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Saturday 16 May 2015

Daddy Daughter Yoga

Today, my husband Anth and our daughter Izzy attended a Daddy and baby yoga class.  As Anth works through the week he only gets to spend quality time with Izzy during the weekend. I think it's so important for him to have one-to-one time with Izzy and what better way to do this than in a baby yoga class.

Who's ready for baby yoga? "I am!"

The class is run by a lovely lady called Stacey who is the owner of Much Loving Touch. She specialises in baby massage and yoga.


Stacey demonstrating the yoga stretches with her doll James



  

Yoga has so many benefits for babies,

  • Increase bond between parent and baby
  • Increase social interaction between parent and baby and also baby to baby
  • Joint relaxation helps parent & baby to communicate non-verbally 
  • Increase and improve sleep patterns
  • Help to relieve the symptoms of colic and constipation
  • Help to strengthen babies and parents muscles
  • Stimulate the nervous system through touch, movement and rhyme
















Daddy and baby classes are also a great way for Dads to meet other Daddies in the local area.

Izzy and I have completed baby massage and yoga courses with Stacey. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and met some lovely Mummies who have now become great friends.

I highly recommend baby massage and yoga classes, 
It's a lovely way to spend one-to-one time with your baby. The classes are structured and fun with lots of songs and rhymes. Each class starts with a warm up section that includes a 'hello' song, then the main stretches and finally a lovely relaxation section with soothing music.

Anth and Izzy loved taking part in the class and will be practicing their yoga moves at home :)



If you live in the North East and would like to take part in a baby massage or yoga class you can contact Stacey on the details below.

Email: babyyogaandmassage@yahoo.co.uk
www.muchlovingtouch.co.uk/


Much Love,
Pippa x


Tuesday 5 May 2015

Where's My Pregnancy Glow?


I was overjoyed when I found out we had a little Mini Milburn on the way, we had been trying to conceive for some time and were starting to have infertility tests.  So when the two little blue lines appeared on the pregnancy test we could not have been happier. We were so excited and couldn't wait to meet her.

I always wanted to be a Mum and had visions of me with a lovely neat bump, all glowing and radiant. I thought I would be a mother earth type and take to pregnancy as mother nature intended.  But what I imagined and what became reality were worlds apart. 

Pregnancy can be very very hard.

I think I suffered from the vast majority of pregnancy related illnesses, Hyperemesis Gravadarum, severely swollen legs and feet, painful hips, back and knees, dry mouth, constant thirst, heart burn, indigestion and acid reflux, carpel tunnel, head aches, sensitive teeth the list goes on.

I felt like my body had been taken over by an alien and when the baby moved, eeek, I have to admit it took some getting used to. For the first 6 months I didn't even feel pregnant, I just felt ill.

I think it's fair to say that I really didn't enjoy being pregnant, I really wish I did and I feel envious of those women who sail through pregnancy, glowing and blooming until the very end. Sadly it wasn't like that for me and I think a lot of women feel the same.  As a women, nurturing and growing a baby inside us is what our bodies are made for, what nature intended.  So when it doesn't come naturally it can come as a bit of a shock.

I wanted to write this blog post for ladies who are pregnant for the first time and are struggling with how they are feeling.  I want to reassure you that it's OK to feel what your feeling.  Your body is going through so much, your body is changing and it will feel strange and different.

I was worried that being a Mum wasn't going to come naturally to me. If I didn't like being pregnant maybe my motherly instincts wouldn't kick in as well.  How can I possibly be a good Mum if I dislike being pregnant so much? As usual I was worrying for nothing, as soon as my daughter was born I knew exactly what to do and how to care for her. 

When I was pregnant I didn't feel that I was able to talk about how hard I was finding it.  I certainly would never have admitted it to another pregnant lady. Thinking that I was somewhat abnormal for disliking it so much. But I really wished I had.  Since having my beautiful baby I have met some lovely ladies at Mum and baby groups.  We talk about all sorts, including how tough pregnancy is and how for some women it really isn't an enjoyable experience. 

Looking back now I wish I had joined an NCT group or gone along to some informal antenatal groups, I think meeting other friendly pregnant women would have put my mind at ease.

I go to a lovely Mum and Baby group organised by the Birth and Baby Network.  They also offer antenatal workshops and drop in sessions for pregnant women.  If you live in the North East I would highly recommend it.


Much love,
Pippa