Winter 2011 Special_Delivery_-_Christmas
Transcription
Winter 2011 Special_Delivery_-_Christmas
Winter 2011 2011 Harrow NCT Special Delivery Special Features: Special Seasonal Subject — Everything Christmas! Breastfeeding story Relax, stretch and breathe! ©NCT, Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace London W3 6NH, Registered charity no. 801395 48 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Winter 2011 Harrow Branch Come join us; you’ll love it. Fancy meeting new mums and keeping your brain in gear? Would you like to improve your employability for when you go back to work? Do you have a skill — can you use a computer? Like chatting with likeminded people? Or enjoy organising things? If so, we need you. We have many volunteer roles within our branch that need someone like you. Please get in contact and find out what we can do together. Please either call or email Ros on 020 8966 9621or Rosaline_jenkins@yahoo.com 2 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 47 Winter 2011 Welcome to a brrrrrreezy Christmas edition of Harrow’s Winter 2011 Special Delivery magazine. Gone are the days of tshirts, sunglasses and the warmth of the sun, and in their place we look forward to a festive winter season of Christmas, snowy days and cosy, warm nights at home with the family, snuggled up by the fireplace, or, if you’re anything like me, in front of the TV. Unfortunately, this will be my last issue as Magazine Editor (boo!), but to replace me are two very capable women, Dorina Wheeler and Katia Fasanmi-Jones (yay!) Let’s all welcome them to the Special Delivery team. I look forward to fresh new editions of Special Delivery through my mailbox come spring 2012! I, personally, would like to thank everyone, especially the Special Delivery team for making everything so easy. I will very much miss my role and hope that Katia and Dorina enjoy editing the magazine as much as I did. Regulars Editor’s corner Contents Chair’s corner Meet the team! Features Winter (Snowy) Birth Report My breastfeeding story Why I chose reusable Nappies—and how to do the same The Baby Friendly (Breastfeeding) Initiative in Harrow Special deliveries Puzzle corner solutions Brigid’s Biscuits—Recipe We also have to say a gloomy goodbye to Sanjeev Bhavnani, head of Advertising. Like me, Sanjeev and his family will be enjoying Christmas for the first time with their son, Rishi. We wish you well! We will be very sad to see Niamh McEnery and Tonia Jowett go too. They have been truly fantastic in pushing this magazine forward. You will be very sorely missed! A special congratulations goes to Niamh and her family on the birth of their new baby. She has sent us this message—”Quinn Nicholas McEnery was born on 21 October at 2.45am at Northwick Park’s wonderful Birthing Centre. 9.2lbs! We’re all doing well X”. What fantastic news, congratulations Niamh from the Special Delivery team! We also wish Tonia all the best for her forthcoming birth in early January. Hope everything Special seasonal subject runs smoothly for you and your family. Christmas Decorations Scrooge’s top tips for the A warm welcome goes to our new Publicity Officer, Ros Jenkins, a Season of Goodwill 3 3 5 8 6 10 16 30 37 42 45 32 44 worthy contender to the publicity throne and Mooey Albright and Lorraine Jenks will take over as Nearly New Sale Coordinator and Branch focus head of Nearly New Sale Volunteers. Breastfeeding in Harrow In this edition, you will find everything Christmassy. I am a deep lover of the festivities. I feel it brings families closer together and, of course, the opportunity to wave goodbye to your diet and enjoy all the delicious food, yum! I will be using my pregnancy as an excuse to eat a little more than usual—all healthy of course! ;-) A very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all! :-) Leyla Preston (Editor for Harrow Branch) 13 Relax, Stretch and Breathe! 18 New Weekly Drop-in Classes Why you might consider 20 a refresher course NCT Early Days Course 22 NPH Study Day 23 Who’s who in Harrow NCT 24 Advertiser’s notes 26 Membership News 28 Volunteer! 47 All views expressed in this newsletter are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Childbirth Charity. The appearance of an advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or its products by the NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation. The information in this newsletter is intended for the use of NCT members, only in connection with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes. 46 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 3 Winter 2011 What to eat Phone for a takeaway. Most pizzas have turkey on them because it’s cheaper than ham but fools 99% of customers. But make sure you tell everyone you were up since 5am cooking a full Christmas feast. If you have made the mistake of inviting anyone over for dinner buy prepared dishes and transfer them into your own containers before they arrive. Great expectations Should you be spending the day with anyone outside your immediate family, you will be on trial to see how well you have trained your child(ren). A full day of absolutely impeccable behaviour is essential to avoid being the subject of gossip and backbiting for the next 364 days. Since this is impossible, it’s best to start the day with a huge tantrum and as much bad behaviour as possible. Your child will seem angelic by comparison. The aftermath Should people still be holding a Christmas related grudge against you by Valentine’s Day, call them. Explain that you were suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder and hence weren’t responsible for any of your actions. And warn them that it could recur next year. Anne Cooper (Harrow branch) Brigid’s Biscuits 6oz margarine 4 oz sugar 10 oz self raising flour 4 oz sultanas 2 oz roughly chopped cherries 2oz roughly chopped walnuts 2 level desert spoons golden syrup Melt the margarine and syrup, stir all other ingredients in, mix well. Press into a swiss roll tin or 8 x10 tm for thicker biscuits. Bake gas 4, 20 mins until just brown. Leave to cool in tin. Mark out into fingers while warm and dust with icing sugar. 4 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 45 Winter 2011 Scrooge’s Top Tips for the season of Goodwill Some people love Christmas. But for reindeer–haters, here’s a survival guide It’s possible to opt out of Christmas before you have a child. You just volunteer to work, you book a holiday or simply announce that your new name is Scrooge and you don’t want to hear the word Christmas. But when you have a child, avoiding it becomes impossible. Without warning your previously sensible parents and in-laws prepare for battle over who spends the day with the precious bundle. Hideous novelty baby outfits arrive in the post. The enormous stuffed animals multiply faster than bacteria in a reheated turkey sandwich. You get cards from relatives you’d forgotten existed. Your home is expected to rival Harrods windows in decoration. And everyone you’ve ever met wants to know what presents you’ve bought for your totally oblivious newborn infant. But the Christmas message is one of hope. You can survive the holidays by following a few simple rules. Some reindeer –hating parents even end up enjoying it. And with luck you may be on speaking terms with at least one of your relatives by New Year’s Day. Whose traditions? It took two of you to make this child. And since most families celebrate Christmas, there are two competing sets of traditions which both sets of ancestors would like you to replicate exactly. Clearly this can be a challenge. The radical answer is to refuse all traditions from both sides and insist on doing everything in a special way for your own new family. This has an added bonus. In thirty years you’ll become the favourite festive grandparents, because you don’t insist on a fixed set of Christmas traditions. The presents: kids The most recent scientific research suggests that educational toys are a waste of time. And we all know that they prefer the box to the present. So just get the box. The presents: adults You have two options. The simplest is to say you don’t believe in Christmas gifts for adults. If the adults you are expected to buy for are religious, you could add that the Three Wise Men brought presents for baby Jesus, not for all his relatives. If you aren’t that brave, try gift vouchers or donating livestock to a third world family. Remembering all those cards If you were organised enough to mail–merge your wedding invites, just generate the labels. Otherwise don’t bother sending any. If this is too harsh, just reply to those you receive. Emails, texts or a picture message are easier than sending cards. Thank you notes By not sending any thank you notes this year, you’ll cut down on the amount of unwanted tat that you receive in 2012. If anyone asks, say your new year’s resolution is to consume less paper and help to preserve the planet for your infant child. 44 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Christmas is fast approaching and a mild state of panic is setting in. I have been caught out yet again, and feel as though I am sure that I was much more organised before the children came along. I was, but Christmas wasn't nearly as much fun. In addition this year we have the imminent arrival of our 2nd baby in the first week of January, which is adding to my sense of panic as there is so much to get organised for that, and I know that I won’t have time once Christmas is truly upon us. What is the Christmas build up in your home? Let us know on our twitter (@NCTharrow) or Facebook pages (facebook.com/ NCTharrow). This really will be our last few months as the branch coordinator of Harrow branch, as both Niamh and I feel that its time for someone new to bring their own ideas and enthusiasm to the branch, so we need someone to step forward and offer their services as coordinator, so if you think you can spare a hour or two a week, please get in touch. But we are always open to volunteers who just want to offer a little of their time to a great, and fun, cause. I have never met so many wonderful people in one place as the NCT, all with a common goal. We have lots of new faces in our team which is fantastic, welcome to you all. Its down to the hard work of our volunteers that we are able continue to provide the bumps and babies groups and nearly new sales, a very big thank you to all those who have contributed their time. Our next Nearly New Sale is on the 10th of December, let all your friends and family know where to go to get a fantastic bargain for Christmas, the perfect place to stock up on stocking fillers, toys, as well as get those essentials such as maternity clothes and baby equipment. The only thing left is to wish you all a very merry Christmas, a wonderful new year and bon voyage to the branch on her continuing journey. Tonia Jowett and Niamh McEnery Vacancies Advertising Manager Branch Chair Niamh McEnery & Tonia Jowett (Joint NCT Harrow Chair) Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 5 Winter 2011 Winter (Snowy) Birth report Clare Hazel Whitehead 28 January 1996 Sudoku On Tuesday 23 January my husband Miles hurt his ankle playing football. On the Wednesday it was diagnosed by casualty as a severe sprain and he was issued with crutches. Not ideal timing! Tables were completely turned. From being a 39 week pregnant semi-invalid I had to undergo an instant transformation into nursemaid for my husband. On the Thursday I rallied forth, took no 1 daughter Jane to school, no 2 son Guy to nursery, defrosted the freezer, cleaned the kitchen floor and cooked two square meals. By the end of the day I was exhausted and we decided to take my parents up on their offer of help. I did not want to go into labour a total physical wreck. By the Friday morning I had had a very slight show and was feeling a dull periodlike pain. Thursday’s activities had been a sign of pre-labour after all. I rescheduled a visit to a friend’s house that afternoon so that she would come to me. By the afternoon the “pains” were very mild contractions. As the friends visiting me were from my NCT group, the whole scenario was reminiscent of Guy’s birth just over 3 years before, when I had had my first contractions during our coffee group Christmas party on a Friday afternoon. By now snow was falling thick and fast and there were various telephone calls to my parents about whether and when it would be wise to make their journey down from Manchester. During the night the contractions became sufficiently strong to wake me and by morning the show was very definite. Contractions continued at irregular intervals throughout Saturday. My parents arrived around 2pm. After we had got the children to bed, I felt ready to go to hospital and get on with the birth. I had been able to control the contractions somewhat and round about teatime I had sat down for a good half hour as I could not be bothered to have any contractions and inactivity seemed to stop the process. My father drove my husband and me to the hospital. Miles on his crutches was much more the worse for wear than me with my contractions. It was a pleasant surprise to be met in the delivery suite by the midwife who had delivered Jane and who remembered us. I then went through the familiar process from previous labours of being monitored, contractions coming to an almost standstill, being examined by the midwife and being found to have made no progress at all (1 cm I think). Fortunately the midwife figured that, as a third timer, the labour may well follow the same pattern as with Guy’s birth and that things would suddenly get going. So I was sent up to the ward and Miles went home. I asked for 2 panadol and a sleeping tablet as I had done at the same stage in Guy’s labour. Yes, the contractions did get stronger and more regular. I felt I was coping well, sleeping between contractions and breathing through them, but by about 12.30am I felt I could do with a little professional help. 6 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 43 Winter 2011 Finally! Solutions to Autumn’s Puzzle Corner. Did you get them all right? Autumn Wordsearch Solution M A T H S Y F C P + + + A + + + + + + + S R U A + + L R S F + + + + + N O E N R O + T T L W A R D C R S + S O D + T F A + + + H G E + C H R + S E A S + + I Y C T T C I + U + A R H + L A I + T S I S P + N C C + D L S R + A + + R T O + H + + P U E + + P E + + W U T E + + M A + + S N O S S E L D R + + D + + + G B O N D I N G E T + + + + L + + + + + + + + + N + + + I E D U C A T I O N + I T (Over,Down,Direction) ART(1,13,E) BONDING(11,6,S) CARDS(1,8,SE) CHILD(4,5,NE) CRAFTS(7,14,W) DRAW(4,4,N) EDUCATION(13,4,S) ENGLISH(9,7,NE) FLASH(2,15,E) FUN(1,7,SE) LESSONS(10,11,N) MATHS(1,1,S) MUSIC(10,1,SW) NURSERY(7,12,NW) PAINT(15,14,W) PARENT(15,7,N) PATTERNS(9,6,W) PLAYGROUP(9,1,SW) READ(8,4,NE) SCHOOL(7,7,SW) STUDENT(7,9,SE) TEACHER(4,13,E) TOPICS(9,12,NW) WRITE(9,10,NW) 42 + S + + + + + + + + + + + A + H T N E R A P + + + + + + P + Math Square Solution I set off down the corridor to look for a midwife, went into the loo where I had some strong contractions and my waters broke. I started to mop up with paper towels but then realised (a) I was not capable of it and (b) it was not really expected of me so I pressed the call for help button. A midwife came and so did more contractions thick and fast. Coincidentally it was the same midwife who had supported me through the same stage of almost identical labour with Guy. We stood by the bed, me leaning on her shoulders, and with each contraction the puddle of amniotic fluids I was standing in grew bigger. She had to leave me to phone both the community midwife and Miles, and at that stage I leant on the windowsill instead. After an internal examination (6 cm) I knelt on the bed, leaning on the beanbag I’d brought in with me and was wheeled to the delivery suite. Very soon came the urge to push and, with a couple of pushes, out came Clare, with me still kneeling on the bed. “It’s a girl” they said, but I was still concentrating on managing the pain by breathing and relaxing. I turned over and after what seemed an age (3 or 4 minutes) the placenta was delivered. Our second child Guy was also born early on a Sunday (2.47am) with no pain relief and no stitches. Miles had been called and arrived just in time to see the birth. Clare was born at 2.17 am and he just missed it, probably as it took longer for him to get dressed with his bad ankle and the taxi driver had to drive slowly because of the snow and ice. After the birth I was very shaky and sick, apparently due to the shock of a quick delivery (1 hr 45 mins according to the hospital). Letter Tiles "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com I must say that I found these two births ideal. The slow start is really useful for getting the children sorted out, the quick labour and delivery were relatively easy to cope with and the fact that I had no intervention and no stitches makes a tremendous difference to the postnatal recovery. Maintaining an upright position during Clare’s labour and delivery also made things easier. However, I cherish each one of my births and although the first one was the full high tech job with epidural catheter and stitches, the actual moment of Jane’s delivery onto my tummy is unforgettable. I’m really enjoying having a little baby again and I must confess that until February half term, when I had three to cope with day in and day out, I was hankering after another opportunity to go through it all again. Alison Whitehead March 1996 (I never had that fourth baby but I trained as a breastfeeding counsellor and enjoy seeing other peoples’ new babies) Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 7 Winter 2011 8 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 41 Winter 2011 40 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 9 Winter 2011 My Breastfeeding Story Michelle Gascoigne To offer both breasts or not to – that is the question, and the one which was nearly the downfall of my being able to breastfeed my first child. Having heard so much about how breastfeeding is the best start you can offer your child I had decided that this was what I wanted to do if possible. My son seemed very willing and latched on so we were off to a good start. Five days after my son’s arrival he had his first weigh in and had lost 16% of his birth weight, the mid wife asked how he had been feeding and looked at his feeding times in the log I had kept. She said that she felt it could be due to the fact that I had been feeding from both breasts each feed, she said that he therefore was not getting to the fatty (hindmilk) and advised me to only feed from one breast each feed to ensure that he received the fatty milk. She said she would give us 24 hours before weighing him again and if he did not gain weight we would have to be referred back to the hospital, I asked her advice about what we should do – obviously worried about such a consequence. She advised that if we were happy to offer formula in addition to breastfeeding then we should offer a formula top up after every feed for the 24 hour period as this would be the quickest way to ensure weight gain. We followed this advice which we were happy to do and our son seemed content to accept both breast and bottle, after an anxious 24 hours we were pleased to see he had gained weight. Although he continued to gain weight after this period, his weight gain was slow, we continued to give formula top ups after feeds as we felt this was the best way to boost his weight until he regained his birth weight. Once he had regained his birth weight we decided to gradually drop the formula top ups and only offered them if he appeared to still be hungry after feeding – to be honest it made life very difficult offering the formula as he always seemed to take whatever volume we offered him, he never refused it, but it made him very windy and he was very often sick after these feeds. It also meant that he tended to only feed every 3-4 hours, rather than the 2-3 hours recommended for a newborn baby, which in hindsight didn’t help establish my milk production in those early days. I started to get sore nipples and developed an itchy rash; I also was getting very sore lumps in my breasts and began to dread each feed as it became more painful. As a first time mum everything I experienced was normal to me, I didn’t know what was unusual or when to ask for help - I thought that maybe this was just what I had to put up with in order to breastfeed! I contacted the breastfeeding advisor from the hospital who invited me to come along to a breastfeeding group at the Pinner Wood Children’s Centre. The peer support workers were so helpful and supportive, they showed me how to ensure my son was latched on correctly to avoid sore nipples and ensure he was feeding correctly and emptying the breast which would help prevent the onset of mastitis, they also advised offering both breasts each feed if my son was still hungry rather than the one sided approach I had previously taken. 10 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Mala Morjaria’s Classes (continued) July 2011 Baby Giuseppe Jor Baby Siena Amber Baby Shivani India Baby Saee Ana Baby Samuel Baby Genevieve-Jo-An Baby Nathan Baby Riya Amenda War & Nicola Sensale Niomi & Peter Lindfors Saijal & Kalpesh Patel Reena & Sunit Pabari Sarah & Steven Barnes Tracy Lederer Malini Shah & Harkishan Chander Kamini Ganapathi & Anand Pattar August 2011 Baby April Sophia Baby Rose Baby Annika Baby Maya Devi Baby Aarush Bid Baby James Edward Baby Nyah Harriet & Peter Evans Kelly Morewood & Joe Mendonca Julee & Divesh Mistry Sapna & Summet Sidar Komal Malde & Sejul Shah Kate & Andrew Hon Tarj & Mani Virdee Jane Berry’s Class May/June 2011 Baby Alexander Baby Hadley Baby Leyla Baby Paige Baby Amber Baby Eleanor Babies Aria and Anya Rachael Taylor & Howard Ambler Sarah Forbes & Dave Webb Clare & Phil Griffiths Christina Pinnock & Bob Hutchinson Sharon Manning Penny Hull & Robin Hollings Sapna & Kamal Shah Jane Everitt’s Class August 2011 Baby Shay Baby Amber Seren Baby James Rivers Baby Grace Brigid Baby Joshua George Baby Safia Baby William Baby Charlie John Tejal &Hiten Davda Lara & Jonathan Crisp Kate & Paul Lefley-Evans Angela & Darryl Taafe Emma & David Slaughter Taslin & Rahim Tejrar Julie Braham & Jonathan King Vicky & Andrew Morsley Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 39 Winter 2011 Maxine Goswell’s Class June 2011 Baby Mason Baby Oliver Baby Martha Baby William Baby Eleanor Baby Eddie Baby Thea Tracy & Leslie La Rocque Louise Davies & Volker Heuchert Lucy & Mark Bonnar Elizabeth & Martin Rumsey Nicola & Edward Mcgeady Alexandra & Ian Thomasson Lee Belinda Glifford & Scott Boobier Liz Sheridan’s Classes April 2011 Baby Rocco Kumar Baby Nikhil Baby William Baby Max Ethan Baby Marissa Sarah Baby James Ieuan Baby Aran Surekha & Mark Griffiths Avni & Nimit Shah Louisa & Edward Monniot Seetal & Jonathan Arrowsmith Annabel & Jayesh Makan Zofia & Chris Thackray Seema & Atul Khare July 2011 Baby Aria Baby Archie Joseph Baby Charlie Noah Baby Shai Priyam Baby Charlotte Rhiannon Baby Suhani Baby Amara Baby Shivani Shivani & Atul Sareen Jenny & Colin Taylor Katie & Robert Bain Bijal & Darshan Patel Bethan Davies &John Ranson Hema & Sandeep Sharma Sonal & Baij Chotai Namrata & Deepan Vyas Mala Morjaria’s Classes May 2011 Baby Amber Anaiya Baby Tianna Baby Chloe Jessica Elizabeth Baby Jasper Edwin Baby Rohan Baby Deven Baby Riyan 38 Sophie & Asif Syed Jasheka & Rajesh Varsani Cathy & Simon North Laura & Craig Milne Khushali & Kush Supeda Deepali & Deepak Kohli Amisha & Jigar Patel Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com They listened to my story and sat with me while I fed – there were other new mums there too and it was a very supportive environment where I realised that I was not alone with a lot of the problems I was experiencing. I also went to see the doctor about the rash on my nipples which he said was an infection and prescribed a cream which cleared it up within a few days. At 8 weeks my son and I had our check with the doctor who gave us a good bill of health; he said he was not concerned about my son’s weight as long as he continued to gain. At this point I felt breastfeeding was established and we stopped the formula top ups altogether. I took my son to be weighed at the health centre at week 9 and the health visitor asked me about how he was feeding, he had put on weight again since his last weigh in, but had now dropped just below the bottom curve of the weight graph. She showed concern over his weight and asked why I had stopped formula top ups which I explained, she asked me to bring him back in a week to be weighed again. I then received a phone call from the health visitor team concerned about his weight, they advised switching to formula so I knew how much milk my son was getting and asked that I visit my doctor to discuss the issue because they felt I needed a paediatric referral in case there was a medical reason for his slow weight gain. I already had an appointment at the hospital with the paediatric team that week (booked because of an issue from my son’s birth that needed to be followed up) and said that I intended to discuss the issue with them. I didn’t want to give up breastfeeding without understanding why it hadn’t worked. I went along to the paediatrician with an open mind ready to do whatever he / she felt was in my son’s best interests. The paediatrician I saw was fantastic; he checked my son over and said that he didn’t see any cause for concern, he listened to my breastfeeding story and then he asked a very simple question ‘are you happy breastfeeding?’ I said I was, but that I wanted to do whatever was best for my son’s weight gain. He watched me feed my son and asked whether I offered both breasts at each feed, I explained what I had been told by my midwife and that at most feeds I only used one breast, only offering the second if he seemed hungry still. He said that he felt it was simply a production issue and advised me to start offering both breasts at each feed and to express both after every feed in order to encourage my milk supply. He explained that by only feeding from one breast each feed, with formula top ups which dictated feeds were 3-4 hours apart, meant each breast was only being used every 68 hours and therefore my milk supply had simply diminished due to lack of demand. He said expressing after every feed would be time consuming, but within a couple of weeks my milk supply should have improved, and made a follow up appointment for us. He actually supported me very well by following up with regular phone calls to check how my son’s weight was progressing and to check I was happy and getting the support I needed. From this point on things dramatically improved, my son’s weigh started soaring after a couple of weeks and he started to climb up to higher curves on the weight chart. To start with I expressed after every feed and then gave my son whatever I’d managed to express in a bottle at the end of the day. Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 11 Winter 2011 (I found the Medela Calma bottle very useful as it mimics the action of breastfeeding, it is not free flow and the baby has to create a vacuum by sucking in order to release the flow of milk, so they do not become lazy). To start with I would only get a small amount, but as time moved on I found I was getting more and more as my milk supply improved – I remember my excitement when one morning I got a whole 80mls in one go!! As my milk supply improved I just expressed first thing in the morning when my milk supply was at its best so I could keep reserves in the freezer – something I thought I’d never be able to do. My son is now 8 months old, we started baby led weaning at 6 months so he is now dropping feeds, but we are still breastfeeding on demand and both very content. Sarah Well’s Classes March 2011 Baby Nimay Aeshaan Baby Shanaya Roopa Baby Sara Anna Baby Bhakti Baby James Baby Ella Grace Baby Aran Neal Sapna & Mitesh Chotai Roopa & Kirtesh Tailor Magdalena & Michael Coulter Swati & Hari-om Mistry Beatrice Wong & Vinh Tran Rachel & Sanjay Shah Beena & Neal Sarangdhar April 2011 Breastfeeding is heavily promoted to all women during pregnancy, in my experience it’s a shame that more help isn’t given in hospital and at the start for new mums. I felt as though as soon as there seemed to be an issue the advice was to give formula rather than trying to identify why the breastfeeding wasn’t working as it should. Breastfeeding takes a lot of self belief and confidence in the process to start with as you never know how much milk your baby is getting and this can be so easily knocked away by a flippant comment from a health professional. I would like to say a big thank you to the paediatrician at Northwick Park Hospital for all his help and support and also to the breastfeeding peer support workers at the Pinner Wood Children’s Centre without these people I would have ended up having to give up breastfeeding due to my son’s poor weight gain. I would have believed my body was unable to produce enough milk and that I was therefore probably unable to breastfeed future children I may have. When in actual fact the only issue was incorrect advice for my situation. There are not words to describe the gift these people gave me and my son with their help. Michelle Gascoigne, October 2011 Thank you Michelle for sharing this story. The issue of one breast or two and “foremilk” and “hindmilk” is explained well in this online article Baby Reyan Baby Arjun Baby Samuel Ronnie Baby Rhidai Akhil Baby Mei Baby Krish Baby Amelia Rachel Maria Priya & Chiraag Shah Bhavi & Rashmi Patel Louisa & Mark Durnford Jigna & Akhil Shah Radha & Nilesh Parmar Savita & Sid Bhatia Katie & Chris Wotherspoon May 2011 Baby Rose Christina Baby Divya Baby Kaitlyn Scarlett Baby Sophia Rose Baby Ishaan Baby Emma Ruth Clare & Chris Bedford Asha Patel & Umeet Shah Victoria & Brandon Martin Renu & Mark Barnes Bindi Nagrecha-Patel & Jiten Patel Jenny & Steven Dwyer May/June 2011 Baby William Kenneth Baby Amira Baby Nicholas Vernon Baby Ronav Baby Charan Baby Shyla Seema Amanda Newcombe & Simon Brilua Neelam Musa & Tariq Mussani Thippawan Duangmanee & Charles Rashleigh Bijal Gandhi & Devang Ashar Beejal Soni & Milen Shah Seema & Sanjay Sheth June/July 2011 Baby Inara Jasmine Baby Neyan Baby Alessia Baby Louie Erskine Baby Aarun Daniel Baby Jeeya Baby Kian Sammy Sheila & Piyush Shah Rupa & Pritesh Patel Kalpa & Hiten Shah Jo Clark & Sam Weymouth Beejal Patel & Danny Yasruddin Amrita & Hitesh Kabawala Nisha Gohil & Rakesh Bodalia http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2010/07/foremilkhindmilk-and-lot-ofconfusion.html Alison Whitehead NCT breastfeeding counsellor 12 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 37 Winter 2011 BREASTFEEDING IN HARROW Free and friendly support across Harrow Postnatal and antenatal mothers and families welcome Meet other mothers, peer supporters, breastfeeding counsellors and health professionals Mondays (except Bank Holidays) – Harrow Breastfeeding Drop In, 10am to 12 noon, Victoria Hall, Sheepcote Road, Harrow, HA1 2JE Mondays (except Bank Holidays) – Wealdstone Harrow Twins Club, 1.30pm to 3pm, Wealdstone Centre, Wealdstone High Street, HA3 7AA Tuesdays – Harrow Weald Breastfeeding Drop In, 10am to 11.30am, Cedars Children’s Centre, Whittlesea Road, Harrow Weald, HA3 6LS Wednesdays – South Harrow Breastfeeding Drop In, 10am to 11.30am, Hillview Children’s Centre, 2 Grange Road, South Harrow, HA2 0LW Thursdays – Pinner Pinner Breast Mates, 10am to 11.30am, The Pinner Centre, Chapel Lane, Pinner HA5 1AA Thursdays – Edgware Breastfeeding Drop In, 1.30pm to 3pm, Chandos Children’s Centre, 74-78 Chandos Crescent, Edgware HA8 6HL Fridays – Pinner Breastfeeding Drop In, 10am to 12 noon, Pinner Wood Children’s Centre, Latimer Gardens, Pinner HA5 3RA Fridays – Wealdstone Breastfeeding Café, 10am to 12 noon, Red Brick Café, Wealdstone Centre, Wealdstone High Street, HA3 7AA For support or more information on the groups please call 07530 310060 www.breastfeedinginharrow.org is our very own website created and maintained by Harrow peer supporter and NCT membership secretary Hazel Li. The site gives details of our drop ins, a section on good places to breastfeed in Harrow as well as links to other reputable websites where you can find answers to many breastfeeding questions. NCT breastfeeding line, 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week 0300 330 0771 36 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 13 Winter 2011 14 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 35 Winter 2011 34 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 15 Winter 2011 Why I chose re-usable nappies – and how to do the same A while ago, I read an article in The Observer (http://bit.ly/observerbadbabies ) arguing that the worst possible thing a person in the West could do for the planet was to have a child. When I was pregnant I made the dubious choice to go and see Earthquakes in London at the National Theatre, which took three hours to argue, that essentially, from a climate perspective, we are all doomed. The story was told from the viewpoint of a pregnant woman. Not surprisingly – considering the pregnancy hormones and all – I wasn’t the happiest lady on the tube home. But faced with the evidence that babies are bad for the environment, are any of us likely to decide not to have babies? Not ruddy likely – my baby is wonderful, I wouldn’t swap him for the world (quite literally). But I’d also walk over hot coals to prevent anything bad happening to him. Catch 22. So, I started to think of how I could minimise the impact my little bundle would have on the planet. According to the GoReal website (www.goreal.org.uk) one baby will need 4000 nappy changes. It takes between 300 and 500 years for a disposable nappy to decompose in landfill and all the time they leak noxious methane gas. Not great. Plus, how much was 4000 nappies going to cost us?! It seemed cotton nappies were going to have a pretty big and positive impact. But nappies that have to be washed? For a newborn? With first time parents?? The number of nappies he seemed to go through a day made me wonder whether the 4000 estimate wasn’t a little conservative! How would I keep up with the laundry? So we chickened out for a few weeks. But in that time we noticed a few things we really didn’t like about disposables. Firstly, they smell a bit plasticky and chemically. A quick Google and you find out that’s because they are made of plastic and chemicals. Which I’ve just put next to my son’s newborn bum! Secondly, my son kept getting nappy rash. Using posh ‘eco-nappies’ helped, but it still wasn’t great. The nappies also seemed to leak frequently – nice up-the-back accidents at the most awkward times. Like when he was laying on greatgrandma’s new sofa. And to top it all, as Harrow only collect green bins every other week, we were producing so much rubbish that we actually had to make a trip to the dump a couple of times. And who wants stinky nappies sitting around for two weeks anyway?! 16 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 33 Winter 2011 Christmas decorations Make Christmas decorations that will last for years out of salt dough You will need 80ml water, 50g salt, 100g plain flour, 1tsp cooking oil Mix together the salt, flour and cooking oil in a bowl. Add the water a little at a time and mix to a smooth paste that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Place the dough onto a lightly floured board. Use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to about ½ cm thick. So, we made the switch. We started with a selection of nappies from one of the web-based nappy companies (of which there are loads – mostly run by passionate work-at-home mums), in our case www.fill-your-pants.co.uk. We claimed half the cost back from Harrow Council under their nappy scheme – one of the most generous in the country (http://bit.ly/harrownappies). From our initial trial, we decided we preferred ‘pocket’ nappies, where you stuff absorbent inserts inside a cover. These were simple, didn’t involve complicated ‘folding’, rarely leaked and dried quickly. We then looked at reviews for pocket nappies and gradually increased our ‘stash’ with a variety of different makes. People are usually amazed when they see the nappies – they are nothing like the old terry-towel palaver. They are simple to put on, simple to wash, smell clean and look very pretty. We now have 28 nappies, which do us for 3-4 days if needs be, including some that are specially made for nights. We also use re-usable wipes (so much easier than babywipes, which seemed to just smear – yuk!). We’re into a routine popping them in the washing machine on a timer-delay wash just before we go to bed (and before we started weaning, that was all there was to it as the machine can cope with milk-fed baby-poo) and we even managed to go on holiday without using disposables (I wrote a guest-blog on this if you’re interested: http://bit.ly/ nappyhols). We’re happy, the baby is happy and hopefully we’re making a measurable difference to the planet. It’s not often that hanging out the laundry is that satisfying! Rosaline Jenkins (Publicity Officer, Harrow Branch) Use festive shaped pastry cutters to cut several shapes from the salt dough. Use a straw to create a hole near the top of each shape. Place them onto a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 120 º C until they are firm (about 2 hours). Remove the decorations from the oven and leave to cool. Paint and decorate with sequins, then lightly varnish. When dry thread ribbon through the holes and hang on the tree. 32 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 17 Winter 2011 NCT RELAX, STRETCH AND BREATHE WEEKLY DROP-IN CLASSES I have really enjoyed teaching ‘Relax, Stretch and Breathe’ classes since starting in May this year. The classes consist of gentle yoga-based exercises designed to improve energy levels, relieve pregnancy discomforts, quieten the mind and allow women to take time out from their busy lives to focus on their pregnancy. The postures are very gentle, specifically designed so that you can attend throughout your pregnancy. What makes Relax, Stretch and Breathe different from other forms of exercise is that it takes a holistic approach, focusing on both the body and mind. So as well as undertaking stretching exercises that improve flexibility and posture, women learn relaxation and breathing techniques that can help them think and feel differently, so that they can manage pregnancy and labour more effectively. Relax, Stretch and Breathe classes combine a yoga-based class with an NCT antenatal class. We start with introductions, followed by an hour of focused breathing and gentle stretching postures designed specifically for pregnancy. Every class includes some practice contractions so women become confident in using their breath to work with the flow of labour. Research shows that people use different strategies for managing pain, so it’s important to practise a wide variety of breathing strategies for labour so every woman can find one that suits her. Some will focus on the pain (so women will concentrate on what is happening inside – either on the baby, or on the uterus as a muscle, or actively breathing to relax the cervix), and some away from the pain (these women will often visualise something far removed from what is happening, so perhaps blowing a feather or imagining riding a wave or climbing a mountain). Many women find counting an effective method of managing the powerful feelings of contractions, so we practice different ways of doing this too. The stretching is followed by a long relaxation which I hope you will enjoy. The final part of the class takes a variety of formats –often someone who has previously attended will come back with her baby to tell her story so the pregnant women hear positive birth stories (many women attending RSB classes have a positive birth experience). Each week a different topic is covered; birth environment, optimal fetal positioning (OFP), reducing perineal damage, stages of labour and many others. Another strength of RSB classes is that they include a mix of first – and second or thirdtime mothers, so there are always more experienced mothers who can offer words of wisdom to the woman just embarking on her parenting journey. For those who are already mothers, the class will be a time to relax, concentrate on the new baby, and think about your wishes for this birth. Other benefits of RSB include: * Reduced Back Ache * Improved posture and body awareness * Strengthened joints and muscles * Increased flexibility * Strengthened abdominal and pelvic muscles * Reduced swelling from fluid retention * Improved quality of sleep * Increased blood circulation * Improved digestive system Or something nicer I asked Alison Spiro about her “baby friendly journey” What have been the greatest challenges? The greatest challenge has been to change staff attitudes to breastfeeding in the hospital and community. The changes have been remarkable as now 84% of hospital staff has been trained and formula milk is only used when there are medical indications. Despite the reduction in health visitor numbers, they still offer mothers great support with breastfeeding. And rewards? At Northwick Park, I now have an enthusiastic midwife, Corina Wilson, working with me and she has already introduced several new initiatives, including a bedside training pack. We now have 16 ‘Breastfeeding Champion’ midwives who wear their badges and can be easily identified by mothers and staff. They have excellent skills and are updated on new research every month. It is very rewarding to work with a team of midwives and midwife assistants who have such a strong passion for breastfeeding. Harrow Community is hoping to become Baby Friendly next year. We now have 28 active volunteer peer supporters and two Peer Support Co ordinators Julie Peris and Alicia Goulding who started paid work in September and are arranging for peer supporters to work on the postnatal ward. They have set up the helpline number, so that mothers can access support 7 days a week. The Breastfeeding Groups are held every day from Monday to Friday and generally well attended and well evaluated. The website breastfeedinginharrow.org was set up by Hazel Li this year and carries local information on breastfeeding friendly shops and cafes as well as research and stories from mothers. I find it all very exciting and rewarding! What still needs to be done to attain full accreditation? We need to continue to train all staff in the unit- midwives, midwife assistants, doctors and nurses. UNICEF require audits of antenatal and postnatal mothers in both the community and hospital where 80 % of mothers are satisfied with the support they receive. Do you have any figures which illustrate our progress? When I started this job in breastfeeding 5 years ago the initiation of breastfeeding rates at Northwick Park was 68% and now this has risen to 86% of mothers breastfeeding on discharge from the hospital. In Harrow 5 years ago, 32% of mothers were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 weeks compared with 60% this year. We cannot take full credit for these data because there is a trend nationally towards breastfeeding. Do you have a quote from a breastfeeding mother? ‘I rang the community midwives office at the hospital this morning because my 5 day-old baby would not latch on to the breast and I was told to come to the breastfeeding group. He and I were both crying from 4am onwards and I felt so bad because he was not being fed. I got dressed and came to the group and was made to feel so welcome, given a cup of tea and within 10 minutes he was breastfeeding. I am thrilled that I was able to latch him on with the help of a peer supporter and he has had the best feed of his life! I am so pleased these groups exist.’ Alison Whitehead NCT breastfeeding counsellor and Alison Spiro infant feeding co-ordinator and former NCT breastfeeding counsellor Sarah Wells, Antenatal Teacher 18 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 31 Winter 2011 The Baby Friendly (Breastfeeding) Initiative in Harrow The Baby Friendly Initiative was launched by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to improve the care that mothers and babies receive in the hospital and community and is an award that is given to healthcare facilities that implement “best practice standards”. These best practice standards are represented by Ten Steps in the hospital and Seven Points in the community. The Ten Steps to successful breastfeeding Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff. Train all healthcare staff in the skills necessary to implement the breastfeeding policy. Inform pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding soon after birth. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they are separated from their babies. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breastmilk , unless medically indicated. Practice rooming in, allowing mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. Give no artificial teats or dummies to breastfeeding infants. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic. The Seven Point Plan for sustaining breastfeeding in the community Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff. Train all staff involved in the care of mothers and babies in the skills necessary to implement the policy. Inform pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding. Support mothers to initiate and maintain breastfeeding. Encourage exclusive and continued breastfeeding, with appropriately timed introduction of complementary foods. Provide a welcoming atmosphere for breastfeeding families. Promote co-operation between healthcare staff, breastfeeding support groups and the local community. When Alison Spiro was appointed as infant feeding co-ordinator five years ago she started us on our path towards baby friendly accreditation. A growing number of NCT class members are choosing to deliver at NPH. To me the most notable positive changes are Initial skin to skin If baby not feeding well – more skin to skin and hand expression is routinely suggested If supplements are required this is done by cup and parents are taught how to do so Policies are clear and well communicated to all staff It is interesting to note that many of the mothers who present with breastfeeding concerns at our groups have delivered elsewhere than Northwick Park. If breastfeeding friendly guidelines had been adhered to, many of their issues may not have arisen. 30 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 19 Winter 2011 Why might you consider a refresher course Parents choose to come along to refresher classes for a number of reasons. For all parents it is an opportunity to meet new people going through similar experiences. Often parents find that their network of friends revolves around their first child, and they would like their second/ third/fourth child to have friends of a similar age. As well as playmates for their children, refresher groups provide parents with an invaluable support network of friends with babies of the same age. Some parents have a large age gap between children, so for them their first antenatal course seems like a long time ago. Refresher classes serve as a reminder of what might happen during labour and the early days of life with a new baby. Or maybe they missed out on an antenatal course with their first baby. Sometimes mums coming to classes for the second time are with new partners. A number of parents opt to come to classes because they would like their birth experience to be different. Refresher classes provide an opportunity for couples to debrief their previous birth experience. Many couples have questions about what happened in a previous labour and also unresolved issues that need to be discussed. A prior difficult experience can have a big impact on how parents are feeling about the impending birth. Occasionally couples need to be given time to come to terms with a difficult experience and explore ways in which they can avoid a reoccurrence. Many couples would like this birth experience to be different. With subsequent pregnancies, parents often feel more confident to make decisions and remain in control, and this generally leads to a more positive experience. Coming to antenatal classes means an opportunity to think about this pregnancy and the birth. Often mums and dads leading busy lives with an older child or children have had little time to think about the new baby. A refresher course enables them to focus on this pregnancy. A big topic for discussion in refresher courses is introducing the baby to their sibling(s) and trying to avoid any potential jealousy. There are numerous thoughts on this, and it’s good to explore all the varied ideas, acknowledging that different things work for different families. Also, time in a course can be given to the practicalities of having another child. Sharing experiences is a vital part of this and the course is invariably enriched if there is a couple who already have two children. Most parents will say that it is hard work with two (or more) children and there will be times when it can be extremely challenging, but you do get through it. Supporting one another is crucial, as is accepting support from family and friends. There’s also the real ‘nitty-gritty’, issues like whether or not to buy a double-buggy, where the baby is going to sleep or how you’re going to get the older child to school/pre-school on time in the morning! New Membership Structure In response to feedback the NCT has made some improvements to the membership structure. We will be rewarding volunteers who give a minimum of 12 hours per year to the NCT with a discounted membership of only £26 per year. With only twelve hours to give, it's easy to qualify. Could you host a few coffee mornings at your local café, or perhaps a walk and talk? If that's not your thing then we always need extra hands at our Nearly New Sales. Registration for volunteers is online, and you'll qualify for the discount once your 12 hours are approved – please contact me for details. There's also a new 18 month membership, delivering a £12 saving over the period and ensuring that your renewal doesn't come around when you've only just received your bundle of joy. Members on a low income also benefit from a reduced donation of only £10 per year. If you're in receipt of Tax Credits or ESA, email membership@nct.org.uk to see if you qualify. Finally, a new supporter role has been created called Friends of the NCT which is especially for people who no longer need the services we provide but who want to help other parents get the support and encouragement they need. In reality, we're all Friends of The NCT, however this is a way to continue your support of NCT projects such as these, even after you've completed your transition to parenthood. Email Addresses Finally, looking at the database, only 59% of our members have provided their email address to the NCT. If you're one of the 41%, please contact me with your email address to ensure you don't miss out on the latest news and events. Hazel Li (Membership Secretary, Harrow Branch) Refresher courses also provide an opportunity to think about feeding your new baby. Not all mums will have breastfed their first baby or had a positive experience of feeding. Mums can find that the experience of feeding second and subsequent babies is very different from feeding their first baby. Feeding times can definitely feel like a juggling act and it’s worth having a few ideas up your sleeve to amuse your older child(ren) when you’re feeding the baby. A breastfeeding counsellor will lead a session on these issues which can also be tailored to cover any specific issues you might want to discuss. 20 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 29 Winter 2011 Membership update If we haven't already met, I'm your local branch Membership Co-ordinator and I'll be happy to help you in all things connected to your membership of the NCT, The UK's Largest Charity for Parents. We've had plenty of changes in membership recently including an online volunteer registration system, a new way to support the NCT's work and discounts for volunteers and members on a low income. A High Five Reasons To Join In The NCT recently asked some of our members to tell them the five main reasons why they support the NCT, so that we continue to focus on the activities that bring the most benefit to you. These reasons are: Meet new friends through our local NCT events Learn new skills through our classes and groups Get expert information from our helpline and website Help improve facilities by adding your voice Save money through our shop and sales To celebrate the High Five Reasons to Join In the NCT are giving away a family holiday for four. You could win a week's holiday in picturesque Devon in a house with breathtaking views over Bideford Bay. To enter the competition visit: www.tinyurl.com/ncthighfive 28 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 21 Winter 2011 NCT Early Days Courses Putting you and your baby first Support from sharing Life with a new baby isn’t always easy. Most new parents feel unprepared and surprised by the experience. Meeting other parents in your area, making friends and sharing experiences can make all the difference. Discovering that the worries and feelings you have are also felt by others can be very reassuring. Early Days courses give you the opportunity to discuss your thoughts, concerns and needs about being a new parent. You will be encouraged to share ideas and help others do the same so that you can support each other as you learn more about your skills as a parent. “...my life had changed dramatically and it really helped to talk about it and find that others felt the same.” Confidence from talking Early days courses are designed to help you get the most out of your new role as a parent as well as being enjoyable and interesting. Your trained and accredited group leader will listen to you, offering you the opportunity to talk about your experiences and concerns. You will also explore a range of approaches to important parenting issues so that you have the confidence to make the right decisions for your baby. “...I discovered that there is no single right or wrong way to look after a baby, babies are all so different, this helped me to have confidence in myself and trust my instincts.” Knowledge from listening. Parents coming to Early Days groups usually discover that the early months are full of uncertainty for most new parents. Too much advice and conflicting information mean that it is not always clear what you should do for the best or where to go for answers to your questions. Through group discussion and the sharing of ideas, you will discover that there are different ways that work for different parents and their babies. Issues covered by groups may include: · Expectations and realities of parenthood · Ideas for settling a crying baby · Getting the most out of your day (without feeling exhausted!) · Returning to work or not Places available on Early Days Course starting every six weeks For more details contact Lorraine Jenks 020 8907 6139 For bookings bookings 5c @nct.org.uk or visit www.nct.org.uk 22 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 27 Winter 2011 The NCT is a voluntary charitable organisation primarily involved in education for parenthood, supporting research and welfare into improved childcare. The Harrow Branch Magazine is published quarterly in March, June, September and December, with copy deadline set approximately 7 weeks earlier. The Magazine reaches approximately 300-500 young families and it is also distributed to relevant healthcare organisations such as doctor surgeries and clinics. SIZE & COSTS (includes 20% VAT) Full A5 (12cm wide x 17.5cm high) £48.00 4 issue contract £173.62 Half A5 (12cm wide x 8.5cm high) £30.64 4 issue contract £108.26 Quarter A5 (5.5cm wide x 8.5cm high) £18.38 4 issue contract £66.38 Leaflet inserts £51.06 4 issue contract £194.04 Email: NCTHarrowAdvertising@gmail.com Please recycle me When you have enjoyed your read and jotted down any phone numbers, please leave your copy of Special Delivery where another parent might find it anywhere in the Harrow area. It could be at a baby clinic, toddler group, library, café or somewhere more unusual. Deadline for SPRING 2012 is 5 JANUARY 2011 The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is a registered Charity (Number 801395) NCT UK Office is Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace, Acton, London W3 6NH Tel: 0300 330 077 The views in this Magazine are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the NCT or of the Harrow Branch. The information within the Magazine is for the use of NCT Members only in connection with NCT activities and may not be used for commercial purposes. The conditions of the Data Protection Act may apply. The NCT does not act as a guarantor to any person or company advertising in the Branch Magazine. To celebrate their achievement of stage 2 of the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative Northwick Park Hospital are holding a study afternoon on Breastfeeding the preterm baby Monday 5 December 2011 2-5pm Index of Advertisers Baby Sensory 35 NCT Sales 40 BambooShootz Photography 35 NCT Valley Cushions 46 Bringing up Baby 46 Netmums 34 Heathfield School 4 Northwick Park Day Nursery 8 Ira Wisudha - Therapist Jyoti Gudka Yoga 40 Northwood College 9 Small Print 41 Knoll House 36 Thais Hobbs Yoga 15 NCT Membership 52 Tumble Tots 14 46 Seminar Room 3, 6th floor, Medical Education Block, Northwick Park Hospital Speakers include Gillian Weaver - chair of UKAMB (United Kingdom Association for Milk Banking) Caroline King – dietician Rachel Evans – local mother whose son was born at 27 weeks gestation All welcome. Tea and refreshments provided 26 Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 23 Winter 2011 Who’s Who in Harrow NCT NEARLY NEW SALES Coordinator Mooey Albey 020 8204 8238 Sellers Meghan Zinkewich-Peotti 07788722 617 harrownctsellers@btinternet.com Volunteers Lorraine Jenks 020 8907 6139 Branch Co-ordinator position vacant Membership Secretary Hazel Li 07971 269553 NCTHarrowMembership@gmail.com Treasurer Shruti Chauhan 07957 654156 shrutichauhan100@googlemail.com Parent Support Co-ordinator Alice Cann 020 8952 5123 alicecann@yahoo.co.uk Antenatal Class Bookings Gail Cooper Publicity Officer Rosaline Jenkins 020 8966 9621 rosaline_jenkins@yahoo.com General Enquiries Niamh McEnery 07835 078147 Teachers’ Representative Jane Everitt 020 8428 8424 jane_everitt29@hotmail.com Antenatal Teachers Maxine Goswell Mala Morjaria Jane Everitt Sarah Wells Jane Berry Liz Sheridan Keri Brennan SW Students’ Representative Clare Castell 07886 692 040 clare@glitterarty.co.uk Hospital Liaison Heidi Haywood Crouch 020 8422 9480 heidihaywoodcrouch@btinternet.com niamhmcenery@hotmail.co.uk SPECIAL DELIVERY MAGAZINE Editor & Production Katia Fasanmi-Jones Dorina Wheeler Advertising Hazel Li Distribution Coordinator Alison Whitehead katiamorenike@aol.com dorina1@gmail.com 07971 269553 NCTHarrowAdvertising@gmail.com 020 8429 2358 alisonwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk POSTNATAL FRIENDS/SUPPORT GROUPS (see page ?) Parent Support Coordinator Alice Cann Pinner/Hatch End Hiteshri Bakhda Stanmore/Edgware/Kenton Lorraine Jenks lorrainejenks@btinternet.com TEACHING & SUPPORT 0844 243 6900 bookings5c@nct.org.uk 020 8429 3661 maxine.goswell@tesco.net 020 8427 2932 malamid@hotmail.com 020 8428 8424 jane_everitt29@hotmail.com 01895 238 231 sarahwells26@gmail.com 01895 230 149 mjljberry@btinternet.com 01895 622 332 lizzysheridan@googlemail.com 01895 632 392 keribrennan@yahoo.co.uk Trainee Antenatal Teachers Heidi Haywood Crouch crouch@btinternet.com Anna-Marie Roberts Clare Castell Rosalind Kamara 07753 894 912 020 8422 9480 heidihaywood- 020 8952 4660 020 8423 6439 annadecouto@btinternet.com clare@glitterarty.co.uk rosalindk@btinternet.com Postnatal Leader Lorraine Jenks 020 8907 6139 lorrainejenks@btinternet.com Breastfeeding Counsellors Alison Whitehead 020 8429 2358 Nena Blake (Tutor) 020 8958 7922 Julia Allen-Miles 020 8422 1473 Ruth Catty alisonwhitehead@yahoo.co.uk nena@uw.club.net j_allen_miles@hotmail.com 020 8424 0150 ruthcatty@yahoo.co.uk Trainee Breastfeeding Counsellors Anna Goldmeier 020 8905 3737 Emily Mann Claire Mogridge annagoldmeier@hotmail.co.uk 020 8238 2620 emilycaplan@hotmail.com 020 8428 6494 clairemogridge@hotmail.co.uk 020 8952 5123 alicecann@yahoo.co.uk hiteshri@hotmail.com 020 8907 6139 lorrainejenks@btinternet.com Bumps & Babes Co-ordinator (see page ?) Jen Stewart 24 mooey@mooscharms.com jillstewart@gmail.co Share your comments/articles/pictures/ideas - email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com VOLUNTEERS FOR NCT HIRE SCHEMES Breast Pump Hire Ruth Catty Claire Mogridge 020 8424 0150 020 8428 6494 ruthcatty@btinternet.com clairemogridge@hotmail.co.uk Valley Cushion Hire (see page?) Maxine Goswell 020 8429 3661 maxine.goswell@tesco.net Volunteers needed for NCT Harrow Branch: email dorina1@gmail.com / katiamorenike@aol.com 25