Winter2015warwickshirecentral

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NCT Warwickshire Central

www.nct.org.uk

Supporting you to become the parent you want to be

©NCT, Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace London W3 6NH, Registered charity no. 801395

PND Feature - Co-Sleeping - Recipes - NCT News - NCT Courses

Winter 2015 Free... But please pass me on!

Special thanks to Warwick Arts Centre for their continued support

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2 www.nct.org.uk/branches/warwickshire-

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Winter 2015

THE SMALL PRINT: “The views expressed in this newsletter are personal and do

not necessarily reflect those of the NCT. The information in this newsletter is

intended for the use of NCT members, only in connection with NCT activities and

may not be used for any commercial purposes. The appearance of an

advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or

its products and services by the NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation.

The NCT does not accept liability for any loss, injury or damage arising out of

goods or services sold through any advertisement in this newsletter. Any discount

offered to NCT Members by any advertisement is done so entirely at the discretion

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CONTENTS: 4 Important Helpline Numbers

5 Coordinator’s Corner

6 NCT Stars Awards

7 NCT Weekly Walks/First Aid

Course

8 Baby Massage

9 NCT Baby Massage

10-11 NCT Course Details

12 Birth Announcements

14-15 National Charity News

16-23 Post Natal Depression

24-25 Recipes

26-29 Co-Sleeping

30-31 Maternity Forum

32-33 Branch Activities/What’s On

Planner

34 Introducing Solids Course

36-37 Winter What’s On

38-39 Birth Story

40 Volunteer with us

41-43 Nearly New Sale

44-45 Meet the volunteers

46 Winter Activities

47-64 Advertising Section. Please read and

tell advertisers you saw them here. We need their

continued support. Thanks to Warwick Arts Centre for

their continued support.

Winter 2015

Cover Stars:

Deborah and

Harriet receiving

their STARS

award.

See Pages 16-23

for this issue’s

feature on PND.

For NCT Activities

in the Leamington,

Warwick and

Kenilworth area

see the What’s On

Planner pgs 32-33

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For useful information and support, please call the Helpline or use our online service. Our

services are provided by a team of trained and experienced NCT workers.

Please speak to your doctor or health professional if you are concerned about your health;

your child’s health; have questions about fertility; becoming pregnant, knowing when you are

pregnant; miscarriage; medical issues; or immunisation. You may also want to contact the 24-

hour helpline for nurse advice on 111.

For practical and emotional support in all areas of pregnancy, birth and

early parenthood including help with feeding.

NCT Helpline 0300 330 0700

“Who you gonna call?...”

Locally we offer three weekly breastfeeding support drop-in sessions.

These are open to anyone with any questions about feeding their children.

Sessions are free to attend, open to EVERYONE and run:

Warwick Monday Morning (10.30am-11.30am) Term time only.

Tiddlers Baby Group, Castle Hill Baptist Church.

Kenilworth Wednesday Morning (10.30am-11.30am)

Alongside the Health Visitor Clinics at Kenilworth & St Johns Children’s Centres.

Leamington Thursday Afternoon (2:00pm-3:00pm)

AlongsideSt Marks toddler group St Marks Church, Rugby Road.

Your Local Breastfeeding Counsellors

Our breastfeeding counsellors are all happy for you to call them and will try to

answer any questions you may have - they do this voluntarily.

They will do their best to help you but cannot always be available.

Please be considerate when contacting them.

Lisa : 07906 959632 Kate: 01926 314077

Paula : 07788 695002 Louise: 07946 375911

All NCT groups/helplines/drop-ins etc are open to everyone.

You do not need to be a member to access our services. All parents need help and the charity is here to help you the best we can.

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Coordinator’s Corner Deborah Taylor

Welcome to the very first edition of the NCT Warwickshire Central e-newsletter! We hope you enjoy reading our new format and look forward to the redesign we’ve got coming up in the spring. Going digital will really help us streamline our costs (this newsletter is very expensive to print) and hopefully reach new readers (please forward it on!). This edition my coordinators

corner is going to be all about saying thank you… I want to say a massive thank you to the newsletter distribution team who have done an amazing job over the years getting the print newsletters out to our members. Thank you for all your hard work and enjoy a well-earned rest! I also want to say another massive thank you to Daniella our newsletter editor for getting us into the digital age. It’s taken a huge amount of effort to not only write this quarter’s edition but also transfer all the content to its new format. A final thank you to our advertisers who have supported us in making this change, we hope to demonstrate to them that the e-newsletter will provide a host of new opportunities to offer links to their websites and lots of fancy stats. Please help us do this by clicking the links and forwarding anything of interest to friends and family. All funds raised by the newsletter go directly to helping local parents so if you saw it here first make sure you mention us. Of course many of you might pick up a copy of New Addition when you’re at your local children’s centre or at the hospital. We know that despite all this great technology that sometimes you can’t beat an old fashioned magazine to flick through. That’s why we’ll also be creating our brand new ‘Parent Pack’. Jam packed full of all our best articles with information and advice to help you through the first 1,000 days of parenthood. We’ll be starting work on these in the spring so watch this space!

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New Addition

NCT Stars Awards

This editions of New Addition

cover stars are our very own

Branch Coordinator Deborah

Taylor and our Membership

Coordinator Harriet Gott who

both received regional highly

commended certificates at the

2014 Stars Awards. Deborah

was nominated for the most

supportive volunteer of the

year and Harriet received her

nomination for parent

supporter of the year.

NCT stars awards recognise and celebrate the achievement of our

volunteers who are dedicated to supporting all new parents during

their first 1,000 days from the start of pregnancy to their child’s

second birthday. Do you know a volunteer that works at our branch

who has supported and helped parents? Nominate your 2015 NCT

star now by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCTStars2015

Nominations close on 13th March 2015, so if you think there is a star

in our branch make sure you nominate them for an award today.

Which Awards are being given? Parent supporter of the year, For an

NCT volunteer who has supported parents, promoted positive

perceptions of parenthood, or represented parents to improve

services for parents. Volunteer behind the scenes of the year, For an

NCT volunteer who has supported and helped other volunteers to

ensure the smooth running of NCT in their local area. Growing the

reach of NCT of the year, For an NCT volunteer who has grown NCT

socially, geographically or financially. Volunteer of the year, For an

NCT volunteer who has gone above and beyond and made a

significant impact on people's lives and wellbeing. Commendation,

For an NCT volunteer who has given exceptional time and effort at a

local, regional or national level.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NCTStars2015

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Upcoming Events

Weekly Walks on Wednesdays –

take some exercise, socialise with

other parents and carers and enjoy

the great outdoors over the coming

months. Suitable for parents and

carers of little ones who can be

pushed or carried around for an

hour.

Check the schedule on the branch

website and

email [email protected] Due to the lovely British weather venues can

change so please make sure you email to be kept up to date. From November, these

walks will be meeting at 1:45 for 2:00 set off . The following walks have been planned

for February and March: 4th Feb Hatton Locks, Warwick. 11th February Draycote

Water, Kytes Hardwick. 18th February Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa. 25th

February Abbey Fields, Kenilworth. 4th March Offchurch Greenway, Offchurch. 11th

March Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa. 18th March Ryton Pools, Bubbenhall.

Warwick and Leamington Homebirth Group This is not an NCT group, however many parents have found it invaluable so we promote it in case anyone is interested. The next meeting is on 19th March at 7.45pm at

Warwick Gates Community Centre, Cressida Close, Warwick Gates.

Local midwives will be talking about real birth stories, top tips, how community midwives support birth at home and much more! Lots of

opportunities to ask questions. Email [email protected] for details.

First Aid Courses - New Baby First Aid Awareness course dates in association with

the Red Cross:

At Waverley Day Centre, Kenilworth, CV8 1JL: Sunday 1st March

10:30am to 12:00pm, Sunday 22nd March 10:30 to 12:00pm,

Sunday 12th April 10:30 to 12:00pm

At Family Tree, 14 Kenilworth St, Leamington Spa CV32 4QS: Wednesday 4th

February 7:00pm to 8:30pm, Wednesday 11th March 7:00pm to 8:30pm, Wednesday

15th April 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Email Sian on [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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From January 2015 the NCT will be offering baby massage courses in Leamington Spa on a Monday morning at Brunswick Healthy Living Centre. Each course consists of 5 sessions where parents can spend time learning the different massage strokes and relaxing with their babies. Each parent will learn to recognise their baby’s cues, so they can massage them as much as they are comfortable with, and we expect that every baby who attends will, at some point, feed, sleep, wee or cry (or all four!) during the sessions. Parents will be able to learn the different techniques and will be able to use them at home or

out and about to enjoy this wonderful skill of baby massage.

Benefits of massage Massaging your baby is one way to connect with your baby and studies have shown that it may help with: Improving bonding and attachment. Building confidence in handling your baby using positive touch techniques. Enabling better communication between you and your baby. Improving your baby’s sleep. Strengthening your baby’s digestive system and reducing symptoms of wind and constipation. Massage stimulates growth and development so it can help premature babies to thrive as well. For parents it has been linked to: Reduced anxiety and stress. Improved confidence in understanding of baby’s non-verbal communication. Enhanced confidence in handling a baby. NCT baby massage classes are suitable for babies aged from 8 weeks up until

they are able to crawl.

Anyone wanting to book on a baby massage course during 2015 should contact [email protected] as soon as possible to secure a place as we anticipate that these classes will

be very popular.

Antenatal teacher, Caroline Graham, will be leading the classes having undertaken further study with NCT college at the University of Worcester. Baby Massage Training with NCT

College

NCT Baby Massage


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NCT Courses

NEW - NCT Essentials antenatal courses in Warwick

CV34

Courses run as follows, and include a 2 hour postnatal

reunion:

C926 from 16th April– 21st May for mid-June to mid-August due

dates

C927 from 18th

June – 16th

July for mid-August to mid-October

due dates

During the six two hour

sessions (five before your

baby is born, and one

afterwards) an NCT Essentials

course offers you information

and emotional support for

pregnancy, birth and caring

for your baby. The topics that

are covered on every essentials course are listed in the green box.

As part of the Giving Birth theme you will receive information on positions, pain

relief and pushing. The course, as well as preparing you for the arrival of your baby,

will also aim to guide you through the transition and challenges of becoming a new

mum or dad. Information about feeding your baby is integrated into the different

themes of our Essentials Courses.

The cost for you to attend the full course is £70*, which can be paid in instalments. If

your birth partner attends too the cost for you both to attend the full course is £120*.

NCT Signature antenatal courses run in Leamington Spa,

Warwick and Kenilworth regularly. Course formats and prices

vary* - every NCT Signature antenatal course is as individual as

you are. That’s because every course is tailored to the needs of

the small group taking part. All NCT Signature antenatal

practitioners are fully licensed and experienced in preparing you

– both physically and emotionally – for the arrival of your

beautiful baby. More than half of your course will cover the birth

of your baby. There’s plenty of time to explore your questions,

hopes and anxieties in a safe and supportive space. Plus you

will also discover what your baby needs to help them thrive.

The development of your unborn baby

Changes for you and your partner

Your health and wellbeing

Giving birth

Caring for your baby

Which people and services are there for you

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Antenatal - Postnatal - Refresher

EARLY DAYS (POSTNATAL) COURSES COST = £75* In Leamington Spa CV32

10.30am – 12.30pm:

C871 Mondays 1st-29th June for mid January to early May due dates

C936 Wednesday 16th September—14th October for May to July due dates.

REFRESHER ANTENATAL COURSES (FOR 2nd or subsequent time parents) £65*

C899 Leamington Spa CV32, Tuesday 5th and 2x Mondays 11th & 18th May

7:30pm—9pm and Thursday 14th May 7:30pm—9:30pm (Breastfeeding Session) +

Postnatal Reunion for mid-June to mid-September due dates

C931 Leamington Spa CV31, 3x Mondays 7:30pm-9pm on 13th, 20th, 27th +

Breastfeeding Session for late August to October due dates.

WATERBIRTH WORKSHOP

C906 Leamington CV32 Sunday 31st May 9:30am-12:30pm July to August due dates

£46*

BABY MASSAGE COURSES: LEAMINGTON SPA CV31 MONDAYS 10am-11:13am

£47

C910 13th April—18th May for mid-September-mid-February due dates

C911 8th June - 6th July for mid-November-mid-April due dates

C912 9th November-7th December for mid-April-mid-September due dates

For further information/to reserve a place, please contact Bev on

[email protected] or phone on 0208 752 9132

*You could be eligible for a discount if your annual household income is less than

£26,190 or if you receive certain income-related benefits, please ask for more

information if this applies.

These sessions are designed to help you feel confident about the decisions and

choices that you make for your baby. You will be encouraged to share ideas and

experiences and help others do the same as you support each other while you learn

more about your skills as a parent.

See page 34 for Introduction To Solids (weaning) courses.

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New Addition

Congratulations to...

Suzie and Christian Birri, Luca born 5/10/14. Emlyn and Sarah

Evans, Alfred James Philip born 16/12/14. Laura Sadler and

James Taylor, Theo Taylor born 24/11/14. Sally and Iain, Harry

born 6/11/14. Emily Steer and Mhairi Dunn, Osbourne James

Dunn born 3/1/15. Lucy and Pierre Genon, Marley Rose 12/11/14.

Ellie and Colin Mitchell, Kate Charlotte born 14/12/14. Vicky and

David Dunne, Peggy born 26/11/14.

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Benefits of being a member

What are the benefits of being an NCT member?

To name but a few..

Quarterly NCT magazine – our nationally-recognised membership magazine packed full of informative articles from pregnancy through to early parenthood. This is supplemented with regular e-newsletters a further 8

times per annum.

Regular newsletters from your local NCT branch - find out about local par-

ent and baby events and support groups in your area

Meet new friends through your local NCT branch – wherever you live, we have a branch in your area where you can meet other parents going through the same life changes as you. Many of our members make life long friends

through their local NCT branch

Exclusive discounts from NCT shop www.nctshop.co.uk and our new eco

range from www.ecoutlet.co.uk

Early entry to NCT nearly new sales - The cost of kitting out your child for the first five years can run into thousands of pounds. NCT Nearly New Sales are the perfect solution – top-quality baby and children’s clothes and equip-

ment at bargain prices

Free access to the NCT House Swap Register http://ncthouseswap.ning.com/ - Holidays are expensive and finding suitable ba-by-friendly accommodation can be a hit and miss experience. The NCT House Swap Register has been running for over 20 years and enables you to swap your home with other registered members to enjoy a low cost holi-day at a fraction of the cost safe in the knowledge that it will be kitted out to

meet the needs of your little ones.

Becoming a member is a way of saying YES! to supporting parents –

NCT represents the needs and priorities of parents across the UK, at both government and local policy levels, to ensure continued improvements in relevant services. Your membership also helps us continue to deliver ser-vices such as our 4 busy helplines and to support disadvantaged parents through a range of practical outreach projects. You can find out more about

our work by visiting www.nct.org.uk/about-us

http://www.nctshop.co.uk/

http://www.ecoutlet.co.uk/

http://ncthouseswap.ning.com/

http://ncthouseswap.ning.com/

http://www.nct.org.uk/about-us


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In a report launched earlier this month, National Day Nurseries Association says that parents are paying more per hour of childcare to subsidise free

nursery places due to a shortfall in government funding.

Nurseries are being forced to increase their fees to parents who pay for additional hours or for younger children not eligible for funded places to

make up the funding shortfall, a survey will reveal today.

As politicians set out their manifestos in the run up to the general election, resolving the funding issue is critical for delivery of childcare pledges to

parents.

Free nursery places underfunding

“It’s ridiculous that some parents who want to work are prevented from doing so because of the ever increasing cost of childcare. Recent NCT research has found that for the majority of new mums (77%) household finance is heir

main concern in their decision to go back to work.

“Politicians need to sit up and take action on an issue that is affecting

thousands of families across the UK.”

Elizabeth Duff, Senior Policy Adviser, NCT said:

Winter 2015

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Breastfeeding could save the NHS £40 Milion each year

Doubling the number of mothers who breastfeed for 7-18 months in their lifetime and helping others to continue for at least four months could save the National Health Service more than £40 million every year, suggests new

research published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The savings would come from reducing the incidents of common childhood diseases and curbing the subsequent risk of breast cancer in the mums, all of which have been linked to low rates of breastfeeding, say the research-

ers.

The numbers add up to a strong economic case to invest in services to sup-

port mums to carry on breastfeeding, they conclude.

They looked at the financial impact of not breastfeeding on gastrointestinal and lower respiratory tract infections; the ear infection otitis media in in-fants; the potentially lethal gut disorder necrotising enterocolitis in preterm

babies; and lifetime risk of breast cancer in mothers.

They worked out that helping women who exclusively breastfeed for 1 week to keep going for at least 4 months could save at least £11 million a year by

cutting the incidence of three infections.

And doubling the proportion of mums currently breastfeeding for between 7 and 18 months would likely cut the incidence of breast cancer in these women and save at least £31 million, they calculate, as well as improving their quality of life.

The researchers emphasise that achieving the savings they envisage does not depend on persuading more women to breastfeed. Rather, it hinges on helping those who have already chosen to do so, to extend the overall dura-tion of breastfeeding.

Rosie Dodds, Senior Policy Advisor NCT,Said: “Most women who stop breastfeeding in their babies’ early weeks would have liked to have done so for longer. So there needs to be more investment in services to support them.

“There is a strong economic case for this investment - service providers can save significant amounts in the first year of babies’ lives by reducing common diseases.”

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Post Natal Depression Feature

What is Post Natal Depression?

Post Natal Depression is a form of depression that can happen gradually or all of a sudden, and can range from being relatively mild to very hard-hitting. It is estimated that at least one in 10 women suffer from PND, and it can start within one or two months of giving birth, although it can also be

several months after having a baby before symptoms start to appear.

Partners' mental and emotional health can also be affected at this time.

Both parents may also be affected by concern for the other.

Not all depression experienced by women who have given birth is defined as PND. Women with young babies may be diagnosed with depression that

is not related to her having given birth, for instance.

Some new mums can experience a short period of feeling emotional and tearful, which has become known as the 'baby blues'. The ‘baby blues’ can start a couple of days after birth and last a few hours or days with

weepiness and sad feelings being the most common symptoms.

The baby blues, unlike PND, does not normally require special treatment.

Understanding and emotional support will help.

Very rarely, a new mum may experience an extremely severe form of

postnatal depression, known as puerperal psychosis.

What Causes Post Natal Depression?

PND can affect a new mum regardless of her family or personal

circumstances. You may have managed happily with your first baby and yet

become depressed after your second, or the other way around. There is no

single answer as to why some new mums are affected by PND and not

others but there are a number of different possibilities: The strain of

becoming a parent, Anxiety, additional Strain, difficult labour and antenatal

depression.

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https://www.facebook.com/NCTWarwickshireCentral 17

Signs and Symptoms of Post Natal Depression

Women experiencing PND may go through one or more of the following experiences, although it's extremely unlikely that they will go through all of

them. They might:

Feel very low, or despondent, that life is a long, grey tunnel, and that

there is no hope. Feel tired and very lethargic, or even quite numb. Not want to do anything or take an interest in the outside world.

Feel a sense of inadequacy or unable to cope.

Feel guilty about not coping, or about not loving their baby enough.

Be unusually irritable, which makes their guilt worse.

Want to cry/cry a lot or even constantly.

Have obsessive and irrational thoughts which can be very scary.

Lose their appetite, which may go with feeling hungry all the time, but

being unable to eat.

Have difficulty sleeping: either not getting to sleep, waking early, or

having vivid nightmares.

Be hostile or indifferent to their partner and/or baby.

Have panic attacks, which strike at any time, causing rapid heartbeat,

sweaty palms and feelings of sickness or faintness.

Have an overpowering anxiety, often about things that wouldn't

normally bother them, such as being alone in the house.

Have difficulty in concentrating or making decisions.

Experience physical symptoms, such as headaches.

Have obsessive fears about the baby's health or wellbeing, or about

themselves and other members of the family.

Have disturbing thoughts about harming themselves or their baby.

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Post Natal Depression Feature

How does Post Natal Depression affect Relationships?

In the same way as other forms of depression, depression after childbirth can affect a new mum’s personal relationships with her baby, partner, older

children, family and friends.

It can be a tough time - not just for mum - but for those closest to her. If everyone is aware that she needs support - and they have support too – it

can make a big difference to everyone’s wellbeing.

It may be difficult, upsetting and frustrating to live with someone who has PND, but it's important not to blame them for how they are feeling and avoid

being judgemental.

Perhaps the most important thing to recognise is that someone suffering

from PND may need encouragement to seek help, and support to get it. Help

them to find someone to talk to in depth, and reassure them that they will

feel better.

Seeking Help

After having a baby, if you feel low and think you might be suffering from depression, it can be particularly hard to talk about those feelings – especially at a time when everyone else expects you to be happy despite the

challenges of being a new parent.

You might feel reluctant to seek help and reveal any negative feelings because of the fear of what people might think of you and what might happen to you or your baby. Attitudes to mental health have changed in recent years and new parents should always be supported and listened to. Sharing your worries and feelings is an important first step and can make a

positive difference to how you feel.

If you are concerned that you are depressed, talk to your GP or health

visitor. You may be asked to fill in a multiple choice questionnaire which is a

postnatal depression test called the ‘Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

(EPDS)’, about how you are feeling. It can help assess your situation by

focusing on certain symptoms and any difficulties you are facing.

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What can you do if you think you have PND?

These suggestions are relevant for all parents but especially for those who

think they might be experiencing depression.

Share your feelings with people you trust. It's important to feel under-

stood and supported. A sympathetic listener, who can hear about your feelings and worries without judging, can bring enormous relief. It could be a health visitor, a friend or a counsellor.

Give yourself time to adjust to motherhood and recover from giving

birth.

One of the most helpful things is to talk to other mums and dads – it

can be very reassuring to find that all new parents share the same anx-ieties and frustrations. Meeting others in the same position will give you a chance to share skills and experiences, to realise you are not alone, and above all get some emotional and practical support. Call NCT to find out what’s happening in your area on 0300 330 0700.

Try and get help with the childcare and take some time for yourself,

even an hour here and there can make a difference.

Take some exercise each day, like a walk with the buggy or swimming:

exercise has a positive effect on mood and sense of wellbeing.

Maintain a healthy diet; eating badly or skipping meals can make you

feel tired and irritable, so try to eat simple and nutritious meals.

Accept help and support from your partner, family and friends. Try to

share as many jobs around the house as possible, for instance. Allow-ing people to support you and your partner through this time will make things easier.

Find out if there is a PND support group in your area, talking to others who

are feeling similar to yourself can be very helpful and reassuring.

PND Recovery

Recognising you might be experiencing PND and seeking help can be

hard; but it is the first step towards feeling better. No new parent should

feel embarrassed or ashamed about feeling low or depressed or that they

can’t talk about it. The recovery from PND is gradual but with help and

support it can get better for mothers.

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Post Natal Depression

Further Help NCT's helpline offers practical and emotional support in all areas of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood: 0300 330 0700. You might find attending one of NCT's Early Day’s groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area. Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for

support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

Our Shared Experiences Helpline supports parents who are experiencing specific difficulties, problems, worries or other issues during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood by putting them in touch with someone who

personally understands.

If you or someone you know needs the support of the Shared Experiences Helpline, call 0300 330 0700 on Monday - Friday from 9am – 7pm. You can

leave a message outside of these hours and someone will call you back.

Research has shown that baby massage can help mothers suffering from

PND, see page 9 for details on our courses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWzl39jEZYE

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PND in Fathers

Similarly to mums who experience PND, there is no single answer as to why some new dads are affected by depression and not others. Generally, depression is triggered by emotional and stressful events and having a

baby can be an unsettling and challenging experience.

The increased pressures of fatherhood and associated responsibility, fi-nancial pressures and change in lifestyle, as well as changes in relation-ships, combined with a lack of sleep and increased workload at home, can

all play a part in a new dad’s mental wellbeing.

There are two factors that do appear to have a significant impact on dads

experiencing PND:

Strained Relationship with Partner. It would appear that new dads are

more prone to depression, both antenatally and postnatally, if the relation-

ship they have with their partner has been strained throughout the preg-

nancy.

Partner Experiencing PND. There is also a moderate but clear link between

a dad experiencing depression and his partner also suffering from depres-

sion.

As with mums, a new dad’s own personality, social factors, family history

and past mental health history can also affect his chance of developing

depression.

Recognising the huge impact having a baby can have on dads as well as

mums is so important. Becoming a parent is challenging for men and

women so addressing the specific concerns and questions that dads-to-

be or new dads might have can only be helpful in antenatal courses and

any other antenatal and postnatal support and care that new parents re-

ceive.

New dads might also find it useful to talk to other new dads for support

and advice on coping with parenthood

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PND My Story

Recently I have been thinking about the newborn days. It makes me sad

as most of it was a blur hidden in sleep deprivation and postnatal

depression. I lived, well survived, off around 3 hours broken sleep a

night thanks to reflux and unknown allergies. I hardly knew my name let

alone what day or month it was.

We, like most new parents, took looking after Jacob in shifts . When

Dave was on paternity leave it wasn’t so bad, as you kept each other

going. However I remember when he went back to work and how down I

got and how I struggled to adjust again. He had some time off using

holidays when Jacob was around a month old, which again was great

but then I went low went he went back to work again. We felt like we

hardly saw each other as when he got home from work I would go to bed

so I could take over in the night. I remember eating tea at 2am as that

was the only chance, eating sausage rolls out of the fridge just as it was

handy.

I think those first few weeks ,we mainly camped out downstairs just so

one of us could get a little bit of sleep. I remember nearly ripping a cold

callers head off for knocking on the door just as I had got Jacob to

sleep , and then they came back later!!. I think the nights were

sponsored by the channel DAVE and every time I hear the theme tune to

‘Two and Half Men’ it takes me back to those newborn days when I used

to lay on the sofa rocking Jacob in his pram with my foot trying to stay

awake .

I do feel sad though, as I feel we missed out on so much. I don’t know if

it was the PND or the reflux but I don’t remember enjoying much about

those newborn days. You couldn’t put Jacob down as he cried because

of the reflux ,or he cried for milk to comfort the reflux which in turn

made him worse because of the CMPA (Cows milk protein allergy).

I can remember him learning to roll over ,but I can’t tell you how old he was . It’s the same with him crawling. I do remember him learning to walk, cruising furniture at 6 1/2 months and independently walking 2 days off 9 months. I did have one of those memory books but I couldn’t

fill it in and I really do regret it now, I also feel guilty I didn’t.

At first those days traumatised us that much that its only recently we

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have discussed having another child as we both didn’t want to go through it

again.

When Jacob was 18 months old I wrote the following in my diary:

“I’m fed up of PND I thought I should be over this by now. I’m now

wondering if anyone ever gets past it or if they just learn to live with it . I’m

fed up of talking about it, apparently this helps but it doesn’t seem to. I feel

like if I talk about it now I’m just bringing everyone else around me down. I

realise people I know read this diary. Yes mum I’m looking at you. I KNOW I

can talk but I don’t know what I’m meant to say other than the usual”

Jacob is now almost two and I’m not afraid to say that I struggled adapting

to parenthood. This was only made worse when at 4 months old and we

found out Jacob actually had a milk allergy. I put so much pressure on

myself to breastfeed, then when we ‘only’ managed two weeks of

heartbreak and exhaustion , expressing and cup feeding. When I found out

Jacob was allergic to milk this only made me feel even more of a failure. In

my head I was thinking not only is breast milk better but I have been

poisoning Jacob with formula, I’m not anti formula, just when you’re allergic

to it!

I do still feel like I’m constantly fighting with voices in my head doubting

everything I can think of but I have a fantastic support network of friends

and family, I see a counsellor on a regular basis and my doctor is extremely

supportive. I do wish I’d gone for help sooner but I was scared that people

would think I wasn’t a good mother.

New Addition

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Cheese Scones

This recipe is great for toddler fingerfood, if you have older children they

can help you make them.

INGREDIENTS

225g Self Raising flour 1tsp baking powder 55g salted butter 100g cheese Pinch of salt Pinch of cayenne pepper 80 ml of milk Egg for glazing

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 200c. Pop all of the dry ingredients into a bowl, cut the butter into cubes and mix into the dry items with your fingertips until everything resembles breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in the grated cheese and mix in. Make a well in the centre and pour in enough milk to give a soft but still firm dough using a little bit at a time.

Flour your surface and roll out the dough until 2cm thick and using a scone

cutter cut out your scones. Glaze the tops with a beaten egg and bake for 15

mins or until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipes

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Recipes

Quick Bolognese

If you usually like your Bolognese with wine, chicken livers and a lot of

simmering this is the perfect recipe for you to make for your children.

INGREDIENTS

500g Minced beef / Quorn 1 Carrot, 1 stick of celery, 1 red pepper diced 2 shakes of dried Italian herbs 3 small mushrooms 2 cloves of garlic 1 white onion 2 tbsp. tomato puree 1 400g tin chopped tomato

METHOD

Step one: finely evenly chop the pepper, carrot, celery, mushroom,garlic and onion and add each to the pan.(the onion and garlic first)

Step 2: After the vegetables have had a good sauté, add the minced meat and cook until brown and looks cooked.

Step 3: After the mince and vegetables are fully cooked add your tomato purée and chopped tomatoes. Then after two minutes add your seasoning.

Step 4: Leave the sauce to simmer and

cook for a extra 20 minutes on a low

heat and then its ready to serve.

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When I was pregnant with Arthur I knew I wanted to follow a more

Attachment style of parenting compared with the more mainstream parent I

had been with my daughter. From birth Arthur slept with me in my bed, I

don’t know why but it just seemed right for us. Arthur had a moses basket

and a cot but wouldn’t sleep for more than an hour in either so I made the

decision that he would share with me and we would co-sleep full time.

My family were not supportive with my decision and I was told on numerous

occasions that it was my fault that Arthur did not sleep through the night, I

did however have support from my partner who respected that this was

what I wanted to do.

Arthur will be 2 at the beginning of March and although I’ve never slept for a

full night since he was born I wouldn’t change the decision I made with

regards to co-sleeping and I hope we can continue to do so for a while

longer.

Co-sleeping does get a bit of a bashing in mainstream media and recently

I’ve noticed posters and articles in newspapers talking about the link

between bedsharing and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Some experts believe parents should be advised against co-sleeping

because a larger proportion of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS or cot

death) occur in the parents’ bed. Others point out that the risks associated

with co-sleeping with your newborn baby are very much reduced if neither

parent smokes and are probably negligible if they avoid drinking alcohol,

taking drugs or falling asleep with the baby on a sofa.

The Department of Health advises that bed-sharing should be avoided if one

or both parents:

Is a smoker.

Has consumed alcohol.

Has taken any drugs, prescription or otherwise, that affect perception,

cause drowsiness or affect depth of sleep.

Is excessively tired to the extent that this might affect being able to

respond to the baby.

Co-Sleeping

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The risks of co-sleeping are also increased if your baby:

Was born premature (37 weeks or less).

Had a low birth weight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb).

Has a fever or any signs of illness.

If you do decide to try co-sleeping with your baby, you need to:

Make sure your baby can’t fall out of bed.

Keep your baby cool by using sheets and blankets rather than a duvet.

Always put your baby to sleep on her back rather than her front or side.

If she is in a cot, make sure she can’t wriggle down under the blanket by

putting her in the ‘feet to foot’ position with her feet at the bottom of the cot, rather than her head at the top.

Don’t use a pillow – babies don’t need a pillow until they are one year

old.

Never risk falling asleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair.

Women who breastfeed and co-sleep generally have a 'c' shape around their baby so she is protected from the pillow or blanket covering her face. Many parents do routinely sleep with their baby in bed and the most important thing is do so in the safest possible way.

In response to new NICE guidance on home births and co-sleeping, Elizabeth Duff,

Senior Policy Adviser, NCT, said:

“We welcome NICE’s guidance that all parents should have more information about sleeping safely with their babies but we are concerned that NICE has not distin-guished between co-sleeping on sofas or chairs and bed-sharing. There is evidence that it is more dangerous to fall asleep with a baby on a sofa or chair so this is a

missed opportunity to point this out.

“We know that more than half of parents sleep with their babies in the first few

months so it’s disappointing that NICE guidance fails to reflect this reality. We’re wor-

ried that the mixed messages in these guidelines will increase parents’ anxiety or lead

to them into riskier sleeping situations with their babies.”

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Bedside Sleeping

You may have decided that Co-sleeping isn’t really for you and your family

but you don’t want your child to be in their own room either so what do you

do?

There are three options which allow parents to share their bedroom with

their newborn child: a separate cot in the room, sharing your bed (co-

sleeping) with your baby and sleeping alongside your baby (bedside

sleeping). This has been made easier by a recent innovation in cot design

called a ‘bedside cot’. Here we have put together a bedside sleeping guide

to help you decide whether this arrangement could be the right one for you

and your family.

The bedside cot is designed to provide parents with a way of sleeping close to their baby without having to share the same bed. So far there is limited formal research evidence on the benefits of this. One study though suggests that bedside cots can help women to establish breastfeeding and

have no negative side effects when used on a postnatal ward.

A bedside cot is a cot that usually attaches securely to the adult bed level

with the mattress. However, it is not a traditional cot because it is designed

to operate with three sides. The open side allows you to reach out and

touch or feed your baby at night without moving from your own bed while

providing separate sleeping space for everyone.

Sleeping alongside your baby in the same room can help you and your

baby get more rest.

It can support breastfeeding at night, and the position of the cot means

it can be done without having to get out of bed.

Sleeping alongside your baby helps to develop bonding between mum,

dad and child.

If your baby stirs or cries during the night you can easily settle them

back to sleep.

The positioning of a bedside cot means that you can comfort your child

easily even if your movements are restricted, for example, following a caesarean.

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https://www.facebook.com/NCTWarwickshireCentral

Bedside sleeping also means you have the benefits that bed-sharing

parents have but a separate space for you all to sleep in as well. The same

health and safety guidelines which have been published for bed sharing,

see below, still apply if you choose to adopt the bedside cot as, you may

also at times move your baby into bed with you.

NCT recognised the wonderful benefits that this type of sleeping arrangement could have for parents, as an answer to the longstanding dilemma that new parents often face; namely, should baby sleep in your bed or is it too risky? This crib offered parents all the benefits of having their baby close to them while still providing them with a separate sleeping space. As a result, NCT Shop was one of the first companies to stock the Bednest mark 1.

Over the years NCT has stayed in close contact with the company producing the crib, helping to research the benefits of alongside sleeping and even invested funds at a critical point. The Bednest is now a stylish piece of furniture with additional features such as a tilting base, and side panels which can be up, down or in the middle. And the Bednest mark 2 has won even more awards: Mother & Baby Gold for Best Moses Basket or Crib in 2012/11 and the coveted Kind + Jurgend Innovation Award 2012

In July 2012 NCT went further and entered into a cobranding agreement

with Bednest to produce the NCT Bednest. We currently have the

exclusive distribution rights for the crib in the UK.

The NCT Bednest is available to buy through NCT Shop at a price of £269.

It will also shortly be available to rent for six months from £109.

By Daniella Abraham

http://www.nctshop.co.uk/NCT-Bednest-Bedside-Crib/productinfo/4364/

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News from the Maternity Partnership By Louise

The South Warwickshire Maternity Partnership’s aim is to bring service users and professionals together to review services and make improvements through joint action. We are looking for people to act as community links, work on identified projects

and be new core members.

We are always looking for your feedback on all areas of your maternity care. Please let us know your thoughts on the care you are currently or have in the past 12 months received – via Healthwatch Warwickshire at http://www.healthwatchwarwickshire.co.uk/content/speak-out or email

[email protected]

News from the Maternity Partnership

The Maternity Partnership brings together service user volunteers and healthcare professionals. Our aim is to be an effective communication channel for expectant and new parent’s voices to be heard and to work alongside the local service providers to improve our Maternity Services. The core group meet formally 4 times a year to discuss service provision, however, the service user volunteers meet more frequently to

work on agreed projects.

Current projects include an Information leaflets, a video discussing choice of place of birth and what Warwick maternity services offer, a new maternity website, and structural changes to labour ward. The ‘high risk’ labour room has been revamped so it is much more homely, has its own ensuite and a bed so partners can stay. The plan is to redo the midwives

station and corridor flooring next.

http://www.healthwatchwarwickshire.co.uk/content/speak-out

http://www.healthwatchwarwickshire.co.uk/content/speak-out


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[email protected]

At the January meeting we heard that the unit have gained stage 2 of Baby Friendly Initiative (breastfeeding support standards) while community health have got full stage 3 accreditation. This is fantastic news and is down to the hard work of many people, particularly the infant feeding coordinators. Feedback on breastfeeding support is increasingly positive, but some people are still not getting the help they need so we cannot be complacent. The

hospital is addressing some issues with the night shift on Swan ward.

The review of feedback for the meeting showed an overwhelmingly positive response to the ‘Friends and Family’ questions (‘Would you recommend…?’ ) . There were many lovely comments about the staff taking time and being caring and supportive. Aspects which could be improved included clinic waits, toilet facilities for partners on the ward, and as mentioned postnatal care overnight. The response rate for community midwifery has now improved so we can get a picture of how people feel about the antenatal and postnatal service which is generally positive. We do still want to hear from people 2 or 3 months later though as often comments then give a fuller picture. Do please feedback via Healthwatch or the email

address.

If you would like any further information about the Maternity Partnership

please email [email protected]

Louise Griew, Maternity Partnership User

Representative, Tel 07946 375911


Breastfeeding

Counsellors:

AM

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Tuesday Monday Wednesday

What’s On Planner

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Kate: 01926 314077

Paula : 07788695002

Louise: 01926 853567

Lisa: 07906 959632

All groups are free & run throughout the year unless

stated otherwise and are all open to everyone.

www.nct.org.uk/branches/warwickshire-

K e n i l w o r t h

Breastfeeding

Drop-in. (10.30am-11.30am)

Al ternat ing betw een

Kenilworth Children’s

Centre and St Johns

C h i l d r e n ’ s C e n t r e

alongside the Health

Visitor Clinic.

Weekly Walk (2pm-3.30pm)

Venues change weekly.

For information, email

weeklywalks.nctwarks

@gmail.com

Social Netball (8pm-9pm)

North Leamington

School, outdoor courts.

£3/session. New players

always welcome. For

information:

netball.nctwarks

Warwick

Breastfeeding

Drop-in

(10.30am -11.30am)

Tiddlers Baby Group,

Castle Hill Baptist

Church, Warwick.

Term time only.

Branch Meetings

(8pm-9:30pm)

Usually first Tuesday of

every month. Open to all.

Angel Hotel, Leamington.

meetings.nctwarks

@gmail.com

Two-Timers Club (2:30pm- 4pm) Venues

change weekly. For

information, email

twotimers.nctwarks

@gmail.com

Thursday Friday

What’s On Planner

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All groups are free & run throughout the year unless

stated otherwise and are all open to everyone.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/nctwarks/

BRANCH MEETINGS

ARE ON THE FIRST

TUESDAY OF THE

MONTH NEXT MEETING ON

March 3rd

Angel Hotel

Leamington Spa

8-9.30PM

Alternat ing betw een

Kenilworth Children’s

Centre and St Johns

C h i l d r e n ’ s C e n t r e

alongside the Health

Leamington

Breastfeeding Drop-in

(2pm-3:00pm)

Alongside St marks toddler

group, St Marks Church Halls,

Rugby Rd, Leamington Spa

Leamington Breastfeeding

Drop-in

Term time only.

FIRST AID COURSES

The next courses will

take place on:

February 4th & March 1st

For more info email Sian

firstaidcourses.nctwarks

@gmail.com

Netball

North Leamington

School

Mon 8-9PM

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New Addition


NCT Introducing Solids sessions cover topics such as when to start weaning, purees and baby-led weaning, and what foods to avoid. This course will be led by a qualified NCT Practitioner. Your baby does not have to be breastfed for you to attend the course. These courses are designed for a parent or carer to attend with their baby. Anyone responsible for a baby as they face the transition from milk to solid foods is welcome. It does not matter if you have already started giving your baby solids when you come to the course, or if your baby is breastfed or bottle fed.

Subjects covered generally include:

What, where, when and how

What to do about milk feeds

Allergies

Baby-led weaning – skipping purees and starting straight with finger

food

2015 dates are:-

C882 Tuesday 10th March 10am-12noon for mid-September to mid-

December due dates

C885 Friday 24th April 10:30am-12:30pm due date from late October

to mid-January

Locally, these Introducing Solids courses cost £23. We charge for our classes in order to cover the costs to the charity for providing this service and to help us to provide services for all parents. Everyone is welcome to pay by instalments and we offer discounts for parents in receipt of benefits

or on lower incomes.

Please request further information from the course administrator when you

enquire about your Introducing Solids course. For further information/to

reserve a place, please contact [email protected] or phone on 0208

752 9132.

NCT Introducing Solids Courses

http://www.nct.org.uk/courses/course-prices/reduced-price-options

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE OR OTHER ACTIVITIES

www.nct.org.uk/branches/warwickshire-central

Breastfeeding Support

Weekly Drop-ins on Mondays in Warwick, Wednesdays in Kenilworth (at alternating

children’s centres) & Thursdays in Leamington

(at St Marks)

Breastfeeding Drop in Every Thursday from 2-3:30pm (Term Time

Only)

Alongside St Marks toddler group, St Marks Church on Rugby Road

in Leamington.

Weekly Walks

A chance to get around all

the local parks in the area.

They take place every

Wednesday, meeting at

2pm for a 2.15pm start.

Walks last about an hour

and usually end with a trip

to a café for refreshments.

Designed for new parents

to get some exercise - for

more details email [email protected]

m

Netball Club

If you would like to join us we play at North Leamington

School from 8pm to 9pm on a Monday.

We are a 'pay as you play' club

(£3 a session) with no other commitments and all abilities

are welcome!

We are a very relaxed and social club who enjoy getting some

exercise whilst having a

laugh...do join us!

For more information email Nesta:

[email protected]

ALL EVENTS ARE FOR

EVERYONE NOT JUST

MEMBERS

Branch Activities

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Winter What’s On Guide

FEBRUARY 7 and MARCH 7 - KIDS RUN FREE - NEWBOLD COMYN,

LEAMINGTON SPA 8.45am Kids Run Free provides free and fun running

events for children. Our Leamington event runs on the first Saturday of

every month! No running experience is required, just turn up and have fun!

We have various distances of runs depending on age: 0-2 year-olds run 50m

3-4 year-olds run 100m 5-6 year-olds run 250m 7-8 year-olds run 500m 7-16

year olds can run 1000m if they think they're tough enough! Warm ups start

at 8:45am and runs start at 9:00am Our events are completely FREE! To

register or for more information visit www.kidsrunfree.co.uk or contact

[email protected]

FEBRUARY 1 - 7th - NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK - ROYAL PUMP

ROOM ART GALLERY, LEAMINGTON SPA. 2:00pm—3:15pm, Stories from

around the world’ - join children’s storyteller Colin King on a journey

around the world with an interactive, musical, storytelling adventure.

FEBRUARY 21 - 22 DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS - WARWICK ARTS CENTRE, COVENTRY The friendly bus driver leaves us with one simple instruction “Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!” However the pigeon is very clever and Whines, Bribes, Pleads and even sings a song to get his own way …. BUT WILL YOU LET HIM

DRIVE?

MARCH 7, STRATFORD NCT SALE – THE WILLOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL

12:00pm - 2:00pm For full details email [email protected]

SATURDAY and SUNDAYS 10:30am– 4:00PM ELC FUN DAYS—

MOTHERCARE, THE SHIRES Suitable for age 1-5, Free drop in, Toys and

dress up


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SATURDAYS—ART CART FAMILY FUN

SESSIONS, LEAMINGTON SPA ART GALLERY.

1:00pm—3:00pm. For 0-5’s (Last Saturday of

the month is for under 12’s) Free drop in

session.

FEBRUARY 11, 18, 25 -

PRESCHOOL SESSION –

FOUNDRY WOOD,

LEAMINGTON. 1:00pm-3:30pm,

This is a great opportunity to

have fun outdoors in a safe

environment and meet other

like – minded families. No need

to book – just drop in!

FEBRUARY 11, 18, 25 TODDLER TRUNDLE, RYTON POOLS COUNTRY

PARK, 10:00am - 11:30am. A weekly event for the tiniest of tiddlers! Leaf

fun, stories, mud pies and collecting treasures will be amongst some of our

activities designed for the smallest naturalists. After the walk and activities,

head back to The Courtyard Café for refreshments (exclusive reduced-price

Toddler Trundle menu available), whilst the toddlers have fun with the table

top toys and colouring sheets. A quarterly programme is available from the

Visitor Centre giving activity details for each week. £2.50 per toddler.

New Addition


Home Water Birth Story

Before my son was born I thought that home births were a bit of a mad, hippy thing – after all, who in their right mind would want to give birth away from the safety of a fully equipped hospital and surely make a complete mess of their house? Then when I had George at Kingston Hospital in 2009 I endured a very uncomfortable car journey to the hospital, then was left on my own for a scary half an hour while my husband parked the car. An hour after being first examined and told I was 5cm dilated, I had given birth. The consultant joked that they would give my husband a pair of rubber gloves for ‘next time’! So ‘next time’ duly came around and the prospect of potentially an even quicker labour with it. I was not particularly enamoured with the idea of either an unplanned home birth or a back-of-the-Skoda birth and so I started to consider a planned home birth. I spoke to a lot of people who had had successful home births, particularly with second and subsequent babies, and they were all extremely positive about it. So I mentioned it to the midwife at the next appointment and they were all very supportive of the idea. It took a while to win my husband over (he was particularly concerned about the risk to his carpets, particularly when I said I wanted to install a birth pool in the sitting room!) but he came round eventually! So at 37 weeks we had our home assessment and the hired birth pool duly arrived. We got piles of towels set up in the airing cupboard and had the pool semi-inflated ready to go… and we waited. As my son had been 10 days late I wasn’t particularly hopeful that number two would be early or even on time, but even so by 8 days overdue when I had my 41 week appointment I was getting seriously fed up. I had a sweep done at that appointment, and the midwife managed to stretch my cervix to 2-3cm, and was quite optimistic it would move things along. So when I got home I took a load of raspberry leaf tablets, and massaged the bump with clary sage oil before getting in a bath with lots of lavender and clary sage oil. Then I headed to bed in the hope that I might be in labour by the morning! The following morning I woke up about 5.30am with mild period pains every 5 minutes. I was hopeful that this might be it although sceptical as I had woken up pretty much every morning for the past fortnight hoping I was in labour! Moving around seemed to intensify them though so I told my husband (much to his delight!) not to rush off to work and got myself moving. I had a shower and washed and dried my hair to fill the time, and had some toast to keep me going. Contractions continued to be about every 5 minutes but still very manageable. However I knew that in my first labour I had gone from manageable contractions to delivery in a couple of hours so didn’t want to hang around too long! At about 7.45am I decided I would call triage to let them know what was happening. At this point I discovered that our phone line was down! So I had some more toast and told my husband to start preparing the pool. At 8.15am I called the hospital from my mobile. I then put my TENS machine on and called my mum to come over and collect George. She and my dad were off swimming so he was delighted to hear he was going swimming with them! The midwife called me at about 8.45am to check I was still OK and whether I minded a

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By Evangeline Margaret Cotton

student coming along as well, which I was fine with. The midwife, second midwife and student midwife all arrived at 9.30am, closely followed by my parents, so we were quite a crowd! It turned out that despite qualifying in 1979, the second midwife had never done a home birth, so wanted to come along for the whole thing rather than just be called for delivery. The midwife in charge examined me and confirmed that I was 4cm and in established labour. This was a great relief given the crowds downstairs and the fact that between contractions I was in complete denial about that fact that I was about to have a baby! At 11.15am I decided to get into the pool so swapped my TENS for my tankini and jumped in. It felt absolutely brilliant. I had wanted to go in the pool with my first labour, but had already given birth by the time the pool at the hospital had been filled. I kept moving around in the pool with the contractions, chatting to the MWs and watching the TV. At 12.15pm I started feeling some pressure with the contractions. A few minutes later (my notes say 12.21pm) I got a big contraction and made quite a bit of noise. All the MWs got up off the sofa and put their plastic aprons on, which got me excited that something was going to happen soon! With the next contraction I felt my waters go. The contractions carried on thick and fast and as I felt her head descend I had a real moment of ‘I don’t want to do this any more!’ but I held my husband’s hands and remembered that I didn’t really have any other option at this point… I could really feel where her head was and the classic crowning sensation. I asked for the gas and air at 12.32pm and at 12.34pm her head was delivered. They took the gas off me again and I delivered her body with the next push at 12.35pm. I picked her up out of the water and sat back on the seat of the pool. It was the most amazing moment ever and I felt great! We waited for the cord to stop pulsating and my husband cut it. Our gorgeous daughter was given to my husband and I stood up to get out of the pool. As I got up

the placenta delivered naturally, although I had anticipated having a managed third stage. I sat back onto my sofa, which had been covered with plastic, sheets and incopads. The midwives had some trouble delivering some stuck bits of membranes but it all came out in the end. We had some lovely skin to skin and Evie had her first feed which

she took beautifully.

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New Addition

Volunteer with us!

Hi, I’m Helen Hodgson. We have had some

brilliant new volunteers join the ranks in the past

few months but there are still some areas where

we need help.

NEARLY NEW SALE

VOLUNTEERS

Can you help us with our next

sale on 14th March 2015?

We need help with the following

shifts:

Friday Night

Saturday Morning

Saturday Afternoon

Saturday All Day

Saturday Clear Up

Email Julie and Sarah for full

details on

[email protected]

WEBSITE COORDINATOR

Do you have or want to gain some

basic skills in managing web-

sites? Do you have an hour a

week spare to keep the Warwick-

shire Central website up to date

with our latest events? We need

you! Training and a full handover

provided, no previous experience

necessary. email Helen for full

details

CLASS SUPPORTERS

Can you help an antenatal class set-

tle in after the birth of their babies

by hosting them for a few weeks and

helping them find their feet?

Email Helen for full details on

[email protected]

NEWSLETTER CONTENT WRITER

Do you have a couple of spare hours a month to

research dates for our what’s on guide? Maybe

compiling the local/national news pages is more up

your street? Email Helen for full details.

[email protected]




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NCT NEARLY NEW SALE

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The rising cost of living and tough economic climate mean many families are having

to tighten their belts. Recent NCT research showed that one in two new parents

(50%) had bought second hand baby or toddler items in the last six months and the

majority were more likely to buy things such as baby or toddler clothes, toys, prams

and high chairs second-hand rather than new.

Cash-strapped parents and parents-to-be in Warwickshire can find all the top quality

baby clothes, toys and equipment they need at an upcoming NCT Nearly New Sale,

and save around 70% on what they would cost brand new.

Well-established and trusted by over 200,000

parents who visit them every year, NCT

Nearly New Sales represent the best sales of

excellent quality used baby and children’s

items.

Your local NCT Nearly New Sale offers an

affordable alternative to trawling the high

street for pricey baby products. Meanwhile,

families with baby goods they no longer

need can ensure they go to a good home

and make some cash at the same time. Items

must be in excellent condition, and sellers

keep up to 70% of the proceeds while the

rest is returned to fund NCT’s work.

At our sales you will find prams, cots, beds, bikes, toys, clothing and shoes,

maternity clothes, nappies, and a whole host of other baby related items.

Our sales are able to take place thanks to the huge network of over 60 volunteers

who give up their time to make our sales run as smoothly as possible.

Thanks to our lovely volunteers who agreed to have their picture taken at the last

NNS sale.

Nearly New Sales

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Deborah Taylor

I'm the Branch Coordinator for Warwickshire Central which basically

means I support and coordinate our fantastic team of volunteers to help

make sure they have everything they need to do their roles. My day job has

always involved management of some kind so this is really something that

fits my skill set and allows me to give back a little.

I got into volunteering during my maternity leave in 2013, I was made re-

dundant and volunteering gave me a chance to keep my hand in while I

worked out what I was going to do next. It was a great way to meet people,

I've made loads of friends and it's nice to get together with other parents. I

particularly love the variety this role gives me, I get involved in planning

events, recruiting new volunteers as well as applying for grant funding and

running monthly branch meetings.

Outside of volunteering I juggle work, family and friends like everyone else!

I live in Leamington with my husband and 2 year old daughter. She's into

everything and loves to 'help' me out around the house. We enjoy reading

stories together and visiting the park at the back of our house. I work full

time as a Product Manager for an energy company which I love, again be-

cause of the variety and the pace of change - no two days are ever the

same. Being at work all week means every second at the weekend is pre-

cious so we try to do as much family stuff as possible - even if it's just a

trip to the shops, or everyone's favourite, the ice cream parlour!

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Caroline Graham

I am an antenatal and baby massage teacher for the NCT and although I don't have an official volunteers title I do a lot of organising of events and publicity. Last year I organised the NCT stand at the Leamington peace fes-tival and Lillington Fun day and regularly send information out to the local papers and post updates on social media about what we are doing. We have a very active branch full of amazing volunteers and I want people to know

about what we do.

Outside of NCT I also teach Natal Hypnotherapy workshops for expectant parents who want to learn hypno-birthing techniques. Mainly I am looking after my four children, previously I have been a bar manager, a Christian

youth worker and I used to play keyboard in a band.

I live in south Leamington with my husband and four girls. My oldest is 10

and my youngest is 2 so I am often out and about at playgroups.

I love singing and playing the piano and being outside in the sun.

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Salt dough

Easy to make, dries hard (in air or a cool oven) and can then be painted.

Recipe:

2 cups of plain flour

1 cup of table salt

1 cup of water

Food colouring—optional (I personally find gel cake colouring gives the

most vibrant colours)

Mix 20 minutes before play. Roll it out & cut out shapes, or use it as

modelling clay.

Potato Print Valentine Cards

All you need is 1 large baking potato cut in half width ways, start with the v

at the bottom then form the top to make the heart shape, the deeper the cut

the better it will take to the paint. Let your child dip the potatoes straight

into the paint OR use a paint brush to coat them with paint.

Handprint Rainbow

Use the back of a roll of wallpaper for this craft, that way you can make your

rainbow as big as you like. Start with the top of the rainbow, dip your

child’s hand in the first colour and make handprints in an arch shape from

one corner of the paper to the other. Repeat with other colours until your

rainbow is finished. Alternatively you can cut out hand shapes using

coloured paper and stick them to your sheet of wallpaper.

Winter Crafts

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We rely on advertising to enable us to fund NCT activities and

drop ins.

PLEASE mention that you saw their advert in the

NCT newsletter when you contact advertisers to

encourage them to keep advertising with us!

Thanks! New Addition Editorial Team.

Advertising in the Warwickshire Central Newsletter.

The newsletter has a circulation of 600 copies and is distributed via email

to NCT members and sent on to family and friends. The next newsletter will

be distributed in March. Copy Deadline February 1st

Newsletters run every quarter; March, June, September, December.

F o r i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o p l a c e a n a d v e r t , e m a i l

[email protected] Adverts should be supplied in jpeg

format to ensure the best quality print. We can also discuss rates to

advertise in ‘Goodie Bags’ handed out at Nearly New Sales.

Rates (Excluding VAT) 1 issue 4 issues

Full Page (A5 Portrait) £65 £235

Half Page (Landscape) £40 £145

Quarter Page (Portrait) £25 £90

Inside Cover (Full Page) £75 £270

Sponsorship of Edition* £100 £360

*Sponsorship means Full second page Colour Advert and Company

thanked on Front Cover & Contents

1 issue sponsorship, 3 issues full page = £270

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The NCT Shared Experiences helpline supports parents who’ve had a challenging experience during their pregnan-cy, birth or early parenthood. Callers are put in touch with a volunteer who has had a similar experience and also given the details for any other relevant charities/support organisa-

tions who may be able to help them.

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http://www.loveballet.co.uk/

http://www.loveballet.co.uk/

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http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/?utm_source=NCT&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=NCTWARWICK

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http://www.babysensory.com/en/ClassDetails/warwickshire

http://www.rhythmtime.net/st24

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http://www.crackleyhall.co.uk/

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http://www.singandsign.co.uk/classes/classes-near-you/stratford-upon-avon-leamington-and-warwick

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http://www.wrendaynursery.co.uk/

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http://www.lighthousenursery.com/

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http://www.monkeymusic.co.uk/

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Tree Tops Montessori Nursery

and Pre School 1-3 Chesham Street

(off St. Mary’s Terrace) Leamington Spa

Children from 3 months to 5 years Hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Full Montessori and foundation stage curriculum

Fully qualified / experienced teachers

OFSTED Outstanding

Please telephone 01926 888050 or visit our web site

www.treetopsmontessorinursery.co.uk

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https://www.waterbabies.co.uk/contact/bucks-beds-and-warwickshire

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Winter2015warwickshirecentral

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