Blog : Little Lilypad Co

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The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad or by one of our baby bloggers. Occasionally we accept guest posts too. There is frequently talk of sustainable living, saving money, lifestyle and travel. It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.
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Category: News

  1. Matilda Mae Memorial Auction

    Posted on

    Today is my beautiful daughters birthday and whilst she may drive me nuts at times, I am thankful for her every single day. It may seem odd to say that but you may remember a while ago, that we did a post about a fellow blogger who found her baby girl forever sleeping on the 2nd February 2013. Matilda Mae was one in 600 babies who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in the UK each year. I have been in awe of Jennie's strength and dignity and she has articulated their tragic journey so carefully, emotionally and beautifully, it makes me want to hug my own children a little tighter and be grateful every day.

    Matilda Mae will never be forgotten by her family, the blogging community and every single person her story has touched and that is why we want to share the details of The Lullaby Trust. The Lullaby Trust funds research into SIDS so that families like Matilda’s can be supported and try and find the answers they so desperately need. The Lullaby Trust also guides and supports families in making the first steps towards growing their family once more, with their Care of Next Infant program. They also provide a bereavment support service and help to educate parents on the importance of safe sleeping.

    Jennie has been approached by many companies offering support, so an auction is due to open tomorrow, May 11th and will run until May 20th. It is being run by Tots100.

    We genuinely hope that you will show some support for the auction, even if it sharing this post with your friends on Facebook or Twitter or maybe even placing a bid yourself.

    Thank you for reading x

    Matilda Mae Memorial Auction

  2. Can mum's make money from switching their bank accounts?

    Posted on

    We have talked quite alot about finances on the Lilypad lately but this is important to growing families, with ever reducing budgets due to the rising cost of living. So can changing bank accounts save you money and how easy can it be to change?

    I have changed utility providers before and have always used online comparison sites but I think sometimes we open a bank account and never look to see if it continues to provide us with the best deal and options for our money. (I am guilty of this, as I still have the bank account that gave money boxes for savings goals as a child!)

    We don't claim to be financial experts but in the words of Martin Lewis "Switching CAN make you £100s. While banking is 'free', this only applies if you're in credit. Most banks pay a pitiful 0.1% interest on your money then loan it out as overdrafts at 20%. So, even if you like the service, if it's so good, are you willing to pay £100s in lost benefit?"

    There are lots of options available and we are not here to suggest anyone in particular but to serve as a reminder that changing your bank account or indeed loan or mortgage could save you hundreds of pounds. Using a comparison site or budgeting tool, like the one we found on family friendly site MyFamilyClub definately helps to reduce the search. 

    Budgeting for a family can be a juggling act, whether you are living day to day or saving money for your children's future, so it's great to know that we can save money by using a simple budgeting tool to make simple changes. At this point, I usually make a comment about saving money means I can buy more shoes but the rate my daughters are growing, I think it will be more shoes for them instead!

  3. Lullaby Trust

    Posted on

    You may remember a little while ago, we changed our Twitter and Facebook avatar to a Star. This was in memory of a little girl called Matilda Mae who was found sleeping earlier this year. I never knew Matilda Mae but her mum Jenny, is a fellow blogger, and is both loved and respected in the blogging community.

    In the weeks and months since Jenny found Matilda sleeping, Jenny and her family have been working closely with FSID who today have changed their name to The Lullaby Trust. The charity’s new logo, website and materials were unveiled today after a year-long rebranding exercise. The changes are part of its strategy to halve the number of deaths from sudden infant death syndrome by 2020. About 300 babies in the UK die suddenly each year.

    ‘The Lullaby Trust’ communicates warmth, trust and compassion. It is a simple name which is easy to remember and illustrates their commitment to promoting safer sleep for babies to every family.

    The Lilypad family have no comprehension of what Jenny and her family have gone through but we do think that FSID changing the name to The Lullaby Trust is a positive move for FSID. All parents sing a favourite lullaby for their little ones and mine has to be Hush Little Baby. We often tailor it to Mummy (not Daddy) or Big Sister likes to try and find other options for baby but the traditional is always my favourite. 

    Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

    And if that mockingbird won't sing,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

    And if that diamond ring turns brass,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a looking glass.

    And if that looking glass gets broke,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a billy goat,

    And if that billy goat don't pull,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

    And if that cart and bull turn over,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

    And if that dog named Rover won't bark,
    Daddy's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

    And if that horse and cart fall down,
    You'll still be the sweetest baby in town.


    The Lullaby Trust

  4. Five Things You Should Know About Family Law Changes

    Posted on

    The Lilypad blog is usually a fun, engaging and generally "fluffy" place but sometimes important issues are shared. With most of our readers having families, family law is important to us all. We are therefore delighted to share the following  information from Irwin Mitchell.

    If you’re dealing with a family-related legal issue, it’s important to keep apprised of the recent changes that have been made in family law. Under the new Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill, public aid has been cut for many family-related legal issues. Find out what you need to know about these recent changes in the following article:

    1)    The LASPO bill does not affect those currently receiving aid.

    The new LASPO bill took effect on April 1 of this year. As such, if you applied for (and were granted) legal aid by the March 31 deadline, you will not be immediately affected by the new bill. However, it is important to be aware that if your current aid runs out or your means change, you may be assessed under the new rules (see below) and end up having to pay out-of-pocket for legal fees. 

    2)    New applicants may have to take a means test to determine eligibility.

    As for the rest of us, the new LASPO bill promises to drastically change the legal aid system forever. Under the new bill, only those with a household income of £32,000 or less will be eligible to receive public aid in family law cases such as divorce proceedings and child custody battles. Those who earn between £14,000 and £32,000 will be asked to take a means test to determine eligibility.

    3)    Legal aid for divorce cases that involve domestic abuse will remain in-tact.

    Fortunately, legal aid will continue to be made available to victims of domestic abuse or violence who are seeking a separation or divorce. However, they will need to prove evidence of domestic violence in order to receive aidhich will inevitably mean that many will be left without protection. Police reports or a letter from a domestic violence organisation or GP may be considered in determining eligibility. Others who may continue to be eligible to receive aid include those who are already in mediation or are applying for an injunction. 

    4)    Disability, benefit, and welfare entitlement are affected by LASPO.

    As well as divorce and custody-related cases, changes to disability, benefit, and welfare entitlement have been made under the new LASPO bill. Instead of keeping with the rate of inflation, welfare benefits will rise by only 1% per year. Beginning April 15, there will also be a cap placed on welfare benefits, and disability living allowance will be replaced with the personal independence payment (PIP). 

    5)    Legal aid for medical negligence cases will be limited.

    Under the new LASPO bill, legal aid for medical negligence cases will suffer major cuts. Only families with children who have suffered neurological damage during their mother’s pregnancy, the birthing process, or in the first eight weeks of life will be eligible to receive aid. This paints a bleak future for a variety of other claimants, including those who have suffered from misdiagnoses and botched operations; they will likely have to turn to “no win no fee” agreements to pursue claims.

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