NCT Newark & Southwell Summer 2014 newsletter by Tina G

Newark & Southwell Summer 2014

Image courtesy of Tina Bolton Photography - www.tinabolton.co.uk

In this issue:       

Nearly New Sales

Summer 2014 Outings 7th June & 11th October . Find out more on page 2. Nights Out Nearly New Sales Persuading the hubby; Part one “Reusable Nappies” Baby Swimming Tips - Sponsored Birth Story - a dad’s perspective Summer Holidays on a Budget

www.nct.org.uk/branches/newark-southwell

Please don’t throw me away, pass me on to a friend today www.facebook.com/NctNewarkSouthwell

www.twitter.com/NCTNewarkSouthw ©NCT, Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace London W3 6NH, Registered charity no. 801395

Aboutfrom Hello this issue the Editor and branch & Branch news Coordinator Welcome, to our NCT Newark and Southwell branch newsletter Summer 2014 issue. My name is Tina, married to Nick, mum of two and expecting another. Me and my family have recently moved to Bingham. I have been an NCT volunteer for many years and am also an NCT Antenatal Teacher. I was the newsletter editor for another branch for over 2 years and really enjoyed the role. I look forward to creating many newsletters for NCT Newark and Southwell from now on. As it is Father’s Day on the 15th June we have a birth story written by a dad in this issue. If you have photos or stories to share or wish to advertise in our newsletter, please contact me on newsletter.newarkandsouthwell@nct.org.uk. Thank you - NCT Newark and Southwell volunteers who have been very welcoming and supportive. I look forward to volunteering with you all!

Advertising with the NCT Newark and Southwell Why not advertise in our next newsletter? Advertising rates start at £35 for 4 issues and we reach many parents across our area. To advertise or for more information please email Tina: Newsletter.newark@nct.org.uk Issue

Publication date

Autumn

1st September 2014

Winter

1st December 2014

Spring

1st March 2015

Summer

1st June 2015

www.twitter.com/NCTNewarkSouthw

Tina x Newsletter Editor and Branch Co-ordinator

www.facebook.com/NCTNewarkSouthwell

National Childbirth Trust This publication costs £2.00 to produce and is sent for free to our members. Donations to support our work are welcome.

The information in this newsletter is for the benefit of NCT (National Childbirth Trust) members and beneficiaries. It may be used only in connection with NCT activities and may not be used for any commercial purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of NCT. The information contained in this newsletter should not be reproduced without the editor's consent in writing. The appearance of an advertisement in this newsletter does not imply endorsement of the company or its products by NCT, nor does it constitute a recommendation. However, it is always worth mentioning when replying to an advertisement that you saw it in an NCT newsletter. NCT cannot be held liable for loss, damage or injury arising out of goods sold through any advertisements in this newsletter. Any discount offered to NCT members by any advertisement is done so entirely at the discretion of the advertiser. Our branch is run by volunteers. We are mostly parents with young children working from home which means we are not always available. Please be considerate of meal/bed times if you telephone us, and allow a few days for us to respond to emails. This includes our agents such as bra fitters, valley cushion and pump agents, and also our breastfeeding counsellors and peer supporters.

NCT Newark and Southwell

In this issue Nearly New Sales ..................................................................................................... 2 Welcome .................................................................................................................. 3 Advertising in this Newsletter .................................................................................... 3 Summer Holidays on a Budget - NCT house swap ..................................................... 4 About the NCT.......................................................................................................... 5 NCT Newark AM Report ........................................................................................... 5 Birth Story: in which Pete cries like a girl.................................................................... 6 Branch News ............................................................................................................ 8 Diary Dates and New Arrivals ................................................................................... 9 Persuading the hubby, Part one “Reusable Nappies” ................................................. 10 Baby Swimming Tips (sponsored) ............................................................................. 12 NCT Newark & Southwell Branch Contacts................................................................ 14 Coffee Mornings and Summer Picnics ...................................................................... 16

Summer Holidays on a budget - NCT house swap Tina Gibbs

NCT house swap - family holidays made easy. The NCT House wasp register is free to sign up for all NCT members. When you are using NCT house swap you can easily save over £1000 for accommodation You can have as many exchanges as you would like. Many  people have made friends through NCT house swap, too!  NCT members can sign on http:// ncthouseswap.ning.com/ A list of pros and cons of NCT house swap (by Michelle, Vale of Evesham branch): Pros  No hotel fees/ticket-passport fees = lots of money suddenly freed up to spend on enjoying yourself. Major plus.   The house you’re going to is already set up for children ... exciting bedrooms filled with different books and toys meant our son would finish one house Cons swap and immediately demand to  know where we were going on the next.  If the weather is bad, you have a whole 4

house to be in – you don’t have the prospect of being desperate to leave a hotel room/holiday cottage with limited facilities. All the home comforts of ... well ... a home, are right there for you to enjoy. Your house is immaculate when you return to it (see 2 below). NCT houseswappers tend to be people like you. They aren’t interested in your paperwork, they will take care of your stuff, and they will put bedding in the wash/clean bathrooms etc before leaving your house at the end of the visit. (Pop a plea in your notes if you want to though!) And we’ve had (and left!) some lovely welcome packs/thank you flowers sometimes too – a really nice touch! Local knowledge is on tap – all houseswappers usually leave out notes/leaflets/maps of where’s good to go. And they KNOW. Having to tidy one’s house before going away. It’s amazing how much dust/dirt/family detritus I found when I began looking at my house through the

prospective eyes of a newcomer who would be experiencing every aspect of my home – not just the living room. The time it takes to clear up said dust/ dirt/family detritus.



Annual Meeting Report The AMM took place on 7th May in the Prince Rupert. Those present included Marion Fox Goddard (Branch Coordinator), Louise Harris (treasurer), Colleen Scholefield (former Nearly New Sale Coordinator), Debbie Manning (Nearly New Sale Coordinator), Tina Gibbs, and Anne-Marie Harbottle (Secretary). Some volunteers stood down from their roles and we were able to welcome some new volunteers, too. Please see p. 14 for current roles and contact details. Other business discussed were

 

Branch performance Future of the newsletter

    

NNS Coffee mornings Branch Charter Signatories Plans for the next year

Planned new events / oitings  Baby First Aid Courses  Extending activities, meet-ups and events to Southwell and Bingham to include more of our members.  More social media presence. Anyone who would like full meeting minutes, please contact us on NewarkAndSouthwell@nct.org.uk

About the NCT NCT is here to support parents. We give them accurate, impartial information so that they can decide what’s best for their family, and we introduce them to a network of local parents to gain practical and emotional support. Our vision Our vision is a world in which parents are valued and supported to build a strong society, believing that a child’s early years significantly impact upon the future they help to shape. Our charitable purpose  We offer information and support in pregnancy, birth and early parenthood

  

We campaign to improve maternity care and ensure better services and facilities for new parents We aim to give every parent the chance to make informed choices We want to make sure that everyone has access to our services and activities

NCT Newark and Southwell

Birth Story: In which Pete cries like a girl Peter Hall, NCT Wokingham

I was woken at about 5am on a Friday morning. Karen was delicately whispering in my ear "Pete. Pete. Pete." I grunted to acknowledge that I was listening. "My waters have just broken."

me, this is easy!" before I berated myself for being such a dumb, naive, optimistic idiot.

I didn't know what to make of this. I generally don't know what to make of things when woken at 5am. Especially not back then. In fact, I think that might have only been the second time in my life that I had been woken at 5am (the first such incident being a fire alarm in a hotel in Swindon). Of course, since that day, I have become somewhat more accustomed to being woken at that merciless hour, or other comparably merciless ones.

We were in the hospital at about 2:30pm. We established HQ and put on a CD. Over the first couple of hours the pain starts to increase, so we start applying countermeasures. We start with the TENS machine which is a real hit, and it gives me a great sense of purpose to be in control of the dials, setting the intensity according to what I perceived to be working for her. She also had some Entonox, which seemed effective, but after about half an hour was leaving her feeling dizzy and spaced-out, so she adjusted by taking smaller gulps until she found her equilibrium.

Big deal, or not a big deal? I couldn't decide. So we phoned the maternity unit at Heatherwood and asked them what they thought. Their consensus: no rush, come in in a few hours and we'll see what gives. We went back to bed for a while, then had breakfast. All very leisurely. Nothing that we hadn't anticipated.

We phoned the hospital and they invited us in straight away. No rush, mind. No rush at all.

After that first couple of hours, we cautiously requested an examination. We were worried that she'd be barely dilated, but the midwife told us that it was 7cm. Fantastic, we thought, we're almost done already! Half an hour later In the hospital, we were quite surprised by the (now at 5pm, for those of you who have lost enthusiasm of the midwifes. I suppose we had track) things started to kick into gear. Time for been expecting weary, jaded, another-babythe final showdown. Game on. Or, in birthing whoop-de-doo sourpusses, but ended up parlance, "fetch a midwife, Pete." finding ourselves surrounded by a small group who seemed even more excited than us! If After about another half hour, I could see the there had been something remarkable about top of the baby's head with each push, but our case, then I could have understood that, progress was very slow. With each contraction but as far as I could see: so far, so textbook. Karen was getting more and more tired, and I It's not a complaint, not in the slightest. could sense that she was starting to despair. She wanted to get the job finished, but lacked So they sent us back home for a little while. the energy to do so. I knew that we couldn't We didn't know how long we'd be waiting, and leave the baby in there and try again I work fairly close to home, so I went into the tomorrow, so I would have to do something office. drastic to focus her, Eye Of The Tiger style. So I leaned in and bit off her ear. She didn't At about 1pm I got the phone call. A succinct notice. She hasn't noticed to this day. trange, "come home now." Message received and that. understood. When I arrived back at the house, I found Karen and a friend (conveniently Somehow, after about 45 minutes of this visiting for lunch that day) calmly drinking tea. stalemate, we found hidden reserves and a Contractions were timed at 5 minutes apart, little baby slipped out. And then it wasn't a and though somewhat incapacitating for birthing story any more. More of a "watch Pete Karen, they didn't seem to be killing her. My cry like a girl" story. head briefly filled with the thought "well, fuck 6

NCT Newark and Southwell

Thank you

Marion Fox Goddard

Tina Gibbs has kindly taken over the chair and newsletter roles I have done over the last four years. I’d like to thank all the volunteers that have helped keep our branch going whilst I’ve been involved. It’s been great to meet and become friends with so many lovely people who give their time for this charity. I’ll still be at nearly new sales and the odd coffee but as my ‘babies’ are due to take their school nursery place in September, I think it’s time for me to move on to volunteering for the school’s ‘Friends’ group to raise some money for the school. I’d recommend getting involved with the local NCT branch to anyone with a baby or toddler. Thanks again. Marion

Nearly New Sales Debbie Mann has now taken over the administration of the sales from Colleen Scholefield. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make the sales happen so thank you to Colleen for all your hard work over the last 3 years and thank you to Debbie for taking on the challenge! We are always looking for helpers on the day so please email us if you’d like to join in. Our next sale will be on June 7th. Usually we hold sales on the second Saturday of March, June and October but this June it is on the first Saturday so please put them, on your calendar now. Make some money and sell your stuff or come and grab a bargain!

Nights out - members & non-members welcome

Diary Dates

June 2014 - Wednesday 18th

8pm

Fox and Crown Pub

Drinks

July 2014 - Tuesday 15th

8pm

Zizzis

Italian Meal

August 2014 - Monday 18th

8pm

Danube S.E. European Restaurant

Meal

If you fancy coming along to one of our nights out (and do feel free to bring a friend) and want to know more or arrange to share a lift or walk with someone, please get in touch with Anne-Marie annemarieturner@yahoo.co.uk

Nearly New Sales

7th June & 11th October . Find out more on page 20.

Summer 2014 - Outings

Fire Station - 18th August - contact annemarieturner@yahoo.co.uk

Coffee and play

Picnics in Parks - 17th July, 31st July, 14th August and 1st September Find out more on page 16.

Coffee and Play Each Monday afternoon & Thursday morning, we get together for a couple of hours. All parents (members and non members) are welcome. A list of venues is on page 16. If you’d like to come along, please telephone the host on the day to check it is still running and to give them an idea of numbers. Please don’t assume that it is cancelled if you don’t get a reply; it may be that they are doing the school or nursery run! On the second Monday of each month we meet at the Hawtonville Children’s Centre on Bowbridge Road in Newark. On the last Monday of each month we meet in Bingham at Tina’s house. If you’d like to host a group or have any queries please contact Melinda: m.f.dixon@ntlworld.com

New Arrivals We’d love to hear about your new baby so if you’d like us to include you in the next issue of the newsletter please email details to Tina at newsletter.newarkandsouthwell@nct.org.uk NCT Newark and Southwell

Persuading the Hubby, Part 1: “Re-usable nappies” By Lara Robinson

“I think we should go for use re-usable nappies, what do you think?” I asked my hubby as I rested my hand on my bump. It was one of those seemingly innocuous questions in the last couple of months of my pregnancy which brought a strange look of fear and horror across his face, closely followed by a barrage of reasons why he thought we really should do something else. It was the same response that came after I said “I think we should have a doula at the birth, what do you think?” and the time we were having a cup of tea and I proposed “I think we should hire a birthing pool and have a water birth in the kitchen!”. (All of which, incidentally were great ideas and turned out very well indeed after I eventually won him round). But back to the reusable nappies... Mr Hubby’s initial reaction was that it was going to cost a mountain of money, we would forever be needing to change the baby, the nappies would wear out, the house would smell, the washing machine would be contaminated and according to his mothers aunts best friend (who was apparently once a health visitor), the baby would get permanent nappy rash. I admit it did sound bad the way he said it... ...but I couldn’t bear the thought of all those disposable nappies going to land fill so I set about putting his mind at rest. Of course, in the end, it wasn’t all plain sailing, so here are my tips and tricks for making re-usable nappies work: The cost argument: Yes, with new re-usable nappies costing £15 a piece it could have cost quite a bit up-front, but in the end I got £30 back from the Real Nappy Incentive Scheme by filling out a form online at www.recycleforgloucestershire.com. I also won several bundles of nappies from freecycle, preloved, netmums and ebay, which of course Mr Hubby was sent out to pick up and gave me the added bonus of some nice quiet time in the evenings. I admit, second hand re-usable nappies does sound a bit rank, but most of them were good as new! With a bit of cunning, it’s worked out much more 10

economical than disposable nappies and as an additional cost-saver, rather using wet-wipes I use mini “top-n-tail” muslin squares from MotherCare dipped in water to clean the botty which then go in the wash with the nappies! The frequency of nappy changing argument: In the end I used a mix of disposables and reusables. The reusables would stay dry for around 4 hours, which just wasn’t practical at night, but during the day as any mother will tell you the baby always seems to wait until just after you’ve changed them to release a subatomic explosion in the lower regions. So regardless of what nappies you’re using you end up changing them just about the same number of times. Disposables were also useful in the first couple of weeks, when all I wanted was some sleep, and even just thinking about turning on the washing machine an additional time was not an option. The house will smell argument: In the first week of using re-usables I followed the mother in laws advice (always a bad idea of course, but since she came from the generation of the Terry’s square I thought I’d give her the benefit of the doubt) which was to put the used nappies in a bin containing some sterilising fluid until it came time to wash them. This sounded ok in principle, but turned out to be grim in practise, especially when two days later I tried to transfer the dripping nappies from the sterilising fluid bin to the washing machine. Yuk! In the end I found that a few drops of tea-tree oil in a sealed nappy bin with a tight fitting lid did and keeping the nappy bin dry did the trick. Better still was to hang a washable cloth bag inside the nappy bin, so I could just transfer them from the bin to the washing machine, bag and all without needing to touch a single nappy.

the re-usable inserts. Finally, the nappies would wear out argument: Well, they haven’t yet! Two years on and my second son is using the same nappies that were previously worn by his brother and which were probably previously The baby will have permanent nappy rash sported by the son of the nice freecycle lady. argument: Maybe in the old days that was the Indeed, if you keep an eye out, those same case, but it seems that the modern day renappies will no doubt be on freecycle from me usable inserts really do take the moisture again in a couple of years... ...unless of away from the baby’s skin. I did find it useful course I can persuade Hubby to go for a to use different types of nappies as the “number 3”... but I suspect that is going to be children grew up though, as some more bulky another one of those fear / horror reaction types of nappies seem to hold more water for moments! longer. I started with BumGenius nappies, then added an additional insert as the children See The art of persuasion, part 2: “Water birth grew older, and then moved on to TotsBots, in the kitchen” in the next edition of NCT but of course there are many options so it’s Newark and Southwell Newsletter. worth trying a few varieties cheaply off friends or freecycle if possible. Despite hours in front of youtube I never got the hang of folding a Terry’s square, although once I did produce Our next Nearly New something resembling a napkin at a fancy Sales are on the 7th June restaurant. If the baby does get nappy rash and 11th October 2014. and needs nappy-rash-cream for a few days, then most manufacturers recommend you put For more details, please see the baby in disposable nappies but just so that page 2. the cream doesn’t damage the absorbency of

NCT Newark and Southwell

Advertorial

Puddle Ducks Baby Swimming Tips - The Amazing Benefits of Baby Swimming!

Baby swimming is one of the most amazing experiences you can share with your baby! Babies have a real affinity with water. They spend nine months in the womb, and more and more expectant mothers are now choosing a water birth as the most natural introduction to this world. Water is recognised as a warm, supportive environment during labour and provides a natural transition for your baby from the womb to the “outside world”. Babies can be taken into the water from birth (Puddle Ducks welcomes babies in their classes from as young as a few weeks); they do not need to have completed their injections and very young babies love the freedom, massage and gentle exercise that the water offers. The benefits to both parent and baby of swimming together are immense and include:



Plenty of eye contact



Plenty of skin contact – it’s a wonderful way to bond with your baby

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Helping you and your baby feel relaxed and confident in the water



Makes swimming a fun and socially stimulating activity (for both you and your baby!)



Even parents who can’t swim can enjoy relaxing in the water with their baby

There are further benefits for your baby too, especially if you join a fun, progressive class:

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It is the only time your baby can be completely independent (when experiencing gentle submersions)

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Only in the water, can a baby move freely and develop actions they wouldn’t otherwise be able to in their first year of life. This gives “swimming babies” the opportunity to develop crucial higher brain functions, core muscle development and co-ordination far earlier than they would otherwise be able to

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Even though gentle, baby swimming classes provide a complete physical work-out: strengthening your baby's heart, lungs and respiratory system, which again aids development of the brain

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Regular swimming often improves eating and sleeping patterns

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Learning to respond to key words (within a few months) can make your baby sharper mentally, increasing levels of awareness and understanding as well as improve communication between you

Encouraging a baby to take regular exercise from such a young age is also an extremely healthy routine to instil which may prevent childhood lethargy

But most importantly of all, swimming as a baby should instil a love of water for the rest of your child’s life. Baby swimming is an entirely safe and gentle activity, but coming to classes often provides a parent with the necessary support to enable them to relax and enjoy the experience. Good teachers are trained to understand the needs of both parent and baby, and are also qualified in lifesaving and resuscitation skills. Classes can vary, so take time to find a class that will give you the experiences that you want – whether this is just water familiarity or a more progressive approach; and whether the style of the class is relaxed and fun, or more formal and regimented. Puddle Ducks classes are full of carefully designed but simple activities, gentle submersions and are packed full of songs. Songs and rhymes provide gentle stimulation and are the most effective way to communicate with your baby. Repetition is fun, reassuring and promotes learning. Puddle Ducks classes are progressive with many children swimming 10m independently before they start school. Specialist baby swimming classes follow a clear and progressive structure and will usually involve some underwater swimming for your baby. However, the emphasis should be on parents and their babies having fun, with no baby being forced to do anything against his or her wishes. Even in the bath, there are some wonderful activities you can share with your baby. Your baby can enjoy floating on his or her back in the bath (ears in the water), or just lie back snuggling up to you. You can try sprinkling water over your baby’s tummy. You may even find your baby falls asleep! We don’t recommend trying to submerge your baby in the bath – it is too awkward and both you and your baby are likely to be upset by the experience. However, you can allow the water to lap around and over your baby’s face without any worries. For more information about baby swimming and classes in your area, please visit www.puddleducks.com or call us on 01949 831322.

Advertorial

NCT Newark and Southwell

Get in touch and get involved The NCT Newark & Southwell branch is run by volunteers who give up a few hours of their time every now and again. We’re always looking for new volunteers. If you’d like to get involved simply contact us! Our branch is run by volunteers. We are mostly parents with young children, some of us work full or part-time. We are volunteering from home which means we are not always available. Please allow a few days for us to respond to emails. This includes our agents such as bra fitters, valley cushion and pump agents, and also our breastfeeding counsellors and peer supporters.

Branch Contacts Branch Coordinator / Chair

Tina Gibbs

Coordinator.newark@nct.org.uk

Treasurer

Louise Harris

sara2lou@hotmail.com

Membership Coordinator

Melinda Dixon

m.f.dixon@ntlworld.com

Parent Support Coordinator

Helen Mison

helen@nhmsolutions.com

Secretary

Anne-Marie Harbottle annemarieturner@yahoo.co.uk

NNS Coordinator

Debbie Mann

newarknns@gmail.com

Coffee Coordinator

Melinda Dixon

m.f.dixon@ntlworld.com

Tina Gibbs

Newsletter.newark@nct.org.uk

Branch Newsletter Team Editor Co-Editor Advertising

VACANT Tina Gibbs

Advertising.Newark@nct.org.uk

NCT courses booking and information Booking & Information

Local admin

0208 752 9129 bookings6b@nct.org.uk

Antenatal Teacher

Jeanette Dennison

jeanetted@fsmail.net

Antenatal Teacher

Tina Gibbs

tina@pregnancytobirth.co.uk;

Breastfeeding 0300 330 0700

National breastfeeding helpline Breast-pump hire agent

Jayne Arnold

01522 526710

Tina & Nick Gibbs

tina@pregnancytobirth.co.uk

Homebirth Support

What do breastfeeding counsellors do? Breastfeeding counsellors are trained to help a mother have a rewarding experience of breastfeeding. We understand how difficult and distressing breastfeeding can be when it doesn’t go well/ We also understand the feelings a mother may experience when she decides she wants to change to formula feeding, and we can ease the transition to formula if this is what a mither decides she wants to do. Sometimes, a mother wants to use formula alongside maintaining some breastfeeding. A breastfeeding counsellor would share information with her, explain what the impact on breastfeeding might be and also explain ways of using formula which had the least impact on her choice to breastfeed. 14

NCT Newark and Southwell

Members and non-members welcome June Melinda Dixon

13.00 – 14.45

Thursday 5th

Alex Jones

9.30 – 11.30

Children’s Centre

13.00 – 15.00

Monique van Beurden

9.30 – 11.30

Anne-Marie Harbottle

13.30 – 15.30

Thursday 19

Marion Fox Goddard

9.30 – 11.30

Monday 23rd

Melinda Dixon

13.00 – 14.45

Monday 9

Thursday 12th th

Monday 16

Thursday 26

Monique van Beurden

9.30 – 11.30

Tina Gibbs

13.00 – 15.00

Thursday 3rd

Alex Jones

9.30 – 11.30

Monday 7th

Anne-Marie Harbottle

13.30 – 15.30

Thursday 10th

Marion Fox Goddard

9.30 – 11.30

Monday 14

Children’s Centre

13.00 – 15.00

Thursday 17th

Barnby Road Park

10.30 meet

Monday 21st

Melinda Dixon

13.00 – 14.45

Alex Jones

9.30 – 11.30

Tina Gibbs

13.00 – 15.00

Picnic at Sconce Park

11.00 meet

Monday 30

Coffee and play

July

Thursday 24

Monday 28th st

Thursday 31 August Monday 4th

Anne-Marie Harbottle

13.30 – 15.30

Sand Park

11.00 meet

Monday 11

Children’s Centre

13.00 – 15.00

Thursday 14th

Coronation Street Park

11.00 meet

Fire Station

9.30 – 10.30

Alex Jones

9.30 – 11.30

Thursday 7

Monday 18

Thursday 21

Monday 25

Thursday 28th

Please contact newarkAndSouthwell@nct.org.uk for a list with contact phone numbers.

Monday 2nd

Balderton Newark Newark Newark Newark Newark Balderton Newark Bingham

Newark Newark Newark Newark Newark Balderton Newark Bingham Newark

Newark Newark Newark Balderton Newark Newark

Bank Holiday Monique van Beurden

9.30 – 11.30

Newark

Monday 1st

Sherwood Avenue Park

11.00 meet

Newark

Thursday 4th

Alex Jones

9.30 – 11.30

Newark

September