How to cope with interrupted and lack of sleep

Posted on November 3, 2017 by sara

So you’re having a baby. “Forget about getting any sleep in the next 18 years”, they say. But is it really that bad? Probably not. We are pretty sure that you will most definitely get some sleep, but it’ll probably be interrupted sleep. If you’re not used to it, sleeping for short bouts and being woken up a few times in the night can really affect you at first. It can affect your mood, how easy/hard you find your days, and your general wellbeing. But not all is lost, as there are ways to cope with interrupted or lack of sleep when you’ve just welcomed a new baby into your family.

Will my baby wake up often in the night?

At first, your young baby will wake up for a feed every few hours. This will happen both during the day and during the night. When they’re still very little, your baby may go to sleep for the night anything between 9pm and 11pm (or even later), wake up around 2-3am for a feed, and then maybe again at 5-6am. But remember, your baby is an individual with their own personality, and all babies are different! Your baby could be following a pattern similar to this, or one of their own, and that’s all to be expected. Although this may seem like a lot of waking, there a few things that you could try to work around that. Continue reading →

“My period hasn’t returned” – everything you need to know about lactational amenorrhea

Posted on October 6, 2017 by sara

One of the questions our teachers often receive from new mums who have attended their classes is when a new mum should expect her first period after the birth of her baby. Unfortunately, this isn’t a question with a straight answer! Everyone really is different, and while some women report having their period as early as 5 or 6 weeks after birth, others may not see it coming back for a couple of years!

So let’s dig a little deeper into this topic, and we’ll explain what happens to a new mum’s body after birth.

When not breastfeeding…

Women who do not breastfeed report their period returning anything between 5 weeks and 3 months after birth. While it is possible that if a woman’s period returns this early after giving birth, she may not actually be fertile for the first few cycles, this is definitely not true for everyone! In fact, if a woman’s period returns 5 weeks after the birth of her baby, there is a possibility that she may be ovulating and be fertile 2 weeks before that, so effectively only 3 weeks after giving birth. It’s always worth remembering that because you do not know when your period will return (but you’ll be ovulating approximately 2 weeks before the first day of your period) you may want to use contraception in case you are fertile. Unless you’re planning another baby very soon, of course! Continue reading →

5 fascinating facts you didn’t know about breastfeeding

Posted on August 4, 2017 by sara

In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week this August, we put together a few fascinating facts about breastfeeding that we hope you will enjoy!

Colostrum is ‘liquid gold’

During pregnancy your breasts start producing a small amount of milk, ready for the birth of the baby. This early milk is called colostrum, and you may or may not notice little drops of it leaking from your breasts towards the end of your pregnancy. If you’re not, don’t worry, as your body is producing it, even if you can’t see it!

Colostrum is the milk that your baby will have for the first 3 or 4 days before your ‘full milk’ comes in. Not a lot of it is produced, so if you express it into a bottle, don’t worry if you can only see a little of it – this is all your baby needs. Remember that their stomachs are tiny! Colostrum is thick and sticky, it may appear buttery yellow in colour, and it’s full of antibodies. That’s why it’s also nicknamed ‘liquid gold’. The antibodies that colostrum contains provide your baby with protection against infections that mum has built up an immunity to. Continue reading →

What’s really hiding inside your baby’s wet wipes?

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Steph

In our BabyNatal Practical Baby Care classes we discuss nappy changing, washing baby clothes, and bathing amongst other things, and one aspect that invariably always comes up is around the usage of ‘baby products’, be it soaps and shampoos, wet wipes, detergents etc. You’ll never hear us recommend one product over another one, but you’ll hear us say is that we encourage all parents and parents-to-be to make informed choices, which are right for their families, their babies and their own unique circumstances. Continue reading →

Should dads always cut the umbilical cord? Shouldn’t more mums do it?

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Steph

As with many other aspects of pregnancy, labour, birth and parenting, the choice around who should cut the umbilical cord is exactly that – a choice. Lately, however, an increasing number of expectant dads that we meet in our BabyNatal classes are telling us that they feel that they are expected to cut their baby’s umbilical cord. Continue reading →

Six things you should know about your baby’s umbilical cord

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Steph

In our BabyNatal Practical Baby Care classes we cover newborn appearance, and a key part of your baby’s appearance after birth (besides the fact that they are so cute, cuddly, beautiful and absolutely perfect) is that they will have some umbilical cord still attached to their tummy. Umbilical cords are not the typical thing that’s shown on TV, where babies who are meant to be newborn are in reality a few months old, so unless you’ve had a baby already or had the pleasure to be the birth partner for someone else, chances are that most of us haven’t seen one before and don’t know much about it. Continue reading →

Cleaning Baby’s bum – cotton wool, disposable or cloth wipes?

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Steph

Over the last few years reusable / cloth / washable or real nappies have become a more and more popular choice for parents, and it’s only natural that a range of options has recently opened up in the realm of wipes too. A wide choice is now available when it comes to wipes, and we’re not just talking about different brands of baby wipes (scented vs unscented, water-based etc.), but also about reusable / cloth / washable wipes now becoming a more wide-spread reality, as parents are becoming more aware about the chemical content of disposable baby wipes and are choosing more eco-friendly and natural options. Continue reading →

How I learnt to trust my instincts…

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Steph

I was 28 when I became a mum for the first time – I felt that I was ready, and I felt that I was in a good position to start my own family. But… I was also very aware of the fact that I knew very little about babies, and learning how to look after my own baby would be a steep learning curve. I imagined it’d be exciting, for sure, but also challenging, at first.

Continue reading →

The story of one woman, one journey into motherhood and many lists!

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Steph

I’d always considered myself an organized person. I was a self-professed List Queen.

I made lists in my professional life to help me keep organized and time savvy. I made lists in my private life of to-do’s so that I could cross things off and feel satisfied at my productivity. I made shopping lists, wish lists, if I won the lottery lists. Continue reading →

Interacting and playing with your newborn baby

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Steph

Contributed by Sara Bussandri, BabyNatal West London

Picture this: a 39+weeks pregnant woman, limping up and down the aisles of a toy store looking for rattles suitable from birth. Well, yes, hands up – that was me, approaching my due date and panicking because I didn’t have any toys for my baby! What was my baby going to play with? I needed toys! I needed 0+ months, colourful, squeaky toys to keep my little boy busy! Luckily I found a few and happily returned home to carry on with more crazy activities brought on by my nesting instinct! Continue reading →