The Baby Show at Excel London - my review!

A couple of weeks ago with my Mum and sister (also pregnant!), I visited the Baby Show at the Excel in London. Previously my exhibition trips with them have been to the Clothes Show, so this was something completely new for all of us and I had no idea what to expect! The exhibition itself wasn't too big or busy for a Saturday and after a warm welcome from the lovely team in the Press Office, we set off to explore!

I have written a summary below of my opinion of the show and what I found useful or not so useful. Hope it helps you decide on whether to attend a Baby Show in the future!

Good for....

• Selecting a buggy. All the major big players there all under one roof so makes researching what you want much easier, plus there were some great show discounts from brands like Chicco. My Cosatto Giggle buggy was cheaper online than their show price, so glad I already purchased it after Christmas and it was shipped to Germany.
• Finding out information on all the baby gadgets and actually trying them out in person, you soon realise what is worth buying and what is tat! Seeing moses baskets in real life also put my sister off purchasing one, as she thought they looked cheap
• Excellent speaker programme. We didn't actually have time to attend any of the talks but topics included breastfeeding advice, first aid for babies and work and family
• Great show discounts if you know what you are after! I purchased my Cosatto Isofix base to accompany the Cosatto Hold Baby seat I already have, for £99 - saving £30 compared to the online price so a genuine discount there. MAM had some good offers on their products, 4 items for £10 which is a bargain when you see the prices of their dummies in Mothercare and Toys R Us
• Discovering smaller brands you may not find outside of Mothercare or Mamas and Papas. It's nice to have something unique, rather than what the masses have. I was given a Cocoonababy from a French friend and was delighted to visit the stand and get some advice on how it works. Looking forward to trying that out!
• Freebies! I went home with 7 different types of baby bottles that I was given in various goody bags and at the stands, plus a million dummies from brands such as MAM. I also purchased the Prima Baby magazine bundle which came with a great goody bag full of baby essential items to try!
  
• Doing something nice! I had a photoshoot with my mum and sister from Bumpkins Baby and Family studio. Although I don"t live in London and therefore had no intention of buying a bump photoshoot from their studio, the lovely friendly staff still took some great shots of us all - for free!

Not so good for ...

• Baby clothes. As a clothes lover, I was a bit disappointed that there weren't more baby clothes brands on offer. Normally a highlight of shows like this is discovering new brands you can't find on the high street and splashing out on some cute outfits
• There are A LOT of non-essential baby items for sale, which can be a bit overwhelming as everyone is trying to sell you the latest, best baby device on the market. I didn't fall into any traps but judging by the amount of bags I saw some people carrying, a lot of mums-to-be did!

Overall I would say the Baby Show is a great day out with your partner or friends/family, with lots of genuine offers. It is also really helpful to have every major brand under one roof so you can do some serious research. It saves a lot of hours traipsing around busy department stores with your tired husband! I have uploaded a selection of photos from my day out below, let me know what you think!

Busy at the Bugaboo stand! 

My sister, Mum and I in our Bumpkins photoshoot! 

My sister and I on the Cosatto Instagram page! Love their social media channels, so much fun :)

34 weeks pregnant belly shot!

Everything I took home with me from the Baby Show - most of it was free!