MamaBabyBliss

Lucy is back at in October! MamaBabyBliss Derby will be there on 16th October as part of the group to demonstrate some top to toe massage techniques for your baby, learning skills to build strength and develop immune systems and take home lasting tools to help relax and calm your little one. This workshop is open to anyone who has a little one from birth to pre-crawlers.

The workshop includes a hot drink and a freshly baked cake and is a wonderful opportunity to meet other parents in the area. We start with a welcome and then move on to learning some valuable baby massage moves that you can try out on your little one, we then have a break and enjoy that hot drink and yummy cake, before ending with a moment of guided relaxation.

To book your space, message Lucy directly. This workshop is always really popular, so do get in touch early to avoid disappointment.

BENEFITS OF PREGANCY YOGA Pregnancy yoga has many benefits and a study conducted by the University of Manchester found that even a single session of yoga was found to reduce self-reported anxiety by one third and stress hormone levels by 14%.

Practising yoga on a regular basis throughout your pregnancy offers the following key benefits:

🤰Teaches you breathing and relaxation techniques to support you through birth

🤰Helps release natural
pain-relieving hormones during labour

🤰Helps alleviate common ailments during pregnancy like back-ache, heartburn, anxiety and helps minimise stress and helps you sleep better

🤰Going to a regular group helps you forge new friendships and share ongoing support with other mamas-to-be

We are passionate about supporting you on your journey throughout pregnancy and beyond. To find your nearest MamaBabyBliss Teacher and PregnancyBliss Class just click the link in the bio or our Teachers Directory on the MamaBabyBliss website 💕

TREASURE THE MOMENTS This picture was taken on Sunday evening. It’s of me and my ‘baby’ girl Alana who will be leaving for Uni in a few weeks time.

I know for many people, today is the first day of school or preschool. I remember Alana’s first day so clearly, as well as so many other special firsts. Holding her in my arms after she was born, her first smile, her first steps. Too many moments to mention here.

If you ask me now where time has gone I can only say that I don’t know. It hasn’t felt like nineteen years but it is. Looking at this picture I’m reminded of the infinite love that I feel for her today and always will.

I don’t have much wisdom to impart in this post only that be sure to really treasure the moments with your little ones. Time really pass all too quickly. 🤍

September Classes start soon and I can't wait to welcome both new and familiar faces, babies that I knew as bumps, babies that will have grown so much since I've last seen them, and Mums coming to their first ever class. One foot in front of the other, and I'll do the rest 💜

Pregnant? Know someone who is? This is the course for them!

As many mums I meet have said...
"I wish I'd known about you when I was pregnant!"

Share with any pregnant mamas you know so they don't miss out!

Final 2 spaces available on this award winning course. The Lots For Tots Antenatal Service of the Year 2024 💜

SEPTEMBER BABIES FUN FACT!
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) September is the most popular birth month of the year with more babies born in late September than at any other point of the year. The most popular date is 26th September with the most babies born in England and Wales on that day!

Of course, that’s nearly nine months after Christmas Day so it just goes to show that the Xmas break is definitely the time of year when we are most likely to cosy up!

Let us know if you or your bab’s birthday or your due date is in September or indeed the 26th!

Please don't call her a Lockdown Baby,
She arrived unknowingly into a distant world,
But I always held her close.
I kept her safe and showed her how to grow,
And now she's ready to fly.
It's me that you should call a Lockdown Mummy,
More than ever I find it hard to let her go.
We feared for every knock on the door,
Yet so craved a friendly touch
And so needed to look someone in the eye.
Some gave birth alone,
Some were told unbearable news
With only a Stranger to catch our tears.
I'm a Lockdown Mummy and always will be,
So go gently with me.
She will be fine and will thrive with all we gave her
Despite the impossible World we lived in.
But I will always need an extra moment,
A bit more time to get used to change.
So please don't paint them with that Lockdown brush,
Look at me instead and call me a Lockdown Mum 💜

Introducing... NURTURE NIGHT AUTUMN 2024

I am now taking bookings for the next Nurture Night on Monday 7th October .

With an autumnal theme, think cosiness, think relaxation, think calm, think of warmth! A hot welcome drink on arrival followed by unlimited mocktails and delicious grazing boards to share, we will spend time stretching our postnatal bodies and focusing on feeling relaxed. This time is just for you.

Suitable for those who have had their 6-8 week postpartum GP check, and beyond! Whether you've got a 3 month old or a 3 year old, you're welcome here.

To book your space please message me directly, it's on a first come first served basis and I have limited spaces remaining. and I can't wait to welcome you!

THE BENEFITS OF LAVENDER

We are passionate about using natural ingredients in our skincare products. In our baby massage classes we provide you with ‘Hugs’ Baby Oil which is paediatrician and mid-wife approved.

One of the core ingredients is lavender oil which has a number of benefits not just for our babies but us too.

Benefits include helping with sleep and alleviating anxiety, stress, and depression.
Based on findings from studies here are a number of key benefits:

💜 Using lavender oil can improve sleep quality, including in people with insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

💜 Lavender oil may also increase time spent in deep, slow-wave sleep.

💜 Studies show that just by inhaling lavender it may help reduce anxiety. Scientists have also found similar types of results for lavender’s effectiveness in treating depression.

💜 Using lavender oil in aromatherapy has also been shown to help lower blood pressure and our heart rate, and increasing feelings of relaxation and calm.

SLEEP ‘REGRESSION’ 😴 There will be times when things feel harder. Our baby who slept through the night suddenly wakes up again.

The term commonly used for this phase is sleep ‘regression’. However, language and what we tell ourselves matters.

Whilst it’s true that your baby may be waking up in the night, it’s because their brains and bodies are developing at a phenomenal rate and this means that there is more to process.

This is in fact a sign that our babies are PROGRESSING.

Rather than seeing this time as a negative, we need to remind ourselves that this is simply a phase and those sleepless nights will pass. 🤍

Time for YOU 💖 As a busy mama it can be easy to put yourself last. That’s why our passion at MamaBabyBliss is to nurture you as much as your baby.

Whether it be in our baby massage, baby yoga or postnatal classes are our aim is to look after you as well.

It might be a good stretch to release tired shoulders, a relaxation at the end where we look after your baby so your can relax or simply enabling you to share what’s been going on for YOU during the week with other mums.

Whatever you need, we are here to support you and remind you that you are never on this journey alone.

To find your nearest MamaBabyBliss Teacher and Class just visit our teachers directory (link in the bio) or on the MamaBabyBliss website at www.mamababybliss.com

Maybe you don't feel like you've done enough or maybe you keep going over one thing again and again. But do this ⬆️ really do this, and see if you can change how that internal voice speaks to you.

🌈✨ NATIONAL RAINBOW DAY Today, we honour the resilience and strength of families who have experienced loss but who can also celebrate the joy of parenthood. A rainbow baby symbolises the hope, healing, and love that follows the storm of a previous loss. Let us remember and cherish the precious lives that came before, and embrace the beautiful rainbow babies who bring light to our hearts. 💛👶

THE FOURTH TRIMESTER 💕

Often there is the expectation that after our baby is born that they are fully flourished.

The truth is however that during the first 12 weeks after birth they are still developing and adjusting to the world outside of the womb. This is why this phase is commonly referred to as the fourth trimester.

It also takes time for you to adjust to life as a new parent which is why it is important to remember the following things:

💕 Remember to be patient, kind and gentle with yourself as you get to know your baby. This is all new to you and to your baby.

💕 Do not place too many expectations on yourself and your baby. It’s too soon to think about routines. Just view this time as one to get to know one another.

💕 Take things one day at a time and remember you are both on this learning journey together.

💕 There will never be days where you might feel overwhelmed but remember that that’s normal. This is so different from anything you’ve done before. You have absolutely got this.

WELCOME to the strong girls club! Bonnie is leading the way here by getting the actual t-shirt.

In my classes you can cry, you can laugh, you can get frustrated, you can rest, you can relax, you can cry some more, you can be vulnerable, you can be yourself, you can celebrate, you can lean on those around you and you can raise others. This is what strength is to me and so much more.

And if you don't think you're strong, I'm gonna tell you otherwise.

See you there Bonnie

Thank you so much for these kind words. It's strange going from a job where you get very little feedback (working in the NHS and schools as an SLT it doesn't always get back to you) to a job where women champion other women so much and say these kind of things ⬆️

A few weeks away before I start the next courses but I'm already looking forward to it thanks to you all! 💜

Graduation Day: swipe to see the before 👀➡️
carey22

MAMABABYBLISS NURTURE CLUB 💗

What is included in the Mama Baby Bliss Nurture club? Sign up to one of our MamaBabyBliss classes or book a prenatal or postnatal treatment with one of or MamaBabyBliss Therapists or Salons and you’ll get access to the MamaBabyBliss Nurture Club.

What’s included?
⠀
💕Expert videos to support pregnancy, postnatal and infant wellbeing.⠀
💕Downloads, guides and expert factsheets to help guide you along the journey of pregnancy and motherhood.
💕Access to a community of new and expectant parents in your area.⠀
⠀

We met on a MamaBabyBliss course when we pregnant, the next thing they know I've got them signed up to a 10k 4 years later! Who knows where your MamaBabyBliss course will take you...

So proud of doing something I thought was out of reach. Thanks to these ladies! 10k. Completed.

Thank you for all your sponsorship for Cancer Research 💜

When you get told you're going to be in the baby book!
From bump to baby for lovely Laura, see you two in September you wonderful pair 💜

SHUT OUT THE NOISE AROUND YOU 💗

We live in a world where we are bombarded and surrounded with information. The internet, social media, expert (and non-expert) opinions, when it comes to pregnancy and babies it can feel that there is so much that we need to be mindful of.

This can make us doubt ourselves.

The truth is that there is no such thing as one size fits all. Also no-one knows you or your baby better than yourself.

But it takes time to build that confidence. So take some time to switch off the noise and take time in stillness listening to your needs and just being with yourself and your baby.

Nature has given us all the tools to do bring our babies into the world and to raise them. Your inner wisdom and instinct is there to guide you and help you do things your way.

WORLD BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS WEEK 🤍

At MamaBabyBliss we support every choice of how to feed your baby.

But we do find it amazing and beautiful how nature has created you to be so perfectly in sync you with your baby.

As well as babies being able to see the perfect distance from the breast to their mothers face, breastfeeding also releases oxytocin which helps us to relax and bond with our babies.

This week is breastfeeding awareness week and we want to celebrate all mamas who are on their breastfeeding journey.

It’s not always easy and it takes time to establish breastfeeding, so it’s important to be patient and kind with yourself.

Besides providing your baby with all the essential nutrients they need, enjoy these moments as a calming and quiet time for you and your precious baby 🤍

mama

THE BENEFITS OF SUNFLOWER OIL 🌻

When it comes to skincare we believe that simple and pure is best. Sunflower oil is one of the most popular oils for cooking but it also has a range of benefits for your skin.

It contains linoleic acid, which helps your skin retain moisture so it becomes less dry. Reinforcing this natural moisture barrier is especially helpful for those with sensitive skin or eczema

Other benefits include:
🌻 Sunflower oil is highly absorbent and non-comedogenic. This means it will not clog your pores, and it is well-suited for various skin types — including sensitive and new baby skin.

🌻 Antioxidants like vitamin E help protect your skin from wrinkles and negative effects from sun exposure.

🌻 Sunflower oil has been shown to help aid wounds in healing faster, though more research is needed to explore this effect.

🌻 It’s edible so suitable for baby massage. This is really important as babies will often put their fingers in their mouths so you want to make sure you use an oil that is safe for ingestion.

Sunflower oil is also a core ingredient in our award-winning Hugs Baby Massage Oil which our teachers provide you with in our classes.

To find out more about our products and classes visit our website at www.mamababybliss.com. 🌻

SUMMER CLASSES 🌞🌻 We hope that you are enjoying what finally feels like summer!

Whilst a lot of classes take a break over the summer, some of our teachers will be continuing to run classes, workshops and events throughout the holidays!

Do make sure to check the MamaBabyBliss Teachers Directory and your local teachers social media for an update of what’s on offer! 🌞🌻

There is no such thing as too many kisses or too many cuddles. You can never carry or pick up your baby too much. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I love seeing these moments in classes 💜

Heidi and her beautiful Bonnie shot by the one and only

CONGRATULATIONS AMY OF MAMABABYBLISS HARPENDEN & ST ALBANS 💗

We are so thrilled to welcome the arrival of mamababyblissharpendenstalbans Amy’s beautiful little girl Summer Rose who is featured here with her proud big sister Annabelle.

Amy qualified as a MamaBabyBliss Teacher in November 2023. She was inspired to become a teacher after taking part in classes with Annabelle.

Amy became pregnant during her training and it was such a joy to be part of her pregnancy journey! She is currently on maternity leave from teaching but will be starting back gently later on in the year.

Congratulations Amy to you and your family and enjoy being in your mama bubble with your girls! 💗💗💗

September courses are live! Some courses are already sold out or close to being sold out so do let me know if you want to reserve a spot and pay later. All courses are held at the wonderful , DE21 4BB.

What's on and what's it about?

💜 PregnancyBliss Yoga *spaces available*
6 week course suitable from 14 weeks.
Stretch out tension, connect your body to your breath, build strength and meet other mums to be. No experience needed and I provide all the equipment.
Wednesdays at 7.30pm

💚 Baby Massage *spaces available*
5 week course suitable from birth.
Bond with your baby, learn massage techniques to help with common ailments, and get to know other mums in a safe space.
Thursdays at 1.45pm.

💛 Baby Yoga (Foundation) *4 spaces left*
5 week course suitable from 10 weeks.
Build flexibility, coordination and strength and have a lot of fun with your baby! Find time for you within the roller coaster of parenthood.
Thursdays at 12pm.

❤️ Baby Yoga (Advanced) *sold out*
5 week course suitable from 5 months.
Advanced yoga moves for older babies who love going upside down and flying! Building their vestibular systems and working to their stages of development.
Thursdays at 10.15am.

BE KIND & GENTLE TO YOURSELF 💗 We
live in a fast-paced life and world. This intensifies even more when we are juggling looking after a baby or a toddler or both.

In amongst all of that we can often neglect our own needs which can lead to us feeling depleted and overwhelmed.

We can also put ourselves under immense pressure and take on too much. Or we set ourselves incredibly high standards.

So perhaps just take a moment to think about what you can perhaps let go of. Also take a moment to remind yourself that you are still learning and it doesn’t all have to be done right now.

You are doing a brilliant job, mama. You also matter and you need to look after yourself too. 💗

CELEBRATE YOUR BABY EXPLORERS ⭐️ The world is a magical place to a toddler and we love the way that babies and toddlers learn.

What may seem like a random object to you is a world of exploration and fascination for a toddler.

This is because children’s development and learning is based on natural milestones that are part of what is called schematic play:

⭐️Trajectory - climbing up and jumping down.
⭐️ Positioning - putting things in groups.
⭐️ Enveloping - Wrapping things up or placing them in containers.
⭐️ Rotating - spinning things or themselves round and round.
⭐️ Enclosing - adding boundaries around things.
⭐️ Transporting - carrying or moving items from one place to another.
⭐️ Connecting - constructing and joining items together.
⭐️ Transforming - exploring the changing states of materials.
⭐️Orienteering – placing things in different places or positions.

We incorporate all of this in our Baby Explorers classes which is combination of baby yoga with heuristic (the Greek word for discovery!) and schematic play.

To find your nearest MamaBabyBliss Teacher and Class just visit our teachers directory on the website at www.mamababybliss.com

Look what Claire found the other day! Me and my smallest hooman doing the handstand in Baby Yoga Advanced! Proof that I really did do it from the start myself.

What you see in this photo:
A mum enjoying herself in a baby class.

What I see in this photo:
A memory of a time where I could tell people how I really was, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, often both, a protected time and space where me and my little guy could bond and have fun, a place to meet and hang out properly with other mums (we're going out for a kareoke night soon), a baby yoga teacher who cared and really listened, a place with amazing bakes, lunch and drinks (shout out ), a place where my free spirit of a son could stretch out his body, explore and smile his heart out, but also cry freely if he needed to without me panicking. And finally, a mum who even though she found it hard sometimes, really made the most of that time she had with her smallest hooman.

This is why I wanted to do it myself. I'm so happy I get to create a bit of that for you now in Derby!

Our passion is supporting you as much as your baby which is why we love our MamaNurture classes.

They offer a range of benefits including:

💗 HEALING & RECOVERY after birth
💗 STRENGTHENING the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles after birth
💗 RELAXATION & REST for YOU
💗 FRIENDSHIP & SUPPORT a safe space where you can connect and share the journey with other mamas

To find your nearest MamaBabyBliss Teacher and Class just visit our teachers directory (link in bio) or on the website at www.mamababybliss.com

MAKE TIME FOR YOU THIS WEEKEND 💗 If you were to take a moment to pause, have a think about when was the last time you made some time for YOU?

It’s all too easy to spend all of our time and energy looking after others. Then when we’re not doing that we’re busy catching up on household chores or work.

All too often we put ourselves last. But self-care matters for our mental, physical and emotional health. So this weekend, if you do have an extra pair of hands to help look after your little ones, see if you can carve out some time just for YOU.

It doesn’t have to be big or long but think about what makes you happy. Take a walk in nature, have a cup of tea and read a book, have a bath, go for a run.

Whatever it is that makes YOU happy and gives you a breather. Just do it ❤️

YOU’VE GOT THIS MAMA 💗 Motherhood is a rollercoaster and there can be days and weeks where it can feel relentless.

It can sometimes also feel that despite being constantly busy and doing so much, you’re not achieving anything.

Times like that take a moment to stop and remind yourself that there is no greater achievement than keeping a tiny human alive.

You are doing an amazing job Mama and you have got this. 💗

PROUD & GRATEFUL FOR OUR NHS 💙🌈
I have spent the last two weeks delivering training and working with perinatal mental health teams up and down the country.

I was also immensely privileged to be invited to deliver a wellbeing session to one of the teams where the focus was on looking after THE TEAM. Doctors, psychologists, nurses, admin staff took part and I can’t describe what an honour I felt to be able to give something back.

We have now worked with over 20 perinatal teams for many years and whenever, I work with these teams, I am immensely moved and humbled by their dedication and passion to supporting families who are in need.

So today I would like to take a moment to say a big THANK YOU to the NHS. You are the bed rock and at the heart of our nation’s health. As an organisation we are so proud to support and partner with you 💙🌈

Toes in the air if you're coming to the new term of PregnancyBliss next week at the Base Bar! Just 1 space left!

What will you get when you come to my baby massage course?
💜 The warmest welcome and a spare pair of hands if you need it!
💜 Refreshments including endless amounts of biscuits. Mums need sustenance!
💜 Air conditioning for those warmer days.
💜 A 'toolbox' of baby massage skills that you'll probably use into toddlerhood! (My 2 year old loves a hand massage, still).
💜 Your own baby massage oil to take home, as well as an information pack with all the baby massage techniques so you can do it at home or show a family member how to do it too.
💜 Strategies to help with colic, constipation, colds, and relaxation, amongst many others!
💜 A supportive group of mums to keep you going and share in the highs and lows.
💜 Tips from a specialist Speech and Language Therapist to aid language development.
💜 Empathy and honesty from me, having gone through it all myself not long ago.
💜 A hug, if you need it.

Get in touch to find out more or book online via the link in my bio.

It's International Yoga Day! I nearly missed it but luckily my children's nursery reminded me 😂
From pregnancy, to baby, and on to postnatal we love Yoga: for the community, for our bodies, but mostly for our minds. Without it I may well have found the process of parenthood infinitely more difficult. It's been around for thousands of years for a reason...

Bonnie and Iris showing us some beautiful hip and leg sequences in baby yoga, using both sides of the brain, all while bonding with their wonderful mamas! Thanks again to for these beauties.

MOTHERHOOD AROUND THE WORLD
In some Indigenous Australian cultures, new mothers observe a traditional practice called yarning circles. During this time they gather and have a good ‘yarn’ (chat!) with other mothers from all generations to share their experiences and receive support during the postnatal period.

The circle promotes togetherness, personal growth and healing support for women. It’s created as a safe space where mothers can feel supported and receive the wisdom from others.

It’s also a chance to meet new people, make new friends and enjoy some much-needed time out.

We love how much other cultures can teach us. We’d love to know who supported you during the early months of motherhood?

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