Root & branch

Philippa Evans-Bevan interviewed Yvette Jones of the National Childbirth Trust

Yvette is a woman with a tale of extraordinary dedication to childcare and the nursing profession in her role as a specialist childcare and parenting coach for the National Childbirth Trust, as well a private expert in childcare.

The group and individual courses that she runs have guided and encouraged many Jersey families during the first baby steps into parenthood.

Yvette’s roots are far from Jersey; she was born in New York. At the age of 4, she and her mother moved to Jersey where her grandparents had retired.

Formerly a nurse, Yvette’s mother Jane Bayer became a newsreader on Channel TV. Yvette describes an idyllic childhood listening to inspiring stories of nursing and accounts of her grandmother driving ambulances in the Second World War.

This was the start of the deep roots of Yvette’s vocation for care. Throughout her JCG schooling, Yvette knew she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. Yvette also offers private classes to help parents with a range of issues including sleeping difficulties, eating problems and generally coping with baby care.

Yvette stressed the importance of antenatal preparation: ‘With families being more dispersed, having a new baby can be an isolating experience. The classes are a great way of bringing people together to share, and support. Although having a child is a truly wonderful and lifelong experience, everyone struggles.

‘It’s OK to say I’m not coping. That’s normal, it’s just a phase. Keeping a sense of humour and a sense of perspective is really important to help new parents through the challenging chapters.

‘It is a great privilege, and so satisfying and wonderful to share such a lovely time in people’s lives. ‘Over time I have witnessed the heartwarming and increasing involvement of fathers who are so keen to understand and participate in baby care.’

Yvette’s sincerest wish is that Jersey will have a superb modern maternity unit within the plans for the new hospital: a ‘birthing centre’ which feels less about hospitalisation and more about a homely environment where mothers, fathers and babies can all be nurtured and given the best possible start as they take the first tentative steps into family life.

Yvette married Patrick Jones; they brought up their five children in Jersey and after her second baby was born, she left the workplace. She found that for all the training and experience she had gained, becoming a mother was a new education entirely.

‘It was not nearly as easy as I thought, and I learnt many important lessons. Babies don’t go by the book and babies move the goal posts!‘

With Yvette’s own family growing up, she took a refresher course with the National Childbirth Trust and began to run NCT courses in Jersey.

Yvette Jones

RGN RSCN BA Hons HV

Supported Parenting Classes providing advice and guidance from the preparation for Childbirth, to Parenting, and Baby care I run NCT and private classes to support and help parents with a range of issues including sleeping, weaning, and generally coping.

My private classes are often bespoke to suit individual’s and their babies needs. As I learnt bringing up my own children, “Babies move the goal posts.”

Qualified in Childcare and Paediatrics at the John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford. Maternity care, health visitor and community nurse. National Childbirth Trust Trainer.