This Spring has given us a record-breaking sunny spell and that can mean sunburn, sunstroke, prickly heat. Small children and babies need, of course, to be protected from too much sun, with hats on and light, loose clothing, and the regular application of a good sunscreen. But it’s difficult to keep children protected all the time, especially if there’s a paddling pool to splash about in. We offer a useful handful of home-made remedies.

We’re all told to wash our hands thoroughly in this time of Covid 19 – and quite rightly.  But all that hand washing, as I think we all know by now, can make your skin rather sore. Did you know that with some very ordinary and inexpensive ingredients you can make your own skincare which can work very well?

Covid19 can be a nasty business: some will require and receive medical treatment, or even hospitalisation. Others may have mild or unpleasant symptoms might well have to learn to rely on home treatments, with general medical advice available online.  Some herbal remedies can be very effective in soothing and alleviating the miseries of feeling ill. Let’s look to the garden and store cupboard.  There are many herbs with very useful properties.

In this strange and uncertain new world of Covid-19 one thing is certain: we are all going to have to be more self-reliant and look after our health and well-being for ourselves, especially when we might feel rather lonely and alone. Let’s think about our immune systems.

Jane Gordon, columnist and author, remembers the first 'granny' night with the new baby Edie.

We found the following information from the UK NHS, Canada, Taiwan and Japan.  We hope you find it useful.

Please don't forget these three important actions:

NEVER FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS THOROUGHLY AND REGULARLY.

MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING - KEEP AT LEAST TWO METRES APART (EXCEPTING PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH)

SELF-ISOLATE IF YOU'RE OVER 70 OR HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS

Jane Gordon is a mum of three, interviewer of many a celebrity, author of several books and, of course, newspaper columnist but she faced a serious predicament when she became a granny... 

A doula? What on earth's a doula?  It is close to doolally? Or maybe a girlie doodle? No. Definitely note. It's someone who helps with birthing and they're becoming very popular with the stars - Nicole Kidman and Jessica Biel  among them - and many more 'ordinary' mums. We asked Sarah Johnson, who has been a practising the art for nearly two decades, to explain why. Oh, the word 'doula' comes from ancient Greek and means 'woman's servant' so you can see why they could be useful.

Bees: there’s a lot of buzz around bees because they are responsible for at least one third of what we eat. Without them the human race is more than likely doomed. They are the busy little creatures who pollinate our trees, fruit, vegetables, flowers and all things green. But bees are under threat.

Little Herbs created Baby Oil for two main reasons – to help the Little One’s skin stay in peak condition and to act as a really good medium for baby massage.  Massage has become very popular because it is such a natural thing to do and is amazingly beneficial. It can help with easing colic and wind, lowering tension, attaining better sleep and communicating with your Little One.