Editor’s (first!) Letter Welcome to the first issue of Nurture ~ Natural Parenting Magazine! This issue has been five months in the making. It is quite exciting as I haven’t done anything like this before! As this is the first issue, it may be nice to tell you a little about myself and my introduction to natural parenting and this magazine. My introduction to Natural Parenting I, like most parents, started reading books and magazines during pregnancy. However, most of that mainstream information did not resonate with me. By chance, one day I bought ‘Helping Your Baby to Sleep – Why gentle techniques work best’ by Anni Gethin & Beth Macgregor. It was that book that made me realise that there were more approaches than those most widely advocated, and that I was ‘allowed’ to listen to my instincts. My instincts told me to ditch the pram and the cot! So I’m a breastfeeding, babywearing, cosleeping and responsive mummy! My history and consequential birth of Nurture Parenting Magazine I completed a law degree
and worked as an employment lawyer for five years before I had my little boy, William. Although I enjoyed being a lawyer, once I held my baby boy for the first time I knew that my legal career had ended. I wanted to stay at home with William to nurture him! Therefore, I had to find something I could do from home. Believe it or not, as soon as I left a psychic (it was the first one I have ever gone to and I did it for a bit of fun!) it dawned on me what my life purpose was! It is to help spread the message of natural parenting. In my view, the most important part of that message is really simple: LISTEN TO AND TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS It may require you to forget everything you have read and everything you have heard. But no one knows your child like you do. So that is how the birth of Nurture Parenting Magazine has come about! Given that message, when reading the articles in this magazine, view them as a useful tool if, and only if, they resonate with you. They are not gospel, the contributors do not know your child. You are the expert when it comes to your child! So please, sit back and enjoy the first edition of Nurture! We have a diverse range of articles, including how the power of touch can assist in gentle discipline, a wonderful article on how to raise resilient children, healthy recipes, tips on growing organic potatoes, and yoga positions that can help ward off winter colds!
Nurture Australia’s
Natural Parenting
Magazine
www.nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
Editor
Kristy Pillinger
Graphic Design
Karah Edwards & Kellie Forster
Photography
Anne Higgs Photography & Depositphotos
Issue Contributors
Kelly Bartlett, Kristin Beckedahl, Claire Bickle, Prue Blackmore, Kylie De Giorgio, Di Diddle, Sharon Dowley, Claire Eaton, Emily Filmore, Lisa Guy, Dr. Peter Haiman, Maureen Healy, Lisa Kim, Petrea King, Dr. Sarah Lantz, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, Anne McEwan, Melissa Rogers, Dr. Andrew Seaton, Patrice Thomas, Dr. Cassandra Vieten, Arnaum Walkley
Editorial Enquires:
editor@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
Advertising Enquires:
advertise@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
Feedback:
feedback@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
Subscriptions:
subscribe@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au Printed by Webstar Distributed in Australia by IPS Nurture is published four times a year (March, June, September and December) by Nurture Parenting Magazine Pty Ltd No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. Content within this magazine is information only and not necessarily the views of the editor. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider if you are in any doubt regarding any of this information.
Contents
Your Letters Cover photo: Anne Higgs Photography
Physical Development 6 Bushwalk Playgroup By Vicki Kearney
10 Raise em’ Green By Dr. Sarah Lantz
Spiritual Development 71 Nurturing Spirituality By Maureen Healy
Mum and Dad’s Development
31 10 Super Immune Boosting Foods
42 Mindful Mothering
34 Breastfeeding: Position! Position! Position!
52 Blokes at Birth
50 Dealing with Day Sleep Issues
60 A Positive Caesarean Birth
By Lisa Guy
By Sue Cox OAM By Anni Gethin
By Cassandra Vieten By Kristin Beckedahl
By Di Diddle
63 7 Reasons to wear your Baby By Anne McEwan
64 Potty Trainined by Age One! By Dr. Linda Sonna
74 Family Yoga: Immune boosting poses By Kylie DeGiogio
Regular Features 3 Your Letters & Photos 17 Your Story 55 Activity Time
Launching of a natural parenting magazine! I’m so thrilled about the launch of Nurture. We have a beautiful five month old and living in remote NSW can be isolating on the natural parenting front. We get some perplexed looks about baby wearing, not to mention co-sleeping! It will be great to stay informed on natural parenting issues as well as connect with the community and be reminded that there are like minded parents out there. So thank you! Janiece, NSW mum to Frida - 5 mths
Something Great to Read! Thank-you for launching a natural parenting magazine that will have real content in it! I’ve been looking around for a while for more natural parenting information, now I have found it! If
By Emily Filmore
Emotional Development 14 Preventing Sibling Rivalry By Dr Peter Ernest Hiemen
18 Building Resilient Children By Petrea King
26 The Power of Touch ~ How physical affection can assist in discipline By Kelly Bartlett
29 Close in Song
By Tara Hashambhoy
36 Creating Healthy Friendships By Claire Eaton
40 Nurturing Gratitude ~ The Power of a Meaningful Thank-you By Kerry Spina
56 Why Relationships Matter ~ Attachment Parenting in the 21st Century By Dr. Deborah MacNamara
Intellectual Development 24 Children are Little Scientists By Tim Seldin
46 A Truely Nurturing Education Part 1 By Dr Andrew Seaton
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Ask Our Experts 4 Arnaum Walkley 59 Prue Blackmore 23 Beyond Birth
it’s anything like the articles on your website, I know I’m going to enjoy it! Can’t wait to snuggle up on the couch and read the first issue! Julia, (VIC) mum to Jackson - 5 years
Milk Donor information I would be interested in seeing an article on breast milk donation. I have recently become a breast milk donor, however it appears that it is almost a taboo subject. Most breast milk donation is run via an ‘underground’ system. While there are several milk banks, the costs are prohibitive. There are blood banks everywhere, why not milk banks??? Many parents struggle to provide enough milk for their babies, so why not take advantage of the many ‘milky mamas’ out there who would be happy to assist? Naomi, mum to Alexis and Oliver – 10 mths
Write to us
& WIN! Email your letters to
editor@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
The ‘letter of the quarter’ will win a selection of 100% certified organic baby products (RRP $49.95)
courtesy of:
Your Photos Right: Toby (7 years) finding all his Easter eggs.
By Julia Jones
41 New General Research Results 49 New Brain Research Results 72 Organic Gardening: Winter Potatoes By Claire Bickle
34 What’s Cooking?
Meatballs & Earth biscuits
13 Stone Healing
By Rebecca from All About Amber
78 What’s On
By Melissa Rogers from A Little Bird
54 Dad’s Corner
By John Pillinger
68 Book Reviews
by Sharon Dowley
Above: Laura (2 1/2 years) following in her babywearing mamma’s footsteps! Below: Editor, Kristy, shares her family photos. Below left: My nephew & neice. Below right: My mother at 18 months.
Above right: Lily (21 months) breastfed, cloth nappy, amber wearing independent little girl!
Above: Fraser (3 years) enjoying the great out doors.
Send us your photos
& WIN
Email your photos to
editor@nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
The ‘photo of the quarter’ will win a $60 voucher to spend at
76 Product Reviews 70 Mumprenuer Interview
With Rebecca Vear from Baby Chilli
80 Directory
www.babychilli.com.au www.nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
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The natural organic choice for your baby!
Ask our Experts!
TM
Q
My 4 year old child still has afternoon naps. He is going to start school next year and I don’t know when I should wean him off the afternoon naps?
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A
Arnaum Walkley is a counsellor, parenting coach and accredited NLP Practitioner. Arnaum also provides a supportive and informative service for parents through Parenting Solutions (www.parentingsolutions.com.au)
6 | www.nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
www.natureschild.com.au
how he can have some restful ‘down time’. Taking cues from your child will assist the transition, as he will feel acknowledged and empowered that he is part of the plan. Focus on the positives. Naturally as adults we feel that becoming bigger and older is exciting. On the other hand often children are not ready to be a ‘bigger boy or girl’, it is unknown territory and can be quite overwhelming. Moving from Kindy to School may seem like a normal transition for adults but for some children it is like going to a different planet. You may choose to start this process by allowing him to have a sleep every second day. Then shorten his nap time over a week or two. Twenty minutes is usually enough time to rest without going into a deep sleep pattern. Allow him to rest or have a short nap somewhere comfortable that is not a bed, so you are breaking the association of bed and sleep, during the day. Perhaps you can create a new ‘Quiet time’ space together. Bean bags are great for quiet time. Introduce new concepts about how we can rest without sleeping, laying still and reading, or watching a calming DVD, if you feel that is appropriate. He may be grumpy the first few days that you wake him, if he is used to sleeping longer. Sitting with him and having big cuddle, rocking and singing is a lovely way to bring him out of sleep, and help him through this transition ~ it is important to remember that any introduction to change needs to be carried out with empathy and love. As you assist him adjusting his sleep windows, it may be necessary to introduce an earlier bed time. 4 year olds generally need at least 9 ½ - 11 hours sleep a night. If he comes home tired from school he will already be accustom to having ‘quiet time’, which will help everyone at the end of a busy day. Enquire if his school has a ‘quiet time’ for the little ones, in the afternoon so you both know what to expect. To help him maintain his energy levels make sure he is receiving all the nutrients he requires for an active boy. And remember any change takes a while to adjust to, but with love, understanding and guiding boundaries it can happen with ease and joy.
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Although your son still has an afternoon nap, weaning him off them can be done with ease. Changing patterns takes time and it is important to replace an old pattern or behaviour with a new one. As it is mid-year you have plenty of time to make this change. An important consideration is that you as the parent need to be ready to commit to assist him through this change. When a parent has clarity and feels confident in leading their child through change, it will happen with ease. He is looking to you for your leads and reassurance. I suggest that you share with him, why he may not require a day time sleep anymore, and you will be slowly cutting them down. Use simple, specific language. Explain how exciting it may be as you can spend more time together having a quiet time, reading or playing puzzles or just laying in a comfy bean bag for 20 minutes. It may be helpful to him if you chat about other ways to rest and relax, ask him to contribute his ideas of
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Bushwalk Playgroup There is a growing phenomena in Europe of forest kindergartens. It is a refreshing concept of having our children live, laugh and learn in a natural environment. Vicki Kearney provides a wonderful description of her bushwalk playgroup in Samford just outside of Brisbane
Photo: Depositphotos
“Knock,
knock, knock. founder of Whistlebrae Nature revealing the magic that the world has May we come Kindergarten speaks of children being to offer. Often a child will spot a hairy in?” I ask, tapping the old wooden post allowed to have a childhood, not a caterpillar or a stick insect on our path with the knuckles of my hand. And just melted down version of adulthood. The and we love to all stop, get down on below on the same post, in a similar young child’s work is to play. There is no our haunches and have a closer look. manner, are the hands of the little hurry, no preparation for kindergarten Butterflies flutter by regularly and whip children, imitating so beautifully. The or school. At the creek, they are just birds call out. But it’s all part of the walk. fairies always allow us into their garden, ‘allowed to be’. In fact, the more I sit This is not a teaching expedition and the gateway to the creek. We would not in observation, offering few words or therefore I do not impose my questions think to pass without respectfully asking instruction the better! on the children. We, the adults, are there permission to play at their house! It is interesting to observe each child, as silent witnesses to their childhood, And just beyond, lays the creek bed. how she or he meets each experience or gently guiding them along in their Full with water in the summer and dry challenge. Some children go head first innocence. as a bone in the winter, we experience into it, and others require more time, On our walk the child is able to move the seasons of the year wholesomely and showing signs of anxiety. The adults freely, noise levels are lower and silence truthfully. The trees stand tall above, in the group are particularly aware can seemingly be experienced through guarding us from the hot rays of Father and supportive of not only their own the play of light and dark beneath the Sun, our delicate skin protected. In the child’s needs but of all the children. It canopy of the trees. What does this drier months we are able give to the inner nature of to walk up the creek ‘Outdoors in nature, the child can experience the child, this peace bed, lucky to find a “real” stuff, not plastic. They can learn trust and and tranquillity? The puddle in which to experience wonder, revealing the magic that the song of the stream as throw a few rocks or it flows over the bed of world has to offer.’ fish for the green moss in the stagnant stones singing softly and water. is a blessing to have a Dad come along delicately, calls to the imagination of This is the Bushwalk Playgroup, an each week with his little girl and last the child. Children love the creek and initiative I birthed nearly 2 years ago, year we also had a Grandad. Men bring they love to swim and feel the strength after reading about the Forest or Nature the qualities of physical strength and a in the flow of the water tugging at Kindergartens, a common practice of certain toughness. They slip into that their bodies. Sometimes it is fast and childcare in Europe. This mixed age knowing of what little boys like to do they wonder if they can make it to group of children from babies to 5 when outside; they laugh easily, relaxing the other side. With encouragement years allows each and every child the into the play of the child, reminiscent of from the adult and holding onto a firm opportunity to develop at their own their own early years. ‘How wonderful hand their confidence builds with each pace. The older child whose speech is that Dad can take a day off from his accomplishment. less developed, who prefers to walk more work commitments to come out and be The only toys we bring along are the slowly is able to be with the younger with me!’ little wooden boats; otherwise we make child, not having to be measured up Outdoors in nature, the child can use of Mother Nature’s toys. against his peers. experience ‘real’ stuff, not plastic. They The children have their own little Claire Warden from Scotland, can learn trust and experience wonder, backpacks with food and water and
www.nurtureparentingmagazine.com.au
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