Nottingham Baby & Family Fayre

Breast Feeding Support & Information from La Leche League – Nottingham

michelle — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:23:37 +0000

La Leche League Nottingham

Here to provide information and support to breastfeeding mothers
in the Nottingham area.

Who we are and what we do…

La Leche League Nottingham is one of the many local groups that make up the charity La Leche League Great Britain (LLLGB). The charity’s sole aim is to provide information and support to breastfeeding mothers and pregnant women who want to breastfeed their babies.

LLL Nottingham is run by 8 local Leaders – trained breastfeeding counsellors – who are mothers who have happily breastfed their own children. Leaders are volunteers and their role is to ‘lead’ meetings and take local calls from mothers in need of support.

At a meeting a mother can ask for individual counselling with a Leader or she can voice her own concerns with the group and receive useful tips and support from the other mothers present. Meetings have a loose structure to them; questions are always welcomed and there is also a discussion on a particular theme. Popular discussion topics are ‘Nighttime Parenting’ and ‘Weaning and Nutrition’, as well as ‘The Art of Breastfeeding and Avoiding and Overcoming Difficulties’.

This is what some Nottinghamshire-based mums had to say about our meetings:

“I love being able to talk openly and honestly with other mums and therefore realising we’re all going through the same challenges. No one is judging you and you can really relax while you’re there. (And the fabulous cakes too!)”
Amy

“I felt very welcomed when I went to a recent coffee morning.” Hana

“I love meeting mums like me. It’s very supportive when sometimes it feels like you’re the only person doing things your way, you go to LLL and find you’re not so alone.” Kristabel

“I’ve really enjoyed the meetings I’ve been to, meeting like-minded mums, and realising that however hard I may be finding something, someone else has coped with it and can help – even if only by letting you know it’s normal for your baby to be doing x,y,z…”Mary

“It’s great to feel you’re not alone. I feel inspired every time I go and I come out feeling that I’m great for all I’m doing. I love meeting great ladies that know what I’m thinking without me saying a word.” Leanne

La Leche League recognizes the mother as being the expert on her baby. Leaders can support mothers by providing the latest evidence-based information on breastfeeding and, importantly, Leaders can provide empathy and have the time to listen to a mother’s concerns.

If you would like to come along to a meeting, or would like to speak with a Leader, please visit our website where you will find our contact details and more information about meetings.

http://lllnottingham.wordpress.com

LLL Nottingham will also be holding its own Mini Baby Fayre and Coffee Morning on Friday 25th May, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the West Bridgford Methodist Church, on Musters Road. There will be lots of stalls selling lovely goodies, refreshments and plenty of LLL information sheets, leaflets and books. All the proceeds will go to LLL Nottingham to help us in our efforts to support pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in the area.

A happy child is a well fed child & Kiddy Cook Competition

michelle — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:19:44 +0000

Food Glorious Food …and i have had times in my life where food most absolutely, has been glorious … i love it!! Then of course, I joined the work force and eventually entered into the ‘adrenaline feast’ of being so busy you forget to eat or the ‘computer camping lunch’ where jackets and sandwiches are eaten mou…th…ful….by ….mout…fuhl… mmm-oops…. THEN I became a parent and food has now become the driving force of my day, the core of family life AND a neverending round from the Krypton Factor – to get the balance right, to get it eaten AND to get it out again !……..

Suddenly every stage from pregnancy to leaving home – is quite literally food for thought and a challenge – this month’s blogs have been delayed due to me being preoccupied with food – I have a 3 year old who needs to eat but can be easily distracted resulting in hunger-driven defiance and a generally grouchy gremlin roaming wild and a 8 month old that probably needs more food during the day in order to sleep soundly throughout the night, but is constipated and needs to get it out before I can put too much more in…… my days are revolving around feeding times, snack times and drink times with some nappies and a bit of sleep thrown in…. thankfully i am managing to avoid fussy eating- at least for the moment.

We are looking at different feeding issues this month from breast/bottle feeding through to fussy eating -some research into healthy eating habits is showing that getting children involved in growing and preparing their food can really make a huge difference to what they are willing to put into their mouths and so we are really pleased to introduce to you Kiddy Cook – this company want to inspire children, teach them and ultimately help them enjoy the food they eat – all by getting children involved – they run kiddy cooking workshops, pick and cook workshops and childrens cooking parties all for children aged 4 -11 years of age.

Setting aside the inevitable mess (a great reason to attend workshops) and the imperfect rolls, when children get involved in cooking, not only are they cooking and more likely to eat the food, they are also learning: mathematics, chemistry, biology and literacy whilst improving their observation skills, concentration, patience, awareness of their senses, confidence AND being creative ALL AT THE SAME TIME! . If you are concerned about your child’s eating habits or ability in any area, cooking at home or attending these sort of workshops could be a great, fun way to shift the focus and break the cycle.

You can also read about another mums experience of The Cookie Tots workshop – for 2-4 year olds – here at The Ana Mum Diary

COMPETITION TIME

Kiddy Cook – Nottingham Central have kindly provided a chance to
Win a A free place (suitable for 4 yrs – 11yrs) on the Kiddy Cook workshop (Nottingham) taking place 9th June from 10am-12.30pm (worth £20).
They will be making ‘Afternoon Tea’ including their own home made butter
and sandwich fillings, earl grey scones and cupcakes!

Just complete the actions in the form below
Remember the more you do, the more chances you have of winning!
Good Luck

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Allergies and Homeopathy – for Babies and Children

michelle — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:42:27 +0000

It is National Allergy Week. It is thought that allergies affect 25% of people at some point in their lives – with this number increasing particularly in the western world and a significant increase in allergies in children. Allergy Uk is a leading national charity dedicated to supporting allergy sufferers with a dedicated helpline , on-line forum and support network – covering allergy, intolerence and chemical sensitivity. This is a great resource for finding out what allergies are, managing them and different approaches to treatments via the NHS and beyond. As all people are different, combined with the difficulty of diagnosing babies and children – many people seek alternative, more natural approaches to long term solutions – So we are pleased to introduce Louisa Lera, a Leading Uk Homeopathist based in Nottingham, to explain more about how Homeopathy could help allergy sufferers particularly our children.

Homeopathy

What is homeopathy? Does it work? Is it safe? Could we use it for our kids?

The principles are simple and there is lots of information on the web – essentially it’s a natural medicine where the remedies are made from tiny amounts of natural substances (mostly plants). The good news is they don’t have side effects; and the even better news is they can work brilliantly for all sorts of things, like colds and earache, and also longer standing problems like eczema.

Allergies and homeopathy

Do you suffer from any kind of allergy? A lot of people do. ‘An altered or acquired state of sensitivity’ is the dictionary definition. If your health is out of balance, you may be sensitive to things like pollen or housedust mite etc.

Homeopathy helps your body to re-balance itself. So, for example, homeopathic remedies are used for hayfever, a bit like you might use an anti-histamine. The trick is to choose the right remedy – and when it’s right, it works really well.

Choosing relies on ‘matching the remedy to the symptoms’. For example, we have all cut up an onion and felt our eyes prickle and nose run. So if you have these symptoms with your hayfever, you can use the remedy made from onions (Allium cepa). Simple! There are probably half a dozen hayfever remedies to choose from, so you pick the right one for you.

Atopic eczema (common in children) is like an allergy, and can also respond nicely to homeopathy, helping the body rebalance making it less sensitive to allergens. However, since it’s often a long-standing condition it really requires the expertise of a qualified homeopath to find just the right remedies.

Does it work? A doctor’s review at one of the homeopathic hospitals showed that 89.6% of children seen with eczema were ‘better or much better’ from the homeopathic treatment; however, the longer the child had had it, the longer it took to get better. If you or your children have eczema, it is all the more reason for starting to sort it out now.

Louisa Lera is one of the most experienced homeopaths treating eczema in the UK. For more information about Louisa and homeopathy, click on the link:

http://naturalhealthcentre.co.uk/therapies/homoeopathy-nottingham/

If you’d like to talk to her, she can be contacted at the Nottingham Natural Health Centre on 0115 960 8855.

All visitors to our website can have a free 15 minute chat with Louisa, either face-to-face or over the telephone in order to decide if homeopathy is the right choice for you.

MORE ABOUT LOUISA LERA

Louisa Lera started her career as an analytical chemist, which is a long way from practicing homeopathy, hypnotherapy and kinesiology! She says all of them require a logical, thoughtful approach to really get the best for the client. The connecting factor was working for Weleda (who make lovely natural toiletries and medicines) – in the lab testing herbs and tinctures and toothpastes etc.

She says, “Most people become homeopaths because they have had some kind of miraculous cure from homeopathy, but I got interested because Weleda makes homeopathic medicines and I was curious about it. I loved lab work, but was more interested in people than chemicals, so did the 4 year training and set up practice in Nottingham in 1991.”

“To find a brilliant remedy for a patient can be quite hard, so I decided to study with the best homeopaths in the world. Whilst practicing in Nottingham, I made numerous trips abroad to learn from the greatest. Also, setting up a homeopathic clinic for babies and children, where I treated hundreds of little ones, gave me the experience to become an expert myself!”

“For interest and variety, kinesiology and hypnotherapy were later added, which work well for different kinds of symptoms.”

For more information on kinesiology, see the Nottm Natural Health Centre website (http://naturalhealthcentre.co.uk/therapies/kinesiology-nottingham/). You’ll also find hypnotherapy information.

Thank you to The Patient Experience and The Patient Voice for image.

Fairies and Flower Arts and Crafts for children

michelle — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:32:09 +0000

In the post, our daughters received a parcel from their great Aunt – Opening it brought a world of wonder for both my eldest (nearly 3yrs) and myself – It is ‘The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies’ by Cicely Mary Barker. This book has created a whole new reason for going out for walks and also provided some free materials for great art and craft activities with the children.

We’ve had fireengines and pirates before dolls in our house yet princesses and fairies have found their own way into the heart and imagination of our daughter and it is wonderful to see how excited she gets at wearing her wings and spinning magic wherever she goes – this book captures that fascination and combines it with the garden – it is filled with pictures of the flower fairies with their flowers/trees and little poems that explain the flowers themselves – whether they appear in spring, summer, autumn or winter – whether they are found in gardens or by country lanes and it even has a little A-z of flower fairies.

I instantly spotted a flower that had appeared a lane near our home a couple of days before – I was now able to name it as ‘Celandine’ Flower – so off we went in search of ‘The Celandine Fairy’ along the way we found ‘The Daffodil Fairy’ and ‘The Snowdrop Fairy’ – Fantastic, Arwen picked a few and we decided to make a Thank you card for Great Aunt Jane – I then remembered a flower press that I was given as a little girl, so off we trotted to find it …….

Flower pressing and any arty things you choose to do afterwards can take up a few afternoons easily from walking, picking, pressing, checking on the flowers to see how they are drying and then eventually creating cards, pictures, bookmarks, suncatchers, glass pebbles – they make really memorable gifts often useful gifts ….

Tips on successful flower pressing:

You will need – scissors, tray or basket for collecting the flowers, a flower press or a very heavy book or some cardboard and rubber bands and some thick paper or newspaper to absorb some of the moisture from the flowers as they dry.

1 – Collect the flowers on a dry sunny day (ok where possible!)
- The best flowers to pick are the new, fresh flowers – pick them carefully as bruising will turn brown during pressing and avoid any poisonous flowers such as monkshood or foxgloves as they may cause a reaction on the skin when picking. Pick leaves and stems too for extra interest.

- Maybe your little one can collect the flowers with special family members then create a piece to give to them.

2 – Pressing the flowers
- Try and press them on the same day as picking before they begin wilting.
- Inside your book or in your press place a layer of cardboard then 2 layers of paper
- Place your flowers on the paper – keeping similar flowers together as they will dry at a similar rate. Lay them out the way you wish them to be seen so petals together or face down with petals spread out etc – once dried they become very papery and can be difficult to handle without tearing.
- Now place more paper ontop of the flower and then cover carefully with another sheet of cardboard – now start again in a flower press or close the book.

3 – Wait – It can take 2 – 4 weeks for flowers to dry properly – thicker flowers maybe needing longer. Once in the press the flowers can become a perfect emergency activity for those sudden rainy afternoons ….
Thicker flowers may need the paper changing to help them dry out quicker and be sure to place the press in a warmish place to help them along and prevent any mould.

4 – Be creative and make your works of Art!!!
You will need: coloured paper, heavy card, old boxes, acrylic sheets or glass if being really adventurous basically, whatever you want to decorate you can, some white craft glue – diluted and maybe some clear sticky plastic sheets for protecting the flowers once stuck into place.

Other ideas for pressed flower art – place mats, door signs, magnets, gift boxes, calendars, birthday cards, mothers day cards, framed pictures, bunting, christmas decorations…. visit the local craft store for more ideas for mounting or creating glass pebbles and really unique items.

IF YOU ARE A DAB HAND A FLOWER PRESSING PLEASE LEAVE ANY HELPFUL COMMENTS – IF YOU MAKE ANYTHING WITH YOUR CHILDREN THEN PLEASE DO SEND US SOME PHOTOS FOR OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. ….

Thank you to Cicely Mary Barker – although she created these books in the 1900s they still have a magic and are a great way for all of us to learn about what is within our gardens…. x

Sow 2 Grow …. with children – guest blog

michelle — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:49:42 +0000

Sow2Grow…with children

Playing outdoors is an exciting, magical part of growing up for children and we are pleased to introduce to you Sow2Grow who are based in Nottingham and strongly believe that all children, no matter what their age or ability, should be given the opportunity to interact with their natural environment as much as possible. As a mum to three wonderful children, Claire, also believes that it is our responsibility as parents and as members of the community, to do all we can to introduce and encourage children to benefits of growing their own crops – here is Claire’s guest blog article ………

“Come rain or shine children love nothing more than putting their wellies on and heading out into the garden (especially when armed with a watering can) and this gives us the perfect opportunity to teach them about growing their very own fruit and vegetables. Gardening is a wonderfully rewarding experience for both adults and children and is a brilliant way to encourage the family to eat their 5 a day, introduce new foods and encourage them towards a healthy, more sustainable lifestyle.

There are a number of crops that can be planted at this time of year and most Fruits and Vegetables can be stored by either freezing, or pickling and over time will help to save you a small fortune.

Small projects could include Tomatoes, Strawberries, herbs, chilli, spinach, lettuce and Spring Onions, all of which can all be grown in window boxes and take very little time and maintenance. Be creative – children love things out of the ordinary – planters can be made out of all sorts of unwanted items….

For small gardens, crops like raspberries, Blueberries, Blackcurrants, carrots, potatoes, Beetroot, peas, pumpkins, and Runner Beans will provide a variety of crops and flavours throughout the year.

If you have a large garden, your child will love planting their very own fruit trees. Apple, Pear and cherry Trees provides masses of fruit in early autumn that provide ideal lunch box fillers, and can be use to make perfect deserts such as fruit crumbles.

If you don’t have a garden, you could rent an allotment. There are a number of allotment sites up and down the country, which can be rented for a small fee or you could consider becoming volunteers at your local community allotment. Community allotments provide workshops and family activity days where you and your family can learn the basics of Growing crops, without the responsibility of owning and maintaining your own plot, and In exchange for a few hours work, here and there you can buy crops in season for a reduced price.
Nottingham City allotment information
Help and advice on managing your allotment

This time of year is perfect for children to start sowing, and in particular Tomatoes and Pea seeds. They grow fast and so children get to reap the benefits of growing them quickly.

For added fun why not have a competition to see whose Tomato plant grows the tallest?

Based in Nottingham, Sow2Grow provides a Horticultural service that will come to your home, school, or community group and advise and assist you with growing your own crops, we cater for all ages and abilities and are able to provide a variety of activities and seeds as well as basic tools and equipment if required.

For more information about out services call Claire on 07585776752, Like us on Face book for weekly advise and information on what to grow, and sign up for our FREE monthly news letter at Sow2Grow@gardener.com

So why not get out there and enjoy the sunshine,
Happy Gardening, Claire Chocholko x

Thank you to the links below for photographs.

http://renaissancelittlegreen.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.candystripecloud.com.au

http://www.growdelicioustomatoes.info/growing-tomatoes-plants/

Gardens for children

michelle — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:49:47 +0000

I keep saying it this month because it is so true – Children LOVE being outside – give them the right clothing and any weather is appealing – the down side is where to take them? – in the UK we are quite lucky that it is the norm for houses to have a garden – and whatever size it is – it can be made to entertain, educate and even relax our kids – making the most of this space will often save you money as well as prevent that common ‘cabin fever’ that often accompanies little ones ‘trapped’ inside for too long!

The key is to get your children involved in the creation and design of the garden and possibilities are endless – window boxes, herb gardens, grow your own veg, play areas-building areas -adding mirrors, chimes, hideaways… – The nursery my eldest goes to has a great garden and has really made me think about what children enjoy – They have a tree with wellies, pot & pans, ladels hanging off it – brilliant – noise and something out of the ordinary – it’s an instant win; a pile of logs large enough so that they don’t move but not perfectly aligned so it makes climbing fun, planting areas and now a little sound pod (stage) for those musical performances in the sun!!

Near to our home on a lane there is a tree nicknamed ‘The Fairy Tree’ because someone has created a little fairy home at the bottom of it and it changes on a regular basis – little trinkets get added and taken away and you NEVER see any body doing it!! My daughter was in the middle of a tired melt down when I pulled up – again it captures imagination and is an instant win – tears disappeared and now we are slowly creating our own ‘Fairy Tree’ in our garden.

So what else should we consider when creating a space for our children….
Garden Safety is probably ‘the’ most important aspect as it will influence all your other decisions – here are some key things to consider:
The age of your children – What do they like to do and what are they likely to start doing in the next few years? – Main features may be costly and need to last so choose what will be east to adapt or alter to suit the changes in your child’s development.
The Plants - Take time to learn about plants already in your garden, watch them over the whole year – Many plants/berries are poisonous or create allergic reactions – do they have berries that look edible, are there thorns that are hard to spot in the summer months, do they attract certain types of insects – all of these things could influence where you position childrens play items or the type of plants you choose to keep.
Tools, Machinery and Garden chemicals – it goes without saying that there needs to be a space where all of this can be stored – safely and securely.
Water Features – A young child can drown in only a couple of inches of water so always make sure children near Water Features can be seen easily – wherever you may be.
Materials – Choosing materials is personal, think of seasonal maintanence though – patio slabs can be treachorous in autumn and winter while some soils may create bogs rather than perfect lawns – Sandpits are great fun – for children and …. many animals especially Cats! – these need to be kept covered when not in use….. if you think of more leave a comment below x

For more safety and design tips visit -
BBC -Gardening Guides – Preventing Accidents
BBC – Design Your Garden – includes virtual garden tool

Whilst searching for ideas I came across this great site – Kiddie Gardens – which covers everything from gardening with children, garden craft activities, toddler gardens, how to guides … you name it – it seems to be on there!

Articles next week inlcude: simple things to plant – grow your own veggys with children – garden arts and crafts and attracting birds and butterflies into your garden….

Please add comments on your own design ideas and visit our other blog articles to win ‘grow your own butterflies’ Kit and An all in one Kozi Kidz Rainsuit – in any available colour or size…

Outdoor Rascals – Outdoor Clothing for children – Competition

michelle — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:25:06 +0000

IT IS COMPETITION TIME AGAIN !

We all know that children LOVE the Great Outdoors, whatever the weather ! We parents and grand parents, on the other hand, naturally worry about them getting wet, cold or just plain spoiling their clothes – so particularly in the uk, a decent set of outdoor clothing along with trendy childrens thermals are ‘must have’ items in our childrens’ wardrobes – Outdoor Rascals have a great range which are – colourful, breathable and most of all comfortable!

Outdoor Rascals stock a range of leading brands of Outdoor clothing for kids including TRESPASS, Regatta, Urban Beach, Mitty James …… and Kozi Kidz

For this months competition you can win a Kozi Kidz Rainsuit in any size or colour available and all you have to do is complete the sections of our entry form below: REMEMBER WITH OUR COMPETITIONS YOU CAN HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHANCE OF WINNING – JUST COMPLETE MORE OF THE FORM – GOOD LUCK !!

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We also have some little ones and their parents lined up to review one of these Rainsuits so keep popping back to find out more or subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date on articles and promotions.

Easter Holidays in Nottinghamshire – Places to go and things to do with the kids

michelle — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:31:55 +0000

A wonderfully Happy Easter to Everyone – in our home, Easter is about the new life of Spring, the waking up of all the flowers and little animals/bugs all around – it’s the celebration of the Great Outdoors and as kids love being outside we have a list of egg hunts and trails running until the end of the Easter Holidays – and seeing as it has been raining a few other activity ideas to visit too… Please leave a comment in the box at the end of the blog or on our facebook page if you know of any other great things to do in these easter holidays X

Playworks – Scrapstore in Nottingham is open Saturday 7th April 2012 10am -1pm for Easter Activities – refreshments – craft ideas, no purchase necessary just come and see what they have to offer and if you are already a member and recommend a friend you receive a voucher for a basketful of scrapstore goodies!

EASTER HUNTS AND GARDEN TRAILS

Brackenhurst Easter Treasure Hunt – Monday 9th April – 11am -3pm £2 to enter includes treasure map and a prizeProceeds to Southwell Care Project Flower Pod. Treasure maps from Bramley car park. Call 01636 817034 for further information.

Rufford Abbey Country Park – now until 15th April – 10.30 am – 4.30pm £1. Buy a leaflet and follow clues to find colourful giant eggs, the claim your sweet reward -

Robin Hood’s Easter Egg Trail – Sherwood Forest Country Park - 11am -3pm now until 15th April £1 Follow the self-gudied trail around the visitor Centre and claim your chocolate reward.

Mad Hatter’s Garden Trail – Newstead Abbey – 11am -4pm – now until 15th April £1 – Follow the Mad Hatters quiz and garden trail through the grounds to see what you can find. For 3+ years – normal admission to grounds applies.

Robin Hood or Hari at the Castle Backpacks - Nottingham CastleSaturday 14th April – 11am-2pm Free Activity – Follow Robin Hood or Hari in two family trails and complete the fun activities in the Castle’s galleries. For 3-10 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Normal admission applies.

Woo The Wizard Owl Backpacks – Wollaton Hall 11.30am-3.30pm free car parking charges apply – Follow Woo the Wizard Owl in a family trail and complete fun activities in the galleries – For 5-10 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

OTHER FUN BITS

Midland Kite Flyers – Rufford Abbey – April 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th 10am -4pm – Free expert kite flyers in the grounds of Rufford Abbey.

Bread Baking For Little ‘Uns -Green’s Windmill – Thursday 12 April 11am-1pm £5 – Bake bread using the Mill’s own flour. Booking essential on 0115 915 6878.
For 3-6 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Seaside Windmills - Green’s Windmill -Friday 13 April 11am-1pm £2
Make a decorative springtime windmill. Just drop-in. For 3+ years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For a list of indoor and outdoor family days out – visit Day Out with the Kids

For Information of free activities in Nottingham

Things to do in Nottinghamshire bring you a family section further split down into different age groups and different types of activities with discounts available to members.

Plant & Play in the Garden with Children – Grow your own butterflies competition

michelle — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:32:02 +0000

It’s officially Spring and we know how children love to play in the Great Outdoors, so this month is a ‘Plant & Play’ month focusing on how to get your children involved in the garden and loving that space so conveniently close to home… Blog Articles will include tips on what to sow and how to get children easily involved, Growing your own Butterflies and releasing them into your garden, Easter craft activities, attracting birds into the garden and traditional games to play outside. Allergy Awareness Week is also at the end of the month so we will be looking at Homeopathy for children and adults as a way of managing or eliminating allergies, along with honey as a help for hayfever sufferers and support for allergy sufferers generally.

We have two competitions – our Outdoor Rascals competition begins next week, Outdoor Rascals are a leading supplier of affordable, quality outdoor clothing for babies & children we will be reviewing one of the top brands ‘Kozi Kidz’ Rain-suits.

To start the month off Insect Lore have sent us a ‘Grow Your Own Butterflies’ Kit which has excited us just as much as our children! We received, last week, 5 little caterpillas which, with some tender loving care from two very willing children, will grow into 5 beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies ready to be released into the world. We will be keeping you updated with how they grow over the next 3/4 weeks.

In the mean time take a peek at the Video below and enter our competition to win one of these fantastic kits.

COMPETITION TIME

To win one of these fantastic ‘Grow Your Own Butterfly Kits’
just complete the form below
the more you complete the more chances you have of winning…….
Good luck and keep popping back for an update of our little April Butterflies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The wonderful Pampering Yoga morning for Mums

michelle — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:21:09 +0000

March being a ‘Mummy Special’ we have tried to honour different women and mums and also find ways that we can pamper ourselves or relax – following on from our blog about Postnatal Yoga which allows time for this with your baby participating (honestly – take a read!) we have Caroline Jane Cole telling us about a Yoga Morning For Mums – a real treat and why it is a great way to pamper whilst truly recharging your whole self…..

What this class is

Pampering is the right word to describe this three-hour extended yoga session for Mums, a regular one-off Saturday event. Run once every term, three times a year, Yoga Home students who are also Mums are invited to a well deserved rest and relaxation event at the Iona School in Sneinton, an ideal venue for a few hours away from the kids. In this calming environment, in the schools kindergarden, students are led through two one and a half hour yoga sessions, broken by a short break for tea and healthy nibbles (Green and Blacks chocolate, oat crackers and homemade flapjack). At the end of the morning students can stay for a fuddle, a shared lunch, which always includes Ameet’s delicious homemade dahl, plus lots of other scrumptious food brought in by attendees. The whole event is a wonderful combination of yoga and socialising; three rare hours of yoga, plus a chance to meet up with friends from past pregnancy and postnatal yoga classes.

An inner sanctuary

As mums we are constantly on the go, thinking about and serving the needs of our children, juggling running a household, caring for our children and often our partners, plus for many doing paid work outside of the home as well. There is rarely any time in the day to simply sit back and just be, enjoying the present moment and taking a long, slow breathe, collecting our thoughts and paying attention to ourselves. In this electronic, fast-paced age our need to just be is more necessary than ever, as we are rarely unplugged, seldom in a space where we are able to listen to our inner mind and let go of all the clutter we are holding on to. In this constant chatter, racing about serving the needs of others, it is very easy to neglect ourselves. This is where yoga comes in. It is a safe, quiet place in which to let go, to listen to our bodies and our minds, in an attempt to unite them. Whilst everyone benefits tremendously from yoga, or some other form of deep relaxation practice, for mothers the benefits may be even more apparent, because in giving this gift to ourselves we are also giving this to our children, offering them a calmer, happier role model in which to follow.

It is wonderful for those Mums who are able to attend regular yoga sessions, but this is not always possible, due to the many commitments Mums juggle on a daily basis. However, this pampering event offers mums who rarely get the chance to practice yoga time out from the busyness of our everyday lives. Our bodies and are minds are crying out for this escape to a quiet sanctuary, a morning of healing, reflection and revitalisation. Even Mums who are fortunate enough to be able to attend regular yoga sessions, this event provides an extended, deeper space to unwind and practice yoga, simply because of its length. In this time students can really let go, let their minds and bodies become stiller, enabling a deeper communion between mind and body. I have certainly found this to be the case; although I am fortunate enough to attend two weekly yoga sessions per week I always look forward to these extended pampering sessions because they offer a richer, deeper experience.

The class

At the beginning of each session Hannah asks students to introduce themselves and say a word or two about why they are here. Every student replies with a version of the same need, to relax. This need to relax is achieved through a combination of yoga postures and poses, including the Salutation to the Sun, a flowing series of poses, as well as other familiar yoga postures. This more active work is complemented by a series of meditations and visualisation, this quieter, interior work forming the bulk of the class. For instance, during the last pampering session in March we visualised walking in a beautiful spring garden, feeling the sun gently caressing our backs, the soft grass underfoot, hearing the running water in the stream, the birds singing in the tress, as the aroma of sweet smelling flowers wafted from their stems. I really found an inner sanctuary in this space, a garden in which to reward my body and my mind through long stretches, slow breathing, humming and beautiful visualisations.

The reward

I saw on the faces of the other students a similar sense of calm, as we sat chatting after the session, munching on all our shared food, a lovely, communal way to wind-up the morning. As we left to join our respective families we could all breathe a little more deeply, could give a little more wholly to our children, as we had given ourselves a rare gift for a mother, time for ourselves.

Please visit Caroline’s blog Stoneage Parenting – for more articles about her parenting journey.

Caroline is a full-time Mum to Ewan James, who has inspired her to become a breastfeeding peer supporter, an active member of La Leche League, and a freelance journalist. She writes passionately about natural parenting issues for magazines and her blog, on topics including sustained breastfeeding, baby-wearing and bed-sharing