NCT Bromley & Chislehurst Autumn 2014

national Childbirth trust bromley & Chislehurst branch Member’s newsletter in this issue:

a supporting role - a dad’s perspective on breastfeeding diary of a (new) bromley Mum elephant art for your little one report from our undercover toddler

autumn 2014 plus Membership news nCt vacancies the diary pages local info & contacts

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Inside this Edition Features: Goodbye and thank you Relax, Stretch & Breathe

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Happy Birthday Bromley MSLC! 12 First steps

Birth Story 14-15 Review of the NCT Introducing Solids course

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A supporting role - A Dad’s perspective on breastfeeding

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10 Top Tips for a Dad-to-be (written by a Mum!)

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Babywearing: An interview with Emily Williamson, Founder of the South London Sling Library 20-21 My daughter’s birth 22-23 Out and about

Diary of a (new) Bromley Mum 28-29 Undercover Toddler 30 Cheeky Monkeys Get Active This Summer 33 Make & Do

Fun Finger Food 37 Feed the Family 37 Elephant Art 38-39

Regulars: Letter from the Editors 5 Letter from the Branch Co-ordinator 6 Meet the team 8-9 Appeal for local volunteers – Your Branch Needs You! 10 Membership Report 11

NCT Information: Branch Team listings 4 Useful telephone numbers 57 Local NCT support services 58

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NCT Bromley & Chislehurst Branch Team

Branch Co-ordinator

Suzanne Croft

Secretary

Karen Bell

Treasurer

Mila Rebollo milagrosrebollo@yahoo.co.uk

Membership Secretary

Elisabeth Bradshaw membership.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

Parent Support Co-ordinator

Gemma Dobbs

First Aid Course Co-ordinator Katie Searle bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk Nearly New Sale Co-ordinator Katie Searle nns.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk Newsletter Editor

Nicola Tootell & Rebecca Davies newsletter.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

Diary Co-ordinator and E-newsletter Co-ordinator

Shuk Tak Woo

Bumps Babies and Little Bees Co-ordinator

Ruth Howard rhoward8@sky.com

Cheeky Monkey Tea Party Co-ordinator

Gemma Dobbs

Advertising Manager

Nicola Tootell advertising.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

Webmaster and Newsletter designer

Karen Bell newsletter.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

Social Network Co-ordinator

POSITION VACANT

Bromley Brighter Beginnings

Emma Martin blartins@yahoo.co.uk

General Members

Carol Medcalf Helen Gardener Hazel Murphy

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Letter from the Branch Co-ordinator Welcome to our first newsletter from our fresh team of volunteers!

My name is Suzanne Croft I am Mum to two very lively little ones, I gave up work as a secondary teacher after my son was born but am now training as a Volunteer Breastfeeding Councillor. I became Branch Co-ordinator in April and am pleased to say we have built up a new and exciting team in the last few months with lots of ideas for the future.

Keep your eyes open for our Cheeky Monkey tea parties, nearly new sales, Christmas fair, new baby teas, our BBLB playgroup and much more. We are always looking for more volunteers and fresh ideas so if you feel you can give some time then please contact us and of course don’t forget to like us on Facebook.

We also say goodbye to Cath Narracott, who was one our our wonderful antenatal teachers and ran Relax, Stretch and Breathe for many years. She has now qualified as a midwife and where we lose, mothers-to-be are gaining a fantastic midwife.

I am so pleased to see our newsletter reinstated. I remember reading and enjoying it in the early hours with my newborn when I first joined the NCT. I hope you enjoy it too!

Suzanne Croft Mum to Amy & William

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Letter from the Editors Hello Readers

Hello All

I am excited to be editing the new look Bromley and Chislehurst NCT Newsletter.

Since volunteering back in June, it has been great to meet the other enthusiastic volunteers and work with them in putting this newsletter together – we hope that you find it useful and interesting.

I am delighted to be co-editing the newsletter alongside Nicola. Nicola also took on the challenging task of advertising manager (as well as her two little ones), which is vital to the success of the newsletter.

We wouldn’t be able to have produced the newsletter at all without the hard work of Karen Bell, who is our Graphic Designer and longstanding volunteer (and font of knowledge).

By way of introduction, I am a stay at home Mummy to two lively little boys, aged 3 and 1. I’m currently having a career break from my role as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, and volunteering with the NCT is allowing me to use my brain again which feels great – particularly when it aims to benefit other new Mums and Dads out there.

We’d love to hear from anyone who would like to contribute with writing articles for our forthcoming issues. Whether it’s your birth story, Diary of a Bromley Mum or if you have an idea for an article, just email us at newsletter.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk or let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

In our new newsletter we are making a new start as many of you reading this will be – be it with new arrivals, watching your baby’s first steps or even sending your little ones off to school or nursery (they grow up so fast!). With articles as varied as tips for babywearing, reviews of family-friendly activities and even what to cook to fill little mouths, hopefully there is something for everyone in these pages!

We hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Rebecca Davies Mum to William

Thank you to all those who have contributed to this newsletter. Read on and most of all…enjoy!

Nicola Tootell Mum to Matthew & Rory www.facebook.co.uk/nctbromleychislehurst For news of latest events; table top sales, coffee mornings etc.

Follow @NCTBromley on Twitter Don’t miss any updates, sign up today & follow!

Download the NCT app!

FIND your nearest baby changing facility.

Tell others about facilities you use.

Join our branch Yahoo! e-group and keep up-todate with local chat and news on local events.

E-mail nctbandc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away

20% discount if you quote 'NCT' when booking

www.ginablewett.co.uk infoto@ginablewett.co.uk 07919288174 7

The Bromley & Chislehurst NCT Volunteers

Meet the team Name: Suzanne Croft NCT Role: Branch Co-ordinator Likes: Running, films and my new kitchen my husband built for me!

Dislikes: long toenails and shopping My perfect day: relaxing on a campsite with my family in the sunshine Something people I was brought up in Belgium probably don't know about me: Mum to: Amy (4) and William (3) Name: Mila Rebollo NCT Role: Branch Treasurer Likes: Cinema, french food and hiking Dislikes: Aggressive drivers My perfect day: Going to the seaside or the mountain

with my family

Something people Before having my first daughter, I probably don't used to drive my motorbike around in know about me: London totally fearless, something I

wouldn’t do now

Mum to: Marina (4) and Sofia (1) Name: Sherry Bevan NCT Role: PSA Link and Breastfeeding Counsellor Likes: Running, cycling, photography Dislikes: Beetroot and hearing other people brush their teeth My perfect day: A family get-together with plenty of food and drink Mum to: Laura (12 years) and Georgina (9 years)

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Name: Gemma Dobbs NCT Role: Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party Co-ordinator & Parental Support Co-ordinator Likes: Organising things, theatre & socialising Dislikes: Disorganisation My perfect day: A day out with the family Something people I bungee jumped ‘The Nevis’ (134 m) in probably don't New Zealand know about me: Mum to: Ollie (3) and Jessica (1) Name: Rebecca Davies NCT Role: Newsletter editor Likes: The sea, the sky (blue or starry),

Dislikes:

My perfect day:

Something people don't know about me:

being involved with theatre, lazy days with friends & family Competitive baby showing off if your baby sleeps through at 8 weeks, at least admit it’s luck :) An event called the nonmariners race which takes place on a bank holiday Sunday in August in Bermuda. Everyone brings their boat for a raft up with lots of rum. Our boat broke down so we decided to swim all day, carrying a full cool box and hopping from one boat of friends to another. We swam back to shore at sunset with turtles (and an empty cooler)!

I’ve driven an articulated lorry round a race track

Mum to: William, 7 months Name: Katie Searle NCT Role: Nearly New Sale Co-ordinator Likes: Books, films and bargains Dislikes: Fruit and salad My perfect day: Going out for a ride on my motorbike followed by a cold glass of cider & chips Something people don’t know about me: I keep pet rats Mum to: Phoebe 6 months

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Membership News I am the Membership Co-ordinator for Bromley and Chislehurst branch and my role involves welcoming you, our branch members, when you first join by sending an introductory letter, a copy of our latest branch newsletter and an invitation to join our Yahoo e-group. I am the point of contact within the branch for membership enquiries and I am responsible for developing strategies to recruit new members and retain existing members. I have being volunteering in this role for two years and really enjoy playing a small part in supporting local families to find out how the NCT can help them make friends and become more confident parents.

Membership of our branch continues to grow, in the last 12 months our branch membership increased by 6%, with an average of 27 new members joining each month. We currently have 604 members from 324 households. Members that have joined in the last 12 months make up just over half of our total membership and we know that majority of you are either expectant parents or very new parents, so with our newly revitalised committee in place we are keen to provide events and activities that are relevant to this stage of your parenting journey.

If you have any suggestions for how our communication with members could be improved or have any questions about membership in general I would love to hear from you, please email me at membership.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk Elisabeth Bradshaw, Membership Co-ordinator and Mum to Will, aged 5 and Lauren, aged 6 months.

Disclaimer loss, damage or injury arising out of goods sold through any advertisements in this newsletter.

Any discount offered to NCT members by any advertisement is done so entirely at the discretion of the advertiser.

The information in this newsletter is for the benefit of NCT (National Childbirth Trust) members and beneficiaries. It may be used only in connection with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of NCT. The information contained in this newsletter should not be reproduced without the editor’s consent in writing. The appearance of an advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the company or its products by NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation.

However, it is always worth mentioning when replying to an advertisement that you saw it in an NCT newsletter. NCT cannot be held liable for

Our branch is run by volunteers. We are mostly parents with young children working from home which means we are not always available.

Please be considerate of meal/bed times if you telephone us, and allow a few days for us to respond to emails. This includes our agents such as bra fitters, valley cushion and pump agents, and also our breastfeeding counsellors and peer supporters.

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Goodbye and thank you Relax, Stretch & Breathe From Bumps to Babies...

Here at Bromley and Chislehurst NCT Branch HQ we are looking to the future and wishing Cath Narracott huge success in her new career as a midwife.

Unfortunately, her imminent move towards the labour ward sadly means a goodbye to the much-loved Relax Stretch and Breathe Class which Cath has been running for the last four and a half years. This weekly session has been attended by hundreds of local expectant Mummies and has given them the time and space to focus on themselves, their pregnancies and their upcoming labour.

Cath is a well-loved and long-standing member of the NCT. Originally helping with fundraising events such as our Nearly New Sales and serving new Mummies a muchneeded cuppa at our very own Bumps, Babies and Little Bees Drop-in. She has previously run the advertising for the Newsletter and has also taught more traditional antenatal classes in Bromley for the last ten years.

Due to finish her midwifery training at the end of this month, there is no end to her talents.

Cath is about to embark on a career as a midwife and, if her record is anything to go by, we are sure it will be a successful and bright one!

We are hugely grateful for all the time, effort and enthusiasm you have generously given to the NCT and wish you all the best for the future.

Cath being presented with a plant at her last Relax Stretch and Breathe Class along with a lovely group of expectant Mummies and a couple of the little one’s who were regulars to Cath’s Class although they didn’t know it at the time!

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Happy Birthday Bromley MSLC! The Bromley Maternity Services Liaison Committee (MSLC) celebrates its first birthday in September 2014 and Laura James, NCT antenatal teacher and MSLC chair, explains what the committee has been up to in the last 12 months.

What is the MSLC? The MSLC oversees the services that are being provided to pregnant and new parents and recommends changes and improvements where these are needed.

It acts as a way of passing on the views of people who use Bromley maternity services to those who provide them. A third of the committee is made up of service users (people who have had a baby in the last three years at the PRUH) and the rest of the members are health professionals and representatives from bodies such as Public Health, Bromley Healthcare and the CCG. The last twelve months have been exceptionally busy. In February we held a Development Day during which we set out our priorities for the year. We are working towards:

• Transforming some of the rooms on labour ward into “active birth rooms”. We are

also writing an information sheet for expectant parents detailing what they can do to improve their birth environment.

• Introducing breastfeeding peer supporters to the maternity wards • Establishing Walk the Patch, an initiative whereby service users go onto the postnatal wards and have a talk to women about their experiences. This information is fed back to the committee and recommendations for improvements are made.

• Making recommendations about changes to the Early Pregnancy Evenings, including the “virtual” tour of the PRUH.

Are you interested in getting involved?

We always need new service users and would be delighted to see you at one of our meetings. Being part of the committee means your views and experiences will be heard, and you will directly help improve care to women, partners and babies using the maternity services.

Meetings are held in the daytime every two months at a children’s centre in the Bromley area and a crèche is provided.

If you are interested in finding out more please contact Laura James at bromleymslc@outlook.com or have a look at our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/bromleymslc

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Y O G A flexibility……strength……breathing……relaxation CLASSES for: Mixed Ability (beginners welcome!)

Gentle Advanced Teacher Training Pregnancy Postnatal (mother and baby) Baby Massage Held at: St Mark’s Church Room Westmoreland Road Bromley South For details contact:

Zoe Knott

02084641553 / 07860560825 zoeknott@tiscali.co.uk Member of the NCT Teacher Trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga

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FIRST STEPS

Birth Story I have two children Amy (4) and William who is nearly three! Sixteen months apart but two very different birth stories.

also got off to a great start and that I was home in time for dinner!

“I fell pregnant with William just 8 1/2 months later”

With Amy we made a birth plan, I wanted her in water with little or no pain relief. Our NCT antenatal teacher, I felt, had prepared us well and I really wanted to feel the benefits of birthing in water. So at 39 weeks we were meeting friends in London at 8pm when my waters broke outside the London Dungeons of all places!!

I fell pregnant with William just 8 1/2 months later whilst I was still breastfeeding Amy. However, William’s birth was a whole different story. At 34 weeks they suspected he was breech and the morning I was due a scan to confirm this, at 36 weeks, I went into labour again early morning. I couldn’t believe it as it was so early so I let my husband go to work. Eventually, I phoned the hospital, waited for my godmother to come and look after my daughter, had a shower and packed a bag. I hadn’t even written a birth plan or talked about names with my husband. I was convinced I would go in and they would send me home again, I didn’t understand the implications of going into labour early with a breech baby.

“my waters broke outside the London Dungeons of all places!!”

Upon reflection all the signs were there, I had had a ‘show’ the day before and I had been having irregular ‘tightenings’ all day.

My husband and I hotfooted it into a taxi back home to pick up my bag and straight to the birthing unit. They checked my waters were clear and sent me home in the hope I would start feeling regular contractions soon, or they would have to induce me in 24 hours. It was hard waiting; I was trying to watch telly but don’t remember what was on. Nothing seemed to be happening so we had dinner and went to bed.

“I was scanned straight away where they confirmed a footling breech” We eventually got to hospital about 10am and I was scanned straight away where they confirmed a footling breech; he had one foot stuck down my birth canal! I was made to lie down and strapped to monitors to try and slow down the labour, while they waited for a slot for a c-section for me. All the while, I was still asking them if I could labour in water!

I didn’t start having proper contractions until 5am the next morning. They were very regular and frequent about 3 minutes apart for some time. I just wanted to lie in the bath for as long as I could - it really helped with the pain. At 9am my husband was insistent that we went into the birthing unit and I’m glad he did as Amy made an appearance just 1 1/2 hours later in the birthing pool!

Having been allowed to wander around and have virtually no intervention with Amy’s birth, being made to labour on my back strapped to monitor and drips whilst I wait for a slot to have a c section came as a bit of a shock. But upon reflection they were just looking after me and William, because had if I had wandered around I’d have

The midwifes were amazing, very hands off, and let my husband support me through it all. It could not have gone better! Though a bit of a shock to the system being so quick, there had been no time for pain relief just water. I was so pleased that breastfeeding

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FIRST STEPS risked his foot coming out, endangering both him and me. The staff were so very calm, yet firm with me about my care that I can only be grateful for these highly experienced professionals taking care of me and my son.

I have to say it was such a relief when I felt the blocker work and I could no longer feel the contractions. I think it was probably more overwhelming for my husband than for me as he was unable to support me as much as he did with our daughter, but he was there the whole time dressed in theatre clothes.

They had said that if I started dilating significantly they would have to rush me in, when I eventually convinced them to check me (as my contractions were not registering on their machine) indeed I was 4 to 5 cms and I was rushed in! The midwife had been on my side and knew I was labouring - she just had to convince the surgeon that I was feeling contractions even though they weren’t registering.

“I think it was probably more overwhelming for my husband than for me” The Special Care team were ready and waiting in the theatre but thankfully they were not needed. William was born healthy, though a little early, and with an extremely bruised ankle and foot. Although it was not the birth that I wanted, I was relieved that he was healthy and fortunately his foot was fine after some additional checks. The team that delivered him were so good and looked after me really well.

“I always felt like I was in safe hands and the midwife stayed with me, being my voice when I needed her.”

When everything kicked into action, all the staff were so calm and reassuring. I always felt like I was in safe hands and the midwife stayed with me, being my voice when I needed her. She asked the anaesthetist to wait before giving me a blocker while I was having a contraction (I deal with pain quietly but she knew instantly I was having a contraction without me having to say).

We spent three days more in hospital, not entirely unpleasant as I got to read some magazines and watched a film on my phone!

Written by Suzanne, Mummy to Amy & William.

What’s your story?

We would love to feature your birth story in our quarterly branch magazine.

If you would like to share your story, please email:

newsletter.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

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FIRST STEPS

Review of the NCT Introducing Solids course I recently attended the NCT run Weaning Workshop and wanted to share my experience for anyone thinking of attending the course in future. My reason for attending the workshop was largely to meet some Mums with babies the same sort of age as my daughter Phoebe and really just a bit of reassurance that what I was doing was right.

When Phoebe hit 5 months (at the beginning of August) her appetite changed dramatically and it went on for longer than I would have expected a growth spurt to last. So I started her with a little baby rice with her ‘tea time’ bottle at around 3-4pm to see what would happen and, by the time I attended the workshop, I was giving her breakfast and tea of baby rice with fruit and veg purees.

There were around 10 of us at the workshop that day which I think was a nice number, small enough that it felt interactive whilst having enough people to have some good discussion and varying experiences. I was one of the only parents already starting to wean, although Phoebe was one of the oldest babies there. Some parents, however, had older children and so had gone through the process previously. For those of us who took our babies along with us (all but one) there was a large playmat with baby toys for the babies which meant they were entertained and us parents could concentrate during the workshop.

The workshop focussed mainly on the why, when and how of weaning including how to tell if your baby is ready to wean and what food they can have at 6 months and then, after one year. This information was also provided in a hand-out to take away which has been useful to refer back to and share with my husband. We also discussed the differences between baby-led weaning, making purees at home and using commercial products which was all very interesting and I in fact changed some of my views about baby led weaning and ready-made foods after attending the workshop.

The course cost £33 for a morning (10:30-12:30) which perhaps is a little pricey for the amount of information included - I would have liked a bit more information about timescales/timeline of weaning but overall I got more out of the workshop than I expected and am glad I went (it was also nice to get hot tea made for me and chocolate biscuits!!).

Written by Katie, Mummy to Phoebe.

To book an NCT course visit: www.nct.org.uk/courses

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FIRST STEPS

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FIRST STEPS

A supporting role Al, Dad to Millie and Gus (3 and 1) gives a Dad’s perspective on breastfeeding It’s a truism that when men’s minds turn to women’s breasts, as they do from time to time, it isn’t usually in the context of their baby-nourishing properties. So it should come as no surprise that for many expectant fathers, the prospect of their partner breastfeeding their child takes a certain amount of getting used to.

The situation is not helped by the widely held assumption that men cannot be expected to behave like adults when the subject of breasts arises.

around whenever you leave the house was a major benefit, particularly given the amount of other junk that we seemed to take everywhere.

And of course, there is a good reason why new Mums spend all their time meeting in coffee shops, given the extra calories needed. Some people are lucky enough to get back to their prebirth weight immediately and effortlessly, but I doubt I will ever get there, having taken the view that I wouldn’t be empathising properly if I didn’t join her in the extra cake eating.

Breastfeeding can and should be an enormously rewarding and bonding experience not just for Mum and baby, but also for the Dad. However, it is also potentially stressful, particularly for first time parents, whether initially because it takes time to “work” properly or later because the lack of sleep is starting to take its toll. Adding a further concern that your partner may resent you breastfeeding, or will only tolerate it for a short time, is hardly what new Mums need.

We have been lucky enough to have had two babies who, the occasional hiccough notwithstanding, have fed well. But breastfeeding is not possible for every Mum or every baby, no-one is a failure if it doesn’t work out, and at least as a Dad you then get to spend more quality feeding time with your baby, even if most of it is in the middle of the night…

How men can help with breastfeeding

1. It is easy for breastfeeding Mums to feel

It is also in no way representative of the way that I, or any of my friends with children, have felt about our partners breastfeeding. I found it a far more emotional experience than I would have expected: a sense of awe, amazement and joy at my other half’s ability to provide everything that our babies needed. The phrase “one of nature’s miracles” is a horrible cliché, but sums up the way I felt when watching her feed them. I felt enormously protective, but at times this was tinged with jealousy and sadness that this was a relationship that I couldn’t have with my children.

tied to the baby but Dads can do bottle feeds with expressed milk overnight (so she can get some much needed sleep) and during the day or evening so that she has some time for herself.

2. Encourage your partner to feed wherever she, your baby and (last and definitely least) you are comfortable. Stand up for her, for example if less enlightened members of the public suggest that she might be “more comfortable” feeding in the toilet.

There were other, more practical, considerations that would never have occurred to me previously.

I lost count of the number of times in the first few weeks that my wife asked me anxiously whether I thought that our daughter was getting enough milk. At least with bottles of formula, you know where you stand. As a Dad I think it’s much easier to look at your child objectively and see how healthy he or she seems and be able to offer reassurance.

3. Recognise that the right length of time

to breastfeed is something the two of you should decide together. At some point you’ll both want to get back to your pre-baby selves (inasmuch as that’s ever possible!)

4. Jokes about converting your bedroom into a dairy farm are neither big nor clever.

With thanks to Al and Jen Walmsley for sharing their story.

Avoiding the need to cart enormous quantities of formula, bottles and associated paraphernalia

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FIRST STEPS

10 Top Tips for a Dad-to-be (written by a Mum!)

by Lisa Koning 1. Your wife/partner will undoubtedly call you many rude names during childbirth. She will blame you solely for the pain she is enduring. She will swear, rant and rage, primarily at you. Forget everything she says! she will.

2. do not plan any diy, golf days or pub visits during your paternity leave. You should expect to achieve nothing during this period other than waiting tirelessly on your partner and bonding with your baby.

3. do not go back to sleep whilst your wife is in labour. While this may seem practical to you, we at least expect you to offer sympathy and a back-rub.

4. Do not take any clothing, jewelry or items of value into the labour room. Your partner cannot be held liable for any potential damage (such as ripped shirts or teeth bites in sleeves!)

5. Do not relay back to your partner anything she says during labour - trust me, we’ve all said that we will never go through childbirth again!

6. pamper your partner rotten - lots of flowers, chocolates and attention! Tell her she is beautiful, extra tummy rolls and all. After all, she’s given you the best present ever.

7. Remember it’s your baby too. You might not be able to breastfeed but you can do everything else!

8. Make sure your partner has her hospital bag ready weeks before baby is due. It will be you packing it otherwise and asking a woman in labour where her maternity knickers are can unleash untold abuse and violence.

9. Tell your partner what a fantastic job of childbirth she did - regardless of any complications. It’s the end result that counts!

10. Do not request any wild passionate exchanges we will tell you when were up to it! Cuddles are fine.

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FIRST STEPS

Babywearing: An interview with Emily Williamson, Founder of the South London Sling Library What types of slings are available?

Babywearing has many well-documented benefits for both parent and baby, but finding the right sling can be a minefield. That’s where sling libraries come in. We have a great sling library on our doorstep and we went to meet the Founder of the South London Sling Library, Emily, to find out more.

The choice is quite overwhelming! Indeed, the sling library have over 400 slings in their library and all the brands carried are listed on their website. However, slings generally fall into five main categories: 1. Stretchy wraps Stretchy wraps are long lengths of soft stretchy jersey fabric that you wrap around yourself to carry your baby securely. They are most suitable for front carrying babies up to about 6-12 months and are fantastic for using with newborns and smaller babies.

We met Emily at one of the Open Sessions held twice a week at their premises in Beckenham.

Every week, they see between 20-40 Mums looking for practical advice on finding the right sling for them and their babies. It’s become a lot busier since they opened their doors in 2011.

2.

We went to find out more about babywearing and finding the right sling.

Mei Tai

The Mei Tai fastens by tying around the waist and over the shoulders. They have a square or rectangular body with straps coming out of the top corners and various different possible fastening methods and positions. Mei Tais are suitable for newborns, babies and toddlers and can be worn on the front, back or hip.

What are some of the benefits of babywearing?

Most obviously, it is an incredibly practical way of getting around with your baby hands-free, without having to plan your days out around step-free access. However, convenience is by no means the only reason to carry your baby in a sling.

3.

Keeping baby close means that parents enjoy a close relationship with their babies. It encourages you to chat to your baby as you go about your day, helping bonding and baby’s speech development.

Ring Slings

Worn over one shoulder, ring slings are a length of fabric with two rings sewn in to one end to create a very adjustable pocket for the child to be carried in. Ring slings are suitable for newborns, babies and toddlers using different carrying positions.

It is also good for baby physically, as a carried baby is still using their developing muscles when being carried. When carried correctly, babies’ hips, legs and spines are in the best position for healthy development.

4.

Soft Structured Carriers

Usually a square or rectangular panel that fastens with straps and buckles. Your child is held close against your body for good weight distribution. They are suitable for babies and/or toddlers depending on the carrier features and size. Many fit best from between 3-6 months; some are suitable from newborn, though may require adaptions or inserts to ensure a good, safe fit.

Babies also tend to be more settled when carried, and will often sleep more soundly and cry less.

What if your baby cries or doesn’t seem to enjoy being in a sling?

Many people give up the idea of babywearing if baby cries or seems uncomfortable, however Emily explained that this is quite common when trying a new sling. After all, it’s a completely new experience for baby and for Mum so many babies initially show signs of being a little unsettled.

Once a Mum is confident and comfortable in a sling then baby will relax in the carrier too. Moving around with a baby in a sling is also a great way to soothe them; most babies love to be carried and settle down happily within a couple of minutes.

5.

Woven wraps

Woven wraps are long pieces of specially woven fabric with different lengths suitable for different tying methods. They are suitable for all children from newborn up to about age 3-4+. You can use them for front, back and hip carries.

More information on each type of sling and their pros and cons can be found on the South London Sling Library’s website - southlondonslings.co.uk.

20

FIRST STEPS How do I know which is right for me?

or when your baby can sit unaided.

The right fit is key to success in babywearing, and it’s very personal. The team liken finding the right sling to finding the right bra, jeans or pair of shoes – you need to try before you buy (with your baby). A badly fitting sling could potentially cause strain to the body and any discomfort or signs of strain puts people off using them for longer periods than a jaunt to the corner shop.

The ‘best’ positions are the ones that are safe and comfortable for both you and your baby.

You’ll probably find that different positions work best for you in different situations, and that you carry your baby in different ways as they grow and their needs change.

What if you’ve already got a sling and don’t want to buy a new one?

Emily told us that the weight of the baby should be hugged into the body, not felt only on the hip or shoulder, but evenly distributed.

There seems to be a learning curve with many slings, so you can also take along the sling you own along to one of the South London Sling Library Open Sessions for some help adjusting it and getting confident using it.

Other factors to consider when choosing the type of sling include the age of your baby, how often you intend to use it, if you’re happy to tie knots or prefer buckles and if different people will be using it. The best way to find out which sling or carrier is right for you is to try a few on for yourself and see how you feel using them. You may be surprised at what you find works best for you and your baby!

Occasionally, slings simply don’t suit people, or baby outgrows a particular type of sling that had previously worked. You may be able to change how you use your current sling to better suit a growing baby, or it may be that a different carrier might work best for you.

So, babywearing isn’t just for newborns?

Are there any safety tips?

Not at all! Emily advised that slings are great for all ages and can be just as useful for 3 or 4 year old children as they can be for newborns. After all, even once your baby has become a toddler, little legs get tired so a sling is a great option that means you’re not lugging around an empty pushchair.

Particularly for babies under 4 months, there are some safety tips that will ensure you keep baby safe. These are called the T.I.C.K.S. rules for safe babywearing*.

TIGHT – Slings should be tight enough to hug your baby close to you. Any loose fabric will allow your baby to slump down in the carrier, which can hinder their breathing and pull on your back.

If you’ve found that your baby felt ‘too heavy’ to carry in a carrier, then it’s likely that simply tweaking how you use it, or trying a better-fitting carrier will suddenly make them feel much lighter!

There are many slings and carriers that offer comfortable, supportive weight distribution for carrying heavy babies and toddlers, and using a suitable sling will be much better for your back than propping them on your hip or shoulders!

IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES – You should always be able to see your baby’s face by glancing down.

The fabric should not close round them so you have to open it to check on them.

CLOSE ENOUGH TO KISS – Your baby’s head should be as close to your chin as is comfortable.

What’s the best position for carrying baby – inward facing, outward facing, hip carry or back carry?

KEEP CHIN OFF THE CHEST – A baby should never be curled so their chin is forced onto their chest as this can restrict their breathing.

For newborns, the safest and most supportive position is to carry your baby high and snug on your chest, facing your body. An upright, inward facing position gives the best support for your baby’s head, spine and airways, and is also great for easing the symptoms of colic and reflux. For young babies under 4 months, please also refer to the safety tips below.

As your baby grows, then different positions can be tried; hip carries and outwards facing positions may be used from around 4 months once your baby can securely support his head.

Back carries are suitable from around 6 months

SUPPORTED BACK – In an upright carry a baby should be held comfortably close to the wearer to their back is supported in its natural position and their tummy and chest are against you. If a sling is too loose they can slump which can partially close their airway.

For lots more information on the Sling Library and articles on babywearing, see the South London Sling Library website: southlondonslings.co.uk *Information supplied by South London Sling Library

21

FIRST STEPS

My daughter’s birth For my second baby’s birth I decided I would like a home birth. Although my son’s birth five years ago in hospital went well, I ended up with an assisted delivery and it all felt a bit clinical so I was hoping it would be much more relaxed at home. My husband, Tim, was initially worried about the risks of home birth but, thanks to lots of information available via NCT, I was able to reassure him. For women having a second or subsequent baby planned home births are as safe for the baby as planned birth in hospital and can offer health and other benefits for the mother.

Hypnotherapy on CD from about 5 months into my pregnancy, which I found very relaxing.

6 days before my due date at 2pm I felt a large twinge but as I’d been having Brackston-Hicks contractions for several days I didn’t think much of it. Shortly after, I walked to collect my son from school but on the way home the contractions increased.

They were quite strong but varied in frequency, coming anything from 7 minutes to 20 minutes apart. I realised I was actually in labour!

Within an hour, they were 4-5 minutes apart so I called my Mum to ask her to come over and look after my son. I called Tim at work and asked him to come home and I also called the maternity unit at PRUH who paged the on-call midwife. She called me back and told me to call her again when the contractions were less than 4 minutes apart and were lasting for over a minute.

“For women having a second or subsequent baby planned home births are as safe for the baby as planned birth in hospital” So, we jointly attended an NCT home birth support group to discuss the issue further, which we both found very helpful and were greatly reassured that it could be straightforward. My local midwife team were also very supportive and when I was 37 weeks pregnant they confirmed that, as my pregnancy was low-risk, I could have a home birth. I was hoping to use a birthing pool, if not for the actual birth then at least for the first stage of labour, and we chose to buy an inflatable birth pool.

Within another hour they were much more frequent and I called her again. She agreed to come out to assess me, although she told me that if I wasn’t in established labour she wouldn’t be able to stay. By this time Tim had arrived home and he had started setting up the birth pool downstairs whilst I listened to the hypnobirthing CD and concentrated on my breathing.

“they confirmed that, as my pregnancy was low-risk, I could have a home birth.”

“I was coping quite well at this stage and she offered to examine me. To both our surprise, she found I was fully dilated!”

We practised setting the birth pool up a few weeks before my due date and it was very quick to inflate, although a bit cumbersome to fill as the hose connector didn’t fit our kitchen tap very well. It also took up quite a bit of space in our living room so we put it away and planned to put it up again once I’d gone into labour. I also planned to use hypnobirthing, and listened to Natal

When the midwife arrived at about 6.15pm she chatted to me for a while to assess me and read my notes. I was coping quite well at this stage and she offered to examine me. To both our surprise, she found I was fully dilated! She called her colleague and

22

FIRST STEPS asked her to come, as they always have two midwives present for the actual birth.

She also didn’t have any equipment with her as she hadn’t thought I was so far along when she spoke to me on the phone, so the second midwife was asked to collect the supplies from PRUH on her way over!

I was stretchered into the ambulance and one of the midwives brought Lauren along with me; the other midwife travelled in her car and Tim followed closely behind in ours. I was told that sometimes travelling on bumping roads to hospital can dislodge the placenta but that didn’t happen in my case and after waiting for a couple of hours in hospital I was taken into theatre, given a spinal anaesthetic (which only took a few minutes to work) and then the surgeon removed the placenta manually. Due to the possible risk of getting an infection, I had to remain in hospital for 48 hours afterwards to receive a course of antibiotics.

At this time, Tim still hadn’t finished filling the birth pool but, now that I was at the second stage of labour I didn’t really feel like I wanted to get in anyway so we abandoned that idea. I concentrated on pushing, I found being on hands and knees on the floor was the most comfortable position. At 8.35pm my daughter, Lauren, was born, weighing 6lbs 5 oz. I felt exhausted but overjoyed. The midwives’ shift had actually finished at 8pm but they had stayed with me and now the next midwives came to take over.

I don’t believe I would have avoided having a retained placenta if I had given birth in hospital and I would still thoroughly recommend home birth.

“despite the best efforts of the midwives, my placenta remained firmly in place.“

Although my home birth didn’t go according to plan and I ended up having to stay in hospital, I don’t believe I would have avoided having a retained placenta if I had given birth in hospital and I would still thoroughly recommend home birth. I believe my labour was much quicker than if I had been at hospital or a birth centre because I was much more relaxed in my own home. It’s nice to think that Lauren will grow up knowing that she has a special link to our house.

I had managed to give birth without any pain relief and I had already decided that I would try to deliver the placenta naturally too. However I didn’t have further contractions so after about 20 minutes the midwives decided to give me the injection to bring on the third stage. Unfortunately this didn’t work either and despite the best efforts of the midwives, my placenta remained firmly in place. I was also losing blood and felt quite weak by this time so the midwives decided that the only option was for me to be taken to PRUH and they called for an ambulance.

“I was stretchered into the ambulance and one of the midwives brought Lauren along with me;”

Elisabeth Bradshaw, Membership Secretary and Mum to Will, aged 5 & Lauren, 6 months.

23

OUT & ABOUT

Bromley & Chislehurst

TABLE TOP SALE

JANUARY 2014 DATE & LOCATION TO BE CONFIRMED

Buy and sell good quality secondhand toys, books and equipment for under-12s together with a wide range of clothing for babies, children and expectant Mums.

For more details or to join the waiting list please Email: nns.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

NCT Baby first aid courses In partnership with

Taking a first aid course is a great way to gain confidence in how to handle incidents that may occur in or out of the home.

Our courses are open to everyone (members and nonmembers, singles and couples). Each course is limited to a maximum of 15 people, Courses include the management of infant resuscitation, meningitis, febrile convulsions and choking and all attendees will be issued with a manual. Tea and coffee available.

We are planning the next a course in November.

Details TBC Email Katie Searle at bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk for more info.

24

FIRST STEPS

25

FIRST STEPS

26

The Bromley Brighter Beginnings project is now established as a local resource for vulnerable families in desperate need, and we receive regular referrals from various professionals such as health visitors, midwives, refuge officers and other community workers.

Planning a clearout? We accept most things in good condition: clothes (for babies, children and their Mums), books and toys, bedding and household goods, equipment such as baby monitors, plus larger items such as travel cots, cots, Moses baskets, buggies and car seats.

Please note however that we are short of storage space at the moment and can only collect when specific need arises for larger items.

Making a donation to charity?

Cash donations enable us to buy specific items required by individuals Good at social networking? Email your friends or post a message on Facebook about the project, providing a link to our website, and asking people to pass the details on to their friends too.

Planning to see your health visitor, midwife or GP? Take some of our leaflets with you about the project.

Are you employed? Ask your employer whether they offer a matching scheme for charitable donations made by their employees, or volunteer grants where they offer monetary donations as a match for employees’ volunteer work.

Have a spare hour a week? We need help with specific aspects of running the project; for example collecting donations from people, and organising fundraising events.

27

OUT & Advertorial

ABOUT

Baby Sensory classes in Bromley & Orpington Parents and their babies (birth to 13 months) can now enjoy award winning Baby Sensory classes in Bromley and Orpington.

Hayley Gunawarna will run her classes in Orpington on Mondays, and in Bromley on Tuesdays.

Baby Sensory, written by Dr. Lin Day (PhD Dip. Ed. BSc. PGCE. M. Phil), has been specifically designed for babies and consists of hundreds of different activities for you and your baby to experience.

Baby Sensory is designed to encourage early development. Activities incorporate every possible sensory experience including sign language, fibre optic light shows, amazing bouncy light balls, rainbows, bubbles, bells, holistic massage and much more. Babies have the ability to absorb twice the amount of information that college students do and the weight of a baby’s brain doubles in the first year of its life.

The joy and sense of awe from seeing your baby learn, communicate and develop is worth the effort of squeezing it into your schedule.

Hayley is confident you’ll love Baby Sensory and she offers the first fun session as a no obligation trial. Parents can join at any time and activities are suitable for all babies.

To register or find out more, please contact Hayley on 07468 587 430, email bromley@babysensory.co.uk or visit www.babysensory.com

28

OUT & ABOUT

Diary of a (new) Bromley Mum Rebecca, Mum to William, aged 5 months

Monday

for the baby there, they watch the older children intently and it miraculously tires them out way more than sitting at home would.

Mondays are always difficult after having Daddy on hand to help out with the nappy changing and baby entertaining over the weekend and until this week, Mondays were reserved for as much lazing around as a baby will permit.

The afternoon involved a trip to the supermarket to buy food to cook for tea.

William seems quite enthralled with the supermarket – I hope it’s the colours and smells and sounds rather than consumerism kicking in this early. After all that it was time for an afternoon nap for us both.

However, I find that getting out and about really makes the days more enjoyable and helps to give them a bit more structure (I’m not good at routine!) so we found a new playgroup to go to at the Bromley Common Methodist Church, which was recommended to me by another Mum.

Tuesday

By Tuesday, we’re really back in the swing of things and get to meet up with some of the Mums and babies from our antenatal NCT group. Usually we just meet for lunch at Henrys for their ‘Mums and Babies afternoon’, but this week we went to the NCT Bumps, Babies and Little Bees group at the Bromley United Reformed Church, which starts at 10am and is £2.50 including a drink.

There’s a definite theological theme to our week, every day a different church hall!

Getting out and about to playgroups was a turning point for me and was when I really started enjoying motherhood. The earaly weeks (months!) were quite overwhelming and as we’d only just moved to the area a month before William was born, I didn’t have a network of friends here apart from the people I’d met at the NCT antenatal classes. Luckily, our next-door neighbour is super friendly and invited me to come along to one of the toddler groups and I’ve never looked back.

This group is lovely for babies, with separate sections for ‘non-movers’, ‘sitters and crawlers’ and then the ‘toddlers’. There were lots of Mums there and some of our NCT group had met some of them before so there was quite a crowd at lunch. We went to the play café nearby, Deli Nene.

Once again, an exhausted William fell asleep in his pram on the way out, allowing me to pursue my favourite hobby in peace… shopping. Although I buy more for him than I do for myself these days!

‘Bubbles’ starts at 10am and is £1.50 including tea or coffee for the adults and lots of toast on tap for the little ones.

William isn’t on solids yet so that’s a bit wasted on him. It is more a chance to meet up with the other Mums I’ve met on the local playgroup ‘circuit’, rather than something to entertain William, as there isn’t really a baby area, so sitting him on the floor runs the risk of him being tripped-over by a wayward toddler. The sing-along at the end is accompanied by a guitar and is really lovely. In fact, it was so lovely and William enjoyed it so much, he fell asleep sitting on my lap – something he’s never done before!

The best thing about these groups is that even though you think there’s not much

Wednesday Wednesday is our favourite day of the week. Not only have we made it safely to hump day, but also we have Baby Explorers to look forward to at 1.10pm. The morning is spent trying to time feeds and naps so that William is fully awake and alert for this

29

OUT & ABOUT brilliant sensory class. It doesn’t always work out; he fell asleep on the 5 minute walk there once!

end of the class, although we didn’t make it that far today as William woke up earlier than usual so was really tired by 11.15 and napped for another record 1hr 30 minutes.

Another lunch in peace and time to get started on this diary!

Each week Baby Explorers has special theme, lots of great music and sometimes messy play. No matter how tired he is, he is totally captivated by the teacher and everything about the class.

Friday Friday is another big day out into Bromley – off to the Bromley United Reformed Church again anyway. We go to a Monkey Music class, which starts at 11.20am. This is a bit of a funny time, as it’s usually when the toddler groups are ending so it’s when William naps.

We usually walk into town a little early, to try and get a nap in on the move, and I usually stop off for a (decaf) coffee.

This class tires William out even more than a toddler group, so he falls asleep on the way home and usually stays asleep for a while – this week it was 1 hour 15 minutes, which is a record!

Thursday On Thursday mornings, we go to the ‘Little Stars’ baby & toddler group at the Jubilee Centre. It’s another £1.50 and I hear that the coffee is the best of all the toddler groups in Bromley! This is quite a big toddler group, but they have a little baby area with Bumbo seats, mats and baby toys.

William really enjoys Monkey Music and, as with the sensory class, rarely grizzles or wants to be fed as he’s so captivated by it all.

We usually end the week by having another little shop and picking some things up for the weekend.

This is the first group I went to and William has met some babies that are only a couple of months older than him so will be in the same school year (ok, I’ve met their Mums).

Whilst we don’t know if they’ll be friends when they’re 18, we’re going to take some photos of them together as babies, just in case! There’s another little sing-along at the

It’s been an exhausting week in babyland, and now it’s time for Daddy to step in and help out for a couple of days before we do it all again next week! Next term we’re trying baby signing and swimming lessons, but these are on the weekend so Daddy gets included too.

Find out more about the classes and groups in this edition’s diary: Bubbles toddler group, Bromley Common Methodist Church - www.bcmc.org.uk Henrys - www.henryscafebar.co.uk/henrys-bromley Deli Nene - delinene.com/ NCT Bumps, Babies and Little Bees - www.nct.org.uk/branches/bromley-chislehurst Baby Explorers - www.babyexplorers.com/ Little Stars toddler group, Jubilee Centre - www.jubileechurch.co.uk Monkey Music - www.monkeymusic.co.uk/area/bromley-chislehurst-hayes

WE NEED YOU! Would you like to write a diary for our next newsletter?

Get in touch: newsletter.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

30

OUT & ABOUT

Undercover Toddler The morning started early, the weather is unpredictable and our roaming and romping Undercover Toddler reporter is in need of letting off some steam. He is excited that today, accompanied by his Mummy and baby brother, he will be reporting from a new favourite hangout, The Playrooms at Studio 74.

What our roaming reporter says...

The Playrooms is a drop-in baby and toddlerfriendly play session for the under 5s, hosted in the Studio’s main ballroom. It is held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 to 2:30pm.

What the parents say...

“I love the bouncy castle the best... you can go really fast on the slide” “I dressed up as a racing driver... it was really funny” “the staff are really friendly and always happy

to help...even carrying your drinks back to your table if your hands are full with little ones!”

“it is a great place to come if you have children of different ages as there’s something for everybody”

The play session starts well with our reporter making a bee line straight for the bouncy castle, whilst his baby brother settles in a large cushioned area with Mummy and amuses himself in the jungle gym. Next, he is onto the rides-ons and our reporter has some difficult decisions to make...which one should he choose? He decides on a quick whizz down the plastic roller coaster and then into the car. After all that racing around, a quick cool off in the ball pond is necessary.

“I love the fact that I can see both my children

playing at all times even if they are choosing to play on different things and in different areas of the room”

Babies love... the sights and sounds of those playing around them from the safety of their cushioned zone.

He is having a great time and there is a good selection of dressing up, small word and larger ride-on style equipment to keep him entertained; his baby brother is also making the most of the musical instruments.

Half an hour has passed and it is time to stop for a drink. The good thing about this hangout is that there is also a friendly coffee and milkshake bar tucked through the back, serving an array of drinks and snacks to suit all ages. They even do a handy lunchbox for the children.

Toddlers love... the bouncy castle complete with slide.

Mummies and Daddies love... friendly staff, good visibility of your children from the comfort of their seats and, most of all, a good quality coffee!

For more info visit: www.theplayrooms.co.uk

Our session ends and everyone has had a good time. The highlight of the morning being a visit from Mickey Mouse himself! Apparently this happens quite a bit; Studio 74 certainly can pull some strings to win over the hearts and minds of their younger guests.

or

www.studio74dance.co.uk

‘Undercover Toddler’ is a great way of getting your child-friendly business reviewed by the very people you are hoping to greet through your doors. If you would like your small business, playgroup, drop-in or toddler activity to be featured here please email: advertising.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

31

Classes in Bromley, Beckenham, Chislehurst and Petts Wood For class listings and availability visit www.singandsign.com Email: singandsignbromley@gmail.com Tel: Tel :01689 07864837 900905 578

555578800000000 Help your baby to communicate before speech!

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Swim Academy 3 Looking for a fun first activity for you and your baby?

3 Want your child to enjoy and be confident in and around water?

3 Looking for a warm private pool with clean changing facilities convenient for Bromley, Chislehurst and Orpington?

3 Keen to find an experienced and fully qualified instructor who specialises in teaching babies and small children?

3 Want small intimate classes of no more than seven giving you and your child plenty of attention and encouragement?

Yes? Then Flipper’s Swim Academy is for you…

“Swimming lessons provided me with the social and physical outlet that I needed in the first few months with a young baby. And I’ve also made some great new friends!”

Mum to Ellie, 10 months

www.flippers-swimming.co.uk Tel: 01883 743122 Monday - Friday 7.00 to 9.00pm anna@flippers-swimming.co.uk Please note: babies have to be over 12 weeks and under 1 year to start

33

OUT & ABOUT

Cheeky Monkeys Get Active This Summer

With the Summer holidays drawing to a close, st Mary’s hall, Chislehurst, kindly opened its doors to welcome our own Cheeky Monkeys for a morning of fun. Superbly organised by our Cheeky Monkey Co-ordinator, Gemma Dobbs, along with an army of enthusiastic volunteers, what better way to spend one of the last few days of Summer than by tiring out your little ones at our very own Cheeky Monkey Summer Tea Party.

Over 50 children and their families joined together in Chislehurst to enjoy a morning of fun and games at the first Cheeky Monkey Tea Party of the year.

There were active sessions from Munchkins sports, bromley valley gymnastics and Musical steps to get little ones up and moving, as well as the necessary bouncy castle courtesy of bouncy bee’s Castles. Children also enjoyed many other activities on offer; face painting and tattoos; bird-feeder and colouring crafts and not forgetting the vast array of generously donated cakes and refreshments!

‘This is a brilliant event for all age

children. My three week old can’t take it all in!’

‘I think we need one of these every day, my three year old hasn’t napped in weeks and today she was exhausted.’

A big thank you to all those who turned up to enjoy the fun and to all those who offered a helping hand.

Our Cheeky Monkey Christmas Tea Party - 22nd December in Chislehurst. More details coming soon.

34

NCT Dad’s 5-a-side football South East London We are are a small friendly group of 30-40 somethings who met through NCT and decided we needed to break up the nappy changing routine by playing a bit of football. We are always looking for new members (as not everyone can play every week due to various commitments) so if you fancy joining us then get in touch with me you’d be very welcome.

We play at Eltham Goals every Wednesday 8-9pm. please email andyeblake@gmail.com More info: www.facebook.com/groups/766881059999520/ www.goalsfootball.co.uk/CentreDetails.aspx?BranchId=60”

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36

BUMPS, BABIES & LITTLE BEES

United Reformed Church, Widmore Road, Bromley (by the back of Boots)

Tuesday Mornings 10am till 12 noon Entry: ÂŁ2.50 (includes Tea, coffee and biscuits) Non NCT members welcome!

HELP needed, please!

We are looking for parents, grandparents, carers, etc. to help run the group.

Email: Bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk

In association with Bromley URC

37

MAKE & DO

Fun Finger Food Cheesy sweetcorn fritters Quick and easy (10 minutes preparation and 10 minutes cooking) Ingredients 1 egg 200ml milk 100g plain flour 85g tinned sweetcorn 4 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese 1 tea spoon snipped fresh chives 2 teaspoons sunflower oil

Method

1.

2.

3.

4.

Beat the egg and milk together in a bowl Stir in the sweetcorn, cheese and chives Heat the sunflower oil in a pan Drop tablespoons of the better mixture into the pan

5. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until the fritters are puffed up and golden

Feed the Family Slow- cooked Pork, Sausage & Beans (Posh Sausage & Beans) Ingredients (to serve 4 adults or 2 adults and up to 4 children) 300g belly pork rashers, cut into chunks 400g sausages, twisted and snipped into 2 pieces 2 onions, sliced 2 celery sticks, sliced 1 apple, cored and sliced 1 x 410g tin of haricot beans 1x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon golden or maple syrup 2 tablespoons tomato puree 2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs Salt and pepper

Method

1. Cook belly pork in a large frying pan for 3 to 4 minutes, until sealed and browned.

Remove from pan.

2. Cook the sausages in the pan for a few minutes until browned all over.

Remove from pan.

3. Place belly pork, sausages and all remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

If you are not using a slow cooker, place the cooked belly pork and sausages with the other ingredients into an over proof pot and cook for 1 to 2 hours on 180 degrees.

38

MAKE & DO MAKE & DO

Elephant Art You could not miss the hefty heard of highly decorated elephants stomping their way through Bromley town centre this summer. Whilst many of you will have been busy packing your own trunks and heading for warmer climates, here our little ones were inspired to create their own elephant-themed masterpieces.

Toddler Friendly Ele-puppet You will need:

• • • • • • • •

Coloured card and paper Scissors Googly eyes A lolly stick A small piece of string PVA glue Gems and/or stickers to decorate Sticky tape

What to do: 1. Draw out an elephant shape and cut out. Remember scissors are sharp so little ones will need to be supervised.

2. Decorate by sticking on googly eyes, pieces of coloured paper, gemstones and stickers.

3. Attach a trendy tail made of string.

4. Turn your elephant over and tape a lolly stick on the back for a little hand to hold.

5. Your elephant is ready to join the parade!

39

MAKE & DO Salt Dough Ele-fun To make the salt dough you will need:

• Half a cup of salt • Half a cup of water • One cup of flour You will also need: •

Water-based paint

•

An elephant cutter

•

A rolling pin

This makes an easy salt dough mixture which can either be placed in the oven to dry (this takes about 3 hours on a low heat) or alternatively your salt dough models can be placed in the microwave on full power for 3 minutes.

What to do: 1. Mix together the salt and flour and, using a wooden spoon, gradually add the water until it forms a soft dough.

2. Roll out your salt dough and cut out your elephant shapes.

3. Heat to dry, using either oven or microwave method mentioned above.

4. Paint your elephants and make them look trunk-tastic!

If your little one hasn’t quite mastered the art of rolling and cutting you can carefully squash their hand into the salt dough to make a handprint or simply paint your little one’s hand and print onto paper! The hand print can be turned upside down and made to look like an elephant using the four fingers as legs and your little one’s thumb for the trunk!

Make a Handprint Elephant!

Whatever the age of your little one, arts and craft activities can be a fun way to keep little hands busy and entertained.

Now for the clearing up...

This feature has been kindly sponsored by DIPLOCK’S of Chatterton Village, supplying your local area with craft and stationary goods, greetings cards and gifts.

DIPLOCK’S 47-49 Chatterton Road, Bromley, BR2 9QQ 40

MAKE & DO MAKE & DO

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An experience shared can make a real difference If you have had a difficult experience of pregnancy, birth or early parenthood and you want to talk about it - call the NCT Shared Experiences helpline on:

0300 330 0700 The helpline is open Monday - Friday 9am – 7pm and will offer you the support you need. Answer machine available at all times.

Being able to chat to someone who understands what you’re going through can be a lifeline.

You will be able to talk to an NCT volunteer who has had a similar experience to you and has some understanding about what you’re going through. We will also be able to point you in the right direction for further support from other relevant organisations.

For more information visit

www.nct.org.uk Shared Experiece 2pp A5 Leaflet 2012.indd 1

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Advertising Rates and Information Advertising in this newsletter is open to the public and not restricted to NCT members.

We currently distribute around 550 copies of this newsletter each quarter, which are distributed to members and prospective members in the Bromley Area.

Display size

Price (£)

Full page - black and white only

£45

Half Page - black and white only

£35

Quarter Page - black and white only

£21

Inside Front Cover: Black & White Colour

£51 £80

Inside Back Cover: Black & White Colour

£55 £85

Back Cover: Black & White Colour

£60 £91

Full Page Colour: Outside Centre Spread Inside Centre Spread

£70 £80

Front cover (Tailored packages available)

REDUCED £99

Inserts

Price available on request

Goody bag inserts

Price available on request

Classified ad (20 words)

£1.45

(Inc VAT)

10% discount when you book four or more issues in advance, (providing no change in artwork over the year). If you book for more than one issue, it is assumed that the artwork will remain the same unless copy/artwork is supplied before the deadline. Advertising sizes are based on a standard A5 page. We offer exclusivity packages to those wishing to pay for sole advertising within this newsletter.

Please contact Nicola for details. Wherever possible artwork should be emailed to us as a high resolution jpeg or PDF. Other formats ( .doc or .odt) may suffer from poor print quality.

PAYMENT: Please email advertising.bromleyandchislehurst@nct.org.uk to pay directly into our bank account. Alternatively cheques payable to NCT Bromley & Chislehurst can be posted to us.

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Useful Telephone Numbers ChildCare

bromley Children’s information service, Bromley Central Library, BR1 1EX

020 8464 0276

national Childminding association www.ncma.org.uk

0800 169 4486

Childcare hotline (daycare trust) www.daycaretrust.org

020 7840 3350

Crying

Cry-sis support group

020 8341 4298

dOMestiC viOlenCe

bromley Women’s aid www.womensaid.org.uk

020 8466 1000

national domestic violence helpline

0808 2000 247

MisCarriage & lOss

stillbirth & neonatal death society (sands) www.uk-sands.org

020 7436 5881

One parent FaMilies

gingerbread www.gingerbread.org.uk

0800 018 4318

pOstnatal depressiOn

association for post natal illness www.apni.org

020 7386 0868

depression alliance helpline www.depressionalliance.org

020 8768 0123

Meet a Mum association (Ma) www.ma.org.uk

01525 217 064

pre eClaMpsia

action pre-eclampsia (apeC) www.apec.org.uk

020 8427 4217

sleep issues

Penge Sleep Clinic

020 8778 8511

The Willows Clinic, Chislehurst

020 8467 1631

The Eldridge Clinic, Orpington

01689 837 005

Hawes Down Clinic

020 8777 4521

sMOking CessatiOn

NHS Quit Smoking in Pregnancy

0800 1699 169

tWins & Multiple births

Beckenham & Bromley Twins Club - Dee Scriven

020 8313 1779

Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA) www.tamba.org.uk

0870 7703305

Twin line

0800 138 0509

Main Enquiry Line Breastfeeding Line Courses Pregnancy & Birth Line All other Enquiries

0300 330 0700 (www.nct.org.uk) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4

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Local NCT Support Services ANTENATAL & REFRESHER CLASSES

Enquiries www.nct.org.uk/courses

bookings4j@nct.org.uk

ANTENATAL TEACHERS

Eileen O’Malley Margaret McCowan Gaynor Lightfoot Katherine Walker

01689 873 266 07830 975086 020 8295 1212 nctkatherine@btinternet.com

BREAST FEEDING COUNSELLORS

Jane Tyler Jean Rea (also b/f tutor) Sherida Bevan Kate Cameron

020 8289 2918 01689 864 924 020 8467 3009 020 8658 7671

Vaginal Birth after Caesarean (VBAC)

Virginia Staar

07961 396319

EXPERIENCES REGISTER Puts you in touch with parents who have had similar experiences eg. miscarriage, PND, SPD etc

NCT Headquarters

0300 33 00 74

BROMLEY BREASTFEEDING DROP-INS

Tuesday 10 - 11.30 URC, Widmore Rd, Bromley

MATERNITY SERVICES LIAISON REPRESENTATIVES

Please contact the local branch for details

0845 8100 100

NCT MATERNITY SALES

www.nctms.co.uk

0845 8100 100

NCT MEMBERSHIP ENQS Elisabeth Bradshaw

0844 243 6064

NCT UK OFFICE (Administration)

Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace, Acton, London, W3 6NH

0844 243 6000

POSTNATAL DISCUSSION LEADER

Lesley Rock Pippa Brook Gaynor Lightfoot

07528 231 998 07913 171831 020 8295 1212

PUMP HIRE AMEDA MEDICAL DIRECT HIRE

Local Agent Sian Negal Home delivery service

07967 171817 020 8249 9035

VALLEY CUSHION HIRE

Mel Skinner

020 8778 1757

All the people listed above are volunteers. Please be considerate when contacting them.

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CLASSES IN BROMLEY, CHISLEHURST, BECKENHAM, WEST WICKHAM E: beckenham.bromley@monkeymusic.co.uk T: 020 8777 6700

VENUES Bromley United Reformed Church, Widmore Road, BR1 1RY Chislehurst Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, BR7 5LX Beckenham Public Hall, 4 Bromley Road, BR3 5JE The Parklangley Club, 44a Wickham Way, Beckenham, BR3 3AF Emmanuel Church, The Grove, West Wickham BR4 9JS

Group discounts for NCT members when 3+ people join together at the same time.

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