepytot makes its debut on the Launch Pad with its clever combination of super-soft huggable comforter with all-important soother.

This year's BPA Baby & Child will see Bamba's First Comforts, the latest innovation in baby signing from The Baby Sign Factory.

Torma Wool joins the Launchpad with a wide selection of products made of real wool and sheepskin.

Introducing VANCHI to the UK. VANCHI provides parents with a stylish and unique look, with a focus on fashion and function! Included in their range are chic, affordable Nappy Bags, super sized Baby Wraps and Wrap & Hat sets, over-sized Bibs, and convenient Change 'n' Aways.

Cowshed is a stylish range of natural, therapeutic products. They were first formulated for use in the original Cowshed spa at Babington House, Somerset, part of the Soho House Group. Cowshed was one of the first brands to specialise in the use of plants and their oils, proteins, fatty acids and vitamins.

Floppy Seat turns hard , cold and unhygienic shopping trolleys into comfortable pillow soft seats for your baby.

The classic Cuddledry apron-style baby bath towel - made from luxuriously soft organic cotton and bamboo - now holds not only a clutch of awards but also a firm place on any new parent's ‘must-have' list. Most recently awarded the coveted ‘Mumsnet Best', the four classic colours and funky new cowprint version of this innovative towel are not only practical but a perfect gift.

Tiny tots love a soft and cuddly companion to accompany them on every journey and TOLO's Wiggly Jiggly Sneezy from John Crane Ltd is sure to be the snazziest take-along toy at BPA Baby & Child!

gro-group® is pleased to announce that they will be exhibiting at this year's BPA event at the NEC in Birmingham following the success of last year's exhibition.

John Crane Ltd is all set for BPA Baby & Child, with plans afoot for yet another award winning stand. With the company ideally placed on the main thoroughfare at the show, Managing Director, John Crane commented; "BPA Baby & Child is always a great show for us and we hope this year it excels itself once again."

One of the most dynamic, successful and inspirational nursery product suppliers in the UK, Cheeky Rascals' range of innovative, practical and in-demand products are sourced from all over the world.  

‘Baby Sense', ‘Sleep Sense' and ‘Toddler Sense', the three best-selling books around which the Baby Sense range of soothing, calming and settling products are based will be available for viewing on the Hippychick Stand, F20.

Tippitoes will be previewing two of its exciting new product launches at this years BPA Baby and Child exhibition, the Littondale Cotbed and Rocco Rocking Horse.

Come and see striking design, breathtaking innovation and reassuring affordability on Petite Star's stand at the Baby & Child Fair.  

Britax's new 2009 collection features the next generation of safe, stylish and easy-to-use child car seats, travel systems and pushchairs, and will be showcased at the BPA Baby & Child Show at the NEC in Birmingham from 12 -14 October 2008.