Author: Janine Smith

Tip – doula support

Using a birth doula can give you ongoing and consistent support at the end of your pregnancy, as well as during labour, which complements the medical care you receive from the midwifery team. #worlddoulaweek With consultations, digital guides and courses, my practice is here for you every step of the way. You can also become a member for exclusive content, discussion and a place to ask questions. Working with parents since 2002 Copyright: Janine Smith

birth consultations

Tip – doula support

Using a birth doula for practical and emotional support at the end of pregnancy and throughout labour/birth can mean you feel more secure, informed, calmer and able. #worlddoulaweek With consultations, digital guides and courses, my practice is here for you every step of the way. You can also become a member for exclusive content, discussion and a place to ask questions. Working with parents since 2002 Copyright: Janine Smith

baby s green and purple highchair

Tip – weaning

Try to go at your baby’s pace with food – some love it and are happy to try lots of different tastes and textures, while others are more cautious and they need to take their time. With consultations, digital guides and courses, my practice is here for you every step of the way. You can also become a member for exclusive content, discussion and a place to ask questions. Working with parents since 2002 Copyright: Janine Smith

What is…safer co-sleeping?

Co-sleeping is when your baby sleeps in your bed with you rather than in a cot or Moses Basket. Parents do this out of choice, to keep their baby close or because their baby will not settle away from them – for many parents it is about getting some sleep. And every family does this differently – many babies will be in their cot at the start of the night but they later move into their parent’s bed Studies have found that around 50% of all UK babies have bed-shared by the time they are 3 months old. And 91% of those parents had not planned to co-sleep. Good preparation makes such a difference to your options and to understanding how to make sleep as safe as possible for your baby. The evidence demonstrates that co-sleeping is safer when it is planned for and when the bed is prepared. It becomes riskier when bed sharing happens by accident, out of exhaustion and desperation for sleep. How do you make co-sleeping safer? To make co-sleeping safe, …

empty sofa near side table

Tip – sleep safety

Sleeping on the sofa with your baby is not safe – it is too uneven and there is an increased risk of suffocation. If you fall asleep holding your baby, there is also a risk that you could drop her. If your baby will only sleep near or next to you, it is safer to plan to bed-share. With consultations, digital guides and courses, my practice is here for you every step of the way. You can also become a member for exclusive content, discussion and a place to ask questions. Working with parents since 2002 Copyright: Janine Smith