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Stockport & District NCT Spring 2013 Newsletter

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Spring 2013

TIME OUT:

Environment & Nature

Stockpor t and Dis tr ic t Please don‟t throw me away, pass me on to a friend today

In this issue: Going Green - Hints & Tips Grow Your Own

Herbs for Breastfeeding Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

Acupuncture During Pregnancy Cloth Nappies Osteopathy

Eco-friendly Toys Birth stories, arts & crafts, regular features... and much more!

Copyright © NCT 2013 • Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace London W3 6NH • Registered charity no. 801395

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Contents

Regular & Local Features Topical Features

Welcome - Editor‟s Note 4 Going Green 14

Welcome - Chair‟s Note 5 Real Nappies 16

Out & About: Farms 6 Grow Your Own 20

Stockport & District News 10 The Green Toybox 24

Births & Members 12 Herbs for Nursing Mothers 36

Birth Story: Ellie Thouret 50 Acupuncture for Birth 40

Get Crafty!: Easter Nests 54 Osteopathy 42

In the News 56 Birthaid! 45

Meet the Team 57

The Cutest Thing! 58

District Yellow Pages

NCT National Contacts 27

Local Support 27

What We Do 28

Local Meet-ups 29

NCT Spring Social 30

Nearly New Sale 31

Info for Advertisers 33

Branch Contacts 34

Find us on Facebook! Just search for “Stockport & District NCT”

Spring 2013 - Environment & Nature

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Spring is finally in the air, and with new life

beginning in the field and forest it’s a time

when many of us feel especially close to

nature.

The theme of this newsletter is Nature and the

Environment, and we are delighted to be able to

bring you a great selection of topical articles

including guides on growing your own fruit and

vegetables (p20) and natural healthcare in the

days following birth (p45).

We also take a look at the complementary therapies of osteopathy (p42)

and acupuncture (p40), consider the use of herbs during breastfeeding

(p36), get some ideas for eco-friendly play (p24) and step into the world

of cloth nappies (p16).

On a personal note, at one point I thought this newsletter was never going

to get written! My husband, daughter and myself were all struck down

with a horrendous eye infection (hence the dark glasses in the pic - it’s

not quite that sunny yet!) and Amelia spent several nights in hospital. I’d

like to say a huge thank-you, first to the staff at Stepping Hill Hospital

for taking such great care of my little girl, and secondly to all the

volunteers at Stockport & District NCT who have helped to pull this

newsletter together and make sure it still gets to you on time!

Message from the Editor

If you have an article, birth story, feature or opinion to contribute, we would love to hear from you. Our next issue‟s theme is Health

but even if your article or idea does not fit the theme please send it in as we may be able to use it in future publications.

Copy deadline for the Summer issue is 1st May 2013.

Contact our Editor: stockportnctnewsletter@gmail.com

Julia Doherty

Newsletter Editor

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Welcome to our Spring Edition of the newsletter. After the weekly cold

snaps of January and February hopefully by the time you read this there

will be signs of Spring on the way! On the theme of this newsletter - our

environment can be so uplifting at this time of year – there is nothing nicer

than a field of daffodils or a street filled with pink blossom trees.

Hopefully we can start getting out and about again and enjoy the parks and

local outdoor attractions!

The branch continues to grow in terms of volunteers and members. I would

like to welcome Meg, Clodagh and Julia to the Committee. Thank you to all

committee members for your continued hard work as volunteers for the

branch. We are still in need of volunteers to oversee our twice-yearly

Nearly New Sales and to help run our weekly baby group on Thursdays at

Heaton Moor. If you are able to help with these or have an interest in

volunteering please get in touch with us.

Our next Nearly New Sale is on Saturday 20 April at Cheadle Hulme

Methodist Church from 10.30-12.00. We are looking for sellers for this

sale. If you would like to earn some money from your good quality baby/

maternity clothes/equipment/toys/books/DVDs please get in touch. You

will also be helping to raise money for the NCT nationally to fund helplines

and services to all UK parents. Please see poster inside for more details.

Our baby and toddler groups continue to run. We have something happening

each day of the week across Stockport. Please don’t be afraid to come

down, and also do bring your friends. Non-members are welcome at all our

events. We are planning a New Members/Branch Social evening in April.

Please look out for details of this on our web page/Facebook groups and

update email. Would be great for us to have some ‘me’ time to socialise with

other adults!

If you have any suggestions or feedback for the branch please do get in

touch. Hope you have a great Easter break, and for those of you waiting

for school choices (like me) good luck!

Annabel Irvine

Branch Chair

Message from the Chair

Contact our Chair: stockportnctchair@gmail.com

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Out & About

Spring is a great time to get out and about in nature, so why not visit your local farm or petting zoo? At this time of year there is so much to see and do, from lambing at Tatton Park, to Easter Egg hunts at Smithills Farm, as well as petting baby chicks and bunnies and feeding baby goats and lambs. The kids will love it!

Focus on: Animal Parks & Farms

Please check websites listed for opening times, prices, accessibility and general information.

Smithills Open Farm, Smithills Dean Road, Bolton BL1 7NS www.smithillsopenfarm.co.uk

Set within 70 acres of rolling countryside a few miles north of Bolton, Smithills is a family run farm housing many kinds of animal including cows, pigs, goats, sheep, pythons, llamas, owls, eagles, donkeys, stick insects, peacock and deer. Animal feed can be bought for 50p and during summer children can also help bottle feed the lambs. The farm includes a petting area where children can hold the baby animals and also has an adventure playground with an inflatable assault course. Tractor rides and pony rides are available daily for £1 a go. From 2nd - 9th April Easter egg hunts will run twice a day at Smithills Farm, starting at 12pm and 2.30pm. Home Farm, Tatton Park, Knutsford WA16 6QN www.tattonpark.org.uk

Home Farm lies within the grounds of historic Tatton Park. In this working farm children can feed the goats and hens, meet the pigs, cows, horses and donkeys, and take a peek inside a 1930‟s cottage. Piglets are born several times a year, so there will usually be some to see. In addition, lambing will take place from 2 April to 12 April so if you visit during this time you may even be lucky enough to see the new lambs being born!

Out & About

Meeting Home Farm’s new arrivals

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Out & About

Stockley Farm, Arley, Northwich CW9 6LZ www.stockleyfarm.co.uk

Your visit to Stockley Farm starts with a free tractor ride from the car park. On arrival at the farm visitors can make their way to see a variety of animals including cows and calves, pigs, goats and lambs. The farm‟s petting area holds rabbits, guinea pigs, chicks and ducklings, and children are also able to help bottle feed the baby lambs and goats. In summer, sheep races are held plus at weekends there are bird of prey displays. At 3.30pm every day you can watch the cows being milked via a special viewing gallery. The farm has indoor and outdoor play areas with sand pits, bouncy castle, sit on rides and a climbing area made up of hay bales. Reddish Vale Farm, Reddish Vale Road, Reddish SK5 7HE reddishvalefarm.co.uk

This is a small local farm, set out perfectly for young children. The farmyard animals include horses, pigs, sheep, llamas, alpacas, donkeys and goats, and there is also a petting area where children can hold small animals like guinea pigs and rabbits. Children can feed many of the animals with carrots bought from the farm (50p a bucket). There is also a bouncy castle and a selection of free ride-on tractors and trailers. On Sundays from 1-3pm pony rides are available for £2. Heaton Park Farm, Manchester M25 2SW www.heatonpark.org.uk

Heaton Park is a huge park owned and managed by Manchester City Council. The park houses an animal centre where children can meet a variety of animals including cows, alpacas and goats. The centre includes a pets‟ corner where children can hold the smaller animals, and there is a small hatchery which allows people to watch birds laying and looking after their eggs if any are being laid at the time of a visit.

Out & About

Bottle feeding at Stockley Farm

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Out & About

Agricultural and Rural Centre, 5 Quarry Road, Romiley SK6 4BA www.arc-cic.co.uk

The ARC is a not-for-profit community initiative, set up to help and support children and adults with disabilities, but which also runs groups that are open to all children within the Greater Manchester area. A parent and toddler group meets Thursdays and Fridays 11.00-12.30 and Saturdays 1.00-2.30. Here children have access to the farm and to the centre‟s minibeast manor. Space is limited to 10 places, so booking in advance is essential. The ARC also offers an ideal setting for children‟s parties, where children can meet and feed the animals and take part in additional activities including Alpaca Trekking, Pony or Piglet Pampering and Goat Grooming. The Chestnut Centre, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire SK23 0QS www.chestnutcentre.co.uk

The Chestnut Centre is an owl and otter conservation park on the edge of the Peak District. Among the species housed here are rare giant otters, which you can view through a ground level glass wall or an aerial viewing platform (my 10 month old loved it when the otters played and made noises, and even tried to imitate them!) The otters' habitat is based around a natural mountain stream, which feeds a descending series of enclosures around the park. The centre also houses many other species including polecats, foxes wildcats and deer. It is set up well for families with young children, although we found it easier to carry my daughter than to take the buggy over rocky ground.

Our visit to the Chestnut Centre

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My Year of Firsts Fundraising Party a Great Success!

We ran a fun Saturday morning

fundraising party called “My Year of

Firsts” for 30 families from the

branch. The idea behind the party

was to celebrate all the various

“firsts” that happen over the early

years of a baby‟s life.

We had brilliant entertainment from

Tina at Baby Sensory East

Cheshire. All the children and

parents had a fantastic time playing

with her various props, bubbles, giant air-filled balls and of course singing and

signing to the song “Say hello to the sun!” A light lunch was provided for the

children and plenty of cakes and hot drinks for the adults. We raised over

£100 for the charity. Thank you to Angela for all her hard work with this event.

NCT Stockport & District News

NCT Stockport participate in the Rotary Club Santa Float

On a freezing but dry night on 12

December a group of volunteers led

by Antenatal Teacher Jane

Broadbent joined the Rotary Club

Santa Float. Jane‟s Father was a

very charming Santa, sitting on the

newly refurbished float. We visited

several hundred households in

central Bramhall. It was great to see

excited children come out to meet

Santa and get a sweet!

Thank you to the Bramhall and Woodford Rotary Club for continuing to include

us in this very worthwhile and well organised annual event, and to the

residents who we visited for their donations

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NCT Stockport & District News

Branch Vacancies

We urgently need more volunteers to help us to run your branch. Registered volunteers receive a discount on their membership fee! In particular we are looking for:

Nearly New Sale Co-ordinator - to run our twice-yearly sales. This role would suit somebody who can spare time twice a year in the run-up to the sales (working mainly in the evenings managing emails from sellers in the month before a sale). There is an experienced team of helpers in place to support this role. The role can be shared.

Host for Heaton Moor Bumps & Babies Group (Thursdays).

Host for Heald Green/Gatley Bumps & Babies Group.

If you can help with any of these roles please get in touch with Annabel on stockportnctchair@gmail.com

Stockport Maternity Services Liaison Committee - Report by Lou Baxter

In January I attended the Stockport Maternity Services Liaison Committee

meeting at Stepping Hill hospital. The committee is set up to help improve

local maternity services and a meeting takes place every 2 months. Service

users are an important part of the committee and we are looking for new

members who have used local maternity services in the last 5 years, this

includes partners and mums to be. You can attend meetings and be a core

member or be part of a wider group of associate members on an email list

contacted for comments when needed. If you are interested please

email stockportmslc@gmail.com with your details expressing how you feel you

could participate. Meetings take place every two months and last about 90

minutes so it's not a huge time commitment.

Venue: Ground floor Education room, Women’s Unit, Stepping Hill Hospital

Time: 7:00pm-8:30pm

Future Dates: Wednesday, 8th May

Tuesday, 2nd July

Wednesday, 11th September

Wednesday, 11th November

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New Arrivals

New Members

Parisa and Donal gave birth to:

Saoirse Doherty

on 19th October 2012 weighing 7lbs 5ozs

Katie and Ben gave birth to:

Ewan

on 30th October 2012 weighing 7lbs 5ozs

Rachel and Padraic - Heaton Mersey

Adele and Barry - Heaton Moor

Louise and Michael - Cheadle Hulme

Helen and Dave - Strines

Leanne and Adam - Heaton Chapel

Rachel and Richard - Bramhall

Nicola and Simon - Offerton

Christina and Brian - Gatley

Vanessa and Simon - Bramhall

Claire and Graeme - Heaton Moor

Alyson and Miles - Marple Bridge

Callie and Andrew - Edgeley

Karen and Doug - Marple

Natalie and Tom - Cheadle Hulme

Angharad and George - Stockport

Jane and Stewart - Strines

Helen and Simon - Cheadle Hulme

Joanne and David - Heaton Mersey

If you have a Birth or First Birthday announcement you‟d like us to print

please send the details to stockportnctnewsletter@gmail.com Photo announcements are welcome.

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Going Green

We asked for tips on running an eco-friendly household.

Here were some of your suggestions...

Save all your old boxes

and jars and use them for craft activities. You

can make anything from musical shakers to

cereal box robots and

egg box crocodiles! This kind of junk modelling

really encourages creativity in children too,

in a way that many commercial toys and

craft sets do not.

- Marie

Soapnuts are an

amazing natural

product. They are the

fruit of the Chinese

soapberry tree and

release a natural form

of soap when they

come into contact with

water. Great for the

laundry, or even as an

all-natural shampoo.

- Claire

I know it’s not easy or

possible for everyone, but breastfeeding is the

most eco-friendly way to feed your child. Quite

aside from the many

health benefits for mother and baby, breast

-feeding is best for the environment, requiring

no packaging and creating no carbon

footprint either.

- Yvonne

Ketchup can be used

to clean brass. Just

rub some on with a

clean cloth, then buff

it off for a sparkling

finish.- Jane

Olive oil can be used

to polish shoes, and as

a furniture polish on un

-varnished wood. - Tess

We have a compost bin, and the kids love to help fill it with scraps of old food and garden waste. Don’t add potato peelings to the compost, though, as they will sprout and ruin the soil. - Deborah NCT Nearly New Sales are

a great way to recycle your old toys and baby clothes, and grab some bargains yourself too! -Julia

If you struggle to clean

the insides of small-

necked bottles, just fill

them part way with

gravel then add a mix

of vinegar and

bicarbonate of soda.

Shake the bottle so

that the gravel reaches

all the dirt and grime,

then empty out and

rinse with water. - Amy

If you want to clear the air of odours, just pour out a small bowlful of bicarbonate of soda and leave it in the room to soak up unwanted smells. - Kath

Read books about the environment with your children. The “Over in…” series by Marianne Berkes are lovely rhyming picture books that even very young children can enjoy. - Amber

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Going Green

Make the natural world a part of your everyday life. Go for walks in the country-side with your children, and talk about what you find there. - Julia

Forget about plastic

teething rings - a stick

of raw carrot or

cucumber straight

from the fridge makes

the best natural

teething aid - Rebecca

Mix bicarbonate of soda with water for a great multi-surface cleaner. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to fragrance it or to make use of the oil’s properties. - Jane

Try to buy toys that are

made from sustainable wood rather than

plastics. But be wary of toxic paints that may be

on older wooden toys or

cheap imports. - Renee

Tea tree oil is

naturally antiseptic

and antibacterial and

is great for killing

mould. Put a

teaspoonful in a spray

bottle full of water

and spray onto any

affected surfaces after

cleaning to prevent

mould from returning.

- Susan We cloth diaper and only

buy organic cotton baby clothes. Non-organic

cotton production uses more harmful chemicals

than any other crop, and

the chemical residues can irritate baby’s

sensitive skin. - Alicia

Walk to school with your children, rather than taking the car. It’s better for their health too! - Emma

Old plastic milk bottles

have many uses - cut

the tops off and use as

paint pots or

paintbrush holders, or

google “milk bottle

trowel“ for a

particularly good one!

- Linda

When M was teething

we got some amber

teething beads and

found them really

effective. Amber

releases a natural and

safe analgesic (pain

relief) which is

absorbed through the

skin. You can get

necklaces, bracelets or

anklets. - Casey

Grow your own fruit and veg! It’s fun, rewarding, and most of all it’s eco-friendly. Pick fast and easy growing plants for younger children (radishes, runner beans, or pots of cress make good starters). That way they won’t get bored or discouraged waiting for their crop to grow. - Jo

We’ve just bought a wormery and the children (age 5 and 8) are fascinated by it.- Lorna

Use a steam cleaner to remove stubborn dirt without the use of chemicals. Also, check out www.allergyuk.org for information on chemical sensitivity and handy tips on chemical free cleaning - Claire

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From then on, we never looked back. Adam has been cloth-bummed from birth, there was never any doubt that it would be any other way.

I set up as a nappy advisor in 2010, to offer other mums the service I so desperately wished I'd found earlier. I don't see what I do as a job, but as a vocation - I want to help other

families have a great experience with cloth. I'm not here to persuade you to use washable nappies. Once you have decided that real nappies are for you, I'm here to help you make the best choice for you. I am offering simple, honest advice and recommendations; and I believe there is a cloth solution for every household. It‟s not just about getting you in cloth; its about getting you in the cloth that‟s right for you. I hope the following guide will help you along the way...

I was delighted to receive an email asking me to contribute an article to the Spring Edition of the magazine; there is nothing I enjoy more than spreading some fluffy love!

About me… I am a full-time mum to Noah (born 25/12/08) and Adam (born 20/08/12); and there is nothing I like better than spending time with them and helping them explore the world. I looked at 'going cloth' when I was pregnant with Noah, but was not prepared to spend a large amount of money on something that might not work; especially when I couldn't see or feel what I was buying. So I used disposables. Unfortunately for him, Noah has sensitive skin and reacted to every brand of disposable nappy we tried. So we had to try cloth nappies. I made lots of mistakes along the way, until, when Noah was 8 months old, I found a nappy advisor; and she gave me some much needed advice.

For many of us nowadays, starting out with cloth nappies can seem

like a daunting option. Here Sarah Rands, of Manchester Real

Nappies, offers a guide to the different types of cloth nappy on

the market to help you decide what is right for you and your baby...

Real Nappies

Sarah Rands, Manchester

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All In One Nappies (AIO) All-in-one nappies are put on in exactly the same way as a disposable. They require no extra components, no covers or inserts – nothing! But unlike a disposable, when you take it off, you wash and re-use rather than throwing it away! AIO nappies are the easiest to use of all washable nappies, but may take longer to dry.

Pocket Nappies Pocket nappies are designed to be easy to use, quick to dry and downright cute! Pockets are defined by an opening at the back allowing you to „stuff‟ the nappy with absorbent inserts. This allows you to control the level of absorbency depending on your babies‟ needs. Pockets are often favoured by nurseries, as once assembled they go on just like an AIO or disposable. As all the parts separate easily, they are super-quick to dry.

Two Part Nappies Two-part nappies have a waterproof wrap, and a prefold, flat or fitted nappy inside for absorbency. Prefolds and flat nappies are one of the cheapest ways to use cloth nappies, but they can be a little fiddly to use especially if you have a wriggly baby! Fitted or shaped nappies work in exactly the same way as prefolds and flat nappies, but there is no folding required as they are already shaped perfectly for little bottoms! With this system you may

Real Nappies

About the nappies…

Nappies are now made from the softest, modern fabrics; have shaped designs in vibrant colours and some even fasten like disposables!

Reusable nappies are not only better for the environment, they are super soft and fluffy; better for babies’ bottoms; and save you money too!

During infancy your baby will spend approximately 25,000 hours in nappies, and need about 6,000 nappy changes – so your decision to use either real nappies or disposables will have a big impact on your baby’s health and well-being, your wallet and your planet.

Disposable nappies take up approximately half a wheelie bin per week… Are you on a fortnightly collection?

Cloth nappies and all added extras (including laundering) will cost less than half what you could spend on disposables

Most cloth nappies will see you through multiple children

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not have to change the wrap at every nappy change.

Fastenings The most common fastenings for washable nappies are aplix (also called Velcro, hook-and-loop); snaps (poppers); nappy pins and nappi nippas (the new improved nappy pins, so no need to prod your baby!)

Accessories Apart from the obvious (your nappies!) you will also need a nappy bucket or storage bag and a wet bag for your changing bag. You may also want nappy liners to go in your nappies. It is also always worth considering washable wipes.

Birth-to-Potty vs Sized Some cloth nappies are sized in the same way as disposables, so you will need to buy new nappies as your baby grows. However unlike disposables there are usually only 2 or 3 sizes. Birth-to-potty nappies fit from around 7 to 35lbs, and are very adjustable; so they should fit from when you are ready to start using cloth until your little one is ready to potty train!

Real Nappies

Breastfeeding Friendly Stockport!

Breastfeeding while out and about can be daunting at first.

Knowledge of 'breastfeeding friendly' venues can boost confidence when heading out.

To coincide with World Breastfeeding Week we plan to publish a feature on local breastfeeding friendly venues in our next newsletter.

Do you know of a café, restaurant, leisure centre or other venue in Stockport (or even the Greater Manchester area) where you or someone you know felt comfortable breastfeeding? If so, please drop us a line at stockportnctnewsletter@gmail.com, giving the venue name and location, what you found good about it, and any other details you think may be helpful to other parents.

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Growing your own food can be a very rewarding experience for

adults and children alike. Here NCT husband John Halsall

shares some handy tips on what to plant to get the best out of

the experience no matter what your size of garden or level of

gardening knowledge…

It started with a radish …………… It was grown in a strip of soil behind the shed. I was aged 7 and since then, to a greater or lesser extent, I‟ve always grown my own. This is a simple appeal to encourage you and your kids to have a go at growing some of your own food this year. WHY …………

Stuff you grow yourself tastes better than things you buy in the shops. It‟s a

cliché, but it‟s true.

Kids love to play with soil and it‟s a great way to get them interested in food.

If they are not that keen on eating their fruit and veg this may help.

You can be “organic”. You probably won‟t get a certificate from the Soil

Association but you can be sure about what is going onto the food you and your family eat.

It‟s great to be outside in the fresh air and, if you choose to, digging is a

great form of exercise.

If you are worried about “food miles” it‟s only a few “food metres” from the

garden to your kitchen. LET’S START SMALL ………. If you‟ve only got a tiny garden or just want to have a bit of fun with the kids, why not try growing some things in tubs and containers. They won‟t feed a family of four but they will give you a taste of home grown veg and could make a few nice salads to enjoy with the BBQ.

John Halsall, Tarporley

Grow Your Own!

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Grow Your Own!

Why not try ……….. Salad Leaves – Garden centres sell loads of mixed salad leaves seeds (sometimes referred to “as cut and come again” varieties). These contain a mixture of different lettuce types and you can pull a few leaves off each to make an interesting salad base. Sow them thinly in a plastic trough and, if the weather is good, you could be eating them in a few weeks. Tomatoes – Probably the easiest way is to buy a couple of tomato plants from a garden centre in the spring and simply plant them into a 12” (or bigger) pot filled with compost. Choose an outdoor bush variety such as “Gardener‟s Delight” and they will need no maintenance, other than regular watering. Make sure they‟re in a sunny position and you can‟t go wrong. Nothing tastes better than a sun warmed tomato picked straight from the plant – kids love them. Herbs – These are great and take no effort. A large pot, planted with a few herb plants from the garden centre will help to liven up your spag boll. I‟d go for rosemary, dill, parsley, chives and thyme. Herbs don‟t mind a bit of drought so don‟t worry about watering them too often. Keep them in a sunny spot, near the back door if possible so you can just pick a few sprigs as you‟re cooking. GO ORNAMENTAL …….. The French would probably call this a Potager i.e. “an ornamental kitchen garden”. If you want to grow a bit more but don‟t want to dig up the garden, why not incorporate a few things into your existing garden. Lots of vegetable plants are very ornamental and will blend into the existing garden whilst providing a few tasty treats. Garden centres will have all of these so you don‟t have to think about growing from seed unless you want to! Runner Beans – Not everyone‟s favourite, but if you grow them yourself, pick them young, before they get stringy, you will be converted. Make a wigwam out of 4 or 5 bamboo canes in a border and plant one or two plants at the bottom of each cane. Water well in the early stages to get them growing. Beans are prolific flowerers so you will get a great show as well as loads of beans. Lettuce – time to expand your range and incorporate a few different varieties in amongst the flower beds. I would always grow these from seed as they are so easy. When the soil has warmed up, May would be fine, sprinkle a few seeds in a gap in the border and cover with a fine layer of soil. When they‟ve

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Grow Your Own!

germinated, thin out so they are six inches apart. Use the ones you‟ve pulled up in a salad. Waste not, want not! Leave the remaining plants to mature into fully grown lettuce. Strawberries – I think you probably need a field of plants to get a decent dessert for a family on a regular basis but that‟s not what we are aiming for here! We just want a treat. A few strawberry plants dotted in a sunny border or in a big tub will provide a few delicious summer morsels. Ours get eaten straight off the plants and never make it as far as the kitchen. Courgettes – If you‟ve got a bigger gap you want to fill why not try a courgette plant. Garden centres sell these and one or two plants will provide enough for you and your neighbours! Be careful though as they can grow to over a metre in diameter. Jamie‟s Courgette Carbonara is a great way to use them. GETTING A BIT MORE SERIOUS ………. If you‟ve got the space and fancy going for something in a bigger way why not dig up some grass and go for a full blown vegetable garden. Even a patch 3m x 3m would give you a chance to try a wider variety of things. My advice would be not to grow “standard stuff” which, by the time yours is ready, will be cheap and plentiful in the shops. I would focus on taste. Things cooked straight from the garden taste so much better than things which have travelled half way around the world and then sat in a fridge for days! New Potatoes – Potatoes can get a bit complicated, with loads of varieties, first earlies, second earlies, maincrop ………… forget about it. Go to the garden centre, pick some “seed potatoes” with early on the label, plant them according to the instructions and then dig them up when they have flowered. It‟s as easy as that and they will taste sublime ….. I know we are lucky with Cheshire potatoes around here but your own taste even better. Sweetcorn – Apparently it‟s all about sugar. As soon as a sweetcorn cob is picked the sugar starts to turn to starch. If you pick them and take them straight to the pot you will be amazed how good they taste. BUT beware a badger ate most of mine this year ….. he/she is a convert too! Salad crops – If you have a bit more space, and if you sow things little and often it‟s easy to be self sufficient for salad crops through the summer. Try salad leaves, spring onions, radishes and a few tomatoes.

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Grow Your Own!

Beetroot – These are dead easy and have been a revelation to our kids. Forget pickling, just roast them wrapped in a foil parcel with garlic, thyme, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. An absolute must with the Sunday roast. GETTING REALLY SERIOUS ………. If you want to go the whole hog or want to upgrade why not get an allotment. This is where I have ended up! An allotment allows you to grow a wide variety of fruit and vegetables on a scale where you can be self sufficient for most of the year. Local councils have allotment sites available and there may be other organisations in your area which have allotment sites. The best approach is to keep your eyes open and if you are passing a site call in and ask someone. We are a friendly bunch and will tell you how to go about joining the ranks!!!

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The Green Toybox

Recycling

When toys have been outgrown pass them on to others. Or if you are looking for something new for your child don‟t forget second-hand toys. Small children are not too proud to receive something that has been owned by someone else. And a second-hand toy does not come with all that irritating packaging that just hinders you from playing with it!

The ideal opportunity to pick up or pass on excellent used toys in good condition is NCT Nearly New Sales. Also try charity shops.

Children hanker after certain toys long after they have gone out of production. (Here speaks a woman with a Thunderbird-crazy 4-year-old!) We have bought beloved toys second-hand from eBay.

Battery operated toys

Try to avoid battery-hungry toys altogether but if you must have a battery driven toy make sure you use re-chargeable batteries.

Alternatively there are items such as musical boxes that are wound by hand or even a few solar-powered toys. See www.ecotopia.co.uk

Fairtrade

Organisations such as Traidcraft and Oxfam offer a range of toys, including footballs, rag dolls and wooden puzzles. They ensure that people in developing countries are offered a fair wage and good working conditions.

Also see www.gtexpectations.co.uk and www.makesachange.co.uk Made from recycled materials

How about a teepee, Wendy house, rocket, fort or dolls‟ house made from recycled cardboard? They are easy to assemble (and pack away flat in a protective storage case when you have finished playing) and, as they are made from plain cardboard, they offer a blank canvas for your child‟s own personal decoration.

Try pencil cases, lunch boxes, backpacks, tidy boxes and aprons made from recycled drinks cartons. See www.thenaturalstore.co.uk, ecotopia.co.uk, ecoutlet.co.uk and www.gogreen.cellande.co.uk for some of the recycled products on offer.

Caroline Carpenter, Oxfordshire

Providing stimulating play options for your children needn’t cost

the Earth, as Caroline Carpenter shows in her guide to some of

the more eco-friendly toys on the market, as well as some you

can make yourself…

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The Green Toybox

Made from materials from Eco-friendly sources

Organic cotton toys are suitable from birth and a particularly appropriate for children with allergies or sensitive skin.

Wooden toys from simple puzzles to pull-along trains to swing seats can be purchased from companies that ensure they obtain their wood from sustainable sources. (To make sure look for the Forest Stewardship Council logo that guarantees wood is from sustainably managed supplies.)

DIY or Make-do-and-mend

You don‟t have to be a sewing machine goddess or a craft diva to create a few fun items from recycled materials. Sock puppets, robots made from junk, pictures made from shells or leaves - it could even be fun!

Make up your own games using items from around the house or garden. Try obstacle races or crazy golf using flowerpots, garden chairs or anything else you can find.

The perennial favourite – the kitchen band. Bang on saucepans with wooden spoons or crash lids together for cymbals. Do this on a headache-free day!

Large cardboard boxes are fantastic things! Turn them into cars, boats, aeroplanes, dolls‟ beds, houses or just put them out in the garden and let the children climb in and around them. Have fun painting them, sticking things on and getting generally messy. And when you have finished with them put them in the recycling bin. (Although in my experience the children have enjoyed making them and playing with them so much that they hate to part with them!)

Try dressing up clothes made from old clothes, either from the back of your wardrobe or from charity shops. Cut sleeves off that are too long or add scalloped edges. Draw on designs with fabric paints or sew on simple felt shapes. (Felt does not fray and so doesn‟t require hemming but it doesn‟t take kindly to machine washing.) Add costume jewellery – the gaudier the better. (But keep an eye on small children in necklaces.)

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Stockport and District Yellow Pages

NCT Websites

Antenatal classes: www.nct.org.uk/courses/antenatal-courses

NCT Stockport website: www.nct.org.uk/branches/stockport

Useful Local Numbers

Breastfeeding Stockport: Sarah McKie Breastfeeding Specialist Midwife 0161 419 5502 Mobile 07767 870506 sarah.mckie@stockport.nhs.uk www.breastfeedingstockport.org.uk

Stockport Family Info Link: 0808 800 0606 www.fil.org.uk

NCT Numbers

NCT National ‘One Line’ helpline number:

0300 330 0700

For all subjects including:

Pregnancy and Birth Breastfeeding

Postnatal Shared Experience

Enquiries

Textphone: 020 8993 6714

Fax: 0844 243 6001

Membership: 0844 243 7000

Antenatal Bookings: Bookings2a@nct.org.uk

Parent Services Administrator: 0844 243 6971 (class bookings)

Local Branch Enquiries: 0844 243 6282 (local rate)

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What’s on Offer?

Antenatal Classes These are small and friendly courses run by NCT trained teachers and are arranged so that partners can come too. The course explains many subjects including birth choices, labour positions, pain relief, breastfeeding and life with a new baby. Space is limited so please book early. For more info, dates and availability please e-mail bookings2a@nct.org.uk or visit our website www.nct.org.uk/branches/stockport/courses

Coffee Contacts Coffee contacts are often the first point of contact for new members. They are volunteers responsible for co-ordinating the members in each particular area of Stockport, providing a warm welcome and promoting relevant activities to those in their area. They are also a general source of knowledge and information on the child-friendly activities in their area (NCT and non-NCT).

Please see next page for details of your local contact or contact the Parent Support Co-ordinator (Lizzie) stockportnctparents@gmail.com

Drop-ins Stockport & District NCT offer a range of local drop-in groups.

Bumps and Babies groups are for pregnant members and members with babies (under 1s generally). Older siblings are welcome with a baby. These are friendly groups where you come to have tea, cake and a chat with other mums. Open to all (members and non members). Some groups charge a small entry fee, others just charge for refreshments.

Toddler Time is for walkers/pre-school age children. It is held in a public soft play centre but our group has a reserved sofa area in the cafe. The entrance fee includes a

drink and biscuit for the children. Please see next page for full listings.

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, offering affordable accessories for you while fundraising to support other parents in the UK. Sales are open to both members and non-members, although NCT members have the benefit of early access to the sale.

Stockport & District Nearly New Sales run twice yearly in Cheadle Hulme. For more information e-mail stockportnctnearlynewsale@gmail.com

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Area by Area

Cheadle Heath/ Davenport/Edgeley:

Coffee contact: Meg aletea@gmail.com Bumps, Babies & Beyond Fridays 10am-11.30am Held weekly at members’ homes (no requirement to host) Please see our facebook group NCT Cheadle Heath, Edgeley and Davenport for details of the rota.

Bramhall/ Hazel Grove/Cheadle/Gatley:

Coffee contact: Julia joolzdavison@hotmail.com Bumps and Babies Fridays 10.00am – 11.30am (all year round) St Michael’s Church Hall, St Michael’s Avenue, Bramhall SK7 2PG Contact Tracey nctstmichaels@gmail.com

The Heatons: Coffee contacts: Petra p.meier@sheffield.ac.uk and Sarah srakane@gmail.com Bumps & Babies Thursdays 11.30am-12.30pm The Orangery, 54 Heaton Moor Road, SK4 4NZ Contact Sarah srakane@gmail.com

Marple: Coffee contact: Annie annie.simmonite@gmail.com Bumps, Babies & Beyond Wednesdays from 1.30pm Wyevale Garden Centre, Dooley Lane SK6 7HE Contact Annie or see our Facebook page Marple NCT Bumps & Babies for up-to-date information Toddler Time Mondays from 10.00am (term-time only) Rough & Tumble, Goyt Mill, Upper Hibbert Lane Marple SK6 7HX Contact Tracey nctstmichaels@gmail.com (07595 020276)

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

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Advertising

This quarterly newsletter goes to clinics, health professionals and hospitals, Glo Family and other play areas as well as to new and expectant parents in the Stockport area, with a current print run of 450.

Rates for advertising in the newsletter start at just £30 for a half page, with discounts given for multiple insertions booked in advance.

We can also send out your flyer or leaflet with each newsletter for only £36.

To enquire about advertising with Stockport NCT please contact Angela: stockportnctadvertising@gmail.com

The deadline for the next issue will be 1st May 2013.

Now from Stockport NCT Hire and

sales of breast pumps from the

leading Swiss manufacturer:

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For further information and rates please contact

NCT Volunteer Breast Pump Agent Maria Novelly

0161 431 5037 • maria.novelly@googlemail.com

Why express milk to feed your baby? • There may be various reasons: Your

baby is in special or intensive care • You are apart from your baby, to go out or

to work • For comfort, if your breasts are engorged or if your nipples are sore

(whilst you review baby‟s positioning and attachment to solve these issues) • To

supplement your baby's 'direct' breastfeed if there is concern about how actively

he is feeding, and to help him gain weight • To boost your milk supply by

increasing demand.

It is the revenue from our advertisers that makes the publication of this newsletter possible - so if

you use their products or services, please remember to let them know that you saw

their ad in our NCT newsletter!

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Key Branch Contacts

Chair: Annabel stockportnctchair@gmail.com

Treasurer: Emily stockportncttreasurer@gmail.com

Nearly New Sale Treasurer: Stephen stockportncttreasurer@gmail.com

Branch Secretary Clodagh clodagh1012001@yahoo.co.uk

Membership Secretary: Billie-Jo stockportnctmembership@gmail.com

Advertising Co-ordinator: Angela stockportnctadvertising@gmail.com

Fundraising Co-ordinator: VACANT stockportnctfundraising@gmail.com

Grant Application Treasurer: Sarah stockportnctfundraising@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor: Julia stockportnctnewsletter@gmail.com

Publicity Co-ordinator Ellie stockportnctpublicity@gmail.com

Parent Support Co-ordinator: Lizzie stockportnctparents@gmail.com

Web Editor: Tom stockportnctweb@gmail.com

Home Birth Group Contact: Jay S 07807 189562

bethandtash@hotmail.com

Nearly New Sale Team: stockportnctnearlynewsale@gmail.com

Antenatal Teachers: Jane jane.hughes.m@ntlworld.com

Sally-July sally@wiredtothemoon.com

Heather hthorpe105@aol.com

Jane c.jane.broadbent@gmail.com

Laura laura@bump2beyond.co.uk

Sarah saraheddleston@yahoo.co.uk

Sue susan.almond@hotmail.co.uk

Jay S bethandtash@hotmail.com

Breastfeeding Counsellors: Maria 0161 431 5037

maria.novelly@googlemail.com

Annie 0161 449 0377

annie.simmonite@gmail.com

ARDO Breast Pump Agent: Maria maria.novelly@googlemail.com

Valley Cushion Agent: Jo K 07876 318690

jo.kennedy@ntlworld.com

PSA Link: Heather hthorpe105@aol.com

User Rep: Sally-July sally@wiredtothemoon.com

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37

Like many breastfeeding mothers, I have been keen to limit my intake of caffeine. I tried decaffeinated coffee but didn‟t like the taste, and after reading how decaffeination could actually increase certain health risks, I turned my attention to herbal teas. I enrolled on a correspondence course, learning about the medicinal properties of different herbs, and making my own herbal teas (or tisanes, as they are more properly known) became something of a hobby. One thing that became clear to me was that all herbs have some kind of effect on the body and so it is essential to do your research before even consuming off-the shelf herbal teas or remedies. Due to my own situation, I was particularly interested in the properties of herbs in relation to breastfeeding and thought I would share some of my research with you now. Please note, I am not a qualified herbalist or medical practitioner, and have written the following only as a guide based on my own research and experience. If you are unsure about the safety of any substance, it is best to avoid it until you have

sought the advice of an appropriate practitioner. Some herbs can affect blood sugar levels, so it is particularly important to seek medical advice if you suffer from conditions such as diabetes, or if you have any known allergies.

Milk increasing teas (galactagogues) For centuries, herbs have been used around the globe to boost milk supply. This can be very useful for people who want a natural solution to supply issues. However, before trying to increase your milk you should make sure low supply really is the problem, perhaps by consulting a breastfeeding counsellor, as feeding problems are often caused by other factors such as the baby‟s latch and increasing milk supply beyond what is needed can cause its own problems. Here are some of the better known herbal galactagogues: Fenugreek: Fenugreek is one of the few herbs that has actually been the subject of scientific study in relation to lactation, with results supporting

Herbs for Nursing Mothers

Avani Rose, Stockport

Herbs are plants that can be used in food, medicine or perfume.

In this article Avani Rose takes a look at the effect of a variety

of herbs on breastmilk production, the nursing mother and her

baby...

38

Herbs for Nursing Mothers

its galactagogue effect. A study published in the September 2000 issue of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine's journal measured the breast milk production of exclusively pumping mothers taking a fenugreek supplement three times daily and found their milk production increased by an average of 124%. One harmless side effect of fenugreek is that it can cause the mother‟s sweat, milk and urine to smell of maple syrup or curry. Fennel: Fennel is a herbal galactagogue that is thought to aid in promoting let down rather than actually increasing milk supply, which can be particularly helpful if supply is adequate but you are having trouble getting the flow started when pumping. Fennel can aid digestion, so may also be helpful in settling a fussy baby. One advantage of fennel is that the tea is actually rather pleasant tasting, unlike many of the other herbal preparations! Thistle (milk & blessed): Blessed thistle and milk thistle are members of the asteraceae family of flowering plants which includes asters, daisies, chamomile and sunflowers. Both are thought to be galactagogues, and milk thistle is also known for its restorative effect on the liver. Alfalfa: Alfalfa is a mild galactagogue that is very high in essential vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. It may be these

nutrients that may boost milk supply in breastfeeding mothers as well- nourished mothers suffer from fewer supply problems than under-nourished mothers. Goat’s Rue: This traditional galactagogue has been used for centuries and gets its name because dairy farmers noted a milk production increase of 35-50% in animals who grazed on the wild herb. Fresh goat‟s rue can be toxic so caution should be taken if wildcrafting the herb to prepare your own remedies. Nettle: Nettle is rich in vitamins and minerals, and these are thought to increase milk production. It is often combined with other galactagogues in commercial preparations.

Fennel: A botanical illustration

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Herbs for Nursing Mothers

Care must be taken, however, as the herb has an astringent affect and in individuals who are sensitive to this milk production may be inhibited rather than increased. Raspberry Leaf: Best known for its use in toning the uterus before birth, raspberry leaf is also recognised as a galactagogue. As with nettle, caution must be exercised due to the herb‟s astringent effect.

Safe herbal teas

If you are not looking to increase milk production, but want to find a tea that is safe to drink while breastfeeding, then you may want to consider some of the following herbs. This is obviously not a complete list, just a few of the more common herbs and their better known properties. It is amazing to think that nature offers us this vast pharmacy in the form of plantlife, and I hope that it may inspire you to embark on your own journey of

herbal discovery. Ginger: Great to settle an upset stomach, promotes an overall feeling of wellbeing. Citrus & citrus peel (orange, lemon etc): Full of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, a great boost to the immune system. Rose hip: Contains high levels of immunity boosting vitamin C. Cinnamon: Eases indigestion, can fight the onset of colds and viral infections. Chamomile: Promotes restfulness and natural sleep. Can help settle a teething baby. Evening primrose: A very calming herb, thought to be a natural anti-depressant.

Herbs to avoid There are some commonly used herbs that reduce or impede milk supply and should therefore be avoided by breastfeeding mothers. These include:

Sage Mint/menthol (spearmint & peppermint) Parsley Oregano Thyme

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Herbs for Nursing Mothers

It is unclear whether using a small amount of these herbs in cookery will have any impact on milk supply, but if you are at all concerned about the sage & onion stuffing you are serving along with your Sunday roast, why not swap it for the delicious traditional Scottish oatmeal stuffing, as oats are known to have a beneficial effect on milk production and also said to promote general feelings of wellbeing: Just mix 100g rolled oats with 50g suet and a finely chopped onion, adding a small amount of water if necessary to bind, and season to taste.

Herbs that should be avoided completely by breastfeeding mothers include goldenseal, rhubarb, liquorice root, guarana, ginseng, angelica root, ephedra and senna leaf. Again this is by no means a complete list, and any herbal preparation should be thoroughly researched before consumption, even if it is sold in a supermarket or health food store, as it may not be suitable in your specific circumstances.

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My first experience of acupuncture was as a child, accompanying my dad to a session. I clearly remember being upset at the thought of my dad being punctured with needles, so the acupuncturist put a couple in my hand to show me how it worked. Both my parents had regular acupuncture treatments for a range of conditions, and in the 80s this was quite uncommon! When my husband and I decided to start a family, a friend recommended acupuncture as a safe, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical fertility treatment. She fell pregnant immediately after her first treatment! I knew acupuncture couldn't guarantee that I'd fall pregnant straight away, but I liked the idea of complementary medicine (I also use aromatherapy and homeopathy), so I did some research and found Fiona Bullock, an acupuncturist in Hazel Grove who has experience with antenatal acupuncture. I didn't really know what to expect at my first session, but Fiona made me feel very comfortable. She took a full medical history and we explored the

Acupuncture in Pregnancy & Labour

Ellie Thouret, Stockport & District Branch

Acupuncture is a complementary therapy which treats patients

by inserting fine needles at certain points in the body. Here

Ellie Thouret talks about her experiences with acupuncture for

fertility, pregnancy and labour.

reasons behind my interest in acupuncture. She also explained in a nutshell how acupuncture worked and gave me the opportunity to ask questions. I initially had treatments for anxiety and stress, as well as to improve fertility. Funnily enough, I fell pregnant after my second treatment! I also felt much less anxious and generally happier, so I continued with acupuncture throughout my pregnancy. An acupuncturist tailors treatments to you as an individual, taking many factors into account, which makes it very different to Western medicine. As I suffered badly with morning sickness during my first and second trimesters, many of my treatments

Photo: Pat Olson

42

Acupuncture in Pregnancy & Labour

were geared towards providing relief. Fiona even gave me some tiny acupressure balls to put into pressure points in my ears, which raised some eyebrows at work! When I started to prepare for labour, I was interested to learn that acupuncture and acupressure can be used for pain relief. Fiona talked me through various techniques to help during labour – there are some pressure points which are even supposed to help speed labour up, help the baby engage in the correct position, etc. I'm amazed that I remembered the

various pressure points during my very short and painful labour, but I found it really helpful to cope with the pain, along with aromatherapy, yoga breathing and positions. In the later stages, my husband helped me to use one particular pressure point (between the thumb and forefinger) to focus during contractions and concentrate on pushing. I found acupuncture very effective during pregnancy and I recommend it to everyone!

British Acupuncture Council www.acupuncture.org.uk

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Osteopathy

When you find out you are pregnant it’s a very exciting time. There is a lot to do and prepare for – the nursery, prams, clothes …..the list goes on, but what about preparing your own body for the huge changes ahead?

What is Osteopathy?

Osteopathy is a hands on treatment for the joints, muscles, nerves and ligaments. We look at the body as a whole and recognise that problems in one part of the body can have a knock on effect on the way we walk and move – subsequently affecting other areas and joints and muscles. The body is very good at adapting to these stresses but sometimes it is more than it is able to cope with and we start to feel discomfort or pain. Osteopaths look for the root cause of the problem so we can treat it more effectively and prevent it from returning.

Your body and pregnancy

During pregnancy there are huge physical, emotional and chemical

changes within your body. Several physical factors can determine how well your body can adapt to the changes required. Nobody‟s body is perfect, we all carry various stresses and strains with us due to poor posture, previous injuries and strains of everyday life such as working and caring for children. Whilst normally your body adapts to these strains very well, the increased pressure and demands of pregnancy makes this more difficult and pain can start to develop.

Gemma Irvine, Cheadle

Gemma Irvine, of Cheadle Osteopathy, explains how osteopathic

treatment can benefit mother and baby during pregnancy and

after birth...

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Osteopathy

Common problems in pregnancy include:

Muscular and joint aches and pains

Sciatica

Pubic symphysis discomfort, pelvic girdle pain (SPD / PSD / PGP)

Headaches

Digestive discomfort e.g. heartburn

Through massage, stretches and joint mobilisations, Osteopathy can help to reduce strains within your body. This enables you to accommodate the changes better, elevating your discomfort. Osteopathy is also great for preparing your body for the labour. Reducing physical restrictions within the pelvis and lower back enables your pelvis to open more easily to allow the baby to pass through. In some cases this allows a back to back or breech baby, for example, more room to wriggle and turn into a better position for the birth.

Welcome to the world baby…..

Now the time has come to meet your baby. However there is some hard work to be done first, by you and your baby. While everyone appreciates that birth can be a stressful and emotional time for the mother, let‟s think about what the

baby has to go through to be born. The baby‟s whole body has to go through several twists and turns in order to be born. Cleverly a baby is designed with the birth process in mind. They have tiny joints between the bones in their heads. These joints are very soft and allow the bones to overlap, making the head smaller. This process is called “moulding”. Whilst it is beneficial that the baby‟s head and body are soft and “mouldable”, sometimes when the stresses of labour are increased it can mean that the baby‟s body is easily strained and compressed.

When it doesn’t all go quite to plan….

Cranial Osteopaths believe that several factors during birth can contribute to additional stresses and strains on the baby‟s head and body.

45

Slow labours: This can be a sign that the baby isn’t quite in the right position and may need to twist and wriggle a bit more to get out.

Fast labours: Although this might seem like a good option, it doesn’t give the baby’s body enough time to gradually mould to the birth canal. It can be a bit of a shock for mum and baby. Malpositioning/presentation (e.g. back to back or breech): This can make the labour more difficult and stressful for mum and baby. Ventouse or forceps are sometimes needed to deliver the baby safely. Nature provides again to help the baby, as after the birth crying and sucking help the baby to relieve these compressions. Most babies cope well with these additional stresses and resolve them themselves. However some babies may need a little help. In addition to the compressions within their head or body, there are also tiny nerves which pass between the small bones in the head which supply the digestive and other systems.

Parents of babies who have had difficult births sometimes report that their baby cries excessively, doesn‟t seem to be able to relax or seems to have digestive discomfort such as wind. Infacol, colief, easy digest milks and dummies are some common options which may help to relieve the baby‟s discomfort. One option you might consider is cranial osteopathy.

What is Cranial Osteopathy?

Cranial osteopathy uses gentle and subtle pressures anywhere on the body (not just the head, as the name suggests) to relieve these compressions and strains. Cranial Osteopaths recognise the importance of subtle changes in body mechanics and their effects on the whole body. As children grow, bumps, falls and stresses of growth spurts can result in mechanical dysfunctions which could be helped through osteopathy too. Cranial osteopathy is used in adults too and many pregnant ladies prefer this gentler approach to treatment.

Don’t forget mum

Now your baby is here, in between nappy changes, feeding and sleepless nights it is easy to forget that your body is trying to recover from the birth and getting used to new postures involved with feeding and caring for your new bundle. An osteopathic check- up after the birth can help to identify and correct any strains and imbalances, helping your body to recover more fully and quickly from birth. Your new baby needs you to be healthy. So when your write your “to do list….” as you prepare for your new baby don‟t forget about yourself!

Osteopathy

46

Your breath is there for you no matter what happens during birth and after, use all the breathing techniques you love to create a feeling of peace and trust & acceptance of what is. Remember that the antidote to pain is breathing OUT, not holding your breath as many midwives will tell you to do, during the pushing stage. During contractions focus on breathing out and sounding your breath, during moments of rest focus on breathing in deeply and taking lots of extra oxygen to your baby.

Please note that if a mother is breathing well, there is no need for the baby to go into foetal distress - even during 2nd stage. The Royal College of Midwives has published papers stating that „directed pushing‟ (holding breath style) is counter productive to a normal vaginal birth both for mother and baby. And you certainly don‟t need to push like you are doing a poo! Babies don‟t come out of your bottom, and focusing on pushing into

your bum sends the baby too far back. Just relax, when you get the urge to bear down, follow it and do nothing until you get that urge. If you have an epidural, lie on your left side during 2nd stage and ask the care team to let the epidural wear off so you can at least feel when to bear down.

Pure essential oil of lavender, and a gentle baby carrier oil (grapeseed, organic sunflower, apricot kernel, vitamin E oil) can

Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

Rosanna Kalliabetsos is the Founder of InJoy Yoga, a Doula and

birthing tutor. She is also Co-Chair of the Croydon University

Hospital MSLC. This article is written as a guide to natural

healthcare during and after birth and in the first few days of

baby’s life, in order to help us make the most of this sacred and

wondrous time.

Rozy Kalliabetsos, Croydon

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Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

be bought online through Neil‟s Yard remedies [or at their store in central Manchester—Ed.] Neways also do them (http://

injoyneways.ineways.eu – this will take you to my page on the site and you can order from there). The smell will soothe you both during labour and after. Please note that most baby care ranges available on high street are made from mineral oil as a base oil and this dries out your baby‟s skin. There are lots of companies online that do wonderful organic and non-toxic creams and potions and your local health food shop should have some great ranges to try.

Pure sea salt combined with a few drops lavender oil and a carrier oil as mentioned above, added to a bath every day, will do wonders to help you with healing your perineum and getting over any bruising. This will help you to heal if you needed stitches or just feel a bit „sore‟.

Babies need nothing but water on their skin for the first few months, so if you are using nappy wipes, make sure you wash your baby‟s skin when you are home with water only. This will minimise skin irritation such as nappy rash, and reduce risks of developing skin complaints such as eczema. Allow plenty of „bare bottom‟ time too! Organic coconut oil is the

best oil/moisturiser ever if you want to put anything on. Note that in cold temperatures it solidifies but will soon warm up in your hands.

Arnica 30c tablet form and Bach‟s Rescue Remedy will benefit both you and your baby during labour and as you recover physically and emotionally from the labour and birth.

Even the most awesome and ecstatic experience is still HUGE for both of you! If you can, hire or purchase a pregnancy and birth homeopathic kit. Your birth partner can help to administer relevant remedies throughout the birth experience and after. Homeopathy is said to work on healing the emotional state as well as physical ailments. Homeopathy and other holistic approaches to health are much gentler than conventional treatments and aim to treat the cause rather than just the symptom. Often they do the job perfectly, but if conventional treatment is strongly advised, homeopathy can support the healing and recovery. Homeopathy has no known side effects.

If you or your baby were administered any antibiotics through pregnancy, birth or after, nutritionists strongly recommend taking a course of high grade

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Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

probiotics (multi strain not just acidophillus) for at least 2 weeks. Its best to go to a good health food shop - tell them what antibiotics you had and they will let you know what probiotics are best suited. This helps to line the gut with good bacteria to boost immune system and fight future infections. Antibiotics kill ALL bacteria in the gut and that means the good ones too! Probiotics are also good for your baby if they were born by Caesarean, if you formula feed, or if you or your baby are prone to thrush. Go online for more information, or consult a recommended nutritionist or dietician.

An organic Savoy Cabbage (for when milk comes in), ideally refrigerated. When colustrum turns to milk, roughly 3 days after birth, your breasts can feel as though they need cooling down! Take one leaf of the cabbage per breast, „score‟ the inside with a sharp knife and then place within the cups of your bra so that the leaf surrounds the breast. This will decrease swelling and engorgement and allow the milk to flow.

Make sure you have the number of a recommended breast feeding specialist and contact the NCT, local hospital, and La Leche League for breastfeeding support. There are little clips online you

can look at before your baby comes so you can familiarise yourself with the basics of enjoyable breastfeeding.

THE FIRST FEW DAYS! Now your baby has come into the world, what’s next?

Please remember your baby has been inside you for a long time and the most familiar sounds he knows are your voice, the rhythm of your heartbeat, and breathing rhythm.

It comes as a shock to many parents that all babies want is to be held all the time! This can worry some parents as they don‟t want to „spoil‟ their baby, but research shows that babies who are held close either by mum, dad or a close person to the family, all of the time, sleep

49

better, feed better, put on weight and grow into inquisitive and secure older babies.

How long will you need to carry and hold your baby? It depends on your baby, the birth experience and environment your baby is born into. Generally within a few weeks, babies start to „unfurl‟- you see their limbs are less tightly closed up in a ball and massage and baby yoga really helps to instil trust in you as a parent able to meet the needs of your baby.

Invest in a good sling - please look on www.thebabywearer.com for lots of info on good slings. I love the kari me sling, or for later on the ergo carrier or Joey maitai slings. Your baby was carried by you for a long time - it is natural that what she will find most soothing is being carried whilst you go about your day.

It is common for babies to become restless or cry a lot during the hours of the day/night that were the last hour of their birth. This is the time to talk to your baby about the birth and what was happening at this time, to reassure them they are safe, and if necessary, to play them familiar music that you listened to a lot when you were pregnant, or to chant the sounds you loved to chant in class - all the ways you

engaged with your baby when they were inside you, will pacify your baby once they are outside. Often they simply miss the womb- it was always warm and they were always held - remember that from complete dependence comes complete independence! Look at www.consciouslyparenting.com for lots of info on what our babies need from us in the early days.

You will both need PLENTY of rest to soothe the nervous system after birth. Please resist the temptation to invite everyone round to see the baby and for you to look as though you are „back to normal‟ in 3 days. The more you rest over the first 3-6 weeks, the quicker you will recover and feel

Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

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good about being a new Mum. Your baby will also get to grips with life much more easily. When babies are over-stimulated by noise, light and too many hands touching and holding them, they tend to „shut down‟ so that their nervous system can cope. Babies take 6 times as long to process what is going on around them so talk to them softly, move slowly, and make sure those who are around do the same. If grandparents want to visit, or friends want to „help‟- they will be much more useful supporting you with chores around the house and cooking, tending to you in bed, than holding YOUR baby so that you get on with everything. These first weeks are precious and set the tone for babyhood and the positive nurturing dynamics of family life.. Your smell, your touch, your voice are what your baby wants - the rest of the world can wait!! Sleep when your baby sleeps, and when you are both awake, your baby will be happy to be in a sling with you as you go about your day.

Late pregnancy is the time to cook lots of nourishing food and freeze it for when you are in the throws of new parenthood, and the more you invest in good nutrition, the better your milk supply will be.

It‟s worth continuing to take a good quality multivitamin post

birth to keep your essential nutrients topped up, along with EFAs. Floradix is a liquid mineral & iron supplement that is great if you had a long labour or blood transfusion. It will help to keep your energy levels up as you get used to new mummahood.

Sleeping with your baby - sometimes this is the only way to get some sleep! Personally I co-slept with my daughter for the first couple of years and all I needed was a big bed to get good rest! There is lots written on www.babiesknow.com about co-sleeping and the benefits. Also the book „Three in a bed‟ is worth reading with your partner before your baby is born. Some babies will be happy in another room from early on - it depends on your baby and what works for you as parents.

Please read „Why love matters‟ before considering any Gina Ford methods of getting your baby into a „routine‟. Please also trust your instincts as a parent, rather than the voices around you - remember you and only you are hardwired to understand the unique needs of your own baby. You know what your baby needs if you listen inside to your heart and not so much at what „helpful advise‟ others want to give you. Your baby chose you both as parents with good reason. You cannot spoil your baby with love!!!

Birthaid! The First Few Sacred Days

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Birth Story

On Sunday 29th April 2012, I went into labour with my first baby. I'd started to lose my mucus plug from when I first woke up that morning and it continued through the day. I had a 'bloody show' during the afternoon and I‟d been having period-pain-like cramps. However, as I‟d had Braxton-Hicks contractions regularly for the past three weeks, I didn‟t want to get my hopes up that true labour had started! At about 5pm, I was on the phone to my dad when the contractions started to get quite painful and difficult to talk through. I got off the phone and ran a bath, and my husband poured warm water over my back between contractions. We burned some essential oils (jasmine I think) and tried to create a relaxing atmosphere, which was difficult as I was in a fair amount of pain by this point. I got out of the bath and started to struggle with the contractions, completely zoning out when they hit and clutching onto a blanket and towel. I also started to shiver and shake quite a lot and had really bad back pain. We called the

In this issue’s Birth Story, Ellie shares her experiences of the

natural birth of son Lucas at Stepping Hill Hospital.

hospital (Stepping Hill maternity triage) and they said to try and stay at home as long as I could deal with the pain - I didn‟t think it would be

much longer at that point. I put on my yoga breathing CD and tried out some yoga poses, but nothing really helped alleviate the pain, so I started to think I‟d like to go to the hospital…the thought of gas and air was very appealing at this point! I felt very sick so during the car ride, I clutched an old washing up bowl (I

didn‟t need to use it, luckily) and wrapped myself up in a blanket. We got to the hospital and I found it really, really hard to walk to the ward as the contractions felt so strong. When we finally got to triage, I was begging for gas and air! I had an internal and I was dilated only to 3cm, which meant I was not in established labour and would normally be sent home. But because I was in so much pain, the lovely midwife gave me some gas and air and put me on the fetal heart/contractions monitor. The gas and air really helped me to cope with the pain, although it also made

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Birth Story

me throw up a few times. I remember telling my husband, “I love gas and air, it‟s like being on drugs!” and telling the midwife that I loved her. Next, things started to go downhill as the baby‟s heart rate was dropping quite dramatically with each contraction, although it was recovering in between. The midwife on the birth unit spoke to the midwives on the delivery suite (where any labours with complications have to go) and they decided to monitor me down there for a while, and if the baby's heart rate seemed fine, I‟d be allowed to come back up to the birth centre (with the lovely water pools and everything - that‟s where I‟d wanted to give birth). At this point I was completely out of it and almost fell asleep in the toilet while the midwives were waiting for me with the wheelchair. I was taken down to the delivery suite and had to lie flat on the bed so the baby could be monitored. The consultant obstetrician came in to check on me and said he wasn‟t too concerned as long as the baby's heart rate didn‟t drop any further. At this point I was still only dilated to 3cm (it was about 1am on the 30th April now), so the midwife dimmed the lights, sat in the corner and said they‟d perform the next checks in four hours.

This period is a bit hazy as I had a lot of gas and air and was in a LOT of pain, but I remember asking for stronger pain relief and quite forcefully being offered pethidine. I specifically hadn‟t wanted pethidine, as I was concerned about it crossing the placenta too close to the delivery and affecting the baby. My husband asked me whether I was sure, and I remember saying, “I can‟t cope with this if it‟s going to be hours, it‟s code red,” which is what we‟d agreed as a code word when I absolutely needed pain relief. While the midwives were out of the room dispensing the pethidine, I threw up while having a contraction (not very nice) and suddenly got the urge to push. I told my husband, and when the midwives returned he asked them to wait until I‟d finished the contraction to make sure I was 100% happy having the pethidine. He also told them that I had the urge to push and they asked me if it felt like I needed a poo - it didn‟t, so I said, “No, it feels like there is a head coming out down there!” They offered me an internal before administering the pethidine, and found out that I was 9cm dilated! I couldn‟t believe it and kept saying, “What? What? 9CM?!” At that point I knew it would only be an hour or two more until I met my son, so I decided not to take the pethidine. At some point, my waters broke while he was crowning but I‟m not sure of the chronology of events.

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I really wanted to push at this point and was screaming through the contractions and feeling very out of it and confused. I was inadvertently pushing a bit and the midwife kept telling me not to, and my husband kept telling me to keep the gas and air nozzle in my mouth as I was taking it out to scream. Then the baby‟s heart rate started to drop even more as he was getting tired, and it seemed like all of a sudden the room was full of people - I found out afterwards that there were two midwives, the supervisor of midwives, the consultant OB and a consultant paediatrician. They decided that the baby needed to be delivered right now, so they would need to use forceps. They gave me a local anaesthetic in preparation for an episiotemy and explained to my husband and I what was happening. Possibly in response to the threat of the forceps, my body started to push extremely effectively (although I kept trying to keep my legs shut!) and in no time the baby‟s head was delivered! I‟ll never know how I managed to stop pushing while the body turned, but I did, and the rest of our beautiful baby was born. The midwives placed him on my chest and he started to cry,

Birth Story

pooed, and looked up at me with his beautiful, angry, inky blue eyes. I was so tired and overwhelmed at this point that I elected to have a managed third stage. My husband cut the umbilical cord, which he found very strange and said it felt spongy. The whole thing took 2 hours 45 minutes from 3cm dilation to the placenta being delivered. I had a second-degree tear so I had to have stitches but I didn‟t mind, because I had gas and air and my gorgeous new baby to look at and distract me. The whole experience was very traumatic because it happened so fast and I felt like I had no control whatsoever over what was happening to me and my baby. We still don‟t know why his heart rate was dropping - he swallowed quite a bit of amniotic fluid, so it could have been that or he could just have been getting tired. It had no lasting effect on him, thank goodness, and he got a perfect score on his Apgar test at all three intervals. And the tea and toast afterwards was the best thing I‟ve ever tasted!

If you have a Birth Story to share, we’d love to hear from you!

Just e-mail stockportnctnewsletter@gmail.com

We depend on your stories, pictures and articles to keep this publication local, relevant and interesting to our readers —

so do keep them coming!

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Get Crafty!

Easter Nests Julia Doherty, Stockport & District Branch

Here’s a tasty treat that even very young children can help

prepare, so long as an adult melts the butter/chocolate and

allows it to cool a little first.

You will need:

150g chocolate 45g butter, cubed 2 tbsp golden syrup 75g Rice Krispies, or other cereal Cupcake cases Mini eggs (for decoration)

How to: Break the chocolate into chunks and melt together with the butter. The traditional way to do this is in a heat-proof bowl balanced over a pan of very hot water. However, I always

do it in the microwave, using short bursts (10-20 seconds) at 50% power. Be careful not to over-cook as it will ruin the mixture. When the chocolate and butter have melted, stir in the golden syrup and mix well. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate/butter/syrup mix with the Rice Krispies until they are all evenly coated. Spoon the mixture into paper cup-cake cases (I like set mine out in a muffin tin to keep things neat and easier to work with) and push a few mini-eggs into the centre of each one. The mixture will start to set at this stage, so you will need to work quite rapidly to get them all done.

Nestlé Boycott:

Please be aware that NCT supports the boycott of Nestlé products on account of their unethical marketing practices of infant formula around the globe. None of the branded ingredients mentioned in this article are Nestlé products, but many cereals are, so please do check before buying any other ingredients.

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Get Crafty!

Either allow to set at room tempera-ture, or refrigerate for faster setting.

Variations: The great thing about these nests is that they are so simple to make you can play around creating many different variations and will hardly ever go wrong! Here are a few ideas… The base: Try using cornflakes, mini wheats (I got Sainsbury‟s brand, but most supermarkets will have their own versions), shredded coconut, or even chow mein noodles! The coating: Experiment with milk, dark or white chocolate, or using combinations of each (I found a mix of Green & Blacks milk & dark chocolate worked particularly well). Try melting Mars bars for a hint of caramel, or try the marshmallow recipe given on this page.

Marshmallow topping:

To make the nests with a marshmallow (rather than a chocolate) topping, melt 50g unsalted butter in saucepan on a low heat and mix in approx. 200g marshmallows. Keep stirring constantly until the marsh-mallows have melted, then remove from the heat and fold in your chosen cereal (you may not need all 75g as this topping doesn’t seem to stretch as far as the chocolate one). Again, rapidly spoon out into cupcake cases and refrigerate to set.

Additions: You can make your nests a little more exciting by stirring in additional ingredients like chopped raisins, cherries, or fudge chunks. Decoration: Children will enjoy decorating the cupcake cases with pens, stickers or glitter. If you don‟t want things getting too messy, give them some spare cases to decorate, then slip your finished nest (complete with undecorated case) inside the decorated ones once they are finished. In the picture to the left, I‟ve deco-rated a coconut-based nest with a chenille chick, then glued on a paper handle to make it look more like an Easter basket. If you are feeling particularly creative, why not try crafting an edible chick from marzipan or sugar icing?

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In the News

A round-up of news from around the world...

Great Britain

Scientists Study Baby Laughter Radio 5 News, 8th January 2013

Researchers at Birkbeck College, University of London, have launched a study into the science of babies‟ laughter. They hope that the findings will give them a better understanding of babies‟ developmental stages and psychology. If you have a child under two and a half, you can take part in the study at http://babylaughter.net

Indonesia

Baby Born in Midair Jakarta Post, 7th January 2013

A baby has been born in midair on a flight between islands in Indonesia. Mother, Harmani, was just as surprised as fellow passengers when at seven months pregnant she suddenly went into labour on board the plane. Merpati Airlines President Rudy Setyopurnomo confirmed: “Our crew immediately assisted Harmani and the baby was born safely.” Mother and baby were then airlifted to hospital, where they are reportedly both in a stable condition.

United States

Boys and Girls May Get Different Breast Milk

Scientific American, 14th Dec 2012

Researchers from Michigan State University have found that breast milk composition changes depending on the infant's gender and on whether conditions are good or bad. Researchers found that among mothers in rural Kenya, women with sons generally gave richer milk. Poor women, however, favoured daughters with creamier milk. The studies provide support for the Trivers-Willard hypothesis that natural selection favours investment in daughters when times are hard and in sons when times are easy. Evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers, co-author of the hypothesis, has referred to the new findings as ““exciting and enthralling.”

Great Britain

Dock Master Saves Baby From Icy Waters

Sky News, 28th January 2013

A heroic dock master rescued a six-month-old baby after his buggy was blown into freezing cold waters by strong winds. George Reeder, 63, heard the mother‟s screams and dived in to rescue the baby, who had been in the freezing waters for at least five minutes. The infant was revived by a passer-by who administered CPR, before being taken to hospital, where he is now recovering and out of Intensive Care.

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Meet the Team

In which area of Stockport do you live? Bredbury. I moved up here from Milton Keynes 5 years ago and have never looked back! It‟s a great place to be a mum thanks to all the great mum & baby groups and support groups we have in the area.

At which stage of parenthood are you? My little girl has just celebrated her 1st birthday. I can‟t quite believe it‟s been a whole year already, but we‟ve certainly made the most of it as I just love being a mum!

What's your occupation? I used to work as a Playworker, but now I‟m keeping equally busy as a stay-at-home mum.

What's your role within NCT? Newsletter Editor - Researching and sourcing articles, designing layouts etc.; hopefully coming up with something interesting for you all to read!

A favourite place to eat? The LifeCentre café in Romiley. Very friendly place, with great pastries and cakes too!

A favourite place to go with your family? We love strolling around Etherow country park, and swimming at Romiley Leisure Centre.

Tell us something that not many people know about you?

When I left University I spent a year volunteering and living in the Jesuit Volunteer Community in Glasgow. We even took part in silent retreats - which anyone who knows what a chatterbox I am now finds hard to believe!

Julia Doherty

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Copyright © NCT 2013 All views expressed in this newsletter are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Childbirth Trust charity. The appearance of an advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or its products by NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation. The information in this newsletter is intended for the use of NCT members, only in conjunction with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes. NCT™ Registered Charity no 801395 Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace, Acton, London W3 6NH

Please keep sending in your

cute images and anecdotes to stockportnctnewsletter@

gmail.com

The Cutest Thing!

And finally, we come to our Cutest Thing section where we

celebrate the sweetest moments we share with our kids…

Thanks to Meg Hill for sending us

this adorable picture of daughter

Emmy sharing a hug with big

brother Sam (left):

And thanks to Annabel Irvine for

sharing this lovely photo of 1 year

old Thomas having fun in the ball

pool (below):

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