Babber. NCT magazine for Bristol. Jun16

ISSUE

02

JUNE

2016

babberBristo

l NCT

9 PAGEFEEDINGSPECIAL

BRISTOL WITHA NEWBORN

IDEAS FORPLAY

TAKING CAREOF YOU

W

Sarah Norman

B R A N C H C O - C H A I R S

elcome to the second edition ofour fantastic NCT Bristol Newsletter!

The summer is a busy time for us inthe Bristol Branch as we support hugefestivals and local events with ourgreat baby changing and feedingfacilities. Why not head over to theballoon fiesta, LoveLockleaze festivalor the Southmead CommunityFestival and say hello!

2016 is going to be an exciting yearfor the NCT as we celebrate our 60thbirthday and as a branch as wecontinue to support local parents withnew meet ups and social events, welook forward to seeing you along theway.

babber2016 WELCOME

Becca Sewell

babber

babber

23

50

in this issue...

www.nct.org.uk/branches/bristolfacebook.com/bristolnct

2016 WELCOME

06 Bristol Balloon Fiesta: We'll see you there!08 Wednesday Meetup

09 5 things to do in Bristol with a newborn12 Sun, sea, sand - Sale!13 Volunteer vacancies14 NCT turns 60!

17 Let's talk about the white stuff. 9 page feedingspecial26 VBAC Support Group27 Three homeopathic remedies to lift your spirits28 Musical Notes: Music & wellbeing

31 Swimming for newborns & in pregnancy36 Yoga tips for pregnancy & birth

Bristol - page 5

Wellbeing - page 16

40 Stimulating your babies senses44 Messy play for parents who don't like mess48 Can babies really learn sign language?53 Thank you & credits

Lifestyle - page 39

11

29

40

B R I S T O L N C T | 0 4

Photo courtesy of: Destination Bristol

Photo courtesy of: NCT

Photo courtesy of: Baby Sensory Bristol North

06

http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/bristol

BRISTOLparenting in

images courtesy of Destination Bristol, John Grindle, NCT


BRISTOL

We are so excited to bereturning to BristolBalloon Fiesta in 2016 forour sixth year runningthe baby change andfeed tent.

Each year Bristol NCTprovides the fiesta'sfamily tent, providingchanging and feeding

facilities to thethousands of youngfamilies who attend theBalloon Fiesta.

Tent provisions includechange mats, plenty ofspare nappies and wipes,highchairs, privatebreastfeeding areas andbottle warming and

See you there!Bristol NCT return to run the family tentat this years Balloon Fiesta 11-14 August

i I m a g e s c o u r t e s y o f D e s t i n a t i o n B r i s t o l


feeding equipment. Teacoffee & water is availablefor parents in need of abreak and there will be freecraft activities for kids.

The tent relies on volunteers

Psst!

We're also running baby tents at

Southmead Community Festival, 9th July, andLove Lockleaze Festival, 23 July

See you there!

(who get free Fiesta parkingin return!)

If you'd like more informationabout volunteering, pleaseemail

[email protected]

2016 BRISTOL


WEEKLYmeetup

NEW

Every Wednesday11-12.30pm

Gymboree Cafe, WOTBS9 4BE.

DAYS IN BRISTOLWITH A NEWBORN

those of you with

a new firstborn, don’t be

cross with me, because I

know it’s really hard a lot of

the time. However, time,

time, time. You’ll never have

so much time on your own

hands as you do in those

OK first few months. There’s lots

to keep you busy of course,

but once you reach that

magical ‘yes, I can frickin’ do

this!’ stage, of being able to

get out and about, then you

have time to adventure.

5Eleanor Wilcox, The Bristol Parent


2016 BRISTOL

spend a lot of time in ouramazing baby cafes (forwhich Bristol is the absolutedaddy of places).

So, take your adult environswhen you can and try thenew Baby Birds Playgroup atThe Tea Birds vintage tearooms.

Go and see one of the manyart or photographyexhibitions in Bristol.

I just tried doing it with atoddler and it was rubbish, Iwanted to stay for hours, herfor five minutes. Go after 3pmso the school trips are gone,and wallow in the beauty ofart.

So here’s five things toentertain and stimulate you,and keep the baby happy,fed, safe and at your side.

Go to Cinebabies atWatershed. Everything youneed is provided – buggyparking, a safe, dark place topractice feeding your baby,surrounded by a (water)shedload of people trying to dothe same.

Babies cry, nobody cares.You feel ok to cry out loudand pretend it’s because thefilm’s sad. It’s the only time,ever, that people want to sitat the front of the cinema,principally so they candemonstrate that their babycan roll over, usually to asmall round of NCT-groupapplause.

Go to a new mum and babygroup at a proper cafe, onPark Street! You’ll probably

Cinema

Baby groups

Art Exhibitions


2016 BRISTOL

all the way up GloucesterRoad, and look in every shopyou’ve never been in,especially the tiny ones withsteps and no space to swingan Uppababy.

Maybe stop again for somefood (Bakers and Co, youknow you want to).

Sometimes, my best relaxingwas when it was just me andher, alone with our thoughtsin some cafe somewhere.And when you’re tired, getthe bus back. Or maybe, do itin the afternoon, and time itwith your partner finishingwork if they are in town, andgo and meet them.

Maybe have a quick bite, or aglass of something. Go hometogether. Make it still feel a bitlike a Friday night. (top foodtip – do you use Wriggle? I’vegot it on my phone but havenever actually got round tousing it, but the daily dealsare amazing – good mat leavebudget options!)

Take your baby swimming. Iknow it seems like a hugehassle, but, holding them closein the warm water, watchingthem marvel at the colours andtexture, it’s very special.

Plus, as soon as they can moveon dry land, the changingroom scenario you’reimagining gets a lot moretricky! Plus, it knackers themout. It’s worth it for the two-

hour nap of the Gods.

Find a swimming pool that’snear a decent pub for yourlunch, and you’re bi-winning.The Jubilee Pool in Knowleand the Knowle pub spring tomind as two ideally locatedestablishments for testing thetheory.

Stick your sling or carrier on, ifyou have one, get the bus tothe Bearpit. Get a coffee. Walkup, through Stokes Croft (getmaybe a snack at Cafe Kino,why not?),

Read more from Eleanor atthebristolparent.com

Swimming

Windowshopping


2016 BRISTOL

http://thebristolparent.com/

SAT 25 JUNE

SUN? SEA? SAND?

SALE!CITY OF BRISTOL COLLEGE,

ASHLEY DOWN, BS7 9BU

11.30-1pm (11am member entry)

£1 entry in aid of the NCT

Over 8000 items for sale

BHCC would very much like tothank the NCT for their supportof our Charity. The unsoldclothes and other items were ahuge boost to our ChristmasFayre which in turn generatesincome for our charity.

Some of the items for examplestair gates were passed directly

to deprived families, directlybenefitting some of ourcommunities most vulnerablechildren. We look forward tomaintaining this relationshipwith NCT.

Thank you Bristol NCT

Dave Jones, DirectorBrentry and HenburyChildren's Centre


We'rerercruiting!

Membersecretary

Volunteercoordinator

Balloon

FiestaVolunteers

ParentMeetupHosts

Social Mediasupport

NearlyNew SaleVolunteers

Marketing& Design

NNS

TreasurerPost natal support

Could you join our team of

volunteers? Email

[email protected]

and find out how you

can get involved

8-10 hrs2ce / year

1-2 hrs / wk

2-3 hrs / wk 8-10 hrs1ce / year

4-5 hrsper month

4-5 hrsper month

2-3 hrsper week

8-10 hrs2ce / year

4-5 hrsper month


We're 60!It all started on 4th May 1956 withan advert in The Times calling forwomen to join an association tosupport them through childbirth¹.This group aimed to provideantenatal education so womenwould feel better prepared forbirth and parenthood.

Today NCT is a charity for bothwomen and men that aims tosupport parents through the First1,000 Days of parenthood.² It notonly provides antenatal andpostnatal courses but alsoinformation through its websiteand helpline, and practicalsupport through its 300 localvolunteer-led branches.³

Seána Talbot, NCT President,said: “NCT was created in 1956with the aim that all new andexpectant parents should feelsupported, informed andconfident and this remains at theheart of what we do today.

NCT celebrates its 60th anniversary by looking back at itskey achievements and forward to its future direction.

“We are extremely grateful to ourvolunteers and practitioners fromall corners of the UK for theircommitment and dedication overthe years to supporting newmothers and fathers. We’re proudof our achievements but we’re alsolooking to the future, determinedto expand our reach to supporteven more parents as we moveforward.”

PARTYINVITE!Bristol NCT will becelebrating the 60th

anniversary with a B ig PushWalk & Picnic in September.

Follow us on Facebook fornews and updates

facebook.com/bristolnct


NCT introduced the first antenatalclasses in the UK in 1959. Last year,the charity’s courses helpedprepare over 100,000 new parentsfor birth and parenthood.

NCT had a strong influence on TheEquality Act 2010, which giveswomen the right to breastfeed inpublic places without beingdiscriminated against.

NCT has developed specialistsupport services for pregnantrefugee and asylum seekingwomen, and also runs antenatalsessions for women in prison.

NCT has been involved withnational reviews of maternityservices since the 1990s,represented users on therecent English and Scottish

National Maternity Reviews and itsvolunteers work on multiple localcommittees.

Today it’s the norm for women tohave their partner with them duringlabour but for previous generationsthe philosophy was that fathers hadno place at the birth. It wasn’t untilthe mid-1970s that it becamewidely accepted largely thanks toNCT’s campaigning.

Last year, NCT launched its#BeyondBabyBlues campaign,which called for improved mentalhealth support for parents.

In January, the Prime Ministerannounced an additional £290million for mental health services fornew and expectant mothers. NCThas recently launched aDepartment of Health funded peersupport project4 and alsocampaigns to raise awareness ofmen’s perinatal mental health.

Helping parents givebirth confidently

Bringing partners intothe delivery room

Breastfeeding in public

Improving maternityservices.

Working with sociallydisadvantaged groups.

Improving services forperinatal mental health

our keyachievements


WELLBEINGpregnancy, baby and you


Breast, bottle, expressing,formula - there are lots ofdifferent ways to feed yourbaby. In this issue we meetour Amber Dennis, ourBreastfeeding counsellor,hear how one group ofBristol mums are providingsupport if breastfeedingdoesn't work it and look atcombination feeding.

NCT supports all parents,however they feed theirbaby. If you have questions,concerns or need support,you can speak toa breastfeeding counsellorby calling our helpline on0300 330 0700, whetheryou are exclusivelybreastfeeding or usingformula milk.

LET'S TALKABOUT THE

WHITE STUFFBreastfeeding counsellorshave had extensive training,will listen without judging orcriticising and will offerrelevant information andsuggestions.



Meet Amber

Tell us a bit about yourself

I live in Horfield with my husband, twochildren (aged 10 and 6), two rabbitsand a hamster.

I work part-time in a finance/adminrole, and am nearing the end of theNCT’s two year training to become avoluntary breastfeeding counsellor.

What attracted you to becoming aBF counsellor

When my youngest was due to startschool I decided I would like to dosome voluntary work.

Whilst in the doctor’s waiting room

one day saw a poster for a localbreastfeeding support group andit got me thinking about whether Icould help with something like that. Ihad breastfed both my children,though not without some problemsin the early weeks, especially firsttime round.

Eventually I found breastfeeding tobe extremely rewarding andconvenient and it saddens me that somany women want to breastfeed,and yet so few find the supportthey need to be

"I breastfed both mychildren, though not

without some problems"

We catch up with Amber Gamlin, Bristol NCT's

Breastfeeding Counsellor


able to. I then came across theNCT’s advert looking for mumswho had breastfed for sixmonths or more to apply to trainin the new role of voluntary BFC.

I was attracted by the model theNCT BFCs use – a mother-centred approach aimed atenabling women to make theirown decisions and solve anyproblems in their

own way by offering informationand the chance to be heard.

What sort of support can youprovide?

I am available to chat with overemail, on the phone, andoccasionally I can do a homevisit.

My aim is to support women toachieve their feeding goals byproviding emotional support,

information, counselling andsuggestions to mums strugglingwith their breastfeedingrelationship.

What if I want to combine breastfeeding with formula orexpressed milk. Can you stillhelp me?

Yes, the support available coversall aspects of breastfeeding, bothbefore and after baby is born, andincluding mixed feeding and alsostopping altogether.

How do I access support?

Please contact me by email orleave a message on my dedicatedphone .

I may not answer immediately if Iam at work or busy with mychildren, but I do try and respondas quickly as I can.

"mother centeredapproach"

[email protected]

07951290670



Before my first daughter

was born, I fully intended

to breastfeed her. I hadn't

purchased bottles or a

steriliser, so strong was my

intention to EBF. By the

time we left hospital, I had

asked family members to

buy both.

Once home, I saw a

succession of

breastfeeding

professionals, but nothing

worked. I grieved for the

breastfeeding relationship

that was never going to

happen. I had been told

that almost all babies

could breastfeed, so I felt I

was at fault and blamed

myself.

I began to see other women

struggling with the feelings

of grief and loss when they

were unable to exclusively

breastfeed their babies. I

volunteered to help start

‘Bristol Feeding Friends’, a

Facebook peer support

group, with a small group of

South Bristol mums.

We had struggled with

various problems, including

complex tongue and lip ties,

lack of supply, postnatal

depression and intolerable

pain. And we all

experienced the acute lack

of support available to

women who had wanted to

breastfeed; but couldn't.

Finding support if

breastfeeding isn't working Abigail Jones of Bristol Feeding Friends shares her experiences.


We have monthly social

meetings to get to know

each other face to face.

We discuss the relative

merits of the most

recent research on

breastfeeding, such as

findings that women

who want to breastfeed

their babies, but can't,

are up to 2.5 more likely

to develop postnatal

depression*.

We signpost women to

breastfeeding support

groups, lactation

consultants and

medical practitioners.

We care deeply about

breastfeeding, and

*Borra C, Iacovou M, Sevilla A,2014

Search for Bristol FeedingFriends on Facebook for moreinformation

"women whowant to

breastfeed butcan't are 2.5xmore likely todevelop PND"

would never encourage

someone to stop before

they were ready.

But we also offer a non-

judgemental

community for when

exclusive breastfeeding

isn't the best way for

people to feed their

babies

Feeding your baby is

only one part of

parenting and

sometimes we have to

take a more holistic

approach to our new

lives.

Breastfeeding 'at all

costs' can compromise

one's physical and

mental health. We

should all be able to

enjoy our beautiful

children, irrespective of

how they are fed...

MIX IT UPWhen it comes to feeding

your baby, it’s not always a

question of only

breastfeeding or only

formula feeding; many

women do a combination of

both, often called

combination feeding,

combined feeding, mixed

feeding, or partial

breastfeeding.

You may want to try mixed

feeding because you want to

breastfeed for some of your

baby’s feeds, but give infant

formula for one or more

feeds, or because you’re

bottle feeding your baby and

want to start or resume

breastfeeding.

It can be helpful to talk to

your midwife, health visitor

or breastfeeding counsellor

about your options when it

comes to combining

breastfeeding and bottle

feeding, as well as find out

about the potential impact of

mixed feeding.

2016 WELLBEING


Here we look at mixed feeding your baby, whichis combining breastfeeding and formula feeding

One thing to consider is

that breastmilk supply is

generally driven by

frequent, effective

breastfeeding. This means

feeding your baby as often

as they show they need to

by responding to their

feeding cues.

You can tell a feed is

effective if your baby is well

attached to the breast, you

are both comfortable and

your baby often starts with

rapid sucks then slows to a

more rhythmic suck,

swallow pattern and comes

off the breast looking full.

Giving your baby formula

can affect the frequent

feeds needed to ensure

you're making the right

amount of milk, especially

when you first start

breastfeeding. It usually

means your baby

breastfeeds less often, and

therefore you make less

milk. B R I S T O L N C T | 2 4

2016 WELLBEING

However, if your baby is

older, beyond the newborn

stage, you can usually

maintain your breastmilk

supply alongside formula

feeding, as long as you

breastfeed every day.

Much older babies – from

eight or nine months – can

breastfeed just a handful of

times a day, and there is still a

supply. Very well-established

breastfeeding, with a baby of

a year or so or more, can

continue with as few as one

or two feeds in 24 hours.

Your baby will enjoy the

benefits of breastmilk, even if

you’re not exclusively

breastfeeding. For instance,

they will still gain some of the

antibodies that will protect

them against infection.

What effect willcombiningbreastfeeding &formula feedinghave?

after or instead of a

breastfeed. Do talk to your

midwife, health visitor or

breastfeeding counsellor

about this as different

options will suit different

circumstances.

There are some cases when

formula might be given

before a breastfeed (for

example, with sick or

vulnerable babies who are

not breastfeeding well). In

other cases, the formula

feed might be given instead

of a breastfeed. This might

happen if you’re separated

from your baby and can’t

be there to breastfeed.

Sometimes, formula given

in the middle of a

breastfeed is an option, if

the baby needs the comfort

and closeness of a

breastfeed to settle.

How do I combineformula &breastfeeding?

If you want to cut down on

breastfeeds to introduce

formula milk, you and your

baby will adjust more easily if

you reduce the number of

feeds gradually. You can offer

formula feeds before, during,

"Gradually cuttingdown breastfeeds

reduces the chanceof becoming

engorged andleaky"

Gradually cutting down

breastfeeding reduces the

chance of your breasts

becoming uncomfortably

engorged and leaky. It will

also reduce your risk of

developing mastitis.

If you substitute a

breastfeed with a formula

feed, it will take around

three to seven days for your

breasts to adjust to missing

that one feed.

If you ‘top up’ with formula

at one or more feeding

sessions, rather than

replacing an entire feed,

this is likely to extend the

gap between breastfeeds,

which will signal to your

breasts to make less milk.

You can then drop the

breastfeeds you want to

drop, replacing them with

formula. On the other hand,

if you are advised to ‘top up’

as a temporary measure

and want to return to

exclusive breastfeeding,

you can express milk

between feeds to increase

the amount of milk you

make.


2016 WELLBEING

If you have breastfed your

baby so far, they may be

reluctant to take a bottle at

first. The different sucking

actions needed

may confuse them and they

may not take it from you.

There are lots of different

things you can try to help

your baby.

To begin with, maybe ask

someone else to offer a

bottle and you could also

try softening the teat with

warm, boiled water.

Another tip is to hold your

baby in a different position

from your usual

breastfeeding one. It may

help your baby get used to

the new way of feeding. If

this doesn't work, there are

a variety of bottle teats

which may make a

difference. For more

suggestions, read our

article about introducing

bottles.

You could also ask your

midwife, health visitor or

Introducing abottle to abreastfeed baby

breastfeeding counsellor

about using a nursing

supplementer, as an

alternative to bottles.

This is a gadget which you

use at the same time as

your baby is at the breast –

the supplementer delivers

formula, through a tube

attached at one end to the

teat on a bottle, and at the

other end, it’s taped to your

nipple. The baby gets

formula (or expressed

breastmilk) through the

supplementer, at the same

time as breastfeeding.

NCT breastfeedinghelpline 0300 330 0700,

NCT.org.uk

Healthtalkonline.org

BestBeginnings.org.uk

Moreinformation

Considering a vaginal or homebirth after a caesarean?

Our VBAC/ HBAC peer support groupmeets in Windmill Hill on the secondMonday of every month.

Email Jenny on [email protected] for details


Being pregnant and giving birth canbe enormously emotional andphysically draining.

Homeopathy can make a realdifference to your rebalancing fromconception through to old age. It iswhen our minds and bodies are out ofbalance - whether through hormones,lifestyle or illness - that we experiencesymptoms.

Post birth and feeling mentally andphysically exhausted, emotional andweepy? Turned off sex and irritablewith your loved ones? Sepia is the topremedy for this state. A common statein the first weeks and months afterbirth.

If however your mood is changing bythe hour and you want a consolingarm around you as you move fromcraving sympathy to feeling forsaken,Pulsatilla would suit you much betterand work wonders.

Should you be feeling anxious andrestless, mentally and emotionallysensitive, burnt out with no more togive, try Phosphorus.

Remedies exist for a myriad ofconditions - and are effective in manysituations including colic, earinfections, colds, croup andseparation anxiety to name but a few.

With over 3000 remedies at ourdisposal, homeopathy can be tailormade to prescribe to your particularcircumstances. It was throughpregnancy that I found homeopathy. Experiencing it as not only efficientbut kind to my body, I used it with mychildren and studied and qualified tobecome a practitioner.

homeopathicremedies tolift your spirits

Natalie Weekes, The Bristol Homeopath, offers three remediesto help you rebalance during pregnancy and post partum.

Interested in knowing more?Recommended reading includes:Miranda Castro, Homeopathy For Mother & ChildMo Morrish, Medicine FlowsFindahomeopath.org.ukOr visit: www.thebristolhomeopath.co.uk

3

We have all heard of the so-

called ‘Mozart effect’, whichasserts that playing classicalmusic to your unborn baby inutero can significantlyincrease their IQ. And while itis unlikely that holding aspeaker to your bump andblasting out a symphony willproduce a genius, the latestneuromusic research seemsto suggest that early

exposure to music does playsome role in shaping braindevelopment.

In ‘Music and Your Brain –

The Science of Change’,Professor Nina Kraus hasdemonstrated that “aperson’s childhood exposureto meaningful sound appearsliterally to wire his or hernerves for sound perception”.

Musical notesJenna Brown from Lilliput Concerts writes about music for families.


Meaning that engaging withyour child through music,whether it be through voice orinstruments, helps them torecognise wide rangingsound and rhythms and hasbeen proven to have asignificant effect on languagedevelopment as well as otherareas of academic and sociallife. However, perhaps moreimportantly participation inand enjoyment of music canhave a profound effect on ouremotional wellbeing.

You don’t need to be a trainedmusician to recognise thedeep impact music can haveon a person. For many of us inour daily lives it is music thatevokes memories and stirs ouremotions.

As parents you may haveexperience of using music toprepare for (and during) birth

and hospitals are also seeingbenefits when using music tocare for premature babies andwomen at risk of PND.

The Royal College of Musicproject ‘Music and Motherhood’,explores the use of voice to helpwomen recover after birth andmany of the positive effects ofmusic in this study can apply tothe whole family.

If you’re not sure where to startthen look to your community.

There are so many wonderfulopportunities in Bristol that canopen up the world of music toyour children.

There are many classes you cantry, where a trained musician willguide you through makingmusic together as a family.

"Music has aprofound effect on

our emotionalwellbeing"


But if joining in is not somethingyou feel able or confident doingthen don’t forget that even justlistening to music has beenshown to have a lasting impacton developing key skills andpromoting wellbeing.

Listen to the radio when athome, listen to the differentsounds nature makes when youtake a walk, take CDs in the car

for your journeys, enjoy liveperformance at a family Lilliputconcert with your babies,toddlers and children and relaxin a world of glorious sounds,dance to the beat and maybeeven have a go on aninstrument!

Most of all enjoy music asanother way of bondingtogether, wherever andhowever you make it.



Interested in knowing more?Recommended reading includes:Miranda Castro, Homeopathy For Mother & ChildMo Morrish, Medicine FlowsFindahomeopath.org.ukOr visit: www.thebristolhomeopath.co.uk

Bristol’s babies are going to bewell and truly nurtured both beforeand after birth, thanks to anexciting new partnership betweenBristol’s National Childbirth Trust(NCT), which offers support toparents and parents-to-be frompregnancy to a child’s secondbirthday ; WaterBumps, whichoffers pre and post-natal aqua-

natal classes for mums-to-be, newmums (and even not-so-newmums) in and around Bristol; andWater Babies, Bristol’s leadingbaby and toddler swim school.

Bryony Johnstone, director ofWater Babies, explains: “We’redelighted to be sponsoringBristol’s branch of the NCTalongside our sister company,WaterBumps. Our joint ethos ofnurturing and supporting parentsand their babies from pregnancymakes us

Looking afterBristol's babies.

Bristol NCT, WaterBumps and Water Babiesannounce exciting new partnership for 2016

perfect partners for the NCT

“Post-natal mental health is onegood example of where we can allhelp new mums,” Bryony adds.

“As well as being great for babies’

mental, physical and emotionaldevelopment, the skin-to-skincontact in Water Babies classes isa wonderful way to help withbonding. This can help with thepost-natal blues for mums, as wellas being a fantastic way for dads tospend some precious one-to-onetime with their babies.”

"a fantastic wayfor dads to spendprecious one-to-

one time with theirbabies."

Ali Burlingham, who founded WaterBumps in 2014, continues:“When you take part in any sortof physical activity, your bodyproduces endorphins which canmake you feel more positive andless anxious, and this, in turn, canhelp improve your mental,physical and emotional energy.

WaterBumps classes are a greatway for mums to bond with theirbumps, as well as a chance to

really relax – both physically andmentally! And both Water Babiesand WaterBumps classes are atime to meet other like-mindedmums and share the ups anddowns of pregnancy and lifewith a new baby.”

"We're looking forward toworking with Water Babies andWaterBumps this year under thisexciting new partnership"

comments Sarah Norman, JointBranch Coordinator Bristol NCTBranch.

"The ongoing collaboration withour sponsors will help us providebetter support for parents andfamilies across Bristol."

Want to findout more?

Water Babieswww.waterbabies.co.ukor call 0117 946 6919

WaterBumpswww.waterbumps.co.ukor call 01275 400800


"Post-natalmental health isone example of

where we can allhelp new mums"

y top yoga tip for pregnancyand birth is to get down on yourhands and knees.

Hug your tummy in towards yourspine and move your bodyabout, circling the hips, lifting themiddle of the back towards theceiling, swaying or circling thehips, even crawling around thehouse (toddlers love this andinvariably end up on your back!).

Find out which movements feelgood, loosening anytightness and noticing how your

Get down on itbreath and body fall into anatural rhythm.

Avoid movements that causediscomfort and check with yourmidwife if you are not sure if thisexercise will be right for you.

These movements ease back-

ache and help to move babiesinto a good position for easierbirthing; during labour manywomen naturally want to moveonto their hands and knees sothis practice will help prepareyou in many ways - just put somemusic on and go with the flow!

NCT yoga teacher, Mitch, shares her top tip for pregnancy & birth

M


Surround yourself withpeople who arepositive and make youfeel good about birthand parenting.

Be kindTO YOURSELF

3 tips to help you

Be nice to yourself. It isall too easy to startfeeling guilty aboutwhat you haven't doneor feel you should do.

This is especially trueof second time mumswho say they have nothad the time to thinkabout baby numbertwo as they are sobusy looking after theirfirst baby.

Just a few yogasessions will make adifference. You willgently stretch, practicedifferent breathingtechniques and spendsome relaxation timewith your baby. Even ifyou are 30 somethingweeks pregnant give ita go!

1. 2. 3.As parents we are often our own worst critics. Relax Stretch &Breath instructor, Helen, gives advice on being kind to yourself.

Relax Stretch & Breathe classes run

- Mondays 6-7.30pm, Redland with Helen

- Tuesdays 7.30-9pm, Westbury on Trym with Peta

- Wednesdays 6.15-7.45pm, Bishopston with Mitch

Visit nct.org.uk/rsb for details B R I S T O L N C T | 3 7

LIFESTYLE

When parents come to aBaby Sensory class, theydiscover a myriad of ways inwhich they can interact andhave fun with their babies.They also gain a muchdeeper understanding of howtheir babies learn anddevelop.

Babies are remarkably cleverand everything that they see,touch, hear, taste or smellincreases the number ofconnections

Vicky Oliver of Baby Sensory Bristol North suggests

how to stimulate your baby's senses through play.

between the brain cells.

By the end of the first year, thebaby’s brain has doubled involume as result of thelearning experiencesprovided to them. BabySensory introduces a wealthof things that parents can doto enrich their baby’sdevelopment. Although it isimpossible to list them all,here are a few essentials thatreally do make a difference!

5 games tostimulate yourbaby's senses


http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a539332/swimming-with-your-baby

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a539332/swimming-with-your-baby

Time honoured games such as‘Peek-a-boo’ reinforce the idea thatsurprises can be fun. What awonderful way to stimulate smilesand giggles! Hide and seek gamesstimulate curiosity and teachbabies that objects disappear andreappear again.

Research shows that having funwith babies improves confidenceand socialisation skills. It also givesthem a far greater chance ofgrowing up to be optimistic andmotivated adults.

There is no better way tounderstand what your baby wantsthan to ‘talk’ through signing.Signing involves the use of voice,facial expressions and largegestures which babies love.Signing reduces stress andfrustration, which makes for ahappier, calmer baby and parent.

Hide and seek

Signing

DanceMovement activities are veryimportant to relieve tension on thejoints and muscles during growthspurts. Exercise also builds new braincells, which drives learning forwards.

This is incredible since it waspreviously thought that brain celldevelopment was complete beforebirth. Everyone enjoys theexhilarating interactions which alsodevelop the parent-baby bond andmake for a healthier, happier baby.

At an age when the brain isdeveloping more than it will everagain in life, exercise is definitely tobe encouraged.

Creative play

increases hand-eyecoordination and driveslearning forwards at arapid pace. Parents findthe ideas invaluable inextending play at home.

Baby Sensory introduces simpleideas to extend play usinginexpensive, easy to obtain or makeobjects and natural materials Babiesdelight in exploring the differentproperties of natural objects, which


http://www.nct.org.uk/

http://www.nct.org.uk/

At birth, sight is the leastdeveloped sense. The ability tosee objects and colours clearlydepends on the development ofthe visual cortex, the maturity ofthe retina, coordination of theeye muscles and focusingability. Until these complexsystems have matured, images,shapes and colours will appearblurry.

By eight months of age, theability to see clearly has nearlyreached normal adult levels.This rapid pace of developmentis highly dependent on theamount of visual stimulation thatthe baby receives. This is whyvisual activities are high on thelist of priorities in a Baby Sensoryclass.

Parents who want to find outhow to stimulate their baby frombirth can attend a Baby Sensoryclass. All activities areaccompanied by developmentaltheory to illustrate perfectly thestage at which their baby isfunctioning. This helps parentsunderstand what to expect fromtheir baby and how best tofacilitate happy play andlearning.

Visual activities

For details of Baby Sensory classes inBristol, please contact Vicky Oliver:

[email protected] or visitwww.babysensory.com.


I run preschool art, craft andmessy play classes, which I lovedoing, but I have to admit athome I don't really like mess.With two young children I haveto embrace it, but I'm the kindof person who has a dustbuster at arms reach at alltimes.

That said, we do a LOT of artand messy activities at homeand I have learned strategies tocontain and cope with themess. The thought of doingmessy play at home can be a bitintimidating, especially if youhave limited space or lots oflight coloured carpet.

My first bit of advice would beto only do this if you really

Messy playfor parents who don't like mess!

Messy play at home? Gulp! Jenny Clarkefrom Happymess gives us her top tips

want to, otherwise you won'tenjoy it.

Your child will be just as happyif you sit down and do a puzzlewith them, and there areplaygroups you can go to makea mess – Children's Centres area good bet for affordable messyplay classes (or come along toHappymess!) However if youdo want to have a go at home,you are likely to find itrewarding, I definitely have.Here are some tips on how togo about it;

Prepare everything in advance,so that you can supervise andjoin in the fun the whole timeyour child is playing. Thenyou'll have more of chance ofintervening before the sofa getsa new pattern handprintedonto it!

"only do this ifyou want to "

1. Prepare ahead


Pick a good time, when your childhas enough energy. There'snothing worse than setting up anactivity up and dealing with all thecleaning up afterwards if they onlyplay for a few minutes. Also it has tobe a time when you have enoughtime and energy to enjoy theactivity too!

Start really simple so you can getan idea of what interests your childthe most. For example my eldestloved mixing, stirring and making,and every messy play activity wedid involved me being made todrink pretend tea. She liked sand,cloud dough, foam – anything shecould mix up, pour and mould. Myyoungest likes exploringmechanisms more than materials,and can play with a singleplaydough extruder for twentyminutes at a time. Once you get afeel for what interested them youcan set up activities you know theywill enjoy.

Choose the best space available,i.e. the easiest to clean up, or mostcontained. Outdoors is good but ifyou don't have any outdoor space

2. Pick a good time

3. Start simple

4. The perfect spot

(we didn't when my eldest was atoddler) or it's winter, the kitchen isthe often best. Hard, wipeablefloors and surfaces are useful! Thenmake sure they stay in that spaceuntil they have finished the activityand it's time to clean up – unlessyou are outdoors or somewhere itdoesn't matter so much if theyspread the mess around a bit.

Cover the floor with something youcan pop in the washing machine –

washable shower curtains aregood, but an old sheet would worktoo. If you are at a table you cancover it with newspaper but I don'tfind that works on the floor, itdoesn't stay put.

Cover your child up with a longsleeved apron, or just clothes you

5. Cover up

don't mind getting messy. Or if it'swarm enough strip them off – you canalways pop them in the bathafterwards to extend the fun

Think about the equipment andcontainers you use – sometimes thisdepends on the materials they areplaying with. For messy play plasticunderbed storage boxes or tuff trayson the floor are good, but I tend tofind children sit in these to play,which in turn spreads the messaround more.

A less messy option can be sitting orstanding at a low table, or a tuff trayon a stand, which generally meansthey only get their top half messy.Same goes with painting. Painting onthe floor is really fun and definitelyworth doing, but often results in fullbody painting – whereas at a table oreasel it is more often restricted tofingers and hands, perhapsextending up the arms! Easels alsotake up less space if that's an issue.

Have a second activity ready that willhold their attention (i.e. Cbeebies)

and put them somewhere out of theway of the mess while you clean it up– prioritising anything they couldreach and get messy with again.

7. HAVE A PLAN B

Build up a collection of toys you canuse for messy play that are easy toclean and don't get water stuck inthem (and then go mouldy). Many ofmine have come from charity shops,which are particularly good forplaydough tools and plastic animals or dinosaurs. Ikea are good for sandand water toys, and their some of theirkitchen tools are suitable for childrento play with too – such as ice cubetrays and plastic cookie cutters.

In Bristol, Artragous, the art shop at theChildren's Scrapstore is good for tools,equipment and materials such as glue,paper and paint. Use your recycling –

plastic containers such as yogurt andice cream pots and bottles are great forusing in most messy play activities,and kitchen roll and toilet tubes arevery versatile too!

Most importantly, have fun! And try notto worry about the mess – once youhave done messy play at home onceor twice you'll see how much yourchildren get out of it and know howworthwhile it is to do!

8. messy toys

For more tips on messy play at home& information on Happymesssessions visit www.happymess.info

6. equipment


Verity Jowett of Sing & Sign tells us why the answer is YES.

When can I start baby sign?You can start signing with yourbaby at any time - you'll probablydo it instinctively by waving whenyou say hello or goodbye.

Babies learn by repetition andneed to hear a word or see a signaround 50 times to take it in, sobuilding it in to your routine earlyon can really help. Structuredclasses tend to start around sixmonths, when babies are mostreceptive.

When can I expect my baby tostart signing back to me?Every baby is different and itwill depend on when you startusing baby sign and howconsistently you use it. If you onlysign for 45 minutes a week thenyour babymay never sign back.

Some of our babies sign from asearly as seven months. My twinsboth signed at 10 months and by12 months seemed to learn newsigns every day.

How do you go about teachingbaby sign language?Babies learn to sign in the sameway that they learn to speak -

through repetition.

"Babies canunderstand - andsign - long before

they can talk"

Can you really teacha baby to sign?


The best way to teach babysigning is to use it throughoutyour day, as part of your routineand in songs or perhaps whilereading books.

For example, at Sing and Sign,we have a song for changingyour nappy. If you use it everytime you change your baby'snappy it helps them learn what toexpect and to associate the signswith what is about to

happen. Songs are a great wayfor you to learn baby signing too.We teach over 150 signs in a tenweek course and you will pickthem up through repetition.

What are the benefits of babysign?The biggest benefit of babysigning is what your baby can tellyou. Babies can understand -

and sign - long before they cantalk.

A lot of frustration is causedwhen they move from justwanting milk or cuddles, towanting more of a specific verseof a song, or to ask where daddyhas gone. Signing gives them a

much greater range ofcommunication and helps reducefrustration - although when youare singing about the wipers onthe bus for the twentieth time, youmight not appreciate it that much.More than that, it allows your babyto tell you things about theirworld.

I will never forget my 11 month oldtelling me that there was a dogwalking past, or watching myhusband have a full conversationwith our 15 month old aboutwhere the food had gone.

The insight you get into yourbaby's world - and the joy they getwhen they realise you'veunderstood what they are trying totell you - is amazing.

Could sign delay my childlearning to talk?The short answer to this is no. AtSing and Sign we always say the

"The joy they getwhen they realise

you've understood,is amazing"


word with the sign so we are notreplacing speech and baby will learnthe word alongside the sign.

Once baby starts signing, they will alsoget lots of verbal feedback from you - Ifound whenever my boys learned anew sign, I'd say the word every timethey signed it and once they weretalking they would learn the wordwithin a couple of days of learning anew sign.

Do I have to go to classes to learnbaby sign?No. Baby signing classes can be greatfun for you and your baby - and theyare a great way for you to learn a largenumber of signs easily - but they are notthe only way of learning.

You can use a DVD, or a TV programmelike Something Special, look up signson the Internet or even make signs up.Baby signing is just using specificgestures with words to help your babycommunicate.

It's about your communication withyour baby, so as long as you areconsistent it doesn't matter what signsyou use.

Start with a few signs that

you can easily introduce into

your daily routine. 'More' is a

great sign, as it can be used

throughout the day - more

milk, more cuddles, more

story - and it's great fun for

baby to sign back.

Be consistent with your

signing and use them as

much as possible

Always say the word with the

sign

As your baby develops,

choose signs that interest

your baby. For example,

animal signs like dog, cow or

even crocodile or vehicle

signs like car and plane. Talk

to them about what you see

while out on walks.

Have fun with it.

5 tips forsuccessful sign

Sing and Sign classes are availableacross Bristol. Visit

www.singandsign.co.ukfor more information


Contributors

Sponsors

Thank youA huge thank you to our contributors and especially to our wonderful

sponsors; Water Babies, WaterBumps, Sing & Sign Bristol & South Glos, LilliputConcerts & Baby Sensory Bristol North whose input has made this magazine

possible. We are extremely grateful for your support.

The Bristol Parent

WaterBumps

Happymess

Bristol Feeding Friends

The Bristol Homeopath

Sing & Sign

Baby Sensory Bristol North

Lilliputs Concerts

Water Babies

NCT.org.uk

Amber Gamlin

DestinationBristol (photos)

interested in writing or advertising next time?

Our next newsletter will be January 2016. If you would like to write an article,or would like to advertise email your ideas to [email protected]

2016 THANK YOU

Our TeamBranch CoordinatorsRebecca Sewell Sarah Norman

Webmaster & newsletter editorGemma Screen

TreasurerSarah Brent

Events CoordinatorClare Norman

Nearly New Sale CoordinatorLaura Corry

VBAC / HBAC Support GroupJenny Clarke

Breast Feeding SupportAmber Gamlin

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email [email protected] to find out how you can get involved

Documents

Babber. NCT magazine for Bristol. Jun16