The Birth and Baby Space

Have you ever considered becoming an NHS Lanarkshire Community Mother volunteer?

We are holding an informal information session online via Microsoft teams on Thursday 3rd October at 6pm.
At the session you will have the opportunity to find out more and ask any questions that you may have to find out if the programme is for you.

If you have already shown interest in becoming a Community Mother and have submitted your contact details to the Infant feeding team you will receive an email soon with a link to join the online information session

Otherwise email [email protected] to express interest and request the link.

Posted • This Rainbow Baby Day, we’re thinking of all those still waiting for theirs, and those for whom a rainbow never arrived 💙

In our new blog, we look at the term Rainbow Baby and the conflicting feelings that it can spark - wherever you are in your pregnancy journey. You can find the blog by clicking the link in our bio.

If you’re struggling, today, or any day, know we are always here for you 💙

: Three images with turquoise backgrounds. The first has a illustration of a rainbow, with white text beneath that reads, “We’re sending love to you all this Rainbow Baby Day”. The second contains a quote from the blog, which is available at the link in our bio. The third echoes the caption in describing the blog topic, and below, white text reads, “We’re thinking of you all this Rainbow Baby Day.”

Baby cafe is back this week!!!

Normal service resumed after school holidays! Thank you to everyone who came along through the summer. We plan to do that every year.

Thursdays- No 18 from 9.30-11am drop in
Thursdays - Baby massage 11-1145am (this must be booked)
Fridays - Cambuslang parish church 10-1130am

See you all soon!

Ever wondered what’s actually in your breastmilk?

Breastmilk is an adaptable and dynamic total food source. It contains all the nutrients and bioactive factors needed for optimal infant health and development until 6 months of age. Its composition varies during the different stages of lactation and between term or preterm babies.

While studies into breastmilk composition are still ongoing, here are some of the most commonly recognised components of breastmilk:
✓ 700+ types of proteins
✓ 40+ types of enzymes which aid in digestion and nutrient absorption
✓ 200+ types of complex sugars (oligosaccharides) which help protect your baby’s gut from infections
✓ Live cells – stem cells to repair organ damage, white cells to prevent infection
✓ Hormones – regulates baby’s appetite, sleep and bonding
✓ Vitamins and Minerals – supports growth, healthy teeth & strong bones
✓ Growth factors – supports healthy organ development
✓ Antibodies (immunoglobulins) – protecting your baby from infections and illnesses
✓ Long-chain fatty acids – building blocks in nervous system, brain and eye development
Fats and breastmilk
Fats are a crucial energy supply in breastmilk and help to support normal growth and development. They also provide taste and aroma for the baby as well as aid in the development of the central nervous system.

Fat content in breastmilk varies between women based on their baby’s specific needs.
However, it’s interesting to know that as the breast drains (during feeding or expressing) the fat concentration in breastmilk increases. This means the breastmilk your baby receives at the end of the feed is higher in fat content.

For healthy babies with normal growth, a balance of lower and higher fat content in breastmilk is perfectly appropriate. This why its recommended to alternate breasts when needed and allow demand feeding. Any changes to this (i.e block feeding) are only as needed in specific circumstances such as oversupply, prematurity or lactose overload.

Written by Keryn Thompson RM & IBCLC (L-301766) in December 2022
Original post

Well my wee sidekick went off to start school this morning. Mixed feelings….so proud of my little guy but sad this part of my life is done. No more little people at home with me.

I Don’t know what to do with myself (although I’m sure this will pass 🤣)! I’ve always had a wee person home with me for the last 10 years now! I might try to take a little ‘me’ time before I begin to fill it with work!

Hold your little ones close, this time when they are small passed so quickly! It went by in a flash!

Sign up for my FREE online grandparents antenatal workshop!

Packed with up to date practical baby care info, feeding advice and infant sleep research.

“As a first time Grand Parent I thought this workshop was incredible, so much has changed sinced my day and Lisa kept us all up to date with all the latest science & knowledge, this was an invaluable experience.”

NCT licensed | The Birth and Baby Space | Grandparent workshops Families will get the most up to date and evidence based information in this 2 hour workshop. We build on existing knowledge and bring grandparents up to speed with current safety guidelines, for feeding, safe sleep and practical baby care. Ideal for new grandparents or family and friends who will b...

I wanted to finish off with a post about nursing toddlers and children.

Such a lot of focus goes on breastfeeding journeys starting and supporting the early days. But very little gets said about breastfeeding children past their infancy.

I breastfed all my babies until they were 2 years old. Not a lot of people know that and I didn’t go around shouting about it at the time. I never intended to nurse my kids, never mind past a year it just sort of happened and it was such a great way to settle upset little people, when they were ill, had hurt themselves, when tired ….the list goes on. So I continued to nurse them like I did when they were tiny babies because that’s what worked for us.

No matter what age your baby is Breastmilk continues to provide nutrition, calories, antibodies, proteins and 1000 other things. It doesn’t suddenly lose its magic contents when babies reach a certain age.

The world health organisation and UNICEF recommends continuing to breastfeed your children up to 2 years and beyond.

I just wanted to highlight the mums still providing breast milk for their toddlers as world breastfeeding awareness week draws to a close.

These breastfeeding journeys have their ups and downs and often there is less and less support for anyone still choosing to breastfeed past what our society deems an acceptable age.

It all of a sudden goes from being promoted and encouraged to breastfeed to being asked when you are stopping and judged for what was only months ago praised.

So to all you mamas out there that fed or is currently still breastfeeding your toddlers. I see you. You are incredible ❤️

***s ***es

I’m here today doing baby massage sessions come along and join in with

Great information from on keeping your breastfed and formula-fed babies hydrated!

For more information visit: firststepsnurtition.org

Posted • Phototherapy at home is is now available for babies born with jaundice thanks to the amazing team at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow Neonatal Unit.

The pilot is currently being trialled with mums, who have given birth at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. They can be in the comfort of their home with their newborn while the treatment takes place.

I’m off to Canada to see my family! I’ll still be checking emails and socials but might be a little slower responding.

🇨🇦

How fascinating are these baby milk and feeding products from the 1960’s!!!?

I was especially interested in the directions to add a teaspoon of sugar to the powdered milk, but only under doctors orders!!!!

The one who made me a mum! He was 10 yesterday and I honestly cannot believe I have a 10 year old!

I know when people tell new parents that it goes by in a flash it’s bloody annoying! But it does! I’m so happy and grateful to have a big healthy happy boy but I wish sometimes I could go back and enjoy these newborn days more. I wished I had stressed less and enjoyed the cuddles.

-section

It’s UK election day and every vote matters!

And if you weren’t sure you CAN bring baby along to vote. There’s even a sticker for them 🤣

I always bring one or all of mine along as personally I think it’s so important for them to see me take part in democratic elections. I’m a woman and a mum and my voting rights were long and hard fought for! So I’ll be having my say.

FREE INFANT FEEDING INFORMATION SESSION

For antenatal mothers and their significant other person.

No need to book, just turn up.

6pm - 730pm

Gartlea Community Centre
Hillfoot Road, Gartlea, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire,
ML6 9PL

📝Tuesday 2nd July
📝Tuesday 6th August
📝Tuesday 3rd September
📝Tuesday 1st October
📝Tuesday 5th November

⏰ ONLY 1 WEEK LEFT ⏰

Dads of Scotland - there’s only a week left to share your voice in our annual Dads Survey!

The voices of dads often goes unheard and unnoticed but you can speak up for fatherhood by taking a few minutes to share your experiences!

Share Your Voice Today! ⬇️
https://bit.ly/4bX3wUc

Find the survey bio

If you suspect you have a blocked milk duct you will need to act fast to prevent mastitis from kicking in. This is not just something that happens during newborn stage, you can get them at any stage of breastfeeding!

Signs to look out for include lumps on the breast, swelling, heat from the area or hot to touch, stinging / pinching / burning sensation from ni**le, hard or stiffness around the area. Also look out for beginnings of flu like symptoms such as a raised temperature, achy feeling, sweaty and cold shivers.

What to do….
Start by massaging the area using hot compress or warm water either in a bath or shower. You can then begin to express milk either by hand or using a pump or Hakka to get the block moving. The most efficient way to remove milk would be to try to get your baby to feed directly from the breast. This can be very uncomfortable for you but is the most effective method.

Continue to nurse frequently, ensure you stay hydrated. You may wish to try some nursing positions which make use of gravity to relieve the blockage. Dangle feeding is often recommended.

Some mums get creative with breaking up the blockage and massage the area with vibrating devices such as an electric tooth brush or powerful shower pressure to get the milk moving and flowing again.

If you’re are having difficulty nursing continue to express your milk frequently to remove the blockage. Be careful not to apply too much pressure and cause bruising or swelling. To prevent the skin on your breast becoming raw it would be a good idea to use oils or soap lather if in the shower or bath when expressing.

You may notice a milk bleb on your ni**le, (looks like a pimple) you may need to remove this to allow the blocked milk to flow out.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
If symptoms persist and you feel worse seek medical advice. You may require antibiotic treatment to fight the infection. If you or your healthcare provider is unsure about using antibiotics whilst breastfeeding an excellent resource can be found by Wendy jones MBE with information on using medications and breastfeeding.

Did you ever experience this?

The wonderful are coming to baby cafe this week on Thursday 20 June.

They’ll be offering advice and support on suitable baby wraps and carriers. You can even bring along your own carriers for a fit and safety check.

This will all take place during baby cafe so you’ll still get a cuppa and toast!

Remember this is the final week of baby cafe in for the school summer holidays. We will be back Thursday 22 August. But you can join baby cafe in the park on Fridays at 10am from 28 June. DM me to join the baby cafe WhatsApp update group for meeting places.

We need your help please. 💜

All women and birthing people who have given birth in the last five years - we urge you to consider completing the BESt-UK survey about your birth experience.

We know we have asked for a lot recently and that some of you felt disappointed that your experiences were not reflected in the Public Inquiry into birth trauma. But this is different, we promise.

By completing this survey you will be:
💜Forming a national picture on the rates of birth trauma and obstetric violence in the UK
💜Building more robust research around birth experiences
💜Joining a one-of-a-kind global research collaboration (13 countries are involved!)
💜Informing improvements in care to prevent birth trauma

Bits n bobs you need to know about the survey:

➡️Open from completion from Tuesday 18th June until September
➡️Anyone who has given birth since June 2019 and lives in the UK can complete it
➡️Positive, negative and neutral experiences are all welcome
➡️You don’t have to have given birth in hospital - we’d like experiences from all birth settings and with any provider
➡️It takes between 20-60 minutes to complete
➡️It’s available in six languages: English, Polish, Romanian, Portuguese, Urdu and Punjabi
➡️Voice notes are enabled for eight key questions should you prefer this option
➡️You can save the survey and come back

We are especially interested in hearing from marginalised communities e.g. people who are discriminated against because of their race, gender, sexuality, immigration status, language, disability, neurodivergence, age, education, economic situation, mental health, physical health, communication needs

In completing this survey, please remember that your wellness comes above all else. Before you complete the survey, please ask yourself:

💜Does it feel safe for you to share your experiences?
💜Would taking more time to heal benefit you first?
💜Do you have people to talk to if this process feels upsetting?

If you’d like to complete the survey but you’re worried you don’t have the right support in place, please contact Make Birth Better [email protected].

Big thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏿🙏

It’s our final week of baby cafes in No 18 Thursdays and Cambuslang parish church Fridays.

For the school holidays these cafes as they run currently will be closed!!!!

BUT fear not…..we will be hosting baby cafe in the park on Friday mornings 10am in Cambuslang park.

If you’ve been attending you will hopefully have joined the baby cafe WhatsApp group for weekly updates. If not and you would like to join send me a message and I’ll add you to the group.

To confirm baby cafe is running this Thursday 20th June and Friday 21 June as normal with baby massage final session on Thursday at 11am and maternal journal final session Friday 1130.

I will post weekly updates on stories to keep you right too. If in doubt message me!

🐻🐻🐻 Teddy Bears' Picnic 🐻🐻🐻

Grab your favourite cuddly toy and come on down to Cambuslang Park on the morning of Wednesday 10th July for lots of fun at our Teddy Bears' Picnic!

We have cute animals to meet, Bookbug fun, crafts and lots more!

No need to book, just turn up and enjoy!

My super popular grandparents workshop is back!

There have been lots of changes in maternity and baby care over the years. This free online workshop will build on existing knowledge and update you on all the current guideline recommendations and the research behind them.

This workshop is free to attend just register on my website (link in bio) for the zoom link to be sent to you. An online evening session covering all things practical baby for family who haven’t been around a little human for a while.

Monday 24 June 8pm

UK Father’s Day is this Sunday 16th June. Why not try this super easy homemade card for dads or grandparents?

Just paint baby feet (you can use any water based, washable paint) paint the sole of their feet and make a print. You can add teeth and eyes using a felt tip or sharpie and add some tag lines like ‘my daddy is roar-some!’ ‘Happy Daddysaurus day! ‘ Love you Papasaurus!’

Lovely keepsake card to look back and see how little their tiny tootsies were ❤️

Happy Father’s Day to you all when it comes! X # # #

It’s infant mental health awareness week!

Were you aware this was a thing? Huge amounts of work have been going on in recent years and we are very fortunate to have an infant mental health team dedicated to raising awareness, training and providing support for babies and their families.

Today was the Lanarkshire infant mental health conference where we were discussing how to bring more awareness for families and professionals working with families of the EXISTENCE of infant mental health and the support that is available.

For more info see the link https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/services/infant-mental-health/

Thrilled to announce our first maternal journaling block starting Friday 31 May, from 1130am at Cambuslang parish church halls. Babies welcome!

These sessions are for mums looking for an emotional outlet, to listen to others experiences of being / becoming a mum, to feel heard and validated, to vent, to support ….a place to let it all out.

Becoming a mum is a huge shift for us all. We are obviously grateful for the children in our lives but often feel we can’t express any emotions other than joy at becoming a mum. It’s bloody hard and often there is a lot of grief involved on this journey whether it’s loss of your independence, loss of friendships, loss of relationships, loss of confidence, changing body, crushed expectations and feelings of guilt and failure. Oft….it’s a lot.

Come join our group and let it out in a safe space. You can share only what you want. Sometimes just hearing others are experiencing similar feelings is enough.

Please DM me to book a space so we can prepare for numbers.

This gorgeous girl joined our antenatal class today, she was SUCH a good girl!

If you are expecting a baby and have a dog here are some things to think about before baby arrives….

You can get your dog used to the changes around your home well in advance. Swings, moses baskets & cots, prams, toys and changing mats should be in place before the baby arrives to allow your pet to get used to all the new stuff!

If your pet is sensitive to noise prepare them for the sounds that babies make by playing recordings of a baby crying for short spells. Also any baby things that play tunes or make mechanical noises.

Think about how much exercise your dog will realistically get? Do they pull on the lead, do they come back when called or whether they’re problematic around other dogs. Once your baby arrives you will have to manage these problems while pushing a pram or carrying them! Maybe your dog would benefit from refreshing important skills, and now is the time to put the effort in as when your baby arrives you are likely to be too busy.

It is a good idea to practice walking your dog next to your pram before your baby arrives to allow you all to get used to it.

If you think your dog will be walked less after baby arrives perhaps see if friends, family or a dog Walker could help you out in the early days.

Provide lots of mental stimulation to tire dogs out too as bored dogs become over excited and can become destructive. New toys, kongs, hidden treats are great as dogs spend lots of energy when they use their brain and will help tire them out.

And don’t forget to give them lots of positive reinforcement! Praise for good behaviour and lots of cuddles for being a goooood dog!

The sun is finally here! But If your baby is younger than six months, it’s best to try keep them out of direct sunlight altogether! Especially between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is strongest.

If you can’t avoid being in the sunshine, make sure your baby is well protected. Dress them in a hat, loose, cotton clothes, and put a high factor sunscreen on exposed areas of skin. You can set up sun umbrellas or UV tents with toys if you are playing outside.

Remember to regularly reapply sunscreen especially if your children are playing in water. And apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before heading outdoors.

Did you know it’s recommended you use sun protection from the middle of April to the end of September, even in the UK!!! Who knew?!

Getting your child into the habit of wearing sun protection will help keep their skin healthy as they grow up.

Enjoy the sunshine people!!!!

It’s my birthday today! My gorgeous mummy sent me this pic taken 42 years ago today!

How much has changed for new mums since then? Lots in some ways, not much in others!

Happy ‘birth’ day mum, from the one who made you a mummy # #

𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲 💚🧡💛

If you’ve discovered your baby has or may have Down syndrome, you may be worried and afraid, unsure of what your future holds and what life will look like. At Down Syndrome UK we understand, and we are here for you; you are not alone.

We are here to support you throughout your pregnancy and beyond, when baby arrives our care and support continues. We are parents who understand the reality of parenting a child or young person with Down syndrome, and we know that while there may be challenges – as there are for any parent – we also know and are proud to say that our children and young people are loved, valued members of our families and communities who we would not be without. So, do please take a read of our stories to see that while many of us had worries and concerns, we now lead happy and ordinary lives.

Find out more: https://downsyndromeuk.co.uk/parents/expecting-a-baby/

If you're in the UK, we'd love to welcome you to our non-judgemental pregnancy group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dsukpositiveaboutdownsyndromegreatexpectations

We'd also love to welcome dads-to-be: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dadstobepositiveaboutdownsyndrome