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Potty Training Essentials | Recommended Items for Potty Training

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If you have stumbled across this post it must be nearly time for the BIG task of potty training!!! You are probably in a good routine and it is scary thinking about changing that – I mean let’s face it, getting out the house is not an easy task with nappies let alone without.

From the day your little one is born nappies very quickly become part of your daily life. As parents, we can tend to put potty training off for a while as the task can be a little daunting. There is a lot to think about when you start thinking about potty training. We have created a list of potty training essentials to support you through your journey.

Once you feel your little one is ready to make the change the next thing you need to do is thinking about what you need to begin your potty training journey.

Here is our list of our Recommended Potty Training items for 2019;

Potty Training Pants | Bamino Mio Training Pants

We were keen to get out of nappies altogether during the day but we also didn’t want to be secluded to the 4 walls in our house so we decided to switch to a trusted brand. After plenty of research and trawling through lots of reviews we decided to make the switch to the fantastic Bambino-Mio pull up cloth pants which we would highly recommend.

There are 13 beautiful designs to choose from which encourages your little one to wear them. My son is dinosaur obsessed so it made it very easy for us to switch over. There is a concealed water resistant layer inner pad, it allows toddlers to feel the wetness whilst minimising clothing changes which means your life doesn’t have to change too drastically during the changeover. The Bambino-Mio are machine washable and can be tumble dried and are very soft against your child’s skin. These training pants are reusable and a great way to be kinder to the environment.

We would highly recommend the Bambino-Mio Potty training pants. You can purchase them by visiting their website or via Amazon.

Potty Training Essentials Must have potty training items

 

Summer Infant My Size Potty, £29.99

There are lots of different kinds of potties to choose from and it can be a very difficult choice. We do love the Summer Infant my size potty.  This looks and acts like a real toilet which makes it an easier transition to the real thing. The Summer Infant my size potty features a realistic flushing sound. The clip-on splash guard and flip-up lid helps boys in the potty training process, and the built in wipe dispenser is perfect for promoting good hygiene. You can purchase this in white or pink by clicking here

Reviews from MyBump2Baby Readers

“I loved this potty, it made the transition to the big toilet very easy” Amanda, Liverpool

“I loved the potty had the training wipes in the pack to help teach my little one the importance of hygiene too” Gemma, Croydon.

must have potty training essentials

 

A Potty Training Book

In the lead up to your little one starting potty training, I recommend purchasing a couple of books around potty training. It is a great time to make it a little more fun instead of a chore. We read a couple of books around this including; No more Nappies and Pirates Pete’s Potty.

Trousers with a stretchy waistband

Definitely avoid any pants with drawstrings or zippers as that is where accidents can happen.  Initially there will be a small time between needing to go and going so you don’t want to waste any time. We recommend purchasing some elastic trousers to make things a little easier, you can purchase some here.

 

Progress Chart

Although it is easy to get frustrated when there are accidents we must remember how important it is to reward your little one when they do well. Rewards are an absolute must. We used a progress chart with George and at the end of each week he got a prize. There are lots of different progress charts you can purchase but here is the one we used. You can purchase it here.

 

Protective Mattress Cover

The protective mattress covers are great for protecting your little ones mattress. We got a couple of these, we haven’t cracked the night time potty training yet so these are great for extra protection whilst you practice and afterwards. This particular option is Eco friendly and has raving reviews. You can purchase one here.

Extra Bedsheets

There is nothing worse than being greeted with a wet bed at the wrong time with no extra sheets. I recommend having a change of bedsheets at the ready so that the bed can be changed within a couple of minutes. There are so many to choose from, you can purchase some here.

 

 

 

The Importance of Going to Music Classes with your Baby

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Music is a universal language that everyone loves and understands, but did you know that it is the only activity that can stimulate and activate every part of your baby’s brain?

Contrary to common belief, every child is born musical and as parents all you have to do is nurture this innate ability.  In other words, it is your baby’s environment that will determine how musical they will become.

Lots of simple activities can be done at home with your baby to help stimulate and encourage their development through music.  However, being a new mum can be quite lonely so going along to a structured, educational music group will give you, as a parent, confidence and new ideas about what to continue doing at home while socialising and making new friends.  Don’t forget that singing also releases the “happy hormone“ so singing together in a group with other mums is really beneficial for everyone.

Making music with others is such a happy, joyful experience and there is no substitute for a child and parent taking part in a live music session. This is because you will both be experiencing music in the here and now and the benefits of being involved for both you and your baby are far reaching.

Your baby is never too young to go along to a music class.  Here are some of the benefits early music-making and singing will bring:

 

  • Singing simple songs to you baby will help develop their speech and language skills. (Your baby will sing before they speak.)
  • Songs with actions are great fun but they also stimulate your baby’s auditory development and the actions will help them gain understanding and the meaning of the words.
  • Moving and rocking to music will help develop their vestibular system, inner ear and sense of balance.
  • Using various props will help stimulate their vision, eye tracking, co-ordination and motor skills.
  • Using simple percussion instruments will help develop their listening, small motor skills, co-ordination, sensory awareness, and determination as they try again and again to master playing the instrument.
  • Shaking small instruments, such as a maraca, will stimulate your baby’s auditory reflexes and help develop a sense of rhythm and pulse which is very important for language development and creative expression.
  • Exercising to music will help strengthen and develop their muscles, while at the same time instilling a sense of pulse, (which is like the heartbeat your baby was listening to in the womb.)
  • Playing peekaboo will help to develop their visual memory, listening skills, social interaction, and will give your baby a sense of themselves as being separate from you.

Remember, early music- making develops academic and creative skills and will help your baby to be a well rounded human being.  Exposing your baby to early music making is very special.  It’s the best gift you can ever give them.

 

The importance of going to music classes with your baby

Strong to the core – At what age can a child swim properly?

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At what age can a child swim properly? It’s a question we get asked a lot at Water Babies, and it’s all down to water confidence and core strength.

Firstly, it rather depends on what you mean by ‘swim properly’. Thanks to innate reflexes, babies can swim under the water from birth. But to be able to swim on the surface, lifting their head to take a breath, little ones need a degree of strength that comes with age.

As with everything, that age varies from one child to the next. But toddlers from the age of around two-and-a-half years start to be able to swim front paddle on the surface and breathe as they go.

Building strength

The strength that a toddler needs to lift their head while swimming comes from the core. If you’ve done exercise yourself, you may know a bit about core strength. This is a deeper layer of muscles around your abdomen, back and pelvis that supports your body to sit, stand and move and do many other physical activities.

Like any muscle, you can strengthen your core through exercise. And guess what? Swimming is one of those fantastic core strengthening activities. Because you’re supported in the water, you can move your body in ways that you can’t on land. And this is especially true for babies.

In fact, Water Babies’ research has shown that babies who swim from birth are ahead of the curve in reaching physical milestones like sitting and walking. That’s because they swim from babyhood, practising core-strengthening activities in their lessons.

A matter of confidence

But having good core strength is all very well if your toddler won’t put their face in the water. Making sure your child is confident under water is a big deal when it comes to swimming and also water safety.

Swimming regularly from a young age, dipping under the water in a fun, gentle, controlled way means that babies and children will not only love the water, they’ll also be calm and comfortable no matter what.

That first width

One of the very first things we teach at Water Babies is how to prompt babies’ natural reflex to hold their breath. And as they grow up, we teach them how to control their breath. That means that when they are strong enough to swim their first width, they can gently exhale under water and then lift their heads to breathe.

And that first swim across the pool is pure magic! It’s often that moment when parents tell us ‘this is what it’s all about it’. Because there’s nothing that makes you – and your toddler – prouder than learning to swim together.

By the age of 2 ½ to 3 ½ years old, most Water Babies can swim short distances on their own, taking a breath as they go. Swimming since babyhood, they’re confident, able to control their breath and they have developed that wonderful, strong core.

Let’s go swimming

Water Babies has been teaching babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers to swim in Bristol, Bath and North Somerset for the last fifteen years. Our lessons are progressive, positive and fun. Get in touch to find a class that suits your family. Call 0117 946 6919 look at our website www.waterbabies.co.uk or email underwater@waterbabies.co.uk.

 

 

Falling Back Without a Bump – The Autumn clock-change

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How to help your little one sail through the Autumn clock-change

 I used to love the Autumn clock-change – a whole extra hour in bed without having to sacrifice anything else in return…bliss! Like many parents, I am now accustomed to rising with my little lark and whilst 7am certainly isn’t inhumane, the prospect of a 6am wake up on Sunday 28 October appeals rather less! However, some little ones routinely rise at 6am – cue the parental fear that the clock-change will, literally overnight, turn that 6 into a 5!

How to help your little one sail through the Autumn clock-change

Here is my step-by-step guide to helping your little one to make the transition out of British Summer Time as smoothly as possible.

The options

Step-change

An incremental approach is usually best for babies and younger children and/or those who have generally fixed asleep and wake times.

Parents should commence this plan on the Wednesday night immediately proceeding the clock change, putting their child to bed 15 minutes later than usual – so 7pm would become 7.15pm. There should be scope for a little one to sleep for 15 minutes past their standard wake time on the Thursday morning. Whilst this may not automatically happen, if it does and can be accommodated, the plan is off to a flying start.

If at all possible, parents should adjust meal and nap-times on the Thursday so that they also sit 15 minutes later than usual.

On the Thursday night, bedtime should be pushed back by a further 15 minutes – so to 7.30pm from a starting point of 7pm. As before, parents should factor in that their little one may sleep a little later on the Friday morning. The process will run much more smoothly if the child can be allowed to wake naturally.

Again, meal and nap times should be moved in line with the “new” (albeit very temporary!) daily schedule on the Friday if at all possible.

That night and during the Saturday daytime, the process of adjusting times by a further 15 minutes should be continued. This will mean that on the night of the clock change, the little one goes down at 8pm but only 15 minutes later than the previous evening.

Managing the one hour change in these smaller steps means there is less scope for a child to become overtired. It also enables their body-clock to adjust and a one-hour time difference split over three or four days is manageable for almost all children.

All in

For less sensitive sleepers and older children for whom overtiredness isn’t so much of a risk, parents may find it works well to just push bedtime back on the Saturday night by as close to an hour as the child can manage. A child who still naps in the day can be given a helping hand by their nap on the Saturday afternoon being nudged back slightly to better balance the awake time in the morning and afternoon. However, for a little one who does still nap (some daytime sleep is typically helpful until around 3 years old), a full hour is a long time and pushing a child too far into the red of tiredness is likely to have a horrible unintended consequence – they will get up even earlier than usual the following day!

Yes, as counterintuitive as it sounds, a child who goes to sleep too late is likely to wake super-early. This is due to a hormone called cortisol which they will have secreted in order to stay awake. Cortisol is released naturally by the body to wake us for the day, with levels gradually starting to rise from around 3am. Whilst this would typically build sufficiently to rouse a little one between 6 and 7am, if there is some residual cortisol in the mix, the process kicks in too hard, too early, leading to a child who is wide-awake at 5-something (or the “new” 4-something!).

A middle-ground

The final option is to essentially split the difference and stretch a little one to a bedtime on the Saturday night that is 30 minutes later than usual. As before, in order to reach that later bedtime whilst avoiding the dreaded “second-wind” of overtiredness, Saturday’s nap(s) can also be nudged back by 15 minutes. This means the extra half hour of awake time will be split evenly across the morning and afternoon.

As a little one won’t have made it all the way to 8pm with this approach, parents should expect him to wake a little early by the new clock time on the Sunday morning. However, this will iron itself out pretty quickly over the course of the following few days. For some little ones, it can take up to a week before things feel fully settled onto the new timings but they will adapt.

Lighter mornings

One helpful aspect of the clock-change when it comes to child sleep is the darker evenings. Melatonin, the hormone which makes us feel sleepy and helps us to stay asleep, is secreted by the body in low levels of light – which is why we typically find it much easier to sleep in a dark environment. However, as the evenings darken, the mornings will, for a short time at least, be a little lighter. If this daylight is creeping into a child’s room, it is likely to drive them towards wakefulness. With this in mind, blackout blinds can be one of the best purchases a parent ever makes!

 

Little Sleep Stars creates gentle, bespoke sleep plans to enable babies and children up to 6 years to reach their sleep potential. The business is owned by Lauren Peacock, a former tired mummy who was never prepared to leave her own little boy to cry. Through a detailed assessment and consultation process, Lauren is able to identify what is causing an individual child to struggle to sleep well. No two children are the same and nor are any two sleep plans but with right, tailored and gentle plan in place, any child can learn to sleep well. All consultations are carried out using web-based video-conferencing, enabling Lauren to work with clients throughout the UK and even overseas. Little Sleep Stars offers a free, no obligation, 15 minute call to any family needing support with their child’s sleep so to take the first step on the path to better rest for your whole family get in touch today.

 

Click here to claim your FREE 15 minute call with Lauren

 

www.littlesleepstars.com 

lauren@littlesleepstars.com

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlesleepstars/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_sleep_stars/

 

 

 

10 Reasons to Book on a Baby Yoga Course

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What are the Reasons you should Book on a Baby Yoga Course?

I have been working as a baby yoga instructor for nearly 3 years now but before this I worked in Early Years for well over 10 years and have a degree in Early Childhood Development. For me, it is all about development and boy does baby yoga promote this massively!!!!

Just like Baby Massage, the Baby Yoga groups have all the same lovely social and emotional benefits to them and the loveliest bonds and friendships are made within them. They are fun and stimulating for little ones with lots to keep them entertained, because there comes a point where all babies get bored of lying down just chilling (however lovely that may be for us parents) and movement becomes life!



For me, my interest came when I could actually see the benefits the class had with my own child. The moves used are specifically designed to help target muscles that enable babies to reach their developmental goals. Now all babies are different and have different ability levels and the important thing about Baby Yoga is that it is adaptable using age and stage appropriate moves with variations offered when needed meaning it can be enjoyed by all families and babies.

By using my knowledge of early childhood development and the skills I have learnt becoming a baby yoga instructor, I have made sure each class focuses on not only physical development but emotional and communication using important sensory aspects.  If that’s not enough the classes also focus on the parent too, bringing in light exercise that can be focused upon and used at home should parents wish, all done in a relaxed environment with no pressure or judgement.

 

10 Reasons to book on a baby yoga course

So here are 10 reasons to book on to a Baby Yoga course;

SLEEP (The Holy Grail)

Baby Yoga absolutely promotes better sleep as regular movement promotes a more settled behaviour with less extreme ups and downs. It is a time where babies can use up all that stored energy they have when they have yet to learn the skill of on demand movement.

Builds muscle strength and promotes development

A balance of activity and relaxation helps build and encourage muscle strength e.g. – tummy time, head holding, sitting, and eventually standing. Through carefully planned stretches and activities Baby Yoga helps build muscle and promotes muscle suppleness so that early development milestones such as rolling over, crawling and sitting independently can be reached.

Calmer Babies (Holy Grail part 2)

Baby Yoga can help to development muscle tone and encourage the muscles to react in the correct way or positions to encourage movement or others development milestones such as sitting independently. This in turn reduces frustration during the transition between developmental changes because boy is it annoying for a baby trying to make your hand move in the right direction to reach that foot and get it in your mouth!!

Helps Develop those little brains

Through stimulation provided by sensory activities and objects brain stimulation is encouraged helping with development such as hand eye coordination. Activities used encourage muscle development in the eyes to promote focus and co-ordination.

Communication

 Babies learn through repetition and mimicking Baby Yoga will encourage early language development as baby will watch parent/carers mouth movements and we sing and rhyme throughout the class.

First baby friends

Helps develop and build social skills by encouraging early social interaction etching and being with babies their own age.

For Mums

The simple moves we do during our parent and baby stretches can help mum to regain strength and maintain posture, safely tone abdominal muscles and pelvic floor.

Fun and enjoyment

Parents/Carers enjoy activities with their baby spending a happy hour sharing in their child’s enjoyment

Social time for parents

Parents/Carers can enjoy a relaxing hour away from the demands on daily life enjoying and socialising with people in the same position as themselves

Learn new skills

Not only can parents learn a few stretches that they can do at home to improve their own muscle strength. Fun activities and songs are introduced that can be used at home and shown to other family members often giving ideas of what to do to keep a young baby entertained.

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This article was written by Kyleigh Gregson a Baby Yoga expert from Lytham St Anne’s, Lancashire

Kyleigh Gregson
BA Honors Degree Early Childhood studies and Development. Qualified Baby Massage and Baby/Toddler Yoga instructor
Owner at J’adore Mama – The Maternity & Infant Centre

Website: www.jadoremama.co.uk
FB: www.facebook.com/jadoremama
Tweet: @jadoremama
Tel: 07719 901271



 

Top 10 List of our Newborn Essentials for Parents

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Becoming a parent can be a little what’s the word overwhelming, daunting, scary ….I could go on…. I mean honestly how much is there to think about? I for one, spent most of my pregnancy worrying and I began seriously worrying when my pregnancy app sent me an update announcing that my 12 week bump was now the size of a Grapefruit!!! Anyway, he is here now and all is well with the world so don’t worry about that part!!



As you make your way through pregnancy you will see that there are so many products and magazines out there that lure you and state “you need this, you need that” but in reality you don’t need everything they are throwing at you!!!

In todays blog I am going to be sharing with you my personal top 10 newborn baby essentials, the top 10 things that I personally bought, found really useful and would use again and I will also be sharing our comparison tables with each mini review so that we can ensure you find the best price across hundreds of retailers (this is updated automatically).

 

The Tommee Tippee Prep Machine

tommee tippee perfect prep machine

When you are pregnant, do you find that people keep telling you how hard it is being a parent? I did and I was like HELLLOOOO he is clearly inside me now, perhaps you should have told me before I had sex… unprotected, anyway that is another story!!  I would constantly get told about how difficult night feeds are and how you have to make up a bottle and then wait for it to cool down all whilst the baby is screaming. I was truly terrified!!!  Then like an angel my friend stood before me and whispered the sweetest words I have ever heard “Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine”.

Tommee Tippee is a well-known brand for baby feeding accessories and it is one of the most loved and trusted brands in the baby world. “So, what is this Machine” you ask? Basically this amazing machine makes up a ready-to-drink bottle in literally 2 minutes. Can you believe it…? “Impossible” you say??? I thought the same but ITS TRUEEEEEEE.

This is a great buy for any parent who want to make up baby’s bottles quickly and accurately. It is aimed at parents who are ready to make the move to formula milk.

Read our full review on this item by clicking here.

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The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterliser

The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Electric Steam Sterliser is very quick and extremely easy to use. All you need to do is add 80ml of water to the bottom of the steriliser (there is an 80ml line marked on Tommee Tippee bottles) you then close the lid and then push the button on the front. The button glows orange when the steriliser is switched on and goes off automatically when the cycle is finished five minutes later. You must allow an additional 3 minutes cooling time before lifting the lid. The bottles then stay sterile for a full 24 hours as long as the lid remains closed – so you could turn it on before bed, and have clean bottles at the ready in the morning.

Read our full review of this product here

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The Shnuggle Baby Bath

The Shnuggle bath is a multi-award winning bath designed to grow with your baby and has been carefully created to be a safe and secure place to bathe your baby. This bath is very light and is easily transported it is very comfortable for baby.

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Chicco Next To Me Crib, Chick to Chick

This crib from Chicco is amazing and promotes side-sleeping and allows you to sleep close to your child without being in the same bed. This was really handy for me as I had a C-section and found it difficult to sit up and look in to George’s moses basket at first and then we saw the dropside which means I could keep an eye on George without having to move. A lot of the mums we have spoken to also loved this item for breastfeeding.

I kept this crib in my bedroom and used the moses basket for downstairs and to take out of the house, it was much easier for me to have both but you really don’t need both.

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Baby Elegance Bath Changing Unit – Grey Star

I absolutely loved The Baby Elegance Bath unit as it had plenty of room for Storage. I would but all of George’s changing bits in one place and it was really handy. It stood in the corner of George’s bedroom, we used this for changing nappies, getting him dressed and getting him ready for bed after his bath.

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Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottles

If you are going to be using other tommee tippee products like the Closer to Nature steam sterliser or the tomee tippee perect prep machine I would recommend getting these bottles especially to begin with. The sterliser fits the bottles in perfectly and they all work hand in hand really.

George still uses Tommee Tippee bottles and he is nearly 2 and half (oops) they have always been good for us, he did have a bout of Colic and we switched to Dr Browns for a short time but after that he was back on the Tommee Tippees.

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The Video Monitor – Motorola MPB36S

The MPB36S baby monitor is amazing and does everything you would need. The great news is you can take it away with you or if your little one is sleeping at the grandparents one evening they will be able to set it up easily too. There are tons fantastic features including lullabies. The image and sound quality is brilliant. The monitor also has built in infrared night vision, and the video remote, tilts and zooms to ensure you can see and hear your baby even if they have wriggled out of view.

Read our full review on this product here

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Bright Starts 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play, Play Mat & Activity Gym

Yes, we all love newborn baby snuggles but once hubby goes back to work and the visitors have died down you have no choice but to snap back in to housework and jobs mode (I know its horrible) but the 5-in-1 Your Way Ball Play Activity Gym from Bright Starts is amazing with walls that can be adjusted up or down to stop your little one travelling too far. The 35 balls means that this gym isn’t just for newborns and can be used during the toddler years too as a ball pit! Engaging toys include an electronic toucan that entertains baby with lots of lovely tunes. Your little one will love this and so will you!!!

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Pram – Bugaboo camelion 3

I could talk about this pram for ages, from the moment I saw it I fell in love with it. I am not going to lie the price was a little out of my budget at the time at £1300 from Mothecare but since then the price has dropped. The maxi- cosi pebble car seat was used with this pram for the first few weeks which was ideal (I just had to buy the adapters) and then we enjoyed long walks in this pram over the summer and Autumn months. I never had any issues with this pram and would 100% buy it again.

Compare deals from top retailers

 

Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus Car Seat

When it comes to safety, Maxi Cosi is definitely one of the most reputable brands parents can depend on. A few years ago, they introduced the widely popular Maxi Cosi Pebble car seat. With the desire to improve features and design, they revamped the Pebble car seat and introduced the Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus. This infant car seat carrier is light, easy to install, and comfortable. The new baby-hugg newborn inlay is certainly more comfortable than the previous model’s newborn insert.

Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus is part of the 2wayFix family, which meets the new i-Size regulations. This means that your child can continue to be in the car seat facing rearwards while using the same base for a longer time, which is approximately up to 4 years old. This certainly simplifies the transition from one car seat to another, as your child grows. Not to mention, a little less heavy on the wallet.

Read our full review of this product here.

Compare deals from top retailers

So there you have it, my 10 absolute must-haves for new parents!!!

 

 



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10 Reasons to Book on Your Nearest Baby Massage Group

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Why join a baby massage group?

I have been working as a baby massage instructor for nearly 3 years now and the reason I fell in love with the idea of working as an instructor was because I attended classes with my firstborn and just enjoyed it so much and found such benefits from it that I knew it was the career for me. Within the classes I attended I learnt invaluable techniques to help alleviate infant complaints such as colic, wind, constipation and congestion. I also got to meet and make friends with parents who were all experiencing the same stages of parenting as myself.

So what is baby massage?

Baby massage originates in India and has been passed down for hundreds of years between parent and baby. Baby massage is not a trendy phase or fad, it is an ancient art and philosophy that connects you deeply to your baby. It provides you with an opportunity to understand your baby’s individual and particular non-verbal language, enabling you to respond with love and respectful listening. When baby massage is practised it enhances and promotes deep emotional bonds which develop in infancy with parents/carers. This is what lays a lifetime foundation of trust, dependability and love between parent and child. Setting aside some time to incorporate baby massage as part of your baby’s routine will help you build your parent/baby relationship in the early ‘getting to know you’ stage. Whist also providing you with vital techniques and advice to help alleviate infant health complaints.

Here are 10 reasons to join a Baby Massage group;

Quality uninterrupted time

Quality uninterrupted time with baby giving enhanced bonding with the baby. Touch is one of the primary senses it is a primary need and the baby’s most important means of communication. Babies respond to the way that they are touched and handled and the way in which they are touched and handled by parents and the amount of time spent handling them has been seen to have an effect on the child’s disposition.

Relief Infant complaints

Relief Infant complaints such as Colic a build-up of gas which worsens towards tea time/early evening. The routines can help sooth teething symptoms and give babies relief from muscle pain. It has also been shown to aid congestion in younger babies. As infant complaints such as these can cause such upset not only for the baby but also for the parent the relief when any problematic symptoms are relieved is priceless to see.

Better sleep

Better sleep (The holy grail for all parents) It is suggested that babies who receive massage will have fewer health problems and both sleep and feed better than those babies who do not receive massage.

Increased confidence

Increased confidence in handling the baby (because were not all super confident when we first have a baby), which helps parents/carers to be more proficient and capable in their nurturing abilities.

Greater understanding of baby’s wants and needs

Greater understanding of baby’s wants and needs, likes and dislikes. As touch is a baby’s first form of communication it allows the parent/carer to understand their baby’s cries and where touch is needed or where there main be pain or discomfort.

Mother benefits

Mother benefits from massaging baby as prolactin secretion is enhanced, which is essential for milk production so breast feeding can be more successful.

Massage improves muscle tone

Massage improves muscle tone by increasing blood flow to the muscles and gently providing stretching exercises while also increasing body awareness, co-ordination and suppleness.

Pleasure, joy, relaxation

Pleasure, joy, relaxation. Baby will feel relaxed, calm and loved during the class giving both the parent and the baby a full hour of peace and calm and an uninterrupted time to enjoy the quiet with your baby.

Social Time

A time for babies to hear the sounds and see the movements of other babies at their stage of development. It is a safe space for babies to explore their senses and develop confidence. Massage groups are also usually the first class a parent will attend with their child often making their first parent friends. It allows time to talk to other parents that are experiencing the same stages of parenting as themselves. A safe and none-judgmental environment to ask for and share advice, voice the hard or testing times of parenting (we all have them) and share the joys of those firsts in babies development.

Reduces the risk of postnatal depression

Often the early stages of parenting can be the most challenging and lonely. By getting out of the house and joining a group it can often be the thing needed to break the cycle of depression. Having even just an hour of positive uninterrupted time to bond with baby can make all the difference. By talking and communicating in a safe environment parents can often find the help they need or recognise they are often not alone in the way they are feeling.

This article was written by baby massage expert Kyleigh Gregson owner of J’adore Mama – Infant and Maternity Centre in Lytham, Lancashire

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Contact Kyleigh to arrange your Baby Massage Course;

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How to encourage creativity in your child

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Creativity is such an important thing for any child, helping not only with artistic expression but also with academic and emotional intelligence. Whilst you might think that creativity is something you’re either born with or you’re not, in actuality, creativity is a skill that can be taught from an early age. Make sure you help to promote your child’s development the best you can with these simple tips.

Feed their imagination through reading

 Reading is one of the best ways to grow your child’s creativity. Getting stuck into a good storybook is a great way to get their imagination going, whilst also helping enrich their literacy skills. If you’re reading with your child, ask them questions such as what they think the characters in the book would look like or what they would sound like. Getting your child to visualise the things they’re reading will spark their creative mind and make their stories really come to life.

Let them dress themselves

 Clothing and the way we dress is a creative process in itself, which is why encouraging your child to dress themselves is a good way to reach a more creative outlook overall. Start by setting out a selection of their clothing and letting them choose each item for their outfit. Giving your child the freedom to wear what they want to wear also helps them develop a sense of independence, along with growing their own personal style. For an outfit that’s extra special, why not add some designer items to your child’s wardrobe such as a kids Moschino top from Strawberry Childrenswear.

 Encourage them to decorate their bedroom

 Along with dressing themselves, giving your child that freedom to decide how they want their own bedroom to look is key to encouraging creative thought. Let them choose the colours they’d like to use and what accessories they like such as rugs, cushions and curtains. Creating a gallery wall for them to display any artwork they’ve done is also a good way for them to showcase their creative efforts whilst also giving their room a more personal touch.

Spend time on arts and crafts

 Try to focus your child’s attention on arts and crafts as a fun everyday activity. Instead of coming home from school or nursery and sitting in front of the TV, encourage your little one to spend time creating things. A good way to do this is by setting up an ‘art station’ — an area in their bedroom or another room in the house, complete with paints and art supplies. Just make sure to lay down some protective sheeting to avoid any messy rugs or stained wooden floors!

Give them encouragement

Whenever your child produces a piece of artwork, be sure to give them plenty of compliments. Talk about the things you love about what they’ve made and make sure you’re as descriptive as possible. Rather than saying ‘that’s beautiful’, say something like ‘I love the colours you’ve used and the way you’ve drawn these shapes!’ This type of language causes your child to really analyse the steps they’ve taken and helps them learn to express themselves creatively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 Reasons to book a Professional Newborn Photography Session

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Welcoming a new arrival to the family is such a special time and in the days that follow you will no doubt be full of all kinds of emotions. Whether you decide to mark this occasion by booking a photographer to visit you in your home or you choose to visit a professional studio, here are 8 reasons why you should consider booking your session;

To celebrate the arrival of your newest family member

It’s been 9 months… you have waited patiently to meet your new baby. You have imagined what they will look like and how it will feel to hold them in your arms and now they are here! What better reason to book a photography session than to congratulate yourselves. This is certainly something you won’t regret as you capture all of the emotions of this special time

 

It’s a special experience for you to enjoy as a new family

As you let the photographer take over, you have a chance to sit back and marvel at this tiny person you created. It is an emotional and memorable experience, I often catch the new parents staring in awe at their baby, heads tilted to one side with beautiful smile on their faces. As a photographer, it is such a pleasure to take your first portrait as a new family. Your baby will want to see what you looked like when they were born, even if you feel a bit frazzled. You are doing this for them.

 

They change so quickly

They really do. They only stay so tiny and new for a short time and before long, you will struggle to remember just how small they were. Once this time has passed, you never get another opportunity to capture these memories again.

To capture those gorgeous details

Those pouty lips, chubby cheeks and gorgeous skin wrinkles will change every day. It’s a good idea to take a beautiful profile picture as it is the profile that changes the most as a baby grows.

 

You are creating your first art work and family heirlooms as a new family

Whether you choose to print your images, make framed wall art or a beautiful album, you are creating the history of your family that can be enjoyed for generations to come. There will sadly be a time in the future when we will all only exist in photographs so this is a perfect opportunity to capture your family as art.

 

Quality and Experience

Yes mobile phones can take pretty good photos these days and you will no doubt take 100’s of photos in those first few days.  A professional photographer should have had some form of training in the safe posing of newborns as well as professional equipment and knowledge of lighting that will really enhance every detail of your baby. This is what they specialise in and it is worth investing in this knowledge and expertise. Do not try to replicate poses you have seen without the appropriate training

Gifts

Your images can be given as gifts to family members or you can even use some of your images to make your own birth announcement or thank you cards

 

You only get one chance

Once this newborn phase has passed, you don’t get another opportunity to capture these memories. As many newborn photographers photograph babies up to 14 days old, it is a good idea to consider booking before your baby has arrived. Most photographers offer a flexible booking system based around your due date so you can start to research your photographer once you have had your 3 month scan. If you wait until your baby arrives, you may find that your preferred photographer is not available and you risk being left disappointed.

 

This article was written by the fantastic photographer Sara at Newborn Love in Hatfield. You can find her business listing in our directory.

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Contact Sara to arrange your photoshoot;

Website:  www.saratomlin.co.uk

Mobile: 07730374267

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