My Blog

Baby love

02/07/2013 16:18:00

Here we are in February already and heading towards the most romantic day of the year. Who will have your heart this year? Will you be sending a Valentines to your other half from just you or from you and your bump or little one?

When I was a little girl I always sent a Valentines Card to my Dad and he sent one to me. I don't know how this started, it just seemed like a good idea and now my daughter has started sending cards to her Grandpa so he still gets at least one card. This may seem a bit silly to some people, but to us its just another way of telling them how much they mean to us and making a public announcement that we aren't embarrassed to show it.

We all show love in different ways and some of us are more open about it than others but when it comes to babies it seems that most of us are more than happy to give them the physical demonstrations of our affection that we might not give to adults or even older kids. Babies thrive on this attention and a baby who is shown love and attention in the early days is known to thrive better and develop quicker than those who are left in cots or bouncy chairs for long periods of time. How we interact with our baby, even before they are born, has a huge effect on how they learn to interact with others and where they get their feeling of self worth a place in society. On average a woman preparing for her wedding will dedicate about 10 hours a week preparing for the big day, but how much time do we dedicate to the baby growing inside of us every day? Take time to hold and rub your tummy, respond to baby's moves and talk to your growing bump during your busy day and not just when you get home at the end of day and your baby will learn to respond to your touch and voice and feel soothed and more calmed which continues once they are born. Make sure you relax and focus completely on your baby at least once a week and become more in touch with the new life you are creating. Preparing for the arrival of your little one is not just about buying cots, prams and clothes but more importantly preparing your mind for them and beginning to develop a relationship with them as this will really help you bond when they finally arrive in your arms. Happy Valentines Day to all the Mums and Dads to be, your little Cupid will be the love of your life and I hope they send you a card too one day.

Breast feeding is normal, lets help our children understand

11/13/2012 16:34:00

From the moment you start your antenatal care you will be asked how you intend to feed your baby which might surprise you if you are only 10 weeks pregnant when you first see the GP or Midwife.

Over the last 5 to 7 years a lot of money, time and effort has been put in by the NHS to encourage more new Mums to breastfeed their baby and currently rates are 8 out of every 10 babies being breast fed in the first week after birth. However this quickly drops off and by 6 months only a third of all babies are exclusively breast fed. Sadly only15% or Mums carry on feeding their baby between 6 months and a year. Whether is due to a fear of their baby now having teeth or a feeling of having to move on in order for their baby to progress into weaning I am not sure but as a Mum who enjoyed feeding until her little one was over 1, I would have been sad to have stopped any earlier, no matter what the reason. I can truly vouch for the magic of the boob when baby is unwell, over tired or just grisly and I would have been lost without this magic when we went on holiday and her ears were causing her so much pain on the plane when we came into land.

As children grow up they love to pick up dolly and teddies and 'feed' them as they have seen people feed babies so why should they not put the 'baby' to the breast, even if they are little boys. Why do we insist on making them keep themselves covered up and giving them a plastic bottle with magic milk in to use instead. Even before puberty is on the horizon we tell little girls not to show off their chest, covering up the offending nipples and and making breasts a dirty secret. We tell little boys that breasts are a woman's private area, in the same way as the genitals, which doesn't help them understand what the real purpose of breast are. Look at the outcry there has been in the press about this new Breast feeding baby doll which is available for Xmas this year

Obviously there is a time and place for everything but why don't we teach the benefits of breast feeding at school when we cover subjects such as science, health, sex education and social development? How about having some breast feeding Mums and babies visit the class so they can see how it isn't 'rude' and they can't see anything really once the baby is latched on.

There a lots of local initiatives to help parents prepare for Breast feeding including classes in the Children's Centre, Antenatal classes from the NHS and support groups such as La Leche League, Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and The Breast Feeding Network

Perhaps I am a bit too forward thinking for some but isn't it a bit too late to start thinking about this once we already have a new life growing inside us?

Can I still swaddle when its hot?

06/22/2012 16:16:00

Babies and the weather, a never changing issue in the UK and especially this year with our very strange summer. Too hot, too cold, too many layers, not enough. This particularly a concern at night with little ones and the recommendations can be hard to follow when your instinct says different. The key is to not let your baby become to hot or cover their head in bed. Babies can't regulate their own temperature for several months after birth and as they don't sweat, and have no way of reducing their temperature naturally. They are very much dependent on us to help them and cold hands are not an indication of a cold baby, you need to feel their back or tummy to know their true temperature.

But what if your baby likes to be swaddled? How do you swaddle and not over heat them in the summer? Many of the commercial swaddles which are readily available are made from jersey knit or light weight fleece and whilst these are ok for the rest of the year they are just too hot for the summer months.

A really great idea is a muslin swaddle which is an over size muslin, large enough to wrap baby up in until they are about 6 months old. Being so light weight you can wrap it over them several times and still not be over heating them even on the hottest nights. Other than the muslin, they just need a sleeveless vest or perhaps just a nappy on those nights where even breathing makes an adult sweat.

Natural birth after induction

05/15/2012 15:29:00

Right from the beginning, you have known when your baby is due and you have looked forward to the day you will meet them. You hoped and prayed you would be early or at least on time, however the alloted day has long come and gone. You are still here, getting bigger, more tired and very fed up with every well meaning phone call or text from friends and family to see if there is any news.

Around 42 weeks if you still haven't gone into labour you will probably be referred back to the hospital for a discussion about induction of labour. The Consultant will probably offer you a 'stretch and sweep' which involves and internal examination to slightly stretch the cervix and sweep over the membranes covering your baby which is known to help labour start providing your body is ready. You will then probably been sent away with a date, a few days away, to come into the hospital for induction if you haven't already gone into labour.

You might feel like this is the end of the world. You can't wait to meet your baby but you really didn't want to be induced as you feel like this is just the start of everything going wrong. Firstly, just because induction has been offered does not mean you have to accept it. Providing you and baby are ok and there are no complications, you can request expectant managment which involves daily monitoring of baby as an out patient with the proviso that you will agree to intervention if baby shows any sign of distress or other complication. You can carry on like this until you go into labour naturally.

If you do opt for induction this can happen in a number of ways. Depending in how favourable your body is for induction when you are admited will determind whether you are given hormone gel or pessary to the cervix, have your waters broken and or have a hormone drip put up. All of this will be discussed with you by the Midwife and Obstetrician caring for you and you will be advised re how things will progress at all stages.

If you are induced you may be particularly worried that you will not be able to remain mobile and use the active birthing techniques you have learnt in pregnancy. This is not necessarily the case at all and you can ask the Midwife to help you achieve a natural birth in much the same way as if you had gone into spontaneous labour. Drips and monitors may reduce mobility but will not necessarily 'tie' you to the bed so get up, move, use gravity and keep your mind on meeting your baby. One of the ladies from my classes recently had to be induced as her waters had gone but she had still not gone into labour after 24 hours. After this time, there is an increased risk of infection reaching baby so induction of labour is innitiated. She was so worried this would result in a 'bad' outcome for her but her testimonial here tells a very different story!

"Hi Susie,

Sat here admiring my gorgeous boy and just wanted to say a huge thanks for the Daisy birthing classes.

I was a bit worried that cos I had to be induced by drip I would be pinned to a bed, but my midwife was great and agreed that I could be in the positions I chose - even if it meant a lot of repositioning of baby's heart monitor!

I felt so prepared for what was to come, got on with my daisy breathing and used gas and air to get from 4cm to fully, along with the daisy birthing music! Delivery was long and hard and I thought it would never end, but managed to dispatch of the gas and air and beared down to deliver harry, kneeling down but with one foot on the floor so my pelvis was 30% bigger!

Thank you again - the classes were so beneficial and put me firmly in the zone.

Love Anna and baby Harry x" Bedford March 2012

Alternative therapies in pregnancy

05/10/2012 14:50:00

You may be looking to spoil yourself with some massage, reflexology, reiki or another alternative therapy during pregnancy but what is safe and when?

These days there are so many alternative therapies and treatments around that you may want to try but its important to understand how safe are they and when is it ok to have them during pregnancy to avoid any complications or issues.

Firstly you should really research your therapist and make sure they are suitably qualified. They will have no issue with supplying evidence of their training if they are legitimate so no need to worry that they will be offended.

Secondly its important to tell them when you contact them that you are pregnant and when you are due so that they can let you know if its safe to have treatment and if so, when during your pregnancy. They should also ask you if you have any other conditions or complications of pregnancy as if you have had a history of bleeding or previous miscarriage they may prefer not to treat you just in case.

Thirdly, don't forget to make sure they are easily accessible if you have any issues with mobility such as Pelvic Girdle Pain and also have s suitable couch or chair for you to use with your bump as you shouldn't lie down flat after 20 weeks of pregnancy as this can reduce the blood flow to your baby and make you feel unwell.

Massage can be hugely beneficial and aromatherapy combined with this can really help relax you, however some oils need to be avoided in pregnancy or only used once you are within a few weeks of delivery. The use of essential oils to promote general wellbeing and alleviate specific ailments, such as morning sickness and fluid retention. Oils can be massaged into the body when mixed with a carrier oil – this works best when done by an experienced masseur using appropriate techniques, by burning essential oils in a vaporiser, or adding a couple of drops to a relaxing bath

Reflexology can be used to support conception and throughout pregnancy and finally to induce labour in some ladies. Massage of specific points on the feet and hands to treat the whole body, based on the principle that all the bodily structures including organs and glands are represented in these ‘reflex areas’. The aim is to encourage the body’s own recuperative powers. Stimulation of specific points releases blockages in the energy pathways and improves nerve function and blood supply throughout the body. In pregnancy it can be used to boost energy levels, alleviate musculo-skeletal problems, relieve heartburn, reduce oedema (swelling) and normalise hypertension.

Chiropractic is particularly beneficial during pregnancy as the combination of putting on weight and physiological changes such as the softening of ligaments all put increased stress on your posture and lead to aches and pains. Chiropractic can help ease all of these, and as a bonus it has been shown to reduce the length of labour. After pregnancy, your chiropractor can help ensure that your stretched out joints and loosened ligaments return to normal. Treatment is recommended from the third month of pregnancy onwards. As well as treatment, you will also be offered advice on improving your posture along with exercises to keep you in line.

Homeopathy is relatively safe to use, even in pregnancy. It is safe to self-prescribe for common ailments, but you are more likely to achieve good results if you consult a qualified homeopath. In pregnancy, homeopathy can be used to treat morning sickness, constipation, mild urinary problems, diarrhoea, heartburn, anaemia, varicose veins, backache, cramps, thrush or emotional distress. It can also be used during labour to alleviate panic, encourage contractions, or even slow them down.

Finally, whatever 'treat' or 'treatment' you chose, enjoy it and make sure its safe as well as effective and don't just save it for pregnancy, you will benefit from it just as much, if not more, as a new Mum.

Naming your new baby

05/03/2012 12:36:00

So you've had your scans, perhaps you know the sex of your baby now, you've ordered your travel system, cot, mosses basket etc and your enjoying feeling your baby moving and growing inside you but have you decided on 'the' one thing we all find so hard? a name for your baby!

I remember having a short list of about 6 names for each sex as I didn't know what I was having and even talking to Mums and Dads who do know the sex the final choice can be so hard and might not be made until you finally meet your baby

I heard about a new website the other day that helps parents to be make this decision and ranks the names in popularity since 1996. It has 27,000 names on the site and is based on data from the Office of National Statistics.

http://names.darkgreener.com/

Perhaps this is the answer to your problem and will give you chance to explore endless opportunities.

The one thing all the Mums in my classes tell me is they wish they hadn't discussed it with anyone except their partner as everyone has an opinion and whatever you love, no doubt they will hate and vica versa

Lets just hope you have managed plough through them all, finished arguing about why your baby can't be called 'Tarquin' or 'Esemeralda' and logged off and before the big day

Is having a baby childsplay?

04/19/2012 10:26:00

How hard can it be to have a baby? people have been doing it for thousands of years after all. How often have you heard this said and thought thats all well and good by they weren't me and I might be different, after all I am unique and my pregnancy is special.

You are so right and your pregnancy is incredibly special and unique to you. Even if this is not your first baby, your time growing and nurturing your baby in readiness for the birth day when you meet your baby is an experience that no one else has in the same way that you do. This is no different when it comes to giving birth and each labour is just as amazing and special as the one before and the one which will come after both for the Mum and Dad and and any health care professional or Doula who is supporting you.

We do know thought that somethings will help most women to have an easier and better birth such as staying upright as much as possible to use gravity and moving our bodies to help baby move down the birth path and into the outside world. When we are moving and upright we give our bodies the best chance we can of a normal delivery due to high level of the contraction hormone, oxytocin, being produced and helping to keep endorphine levels high to keep our selves more comfortable and relaxed and avoid the main enemy of an easy birth, adrenaline. Adrenaline is produced in response to stress, fear and anxiety and can delay and even stop labour as well as increasing the pain we feel. So if you decide to give birth in hospital, work with you Midwife, tell her you would like to stay mobile and upright and see how you can make this happen together even if you need a drip or monitoring for some reason. Birth is natural but we need to make it natural and then it will be easy and yes even childs play.

Take a look at this fab video from You tube and see how simple birth can be in the eyes of a child, cute but also very good to see no fear and an acceptance of nature in all its splendour 9svCOXqCBj4

Pregnancy support, who do you value most?

04/05/2012 10:26:00

Pregnancy is such an exciting time but can also be quite scary as we suddenly realise we are going to be responsible for a new life. The responsibility starts before we even conceive with making sure we have prepared our bodies and taken Folic Acid, stopped smoking and reduced our alcohol intake. Both Mum and Dad can feel the pressure that the impending birth often puts on a relationship and even grandparents can be involved in this emotional turmoil. Our whole position in life changes as we become parents as we move from our individual identity to the role of parent. Hormones and physical body changes in pregnancy add to this change in our perceived identity and some women even become depressed during this time of adjustment. Partners and parents, especially Mum can be really supportive and will often offer advice and kind words which they believe will be of use. Dads attend antenatal classes and read books to help try to understand what you are going through and how they might be able to help you in emotional and physical ways. At the end of the day though, often the best support is from women in the same situation as you who can really identify how you are feeling and how this can change day to day and even hour to hour as you reach particular milestones in the pregnancy and have to put up with some of the less pleasant aspects of pregnancy such hip and back pain, sickness, indigestion, tiredness and swelling around the body. Sharing the joy and the worries can really help you now and after the birth to understand that how you feel is normal and that its ok to be have some fears and to not enjoy every moment of pregnancy. Debriefing doesnt have to wait until after you have had your baby and be very valuable in helping you understand what is normal and ok. So lets enjoy our pregnancies together and bemoan our sorry state too :-) Daisy Birthing classes are a great opportunity to build friendships with like minded ladies who, like you, are excited but also have some concerns.Don't try to go it alone, women are so much stronger together, share it and love this excuse to be the amazing people we are.

Daisy baby starts in Bedford on Friday

03/26/2012 14:01:00

Active Bonding is what Daisy Baby is all about as you will see on Friday when you join us in Bedford first class- First class is FREE so whats to loose :-)

If you want to find a programme which is designed to benefit you and your baby, will help calm them and you, and provides informative 'mother to mother' hints and tips to help you make the most of the first 4-6 months with your baby, this is the right baby class for you!

If you want to be guided through a lyrical journey of calming music, white noise, babbling brooks, gentle wind chimes, gurgling babies and beautiful relaxtion music, this is the right baby class for you!

If you want to learn soothing routines and soft stretch for you and your baby to enjoy, this is the baby class to choose!

If you are struggling with Colic, Reflux, periods of inconsolable crying, problems getting baby to sleep alone or on their back .... like so many mums, this is the baby class to choose!

If your baby is between the age of 6 weeks and 24 weeks (at the time of starting classes) and you want to find ways of spending quality time together, learning baby yoga , positive touch, meeting other mums and sharing knowledge with experienced teachers, this is the baby class to choose!

If you miss your Daisy Birthing class sooooo much and want to share the vibe with your baby, this is the class for you both!

Like Daisy Birthing, Daisy Baby really turns tradition on its head. Gone are the familiar infant massage or baby yoga routines, as we embrace an amazing class plan devised over 7 years of research, which really understands a baby's needs and what works in those early weeks.

We understand that in those first tentative weeks baby needs to be in your arms and in them quite a lot! By bringing together positive touch, baby yoga inspired movement, movement for mum and relaxation into one complete class with lots of opportunity to have babe in arms, mums find they are usually able to participate for longer and with more enjoyment! And when baby feels it is all too much, our beautiful white noise lullabies soothe them off to sleep.

Daisy Baby is all about Active Bonding (completely baby led of course). It combines our much loved baby sun saluation routines, getting to know each other exercises, soft movements and relaxations for mum and baby, white noise exercises, social baby time, anxiety releasing exercises to help with new mum jitters, alongside vital education to help you understand the 4 trimester and make the most of these early days with your baby.

By delivering techniques which can really have a positive impact on sleep, colic, calming, mums well being, postnatal anxieties, all within a friendly and intimate group surrounding, mums feel more empowered, more energised and ready to face the world!

See you Friday, just give me call or email me to book your FREE place

My birth is Easy

03/20/2012 12:48:00

So we have welcomed 3 new Daisy Babies in the last 2 weeks, all had great active births and used all the breathing techniques, self hypnosis and movements we learn in class every week and respeat to build muscle memory. No one has needed any more than a breath or 2 of gas and air or the pool to help them ride the waves of labour to thier EASY birth and they all said how great and empowered they felt by giving birth so naturally and confidently. What is so great a as a Daisy Birthing teacher is seeing ladies come to classes frightened and anxious about thier births and how they will cope, then giving them to tools to achieve a great birth and really building their confidence over the weeks. When I recieve that text or email from them after they have delivered telling me how great it was and how happy they are with how things went, I feel such a great sense of achievement and it almost feels like I was there with them and sharing that amazing moment when they harness thier natural power to give birth to thier new baby. The Midwives who have looked after them have also been amazing in thier support of thier needs to stay mobile and bear down rather than pushing, even when they have needed to be induced and monitored. Together we have created a great team of health care profesional, Mum and 'coach' and I look forward to helping lots of of other ladies achieve an EASY and CONFIDENT birth.