As most of you will know, I attended a blogging conference on Saturday and...(like a crazy person) I decided to take Alicia with me. The conference was the Nuffnang Blogopolis which was held in Sydney. It was a great day and I managed to survived the day with Alicia so I decided to give you all my "Top Tips for Surviving a Blogging Conference with a Baby" (With thanks to Imogen Lamport's talk on Idea Sourcing, for providing the idea of doing a top tips!)
In no particular order and not particularly serious
- When you arrive at the parking station make sure you don't have Maccas/baby stuff/your entire handbag contents strewn all over the car as it may be valet parking and it is embarrassing taking 10 mins to sort it all out in front of the valet.
- Make sure you ask where the baby change table and/or disabled toilet is located at the start..it may be two floors up.
- Take a photo of yourself in the disabled toilet to prove you started off without vomit and drool on your clothing.
- If you are a little shy use your cute baby to start a conversation with the first lovely person who makes a comment on your baby.
- Hope that person is lovely enough to invite you to sit with them and their friends (it helps if they are mums too so they can hold your bub and won't mind if there is the possibility to vomit). (Thanks, Mandy from A Little Space Like Home and Mez from Back in G Town ).
- Sit near the back of the conference room so that if your bub is noisy you can make a quick exit.
- Be prepared to only get to listen to the sessions, as you may not be able to take notes while holding/feeding a baby.
- Bring both your pram and you baby carrier ( I didn't use my carrier at all but others did). The pram is a bit awkward but allows you to be baby free while the little one sleeps.
- Remember that while your baby will help a little with networking, you won't be as flexible as you would like as there will be lots of people you don't get to meet.
- Make use of social media to find people you want to meet. I saw that Bree from A Twinkle in the Eye was there and sent her a tweet to come and find the blonde with the baby.
 |
| The Twitter feed |
- Use your baby to give out your business card.
- Don't be too disappointed that you don't get any of the lovely Twinings Tea being served there is likely to be massive amounts in your goodie bag along with lots of other fantastic products.
- Look for someone on your table who has finished their lunch to hold your baby while you eat.
- Attend the post-conference drinks if you want to and don't decide not to go as you think you can't bring a baby (I should have gone :( but only found out other took bubs too late)
- If breastfeeding, bring a heat pack for if you end up with a blocked milk duct due to a baby who hates feeding from one side ( Oh..that just my bratty baby who does that :( ).
- Overall, enjoy yourself and be thankful that we are in an "industry" that allows mums to bring their bubs along to events.
Did you go along to Blogopolis? Have you ever taken a bub to a conference? How did it go?
