We love bath time at Playgro!  It is such a wonderful multi-sensory experience for baby.  It also provides a lovely bonding experience for parent and baby.  Bath toys provide lots of opportunities for bath time fun and to stimulate baby’s senses.   Playgro creates some of the BEST bath toys for your baby – so we really want you to enjoy them for as long as possible.

There has been lots of publicity lately about the bacteria and mould that can lurk inside bath toys.   But before you rush off and throw them all in the bin or blast them all with bleach – you must read this!

Wet, humid conditions are the perfect breeding ground for nasties.  Let’s face it – if you let something sit around damp and wet – its condition will deteriorate and you are inviting trouble.   Mould can cause respiratory difficulties, allergies and other health concerns if it’s not contained.  While the risk is of a child becoming sick from mould is low for most children – those with allergies could experience increased coughing, itchy eyes, skin rashes or asthma.  Babies love to put things in their mouths – so there is a very real chance that anything unhealthy inside their toys will make its way into baby’s mouth too.  The solution is very simple though.

First step – Prevention

Create a healthy environment to store your bath toys.  Always remove bath toys from the tub when you are done playing with them.  Give them a squeeze to remove any water trapped inside the items.  Ideally place them in a well-ventilated space in a net or on a tray so they can naturally air dry.  Some great options are our Splash in the Tub Fun Set (link) or Bath Squirtees & Storage Set (link).  Make sure each toy has plenty of air circulating around it.    If you want to remove all excess water – dry them off with a soft cloth.  Make sure the bath room is well ventilated by running the fan for at least 20 minutes after bath time.

Schedule a Deep Clean

Every couple of weeks – deep clean the toys by washing them in hot soapy water and a scrubbing brush.  Rinse and then soak in a solution of water and vinegar.  Vinegar is a mild acid so it is very effective at removing mould spores.  It is also a fantastic natural alternative to harsh chemical cleaners.  When done, rinse and air dry.

Avoid Chemical Cleaners

Bleach or the Dishwasher?  Hmmm…what is the first thing a baby will do once a toy is in its hand?  Put it in its mouth.   Sure – you don’t want your little one ingesting any mould or bacteria from inside a toy – but you also don’t want them ingesting bleach or dishwasher detergent either.   No doubt the toys will come out squeaky clean – but we advise that you never do this to clean bath toys. If you find that some toys are really dirty and beyond help – then unfortunately the best course of action is to throw them out.

Baby will enjoy playing with Playgro bath toys for a long time if they are used and stored as advised.  To see our great range of bath toys click here.

What do you wish someone had told you before you had your first born?

Jade: To follow your motherly instincts. So many of them give their ‘general’ opinion and each baby is different.

Louise:  I think I had no comprehension of just how all-consuming having a newborn would be to start with.  I remember being so exhausted the day I brought my daughter home – and then realizing it was going to be 24/7 for the next 20 years or so!  I wish someone had told me to just relax and enjoy those precious first weeks.  They zipped by so quickly.

Adele: The perfect parent is a myth. Simply be kind to yourself, trust your instincts and embrace the journey, it really is fleeting.

Isla: Sleep as much as you can before the baby arrives because it will be 5 years before you get a proper sleep!

Dan: I wish someone had told me to get involved from day one!  It took me a while to find my purpose as a dad in those first few weeks when it’s all about feeding, feeding, feeding.  My wife and I became quite a team once we worked it all out.   I took over burping and bathing and we shared as much as we could.

What adjustments did you make for baby?

Jade: Routine! My routines had to totally change! I wanted my babies to have a solid routine themselves and I wasn’t prepared to make them ‘fit’ into the same lifestyle I had before. If my baby needed to sleep, we would be home and they would be in their cot!

Louise:  100% of everything was turned upside down – eating, sleeping, socializing, cleaning, even showering!   I was amazed at how long it took to prepare and bath a baby!   We bought lots of stuff we didn’t need – so I tell people now to wait until they need something before they rush out and buy it.

Adele: Everything! Routines and expectations changed enormously and every room in the house bore evidence that a new little person was now in residence.

Isla: Everything about your current life changes when baby arrives – so prepare for that!  Embrace the changes!

Dan: Whoah – the sleep deprivation was quite an adjustment.  Then came adjustments to nearly everything else – from the car we drove to installing baby gates!

What helped you the most?

Jade: Having my husband home for the first 6 weeks. It made me feel supported and confident that I could do this!

Louise:  My family helped a lot.  And mothers group was excellent – to meet with a group of mums with babies the same age and go through things at the same time was a lifesaver.  I was so lucky to meet some of my favourite people at mothers group!

Adele: Wonderful family support, a lovely Mothers group (an unexpected blessing!), precooked meals and taking a daytime sleep when baby slept.

Isla: Family members who helped with the housework!  Friends with babies also gave lots of helpful, practical advice.

Dan:  I loved every minute of my parental leave.  Getting to spend precious time at home with our baby made the bonding experience so much smoother.  It’s a massive learning curve – but getting in there and helping made everything much less scary.

Most challenging time?

Jade: In between the stage of ‘not being able to verbally communicate at all’ to ‘being able to communicate a little with a few words’. They became so frustrated and grumpy, and so did we! For us, this is when the tantrums started.

Louise:  ARGH! Teething!  Interrupted sleep and a tired grumpy baby was not fun.  It seemed to go on forever.  She loved to chew on things and dribble everywhere!

Adele: Surviving the witching hour….it’s dinner time, everyone’s exhausted and hungry and it feels like a rush against the clock to feed, bath and settle little ones before the wheels fall off! Having activities to entertain baby was an enormous help, it’s amazing what you can accomplish in 5 minutes with no distractions!

Isla: Wow – the first 2 weeks at home with bub, and the non-stop feeding!   It took a while to get the hang of breastfeeding so this was very challenging.  So tiring and stressful.  Trust yourself.  The saying ‘fed is best’ worked for me.  For us, a formula top up helped a lot!   We were more settled and less stressed – which helped with breastfeeding.  Win-win!

Dan:  Definitely the crying!  It’s heartbreaking when your baby is upset and you’re finding it hard to soothe them.  They are so tiny and defenseless and you are the people they are relying on to help them.

Describe in one sentence what the first month at home with your baby was like?

Jade: An incredible bonding experience that makes you feel so much joy and love.

Louise:  The first month at home with baby was like being hit by the most beautiful & amazing bus.

Adele: Like a warm, sleepy dream. I loved it, our world was turned upside down but in the best possible way.

Isla: 24/7 eating, eating, eating to breastfeed the baby, the most food I ate in my life!

Dan: Totally and utterly amazing and cool and exhausting and scary and awesome – all in one tiny little bundle!

What is your favourite Playgro Toy?

Jade: It would have to be the Paddling Bath Fish (add link)! An old school, traditional bath toy- revamped!  Keeping them entertained in the bath is golden, especially when they aren’t particularly in the mood to get in. We also got heaps of value out of the bath books and Pop and Squirt Bath Buddies (add link), we are still using ours to this day after many, many baths!

Louise:  I really love the play gyms.  My favourite is the Jingle Jungle Musical Activity Mat (add link).  To be able to safely put my baby down on the bathroom floor while I had a shower was like a million bucks!  She also would lie underneath it in the lounge – hitting and kicking for ages.  I also had a smaller one, like the Zoo Playtime Tummy Time Mat and Pillow (add link) I took in the car with me to Playgroup or to friends so I could lay her on the floor and she would be entertained.   I also loved our Clip Clop Activity Rattle – it was great when she was teething.  We could also clip it onto the pram.

Adele: Without a doubt our activity gym. It was by far our most versatile toy and kept my babies entertained during floor play at home – a Godsend when I needed a few minutes! Best of all the toys were detachable so I could easily clip them to the stroller or car seat when we were out and about. The mat itself was simple to fold and take along to use at playgroup or when we were out visiting. It lasted through both my children and even a couple of nieces and nephews. I’ve even kept a couple of the most favourite hanging toys as a momento of their child hood.  My favourite now is the Woodlands Music and Lights Projector Gym – it’s so cute!  All I need now is a new niece of nephew so I can buy it!

Isla: I like the Clip Clop Activity Rattles which we could hang on the cot or pram.  Such a gorgeous design – and we have a new one now – Clopette – she’s pink and adorable and my daughter would have loved her!

Dan:  My daughter still uses the Elephant Shape Sorter – and she is three now!   It’s really cute and has lots of play value.

What’s the best thing about working at Playgro?

Jade: Watching the toys come to life in our video shoots! It’s like being a kid again. It’s always really interesting to see how babies interact with our toys. How they help them develop their skills and the smiles they bring!

Louise:  Working with a great team of people to create amazing products for babies.  I love the creative process and all the thought and detail that goes into every product.  All items are researched and tested to meet the needs of babies and parents.  I love hearing all the positive feedback on our toys!

Adele: My lovely team, working together to support really wonderful Australian designed products. Products that nurture baby’s development and are trusted by parents around the world!

Isla: I love seeing the flash new baby products as they launch, and the friendly people I work with!

Dan:  I love walking around a shopping centre and seeing Playgro toys being enjoyed by babies around the world.  I still get excited when I see one!

Let’s start with Practical

Practical does not have to mean boring.  There are heaps of great, practical presents that look fantastic!

• Printed Muslin Wraps. Lightweight and breathable.  They come in so many adorable designs you will be spoilt for choice.  New mums need heaps of wraps!  These are so practical because they can be used to wrap baby, as a burping cloth, a general wipe-up cloth, a cloth to cover the pram when baby is asleep, the list goes on.   They also last for ages – and are useful well past the newborn stage.  Definitely one of the best presents for baby!
• Nappies – newborn babies go through up to 12 nappies a day. That’s 84 a week!   Either gift a few boxes of disposables or a dozen cloth nappies and a subscription to a Nappy Cleaning Service!  If you choose disposable, cloth nappies are still super absorbent multi-purpose cloths for just about everything and are super handy.
• A nightlight and or a baby monitor. There are so many great options these days.  There are models that transmit sound and vision, tell the temperature in the nursery, and dimly light the room, even sense movement and breathing.  Buying something practical and useful like this will benefit the recipient for years to come.   This is a fail-safe, practical idea most parents would be more than happy to receive.

A Keepsake?

Keepsakes are always a lovely gift.  They are very popular for baby shower gifts so keep it unique and a little bit different, so your gift is not the same as Aunty Joans.

• Their own little piece of the galaxy. You can have a star named after the baby – so their name is part of the galaxy forevermore.   This is a great idea – as it is unique and special, and the likelihood of the baby receiving the same present from someone else is impossible!
• A baby book. So much happens in the first few months of babys life – and it passes so quickly.  A special place to note down all of baby’s milestones is such a lovely keepsake that the child will enjoy into adulthood.  From first smile to first teeth, and first steps and favourite toys – these events are forgotten so easily in the fog of new-parent life.
• A special rattle or bracelet.  Traditional – yes, boring – no.   A beautiful rattle or bracelet is a lovely gift that baby will keep forever, and even hand down to their children.    Engrave a special wish for the child to make it extra personal.

What about something for Mum or Dad?

We are sure that new parents will love you forever for helping to ease the craziness of the first few weeks at home with baby.  These are sure-fire ways to help

• Provide some frozen home cooked meals that are easy to reheat. Remember breastfeeding mums need regular, nutritious meals to keep up milk supply – and often they have little energy to spare on themselves.  If you are not a chef – there are heaps of great meal services that make a fantastic gift for new parents.
• Pay for a cleaner. People are often reluctant to accept the help of friends when it comes to cleaning and home maintenance – regardless of how many times you offer.  Take away the awkward factor by arranging professionals for a few weeks or months after baby arrives.
• New parents spend a lot of time at home.  Gifts that help make the home a sanctuary are thoughtful and something they would most likely not indulge in for themselves.  A beautiful scented candle, or a luxe blanket or throw to warm them up during night time feeds.  His and hers slippers?  Or maybe organise a home massage for mum and dad.

A Bit of Fun? 

We think Baby Toys are the perfect gift for a baby shower.  Ok – Playgro is a toy company – so we love toys – but we also love babies.  We love creating products that help babies to think, look, listen and move – whilst having lots of fun.  Here are top picks for baby shower gifts from the Playgro range.

• Activity Gyms. Play gyms and mats provide a safe place to baby to rest or play.  They provide visual and auditory stimulation and a soft place for baby to practise motor skills like kicking, hitting and tummy time.   Our latest favourite is the Woodlands Music and Lights Projector Gym.  It has so many developmental features to entertain baby.  It even has a soft tummy time cushion and a detachable music and light projector that can used beside the cot at night time.
• Gift Packs. What says ‘baby shower solution’ more than ‘Gift Pack’?  We’ve done all the thinking for you by grouping a selection of our favourite items into themed packs.  There’s packs for teething like the Jungle Friends Gift Pack and the Teething Time Gift Pack.  Or packs for music and movement like the Musical Playtime Activity Pack. 
• A gift for bedtime. Every parent will agree – a smooth transition to sleep time is golden.  A musical mobile like the Music and Lights Mobile and Nightlight or the Musical Travel Mobile – provides gentle soothing music and movement to help lull baby to sleep.  A comforter like the Little Loops Blankie or the Clip Clop Comforter can assist baby to settle down into their sleep routine.

You’re welcome.
Team Playgro