First Steps Consultancy

As much as my massage classes are about the babies, it is also about allowing people to share their worries, achievements, good days and bad days. I had the nicest morning today, with two lovely ladies and their gorgeous boys. 💙💙
We focused on ways to illuminate wind and help the boys to be more comfortable, while putting the world to rights!
Both boys were snoring when they went home 😊

If you would be interested in learning how to massage your baby, let me know.

Ruth x

With all of the coughs and colds around… don’t forget to massage your little one’s toes. It helps to release the sinuses and makes breathing easier for them 😊

Well, that’s our homework done for this week.
I must admit to feeling a bit like the woman in the photo today!
I don’t know about you, but my children are never very keen to do it!
Jack has an English task, Maths task, reading and spellings to do every week (we read and do spellings every day too) and Emily has the same!
We split it over the weekend, but it still takes up such a lot of our family time.

What do you all think about homework? What do your children have to do?

Ruth 😊

I have been doing lots of video consultations recently… potty training, sleep and unwanted behaviour have been the main topics of conversation.

I love supporting people and coming up with a plan together of what will help to resolve the situation.

If I have one piece of advice for anyone struggling with a situation at the moment it would be this…
Please remember, all children are different and will do things at different times and master things in different ways.

Please don’t worry, and if you are worrying, I am here to help ♥️

Today I was back in my happy place, teaching Mums to massage their babies. and Abel and Jenna with Tabitha. Both babies seems to really enjoy it, and little Tabitha was very chilled and snoozing when I left ♥️♥️ We focused on legs and tummies, as well as helping to soothe trapped wind. 😊

Doing the same things at bedtime is important when you are trying to establish a routine.

🛏 Giving your child a bath, giving them a bottle/drink of milk and reading them a story is all you have to do.

🛏 Bedtime routines shouldn’t last too long as you can make your child overtired which will not help them to calm down and settle to sleep.

🛏 An important point to make is that everybody will have a different routine with their children, because that is what works for them.

🛏 Also, don’t worry about the time, young children can’t tell the time, so as long as you are doing the same things, in the same order, they will understand that it is bedtime.
Some days will be trickier than others and you may want to bring bedtime forward a little, and other days your child may have had a longer nap than usual so push it back to avoid battling with a child who isn’t tired.

If you would like any advice/help with bedtime routines… you know where I am 😊

This is so true 💗💗

This is a lovely list of questions to ask when your little ones get in from school.
Unfortunately, children are notoriously bad at telling you anything about their day, I usually only find out about what they have eaten!! 🤣🤣

This is so true isn’t it! We wouldn’t have it any other way though would we?? 😊

I have a lady from Faringdon interested in doing a Baby Massage class with her 4 week old. Are there any other Faringdon/Carterton/Witney based Mums who would like to join her? It is likely to be a Wednesday morning. Venue TBC.

Get in touch with any questions or if you would like more information.
Text/call 07969451366
email [email protected]

Ruth xx

I have just come off a fabulous Zoom call with a group of parents from a nursery, who all had questions and concerns around Potty Training.
We talked for an hour about signs of readiness, common stumbling blocks and ways to encourage children to overcome their fears of using the potty/toilet.

Potty training can be confusing, I am always happy to help ♥️

If your child is a bit of a fussy eater, you can encourage them to eat sandwiches if you make them a little bit more exciting!

Just make the sandwiches as usual and then cut them with cookie cutters into shapes that they will like, hearts, stars, aeroplanes, butterflies… the choices are endless!

Also works to make packed lunches more fun if you are noticing that sandwiches aren’t being eaten when your little one is at school ♥️

Potty training has been the thing that I have been supporting a lot of parents with recently.

Starting school or even going back after the summer holidays can cause children to have a little wobble, it is very common.

I use very gentle techniques that work really well with children when they are ready to start potty training.
It is very important to look for signs of when your child is ready, rather than just choosing a time when you are off work to do it.
It is a really psychological thing, and something that can’t be forced, if you do it too soon, you run the risk of children holding on to their wee and poo and making themselves uncomfortable.

There is no set age, don’t worry what your friend’s child is doing, just wait for your child to be ready, they will let you know ♥️

Don’t know about you, but I am really missing my little bears now they are back at school. It seems very strange not being with them every day, although I have to admit I am enjoying the peace! 🤣

After a long while of not being able to see you all due to Covid, I am so pleased that things are getting back to normal again 😊

I am really excited to start Baby Massage classes again, but understand that lots of people with newborn babies are very nervous of groups, so I am offering 1:1 or small group sessions in your home.

I am also looking to start larger group classes up again as well, so please let me know if you are interested and where you live so I can find suitable venues 😊

As always, my consultations are available over the phone or video call, or in your home so please get in touch if I can help you with anything sleep, weaning, potty training, breastfeeding or behaviour related. I am always here to help 😊

So true!! 🤣🤣

Let’s talk poo!
I am yet to meet a parent who is not slightly obsessed with their baby’s poo, and this is normal!

In the first few days, their poo is called Meconium and will be very dark, green in colour, and have a sticky, almost ‘tar’ consistency. It is normally unscented.

When your baby is two to four days old, the poo will become less sticky and lighter in colour - sort of yellow/green, almost like pesto in colour.

After this, the poo will become smooth and bright yellow, like mustard.
Sometimes a Breastfed baby can have poo which has more of a cottage cheese appearance, and may be dotted with little seed-like flecks.

Don’t worry if it smells sweet, this is perfectly normal!

If your baby has yellow poo, with bits of darker green in there, this can be a sign of them having wind, but nothing to worry about.

If there is some stringy mucus in the poo, this can be because they have a cold, or that they are teething.

Teething poos are easy to spot, they often have a very distinctive, sour smell to them.

Any questions about poo, feel free to fire them at me! 💩💩💩

Don’t forget, I am still virtually teaching, so if you would like to learn how to massage your baby, in the comfort of your own home, get in touch and we can arrange a course either 1:1 or in a group, tailored to the needs of your baby.

Massage is great, not just for your baby, but for your mood too.
♥️

I had a great ‘Zoom’ with and lots of parents talking about the trials and tribulations of potty training this morning!

Lots of people are giving it a go at the minute, if you need any tips or tricks, just let me know 😀

Here is a link to the zoom if you would like to watch it:-

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/--IJludVIn9awvcPSoBNI5YqzxZahfMJhNNfkLaxPM0v_rmKkHGt23-HDdR_owrh.RDdEQ57bClbD5LXk

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Sleep has been a big problem for lots of children (and some adults too) recently.
Partly due to lack of routine, as lots of us were going to bed later and having lazy mornings due to lockdown, and not having anywhere to go.
Some children have found the lack of routine unsettling and it has had an impact on their ability to fall asleep.

Having a bedtime routine for your child is really important, and something they will fall into really quickly, if you are consistent.
Something as simple as a warm drink, a bath and then a short story will work wonders if you do it every day.

It is important that the bedtime routine isn't too long or stimulating as this can have the opposite effect and children can become over tired or too excited to sleep.
The longest a bedtime routine should be is 30 minutes.

If you would like any help with this, or if you are having problems with any other aspect of sleep, please get in touch.

Ruth xx

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