EDITOR’S LETTER

Hello, and welcome to this month’s issue of Mothers & Babies.

Generally speaking, January is never an easy time, but this year has been particularly harsh with dreadful weather conditions and a flu epidemic. In this edition, we’re looking at inventive ways to keep small ones entertained indoors during the winter months (page 6) and in our new ‘Ask a Pharmacist’ section, you can learn how best to protect your family from common seasonal ailments like colds and flus — see page 13. Should your New Year plans include thinking about adding to your brood, we outline things to consider before having on another baby on page 8. And for those who dream of leaving their jobs and starting up their own business to become a work-at-home mother, Andrea Mara speaks to three women who have done just that about the pros and cons on page 10. We’re also looking at what you can do to help your little worrier if they are showing signs on anxiety (page 14) and on page 18, we meet campaigner, TV presenter, author and mother-of-two Katie Piper. Elsewhere on page 20, expert Lucy Wolfe suggests sleeping resolutions to stick to in 2018; we have great style tricks for new mothers who are short on time and energy (page 22); and fashion designer Heidi Higgins reveals what becoming a mother has taught her (page 30). As ever, keep on sending in your great baby photos so that you might see your little one featured on our Picture Your Baby pages.