After running our review of the first Spanx ‘Slimming Swimsuit’, we were contacted by the online boutique Beau Dame Lingerie, which specialises in expertly, um, constructed ’shapewear’. We’d already heard about Beau Dame from a Dutch mama, who raved about the fact that it stocks plus sizes, too, and has a wide range of pretty and modern styles. After reconstructive breast surgery, she’d treated herself to a few confidence re-building buys from the boutique.
There’s a good choice of one pieces, ranging from the simple (like this one by Panache, right – currently on sale at £11.95) to a frilly, polka-dot ‘Miraclesuit’ (pricier, at £90). Like the Spanx Slimming Swimsuit, the latter takes some getting into, but once you’re in, it feels like it’s supporting you more than a normal suit (helping you walk a little taller). And, while we are definitely of the view that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes – with real life lumps, bumps and all – a cossie that makes a girl feel a bit more supported when she exits the changing room is worth knowing about, no? Check out the full range (including maternity pieces) at beaudamelingerie.co.uk.
We love a multi-tasking beauty product at nonstopmama – anything to help a girl feel more pulled together (’polished’ may be pushing it) in as little time as possible – and here’s one of our latest discoveries. It’s not new, it’s just (we think) fab:
At home or away, during the summer holidays most of us spend more time poolside. With the importance of safety and slowly building children’s water confidence uppermost in parents and caregivers’ minds, nonstopmama asked Laura Molloy – mother of two, a qualified swimming instructor and founder of 
5. Remember all children progress at their own pace and in their own special way.
As any parent of a child who wears glasses knows (those at nonstopmama included), it can be all too easy to take for granted the blessing of having expert treatment for such important care so readily available. Especially when it comes to treating problems in the youngest of children, when it’s important to catch them as early as possible (if you’re in any doubt about a “maybe squint” or anything a bit different, don’t hesitate to press your G.P. for a specialist referral). Hence, spreading the word about the work of 
Hoorah, the weather’s looking more promising as the half term hol gets underway. Hopeful of a scorcher (or some blue skies and sunshine, at least), we couldn’t resist passing on an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. recipe for ice-cold Gazpacho soup which we stumbled on in Tana Ramsey’s book 
Tana’s latest offering, 
When we heard that SPANX had done swimsuits, we joked we’d be tempted to wear them around the clock. Actually, we nearly did. They’re not kidding when they warn you, on the tag, “our one piece suits are snug to put on, but comfortable once you’re in!”. But, true to their word, the ‘Slimming Swimsuit’ we tried (pictured – and not on us), was so comfy, we wore it with jeans for the rest of the day (ignoring the odd raised eyebrow at the school gate. Maybe it made us a little too confident). As well as holding in our ‘mummy-tummy’ (which we’ve always had, in truth) just enough to make us feel less self-conscious than we would usually, it remained comfortable all day – without feeling tight or digging in anywhere – and stayed in place.
So, last night, we enjoyed a girls-of-the-eighties (er, mid-late seventies, even) night in with a couple of friends, a nostalgic DVD (OK, it was 
Wriggling sunscreen targets and sand in your picnic aside, one of the more relaxing things about being at the beach is the sound of the waves lapping onto the shore. Recorded at Chesil Beach, Dorset, the 
… from buggies to ball games. From the makers of Swingball comes something new that won’t get in a tangle or leave telltale holes in your grass (unless your ‘lawn’ is crying out for some pre-summer TLC already, in which case this won’t be such an issue, but that’s a gardening post for another day).
Ah, ice pops. As integral to a Seventies childhood as Spangles, Sindy dolls and the get-busy-with-the-fizzy Soda Stream (not that we had one, but how I coveted my friend Katherine’s …).
Hi and a HUGE welcome to nonstopmama, the click-to glossy for time-crunched mamas!
