• Momsicles aren't just great for teething babies - they are also ideal if your baby is a little under the weather and seems reluctant to feed. He may be much more receptive to sucking on a cool, sweet cube of your milk!

• On a hot day, when frequent fluids are essentials, momsicles are a great way to get extra breastmilk into your little one.

• Some Mums find them really useful at family mealtimes, because they provide the perfect diversion for babies who seem interested in 'big people food', but are not quite ready to move on to solids.

• Have you stored lots of frozen breastmilk for your baby, only to find that he refuses to drink it once it has thawed? (Yes, some babies DO object to drinking frozen breastmilk and prefer fresh - I can offer one of our brood as an example!)
  Then try offering your supply as momsicles and see if he'll accept it that way - it worked for us and avoids wasting your valuable milk.

If you have a great tip that you'd like to see published on our newsletter, then please fill out our contact form and let us know!

This month's safety recalls

Here's a round up of the recalls we've posted this month - as always, please pass these details on to anyone you know who may be affected...

Almost a million Fisher Price character toys are recalled because they are found to contain excessive levels of lead.

Orvis Company Toys are recalled because they may present a choking hazard to young children.

The Early Learning Centre recalls Wooden Drums in Australia because they may present a potential choking hazard.

Thomas and Friends Pool Items are recalled in Australia due to problems with the labelling.

Various Mattel Toys are recalled because they may contain loose magnets, which pose a very serious hazard to young children.

"Sarge" Die Cast Toy Cars are recalled because surface paints are too high in lead.

Breastfeeding mothers are warned about the hazards of taking codeine when breastfeeding.

Vinyl Bibs are recalled by Toys R Us, amid concerns over excessive lead levels.

A variety of toys are recalled because their surface paints contain too much lead.

Bagged baby carrots are recalled in the US and Canada because they may be contaminated by a bacteria called Shigella.

Priddy "Trucks" Shaker Teether Books are recalled as they may present a choking hazard to babies.

Sleepi Crib Foam Mattresses are recalled because they are incorrectly sized and pose an entrapment hazard to babies.

Bass Pro Shops Youth Hats are recalled because they may pose a strangulation hazard to young children.

Fresh, bagged spinach is recalled in the US and Canada because it may be contaminated by Salmonella.

Toys R Us Coloring Cases are recalled because certain components of the toys are high in lead.

Our featured product review - The Body Glove Infant Carrier

These days, it seems as if someone has come up with a solution for just about every problem you may encounter when you're out and about with your baby.

And the Body Glove Infant Carrier is such a brilliantly simple idea, we wish we'd thought of it ourselves!

If you have more than one child, then you'll know how difficult it can be sometimes when you take your family to the pool. Your priority, of course, is to keep a firm grip on your wriggling baby - but your other little ones may need some attention or assistance, too! It's one of those situations where you really need two pairs of hands!

Well, the Body Glove Infant Carrier can make things a WHOLE lot easier! By securing your baby in the bucket seat, you have your hands free to do the myriad of things that Mums just need to do!

A great accessory for travelling with baby, the Body Glove is ideal for use on the beach and is also great for Mum and Baby water aerobics. And that's not all - some Mums find it perfect for keeping baby safe in the shower (a superb idea in our opinion - showering with a slippery baby can be VERY difficult).

The carrier is made from quick-drying neoprene, which is used to make wetsuits and allows for buoyancy. It also has insulating properties, meaning your baby stays warmer in the water. All the buckles on the carrier are designed specifically for water use, too.

You can wear the carrier on your front or your side. The straps are padded and adjustable, so it's comfy to wear - and it's suitable for babies from 4 months onwards, to a maximum weight of 25lbs.

The Body Glove Infant Carrier is one of those cool accessories that will have everyone asking "Where DID you get that?". And the answer is - from one of our favourite baby product retailers, One Step Ahead - and you can order the Body Glove Infant Carrier or find out more information here.

Visit our Website of the Month

That comes from the editors of www.coolmompicks.com - a GREAT website that brings a range of innovative and original products to busy Moms, enabling them to browse items from the comfort of the computer chair!

www.coolmompicks.com is a "blog" style site, that continuously adds new, cool "must-have" products from indie designers and companies run by women.

There is no 'hard-sell' on this site - in fact, the owners of the site don't receive any compensation for the items they include. Quite simply, they're included because they're cool!

Some really fantastic products are featured, including everything from retro kids' furniture and groovy rompers, to stylish clothes and unique accessories/gadgets for Mom and Dad!

Just click 'Find It' at the top of the home page and you'll be taken to the archives, where all 'Cool Picks' are listed by categories and dates.

First, though, be sure that your little one is tucked up in bed and you have a nice glass of wine to hand - if you love Coolmompicks as much as we do, you may lose yourself for some time!

This month's subscribers-only recipe - Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Red Pepper Puree

It tastes so good that the whole family will enjoy it - try serving it as a main meal for your baby and a nutritious side dish for older kids and adults. You will, of course, need to adjust the quantities you use, depending on the size of your family!

Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings. They were originally made with just flour and water, but are now made across the world using a wide variety of ingredients. Our recipe uses sweet potato rather than the more commonly used white potato, simply for its great nutritional benefits (you can learn more about including sweet potato in your baby's diet here).

You will need

1 medium sweet potato
1 large red bell pepper
pinch garlic powder
whole wheat flour

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F and prick the sweet potato. Bake in its skin for 45 mins until tender, then set aside to cool.
In the meantime, make your red pepper puree. To do this, simply place a washed, whole, red bell pepper under the broiler (grill), turning from time to time. Alternatively, hold it directly in the flame on your hob using tongs.
Once the skin is blackened all over, place the red pepper in a sandwich bag and set aside for 10 mins. On your return, the skin will slip easily from the flesh - then you just need to remove the stem, central core and seeds.
Place in a food processor and puree well.
Once your cooked sweet potato is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the skin and place in a bowl.
Add the garlic powder and a little flour and mix together.
Continue to add the flour, a little at a time, and knead as you go. Keep going until the mixture is no longer sticky - instead, it should resemble a fluffy dough. Avoid adding too much flour, as it will make the gnocchi heavy.

NOTE: During the next steps, keep your hands and the working surface lightly floured.

Roll the mixture into long 'sausages', about 3/4 inches in diameter. Cut the 'sausage' into 3/4 inch pieces then - using your hands - roll them into little ovals.
Press the prongs of a fork into each individual piece to create ridges. These will help the gnocchi 'hold' the red pepper puree.
Bring a pan of water to the boil and carefully drop in the gnocchi. They will sink to the bottom of the pan.
When they are cooked (which takes just a few minutes), they will rise to the top of the water.
Remove them with a slotted spoon. DON'T try to drain them through a colander, because they are very delicate and will break apart or become mis-shapen.
Either top the gnocchi with the red pepper puree, or serve the puree on the side as a dip (making the dish more 'entertaining' for your baby - and giving you the chance to enjoy YOUR gnocchi!).

TIP

Gnocchi does not keep well in the refrigerator, but it DOES freeze well.

So if you have made too many, store them in the freezer and - when you come to cook them - drop them into the boiling water without thawing them. Then you can just wait for them to rise to the surface as usual.