FREE!

OCTOBER 2013

Health tips

after birth

Creating the perfeCt kid’s

bedroom

Fostering your

Child’s development

Your Free local Parenting magazine

Plus–

Prizes to

win

Contents

Special Features

8

18

24

Designing the perfect kids room (on a budget) Book review - Where is the Green Sheep? Business tips from a Mumprenuer

October 2013

Regulars

Letter from the Editor Monthly Recipe - Melting moments Ask a nurse - questions from readers Your Story - My miracle baby Make a change Business Directory Kid’s fun Community Noticeboard

5 7

12

16

19 28 30 32

Articles

The Sport of Motherhood - Health tips after birth Eco Mum’s Fostering your child’s development Before baby arrives Mother’s intuition

10

13 14 20 23

4

5

Small Steps Parenting Magazine

www.smallstepsparenting.com

www.facebook.com/smallstepsparenting

Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader,

We are excited to announce that Small Steps Parenting Magazine is grow-

ing! Thanks to all our readers we are now distributing throughout the

Hawkesbury, out to Penrith and Rouse Hill and are not far off spreading

into the Hills District. We are so blessed to be getting some wonderful

feedback from our readers.

With our growth we have now taken on a panel of experts especially for

you. These professionals will be available to answer questions you have

and support you in your daily life as parents and families. If you have

questions please post them on our facebook page or email them through

and we will have our experts provide replies through our monthly maga-

zine. This panel will also mean that you will be provided with even more

articles to benefit you from these dedicated professionals.

With that said I wish to introduce you to Lynne-McKensey Hall our lacta-

tion and baby expert, Ruth Bosanquet our midwife and special care nurse,

Kirsten Mitchell our expert on fitness and personal training, Abby Flem-

ing our nutritionist and health expert and Michael Voss our financial ex-

pert. You can learn more about each of these people on our brand new

website which now allows you to download your monthly copies of Small

Steps.

Until next month...

Julie-Anne England

SUNDAY 27th OCTOBER

Sunday 27th October

Combos Slides Obstacle Castles Slushie Machines

Phone: (02) 4571 1240 or 0402 100 681

Email: tomcatjim1@bigpond.com

Birthdays/Corporate Events/Preschools/Fetes/Christmas/New Years

Would you like to see your recipe featured here? Go to our

webpage or facebook and share your favourite recipe with us.

Monthly Recipe

Melting Moments

Ingredients:

125g butter, softened

3/4 cup plain flour

1/3 cup custard powder

1/4 cup icing sugar mixture

60g butter, softened, extra

2/3 cup extra icing sugar mixture

2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.

2. Use an electric mixer to beat butter until pale and creamy. Add the flour, icing sugar

and custard powder and stir to combine using a wooden spoon.

3. Using your hands, roll teaspoonsful of the dough mixture into balls. Place the balls

3cm apart on the lined trays. Use the palm of your hand dusted in icing sugar to gently flat-

ten.

4. Bake in preheated oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes or

until just cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

5. Use an electric mixer to beat the extra butter and icing sugar in a bowl until light and

fluffy. Add the lemon rind and juice and beat until combined. Spread the butter mixture

over the bottom side of half the biscuits and sandwich together with remaining biscuits.

7

8

Designing the perfect

Kid’s room (on a budget)

Bring the room back to a bare mini-

mum if you can. Get rid of any unused

toys and clothing that they have grown

out of. If they need new furniture, now

is a good time to get it.

Before you begin, sit down and think

about the purpose of the room—what

is it going to be used for? This is im-

portant as you need to create an envi-

ronment that works for the needs of

the room. For example a baby’s room

is going to have a very different pur-

pose than a teenagers room.

~ A baby’s room will be used for

sleeping, feeding (bottle or breast),

changing and playing

~ A teenager’s room will be for sleep-

ing, studying, spending time with

friends etc.

Once you have worked out the pur-

pose, plan to meet each of those needs.

For a baby you will probably need a

cot, a change table, a rocking chair or

armchair for feeding, a soft rug for the

floor and storage for clothing and toys.

Keep this in mind when choosing fur-

niture and storage.

To save on furniture, try websites such

as ebay or gumtree or buy entire set-

tings for good prices from stores such

as Fantastic Furniture or IKEA.

Make sure you factor in lots of stor-

age. Having a place for everything

will help the room to stay clutter

free and make it easier for your

child to find things as well as pack

them away. Also try to choose furni-

ture that will grow with the child. This

will save you from having to upgrade

in a couple of years time.

Give the room a fresh coat of paint.

This will immediately create a fresh

canvas on which to create the perfect

room. If the child is old enough, allow

them to help in the decisions. When

choosing paint colours, try and stick

with one main colour and then use a

couple of others to complement.

When placing furniture, organise it

around the room so that you maximise

the floor space available. Kids spend a

large amount of time playing on the

floor so keep this in mind.

Use boxes (that match your colour

theme) to store toys inside cupboards

or on bookshelves. Rotate toys every

now and then to give the kids some

new items to play with. Keep toys that

are not being used up high and the

current toys within reach.

Consider creating a simple feature

wall by using a different colour paint,

some wall decals or frame some of the

child’s artworks for some cheap

Win one

of four wall decals for

your child’s room - go to

our Facebook page to

win!

decoration. Small Steps has four sets of

wall decals to give away. Go to our

Facebook page and comment on the

wall decal you would like to win under

our photos section of giveaways.

If you have stains on the carpet or hard

floors, consider buying some cheap

carpet offcuts from carpet stores. You

should be able to find some colours

that match with your theme to give n

instant facelift.

Bedding does not have to be expensive.

Kmart has some gorgeous children’s

bedroom sets for very good prices.

Choose something that your child will

like and that goes with your theme.

Then buy a couple of plain coloured

throw pillows to add a decorative

touch.

When thinking window dressings don’t

forget about safety. Vertical blinds and

curtains often have hanging cord which

can pose a strangulation hazard in chil-

dren. Fix these up high if you have

them or choose free hanging curtains

without any cords. When purchasing

window dressing keep in mind that

they are often very expensive. Make

sure to shop around and to save money

try to stick to plain coloured dressings

so that they don’t need to be updated as

the child grows.

Simple items like picture frames, book

ends etc, can be given a new lease of

life with a coat of paint.

Use websites like Pinterest to gain in-

spiration on what you would like in

your child’s room. There are also crea-

tive blogs that you can follow with

cheap ideas to do with kids and bed-

rooms etc. Small Steps brand new web-

site is starting its very own blog to

keep you inspired with crafts, gift

ideas, and home decoration. Check it

out on www.smallstepsparenting.com

Hang a corkboard to pin up your

child’s artworks, birthday invitations

and social calendar.

Ensure there is good lighting, both

from the roof and via a reading or desk

lamp, especially if your child is old

enough to be doing homework.

Lastly, create something your child can

be proud of!

10

The Sport of Motherhood

Weighted squatting – sitting down to a

couch to feed and standing back up whilst

holding an ever growing baby! Unknow-

ingly, applying a bicep curl, when picking

up your baby from the cot and or replacing

your child down to nap. Engaging in speed

and agility in order to catch your little one

from tumbling as they learn to use their

legs! Not to mention finding your inner

core stability and strength when needing to

conduct prolonged carrying of a child on all

kinds of surfaces…welcome to the Sport of

Motherhood!

As the prenatal woman requires special con-

sideration in exercising for the health of

both mum and bub, new mums and particu-

larly those after subsequent pregnancies

also deserve extra attention. Labour is an

intense physical experience that we physi-

cally develop and gradually prepare for up

to 9 months, hence it can sometimes take

the same amount of time (if not more!) to

fully recover!

Postnatal women are increasingly keen to

return to exercise very soon after birthing,

anxious to lose their “baby weight” and or

“get their abs back” and

generally the attitude of

waiting 6-8 weeks post- partum to “return to

normal” before resuming an exercise regime

is inappropriate and may lead to a number

of problems including incontinence or back

pain.

However, with the correct exercise modifi-

cation, moderate progression and specificity

of the individual’s needs, engaging in physi-

cal activity can not only be a means to re-

turn to being in shape but also, moving well

and feeling well!

What steps should I take to exercise when

post natal?

Firstly, take your time to recover from

labour whilst adjusting to new routines,

emotions, broken sleep and enjoy these

early days.

Do engage in walking, start off with gen-

tle, short stride walking with the pram or

baby in a pouch. Getting out in the fresh

air and sunshine is good for both mum

and bub. Be aware of any pelvic pain or

instability that may have occurred pre or

post labour, be sure to speak with your

health professional if you do experience

this.

11

Gradually increase your walking tempo

to become more vigorous, including

drawing in abdominals and lifting up the

pelvic floor plus arm swinging to in-

crease your cardio fitness.

As a Mum, we always put our child/ren

first…so be as diligent in following up on

your own post natal check as you are

with your baby’s. During this check up,

ask your Doctor to check your abdominal

muscles for Diastasis Rectus, commonly

referred to as muscle separation. During

pregnancy, the abdominals stretch down

the midline of the belly with the growth

of the baby and post-partum they may not

return, resulting in a “mummy tummy”

and or a very painful lower back. If mus-

cle separation has occurred, not only will

abdominal crunching exacerbate the

problem …but no amount of abdominal

curls will flatten the tum until the mus-

cles have meshed back together! Seek

professional advice from your health or

qualified post natal exercise professional.

When you are ready to commence more

regular and structured exercise, be sure to

find an exercise professional which is

qualified in post natal programming to

guide and train you.

Enjoy your little miracle! Roll around

the floor with them, crawl or chase after

each other, run, jump, skip and relish the

opportunity of experiencing childhood

again!

Written by Kirsten Mitchell, Small Steps

Fitness Expert and instructor at Moves to

motivate. Learn more about Kirsten on our

website at www.smallstepsparenting.com

Did you know.....

Laughing gets both sides of the brain working together and helps re-

lease potential and increase flexibility of thought.

Play a simple game like hide-and-seek with your child. Laugh and have

fun. It’s good for both of you!

Did you know.....

Laughter releases an instant flood of feel-good chemicals that boost the

immune system and almost instantly reduce levels of stress hormones.

Have fun playing with your baby, massage her; tickle her; play peek-a-

boo with her. Have a belly laugh with your baby when she has a belly

laugh. It’s good for both of you!

Did you know....

Children laugh more than 300 times a day, whereas

adults laugh less than 20 times a day.

Laugh when your child laughs. Let your child lead you in play. Put

on your tutu and dance with your little ballerina and have fun and

laugh together. It’s good for both of you!

Written by Simone Yuen, children’s book author, www.rainbowballs.com.au

Did you know…?

Ask a Nurse...

QUESTION: My baby gets hiccups a lot - is this normal?

Babies under 12 months get hiccups frequently and usually don’t seem

too distressed by this although it may worry parents. Your baby may

get hiccups after a feed and may even bring up a little milk.

It is not often possible to prevent hiccups although there are several

things you can try which may help such as holding your baby upright

for 15 minutes or so after a feed, smaller feeds more frequently or if

your baby is bottle feeding try burping baby 2-3 times during a feed.

It is also important to make sure that the bottle is tipped up so that the

teat is full of milk and the baby is not swallowing air. If a

baby gets hiccups during a feed continue to feed him/her as the

act of swallowing may in itself assist in stopping them.

If you have any concerns about your baby’s heath or behaviour, talk to

your early childhood nurse or other health care professional.

This answer has been supplied by Ruth Bosanquet, a registered mid-

wife. If you would like one of your questions answered please send us

an email or contact us on our facebook page.

Tahlula’s Eclectic Bazaar

Shop 3, Lachlan Court

100 George Street Windsor

www.tahlulaseclecticbazaar.com

Phone Liz: 0418 664 227

Handmade

Vintage

Retro

Upcycled

Recycled

Unique

Now in a

brand new

shop!

Celeste Visage

Australian

technician

No cheap, nasty

products

Full set natural $50

Full set French tip $50

Full set glitter tip $55

Natural infills $35

Glitter/French infills $40

Shop A, 487 George Street,

South Windsor NSW 2756

Wednesday 9am-2.30pm

Tuesday & Thursday by

appointment

The rise of eco-parenting A generation ago, not many people worried

about climate change, toxic chemicals, al-

lergens or recycling. Today, these things are

part of every day life, and inform our deci-

sion-making – especially when it comes to

our families, our health and concern for the

future.

Nothing causes us to take greater notice of

our own humanity and spending habits than

when we become a parent. Suddenly we are

responsible for someone else, making deci-

sions that impact their wellbeing, being a

guide and role model, and that usually

means a shift in perspective and priorities.

In February, a UN-sponsored research team

reported that man-made chemicals in every-

day products are likely to be at least the

partial cause of a global surge in birth de-

formities, hormonal cancers and psychiatric

diseases.

“We live in a world in which man-made

chemicals have become part of everyday

life,” said the 28-page report titled “State of

the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemi-

cals,” issued as a policy guide for govern-

ments.

EDCs include phthalates used in making

plastics flexible. Products made from them

include toys, dummies, and cosmetics like

deodorants that are absorbed into the body.

Another is Bisphenol A, or BPA, which is

used to harden plastics and is found in food

and beverage containers, including some

babies’ bottles.

As we become more informed of these dan-

gers, it is no wonder that we are seeking out

alternatives to safeguard the health of our

families. Our growing awareness of these

issues turns into consumer power, too. In

2010, EcoFocus Worldwide, a marketing

research consultant, estimated that “the eco-

aware moms market includes more than 50

million women, 69% of [all] moms, and has

more than $1.45 trillion in buying power.”

When it comes to eco-aware dads, the same

study found “91% say it is important for my

children to understand the impact they have

on the environment based on the choices

they make.”

Living sustainably is no longer an alterna-

tive lifestyle choice. Gone are the days

when being eco-conscious came with a

stigma of being a smug, muesli-munching

hippie. For eco-conscious parents, our moti-

vation is simple: We want healthier, more

sustainable options, and we are determined

to instil values in our children so they can

appreciate where their food and other every-

day items come from and have respect for

their environment.

So whether you’re a parent who has made

small changes like using recycled toilet pa-

per, or an eco warrior who has made signifi-

cant changes to every part of your life,

every little thing counts – and “green” is

mainstream.

Rather than going through life in a cycle of

cynicism believing that what you do has no

impact, instead we can all do our part, act in

line with our values, and pass on some

pretty meaningful lessons to our children.

As Mahatma Gandhi eloquently put it “You

must be the change you wish to see in the

world.” And now, more than ever, being an

eco conscious parent is being that change

for future generations.

Donna MacMullin is the director of Itty

Bitty Greenie, an online shop offering

children’s products with a safe and

sustainable point of difference. A portion of

every sale supports

children’s and

environmental

charities.

13

Fostering Your Child’s Development

Children are naturally inquisitive beings.

They love to learn and as their parents we

can provide an environment that fosters their

development.

There are five areas of development - physi-

cal growth which includes fine motor (small

muscles) and gross motor (large muscles),

social/emotional, cognitive, language and

creative learning. It is important that we cre-

ate an environment where our children are

able to build on all of these areas. Day care

centres and preschools cater to these areas

but for kids that stay at home we need to

provide this opportunity for learning.

You may wonder how difficult it is to create

time for your child to learn in these areas.

You may be pleasantly surprised to learn

that it is a lot easier than you think.

Below we will briefly discuss each develop-

mental area and give you some examples of

ways that you can provide activities to pro-

mote growth in these areas.

Let’s start with physical development. This

is a relatively easy developmental area to

cover. To cover gross motor development a

child needs room to run, climb and jump -

and let’s face it, whose child doesn’t? This

can be covered simply by playing outside

and taking your child to the local park. Add

a ball and your child can work on their hand

and foot/eye coordination.

Fine motor activities include tasks that allow

your child to use their fingers. Try activities

such as drawing, painting, playdough, lego

or small cars on racetracks.

Now lets look at social/emotional growth. A

child’s social/emotional development is the

growth of their social abilities in interacting

with other people and their emotional devel-

opment refers to their control of moods and

emotions and how these two go together. A

child’s social development can simply be

encouraged through simple play dates and

time with other people. A child’s emotional

development grows through imaginary play.

Play when the child pretends to be a mummy

14

or a daddy, or when the child acts out famil-

iar scenarios such as shopping trips and rou-

tines. Also let the child be aware of moods

and feelings. Labeling them and role model-

ing appropriate behavior will allow the child

to learn how to control themselves. Try say-

ing “You look happy today with that big

smile”.

In cognitive development the child uses their

brain or memory. Simple things like puzzles

and memory games encourage this. Verbaliz-

ing things that you have done together in the

past are good here, which brings us to lan-

guage.

Language is separated into two areas - verbal

and receptive. A child’s verbal skills include

their speech and vocabulary. Receptive lan-

guage means the child’s level of understand-

ing of the language regardless of their speech.

Language can be fostered by repeating songs

and rhymes and reading books together.

The last area is creative. Creative skills are

very easily learned at this age but can also be

very easily be damaged. It is important to

allow your child to experiment with various

creative mediums such as paint, pencils, cray-

ons, playdough etc and not be told how to do

something. Just because you draw a flower a

certain way doesn’t make it right. Making a

child do something a certain way can impede

their creative development.

Part of creative play can involve sensory ac-

tivities for your child. Sensory play is most

enjoyable for children. Try setting up a water

play area, take them to the sand pit, give

them playdough to squish or set up some

fingerpainting. Each of these things allows

the child to learn by touch and play and by

providing an environment where these areas

are covered you are providing your child with

the optimum opportunity to learn and grow.

Try to engage with them too at times and get

down to their level and play with them….

And most importantly don’t forget to have

fun!

15

We have 25 double passes to giveaway to The

Baby & Toddler Show at Sydney Exhibition

Centre. To win* simply go to our Facebook page

and tell us why you love Small Steps Parenting

Magazine.

*winners will be selected at random

16

Your Story

Ruth’s Story - Memories of kindness

As a child growing up, I witnessed the

kindness of my father towards others which

left an impression that will stay with me

forever.

My dad was a POW in the second World

War and, like many others who served their

country, suffered abusive treatment and

near starvation. Perhaps his experience

made him more aware of the needs of those

around him.

One such person was a man, whom I al-

ways thought was old, but in reality was

probably between 38 and 40. He had cere-

bral palsy and also a cleft palate which in

those days was not repaired.

Charlie was a delightful man

with a keen sense of humour

but because of his disability,

his speech was difficult to

understand and people

tended to avoid him for this

reason.

I recall my dad chatting to

Charlie and spending many

hours in his company.

Because he had no family,

Charlie lived in a nursing

home populated with very

elderly residents, and he wel-

comed the opportunity to talk

with a man nearer his age.

One day my dad and mum took Charlie to

the zoo. He had never been taken any-

where, being confined to the four walls of

his room for years. It was quite a difficult

process to get him and his wheelchair into

our car, but Charlie had a wonderful day.

He so enjoyed seeing the various animals

and exhibits and I know my parents were

amply rewarded when they saw his enthu-

siastic response to everything. He had

never eaten a pie so my dad fed him one

slowly with a spoon and Charlie loved it.

He told dad and mum that it had been the

best day of his life.

Charlie was a very intelligent person, he

enjoyed reading and watching documenta-

ries on TV whenever he had the opportu-

nity. Dad would take him books and Char-

lie read them eagerly and waited in antici-

pation for dad to bring him more.

One day, during one of his conversations

with Charlie, my dad asked him what he

would like to do if he had the opportunity.

Charlie replied that he would like to write a

book. Back in those days there was no

physical therapy for people in Charlie’s

situation and because of the cerebral palsy,

Charlie’s hands were very contracted and

writing for him was not possible, so my

dad bought him a typewriter. It was a labo-

rious process, but Charlie persevered and

gradually over weeks and months, the book

was finally completed. Dad always encour-

aged him, and proof- read the manuscript.

17

He and Charlie discussed things such as

grammatical structure and clarity of presen-

tation. I am sure that the project cemented

their friendship to an even greater extent

and I know that dad had the utmost respect

and admiration for Charlie’s effort and

determination.

Because I was only a child, I don’t remem-

ber what was in the content of the book or

whether it ever reached publication or was

even read by anyone other than my dad, but

I do know that Charlie achieved great satis-

faction through his effort.

It is so true that all it can take is for one

person to believe in the ability of another

and to offer help and encouragement to see

that person realise their dream and poten-

tial.

My dad had his own hardships- he suffered

depression and what we now know as post

traumatic stress disorder, but through his

example, I learned not to judge a person by

their appearance and to value the unique

gifts that every person has.

I really believe that parents can positively

influence their children by demonstrating

respect and value for others no matter what

their background and circumstances. Being

a parent is a huge responsibility, showing

our children the right way to live will set

them up for life.

Small Steps Parenting Magazine would

love to hear your story about pregnancy,

birth, moments of triumph, family stories or

inspirational stories. To have your story

published please email us at

info@smallstepsparenting.com

Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox and Judy Horacek (Penguin Group) RRP $19.95 ISBN 978 0 670 04149 7 Reviewed by Kelly Ferguson Awarded Early Childhood’s Book of the Year by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Well known author Mem Fox along with author and illustrator Judy Horacek write a fun, colour ful and captivating book for young children. In this book you will find sheep of every colour

and talent but there is a mystery to solve. Where is this green sheep? From surfing sheep to moon and star sheep, your children will love every page and grow with excitement to find what has happened to the green sheep. I always recommend reading the same bedtime book for three or four nights. On the first night, read it to your children with them just listening followed by talking about what they liked and disliked about the book. Each time you read the book, encourage your children to join in reading it as well. In this book my children always read ‘But where is the green sheep?’ This book has a predict-able reading pattern and with the use of the illustrations, both my four and two year old, are now able to read this independently. Here are a few activities you can do during the week:

Make up a song about all the sheep. Children will find it funny and your baby will love it because they enjoy anything that is sung to them! Count how many sheep there are in the story. Make a sheep using paper and cotton wool balls. If you are brave you could even get the paints out! Teach your children the high frequency words (common words they will learn to read and spell when they begin school). The common words in this book are ‘here’ ‘and’ ‘is’ and ‘the’. If you love this book you will love other books written by Mem Fox. Koala Lou, Time for Bed, Hattie and the Fox, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Possum Magic, Shoes from Grandpa, Wombat Divine, Sleepy Bears and many more. Books by Judy Horacek include: These are my Feet, Yellow is My Favourite Colour, These are my Hands and more.

I hope you and your family enjoy this book as much as we do, it’s definitely a

favourite!

18

Where is the Green Sheep?

Book Review

We would love to hear how you have helped someone in your community or hear how someone

has made a difference to you. Please write to us and share your story.

Change Change Make a

Here at Small Steps Parenting Magazine we believe

that each one of us has the power to make a difference

in our world. Make a change is about that. It is about

doing one thing each month to make a difference in

someone else’s life and create a change in the atmosphere

in our own community.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer affects so many people in our

community. If someone hasn’t struggled with the disease themselves, someone close to

them has. In order to raise money for breast cancer research Small Steps is running a twi-

light market in December. We encourage you to be there if you can. We are aiming to raise

over $10,000. (See page 24 for more information)

You can help by -

Telling your friends and family about this event and encouraging them to attend

Holding a stall at our market to help directly raise funds.

Holding a morning tea or a girl’s night in (see the Cancer Council’s website to regis-

ter)

Doing something for someone you know who has been touched by this disease -

maybe cook a meal, babysit the kids or offer to give them a manicure.

Have your kids draw a picture for someone to tell them they care

19

Do you know someone who has been affected by cancer?

This doesn’t necessarily mean they have been diagnosed with it themselves,

they may have a husband with it, or a parent, or even a child.

We would like to help. Small Steps is going to bless someone in the

community with a makeover to show them that they are special.

This makeover will include a massage, hair style, make-up, nails

and a photo shoot.

If you know someone who needs this, please send us an email at

info@smallstepsparenting.com

Emails can be submitted throughout October and November.

When it comes to breastfeeding your baby, it’s all about debunking the myths.

Old wives’ tales like conditioning your nipples, timing feeds, formula top-ups, putting up

with pain, and thinking your baby is using you as a dummy. None of it’s true and I’ve got

the science to prove it.

It might surprise you to know a couple of very simple, fundamental truths about breast-

feeding. The first is that painless positioning and comfortable attachment will go a long

way towards solving most breastfeeding issues. The second is that, as a human being

(especially as a newborn), your baby needs to feed, feed, feed!

In over thirty years experience in nursing, midwifery, nurse education and lactation man-

agement I’ve seen my fair share of newborns and mothers, women who breastfeed in pain

and mothers who give up breastfeeding because they think it’s their only alternative. I

had breastfeeding issues with my own children. It

hap pens!

As an IBCLC, I can tell you that there are breastfeed

ing options for almost every mother/baby situation. I

see women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, dia-

betes and hypoplastic breasts; women with multiples,

adoptive and surrogate babies; women who want to tan-

dem feed or express breast milk for their babies instead of

having them at the breast and women who have breastfed

their babies well past toddlerhood!

Women and their babies should be able to breastfeed for as long

as they desire.

Here are some of my secrets...

Find out all you need to know BEFORE you have your

baby.

Preparing for the delivery of your baby often over

shadows your thoughts about breastfeeding and

planning for the early weeks at home after the

birth. The information in the first of my series of

eight booklets, Before Baby Arrives provides

ideas and suggestions many parents of new

borns I see wish they had known before they

had their baby.

Family support for you with your baby is

very helpful especially in the early weeks at

home. Partners are keen to help but maybe

unsure what that help can be while you breast

feed your baby. Book seven Partners provides

information about the baby with suggestions and

ideas for them to help as you both adapt to your

role as parents.

Before Baby Arrives...

20

21

Members of your family particularly par-

ents and in-laws maybe keen to help espe-

cially with ‘helpful advice’. Science has

discovered much about the breast, milk

production and how our baby’s brains

work. As a result I know approaches to

breastfeeding and settling babies will be

no doubt very different to how your

mother or mother-in-law breastfed or

‘wasn’t able to feed’.

This can be ‘tricky’ as their well meaning

advice will be different to the breastfeed-

ing advice you will receive from the mid-

wives or IBCLC in hospital. Having

worked with families in the home for

many years I am well aware of the ten-

sions this may cause. Book eight in my

series Grandparent and Carers was writ-

ten for anyone caring for

you and your baby so they understand and

support your parenting style, breastfeeding

and settling techniques. They will be

amazed with some of the changes thanks

to science! Give them one each as a pre-

sent before you have the baby so everyone

is ‘on the same page’ Let these booklets or

any others in the series be your go-to

guides for what to do for as well as for

everything else in-between.

Good Luck and get help early with any

breastfeeding or settling issues so they

don’t become real problems.

Written by Lynne-McKensey

Hall RN,RM, MN (Ed)

IBCLC . Lynne is Small Steps

Parenting Magazine’s lacta-

tion and baby expert and au-

thor of the Breastfeeding and

Baby Matters book series. To

learn more about Lynne please visit our

website at www.smallstepsparenting.com

Kick the old wives’ tales to the kerb with Lynne-McKensey Hall’s

sensible, practical and science-based

Breastfeeding and Early Parenting Guides.

Purchase each booklet in the Breastfeeding and Baby

Matters series separately or as a set.

Order at www.betterbeginnings.com.au

Ph: 0419 245 966 or email lynne@betterbeginnings.com.au

Before Baby arrives Baby’s arrival Breastfeeding Issues and

the Unexpected Expressing Returning to Work Partners

Grandparents and Carers Multiple, Pre-term,

Adoptive and Surrogate Babies and Relactating

Lynne-McKensey Hall

22

Business tips from a Mumprenuer

What made you decide to start your own

business?

I wanted to spend my time doing something

I enjoyed & not just working to get paid.

Why did you choose Lolly Buffets?

As we all know, life is not all rainbows &

lollipops!! So I decided to start my own

business that was my own little slice of

heaven with lots of lollipops & rainbow col-

ours. Our business name says it all ‘Tutti

Frutti Lolly Buffets’

Did being a mum influence your business

choice?

Yes definitely, I am also a home based busi-

ness so I find that helps me to juggle the

business, home, mum, taxi role. I knew from

the beginning that as my business grew so

would my two girls and I’m hoping that they

will also love being part of my wonderful

business and join me one day (At the mo-

ment they just want to live in the ‘LOLLY

ROOM’ and eat all the profits!!)

What are the pros and cons of working for

yourself?

I love working for myself & making the de-

cisions, bringing my ideas to life.

It is great working hard to create fantastic

buffets, then seeing the results & watching it

grow. The hardest part to running my busi-

ness is all the extra time I put into emails,

putting ribbons & personalised stickers onto

lolly bags/boxes & heaps more…. that I do

behind the scenes. I put a lot of extra hours

in when my family is sleeping, doing bits

and pieces to keep on top of everything and

to spend more time with my family too.

How long did it take for you to feel like your

business was making headway?

It took 10 months (after a lot of advertising,

bridal expos & networking with other busi-

nesses too) but then it really started to take

off. After you are more known, your custom-

ers talk to their friends & family and refer

you onto them as well and on it goes from

there. Having a good website and staying

active on Facebook has also helped my busi-

ness grow as well. I received my first big

break at 14 months when I was approached

by the Wedding Co-ordinator at ‘Luna Park

Weddings’ to be their Preferred Lolly Buffet

Supplier. This ongoing partnership will

benefit my business and is just wonderful.

What is the hardest thing about running your

own business?

I love setting up Lolly Buffets for my cus-

tomers it is so much fun & very rewarding,

Ever wondered what it would be like to run your own business? Maybe you

dream about being your own boss. Here we talk with Lisa, the talented

owner of business Tutti Frutti Lolly Buffets about why she does what she

does and the pros and cons of being a mumprenuer.

23

so it really hasn’t been too hard at all. But to

start off with getting all my stock together to

be able to set up a variety of different lolly

buffets was very expensive & time consum-

ing as I had to source a lot of suppliers & to

be honest I still am (I am continually im-

proving my range and adding new lines &

products). I have found that if I write every

idea/bill/appointment/enquiry down I am

fine. The key to running any business I be-

lieve is to be ORGANISED!! I prioritise

everything & some things take longer than

others but I eventually get there & don’t

forget to do anything as it’s all written down.

Do you have any tips for any mums out there

who are thinking of starting their own busi-

nesses?

Yes!! A very wise professional woman told

me to live my life in this order;

FAMILY, HEALTH, SELF, WORK!!! I try

to stick to this myself most days. The other

necessity is to save as much as you can to

kick start your business, I did this for 5

months before I put myself out there as I

needed a lot of materials, a website etc. to

begin. You do not need to be well off to start

a business you just need to be head strong &

organised with your finances.

Do not be scared, change is what makes us

grow, be excited as this is a ‘NEW BEGIN-

NING’ for you & your family.

LISA’S TOP 5 TIPS

Do a Business Plan

(This will be the foundation for your busi-

ness for many years to come)

Penrith BEC in Henry st, Penrith has a NEIS

programme as well as a 6 week ‘Small Busi-

ness Management’ course that is run several

times a year for low income earners that is

fantastic or you can do a 12 month Cert IV

course at TAFE.

CONTACT: Michael Todd on (02)

47215011

www.penrithsmallbiz.com.au

Another great FREE government site is

Business.gov.au

It has a wonderful HOW-TO-GUIDE to

start up a new business and much more.

The ATO offers a lot of FREE advice, packs

& small business information to help you get

started.

Start thinking about a business name &

check with ASIC to make sure it is not

already a registered business name.

Asic.gov.au or 1300 300 630

(Everything through ASIC is now done on

the Internet- Once you know your name is

available you will need to complete an appli-

cation to register your business name)

Next is to Contact the ATO (Australian

Taxation Office) to apply for your ABN

which is a very simple process.

Ato.gov.au or 132 866

The rest is up to you. Plan, Plan, Plan.

Work smart & have fun too. It is not go-

ing to happen overnight, but if you build

it, it will grow.

Sweet Regards

Lisa Hitchens

Tutti Frutti Lolly Buffets

(see her ad on page 26)

Cnr Hawkesbury Valley Way & George Street, Windsor

Raising money for Breast Cancer Research

McQuade Park Twilight Market

Sat 7th December 2pm-7pm

Petting Zoo

Jumping Castle

Stalls

Food

Band

Plenty of fun for all!

Plus join us for the World’s biggest community colouring in!!

Artw

ork d

esigned

and d

onated

by S

tacey P

egrem

They call it “mother’s intuition” - that sense

inside of a woman that there is something

more than the eye can see. It is awakened in

any woman with children in her care and

once it is there it is there for life.

So why do we have this so called “sixth

sense”? I believe it is our gift that comes with

motherhood. But do we all have this instinct,

and what do we do about it? Do we ignore

that feeling deep down telling us that our

child “just isn’t themselves” or do we risk

being called a fussy parent?

Many mother’s report times when their

mother’s instinct kicked in and they were

able to save their child from harm. Many

mum’s also tell of times when they knew

something was wrong with their unborn

baby, even when doctor’s reports said other-

wise.

I felt my own mothering instinct kick in

when I was 37 weeks pregnant. I felt worried

about my baby all day although I wasn’t sure

why. After speaking with my mum I decided

to go to the hospital and get checked out. My

baby hadn’t moved much that day.

Even after having a CTG to check my baby’s

heartbeat didn’t ease the feeling that some-

thing was wrong. A doctor soon confirmed

that my baby was in distress. An emergency

caesarean soon showed us why - the placenta

had died. The doctor told me that if we had

been even 10 minutes later getting the baby

out, she would have died.

After hearing from our readers, many similar

stories have emerged.

Some people don’t believe in “mother’s in-

stinct”, other’s don’t really give it much

thought.

Recently there was the sad account of a

young boy in Western Sydney who was taken

repeatedly to the doctor by his mother. The

doctor kept telling her that her son was fine

against her insistence that he wasn’t his usual

self and appeared to be in pain. Tragically the

boy was soon diagnosed with appendicitis

but they were unable to operate on time and

he died.

I know as mother’s (and father’s) we can

often overreact when it comes to our chil-

dren. I know that we were created with an

amazing ability to protect and care for our

young. And I know that I would rather be

branded a “fussy” mother by getting my child

checked over a few too many times than risk

the chance that there is really something

wrong. After all, these little gifts are the most

precious we will ever be given… shouldn’t

we take that extra care?

Mother’s intuition

25

Business Directory

www.angelbabes.com.au

Advertise your

business here for as

little as $45 a month

Kids wear

Gift ideas

Cute accessories

Baby Shower

Contact Lisa 0416 030 584

tuttifruttibuffets@gmail.com

Perfect for

Weddings

Baby Showers

Parties

Card classes and

kids craft classes

Contact Maryanne for more information

stampinwithmj@gmail.com

Or phone 0478 193 254

STAMPIN

UP…

With MJ

Playtime Plasters Birthday & X-Mas packs available Quality plaster activity packs Paints & brushes included qualityplastercasts@hotmail.com 0433 018922

Windsor Mall Craft Market

Kids Fun!

30

Learn to draw…. a lion!

Start by drawing the top

of the head, the ears and

the mane

Add the rest of the face,

the lower jaw and a line

for the legs

Start the nose, add teeth

and draw in the front legs

Draw in the back legs,

the eyes and the line

across the nose

Add the tail and the hair

at the end of it

Finally, draw some

whisker dots on the face,

the inner ears and claws

We would love to see your drawings. Post them on our Facebook page for us to

see!

Community

Our playgroup is open to all mums,

dads and carers.

Join us during the school term from

10am-12pm Tuesday, Thursday and

Friday. Lots of variety for parents and kids

with some fun day trips now and then.

Call us on 0414 377 266

Scribbles Playgroup is held at the

Church Vineyard in the Sunbeams

Room.

Cnr Windsor and Brenan Dams Road,

Vineyard.

Check out our webpage:

www.scribblesplaygroup.com

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Free Parenting Groups phone: 4560 5714 for details

Walk & Talk: a pram walking

group for Hawkesbury’s Parents

& Grandparents

Meet & Greet: an information

and support group for first time

parents with babies 0-12 weeks

Sleep & Settling: sessions for

babies 0-6 months

Approaching Toddlerhood: in-

cluding sleep, nutrition, behav-

iour, development, play, learn-

ing

Early Childhood

Health Services for the

Hawkesbury Community

Free early childhood services

are available throughout the

district for families living in the

Hawkesbury LGA & London-

derry.

(02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Feeding, Immunisation and

Early Childhood

Development Clinics

phone: 4560 5714 for details

2 Day St Windsor (02) 4560 5714 www.hdhs.com.au

Rhyme Time @ Central

Library Windsor Every Monday 10am (except during

school holidays)

Rhymes, songs and craft for 18 months

to 3 years. Session runs for about 45

minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings

required

Preschool Storytime Windsor every Tuesday @ 11am

Richmond every Thursday @ 11am

(except School Holidays)

Themed stories, rhymes and craft for

3 to 5 years. Session runs for about

60 minutes, siblings welcome.

FREE - No bookings required

Central Library Windsor

Richmond Branch Library

Noticeboard

34

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damages of any kind whatsoever with respect to the service, the materials, and the products. You are

encouraged to exercise discretion while browsing the Internet. No part of this publication or the corre-

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Don’t miss next month...

Plus… Thanksgiving crafts and recipes

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Fabric dolls

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