Our Baby Club Wimbledon & Merton

✨✨NEW COURSE DATES RELEASED✨✨

Expecting a new arrival in 2024?!! Our next set of Award Winning Courses are now LIVE and open for booking!

💛 A relaxed, friendly and informative four session course covering everything you need to know! We don’t leave anything out.

🌟 You shall get the latest stats-based research, plenty of parenting insights and life hacks presented and discussed with you in an HONEST and UNBIASED way

💛 The course is interactive and practical with lots of delicious refreshments available throughout!

🌟 Includes a Delicious Afternoon Tea and Goody Bag!

💛 Plus my support doesn't end when your baby arrives. I am also an Infant Feeding specialist for the NHS. Id love to support you to explore and unpack ‘concerns, fears, ideals, or expectations’ on how you wish to provide nutrition to your baby. Together, we can explore your feeding goals in a non-judgmental and practical way. I can support you to get breastfeeding/chest-feeding off to a great start or if you choose to bottle-feed, I can provide you with guidance on how to safely do so AND how you can build a close and loving relationship with your baby whichever method you choose.

DM with any questions or email [email protected].
Please remember if there is a date that doesn’t work for you, just get in touch, we will find a way round it 🙌🏻

I cannot WAIT to welcome you into the Our Baby Club family!

https://www.ourbabyclub.com/wimbledon

🌟NEW DATES TO FOLLOW!!!🌟
Our Award-Winning group courses cover how to prepare physically, emotionally and practically for your labour, birth and early parenthood, with zero bias or judgement

💛 We discuss all options and eventualities during labour and birth, as well as hands on, practical sessions on safe sleep, feeding ( we can explore which method is right for you), bathing and what your baby might be doing in those first hours, weeks, days and months

💛 You'll leave with a support plan in place and a full understanding of what choices will be available to you

🌟 Plus my support doesn't end when your baby arrives. I am an Infant Feeding specialist for the NHS. I can support you to have a successful feeding journey. We can work together get breastfeeding off to a great start or if you choose to bottle-feed, I can provide you with guidance on how to safely do so. AND how you can build a close and loving relationship with your baby 💛

I would love to support you when you need it the most - having a baby can be SO overwhelming, I've felt it, so please get in touch if you have any questions at all

DM with any questions or email [email protected].
Please remember if there is a date that doesn’t work for you, just get in touch, we will find a way round it 🙌🏻

https://www.ourbabyclub.com/wimbledon

**Birth & Early Days Preparation Classes with Sabira from February 2024**

Becoming a mother was the proudest, most rewarding and yet scariest thing I have ever done, it was so thrilling that I went on to have another two! Parenthood has taught me that no pregnancy, birth or baby are the same, all families have varying needs.

I have a passion for and have made it my life's work to support expectant parents in gaining the confidence and knowledge on all things pregnancy and baby.
I'm also an Infant Feeding Specialist for the NHS. Since leading breastfeeding/chestfeeding workshops for the NHS, I developed a passion for teaching. I have worked with families from varied backgrounds and cultures. In these workshops I focus on how to have a close and loving relationship with their baby. I support them in having a successful feeding journey, whichever way they choose to provide nutrition to their baby.

I am pleased to join a revolution whose ethos is wholly like my own: zero judgement, unbiased and giving only evidence-based information which will enable expectant parents to embark on this thrilling new journey with confidence! I welcome you to join me on the journey of parenthood in Wimbledon & Merton from February 2024

Sabira x

**Last Training Academy of 2023!**

Get your FEDANT accredited Teaching Diploma in Antenatal & Postnatal education with the founders of The Modern Antenatal Revolution™ and learn how to support parents transition into parenthood with zero bias or judgement and a big focus on their positive wellbeing. Parents deserve better. It’s time 🤜🏻
💻Online training starts 25th September for 6 weeks 7-9pm
🐾Pets & babes on laps very welcome
📹Flexible learning - every session recorded so don’t panic if you miss a session!
🚀Business and marketing support also available for those launching new businesses or adding to existing services.
We can help bring your ideas for your business to life- from designing your brand identity, website build to launch strategy
Reserve your space today and join our super friendly and supportive network of teachers across the UK

More info at www.ourbabyclub.com 💛

**Birth & Parent Coach needed in Wimbledon**

Love what we do? Come and train with us- Join The Modern Antenatal Revolution™

It's time. All expectant parents deserve better. Regardless of their journey to get here or how their family is made up. They deserve to feel included. They deserve to be truly prepared for birth and their transition to parenthood. They deserve to be nurtured as they navigate their own identity and relationships. And they deserve all of this without judgement or bias so that they can start their journey feeling empowered and valued. An impact that will carry through the rest of their parenting journey...and even those of their children. Powerful.
Join us for full FEDANT accredited training, business set up, teaching resources and mentoring support. Be part of our wonderful family 💛
Whether you are changing careers or already work in this space - we want to hear from you- together we will make a real difference.

visit https://www.ourbabyclub.com/train-with-us for more details!

💛 Are you booked with St George’s? 💛

New! Maternity Helpline: 02087252777

From

"We have a new dedicated helpline for new and expecting parents.

It is staffed by midwives and offers advice, reassurance, and clinical support seven days a week.

The helpline offers:

🌟Access to clinical advice from qualified midwives
🌟Easier access to the right maternity care
🌟Continuous support throughout your pregnancy and postnatal journey"

💛 Happy Friday 💛

💛 Here are some lovely pictures taken by the equally lovely Shal from .photouk from our wellness evening last month.

💛 We heard some reflexology tips from Emma which I wish I had know when I was 41 weeks pregnant with my first and second babies!!

💛 We also busted some pregnancy and postpartum myths which is such a big part of our mission here at Our Baby Club.

💛 And Candice from was on hand to help us with the postpartum exercise ones, I always learn such a lot from her.

💛 Do join us at our next event, or for much more comprehensive preparation book on to one of my classes.

Lisa x

💛 Today campaign is brilliantly highlighting the fact that the experience of motherhood is unique and what it means to be a mum is completely different for everybody.

💛 When I became a mum so many people said to me "enjoy this special time" and it didn't feel all that special to me feeling completely overwhelmed and unable to cope with my newborn son.

💛 Right from the get go there seemed to be pressure to make the most of this or that, treasure the moment, you'll never get this time back... PLUS at the same time - this is just phase, he'll grow out of it etc etc

💛 I thought to myself will motherhood be a constant cycle of missing what has changed and wanting things to change at the same time?

💛 One day I asked an older friend whose last child was off to university if she wished her kids were younger again and she said "Lisa, there is no point wishing they were older or younger. I just try to enjoy the things that are enjoyable about the now, and not look back or forward. Just look around to where we are at today."

💛 I think that's good advice.

💛 This morning I got this card from my 7 year old and I thought I want to bottle her up and keep her like this forever, but I can't and that is the exact opposite of my job as her mum.

💛 So today I will enjoy my hugs and my cards, and I will endure our current challenges, and I will try not to wish to have my time with them over again or to go faster.

💛 I want to say Happy Mother's Day but actually I struggle with Mother's Day as to me it feels like one of those days which if things are going well you don't particularly need a special day, and if they are tough for SO many reasons, it just makes you feel worse. So happy "today" - and like every day - look around you at the now. I hope you find some things to enjoy.

Lisa x

💛 Feedback 💛

💛 I was so thrilled to get these beauties in the post from one of my lovely families

💛 So looking forward to hearing about their littles ones arrival soon

💛💛 Lisa x

🌟I get a lot of messages from parents who want to come along to my classes but can't make one or two of the dates advertised. We totally understand that life is BUSY and even though we are not able to move babies due date 😆 there are lots of things we can do to try and help..

🌟Sometimes we are able to change a date or two - so please always ask

🌟I offer private one to one classes which can be booked in quickly and can be face to face or online - with an invitation to a group Before Noon Tea so you still get to meet other parents and make friends 👭

🌟You can also book a mix of private and group if you can't make one or two class dates - Rest assured I will make sure you get all the information you need even if you have to leave an hour early one week - it's all too important to miss! 💛

🌟Antenatal Classes are the BEST gift you can give yourself, your birth partner, or your parents if they are going to be part of your childcare support. We are so passionate about supporting you through your incredible journey so will always look at how we can make our classes work for you.

Do not hesitate to get in touch! DM's always open

Lisa 💛

ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH 🎗

Here is the brilliant Tamsyn from generously sharing her own experiences of endometriosis:

How is it possible that something so common, (1in10women!) and so debilitating has had such little recognition for so long. The average (yes that’s right, warrior is the only fitting term!) takes 7 years to get a diagnosis, and this is usually only definitive through laparoscopic surgery.

Endometriosis, in its simplest terms, is when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the womb, such as in or around ovaries, bladder, bowel, fallopian tubes.

Symptoms include incredibly painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, bladder and / or bowel discomfort, fatigue, pain during s*x and difficulty to conceive.

I have suffered with endo since my teens and, beside the extreme pain, my biggest battle with the disease has been just that. Having to battle to be heard, by GPs / employers / gynaecologists / colleagues / partners / friends.

Unless you have it, you really can’t comprehend the pain - so intense it can make you vomit, sweat, scream…absolute exhaustion from rocking back and forth all night trying to find a comfortable position.

How is it possible to live like that? Because you have to, because ‘everyone has a period’

I have been on every single hormonal contraceptive available, and suffered every side effect. I have received morphine at A&E. I took ten days to notice a miscarriage, accustomed to that level of pain. I have had countless scans, appts, surgery. Yet I still suffer.

There is no cure.

But I have to recognise that I am also so very lucky. My endo journey has not affected my fertility, as it can for others. I am truly blessed to have my two children, despite this disease.

I will forever support and acknowledge ALL , though especially those who have struggled - my sincere hope is that better awareness brings better treatment.

to educate, inform, support and share - 1 in 10 do wholeheartedly deserve better.

Tamsyn 💛 x

💛 Join us 💛

💛 Are you pregnant?

💛 We have a lovely group of mums to be booked into to this wellness evening tomorrow but you would still be super welcome to join us

💛 Going to be jam packed evening with some reflexology tips from Emma , photos with Shal .photouk, Candice and busting some pregnancy and postpartum myths with me!

💛 6.30-8pm 22nd March at Bliss coffee and tickets only £6 which includes light refreshments (millionaires shortbread is on offer!)

💛 Tickets here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ourbabyclub

Lisa xx

💛 Communication 💛

💛 I have a busy couple of weeks with some work that is complementary to my role at Our Baby Club so I thought I would share with you what I am up to 😊

💛 When I had my son in 2012 I had some very challenging times whilst pregnant where I was not listened to by one consultant in particular (I had so much amazing care too!).

💛 Ever since then I have been keen to do what I can to make sure women and families voices are ALWAYS heard within the maternity care system. And that whilst we absolutely want to be equipped with all the information we need to make an informed decision - that those decisions remain OURS - our baby, our body, our birth, our choice.

💛 In 2018 I trained to be a lay examiner with the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This means that twice a year I examine clinicians who are approaching consultant level. Alongside experienced doctors who mark the clinical side of a task, a lay examiner will look at how effective the doctor's communication is.

💛 And since 2019 I have sat on the committee that prepares the questions for the exam and drives forward improvements and changes. It has been very healing for me to see how at this very senior level of training, the importance of listening to women's voices is becoming ever more prominent - and I hope it encourages you too.

💛 Here is me training some lay examiners in Hong Kong (the exam is international) on Friday.

💛 At training I always re-iterate the importance of each lay examiner asking themselves "would you want this doctor to be sitting opposite you, or your mum or your sister?" And in doing that I hope it becomes less and less likely other women will have the same experience as me.

💛 Remember I am always here as a sounding board if anyone needs one when things crop up in pregnancy with my free antenatal support calls.

Lisa x

💛 Delayed (optimal) cord clamping 💛

💛 In class this week, I was chatting to parents about delayed or optimal cord clamping. I had also been chatting to about private cord blood harvesting recently, so I thought it was time to do a post!

Read on to find out:

💛 What is DCC?
💛 Why is it better to wait?
💛 What difference does it make?
💛 Is it always better to wait?
💛 What about harvesting cord blood?

💛 It's interesting that this process is framed as "delayed", when if you think about it there is no way any other mammal would be cutting the cord immediately at birth.

💛 My first baby they cut his cord straight away as there had been some concerns about his heartbeat during labour, so paediatricians came to check him... but you only had to look at him to see he was strong and vigorous at birth. I wish I had put DCC in my birth plan and asked them to wait and see, just for a few moments.

Lisa x

💛 SENSORY LAND 💛

💛 Awesome start to the local directory as Sensory Land are offering their classes totally FREE next week (21st - 25th March)

⭐ The details ⭐

What: variety of classes including baby massage, yoga, story time, messy play, stay and play, sensory stay and play

Where: The Nursery, The Priory Primary School, Queens Road Wimbledon

When: Monday, Tuesday & Friday (various times)

Ages: from 6 weeks to 3.5 years

Cost: Next week 21st - 25th March all classes absolutely FREE!

How to book: visit www.sensoryland.com - link in their bio at

💛 Please share this post with any local parents who might be interested too 💛

💛 Enjoy! Lisa x

💛 ABCs of safer sleep 💛

💛 This week is "safer sleep week" with the fabulous who are a great resource on baby sleep and reducing the risk of SIDs.

💛 It feels very relevant to me as I have just this morning left a voicenote for my dear friend who is struggling with getting any sleep with her newborn 😴

💛 I did some really helpful training with the Lullaby Trust and asked about it feeling overwhelming sometimes the amount of guidance out there, and sometimes it just feels like your baby will never sleep!

💛 They emphasised that above all as parents we need to remember the ABC of safer sleep for babies: ALWAYS on their BACK in a CLEAR cot or sleep space.

💛 Scroll on for some top tips of making a cot space or co-sleeping as safe as possible for your baby, and hopefully you will all get atleast some sleep!

💛 Do reach out if you are struggling, for me sleep was the number 1 challenge of parenting young children and I am happy to be a listening ear or share some hard won wisdom over the years!

💛 Get yourself in the photo 💛

💛 Here is a very rare shot of me about to pop with my second baby. Life was so hectic then, running around after my son, heavy, tired. It was so hard to pause and capture my growing bump.

💛 There's also always a reason to not be in the picture - you hair is greasy, you have bags under your eyes, there are stains on your clothes.

💛 Let me tell you, as one mum to another. Your babies don't care about any of those things - and you probably don't want your kids, girls or boys, to grow up caring about any of those things either. So don't be robbed of capturing what is such a momentous time in your life.

💛 I had three pregnancies in quick succession and most times I felt so overwhelmed I sort of pretended as much as I could they weren't happening - but the few things I do have - the odd photo, a video of a growing baby kicking through my tummy, they are so precious to me now.

💛 When you are pregnant it doesn't feel like a snapshot of your life, it feels an eternity. But then it's over & for the majority of people it's not going to happen many times.

💛 Take the photo.

Lisa x

💛 And if you want a FREE professional bump shot, however far along you are, then come to my next mums to be wellness evening 😍 (see my previous post).

🌟 EXCITING UPDATE! 🌟

💛 At our next mums to be wellness evening you will now have the opportunity to have a relaxed picture of you and your bump taken for FREE by Shal from Dreamcatcher Photography (totally optional!).

💛 Shal and I were reflecting that we both wish we had more photos of our own bumps, and Shal kindly offered to capture one for any mums who are interested at our event 💛 And I was blown away she was happy to do this for free!

💛 22nd March 6.30-8pm at Bliss Coffee on Wimbledon Broadway

https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ourbabyclub

💛 Emma will also be sharing some reflexology top tips for mamas & your newborns, and Shal will be sharing some info on maternity & newborn photoshoots - the best time to do them, what to bring, outdoor or studio? etc

💛 Super chilled, friendly opportunity to meet other local expecting mums. Only £6 a ticket which includes light refreshments!

💛 JOIN US 💛

Book your ticket here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ourbabyclub

.photouk

💛 Happy International Women's Day 💛

💛 I love being a woman. I love being with women. When I was pregnant with my second child I was cared for by a midwife who was more "with-woman" (the literal meaning of midwife) than I could ever have imagined. And so IWD 2022, my very first as a birth and parent coach, here is my tribute to the two Marias in my life (written in 2017 on my 3rd child's first birthday):

"Happy 1st birthday to M. Even though you wake me before 6am every morning I am always pleased to see you. You kick your legs and smile as you glimpse your papa coming up the stairs before your bath. Your brother asks to kiss your hand before you go for every sleep and your sister calls you her little baby. You are the one we always knew was missing from our family and now you sit with us around the table we are complete.

If you had told me on C's first birthday that I could know a pregnancy, a birth, a first year such as yours I would have laughed (or more likely sobbed) in disbelief. I am so grateful for everything about you.

E's birth was my victory, you are my undeserved reward. All three of you are my story, and you have turned our story into a song."

💛 I know the power of positive birth and postpartum days (WHATEVER that may mean for you). I will strain every sinew to be "with" my OBC families, just as Maria was once with me.

💛 Sending love to all the amazing women in my life.

Lisa x

Today HQ is chatting to and their clinical director Katie Biddiss about preparing for the transition to parenthood - a big focus of all our classes as we support you throughout the perinatal period. Your positive wellbeing is SO important to us- tune in to find out why today at 12.30 💛

💛 The nub theory 💛

💛 This morning's post is just for fun but I am self confessed addict of the nub theory. I never found out the s*x of any of my babies before they were born, but that didn't mean didn't I spend a lot of time guessing, especially towards the end of pregnancy!

Read on to find out:
💛 What the nub theory is
💛 How it works
💛 Whether it works
💛 How to get a good prediction from your scan

💛 Do check out FB page if you are curious, and share this post with a friend who is wondering 💗 or 💙

💛 Happy Monday everyone!

Lisa x

💛 Pregnancy tests 💛

💛 Whether your pregnancy is planned or unplanned, chances are at some point you will use a home pregnancy test to confirm it.

Scroll through for info on:

💛 How they work
💛 How to use them
💛 When to use them
💛 What types there are
💛 How to not bankrupt yourself buying them!

💛 Take note of the little warning in there that testing too much might be detrimental to your mental health and you may need to put boundaries in place to look after yourself.

💛 Good luck for those of you at the start of your journeys!

Love Lisa x

💛 World book day 💛

💛 World book day is the sort of thing that (unless you are one of those special saints who teaches primary school children) you are probably blissfully unaware of until your first child turns about 4, at which point you realise it will be a permanent fixture in your life for minimum the next 7 years.

💛 Now, we try to cover a lot of information in our antenatal classes but even we can't go into enough detail to include the fact you are now committed to producing a costume of your child's choice annually.

💛 This year I have started up Our Baby Club Wimbledon so we had to do a bit of compromising on the costume intricacy, and it did feel like sorting them out was top of my business objectives for the next week 🤣🤣

💛 My kids went off happily into school today thankfully, but I had to capture this moment of loveliness since they got home where I got snuggles and they were reading (and I was asleep... and then on my phone 🙈)

💛 Believe me, this is not what parenting always looks like, and it certainly isn't what it looked like for me ever for a good few years - and I became a birth and parent coach to keep it real... but keeping it real means recognising there are moments like these too.

💛 Seems like they were worth giving myself a headache using copious amounts of gold spray paint in an enclosed space after all 🤪

Lisa x

💛 Ukraine 💛

It is overwhelming to think of the futility and needless suffering happening in Ukraine and other parts of the world. The beautiful words of on the next image really struck a chord with me.... "the fact that suffering, mundanity, and beauty coincide is unbearable and remarkable."

For those of you pregnant and postpartum, don't lose sight of the beauty of new life. This is a vulnerable time, and you must protect your own well being above all else. Sometimes that will mean turning the TV off, or not opening the news on your phone. This is ok.

Thankfully there are people out there in different seasons of life who have capacity to co-ordinate help. My own time abroad has taught me that, always, the most useful thing we can give is our money. Even knowing where to give that can feel overwhelming. The , which is currently being match funded by the UK government, is one place to consider.

If you are local and would rather give items, then Team Lovelight are a fantastic small organisation currently co-ordinating packs for refugees with several drop off points across the borough. If you Google them their FB page will come up.

💛 Love and peace

🌟 Are you currently pregnant? 🌟

💛 Come and join me, Emma and Candice at our next mums to be wellness evening

💛 22nd March 6.30-8pm at Bliss Coffee on Wimbledon Broadway

💛 We had such a lovely time last month meeting some wonderful pregnant mamas, chatting about self care and thinking about exercise in pregnancy

💛 This month Emma will be sharing some reflexology top tips for mamas AND your newborns

💛 Super chilled, friendly opportunity to meet other expecting mums. Only £6 a ticket which includes light refreshments

💛 JOIN US 💛

💛 Book your ticket here: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ourbabyclub

💛 In need of some company today? 💛

💛 Whether it's a good day, a bad day, or a day that seems a good one moment and then tricky the next... If you are pregnant or have a small baby then do come and join me for a cuppa and chat today.

💛 I'm at the Polka Theatre cafe 1-2pm every Tuesday in term time.

💛 See you there!

Lisa x

Our Baby Club founder Victoria will be talking with the awesome psychologist & author Jessica Chivers of

💛An all round superstar championing parents back to the workplace after periods of leave- whatever reason that may be.
As well as supporting workplaces to support parents in the best way possible.

💛They will be chatting specifically about preparing for maternity/adoption/shared parental leave - would love you to join for FREE - link to tickets at bio💛