Welcome to the NEW British Mums Blog!

The British Mums and Babies Paris Meetup Group is 1 year old....Happy Birthday to us!

Created January 2009, the meetup group was designed to bring expat Mums together to compare notes on pregnancy and motherhood in Paris. Thanks to our fantastic members, it has been a great success.

One year on, we are beginning to gather lots of new information that would be very useful for new members looking for advice. Hence the creation of this blog.

Please, please participate as much as you can, adding anything you think would be useful to a fellow Mum. Information, funny stories, events, things to sell etc etc!!


mercredi 14 avril 2010

Advice for new mums to Paris

Here is some advice from some of our Mums on the best places to get your baby essentials in Paris.

I think the best place for basics is a large super market like Carrefour/Monoprix/Leclerc but she will be able to find diapers and baby products in most small shops as well like Franprix.
As for baby equipment, it really depends on her budget...top end brands are Natalys, Tartine et Chocolat but I'd advise her to go to Sauvel Natal in the 15th which is supposed to be the cheapest place in Paris to find push chairs, baby beds etc.
Last but not least, IKEA does great baby beds, changing tables, high chairs. They have a baby section with bed linen and towels...no clothes though.
Finally, Mothercare deliver small items overseas (like clothes but not push chairs).
Hope this helps!

Here are a few of mine for equipment - a lot online as I too have found it difficult and expensive to shop for baby things in Paris!
- clothes and other small kit are cheaper in the UK even with European shipping added in
- sites like Amazon UK, and I have been told that Mothercare, Next and Marks & Spencer's
U
K sites are good for children's clothes
- for nursing chairs/glider chairs, it is much cheaper to find a UK shop that will ship to France - I got one from Babycare Pettswood and they said they had done several France deliveries - arrived within 4-6 weeks as promised
- for breastfeeding clothes and really pretty breastfeeding lingerie, the MamaNana website which is in English and French. They will provide advice on fit by email in English or French and deliver fast for a French site (delivery is often rather slow from "classic websites")
- the French classics La Redoute and Verbaudet websites for baby linens, bedroom accessories and baby clothes (still more expensive than in the UK
- Sauvel Natal in the 15th - I haven't been but apparently is "the" place to go for reductions on brand name equipment
- the cheapest pharmacie/parapharmacie in Paris is City Pharma, rue du Four, 75006 - near St Germain des Près

I think about Sauvel Natal in the 15th
25, rue Desnouettes
75015 PARIS
Tél. 01 42 50 47 47

The prices are very actractive and we bought all our basic equipment from them.
They have another shop in La plaine St Denis (203, avenue de Président-Wilson - 93210 LA PLAINE SAINT DENIS - Tél. 01 48 09 09 20).

The only thing is that I am not sure they do speak English so I would advise to study the different brands and make a list of what needed before going there just not to feel lost.

Aubert (on Grand Boulevard) has all equipment, clothes and milk items. Carrefour and pharmacies stock all the nappies, wipes, bottles as well.

mercredi 24 février 2010

Paris English 'La Leche League' Breastfeeding support group


We have been sent some great new information from Léa Cohen from the
Paris English 'La Leche League' Breastfeeding support group:

The LLL Paris English group has been around since 1974. There are in fact 2 English speaking LLL groups in Paris now. Our group has 2 meetings a month: one for pregnant moms and babies and one for older babies and toddlers and up! Plus the new group, Eiffel Tower Group.



Happy Birthday to us!

We are 1 year old! Thank you to all the Mums, past and present, who have brought so much friendship and advice to the group. Here's a quick look back at the past year through a couple of pictures.

Anyone have any more pictures to add?
xxx